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Published: October 21st 2015
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Grand Palace
We finally woke at 10.30 and started getting ready to go out. After showering and so on, we went down to the lobby area of the hotel for a look around.
Our plan was to get the boat up the river and do some exploring. We bought some take away coffees from the hotel and made our way down to the hotel river boat. After reading the information we went back up to the concierge desk and got tickets. The boat left at 12.30 and went to the Saphan Taksin central pier where we purchased tickets for the blue flag Chao Prayo Tourist boat at TB150 each for an all day pass.
There are nine stops and we rode to the end which took about half an hour ish and at one stage it threw it down. Having made the trip up we then decided that we would do the Grand Palace today, so we rode back two stops and got off at Tha Maharaj.
After getting off the boat our first stop was a Starbucks; more coffee and a ham & cheese croissant to keep us going. Then off to the palace.
We passed the amulet
market on the way which is noted as a tourist highlight.
The Grand Palace was heaving with tourists, a lot of whom appear to be chinese, many in groups and being led around by tour guides.
The entry fee for the Palace and various exhibitions is TB400 each.
Our first stop was the clothes room where both of us had to get trousers as we were wearing shorts and there are clothing restrictions out of respect. This was actually pretty straightforward, in as much as you made a TB200 deposit per person, choose your item of clothing and sign a form, a copy of which you handed back at the end with your borrowed clothing.
The Palace is an amazing place, unfortunately it was pretty warm and with the extra clothing, I was really sweating. The sheer numbers left nowhere without being enclosed by people and it was all a bit of a bun fight.
It was amusing to see a Thai guard swipe a Chinese lady tourist who was shouting to her friend on some temple steps and was also about to enter with shoes on.
We wandered around for an hour or
so taking in the various temples, throne rooms, palaces and weapon rooms etc.
After returning our borrowed trousers and retrieving our deposit, we left the Palace complex.
Back to the pier and a first stop for some drinks at a small cafe called Favour. Two Coke Zeros TB60. Then a raspberry ice lolly for me TB 109. A short while later a Thai tea flavour ice cream for Pat.
Then on to wait for the blue flag boat at 16.08. We stayed on the boat all the way to the Asiatique Mall as this was easier for us than waiting to change to the hotel boat.
We had a little meander through the mall, but we were likely to be here later anyway so didn't loiter too much.
On the way back we picked up more water at the 7 Eleven again.
At the hotel we rested for a while and got ready to go out for dinner.
Shortly after 7pm we ambled back to the mall and perused for a while, at the same time looking for a Thai food place I had seen,which was our main option for tea tonight.
After a while we found the place; Ma Hi. We had spring rolls, mango salad, pad chi ei, sweet & sour chicken and steamed rice. It was all very tasty and with drinks our bill was TB 625. Ironically the spiciest item was Pat's mango salad.
After a further amble we headed back to the hotel and returned about 9.30.
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Mary Tull
non-member comment
What is the rate for the baht, just to get an idea of costs? Glad you are enjoying this part of your trip. x