Shopping, Tuk-tuks and Pad Thai

It seems that after four months of traveling some of the biggest adventures we've had have been immediately upon arrival - landing at the airport and getting to our hostel. Bangkok, Thailand would be no different.  We arrived late in the evening. We got through customs and immigration without a problem.  Then we found the train our hostel told us to take to get closer to central Bangkok.  We were very pleased with the public transportation... until we got off the train.  We needed to catch a taxi from the station to our hostel. The advice we received was not to take a tuk-tuk, but to take a metered taxi.  So we waved down a taxi and asked if they knew where the hostel was (we showed him the address). We had to do this four or five times because the taxi drivers either didn't understand what we were saying, didn't know where the hotel was (pretended not to), or, which was most frustrating, refused to use the meter to take us.  Finally we found an Australian man travelling with his Thai wife. We asked if she could help us by talking to the next driver we stopped.  They told her the same thing... no meter because the hostel was too far away and traffic was too heavy.  We had to pay 200 Baht (30 Baht = $1).  We were so worn out from traveling we just said "Fine", otherwise we'd be up all night in the middle of the Bangkok with no idea which way was which.  The hostel told us that it should cost approximately 80 Baht.  When we arrived at the hostel (maybe 15 minute drive!!!!! Can you believe that?) we found out that we should have reported the taxi to the authorities because it is not legal for them refuse to use the meter.  Well,  every time we needed a taxi in Bangkok we had to flag down four or five taxis before we found one that would actually use the meter. (Did we say frustrating?!)

The next day we went for a walk to get to know the area.  Thailand is largely Buddhist so there are so many temples everywhere you go.  Both big temples and personal shrines outside peoples homes, on the corner of a street, in the hotel lobby...everywhere and anywhere. The big temples are called Wats. - I'd like to visit a wat. A What? A wat. A What? A WAT! Oh, a wat. :)

Wat Thepthidaram was very close to our hostel.  It is the one with the black roof on the left.  It is a royal temple built by  King Rama III.

Wat Ratchanaddaram was right next door to the Wat with the black roof and metal spires.  See the guy standing behind Mu to the left...he scammed us, in a way.  I'll tell you the story shortly.

Democracy Monument was a landmark we frequently used to orient ourselves.

So as we walked along taking pictures, this guys comes up to us and says hello.  He was so friendly and pleasant.  We continued talking with him and told him that it was our first time in Thailand.  He told us that he was a teacher at a school in the area.  Then he asked us if we have seen the tourists sites.  He took our map from us, told us to sit down with him on the steps and circled all the major sites we should visit.  Then he told us that there was a kickboxing championship game that we should go to since it was free.  We didn't have much planned so we said we might check it out.  Then he said that he can call a tuk-tuk for us, a government licensed tuktuk and it would take us to the kickboxing game.  Not just that, but it will also take us to a marble temple, a shop that sells Italian suits at a steal, and a government licensed tourist agency that can help us plan our visit in Thailand.  All this would cost us 10 Baht ($0.33). Wow... what a deal! So off we went.

First, the tuktuk driver took us to this small temple.  Ahem,  there was no kick-boxing tournament. Ok, so we got back into the tuk-tuk and said that we did not need Italian suits.  So next he took us to the marble temple.

Ok.  At least this marble temple existed. Wat Benchamabophit built by King Rama V.  You can go into the temples, you just have to take off your shoes.

Next to the marble temple was this canal full of catfish. There were many people feeding the fish and hanging out in the gardens.

Another temple next to the Marble Temple

Outside the Marble Temple

I got skills

Next he took us to the "government licensed" tourist agency. TAT, Tourism Authority of Thailand. So they claimed. We sat down with an agent who told us about the places to visit in Thailand.  He told us about Phuket (most popular tourist destination) but we told him that since we were going to Cambodia afterwards that we'd rather go somewhere further east. So we talked about Koh Chang (a large island in the Gulf of Thailand) He told us about the best places to go and showed us some brochures of different hotels... 3 star, 4 star, 5 star... etc.  We said "Woah, woah, woah. No we need something cheap (we are backpackers after all.)  But he said that Koh Chang isn't really a backpacker type island, just major hotels.   Well, to our shame, we believed him and made a reservation for the 3 star (about $400 for a 6 night stay).  We felt good about it at the time because that was one less thing to worry about.  Then we booked another tour for the Floating Market, which is just outside of Bangkok.  He charged 800 Baht for us both (cheapest rate we heard.)

Next the tuk-tuk driver took us  to a huge jewelry store with precious and semi-precious stones as well as a bunch of souvenirs. Here we hurry inside and out because we knew it was all way over-priced.  After we were done, the tuktuk driver gave us the scoop.  So apparently, if the tuktuks bring customers to the suit shops, they are given a coupon for fuel. So he pleaded with us to go to the suit shop so he can get free fuel.  We decided to go look for 5 minutes. At the suit shop, they give you catalogues to choose the style you want, then they take your measurements, negotiate a price and tailor the suit for you.  We looked at a few catalogues to  pass time then left.  We thought we were done. Wow, we've wasted a lot of time driving around.  How much free fuel do they get?
After we left there we had the tuk-tuk driver take us to our hostel, and paid him 20baht (we were still so oblivious). Then we told some of the other guests at the hostel about our cheap adventure... "Oh, guys, that's a scam." Excuse me?  "Yeah, there's a bulletin board right beside the stairs that says everything you just did, and that it is a scam." Sure enough, we read the bulletin board and saw the entire script the guy at the temple went through with us.  Awe Man!!! I can't believe it!  (The reservations we made were good though, just way over priced.  You can get a great hotel for $20/night or backpacker places for $10/night). Well, the next few days as we walked (b/c we were done with tuktuks/taxis) we spotted more of these scammers and just kept on walking... "I'm a professor"  Ha, ha... yeah right.

Tuk-tuk that took us all over town.  Avoid them. They will waste a lot of your time. I'm smiling on the outside but not the inside.

So we spent the rest of our time in Bangkok walking around and taking in the sites. Check out the rest of the photos.

The Giant Swing built in 1784. It was a shrine of some sort.

Lots of shops along the way selling huge statues of buddha

We went to the nighttime flower market.  These bicycle carriages were decorated with flowers.

Night time market and concert hosted by the Rotary Club of Thailand. The had a huge conference... we just crashed their party :)

We didn't understand this show but it looked pretty exciting.

Some monks at the market

Colored sticky rice and noodles at the market

Life in Bangkok.  People got together at a square near our hostel and did aerobics. Wow, how cool.

Another Wat next to the Royal Palace.  The Royal Palace is worth a visit, so is the reclining  buddha.   We just didn't go.

Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok.  This place is huge.  They sell household items, books, clothes, art, souvenirs and many other things. We bought two shirts for V and a shirt and dress for M for 600 baht, nice. If you like shopping, this is the place to go.

Traffic next to the market.  Taxis are painted  hot pink.

Pad thai restaurant across the street from our hostel.  We ate here almost every night.  Pad thai for 40 Baht per person ($1.30)

On this day we took our tour to the floating market.  Trading is done on the boats.  Everything is so vibrant and exciting. We bought some mangoes and other fruits. Also a nice place to shop for clothes.

Tourists got on one of the long boats and went up and down the river buying produce.

After that we got on a long boat and went to the end of the river.  It was so exciting, we got to see a komodo dragon which was in the river.

Hanging out in Bangkok at Lumpini Park

We went paddling at the lake in Lumpini Park.

Scenic Bangkok Landscape

After paddling, we joined a group of at least 80 people working out together at the park.  This was an amazing experience.  All throughout the park there were groups of people doing aerobics to some blaring music.  We didn't have to pay for it. But becuase of the humidity we were sweating like crazy after the 45 minute set. But it felt so great to get our hearts pumping.

Downtown Bangkok by night.  Feels like NYC. On either side of the road there are street markets where we did some more shopping, even cheaper.

One of the huge malls in Bangkok.... These places are mazes of shops and kiosks and escalators. You've got to see it  yourself to grasp how huge they are.  The malls are amazing.

Well, so long to Bangkok. It was fun, despite the frustration and scams. Maybe one day we'll return. Next up, our island oasis, Koh Chang.