Seeing the Sites
Trip Start
Nov 17, 2009
1
3
11
Trip End
Jan 29, 2010
Bangkok, TH.40, Thailand
Thursday, November 19, 2009
I began by getting up very early around 6 o'clock and catching a taxi to Lumphini Park a green oasis in the heart of Bangkok's smog choked centre. I used a meter taxi for the first time and discovered that they are much cheaper particular for long journeys then tut tuts and there's none of the haste of having to bargain or being taken to travel agents or tailor shops(they are now my favourite way to travel Bangkok).
As promised by the guidebook Lumphini Park was full of Bangkokians running, weight lifting and exercising. As I enter the gate there was a class of fan dancers and as I wandered in there were people practicing tai chi, yoga, aerobics and even sword fighting. The nice thing was that I was one of the only Western around and besides the occananial bemused looked, when I smiled at the Thai they simpily smiled back instead of asking for money or to buy something. After wandering around for an hour I found this public exercise equitment (like you get in gym but laid out in the park) grandmothers where using exercise and weight equitment. At 8 o'clock a song which I think was the national athem or a tribute to the king played, everyone stopped. I was sitting on a bench at the time a jogger gestured for me to get up. I realised what was happening and I shot out seat he just grinned at me.
As I wander futher into the park I found weight lifting club and even a mini outdoor food court. After about two hours I wander out of the park my plan for the day was to go to Chinatown. On my way out i found a plaque dediciated to Thai king. Apparently he is the first monarch ever to be granted a patent. He sponsered the creation of a devise that help oxygenate water to decrease polluion. As I left the park to board the metro I passed Bangkok's giant statute of the king which just emphasised for me how serious the Thai take there royal family.
I caught the metro to China town and wander down Yaowarat, the main drag. There are shop set up along every crevise of China town but the real life is in its sois(side streets in English). They pack so many shops into these side streets that they develop there own little lanes. I wandered the sois of China town for three hours picking up snacks. I got octopus on a stick and when I asked for the chilli sauce with it the stall lady asked if I was sure twice, it was delcicious. After a while I started to feel slightly sick. Combination of the pollution and the fact I wander through a Chinese fish market, which while interesting was really quite revolting. I managed to find my way to the second floor of an arcade where they served Chinese tea to Thais and Chinese tourists. I drank tea quietly while people watching until a Chinese tourist began to laugh at me good naturedly for putting a little sugar in my tea.
About noon I pick up a plate of duck and rice (which was a little baland I think they soften the taste for tourists) and tried to find the Indian section of China town. I did not suceed I only found lane after lane of motorcycles and tut tut repair shops. Eventually I gave up and caught a taxi to Jim Thompson's house. They had a compulsory tour so I wandered around in "Group J" with some Americans, Brits and some Europeans who could not get a tour in their language. This was experience three with annoying Americans tourists. Okay the tour guide did not really speak english very well, she was working on a script and some of her jokes about chamberpots were a bit corny but that is not an excuse to mock her every second sentence. Besides this the house(or really houses) and their contents were lovely particularly the tableware.
After Jim Thompson house I headed back to Khan San; I shopped around a bit had a mixed curry and a beer and went to bed to read about ten.
I will put pictures up when i have the time.
