Being a Tourist

Being a tourist is always a bit more fun if you have someone with you who knows the lie of the land and watches out for pitfalls. Cousteau-cub provided just such a service.

We headed across to the sky train where we picked up the next ride to towards Sathorn and the River.
The air conditioned carriage was already seen as a must. The 27C heat when we landed had increased now that the sun was well up and the humidity was stifling. The journey only took 5-10 minutes and we were deposited by the small pier where we picked up a ferry to take us to the heart of the city.


The ferry passed plush hotels perched next to slums, fabulous palaces and small restaurants. All life was there, as they say.
We disembarked just before the Grand Palace and wandered through a small market and found a number of street traders setting up for the day. Cousteau-cub needed breakfast – and we needed a drink already. Stir-fried chicken, chilli, and basil on sticky rice ensured C-c was not going hungry and iced green tea ensured we didn’t dehydrate. As we left the little plastic stools on the road-side we encountered the first of many attempts to scam us. As we approached the side gate of the Palace a chap assured us it didn’t open until 1 o’clock – but was happy to guide us round elsewhere until it opened. C-c answered him in Thai – and he immediately realised he was found-out and left us alone. This particular scam was tried out about 4 or 5 times as we walked the perimeter of the Palace to the main entrance.


Inside the walls stands a different world. It was phantasmagorical. Pinnacles, spires, and domes dripping with gold and with coloured tiles that caught and reflected the tropical sun. It was, quite literally, breath-taking. As we made our way round every path and and corner, new vistas and new marvels were revealed. This was different world. (Talking of which, the Gorse Fox noticed how many foreigners there were. Chirpy little coves. Nice smiles and funny way of talking.)

We stopped at many of the temples and, removing our shoes and hats would wander in to see the shrines.
Compared to the Baroque obscenities of some of the European Cathedrals – these had a peace and charm and lightness that made the visit a pleasure. There is a problem, however. Bruising. When your jaw keep dropping at these sights, you end up with a bruise on the chin.
From the Palace we headed on to Wat Pho – the giant 40 metre Buddha in another collection of stunning courtyards and palaces. Many, many more photos were taken and they will, no doubt, find their way onto Flickr at some point.
We headed back to the hotel. It had been a long day and we didn’t want to overdo it in the heat. An hour or two to rest was called for – then we would head out once more… for who knows what!