The short:
With less than 24 hours in Bangkok I don't really feel entitled to have an opinion on it but, from the little I saw, it is a totally developed, buzzing city. I didn't get to experience the infamous craziness of the place that everyone raves about, but I am sure I will be back!
The long:
Friday:
My flight to Bangkok from Siem Reap was super short and we were landing before I knew it. However, once seated in my (paid for) taxi I was told that my hotel was a 2-hour drive away, at which point things didn't seem to be moving so quickly after all. Thankfully the taxi driver must be smoking something because we arrived within 45 minutes, much to my relief. It was 8:30pm when I checked in and I decided to sack off being social/(going to see a ping-pong show... on my own, which would be a little weird), retreating to my room with a bunch of snacks and watching the film "Bad Neighbours" in bed instead. A much better choice of evening plans, wouldn't you say mum? The bed was stiff as a rock but I managed a good night's sleep nonetheless!
Saturday:
I got up early to try to squeeze in visiting the Grand Palace and the largest Jim Thompson store in da world before heading to another airport at 2pm. I took the tube and then a ferry boat to the pier nearest the super tourist attraction. (Pretty proud that I managed all of this on my own with no aid).
The boat journey was pretty smooth going and meant that I got to see Bangkok from another perspective, which I really appreciated. Although not a tour boat, there was a lady informing us of all the sights that we were passing, which was a huge bonus to my cheap transportation means. I managed to get off at the right stop and wandered through a local market to get to the Grand Palace.
^ Not that I fancied it for breakfast, but this is my ideal kinda meal and the smells that this woman was creating from her culinary delight were no less than heavenly, and all for 19p. It blows my miiiiiind.
Anyway, I walked all along the perimeter of the Palace and, after what seemed like an eternity, finally reached the entrance.
It wasn't even 10:30am yet and the place was SWARMING with tourists. Someone started barking on the megaphone and must have repeated themselves 3 times before I realised that they were speaking to me. Slightly embarrassing but oh well! It turns out that you literally cannot have any skin on show, so I was off to the magic wardrobe for a costume change. I hope you like my outfit; I grew to be rather fond of it. Due to the masses of people and seriously lacking sign postage I ended up getting a bit lost and fed up with trying to find the ticket office, so I walked past a "no entry" sign and was rather impressed with myself when I seemingly managed to get into the grounds without paying 500 Bhat. There is no disputing it, the buildings are so, so, so beautiful. The "Chakri Group" building is the first one that I took a good look at, containing the Central Throne Hall, which still today serves many purposes including the reception of foreign ambassadors and state banquets in honour of visiting Heads of State:
^ So, who likes my school uniform? Hehehe. I checked out the "Borom Phiman Mansion" next, originally built as a royal residence and is now used as the Royal Guest House for visiting Heads of State and guests of Their Majesties. It's built in Western style so is different to all of the other buildings within the grounds, but is still very attractive in it's own right.
The "Dusit Group", which unfortunately isn't open for the public to gander on the weekends, but I found out has a mother of pearl inlaid throne, which I imagine is rather stunning and would have liked to lay my eyes on:
It was at this point that I tried to walk further into the grounds, only to be faced with another "no entry" sign that was, unfortunately, manned. The game was up. I had to walk back on myself, out of the exit, back to the entrance and buy a ticket... Almost though! I'm so glad that I bothered because the best was definitely to come.
^ A cheery fella.
The "Upper Terrace" is home to 4 main monuments, including this rather jaw-dropping reliquary in the shape of a golden chedi:
Scattered around the terrace are statues of elephants and mythical beings. It's really a very unique and magical place to walk around.
The detail is staggering and I could genuinely have spent hours staring at it all.
There are SO many different patterns, textures, colours and gems to look at. It really is very special. The "Royal Monastery of the Emerald Bhudda" is one of the most venerated sites in Thailand where people convene to pay their respects to Bhudda. The Emerald Bhudda is carved from a block of green jade, hence the name.
^ I watched so many people lighting incense, praying and laying offerings; it was definitely the largest amount of offerings that I have seen in one place on my travels.
The "Scripture Library", again, had a slightly different style to the buildings on the Upper Terrace with, in my opinion, more of a Middle Eastern decor.
There were a number of other buildings but I didn't pap them all! So here is a selection of a few of my faves and those with the most intricate detail. I love sparkly things! The Grand Palace is a definite must-do when in Bangkok.
Around 11:45am I started to get paranoid about running out of time (thanks mum), so returned my wonderful clothing and, thinking that I was being smart, grabbed a tuk tuk to take me back to the Saeng Dang area, where both the Jim Thompson store and my hotel were located. He started at the outrageous price of 350 Bhat, and we eventually agreed 100 Bhat, provided that I would "help him look for a tailors". A little bewildered but thinking that I had gotten a good deal I climbed in. As the journey continued I established that what he had meant was that I would go into a tailors and a jewellery shop and pretend to interested in their wares, so that he could get free gas stamps. Still fine by me. What was not fine was 30 minutes later, having fulfilled my end of the deal, sitting in dead-lock traffic with the clock ticking. To be fair he was a nice guy and it wasn't his fault, but there was no way we were moving in a hurry, so he flagged down a "motorbike taxi" for me and I changed wheels. I'm glad that you didn't see me whipping through busy intersections with my blonde hair flowing in the wind and no helmet mumma! He was an amazing driver though, swerving in and out of people and cars here, there and everywhere so I rocked up to the Jim Thompson store, a little windswept, in no time at all. The shop was amazing and I fluttered between the different levels checking out all they had on offer; it really is such a great shop and so reasonably priced. There is also one in Hua Hin if you are wondering Guz. When my time was up I left and walked back to my hotel, where my airport taxi was already waiting and ready to complete the first leg of my journey to Koh Samui.
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