MIKE AND JESS' TRAVEL DIARY
Thailand and Cambodia Trip
Day 2 - December 2 2014
After finally getting a good nights sleep, we felt rested and ready to take on Bangkok! We started by getting on their overhead railway much like the ones we rode on in Seattle. This took us to the “express” boats that take you up the river that cuts Bangkok in half. The ride was very interesting, seeing the city from the water.
Our first stop was Chang Pier to see the Grand Palace. This wat (temple) is the largest in the city and is the most ornate as it was built for the royal family.
This huge complex of wats was spectacular. The temples are all completely covered in jewels and colored glass, each with different color schemes and patterns.
Walking in the temples, the rooms are covered in gold, the walls covered in murals and small paintings that look like detailed wallpaper. It was exhausting walking with the huge crowds through the large complex, not to mention the sun was in full force and the humidity was much higher than expected for the time of year. Out of respect, they require everyone to wear long pants, closed shoes, and at least their shoulders covered.
We were sweaty messes at the end of it. We were far from done for the day, though. After grabbing a couple fruit shakes (fresh fruit blended with water and ice), we got back on the boat and headed to the Chinatown Pier. We grabbed a few Tuk Tuks (large golf carts) to get us to the main street. Along the streets we passed are what look like large storage units holding huge bags of peanuts, stacks of burlap, etc. My Dad had very recently been to Hong Kong and neighboring cities and was surprised at how much it resembled China. We arrived around 1:30 PM and asked a nearby policeman when the food carts come out because there were none to be found and that is the main reason we went. He said, “5pm-6pm.” We now had a lot of time to kill so we walked to the only restaurant with air conditioning. 4 rounds of Thai beer and 4 appetizers later, it was time for some street food.
We enjoyed everything from Pad Thai, fresh from the wok, quick battered chicken and prawns (the star of the day!), Barbequed pork and Thai sausages, fresh pressed pomegranate juice. We were in heaven.
Once we filled our bellies, we took a cab ride back to the overhead train and to the hotel. After cleaning up, we head back out to see Bangkok GoGo’s, An experience impossible to put into words.
