Where is it? Getting lost in Bangkok.

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After sleeping on and off all night long, I finally just stayed awake around 5 am. Today I had quite the agenda. I ended up grabbing breakfast at the hotel restaurant and it was so good. Thai traditional breakfast of broth, chicken, rice and scallions. I loved it so much I wanted to order another bowl! Then I headed out to see Golden Mount or Golden Temple. I picked up a Tuk Tuk. For those of you that don't know, this is a 3 wheel cart of sorts used all aound the city. The driver was so nice and the rode was fun!

I arrived at Golden Mount and it's a little off the beaten path. It's a large temple built on an artifical hill. The top is all gold and glows in the morning sun. This is a fairly important temple and you can tell they have put some funds into it. As you ascend the stairs to the top you walk thru a misting garden area with a standing gold buddha and a few other little picturesque little spots. At the first platform area you encounter these large bells. All hung in a row. All of the temples have bells but nothing like what are here. These are large iron bells and they line both sides of the walkway. With the lush trees and flowers all around I can't help but hang here for a few moments and capture the scene.

I continued up the steps pausing to take in the views of all of Bangkok. I didn't anticipate having this vantage point and loved soaking it in. At the top, the views of the city are spectacular and the temple is beautiful. Once inside, there are several prayer areas with different buddha images. People are giving offerings of flowers and inscense. As I walked around I found my favorite buddha in the middle of the temple. At the base, there were 2 turtles. Eek! Up the stair then on more flight to the outside area. The perimeter here is strung with flags waving in the breeze and more beautiful prayer areas. People are walking around the center dome and I think it has something to do with making a wish. I spend some time simply soaking it all in. Compared to Monday, the calm and beauty of this place is relaxing.

On the way down I find more rows of bells that enchant me. Also, such a nice sight, 3 women who I had seen up at the top had stopped to use the brooms in the area to clean off the walkway. This was not their job, just simply something they stopped to do to help. Lovely. Back on the ground, I pop into the shop and pick up a orange beaded bracelet which when worn on certain days brings luck. Then out to the street I go. Along this road there are several wood working shops and I can't help but look around. If only I could bring a beautiful hand carved door home with me! I meet a few very sweet shop owners and practice Thai. Then I decide to head over to a road where these tradition iron bowls for the monks are made. But to get there, I have to cross the street.

Crossing the street. Now this really is an art form in Bangkok. I make my way to the crosswalk but then get stuck. The traffic just keeps coming and coming. Even when the cars and tucks stop, motorbikes keep wizzing in between them. 3 lanes of traffic and it's not letting up. I watch 3 boys cross from the other side of the road in amazement and they giggle at me in frozen state. Ok, I shake it off and think be bold. The traffic keeps coming. Now walks up, and no exaggeration here, an old Thai woman a foot shorter than me with a bright yellow umbrella. She looks up at me and then back at the traffic and just steps out. I hesitate in horror and they hurry after her. I can't believe that the only reason I made it across the street was because I was on the heels of this woman. I laughed at myself...out loud. I continue on and make my way down the street looking for this other street. I never find it. First time getting lost today. I turn around and make my way back to the main road. And again, there are the 3 boys on the other side of the street. This time they point and giggle. I can't help but giggle myself. I do much better this time and make it across the street all on my own. On the opposite corner there is one shop, really an outdoor space with a roof, making the monk bowls. Happily, I walk up and decide to start chatting. The owner was being filmed by a Thai film crew and I quickly find out that he's quite famous. He's the 6th generation bowl maker in his family and is quite the local celebrity. Harin, is his name and after I pick out a bowl, we chat about where I'm from, his family and his experience meeting Sean Connery. I grabbed a quick selfie with him and was on my way. What an interaction. Oh, and as it turns out, they filmed me and I might be on Thai TV. Haha

Now I'm back to navigating and over the cane bridge I go. It's time for lunch and I'm set on trying this old historic place. While walking over the canal, I catch a glimpse of a monitor lizard swimming. Now there's something you don't see everyday.

Next street to cross has actual cross walk complete with signal. It's the little things in life that are nice. I make my way along this major road and come across two of the sites on my list for the day. But first I'm hunting for lunch. I come upon the next intersection and again I feel lost & confused. A couple walks up and I ask to borrow their map. They're from Boston and lost as well. Perhaps it's a rite of passage in Bangkok. I push ahead down my chosen path and while the Boston couple should have followed they didn't because according to the woman, there was no side walk. Ok, so maybe technically she was right but there were Thais walking along the very narrow area between the buildings and street and if I had learned anything that morning it was to do as the Thais do! I pressed on. The fun part of this walk was that I had now discovered the endless shops selling all things related to Buddism. Giant buddha statues to books to necklaces. Anything and everything. So much red, yellow and gold. It was crazy. Then came the government buildings. Yet, no restaurant. Where I thought it was I couldn't find it. And it didn't help that all of the signs in this area of town were in Thai. So I continued on. Even making my way on to side streets and back streets. Nothing. Finally, I popped into a coffee shop. This did 2 things...I got a blast of much needed AC and met the nicest Thai couple. I explained what I was trying to do, pulled out my guide book and they were so very kind and helpful! They told me where the restaurant was, that it wasn't very good and then drew me a map with a few other better places to try. I will probably save that map forever. After thanking them both, I headed back out down a side alley and to the place they recommended. To no fault but own, I still couldn't find it but did end up in this really cool little fried rice shop. I guzzled down 2 large bottles of water realizing J had left my bottle at the monk bowl place and ate up some seriously good and cheap chicken fried rice. My entire meal was $3. Back up and on my feet, I headed back to the next site...Wat Suthat.

Wat Suthat is another temple in the city. It's much smaller than what I've seen thus far. It had a similar set up though with the Buddhas around the perimeter and the large temple house in the center. There were a couple of cool features. When you entered the grounds there was a pretty garden like area with stone figurines, floral and these 2 tall poles with red lantern like lights on them. Inside the temple house was a huge buddha. It was beautiful!

Just outside the temple is the Sao Ching-Cha. It's a massive red structure several stories tall and from what I gather used to be a swing of some kind. Now it's just a landmark.

On to the next stop I go but not without getting lost one more time. I definitely got plenty of extra working out in today! The final stop was the Wat Ratchanatdaram. I'm not going to lie...this stop was not that great. The space was sprawling and had some pretty sites but the main building was under construction. It would have been pretty cool to see. It looks more like a castle than any of the other buildings I've seen. Inside there was a museum of sorts and you could walk up a spiral staircase in the center of it. Each floor had a different exhibit.

Once I was done touring here, I was through for the day. It was steaming hot. Exhaustion, aka jet lag, had set in and it was time for and break. I jumped in a taxi and headed back to the hotel. I had planned to go out for an authentic Thai meal but after I showered, I fell asleep and napped. I woke around u pm and ended up just grabbing a quick meal at the hotel (pork satay in peanut sauce) and a beer. It was so good. Then right back upstairs and back in bed.

*note...I still can't upload photos. For pictures please see my instagram page Her Sole Abroad.

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