June 30th, 2011
We head out again towards the temples and again later than expected. Linda and Jen are out of commission by now as Linda needed a doctor at the hotel to prescribe her antibiotics for her eye and skin issues that don't seem to be disappearing. So Alex and Kate join myself, Andrea and her parents for the last couple of temples.
We head to Wat Arun- the Temple of the Dawn. The temple is on the other side of the river, so we talk the public water transit over to a dock that's a bit of a walk north of the temple. At the dock, there is a big market full of double parked tuk tuks- all which want to give us a ride. We walk.
The temple is very detailed- statues of mythical beings line every level. We hiked up the temple as high as we could, stopping at every level to explore- and then to the top to see a view of the Bangkok skyline.
On our way out of the temple, we get turned around. Alex and Kate advise us not to trust the water taxis to take us across the river- as they will overcharge. Only later did we find out there was some sort of ferry that could have taken us over. So after unsuccessfully finding a tuk tuk (imagine that!), we hoof it back to the public boat dock, and take it one stop across the river to the Grand Palace.
Making it a little bit before the gates close, we try to explore the palace under a time constraint. Not an easy task considering the whole complex was comparable in size to Angkor Wat. We decide to focus on the old palace, and see what we can otherwise. The centerpiece is The Emerald Buddha- so sacred they don't allow you to photograph it from within the temple. I tried to get a shot from one of the windows but to no avail.
Still within the palace, we pass by a government residence. There is armed guards everywhere, so needless to say we keep on moving. Soon enough, it is time to go, and we all regroup and rush via transit to the Pullman Centre for a Thai traditional show and dinner.
There is a bad thunderstorm brewing and we get caught in it, and we scramble to find the theatre. When we get there, Jen and Linda are already there, and we realize a bait and switch has occurred. The show is not going to occur in the main Aksara theatre as promised. Instead, it's on a make shift platform in a room next to a busy buffet. We all opt not to stay and head back to the hotel- at which most of us are tired and sweaty, and decide to part ways for dinner.
Andrea and I had freshened up and head towards a Japanese restaurant on the street of our hotel, as Andrea was jonesin' for sushi. Her parents asked to join and we obliged. It was rainy and mucky on the streets, and we had no chance to research the place with the Internet being very expensive at the hotel. After a walk that seemed to take forever, found out there was no sushi. We went back down the street, and no one could decide where to go. Finally, choosing the Lebanese place across the street! Oh well, it was a delicious meal in the end.
July 1, 2011
The following day we hit Bangkok airport blurry eyed, with a tv commercial being filmed next to us. Everyone was rushing to get pass security only to be delayed an hour and half. The airline staff could not tell us why we were delayed, telling Doug- "We'd like to know too". Wrote a blog, checked facebook, before they finally said we were boarding. Next thing, you know we landed in Laos.
Next mission, "The Rain Comes in Luang Prabang"...
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