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Published: December 18th 2006
This morning I took the river ferry south to see a completely different view of Bangkok. Not a lot to see that‘s different from taking the ferry north of Bangkok other than ship building, but it was nice to be on the boat - I find it sooo relaxing, and going this way it was very quiet. When we got to the last pier the boat pulled up alongside a row of about 6 other ferries, so to get to the pier we had to walk from boat t boat. I had a walk around, but kept being hassled by a tuk-tuk driver who kept (trying) to tell me that this area was out of town, there was nothing to see here….. And offering to take me to the Grand Palace…… Get the ferry back and have lunch at a lovely little café across the river from Wat Arun, then have another go at trying to find the fertility shrine. I start off at the bottom of Wireless Road, between the park and night bazaar, but it must be much further than I thought as no sign of the hotel that it’s at, I‘m walking for ages .
Whilst I’m walking
Saphan Taksin
viewed from the south for a changealong there’s a bus that has broken down in the middle of the road. Three men are trying to push it along, much to the hilarity of lots of onlookers who just stand watching and laughing at them, including me - I add insult to injury by taking photographs! They eventually get help when some bikers pull over and help them push, this causes even more laughter as they keep their crash helmets on. They’ve got to be hot in there! This being Bangkok the traffic just carries on swerving around them, no road rage or anything, they just continue driving like lunatics - it‘s a way of life! When it gets to almost sunset I give up on my pilgrimage to the fertility shrine (it’s turning into an obsession, I hope it’s worth it!) and go back to Suan Lum Night Bazaar, that I had to leave early on Friday, because I thought it was Saturday, to watch the football. I walk through Lumphini Park (where I see a man running with a tyre tied to his waist with a piece of string), including the 6pm national anthem stop, and use the MRT underground train for the first time
as I think it will be easier than trying to cross that crazy road again. I have to be shown how to use the ticket machine by another tourist (the shame!)…..maybe if I’d have pressed where it said “English” I might have made a better job at it! Have a brilliant night riding on the Roué de Paris, a massive Ferris wheel, and see the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre which tells the Thai version of the story of Ayurveda, with quite life-like puppets and traditional Thai dancing. Then I have a mooch around the market and buy a couple of pairs of flip flops. I badly need to replace the ones I’m wearing as I can feel the minute pebbles from the road through the soles. I don’t get much hassle walking around the market as virtually everyone is watching Muay Thai (Thai boxing) on little TV sets in their stalls. I run out of money, and don’t have my cash card with me, so I can’t afford to eat! I end up not getting back to the hotel until 11pm, starving hungry and desperately in need of a shower, again!
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