Monday 1/29 – Our morning is spent catching up, blogging and doing general housekeeping (computer-wise). Lunch is leftovers and salad. Once we’ve feasted, we decide to take a stroll into town and just wander since we are hardly ever inside the moat anymore. It’s hot, but it’s not unbearable, and it is a good walk to the old town. We head down Loh Kroh to see is anything has changed – not so much! Still the semi-red light district, seedy bar, retail store, hostel, backpacking area we remembered. Although interestingly enough, there are multiple signs advertising the Superbowl this year. Two years ago you could hardly find a place to watch it, now it seems lots of places will be open at 6:30 AM for the game. We’re staying home, but if the urge ever struck us…at least we’ll have options.
After finally crossing Kotchasarn Road (couldn’t believe how crazy busy it was and how long it took us to find a break in the traffic to get across) and then crossing the moat and Mun Mueang Road at the Tha Phae Gate traffic light, we finally make it into the city to stroll down Rachadamnoen Road. We’re just sort of ambling aimlessly, taking in the sights, and remarking on how busy it is over here. We really do like where we stay outside the moat, even though it can get busy at times, it’s nothing like it is in town, and we enjoy the peaceful solitude we have (not including the Catholic School loudspeaker, that is).
As long as we are here, we decide to take a little Wat tour, which isn’t hard since there is a Wat on virtually every corner. We start out at Wat Muen Lan, walking around the Chedi, surrounded by some nice looking statuary. The rest of the complex is under renovation, so we could only view the main temple through the blocked off entrance.
Across the street, we explore the Wat Phan On, a sprawling complex with one smallish temple (Viharn), a beautiful chedi surrounded by bells you can ring and the kuti, or monk’s living quarters. Heading first to he Viharn, I don the sarong provided at the entrance to cover my legs (I’m in my skorts as usual), and enter the two story tall structure. The temple is dominated by the large sitting Buddha at the end, and smaller tables with graduated platforms and offerings along the outside walls.
There is also a very interesting display of photos and new articles all about the recently deceased king,Rama IX. We can’t read anything, obviously, but we love the photos. I’m particularly drawn to the one of the “baby” king – on his little tricycle. Sweet.
Outside the temple is a little garden by the wall with lovely flowers and interesting statuary.
The Chedi is nest, and as we approach, a young girl finishes praying and then begins to ring all the bells around the structure creating a lovely atmosphere.
Surrounding the Chedi, in the garden, many Buddhist sayings are hung from the trees. It’s a nice setting to just wander around, absorbing the Buddha’s teachings…and of course some are quite appropriate!
The courtyard is also filled with stone tables and seats, and food vendors making yummy looking pork omelets and other delights. Darn, too bad we’ve already eaten lunch!
We continue our explorations, past the Treasury and Coin museum, past the car dealerships and pharmacies and tons of little retail shops and restaurants. We’re looking for the Garden, a restaurant/hostel where we’ve had some good meals and listened to some great music in their quiet garden setting. We find it, just where its always been, but, oh, so not like it always was! Holy cow – Ed didn’t even recognize the place, it was so packed with tons and tons and tons of tourists. The whole atmosphere had changed from a relaxed little boutique cafe to a noisy, raucous almost fast food type place, with huge vinyl posters hung all around displaying pictures of the food being served. Sigh. Yep, you can’t go home!
Fortunately 2 doors down is the Writers’ Club, a nice little shotgun type restaurant where we’d eaten on a previous trip. We plopped down in their lovely, quiet atmosphere had a mid-day beer and wine to cool off and assuage our “Garden” disappointment.
Back on the street, we decide to head home, cutting through the city on Prapokkloa Road, with a stop at Wat Phan Tao, a gorgeous teak wood Wat with a narrow garden in the back. The Chedi is beautiful, gold gleaming in the sun, and there is a little bamboo viewing platform at the end of the long garden (probably built for the flower festival).
Inside the Wat is a huge towering Buddha, contrasting beautifully with the teak wood at his back. This Wat also requires a covering on your arms, so I pick up both the sarong and shoulder wrap from the box out front, but for some reason, I struggle getting both on. Don’t know, just being spastic, I suppose, but it takes me so long to get dressed, its hardly worth the few minutes I spend inside the Wat snapping photos! Ah well, what to do? It’s too darn hot to wear any additional clothing, so it be what it be.
Now we’re really heading home, skipping Wat Chedi Luong because there is an entrance fee, and we’ve been there before. We do wander through the little market at the moat, but it is too late for anyone to be open, then turn East and start our trek home, stopping only for a couple of pictures of Sunny riding the only type of elephant he’ll ever get to ride.
Later that night we head back to the street food market and hang out at Outlaws with our beer and wine. I go for the whole crippy fish tonight, and play around with the chef as I’m taking photos (he did smile behind that mask). Ed’s first round is the whole squid, then he tops that off with quail. Good “dessert” so to speak, as there’s not much on those little bony bodies, really!
Later, it is back to the night market we go – basically to see if they have the wallets. We walk up, but my vendor guy isn’t there, someone else is sitting in his chair, so we go into the Bamboo where they have a duo playing this evening, who are excellent, and accompanied by a guest dancer who steals the show.!
As we are sitting there, I do notice the guy sitting at the wallet stall sort of looking at us, but blow it off. When we leave, we stop by the booth and sure enough, the guy has been sitting there waiting for us all night. Totally amazing! He does have the wallets, but they are all vinyl with some plastic coating and I’m totally not interested. I show him my wallet, with the real leather, and he says ok. Ok? Ok. We’ll be back another night! We’ve never discussed price, so hopefully, if the merchandise is correct, we’ll be able to make the deal. We shall see….another night!
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