Having a local friend in Koh Samui was great and our next destination was Bangkok to see Dhra, a friend from elementary school, and to try to recreate our own version of the movie The Hangover.
Our commute to Bangkok was a bit easier than other commutes because this time we only used one company to get there. One boat and one bus.
The Thailand Kingdom is mostly Budhhist with a some Islam in the south at the border of Malaysia, which is a predominantly Islamic country. Bangkok, The City of Angels, is the capital city of the Kingdom. Bangkok is known for its temples, the Grand Palace, shopping, outdoor markets, affordable to high end accommodations, massages, traffic (and lots of it!), and best of all their FOOD!!!!
Getting around Bangkok was easy if the trains could take you there, but if you needed a taxi you were in for a treat. First you have to flag down a taxi and try to find one that uses the meter. We were told it was illegal to set a fixed price, but almost all the taxis we came across would not use the meter. Then you had to sit in traffic. Taxis had ways of getting through traffic a bit faster which included driving in the emergency lane, making turns from the wrong side of the road, and taking shortcuts which I'm not always sure were shortcuts. Of course no seatbelts. This is how everyday driving is and it works for them. It was good fun, something to break up the monotony of obeying traffic laws.
Thanks for everything Dhra and Mark! We had a great time.
Getting around Bangkok was easy if the trains could take you there, but if you needed a taxi you were in for a treat. First you have to flag down a taxi and try to find one that uses the meter. We were told it was illegal to set a fixed price, but almost all the taxis we came across would not use the meter. Then you had to sit in traffic. Taxis had ways of getting through traffic a bit faster which included driving in the emergency lane, making turns from the wrong side of the road, and taking shortcuts which I'm not always sure were shortcuts. Of course no seatbelts. This is how everyday driving is and it works for them. It was good fun, something to break up the monotony of obeying traffic laws.
Thanks for everything Dhra and Mark! We had a great time.
Hanging out with Dhra's family.
He ate the whole thing!!! Yuck!
Asiatique is a waterfront street market/mall with plenty of shops, restaurants, and activities to choose from. We spent the evening wandering around and then grabbing a bite to eat for dinner.
Below are images from the Grand Palace that was established in 1782. It consists of the royal residence, throne halls, government offices, and the temple of the Emerald Buddha. It covers 218,000 square meters and is surrounded by 4 walls. Beautiful temples, sculptures, tile work and more.
El Guapo, would you say that there are a plethora of monks?
Yup, that is a real guard and a real gun!
Jim Thompson was born in Delaware, and eventually moved and settled in Thailand. He help revitalize the silk industry in the 1950s and 60s. Long story short, he went to Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and stayed in a bungalow. One day he went out for a walk and never returned. Below is a picture of a small portion of his property. It consists of 6 thai-style houses made out of teak.
Silk being made.
Water taxi's behind the Jim Thompson house.
Happy 4 Year Anniversary to us! Ramen noodles for dinner.
Hand-made Magnum ice cream bar for dessert.
View of downtown Bangkok.
Hanging out with Dhra, her boyfriend Mark, and a few of their friends. Good times.
Controlled chaos.
Came across this band competition at one of the train stops we got off at. The guys in the red shirts got served.
This was at a mall in Bangkok. So many people took pictures with this guy, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity either. Malls had great food, not your typical food court, and was a great place to cool down from the humidity.
Didn't your mother teach not to play with your food?
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