FIRST VIEW OF THE FAR EAST - BANGKOK DAY#3

Tuesday 11th December 1984 – Bangkok

Rab and a 'friend' - not sure I liked the way he ogled her!

Could never work out what animal??

 Difficult to keep track of time here!

We slept in late as we were not going on any tours and went down to breakfast at about 09.15.delicious meal as usual.

Let sleeping dogs lie

We went back to the tailor who had my trousers ready and which fitted very well, on the strength of which we ordered two more pairs at Z$17.50 each! Not bad at all. Rab had finally made up her mind about which silk she wanted to get, so we went over to the River Shopping Centre to get it. After a quick stop at the supermarket to replenish our drink supply – local ‘Scotch’ is Z$2.75 a bottle – we wandered down the road leading away from the hotel because the shops had always looked so interesting as we drove past. They weren’t on closer inspection. 

Some of the fruit along the road

We strolled back along New Road and popped into a chemist to buy some cold tablets as Rab thought she was getting a cold. No prescription required here for anything – all over the counter.

Freshly grilled fish products?

Thai dancers

We were pretty hot by the time we got back to the hotel, so we went to the pool. On the way we bumped into Sean, who is with the other TFC tour, an Irishman from Durban. He said I must go to the temple at the Grand Palace. Rab wasn’t keen on seeing any more temples, so I went on my own. I caught a water bus up the  river (5 baht each way) which was quite an experience. The temples were the best I had seen yet. They are in magnificent condition and in an enormous variety of styles. The central temple is the Temple Of The Emerald Buddha and is really breathtaking.

More dancers

I was there for about two hours but in that time could really not do more than take a quick look (and a lot of photos). Tremendous experience though.

Back on the ferry to another swim and a couple of beers before a final fitting of my slacks. Then we had to meet Clive Brook-Fox, GRE’s man in Thailand, and his wife Nikki. He is rather intense and, like many ex-pats, full of his own importance, but it was interesting meeting them. They had booked a table at the Thai restaurant across the river, so we caught a shuttle boat which runs between our hotel, the Oriental and the restaurant– non-stop. There was an incredible selection of food and as the Foxes obviously do not really enjoy Thai food, they didn’t really know what to order. The selection we finally got was very good and it was a most enjoyable meal, sitting at a table on the bank of the river on a beautiful balmy evening, watching the boats go by.

A crowded commuter ferry heading home

We got back to the hotel at about 22.45 and would have been quite happy to call it a day, but Clive insisted on having one for the klong. In the bar we met up with a bunch of expat insurance blokes from Singapore and Djakarta, so the final drink developed into a couple or maybe more – we finally  got to bed at oneish. 

A final, wonderful sunset

A pleasant end to a good day.