Tuesday June 18th to Friday June 28th, 2019 - Family Time in Bangkok, With a Little Bit of Photography

I left London early Tuesday morning and headed to Helsinki, where I had about a four hour layover before heading for Bangkok. It was not enough time to head into town.

I had an elk sausage while there, which was not much different than any other sausage. However, I came to appreciate the pleasure of being able to gather together all my possessions into one little space that defined my territory. This little airport cart allowed me to spread out a bit, while still making it clear it was MINE. It helped me appreciate the comfort that homeless people must derive from being able to organize their stuff in a shopping cart. 

L-R: Nadine, me, Chuck, Sarah

When I arrived in Bangkok, it was minutes after the arrival of my sister, Nadine Hood. She had also flown from Europe where she was traveling since early April. We were both ready for a respite from moving around, so we were happy to be met by Sarah (my daughter) and Chuck Mason (her partner), who have lived in Thailand since 2010.

Eh is dressed up to celebrate her 'Adoption Day'.

We were greeted by lovely flowers and were pleased to meet the newest member of the household, the little former street cat from Chiang Mai, called 'Eh'. (That's the sound she makes when she meows and is a suitable Thai name! No 'Fluffies' here!) 

View from Sarah & Chuck's apartment

Bangkok is a big city. Each time I go, old blocks have been torn down and new buildings - either apartments or shopping centers, have been put up in their place. I don't see a great deal of evidence of urban planning. Some of the new buildings are lovely, as you see from the glassy one on the right.

Another new skyscraper since my last visit - near Siam

BTS Train - Nana looking toward Asoke?

One of Bangkok's saving graces are its two train systems - the BTS or Skytrain and MRT. They are clean, frequent and directions are clear, and in Greco-Roman script as well as Thai.

Sukhumvit near Siam

The roads, on the other hand, are generally a total mess. It always seems snarled with traffic at all times of day. As a result, even though taxis are cheap, I generally only get around by train and walking.

Tuk Tuks on Sukhumvit

Tuks tuks can sometimes dodge the traffic a little more than taxis, but having to negotiate the fare puts me off using them, as well as the exposure to all those fumes around one.

Yodpiman Pier, Chao Phraya River

Longtail Boat on the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

One of Thailand's major rivers, the Chao Phraya,  runs through Bangkok and provides another viable form of transportation. There are also many canals off it that have river boats carrying passengers. Nadine and I discovered that there are many levels of fare on the river boats. One has to be careful not to get the tourist boats, but to just get the public ones. It's quite confusing to figure out which is which, but the attendants are helpful once you've got your ticket and know which boat you need to get on.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth monarch of Thailand from the Chakri dynasty as Rama IX, mural near Siam

Last time I was here, (December 2016) the country was still in mourning over the death of their beloved King Bhumibol a few months prior. Thailand is very loyal to their royalty, so criticism is actually not permitted due to some of the strictest les majeste laws in the world.

Following a popular and long serving monarch is never easy, as Prince Charles can attest to, so there were concerns about a smooth transition. King Bhumibol's son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or King Rama X has now taken to the billboards with his brand new (fourth) wife, Queen Suthida. She was a former flight attendant and deputy leader of his bodyguards. He married her following a surprise announcement just days before his coronation in early May this year. I thought his photos showed a slightly startled expression and the down-turned mouth suggests unhappiness. I did read online that it is customary for the King to assume a solemn expression during ceremonial events, but I found myself feeling sorry for him. She has a hopeful look, in my mind.

Part of the Grand Palace, Bangkok

Nadine and I enjoyed taking a break from being tourists. I caught up on my Paris blogs, Nadine got organized after months of travelling, we ate out, played games, ran some errands and hung out with Sarah and Chuck. However, we did spend a day visiting the rather magnificent Grand Palace, where the King's coronation took place recently,  and the less spiky Wat Pho.

Grand Palace, Bangkok

And when I say spiky, I mean REALLY spiky!

Would you want to mess with this guy?!

It is not unusual to see the curls on the ends of roofs in Asian countries, and gargoyle-like creatures on the corners and eaves of roofs, to ward off evil spirits. However, it struck me that the Thais really wanted to be sure no bad vibes would land in this important place when it was built in 1782.

The tusks on this fellow would convince me to stay away, even if the ears weren't enough, I'm sure!

But beauty and opulence abounds all over the place, as well.......

.... and the tile, gilt and mosaic detail is spectacular.

As is the case with so many beautiful places in the world today, it was very crowded with many other tourists. The interminable selfie makes it hard to get clear photos and often forces me to look at detail I might not otherwise see, or aim high!

The Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho

So it was rather nice to find that Wat Pho was not only less spiky, but also much less crowded. It is one of my favorite temples, although very challenging to photograph because the Buddha is so large.

The full length of this statue is 46 m or 138 ft and the head reaches up to the ceiling. He is a particular favorite of mine, as I was born on a Tuesday and the Buddha posture for Tuesday people is the reclining one. I appreciate that this applies to me, as I do like to take naps.  If you want to find out which posture applies to you, check out this link. http://www.buddha-images.com/seven-days.asp

The architecture at Wat Pho is also lovely....... a bit calmer than the palace.

The Marco Polo Gate at Wat Pho

The two tall figures at this gate, with their top hats, actually represent the first foreigners to visit Thailand. Rather than being scary, they have a whimsical, almost comical air.

The gardens also had interesting statuary hidden in them, so it was a fun place to visit. Nadine and I enjoyed buying a bag full of temple coins to put in the many 'buckets' alongside the Buddha. It made a delightful, constant metallic tinkle and we left feeling more peaceful than we felt after the Palace.

I had hoped to finish this segment of my travels in just this one blog, but this has ended up quite long enough. I want to tell you a little more about food and shopping, so be prepared for that next.