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Bangkok and its surroundings -home-photos-cambodia-n.thailand-phuket-malaysia1-singapore-malaysia2-indonesia (day 5 to 9) As soon as we got back to the airport we decided to follow the Let's Go Guide tip and take a bus to the centre. The days was rainy and very humid, about 35°C. The trip took about 3 hours in the traffic to get to the New Rama Road and then we stupdly decided to hop on a tuk tuk to get to the Hotel, which looked pretty close to there, but in the traffic it took about 2 hours and 2 years of our lives!!!(oh shit, we breathed soo much smog, I can't believe I was so lukcy I haven't died.hahhaha Our
hotel was very nice, called Hotel Royal River, and we only paid 8 US
dollars each for a very excellent service. Bangkok was founded in 1782 by King Rama I (Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke). The capital is located at the geographic centre of the country and on the Banks of the Chao Phraya River, "River of King", which originates in the North and flows through the central plains on its way to the sea in the Gulf of Thailand. Actually, Bangkok is made up of two words: "Bang" and "Kok", meaning a "village" or "district" on the river and a "wild olive like fruit" respectively, thus, it means the "village of olives" which was formerly just a small fishing village. Usually Thai people call their capital by its short from "Krung Thep" which means " City of Angels". In
fact, the capital's official full name is " Krungthep, Maha Nakorn,
Amorn Ratanakosindra, Mahindrayudhya, Mahadilokpop Noparatan Rajdhani,
Burirom, Udom Rajnivet Mahastan, Amorn Pimarn Avatarn Satit, Sakkatuttiya,
Vishnukarm Prasit" which may be translated into English as
follows: "The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the
Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the
grand capital of the world endowed with the nine precious gems, the happy
city, abounding in enormous royal palaces which resemble the heavenly
abode where reigns the reincarnated God, a city given by Indra and built
by Vishnukarm". Bangkok is where the Royal Family resides, the seat of government and administration, and the commercial centre. Mostly, it is a place where the main royal temple (Wat Phra Keaw) and other leading temples are located. The capital itself has a remarkable wealth of historical and cultural backgrounds which can not be easily found in other parts of the world. Formerly, the capital was widely know as the "Venice of the East" unfortunately the demands for more and wider roads have resulted in the disappearance of several canals. Its quick growth leads to the expansion into surrounding muddy fields and, at the same time, forces the buildings to rise higher and higher. But still Bangkok remains as one of the world's most exciting and interesting cities to visit.
Not far from Chitrlada Palace, home of the King, standing on Si Ayutthaya Road is Wat Benchamabophit or the Marble Temple. It is well known because its main chapel is a prime example of modern Thai architecture. The courtyard behind the main chapel exhibits 53 Buddha images, most of which are copies of famous images and styles from all over Thailand and other Buddhist countries. Finally, another places which should not be missed are Thai boxing stadiums. In fact, Muay Thai or Thai boxing can be seen at two boxing stadiums, Lumpini or Ratchadamnoen. Thai boxing is both a sport and self defence as the boxers are allowed to use almost any part of their bodies. It is not my kind of sport, anyways. I prefer rugby or ice-hockey:). What I would never suggest to go to see is the Cocks'-fight.It is somehow so cruel and there's no point in it, just human's evil.Also,there is the world's largest outdoor museum, in this province is the Crocodile Farm. It is a very large farm with over 30,000 crocodiles, both fresh and salt water crocodiles can be seen here. But still, I wouldn't go here, this is not where crocodile would like to live, which is a museum... So do not go and give animals respect, please. This is the sightseeing we did. Other places left without mentioning are the Weekend Market, Dusit Zoo and China Town etc. Then, going down south west of Bangkok about 80 kms is the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, here small boats laden with all kinds of tropical fruits and vegetables and other produce orchards, flowers and so on. This is more touristic than I thought...
NORTHERN THAILAND (day 9 to 20) After
4 days in Cambodia and 4 days in the hassle of Bangkok and its suburbs, I decided to head up to
Northern thailand.I chose to go by train, it took about 9 hours. Ayutthaya
My first stop was in Ayutthaya. it is a very
old town, the ancient capital of Siam for 417 years,and it was founded in
1350. This town was the capital during the first
Thai Royal Family of the peninsula, after a victory against the Khmers
troupes who were the chiefs in most of the Siam areas. Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle I
overnighted at the Dusit Island hotel. It is often said that in Phitsanulok there is one of the most beautiful images of Buddha.This town is about 375km borth of Bangkok and it is a strategic point of departure towards the Norther Territories. It is a site which leaves the plains behind and which lets us enter little by little inside the mountain-regions.The weather is still veru humid and hot tough:(.One interesting thing is that of floating houses along the river. These houses are residences of the locals and there are even some restarants. I entered then the aerea called "the Northern provinces", where temperatures ara little lower mbut where the landscapes are more and more hilarious: here is the reign of the woods, of the elephants and of the northern tribes. Chiang Mai This is the last destination I did in Northern Thailand. It is about 700km north of Bangkok. There is the Ping River here.What is really striking even from the city, is the Wat Phra That Doi Sutehp. It is basically the most popular wat you get to see on brochures and so on. Do not expecr relax, or anything quiet, it's just another of the very touristic sites...but worth a visit!! I also took a daily trip inside the Doi Suthep Pui National Park, which contains a wide range of plants, anuiamls, birds and waterfalls. The oldest wat in toem is Wat Chiang Man, with its low-sloping roofs and articulated facades.You should also go see Chiang Mai National Museum, with Northern Thai art and manufactures about the Northern Thai Royalty, and hilltribes. Here I overnighted at the Libra Guest House,(tel.210687),it is a family-run hostel, and I just paid 80 bath a night in a single room with fan. At night I usually went to the night bazaar and to the Riverside club, where they paly rock music. It was fun, loads of tourists especially from Australia and Canada. ******* At the end of this 10 days-northern thai- andventure I took a plane to Phuket, I was too tired to go back by train via Bangkok, too humid actually and Yuri wasn't with me, so I felt like itwould have been kind of boring to go down there all by myself. The plane costed 3400bath with Thai airways. It was a direct flight. -home-photos-cambodia-n.thailand-phuket-malaysia1-singapore-malaysia2-indonesia
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After Cambodia I really needed
to take a shower,but our bathroom had a spectacular marble bath-pool so I
decided to take a bubble bath:)That was great and the only nath I took
until Bali.
Due to its over a hundred romanised letter, the
capital earns a listing in the Guiness Book of Records as the World's
longest place named city.
Indeed,
Bangkok is a capital city with distinctive cultural and natural
attractions which could not be described in a few pages. The following are
recommended places to visit: The Grand Palace or the Emerald Buddha
Temple. It has been described as one of the most memorable Asian
architectural fantasies in colour, shape, designs and artistry. On the
west side of Sanam Luang, is the National Museum which is said to
be one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in Southeast Asia.
Standing beside the Grand Palace itself is Wat Po or Temple Reclining
Buddha which is Bangkok's oldest and largest temple. The temple is
also regarded as the first centre of public education and is somehow
called, "Thailand's first University".
Located
on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River on the Thonburi side is Wat
Arun or the Temple of Dawn(not so far from our hotel). It is one of Bangkok's most memorable
landmarks and always appears in all tourist brochures. The most attractive
structure in temple is the 82 metre high pagoda or Phra Prang in Thai.
The plan
was to visit most of major sites of Siam and the Northern Tribes. The trip
was phisically-hard, cos the conditions os the third class trains aren't
so good and it was very humid and hot, and the train was full packed.
There is one of the royal residences here:
the Chinese Palace, which
is simply a reproduction of a rich Chinese residence. This town is 75 km
far awat from Bangkok and it was destroyed by the Birmans about in 1767.
It is easy to reach this town even by Klong (boats) even by river.
It became capital
in 1238, and 8 Thai kings ruled it until 1365 when Ayutthaya was
founded.Here I found a wide range of temples and Pagodes. Curiously all of
Buddhas' heads were cut off from the sculptures from the Birmans.
But
I said curiously cos Birmans are buddhist too, so we do not actually know
why these sculputes where decapitated.
I decided to stay here a couple of
days ,this hotel lays on a small island on the Mae Kok Riviera, so that i
could go sightseeing by boat (1.500 baths per person) to sites that
are not very easy to reach by road or on foot cos of the vegetation.
