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Published: June 18th 2006
Temples at Wat Po
Amazing temples at Wat Po.Only in the country about 1 hour before falling victim to the old 'taxi meter' scam. "Oh no - no meters in Thailand" the driver assures us. Lesson: if the driver does not switch on the metre, get out and find another taxi. Do not 'arrange' a price with him. It will be a rip off!
Nevermind - nothing like getting over jet-lag and crazy night-time taxi rides, than a bit of retail therapy. We set off down the road to MBK, a shopping mall that is meant to be popular with the younger Thais. Some great purchases included our new diesel jeans and my new baby-g watch. Fakes unlimited with stalls and stalls of rip curl, quicksilver, billabong and diesel clothing. A girl could easily get lost in here..
The heat of Bangkok is a shock to the system after the New Zealand climate. So is the smell and the rubbish everywhere. So many dangling wires, towering scaffolding made of flimsy bamboo, stray dogs, mangy cats and filth..
I honestly don't know what saves this city from exploding in a dirty, cesty inferno. The fact that any child makes it past the age of five must have
Reclining budda
Golden recling budda - Bangkok something to do with all the praying they do. The beautifully decorated shrines dot every corner and everywhere you can buy beautiful flowers to leave as offerings to the gods.
What a contrast to Gods Own NZ. This city should be visited, because under all the filth - (and once you get used to the culture shock) you can find a city with an amazing vibe and enough eye-opeing sights to last for years.
The next day we set off on the skytrain to find the river. A wrong turn saw us totally lost and wandering aimlessly in the 30+ degree heat. Some unreal sights as we were able to look into the slum areas and watch all the people going about their daily lives. Overcrowded, baking hot rooms filled with people folding up shoe boxes or sewing the edges of tarpaulins. Now I realise why we can buy these things for next to nothing in our own countries. A sad reminder about reality outside our little bubble.
After finally making our way back to the river, we jumped on the boat and visited the famous temple with the reclining Buddha. Damn impressive and hard to believe
how long ago it was all constructed.
Of course I managed to find a whole bunch of kittens playing about near the toilets at the temples. Common sense told me not to touch them - but having just left our own black feline back in NZ... my resistance was weak. I hope I managed to get through this trip without contracting anything revolting...
As the temples are a huge tourist draw card, just remember to ignore the touts and people that do their best to convince you that the temple is closed as the monks are praying. The temples generally open at about 9am but check LP for details.
After all the walking about in the stinking heat it was time for a bit of air conditioning.
If you are coming to Bangkok it is worth making the trip to the newest shopping mall called Siam Paragon. Just for a look - unlikely you'll actually buy anything. The Harrods of Bangkok would be a good description. The largest mall in S.E Asia and completely mind blowing... the prices were sky high on the biggest range of luxury goods we had ever seen. Chris nearly cried to
see the lovely cars on the 4th floor and there is a mini 'Sea World' complete with sharks and massive sting rays in the basement. Westfield in Glenfield will never look the same again.
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