Bangkok - Long Boat Tour
I woke up at 3:00am and was awake for nearly 30 minutes before I fell asleep again — it’s tricky getting adjusted to a new time. Then we woke up at 8:00, got ready, ate breakfast at the M club and talked about plans for the day. We wanted to go see floating markets but unfortunately they were a ways away and would be over by noon. Brian and I and Chris talked to the concierge and thought up a new plan. The Whites decided they wanted to stay and get massages so Jared, Geneva, Brian, Terri and Chris and I headed out the back and walked through beautiful Queens Park and up to the sky train. We got stuck at the entrance to a mall that was covered in balloons. I loved it!!
Chinese New Year Lanterns
Chris met a Thai professor on the sky train who talked him into a long tail boat ride that left from the Monks school area. He walked with us and led us to the right place. Such a nice man.
Long Tail Boat Ride
Our boat ride was really fantastic. He took us down the river and into the old part of town. Fascinating to see how people live.
We particularly loved when a floating market headed our way. So fun. We bought drinks from her and continued on our way. It was so fun. Why did I not buy one of those cool hats?
Along the side of the river by the base of a broken down uninhabited house I saw a crocodile. It was crazy. I yelled out but before I could grab my camera or anyone could see anything we had passed it and bushes covered the area. They had trouble believing me until all of a sudden Brian spotted a huge lizard. About 2 feet long. Then later we found an even larger one. I later learned that they are called Monitor Lizards. We joke now that they don’t believe me when I say anything but that when Brian says something then they all believe it. Funny.
Bangkok Food Market
When we got off our boat tour we stepped right into the coolest food supply area. We walked through the alleys and saw some really interesting ‘normal Bangkok life’. It was cool. These alleyways led us right to the fruit and flower markets.
These pictures were just seconds before seeing a rat crossing the alleyway. Yikes. Chris pulled out the video camera and teased that he saw the rat again. I knew he was joking but I couldn’t stop myself from reacting.
After markets and rat-filled alleyways, we wandered through the streets looking for bathrooms (and air conditioning) and then happened upon another little temple. Then to a CROWDED Chinese Market with stalls overflowing with bright trinkets and not enough room for people to navigate the traffic. You can tell I was hot, tired, and uninspired because I stopped taking pictures.
We took the sky tram back to our hotel and met up with the Whites. The concierge gave us recommendations for a restaurant a couple blocks over and it was so good. I got Panang Curry and Chris got Massaman. Delicious! Then we decided to get massages for one of the hundreds of massage parlors around. Let’s just say it was quite the experience.