Time in Thailand

On to Thailand: we left Siem Reap, Cambodia at 8:00 AM for Bangkok on a bus. Eleven hours later (!) we arrived at our hotel in Bangkok. It was a long haul including two hours to cross the Cambodia/Thai border by foot.

Got money, got across!

We found out later we could have taken a flight of 1 & 1/2 hours for $70.00 but would have missed the "experience" of the bus. Although it was interesting most of us dozed during much of the ride. This was a very pliant group though so there was little, if any, whining. We walked to a restaurant on the river. Hot, very hot and humid. The evening was spent at a farewell dinner to our guide, Sonny and some of our "family" (the tour group). We'd be on our own again.

Riverview Restaurant

Sonny, our kind and patient leader

The following morning, the nine of us who were still in Bangkok boarded a small boat on the Chao Phraya River for a two hour cruise up the canals into the interior of the city. Fascinating! We saw everything from resplendent homes to others that were just a puff away from falling into the water.

Nine tourists traipsing

Beautiful Homes

Fixer upper

The ladies still managed to shop when a woman poled up to our boat with a selection of must have souvenirs made in China!

Floating Shop

After the boat trip (hot, very hot), our next stop was the "Reclining Buddha" at a huge and ornately decorated pagoda. Although it was impressive, I'm about Buddha-ed and pagoda-ed out! I'd compare it to eating too much candy or drinking too much. Well, candy anyway. Very hot, still.

Welcome to Wat Pho

Very BIG Buddha

Sweet face of the reclining Buddha

We walked back to the hotel. Very long. Very very hot. We said our good byes to Gilles who left for Montreal and Crystal who left for a new hotel. We were going to meet Sophie, Andrew, and Stephanie on Khao San Road a street famous for backpackers and hippies (probably also drugs and pornography) and tourists. We arrived by tuk-tuk but we didn't manage to find them. We walked up and down the street and finally hoped they weren't spending too much time looking for us. We sat down on the terrace of a cafe bar and had a bite. We took an exciting fun ride in a tuk-tuk back to our hotel. Very hot. The next day we said our good byes to Sophie.

Tuk-tuk, carnival ride that gets you somewhere

Small bites

Cindy and I took a cooking class in the morning. We met "Carole" and her five year old son, Alfie. He had a ten day holiday from school. She walked us through a local underground market, buying fresh seafood and vegetables to prepare with us. We were her only students for the day. She spoke English very well as did Alfie who is learning a third language, Mandarin Chinese.

Carole & Alfie

The market few tourists see

The class was held in a small storefront and we made four items: soup, green curry, pad Thai, and dessert with sticky rice and mango. We spent about three hours with them and had a great time. Meeting local people has been the high point of this trip. The green curry was the most labor intensive but also the most delicious. Everything was fresh and very good but the flavors in the curry were most wonderful. This we will try at home though many of the items won't be so fresh. It's difficult to get coconuts right off the tree in Indiana.

Dennis paying attention

Making coconut milk

Yum!

The street we took to go back to get a tuk-tuk was lined with silver wholesale shops. They pointed us to a shop that sold retail and Cindy got a charm to remind her of Thailand. At least it's small and we don't have to figure out where to stash it in the luggage.

Bangkok Airport

Back at the hotel we met Stephanie and Andrew on the terrace bar, had a drink with them and said our good-byes. They're on to Phuket and the islands and we leave for Tokyo at 3:30 AM! STILL hot! See you there...