Wake up in Bangkok

About 5 am I woke up on our bus with the sun starting to light up our surroundings. I checked the map to see we were on the outskirts of the city. I fell back asleep to wake up again at 6:30 to a brighter light and the beeping of traffic. 

We were in Bangkok. 

More accurately, we were in Bangkok traffic. Its notoriety was well documented. We spent the next hour slowly approaching Khao San Rd and our last stop for this bloated bus of tourists. 

By the time we got off the bus, our bags had already been tossed onto the sidewalk as we avoided the early morning tuk tuk offers. I knew our place was blocks away. We hoofed it the few blocks around a busy downtown Bangkok artery (and my sunburnt back made itself known under my heavy pack) before we found a quiet soi, or alley, where our A&A guesthouse was located. We relished our early check-in and went to our 4th floor room for a shower. 

After cleaning up, we went downstairs for breakfast. Although not included our first day, we enjoyed regular protein of eggs and ham. Afterward, we were off to see Bangkok. 

We walked the few blocks through a university campus to get to the big daddy of Bangkok tourist sites, the Grand Palace. Although Mer debated her wardrobe choice before leaving ("Don't worry, honey," I told her, "this is a sexist country! I'll be fine in my shorts and t-shirt, but you'll need to cover your shoulders and knees.) It turned out I was the one not meeting dress code. I had to place a 200 baht deposit to rent some pants for our visit. Inside the palace it was a zoo of tourists and guides with flags, poles, and stuffed animals on the ends of selfie sticks. The Grand Palace was busy, but Mer and I negotiated our way through the crowd to finally find our way in. 

Before we knew it, we were in front of a desk offering free English tours at 10:00. We found it at 10:03, quickly signed up and then joined the group. While it was hard to be in a group trying to navigate through other groups, I was happy to hear the Thai tales. Our guide explained the structures and statues and their bases in Hindu/Buddhist mythology along with Thai folklore. I noted the similar story to the Lao tale we read in Luang Prabang, with notable differences. I at least learned who the green guy was with a creepy face. 

He is yaksha, the king of demons. In the Thai story, he kidnaps the queen and tries to make her fall in love with him. But Rama, the king, has his own monkey army led by Hanuman, the white monkey who fights to get her back. 

We were led to temple after shrine after stupa. All of them were intricately decorated. 

So much glitter and shine!

Almost all the temples were closed most all year, except in April during Thai New Year. It is then that throngs of Thais fill the complex for the celebrations. 

Finally, we were led to the Wat Phra Kaew. The holy of holies in Thailand. Housed inside was the Emerald Buddha (which is actually made of Jade) which originated in Chiang Mai. Interestingly, this Buddha in Thailand was carried off to Laos a few times to correspond with the Pha Bang in Luang Prabang in Laos that was carried off here. These Buddhas are considered rivals and should never been located in the same city together (like Texas-Oklahoma or Mich-Mich St.) Photography was not allowed, but since other Asians were doing so, we did too. 

It's the small one way on top. It's only 60 cm high. And, like Barbie, has a summer, winter, and rainy season outfit. Next week is the changing ceremony. 

Our tour was about to end through a path that didn't allow re-admittance, so we peeled off to go see things we zipped past. One was a golden stupa. 

Others were spires we'd missed. 

Finally, we found our way out after dodging groups and sabre-rattling for photos.  

After the long Grand Palace ordeal, we were hungry. Of course there were plenty of fruit peddlers and expensive eateries near the greatest tourist site on Bangkok. So we walked down a ways near a pier to our next Wat destination. There we found an eatery serving some fried flat noodles and chicken, vegetable, and rice. 

Right around the corner was another famous Wat in Bangkok, the Wat Pho. Here was housed the largest reclining Buddha in the world. The reclining pose is meant to symbolize the last stages of a Buddha's life (death) before entering nirvana. When they said it's large, it's not an overstatement. 

This Buddha was nearly too big for its britches as its head touched the ceiling on one side. 

Our trek continued through the rather large complex. We even made a new friend on the way. 

You could say our relationship was rocky at best. 

We also found some pretty doorways. 

It was at this time I told Mer I was wat-ted out. Maybe it was the hot (four days on the beach ruined us!) Maybe it was the bus sleeping after 4 exchanges. Maybe I couldn't see any more sparkling Buddhas. Whatever the reason, I bordered on a 30-year old temper tantrum and we both decided it was good to get back. 

We should've started a moment sooner. We'd traversed quite some distance and I got lost trying to avoid divided highways we couldn't cross. We were within blocks of our place when skies tore open. We took cover under the highway bridge. 

But we were also nearby the Chao Phraya river. As the rain whipped the wind blew. We even got sprayed below the bridge. 

Eventually, we had to make a break for it once the rain stopped swirling. Our pant legs and shoes got soaked as we scurried back. But we made it. Just in time for my ornery self to take a nap. 

Once I awoke, it was time to eat (convenient how that works) so we scouted our places to go. Street food is the fabled fare of Bangkok, so we headed out for some of the most famous, Jok Pochana. 

It was just across a small river from us and down a dark alley (to which the light rain didn't add any charm.) But there it was, just as Google maps stated. There were plastic tables outside a crammed interior with a cooking area in between. We were seated at a table where plates and utensils once stood as the restaurateurs regularly reached around us to gather them. As this scene can only describe, the food was marvelous.

All the people working in this restaurant were entirely smiling and happy. They appeared to fully enjoy their job and the love was tasted in their food. We will probably be back (and that without the help of our departing coaxing, "Thank you! See you tomorrow!")

Day 1 Bangkok was in the books. Time for a rainy return to our place and plot out tomorrow's adventures.