"Strange and mysterious Thailand" Part 4 "Bangkok"
11 days in Phuket is not a vacation, but more of a race between the beach, massage and excursions, flew by very quickly. "It won't be enough - it won't be enough! "
But it's time to pack your suitcase because the capital of Thailand - the city of Bangkok - is waiting for us.
We were picked up from a cozy hotel in Phuket at 10 am, 1 hour to the airport, check-in, a little more than an hour flight and the same driver met and quickly took us to the high-rise Eastin Hotel, in the Makassan area. Pay tribute to ILVES TOUR, a worthy company. The guide met at the hotel to help with the settlement and remind about the excursions - "survey" and dinner in the Tower. That we ourselves with a mustache, we know how! ))) Settled very quickly, deposit $ 100, the room is excellent, on the 23rd floor. modern and clean, or we were lucky judging by the reviews.
Change clothes and go on adventures, you need to see everything in 3 days) Leaving the hotel, we were horrified, just opposite a small garbage dump, mdaa... beauty! Move on. It became funny, I remembered how I called UIA to take me home, at the sight of crazy driving, turmoil and chaos on the streets of Phuket. And those were the flowers, the berries of this chaos - in Bangkok.
My head is spinning. Did I advertise UIA beautifully? )))
The location of the hotel is just what you need. Everything is nearby, the same "feeders", 7-Eleven - a store like our ATB, a market, fruit shops, massage parlors.
From whom take it! and massage is cheaper here than on the island and very close.
Yes, and the girls are so pretty, and their hands are oh playful))) The massage is good, to the music of nature - it’s still relaxed) My men after relaxation require food, and the elder one also needs beer! And again, it's cheaper here than on the island - who knows! 2 times from my husband (I don’t drink beer) And here they are, macarons - the “kitchen on wheels” of a motorcycle with a sidecar. Their food is fresh, delicious, safe and very cheap. They will pack in disposable dishes, even sauces will be tied securely in bags. Just yell "spy spicy"! There are a lot of macarons, they fry and cook everything you want fresh and in front of you. And right on the roadway, sidewalks, wherever you can at least somehow park. From hunger, they bought everything and a lot. Traffic on the road, of course, Christmas trees, sticks, you won’t push through and you won’t run across. Here it is the contrast of the modern life of Thais in the capital... you raise your eyes, you look - majestic skyscrapers, new cars, a bunch of hypermarkets....And they, the Thais, are swarming about something, trying to survive, feed their families, in poverty but happy. The house is like our garage, everything is primitive. There are washing machines right on the street, with a hole for coins, wash - I don’t want to, but where does the water drain? this is what you need to think about. What they just do not do, what they just do not sell. Bangkok has EVERYTHING!
On the second day we have a sightseeing tour planned. The Thai guide Lisa (Thai did not remember the name) told everything very interestingly about history, about religion, about kings, about ordinary people. For 2 years they mourn for Rama 9, he ruled for many, many years and was very loved by the Thai people. Now Rama 10 is on the throne, but he has not yet been crowned, due to mourning. And his portraits, in gilded (or gold) frames, flaunt throughout the country. We received a lot of information about shopping centers, but we were little interested in shopping. We drove past the flower market, oh, they didn’t let me out! ( Through the window we saw huge piles of orchids, lotuses and "a million scarlet roses" - 50 pieces can be bought for 60 baht, and even cheaper on the days of purchase.
Again, we watched a temple with a huge statue of a reclining Buddha,
and the Temple of the Golden Buddha,
and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Ohhh, how many of those temples - not to count and not remember the names, a simple tourist.
Then we went to see the Royal Palace.
This is both the former residence of the Royal Family and the temple complex. The territory is huge, there are many temples, various buildings, soldiers are on guard.
My thoughts chaotically dreamed "I'll put my soft spot on the throne! , a real royal one!!! " Yeah, I was daydreaming - they don't even let me inside. Everything is beautiful and unusual, we looked around and that's enough, calm down my stupid thoughts)))
Remember? In Thailand, people are not buried, but cremated. Well, here on the territory there are many multi-colored stupas, high and not very high,
In which the ashes of different generations of the royal Chakri dynasty are placed in an urn, and then it is walled up in a mortar. Corresponding nameplates on these stupas.
It seems that the tour lasted 4 hours, but we were tired, as if the car had been unloaded. Urgently to the hotel, urgently lie down. In the evening we walked again to our macarons, picked up food from hunger again and dragged ourselves to the hotel room. Where else can you eat? Thais eat right on a noisy, dusty street. Who are attached where and eat. We, European personalities, cannot eat like that! )
I don’t like the morning in such a hotel, there is no balcony, there is a view of the gray city outside the panoramic window.
A cup of coffee did not cheer me up. What must be done. Let's go and have breakfast in a noisy crowd of guests from India. I got better... after breakfast, I was able to read a certain number of pages of my book, can I finish it? )
There are also massages and a swimming pool. Having changed into a swimsuit, she barely persuaded her son to get out of bed and go for a swim. Kaaapeets, what is unlucky - and then the pool was closed, according to those. reasons. But my thought prompted, and not because of the guests from India this closure? Well, at least I’ll read more... It’s time to get ready for dinner, today we don’t have it at the tops, today we have it luxurious, already on the 79th floor of the tower.
We left early, chapali for 10-15 minutes on foot. Wow, how many people, are they all with us for dinner? Mdaaa... we approach the elevator, and there is a line, but the truth is that the staff sorts at the elevator who is on which floor for dinner, and who is in the hotel. It turns out that in order to climb to the observation deck, and then to the restaurant, you need special instructions.
So, having taken the elevator to the 17th floor, we exchanged our voucher for tickets, took the elevator to 77.
The observation deck did not impress at all, the windows are narrow, with partitions, we walked and looked. Beautiful but kinda sad. We made a transfer, took the elevator to 83, but we need to go to the 84th floor, to the very top of the tower! we walk up. Here it is a platform, they were expecting breathtaking beauty (I will understand who was at the Burj Khalifa). Just half of Bangkok at a glance, you can see a lot of rivers or canals, like snakes. The platform rotates 360, the view through the bars, you can’t even take a normal photo. Well, okay. I really want to eat, but now we are on the 79th floor, there is a restaurant. Greeted with a smile, seated at a table with a panoramic window. And dinner is foodie heaven! Buffet.
Sushi! my favorite sushi! , very tasty, melt in your mouth, not like in Poltava (we only have a name). Lots of seafood, salads and other stuff. Lots of fruits and pastries.
Juice only, rare, chemical muck. But I was delighted with the device with Cola, Sprite and some water. Light music, a candle on the table, a rosebud in a vase, outside the window - magnificent, evening Bangkok,
Which is really beautiful! romance! ) When leaving the restaurant, I folded my hands in the corresponding sign "Khaphunkhap", in Ukrainian. - "Dyakuyu" in Russian. - "Thank you" I overate.... or that glass of Coca-Cola was superfluous, horror. . . horror. . .
Down the line again, but without transfers straight and on a high-speed, transparent elevator. Thoughts jump in the head "even if it does not stir me up", from the height and speed of the elevator. No, everything is in order, it doesn’t stir up and everything is very beautiful, except for the glass stained with fingerprints.
We went out into the stuffy air, decided to take a walk after a romantic dinner. As a result, it was not clear where they went, they ended up on an incomprehensible street. We got to the shopping center "Big C" which was advised by our guide. Yes, we don’t see such things in our province! Yes, I do not like shopping, but to stare? ok just take a peek. They stared. Prices are slightly higher than in the market, of course. But beautifully packaged,
You can buy whatever your heart desires. Apples at $15 per kg. No need? ))) Well, they are lying around with us, rotting in the season. We went to the hotel. To cross the street,
you need to go up to the 2nd floor to the pedestrian crossing. The mileage was also wound up and we had to "walk" for a very long time to get back to the hotel. Legs fell off, but we got there. Shower and sleep, we will go home tomorrow. "MAU" will take us back. Ukraine is waiting. Airport. . . departure on time, but for some reason the duration is 10.30h. .
Epilogue.
I close my eyes and again I'm in Thailand! Liked, disliked, both!
I often think that Thailand is a strange, mysterious country of contrasts - it's not only beaches, temples, jungles, elephants, monkeys, Thai cuisine and massage. These are numerous tourists from all over the world, decent and not so.
This local population has thousands of smiles, NO million smiles! )
We rested, I finished reading my book "The Life That Wasn't Mine".
Thoughts decently settled down along the convolutions, which means they are in order, which means they are calm, which means thoughts will sit quietly until the next trip, but for how long? )))
P. S. So I want to add. I opened my eyes, I'm at home, and my thoughts are screaming - let's work, Lena! )
