Yesterday was an off day for me meaning I had no appointments. I wandered over to Ricki’s Coffee where I used to have breakfast last time in Bangkok and was reminded just how good their coffee was. I planned a circular exploration of Bangkok and wanted something filling and healthy in my stomach before I began.
My circuit began with a Tuk Tuk ride to the canal, well, after negotiating two hard sell guys who stalk tourist only and won’t negotiate their prices. A local guy came buy and was happy to take me for 60 rather than 100 Baht. I reserved a room in person for my last two nights at A One Inn and got on the sky train headed for the river.
The view from the train is really great! The track is above the city giving a glimpse of the life below. A water taxi delivered me to the pier leading into China Town and I wandered there for several hours. Amazing watching all the comings and goings there! Another water taxi delivered me back to my home pier and after a nice lunch, I headed pool side. That was great after being in the heat and close quarters of China town.
I paid a final visit to Coffee & More for an afternoon Moka and headed to the water front to watch sunset and get a few pictures.
The evening was spent wandering the street markets and people watching on my last night in this neighborhood.
Today, I had an early start as I needed to get checked out, check email, get breakfast and catch a Tuk Tuk to the canal boat. Ricki’s coffee delivered once again and I headed off. From my experience yesterday, I learned to watch more carefully which Tuk Tuk I stop. I picked an older one that I had not seen lurking and circling the neighborhood. I showed him on my map where I wanted to go and he offered to take me for half what the guys did yesterday. I paid him the same as my negotiated price yesterday. He took my hand and looked me gratefully in the eye bowing his appreciation for the extra money.
Bangkok is a city of contrasts not all that unlike the state. Many people live day to day with the money they make and find a way for that to work. Then there is the Thai wealthy who buy burgers at the mall for 250 Baht, pay 550 Baht to attend a movie (massages locally for an hour are 200 Baht) and the wealth at the malls is impressive. Amazing seeing these worlds collide and coexist.
Where one person scoffed at me using the BTS because it goes out of the way (they would call a taxi for four times the cost), another praised me for taking the time to figure out the system and getting around so economically.
I made it to my hotel, they weren’t sure if they had a room for me or not so I put my pack in their storage stowing my important things in a safe locker. Then I headed off to the dentist. Yay was I excited…not!
The first dentist repaired a “step” that had formed in the side of a tooth and completed her work in under 30 minutes. I assumed I was on a roll. After a lunch, I returned and got in early to have the crown fitted. He was so patient and deliberate in preparing it, fitting it perfectly with adjoining teeth, smoothing off any raised surface, etc, I was another 90 minutes in his chair. I’m very pleased with the results and ESPECIALLY that I didn’t require a root canal to properly fix the tooth.
A nap, then massage and I wandered off to the mall looking for a movie until I discovered how much they cost here and I didn’t take along enough money to buy a movie ticket! I had a surprisingly entertaining time wandering through the mall, exploring the food court, drooling through the electronics floor, and savoring a “Krispy Kreme” treat discovered in the food area. I’ll go back there for lunch tomorrow as there is a huge variety, it’s air conditioned, and reasonably priced.
I’ve lost track of all the languages I’ve heard spoken. The accents change so quickly, I’m having trouble understanding people speak English with Scottish, English, French, Dutch, German, Italian….each accent different enough I really have to concentrate.
Tomorrow is another free day and I plan to go visit a park that is a remnant of what Bangkok looked like before it was fully developed. They warned me that HUGE monitor lizards reside there so not to be surprised when some prehistoric beast approaches curious if I have a handout for it.
I’m posting a lot of photo’s so enjoy the show. I’ve labeled most of them so if you click on the photo, it enlarges and should show you a photo title.
Ciao….
