Singapore Day 3

Sunrise in Thailand

Woke this morning feeling like I was over my jet lag. Watched a beautiful sunrise while having breakfast in the room. Then off to the Wheelhouse Bar to catch our tour to Bangkok.

Turns out that Bangkok is 2 hours away, traffic willing. There was a lot of construction near the port—what our tour guide called a “seven-generation highway” because that is how long it seems to be taking to get it completed. This reminds me so of India, with trash all over, and houses built right next to each other. It is not brick construction like India, more tin and wood than anything else, with all tin roofs, and satellite TV dishes.

Bangkok is a city of flyovers, taken to a whole new level. We were at times 60 feet high, with minimal side rails, going 80 kph. Literally miles and miles of flyovers, all seemingly toll roads. Where the roads were good, they were very good. Obviously not too much fear of earthquakes here, and such a good way to build a road.

Following the tour guide!

We went to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Crowds and crowds of people, and then more crowds. Do you get the feeling I thought it was crowded? The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is very ornate, with mirror mosaic and painted tiles, and the statue very high over us. Had to take off our shoes, usual for a temple, and by then it was sprinkling, so not so nice putting the shoes back on. We then walked by the Grand Palace, again, very ornate with gold (paint or leaf) but no mirrors. Still sprinkling, I got out my umbrella.

Pagodas in the temple area

Inside the temple area

Guardians of the gate

In the market

Reclining Golden Buddha

We then proceeded through a crowded (there's that word again) market, no time for shopping, to the river. The Chao Phraya River is the major river of Thailand, and a very busy place. We boarded a boat and toured up and down the river, seeing things like the Reclining Golden Buddha and the Royal Thai Navy Headquarters, ending up at the Bangkok Menam Riverside Ramada. Buffet lunch which included selections in Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Continental, but no Thai food. Oh well, Thai food tomorrow as Tanis and I are taking a Thai cooking class in Ko Samui, which is a large island in the south of Thailand.