The Real Hussle, Bangkok Royal Palace

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The final days in Bangkok were action packed, we eventually got in to the Royal Palace after some 'confusion'.

We were approached by a Thai man early that day (whilst looking like tourists with the map open trying to find the Palace) who was very pleasent and spoke really good English, he asked us if we were going to the Palace. The man said he was a school teacher in Bangkok and that the palace was closed until 14:30 for prayers, so he decided to mark off on our map some of the other (tourist attractions) temples we could visit to pass on some time. He flagged down a Tuk Tuk and told us for 40Bhat (£0.80) the driver would take us around until 14:30, seen as thought we had nothing better to do we agreed....

Whilst at one of the particulary lesser temples the driver said he needed the toilet and promptly disappeared, leaving his Tuk Tuk in front of a brand new white pick up. A Thai man appeared from the pick up and asked if our driver was going to be long but said "not to worry I'm in no rush". He proceeded to make small talk telling us that he was 'kind of a big deal', living in New York and that he's a lawyer, just visiting his ill father. He then dropped the magical line......

"Did you see TV last night (clearly not as it's all in Thai), as there is an offfer on at a suit tailors.......Thai Silk Emporium.......non-Thai people can buy suits cheap today ONLY"

He marked it on our map, our driver returned and we said goodbye. Immediatley we both looked at each other and we'd had a massive De Ja Vu experience. This was the same tale as our previous time in Thailand (2008). When we arrived at the suit shop.......... it was the SAME bloody tailors that I had one made in 2008, recommended by a man (we think was the SAME man!) who we had parked in front of at the SAME temple!

Me and Nat both had a little chuckle...... "looks like we 've been done twice by the SAME dirty trick" or "SAME, SAME, but different (in a way)". This time we were only the Tuk Tuk fare down and not £150 (cost of suit).

When we arrived at the Royal Palace after lunch at 15:30 we were told that it had just closed and that its is open every day without fail !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers Teacher.

The following day when we eventually got to the Palace our walk there was......lets say INTERESTING! We realised that there were lots of very friendly Thai people lending a helpful hand to tourists and giving them advice on the best attractions. Needless to say we didn't take this advice!

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Photos

Royal Palace
The Home of the current King

FunkyTree
On the front lawn of the Palace