ELEPHANT ON THE STREET
We were in Bangkok for 4 days staying at the Big John's hostel. 1st of all, the hostel wasn't as friendly as it says on hostel world, and it's also very far from most of the main attractions...the workers there speak very little english and wasn't able to give us any information about Bangkok. We arrived around 4 in the afternoon after 12 hours flight and after leaving our lugguage there, we went to the nearest department store with a guy we met and he turned out to be one of those weird Thai expats...why weird? Well, he told us that he has been staying in Bangkok for 20years and has been working as a freelance...has a Thai girlfriend but since he doesn't speak Thai (after 20years there?!) and so he prefers to stay in the hostel. He brought us to where we can 'try free food' in the food department and purpose to bring us to a factory that make branded stuff (I bet they are fake!) if we buy him dinner...I couldn't stand him and finally, I was able to get rid of him! We did had a very good dinner at the food court though!
The second day we spent 4 hours walking on the street! Giuseppe's idea of course.lol! I was so frustrated since my shoes were hurting me and tired that we fought so much! We saw the Golden Buddha. And when we wanted to go to the temple...they were closed due to Buddhist celebration...nothing to do, we can only head back to the hostel. In the evening, with a German guy I met at the hostel the previous evening. Together a German girl Pe contacted through HC and a Dutch, we went to the biggest restaurant in Guiness record in 1992 together. We hailed a taxi but the guy has no idea where it is... I have doubt if it still exists.. you never know...
I love contrast
Me and our tuk tuk
When we got there..it actually looks more like a haunted place! Lights were on and the place is huge! But it does looks a lot like the restaurant in 'La citta incantanta' (I don't know the name in English...but it's the Japanese famous cartoon a few years a go...about the parents of a girl turning into pigs and that she found herself in a ghost town..any idea what film is that??) It doesn't have waiters flying and skating while serving food as it said on the website, and it seemed to me there's only a total of 10 people in that place... We had a good laugh that evening and the food were actually good.. at least.
We then found out that taxi in Bangkok are damn cheap! We could actually travel everywhere by taxi! After dinner we went to a only Thai pub and man..I reallt dislike thier pop song..the music was really loud there that it hurts.
ZZZZZZZzzzz....ZZzzzzzz....ZZZzzz.....
Lots of time was thrown away the 1st day...and I still haven't see those temples I wanted yet.. To save time, Giuseppe FINALLY AGREED to take the taxi. He dropped us off at a square where one of the RAMA is and there we met a very friendly guy, who works as a guard there. He told us about the secret of the day, which is if we get a goverment tuk tuk, it's gonna cost only 20bath per hour as long as we stop at some Tourist shops since the goverment is giving them free gasoline coupon that day. I didn't understand how it works but it seems like a very rare occasion and as long as I don't have to walk, who cares?! We also found out that the lucky buddha and the black buddha that are open only once a year are open that day!
Big big Buddha
Our tuk tuk guy saved a lot of time for us. He drove us everywhere on request and waited for us at the exit until 6 hours and 3 tourist shops later. He left us at the Golden Pagoda and when we came out, he wasn't there anymore... we made it to the WAT PO by taxi and I was very dissapointed since I wasn't able to see the whole Bangkok yet and we are leaving the day after....
The golden pagoda
Lotus and pigeon
Wat Po
It started to rain as soon as we got into Wat Po... I feel like crying because there's still Wat Arun and the Grand Palace to see...it was already 5 then..they are both closing at 6....
Well...I calmed myself down....telling myself that it's okay not being able to see everything... Giuseppe promised to come here again the next day before leaving but I know that it's going to be a rush.... In the end, we spent all the time in Wat Po and were invited to see the monk. Were both blessed by him with the holy water.
The traffic was terrible when we got out..although it wasn't raining anymore..We weren't able to hail a taxi. We walked and walked till a park and there, we understood why was there such a heavy traffic. The king (He's the longest crowned king in history) is going to the park! We stayed there and we did actually see his...... back. lol!
After about an hour on the street...we got a taxi and met up our friends at the sky train station. Had dinner together and were too tired to wait for the football match to begin, eventhough there's a huge screen in the center, we went back to our hostel.
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Italy won in the end. :D
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Last day in Bangkok, we went shopping instead of visiting temples. Only unpleasant thing is that we were asked to pay airport tax of 500baths. WHAT?!
At 17.30pm Bangkok - Singapore
