Bangkok Exploration Day 2
The first day we were here, we were seriously concerned that we couldn't find a coffee shop....aaaahhhhh! My Mom and Lynnae came to our rescue by finding a man selling dixie cup sized hot coffee on a busy street corner near our hotel. It was strong, black like coal and doused with sweetened condensed milk...wow...good! Anyways, his stall became our first stop every morning.
Since it was our first day just exploring we decided to walk and see if things were easy to get to, etc. Lynnae found a little walkway to the river and we saw our first long boats racing passengers up and down the river to different destinations. This set off a buzz of excitement! What a fun place! Soon we made it to our first destination Wat Saket and the Golden Mount. The Wat was very peaceful and quiet, which is unusual in this bustling city. There was a very pretty garden in front that led you to the entrance of the Wat. Next door was the Golden Mount. In order to get to it you have to walk up steps through luscious tropical plants and waterfalls littered with Buddhist statues. There is a landing with bells and a huge drum or gong you could hit. Fierce especially appreciated this musical and thunderous event. We climbed on and finally wound our way to the main building where patrons could offer incense and a class for boys wanting to become monks was being held. The views were incredible. You could see everything from little homes on stilts to grand buildings. When we went down to the bottom again Fierce found a "cave" and had to explore it with his race car.
So, we all decided we had walked enough in the heat. I thought we were pretty close to our next destination, but I decided to ask a tuk tuk driver just in case it was really forever away. He assured me it was very far so we all climbed in to his tuk tuk. We started off in the exact opposite direction I would have taken us so I thought, "Wow, I was really turned around." However, he stopped talking on his phone, looked at his gps and turned right around then proceeded to pass the exact spot we had gotten in at and turn down one street and stop. We were all like, "hey! that's where you picked us up!!!!" He smiled a sheepish grin and my mom said, "You are lucky you are cute!" lol We got swindled!!!! lol All this to see Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing. We looked around yet another beautiful Wat, but didn't see a swing anywhere. Well, come to find out it was under construction with very little construction being done...ha!
Off to China Town! Asked a tuk tuk driver to take us and a guy in what looked like a police uniform came up and said, "Oh, it is very far. You should take a long boat, get a little tour of the city and then get dropped off in China Town." What a fun experience. It was about and hour boat ride and at one point they stopped at a 2 person floating market. My mom bought a little colorful tuk tuk toy for Fierce. He was so excited. We did a little shopping in China Town and then stopped for our first street food. I can't say it was my favorite, but it was good. We shopped along the way to a silk market and also a flower market. Both were a bit underwhelming. We decided to head back, but before we hailed a taxi I read a sign that said coffee shop upstairs. My Mom and Lynnae agreed to go inside. I went in first and the minute I saw the place, I was giddy. I thought, "They are going to love this! What a gem!" First you walked through a flower shop then upstairs there were dried flowers and vases hanging from it every inch of the ceiling. Beautiful cakes with little roses on them were displayed on glass cake plates. My Mom ordered a lychee smoothie that came with a lychee that looked as if it had just bloomed on top of the drink. Lynnae had a chai tea and I had a latte and a raspberry chocolate cake. Everything was displayed beautifully. It was like a little haven in the midst of the craziness of China Town. On our way back to the hotel we realized that China Town was actually only about two blocks from where we had asked about a tuk tuk ride...but we all agreed that the boat ride had been worth the hour ride and yet again being taken in as a tourist.
Later that night we met up with Blake again and had a beautiful dinner on the lake. I had picked out a dinner spot that was supposed to have traditional Koh dance performances, but when we got there it was shut down. Blake found another restaurant and it had a view of Wat Arun all lit up in the dark night. The food was delicious! I am definitely beginning to see why Blake likes this city so much. It has a certain charm and the people here are incredibly friendly.
