The Land of Smiles - Bangkok

So I've finally arrived in Thailand.  I've only been here just over 2 weeks so far and already I've seen its a place of many different ways of life and can be many things to many people.

Of course, like most visitors to Thailand I arrived in Bangkok.  Deliberating over to get a taxi or a bus into town I decided on the taxi.  Of course, even though I had the address written in Thai - the driver still didn't have a clue where the hostel was, so out came the phone and he rang them up.  Ive since realised that its because Thai's like other countries don't use addresses the way that we do.  To us, the road name and building number would be enough, but for them they have to have the address described as the old house between this restuarant, and that shop etc - basically it means I have no hope so its essential to have the phone number of your hostel if I ever want to get a taxi or tuk tuk back.

My dorm in bangkok was great - I stayed at the Niras Bangkok boutique hostel - it was lovely.  Very cute coffee shop style downstairs, with a little lounge area at the back.  It was all decorated with a dark wood in really good condition and everything was just really nice.  I saw a peak into one of the private rooms and they looked really nice and full of character.  The great thing about this hostel though is that the dorms are only 4 people, and the beds are quite big and REALLY comfy! What more could I ask for? Oh the showers were clean AND had hot water - i mean you are really talking here :-)  There were two amazing thai girls who worked on reception most of the time - May and Venus - both really really nice, always smiling and really helpful on tips of what to see and how to get to places.  So my first night in bangkok I just stayed in the hostel as it was already dark out, the next day however I got up to explore and May gave me this huge list of places that i had to see! Far too many especially as walking around Bangkok is really confusing, none of the maps make sense with the road names and its so easy to get lost.  However, I did manage to find the Grand Palace and Wat Pho - eventually!!!

When I arrived in Bangkok I think I was a bit too nicey nice as people come up to you on the street like they do in India and you think they are just being nice - but no, of course, they want you to go somewhere with them too!  The first guy I came across told me he was a teacher in the school "over the road" and was chatting to me and then when I wouldn't go to the place he was telling me about he basically swore at me a few times and walked off!!  NICE!!!  Then as I was walking around another guy came up and started talking to me but he was wearing a Tourist Police t-shirt - i had heard about the tourist police and they were specially trained to help tourists etc so thought, oh ok, he's ok, but no, he soon tried to get me to go in a tuk tuk so I walked off!  THEN another guy came up to me, by this time I was wise to it and thought nahhhhh, but sometimes you have to sort of acknowledge them and then walk off, anyway - it was near the grand palace after I had just been and he started to tell me he was secret police for the grand palace and had just finished work and he flashed me this stupid looking ID thing.  I've no idea if he was genuine or not as by that time i'd had enough and walked off.

Back to the Grand Palace - when I eventually found it!!!  It was pretty good.  I'd been told that you have to cover up completely really to go in, no open shoes, no shorts, covered shoulders etc, so I wore my long trousers and trainers and cause it was hot i wore a vest top but took a scarf with me to wrap round me whilst I was inside, as I go to go in the guard stops me and wont let me in - my scarf wouldn't do which was a bit stupid as it covered me up - but i had to go back and borrow a shirt from the office (nearly everyone visiting had to do a smilar thing).

So what can I tell you about it? Its got some beautiful buildings, a replica of Angkor Wat, I saw some kind of ceremonial thing with what looked like a bit of a changing of the guards, and thats about it.  A very nice place to walk around and worth visiting.

 

So after the grand palace I attempted to find my way to Wat Pho which is just behind it, not far at all and you are supposed to be able to get a foot massage from the Monks there.  You would have thought it was simple to find, but no, it probably took me a good hour to find my way there, there was some enjoyable things to see along the way like the odd markets that they have just lining the streets there.  Some of the stuff looks like it is literally jumble, all sorts of odds and sods that they have found from people throwing it away.  Then I also saw this cool stuff - people making leather goods to order, a monk shopping, oh and porn for sale which I thought was just too funny so had to take a picture!  Whoops - I also nearly forgot about the humongous knives that I saw for sale in the street!

   

I eventually found my way to Wat Pho and saw Monks teaching the kids in the school in there, and also the giant lying down buddah.  Next on my agenda was to see Khao San Road - it had to be done! I knew it wasn't far from the Wat but I had gotton so lost already I couldn't cope with it anymore so thought, ok i'll get a tuk tuk or taxi.  What a mistake! They all try to rip you off and charge way to much and won't use their meters :-( It wasn't fun, I went through about 5 taxis, in the end I found one guy and he wouldn't use his meter but we settled on 70baht I think to take me so not too much.

I have to say that Khao San Road in the day time isn't much to speak of, its ok, but its just a road full of shops and stalls but nothing that different - its a bit of a disapointment when you are expecting something crazy like out of the film The Beach.  Anyway - it was cool to see it and I wondered if it was different at night - and of course, when I went back the following evening it was very different and nearly as mad as I thought it would be.

Then trying to get back to my hostel was a mission - when I tell you that trying to read the maps are impossible - they really are!  I thought I was at one end of Khao San Road but really I was at the other but trying to orientate yourself with the map just isn't happening.  I found my way back to the hostel walking, but again I have no idea how!  That wasn't a fun evening as I just felt so lost!

But of course, make it back I did!  Now I can't remember if it was that night, or the night after - but I basically ended up meeting two Irish Girls - Dee and Fiona who were staying in the hostel, great girls and it was so good to meet some people to have a natter to and have some fun.  We ended up going out for dinner and then a few impromptu drinks afterwards on the Khao San Road - seeing it that night was definately different.

  

I think I finally stumbled to bed about 2am with my plan the next day to head out of Bangkok.I think it was driving me crazier as I was fed up of being in bit noisy cities and couldn't wait to get out.  I posted a message on Lonley Planet for some tips on an Island or something similar not too far from Bangkok that I could go to....Ko Samet was a popular suggestion and i'm so pleased I took them up on it!