Bangkok..............

Though it was my second visit to the city, I realized that I actually not really experienced it the first time. I guess the reason was that when I went there earlier it was my first ever ‘trip abroad’ (with the exception of Nepal)! On top of that we were to ld to be extremely careful of our belongings and not to venture out alone etc etc.- so really didn’t ‘see’ the city then. But this time it was different – with the experience of having travelled across Europe and USA, and several times alone, the confidence level was much higher.

The Grand Palace is undoubtedly one of most beautiful pieces of architecture that I have ever seen – the lobbies depict the story of the ‘Ramayana’ through wall to wall intricate and colorful paintings. Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains the small, very famous and greatly revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. While most websites give these details, what they don’t mention is that there is a strict dress code to be followed to visit the Palace (arms and legs to be fully covered, and closed footwear- though at times the guards do not bother about the footwear. You can also get wrap around skirts at the main entrance in case you are not appropriately dressed). Also, a must-not-miss is the ‘coconut water’ served chill at the restaurant near the exit.
Close by (15 minutes walk minimum) is the Reclining Budha- this highly impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana.

The Suan Lum Night market is a beautiful place – it has hundreds and hundreds of shops selling traditional Thai handicrafts, clothes, bags etc – it opens only at 8 pm and is a very lively place. It has a huge food court and if you are lucky, you can a nice musical performance on the huge stage at the food court. I guess it’s a shoppers’ paradise for those who know what they want to buy and have the ’eye’ to see where that thing is - for someone like me who gets lost when there too many options - it wasn’t of much use.

Be aware of people (who you may stop to ask about directions) who will try to tell you that the temple/palace is closed as the King is visiting or something else – THEY ARE LIARS!!! They just want to take you somewhere else and charge you 3-4 times of the money you would otherwise spend. Also, the metered taxi is not always the trusted option- they can take you round and round the city- and you cannot even have a conversation with them as “they don’t understand English” (as per their convenience). The Jewellery/Gems factory (where most tour operators will surely take you) is something that most ‘Tuk-tuks’ and ‘taxis’ would want to take you to – coz they get coupons for gas refill in their vehicles!

And before I forget, the dinner cruise on the river is a lovely experience.

All and all – it’s a nice city, though I wish it was more tourist friendly.