Greetings from a very hot and humid Bangkok. The one thing I have noticed this year is the air quality is really poor. Too much pollution. So today I have the girls in the hostel their presents. They were so happy. The older woman was beside herself and kept thanking me, it really was quite moving. So breakfast of eggs on toast and plenty of coffee I decided to get a taxi to the first temple. Song Sung ....... I want to keep singing that Neil Diamond song all together now lol. Anyway Song Sung the girl with good english was back and she told me how much I should be paying for a taxi. Then I don't get ripped off. Well he tried but I stood my ground. There are a lot of scams here this time too. Tuk tuk for 40b (80p) all day but they take you to jewellery places, I don't think so. I got stopped on the way out by a woman trying to 'kidnap' me. I tell them either a. I live and work here or b. Flying out in three hours - the girls were impressed with my stories.
So first place I visited was Wat Ratchanatda. Such a beautiful place. They had a market in the grounds; it was like a Primark for Buddhists lol. They sold everything a Buddhist would need.
I must admit some of it was really tacky and others quite scary and a tad disturbing lol, but the Thais loved it. So here are today's bargains from Buddhist Primark.
Firstly these
I asked the woman how much they were a box and she said 130B (£2.60) I said no too expensive. In Camden Market I paid £1.50 a box. She then said that it was for the whole box i.e. 25 small boxes! Happy days. I explained to her how much they were in the UK and she didn't believe me lol.
Next bargain ..... Four Buddhas for £3. Cone incense for 80p and I only wanted three or four new cords for my Buddha necklace I wear but they wouldn't sell me a few. So I had all these for £1 lol.
I then went to the Golden Mount Temple. You could pay a few bhat to go to the top but to be honest I thought with the recent back issue I best not. I went into one of the smaller temples and made an offering. The girl there was so lovely. Do you know, I have spoken to more people here in 24 hours than I have since New Year in Wetley Rocks! And I am being serious. A little girl yesterday wanted to practise her english on me, it was so sweet. Her parents stood there so proud as she said hello, how are you? Like I said last year, I have something the Thai's want; I speak English.
It has been very hot here today and I have giggled when I have read about the snow at home lol, how I do not do sniw lol. So I have had plenty to drink today but was not hungry at all. Mind you I failed to say about last night.
I went to Jenny's for dinner and she remembered me 😊 she said 'oh you come back' and beamed. I told her about Daniel and how he sends her his love and that he is Cambodia now. It was so sweet that this woman had remembered me. So I had my usual Mossaman Tofu Curry, brown rice and water - two bottles. I think if I had to have one last meal on earth it would be that. I told jenny that I had bee dreaming of that meal for months.
So back to today. I decided that after the temples I would go for a walk and see what I could find aka get lost! It was so funny. I ended up down this little street just full of Thai people and Thai street food. I don't speak Thai; they didn't speak English lol. So I'm looking at pots and pots of goodness knows what and guess what was in one pot? My old friend ....... Children's hands otherwise known as stewed chickens feet - yum yum!!!!! I'm so pleased I'm vegetarian. Needless to say I gave them a miss and stumbled across a little cafe. So more iced coffee and a bowl of some sort of chilli, spicy noodle thing. Very tasty. I'm all out of sync at the moment. I fell asleep, literally with iPad in hand, at eightish last night. Woke at midnight, wide awake and hungry with a stinking headache. At one I had a couple of paracetamol and slept round to half seven. But to be honest I have no real concept of time at the moment. Jet lag is such a strange feeling.
So back at the coffee shop across the road from hostel again watching the world go by. Bangkok is a mismatch of old and new. It's a crazy city but the people are just so friendly. But they feel for you today lol as many of them are wearing sweatshirts lol. They must be cold in this heat! Also, I have never seen people eat so much. Stereotypically, the Thais are very petite but can they polish off food or what! Everywhere you go there is food! I swear no one cooks here; they just go to the street vendor and get their dinner there. I wonder what it will be like in Cambodia? I am expecting to see dog on the menu there 😕 which I guess makes the chicken's feet seem favourable. Any one for Lassie and rice? You will see me on the BBC News - mad english woman runs amok in Cambodian market, releasing all the dogs lol.
So just been for a walk near to the hostel, which I forgot to mention has taken over the hostel next door too. It now has 19 rooms. I like to think it's my recommendation on Trip Advisor lol. So here are some random pictures of my travels - enjoy?
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