FIRST VIEW OF THE FAR EAST - BANGKOK DAY#2

Monday 10th December 1984 – Bangkok

Today is Constitution Day and a public holiday, so things were fairly quiet although many shops were open. We were up at 05.30 as we had an early start today. After a rushed, but substantial, breakfast we boarded our boat at 07.00 and went off down the river. 

Everything was washed in the klongs

Laundry? Or very large family?

There was a lot of mist around, but it was really interesting to see the city waking up. The houses on the water are such a mixture too, from tumbledown shanties slipping into the water to mansions costing millions of baht. There are areas of absolute squalor and some pretty ripe smells, especially once we had turned into the klongs or waterways off the main river.

Returning home with the shopping

I was taking pictures, both video and still, furiously and if the video is as good as the stills, which I have just got back from my friendly little photographic dealer, I will be very happy. Once again there were just too many impressions to absorb or record and it is one trip I would love to do again.

Fresh fruit delivery

We eventually arrived at the floating market which was a bit empty due to the holiday and where we were duly fleeced at the local souvenir shop – one toy I saw there (a model trishaw) was marked at 400 baht and the same thing in the street later in the day was 235 baht!! But we enjoyed it and even Richard unwound a little. 

Back to the boat and, munching bananas, we shot off  through more klongs to the Temple Of Dawn, upstream from the hotel on the opposite bank. Once again, some truly beautiful buildings. I climbed the 49 odd very steep steps up to a platform on the main structure which gave me a marvellous view of the surrounding area. We were there for quite a while and I bought some very nice meatballs from one of the food vendors. Rab won’t touch things from the stalls and I must say there are some items I shy away from, but others are very good indeed. (I thought the Temple of Dawn was magnificent - hence a few more pictures than usual below)

Temple of Dawn as we approached

View of the city from the temple platform

Some detail of the temple

The supporters holding the whole edifice up

Sentry Duty

A Spring of Flowers

We got back to the hotel about 10ish and then set off with David and Chris to Jim Thompson’s in Selim Road - reputed to be the best silk merchant in the world. Probably is too – but certainly not the cheapest. Chris bought a dress, much plainer than Rab’s and paid 280 baht more (about Z$16). We didn’t buy anything. When we had finished there, we strolled down Selim Road – stumbled would be more accurate actually because the pavements are in appalling condition. A lot of the shops were closed but there were enough open to maintain interest. I had a couple of snacks too – some very nice freshly cooked Thai biscuits filled with whipped egg white and coconut and some grilled spicy sausage – all for 5 cents!! Our final stop was at a supermarket where we bought a few bits and pieces including an ice cream each. Unfortunately they were out of the durian flavour, which I wanted to try, but we (Rab and I) had, respectively, a coconut and a maize flavour. Yes, mielie in ice cream complete with the odd kernel – and very nice it was too.

I wanted to catch a trishaw back to the hotel but that idea was vetoed and we all crammed into a Datsun taxi. We had intended to go straight down to the pool as it was pretty hot, but we got  sidetracked and I eventually ordered a pair of tailor made slacks from the resident tailor. They should be ready at 10 tomorrow morning!! Most of the mob were by the pool when I got there. It was pretty obvious they had been there for some time – and they hadn’t been drinking fruit juice! Patty was decidedly far gone and almost incoherent. They are not a bad bunch really and we certainly could have done worse. The only real pain in the arse is Richard who has a positive wardrobe full of hang-ups, but even he seems to be marginally better than he was. Although I must admit to taking basic precautions in avoiding long discussions with him – like not sitting next to him.

After we had a bit of time in the sun, we went up to our room so I could catch up with this diary, postcards etc and then we all gathered again to go out for a dinner at a restaurant -Thai Baan. The coach didn’t turn up so we had to go in the hotel ‘limousines’ which were just big Toyotas. The restaurant was to hell and gone on the other side of town and it was really quite an experience driving there in something smaller than a coach!

The food – traditional Thai, toned down a bit for Westerners - was excellent although it was a bit difficult to get to the table, which was designed for people who kneel to eat. In deference to us non-kneelers, there was a pit under the table to put your legs in, but it was difficult to get in and out. The design seem to have been based on Thai sized people.

A variety of foods was served to each of us – a small bowl of fried rice, a fishy salad, curried chicken, miscellaneous vegetables, fried stuffed egg plus various sauces. Delicious, all of it, although not to the taste of some members, particularly Piet and Margaret. Piet said, “Hell, no wonder these ous are all so skinny – this is not eating, it’s like a chicken pecking.” Mind you he was as pissed as a newt having spent the afternoon drinking local whisky with his tailor.

 

The dinner was followed by Thai dancing which was also enjoyable because they didn’t go on too long – a fatal aspect of most traditional dancing. I got some good shots of the girls in their picturesque costumes.

Even dancers have to relax!

And so to bed.