Well, after much too long in the Surat Thani train station I made it to Bangkok. When the train finally got to the station at midnight I was exhausted and totally ready to conk out. I slept as well as I could on a train that leaves the lights on all night. The bad thing was everyone else woke up so early because there were on the train earlier, and therefore got to sleep earlier. So they were all chatty and moving around early in the morning. Oh well. I made friends with the Thai woman who slept on the bunk below me. She helped my buy fruit and smiled a lot. Thai people are so friendly!
 |
| See, wide roads. And pedestrians bridge. |
I got to Bangkok at noon and had lunch at the same place I had lunch my first day here because I knew it was good and I figured since my hotel was in the tourist district of Bangkok it would be cheaper at this restaurant. After my very yummy lunch I walked the super long distance to my hotel.
But I was really proud of myself because I did it with my really bad map and only had to ask directions once, and that was when I was already in the right district and just couldn't find the street. Walking to my hotel was a good way to see Bangkok. This city is so so so different than any place in Vietnam. Bangkok is developed! The roads are wide and are clearly marked with lanes and it is mostly cars driving on them- there isn't the motorbike culture like Vietnam. Bad news bears though, Thais drive on the left side of the road. I struggled with concept so much. Additionally, I quickly figured out that the whole Vietnamese style of just walk in the middle of the road and cars will swerve around you doesn't apply in Thailand. I'm surprised I made it out of the city unscathed. Back to how developed Bangkok is: The police seem much more organized. There are tons of McDonalds, Burger Kings, Subways, and even Dunkin Donuts. I guess Bangkok has had a lot more Western influence than Vietnam!
 |
outside the Grand Palace. Oh, there are monks EVERYWHERE
in Bangkok. It is awesome! |
On my walk to my hotel when I was near the Grand Palace a tuktuk driver came up to me and asked if I needed a tour guide for the Grand Palace. I told him no, and that I just wanted to go to my hotel right now. He took my map from me and said, "Okay well so you know the Grand Palace opens at 3:00. There are meetings." Or something like that. And he wrote, "Open, 3:00" on my map. So I'm thinking, okay cool. It is 1:30 now and I have time to go to my hotel, drop my stuff off, walk around, and then make my way back to the Grand Palace at 3:00. WRONG. At 3:00 I return to the Grand Palace only to find out that it CLOSES at 3:00. The tuktuk driver must have mistaken the word opened, for closed. Because he definitely wrote "open" on my map. I still have it for proof. I was really frustrated and also sad that I didn't get to see the Grand Palace but hopefully I will return to Bangkok someday. So instead, I went to Wat Pho, which houses the largest reclining Buddha in the world. He is 46 meters long and 15 meters tall. His toes are embellished with mother of pearl inlays. It truly is a magnificent work of art.
The area I am staying in is crazy. The general backpacker's district is called Banglamphu and there is one road called Khao San that is just unbelievably crazy. It is just one big market. It is so fun! There are so many souvenirs and all the best known Thai food in this one street. And I was wrong about the prices– it is so cheap!
 |
| Khao San road. |
I'd say that today was more about eating then sight seeing. Again, I used the logic "when is the next time I am going to be eating authentic Thai food in Thailand?" Also, I needed to get rid of my baht (Thailand's currency). So, I started off with a banana and coconut smoothie. As I was sipping on that I saw some mango sticky rice. Of course I wanted it. Then, after tasting the delicious mango I just wanted one of those straight up. So I got one. Next, I passed a woman selling bananas with some sort of honey glaze– sold. I broke the sweet streak with a savory dish: over easy quail eggs served on a bed of shredded cabbage. The eggs were slightly peppered and spritzed with soy sauce. They were delicious, I think my favorite thing I ate all day. Next was a real meal, even though I wasn't the slightest bit hungry– I had shrimp pad thai with an egg. And gosh, well I had another mango sticky rice followed by freshly squeezed orange juice. It was a good way to end my 2 week travels. Tomorrow morning I go to the airport at 4 a.m and fly to Saigon.
 |
| bananas |
 |
| quail egg lady |
 |
| my delicious quail eggs |
 |
| pad thai lady |
Some random thoughts on Bangkok...
 |
This was a common sight in Bangkok. Something I have yet
to see in other SEA destinations. Also, there street vendors where
tourists could get their hair dreaded. |
 |
All the school girls have the same haircut. I creepily took
a picture of them. |
 |
| This was posted on my hotel door. Slightly entertaining. |
But I was really proud of myself because I did it with my really bad map and only had to ask directions once, and that was when I was already in the right district and just couldn't find the street. Walking to my hotel was a good way to see Bangkok. This city is so so so different than any place in Vietnam. Bangkok is developed! The roads are wide and are clearly marked with lanes and it is mostly cars driving on them- there isn't the motorbike culture like Vietnam. Bad news bears though, Thais drive on the left side of the road. I struggled with concept so much. Additionally, I quickly figured out that the whole Vietnamese style of just walk in the middle of the road and cars will swerve around you doesn't apply in Thailand. I'm surprised I made it out of the city unscathed. Back to how developed Bangkok is: The police seem much more organized. There are tons of McDonalds, Burger Kings, Subways, and even Dunkin Donuts. I guess Bangkok has had a lot more Western influence than Vietnam!
No comments:
Post a Comment