day 1 - Bangkok

Friday, 25 October 2013

We arrived safe and sound in Bangkok last night - greeted by a balmy 30 degree heat. Despite having two heavy bike boxes and multiple bags, the whole trip went very smoothly and we arrived at our hotel at about 10.00pm local time.  The hotel is located in the old quarter near the palace and has a lovely colonial style about it. Paul's parents had arrived in from Germany earlier that day and Paul dropped by their room for a quick chat before they went to sleep... giving Nicky one more evening to practice her basic German in time for breakfast!!

(Tuk Tuks waiting for passengers)

Our first day started with a traditional Thai breakfast which included a pork congee which is like rice porridge with sausage, ginger, spring onions and soy sauce. Shortly after breakfast, we headed out to explore the local area and a number of nearby temples, knowns as wats. Wandering the streets is an experience in itself with all the activity of the various stall holders and food vendors, and tuk tuk drivers haggling for passengers. Then there's the organised chaos on the roads which you become a part of as soon as you step out and attempt to navigate your way across, one lane at a time. 

(Mopeds and tuk tuks and cars, oh my!)

We sat down for lunch in one of the many food markets located around the city and shared a few rice and noodle based dishes. Nicky's last visit to Bangkok ended with a bout of gastro so we were on the look out for a busy food stall where we could see the food being cooked, hoping that that would reduce the likelihood of any unwanted tummy troubles. 9 hours later and all seems to be ok!!

(Paul's parents meet the reclining Buddha)

After lunch, and some research on the area, we continued our walk through other parts of the city. At one point, we came to an intersection where both traffic and pedestrians were made to stop in order to make way for the royal family's cavalcade. It's said that the Thai people love their King very much and the plethora of huge photos, depicting the king in various poses, hung all over the city seems to confirm that. It was probably the only time we'll experience absolute silence in Bangkok and as soon as the cavalcade had passed through, the engines revved and the chatter recommenced. 

(Paul admiring a wat)

We have both been struck by the neatness of the city - it's not necessarily clean or organised, but there is no litter and people seem to take great pride in keeping the streets swept and rubbish free. We walked through many little lane ways and main streets and only encountered one piece of graffiti. Pavements were lined with potted plants and the beautiful ornate architecture of the temples and shrines depicted flowers and animals in all forms and colours. 

Throughout the day we did find ourselves wilting in the heat and we wondered how we would manage cycling in such high temperatures. But we did notice about 5-10 cyclists out on the roads which reassured us somewhat - never mind that they all appeared to be well acclimatised locals!!  

Tomorrow we hope to spend some time on the river and to visit one of the many floating markets. Already looking forward to breakfast!