Bangkok is a huge city with way too much to do in a couple of days, but we got to experience some of it. The sky train goes through part of the city, but the other parts are only accessible by walking, taxis or tuk tuks. Taxis are the more comfortable way to get around with air conditioning and doors and an enclosed space, but are much more expensive than the other modes of transportation. Walking is ok, but if you have far to go it takes a long time, gets hot, and isn't all that easy after dark. That leaves tuk tuks as a great way to get around.
Well a great way to get around if you don't mind lots of car exhaust, no doors, lots of noise and some crazy driving. All in all, I loved them. I would not want to ride in them all of the time, but every once in a while it is a great way to see the city. The one thing that is kind of annoying about the tuk tuks is that they try and get you to go to different stores so they can get gas. One of our tuk tuk drivers actually got us to agree to go to a fancy jewelry store for 10-15 minutes so he could get some free gas. The only reason we went is because he agreed to half our fare to where we were going so it seemed like a good deal. The tuk tuks aren't really that bad, but just beware that they will: a) try to over charge you and b) try to get you to go to an over priced place so they can get free stuff out of it.
Now, back to Bangkok. If you want a huge shopping area where you can get all of the souvenirs you would ever want or anything else you can think of you should go to the Chatuchak weekend market. Exploring that market would take hours upon hours which I did not spend there, but I did get a taste of it. Not only were there gifts aplenty, but there were all types of different clothes, shoes, food and animals. When I wondered across the animal section of the market I almost came home with a couple of friends for the evils. It was kind of sad because they had a bunch of aisles with birds, bunnies (some of them were tiny little things and were forced to wear little outfits and share a cage with a bunch of other dressed up rabbits), and puppies. I was ok until I saw a boxer puppy and then it was all I had to keep walking. The market was amazing, but be warned when you go there - you will see things that will tempt you (whether it be food, animals, clothing, or a little trinket), but just remember that self restraint is a good thing.
If shopping is not your thing then there is plenty of other things to do in Bangkok. If you are interested in museums and learning about history then you can check out the National Museum. Keith and I spent a couple of hours at the National Museum and learned a ton about the history of Thailand. It was amazing how much Thailand and Burma have fought throughout history and how many times the power has changed hands. We saw pictures of how they used to fight on elephants, saw dioramas of the battles that shaped the country. It was very interesting to see the history of Siam (now known as Thailand).
The museum had another part to it as well - the art history of the country as well. There were many different wings that held the art that has pleased throughout the centuries. From pottery to paintings to metal work to musical instruments you can see it all in the museum. Even though I am not that much of a museum person it was very cool to go and see some of the art and history of the country I was in. The one thing that really amazed me was the influence of China in much of the art in Thailand. I guess I was just naive in thinking that China did not have as much influence throughout much of Asia, but it was still surprising to see it in many of the countries I went to.
Ok, maybe museums are not your thing either. How about Wats? Pretty close to the National Museum are Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace as well as Wat Po. The Grand Palace is an amazing sight and you will know you are getting close when you see the mass of people trying to sell you anything and everything as well as an army of tuk tuk drivers ready to take you anywhere your heart may desire. Many people will try to tell you that you can not enter the Grand Palace unless you are wearing long pants (as a woman you should always wear below the knee pants or a skirt when going into any Wat to show your respect) but that is not the case. Do not fall for the lies and be tempted to pay an outrageous amount for a pair of pants you don't really need.
Wat Po is the temple that has the biggest lying down Buddha. I don't remember how long the golden statue is, but it was too big to fit into one picture. It is amazing to me how much people will spend on religious artifacts. In fact, much of Asia amazed me with the amount of money that was spent on religion while there was poverty prevalent in much of the area. Anyway, Wat Po was an amazing sight and I definitely recommend going there. It is an awe inspiring sight and the rest of the Wat around the Buddha was just as beautiful.
- One word of caution about going to all of the above mentioned places - tuk tuk drivers will try to tell you that the Grand Palace and other places are closed until a certain time or because it is a holiday, but they are just telling you a lie in order to get you to hire them for a tour around the city. In fact we had one tuk tuk driver try to tell us that Wat Po was closed when we were a block away from it. When we turned the corner it was interesting to see a bunch of people walking in and out of a closed Wat. Another tuk tuk driver tried to tell us that the Grand Palace was closed until 1:30 on the day we tried to go because of a holiday and wasn't too happy when I told him he was lying to us. One thing I would love to go back and do would tell the tuk tuk driver that if he was to take us to the Wat and it was closed then he would get paid, but if it wasn't then we would get the ride for free. Oh well, maybe next time.
After all of the Wats and museums and shopping sometimes it is just nice to chill out at a nice park. Lumpini Park is just this kind of place. It is a huge park in the city and is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Think about Central Park, but in Bangkok. There are a couple of ponds in the park as well where you can go paddle boating or feed the ducks, but beware of the catfish (they are huge and really aggressive when you try to get the food to the ducks or turtles). Lumpini Park is where a lot of people go to run, have a picnic, or just chill out by the water. One word of warning, however, do not try the Durian fruit. If you do you will understand the warning.
There is a lot more to see in Bangkok, but there is only so much you can see in two days. I would have liked to spend more time there, but I wish I had more time in most of the places I went.
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