Bangkok - Day Two

Day Two touring in Bangkok proved interesting.  We saw some of the things on our list but also learned a valuable lesson about being a wary traveler. 

I’ll preface my story with the facts that Thailand people, from our brief experience, are extremely friendly and pleased to have tourists form the centerpiece of their economy.  The city of Bangkok even has a dedicated Tourist Police force.  The existence of the police force and the various public signs and announcements, clearly demonstrate how much they care but scammers are in all cities and countries.

After a huge breakfast/lunch we set out for the Grand Palace.  The Skytrain to Riverboat portions went without a hitch.  We did get on the more expensive riverboat but in the end it made no difference since we never bought a ticket.  We felt unintentionally fortunate getting off at Pier #9 and headed for the Grand Palace.  A huckster approached us offering a ride to the Palace entrance 100 meters away.  I simply replied “no English” and he left us alone.

As we approached the Palace gate a man in uniform told us the palace was closing for an hour.  I had read that the Palace had regular noonday closing and it was 11:30 so it made sense to us.  It was at this time that a young man approached and offered some advice in English.  He disarmed us immediately by stating that he was a volunteer/teacher from the university and he did not want any money.  He said that we since we had to wait an hour we should take advantage of the time to see the Smiling Buddha.  Before we knew it he escorted us across the busy street, arranged and negotiated a cheap price on a Tuk Tuk, and away we went.  Red flags were rising in each of our minds but we weren’t saying anything.  As we began motoring away from the Palace we looked at each other and immediately knew something was not right.  At the first stop light we leapt from the vehicle and screamed out “changed our minds”.  I threw him 10 baht for his trouble.  Maybe it was legit but it didn’t feel right and it was only after that Deborah mentioned she had noticed the “volunteer” making a cell phone call as we pulled away.  We assume it was to one of his cronies saying, “we got two more.”

Later in the day our suspicion was further confirmed.  We were walking by an entrance to the Palace we knew was unused because a tourist policeman told us the day before not to go there.  As we walked by a man approached us wearing a Tourist Police badge but not police shirt.  He had a piece of paper (looked like a bookmark) with “Tourist Police” sticking out of his pocket.  It was the same piece of paper I had in mine.  He intercepted us talking as if we were headed to the unused entrance.  He stated emphatically that we could not enter because it was a Buddhist holiday and only Thai citizens could enter.  Before we could say a word… you guessed it, he suggested that we should … visit the Smiling Buddha and that he would arrange a ride.  We walked on.

We never did go into the actual Palace.  We did wander the Palace grounds.  Unnerved, we visited the Wat Pho temple next door instead.  It was beautiful and while wondering the grounds we came across the WatPo Thai Traditional Medical Massage School.  Feeling a little stressed we went in.  Deborah opted for the Foot massage and I the full body.  My massage was relaxing by the end but difficult during.  Being a little larger that the average Asian citizen, they brought out the largest young man they had.  For a full 30 minutes he pounded me with his hands, ground me with his knees and elbows, and stretched my joints to degrees I didn’t think possible.  I have never had a man's hands all over my butt but this guy squeezed and ground my butt with his elbow (at least I think it was his elbow) for at least five minutes.  He pulled my joints to a point I felt they were coming apart.  Later, Deborah was pleased to hear that there were no embarrassing incidents as a result of him pulling each of my fingers.

Enjoying the Grand Palace Grounds

The Tranquil area at Wat Pho

Note the New Buddha Deborah is Sporting!

Way Pho Temple Grounds

We were finished with touring by the end of the massages and returned to the hotel to put in some pool time relaxing in the sun.  Karma got us on the return trip when we got on the wrong riverboat again.  This time we were asked for the tickets we didn’t have and it cost us 40 baht each instead of the regular 15.

Beers and Pizza Back at the Ranch.

Our time in Bangkok ended with a trip to the night market and a little shopping.  Tomorrow is the final leg of flying to New Delhi and a reunion with Team India.

Don’t know when but more to come.

Ps.  I just remembered something noteworthy.  During our last evening we were in the Skytrain station at 6 pm.  The public address system played a short bar of music and everyone froze in his or her places.  It was rush hour in Bangkok so this represented a large number of frozen folks.  I thought it was the start of some kind of flash mob but then the music started again.  The people in uniform stood at attention and everyone else just stopped moving.  We think it was the national anthem.  It lasted about a minute and as it ended, everyone else started.  Kinda cool and weird.

Bangkok - Day One

Bangkok is a huge city.  Twenty-two million people confined in 600 sqare miles of space.  The airport is 25 kms from our hotel in the city’s center.  Thankfully we had pre booked a driver to meet us at the airport.  We were too tired to think and thankfully he whisked us away to the hotel in an air-conditioned limo.

The Eastin Grand is very upscale, with an infinity pool on the fourteenth floor, its own stop on the BTS (Bangkok’s sky train), and within easy walking distance to many attractions.  Fortunately for us, “upscale” in Thailand doesn’t translate to “expensive” in Canadian dollars.  Bangkok is a city of contrast, huge modern, prosperous looking buildings sandwiched between broken-down, derelict, poverty filled abodes and shops.

Eastin Grand

Day one of our sightseeing began with a plan.  The all-inclusive breakfast was to serve as both breakfast and lunch.  It was fabulous with three food stations serving everything you could imagine.  Cereals, pastries, and different varieties of fresh fruits at one, nine cooks at the next preparing all the different meat groups and omelets cooked to your specifications, and an all-Asian fare buffet.  We had no difficulty satiating ourselves to last until the evening meal.

Off On Our First BTS

River Travel Through the City is Easy & Inexpensive

The actual sightseeing plan started well then quickly turned, but not in a bad way.  We bought our BTS One-day pass for unlimited use of the Sky train and our Chao Phraya Tourist Boat Pass for the same.  We made our way to the river Chao Phraya with the intention of accessing many sites.  The Grand Palace, home of Thailand’s Royal Family, was the initial target.   Upon arrival, a Tourist Policeman took us aside to warn us about pickpockets and overcharging drivers.  He also said the palace was closed at the time but that we were “lucky”.  The Royal Mausoleum was open for visitors.  He explained that it is only open one day a year for citizens to pray for the royal family.  He quickly tucked us into a Tuk Tuk, told the driver where to go and what to charge us and away we went.  Apparently you must be flexible in Thailand as well as India.

Tuk Tuks Waiting For You

The Royal Mausoleum is where generations of Royal ashes are interred.  The grounds have ornate crypts, beautiful gardens, surrounding the royal Buddhist Temple where the Royals pray for their ancestors.  We were the only tourists there.  They do not advertise their one-day opening per year.  The Minister in charge of the site met us and for the next two hours we were his personal guests and he was our personal tour guide.  At one point he sat us down on some benches, under a large shade tree and explained his life as a Buddhist and the role of Buddhism in Thailand.  As the curator of the site he was immensely proud of the art and architecture and went to great lengths to explain the meaning of all the precious stones that prevail in Buddhist art.  At one point our host’s boss, the Minister in charge of all the Royal sites of Bangkok, joined us and he too, proudly explained the history of the place and its impact on the city.  Both men were loyal monarchists and conveyed great love for the current King and his family.  A wise traveler once told us to expect plans to be waylaid but to also be open to even greater experiences.  We would put this experience down as testament to this fact.

The Whole Place Reeked of Serenity.

Our New Friend - The Minister-In-Charge (He had painted the door)

Royal Prayer Temple

The Buddha Weighs 800 kg of Pure Gold.

Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your perspective), both men advised us about a little known shopping secret.  Thailand is world famous for its precious gems and stones.  Our hosts informed us that the Royal Lapidary Jewelry Co. was open to the public that very day.  It is only open to the public one day, every 33 years.  Both men had been there in the morning and purchased for their families.  The number “3” is the lucky number in Thailand so we had to go.  The minister arranged a taxi, walked us to the stand and said good-bye.  He started saying goodbye with a North American shaking of hands, moved to a Thai cupping of hands and bowing, then moved to a hug with a cheek brush, side to side.  If he had moved to kissing I may have had to deck him but I think he sensed it and stopped short.

We came away from the experience with a lot but most importantly we think we have the whole hand clasping, head bowing thing sorted out.  Hands looking like they are in prayer and bowing replace shaking hands.  The hands are brought together cupped; fingers touching but not palms – lotus style.  Clasped hands touch different parts of the person’s anatomy depending on who they are greeting:  1) hands are clasped with top fingers to top of forehead when acknowledging God, 2) touching top of nose for Royals, 3) the tip of the nose for parents, 4) under nose/lips for family, 5) under the chin for friends, and finally 6) middle of the chest for meeting people younger than you.  We now do #6 a lot.

The Royal Lapidary shopping experience was unique.  Normally open only to wholesalers, the company was celebrating it’s 33-year of opening.  We had our own sales person for the tour.  The Royal certifies each precious stone and this certification cannot be found elsewhere.  I won’t say how much money was spent but one of our party impressed the company so much they arranged the company car for us at the end of the tour to take us anywhere we wanted.  I asked permission to take pictures but was quickly surrounded and given a firm "no!"

So… in terms of sightseeing… we didn’t see anything we had on our list but all in all it was a great day!  Maybe tomorrow will bring different results.

We Never Tire of Different Sunsets.

The day closed with a fine traditional Thai meal at the Thanying restaurant located a short walk from the hotel.  The restaurant choice came as a recommendation from sister Rita who dinned there previously.

Early to bed to ready for Day Two.

The Journey Has Begun

Our trip began with a 4:30 am wake up call and a 7 am arrival at the Vancouver Airport, courtesy of Spencer.   Thank goodness for NEXUS and eye scans.  We were able to bypass the long security lineups and sailed through US Customs.

Yes, I said US Customs.  When you travel on points you get what you get, especially when you only book two months in advance.  We flew Vancouver to Seattle, Seattle to Seoul, and Seoul to Bangkok.  We are staying in Bangkok for three days to see the sights but more importantly, to adjust our body clocks before flying to Delhi on March 7.  Our fellow travelers will arrive in India on the 7^th.

Thank goodness as well, for the fact we spend so much money on our VISA cards.  We focus so much on squirreling away points that we changed dealerships at the last minute when buying our last car.  The deal breaker was our demand to double the down payment dollars we could put on VISA.  The fellow we were dealing with for over a year said “No”.  We found someone else who said “yes”.  As a result, we are flying Executive Class on this trip and are taking advantage of the many Airport Lounges offering free food and drink.  

We are also thankful the lounges are secure.  Our trip had barely started when we had our first “adventure”.  We were in transit between the United and Asiana lounges at SeaTac when Deborah noticed she was light one carry-on.  Back on the shuttle, across the airport, up the stairs, back into the United Lounge and there it was waiting for her.  I may have to tether Deborah to my side for fear of losing her in India.

The trip from Seattle to Seoul was long but comfortable.  Eleven and a half hours, all in daylight, most over land.  This fact surprised me.  We crossed over the Pacific but via B.C., Alaska, and Siberia.  Asiana Airlines was first class; they even had five different folks in suits out on the tarmac at SeaTac waving good-bye.

Arrived Seoul around 6:30 pm Monday (1 am home time Monday).  Into the Thai  Air lounge for a few draft beers and Thai salad.  Deborah took a turn at the grand piano entertaining the other guest (three Buddhist monks quaffing beers in a corner).  

We finally arrived at our hotel in Bangkok after approximately 29 hours of straight travel time.  I think we managed about 6 hours of sleep over that time.  Dead tired now but will post before sleep.

Bangkok sightseeing tomorrow.

View from our Bangkok Hotel When we Woke.

A New Adventure Begins!

OFF TO INDIA

It is just about time for another adventure.  On March 3, after two more sleeps, we will embark on a whirlwind, three and a half week tour of India with our friends Jinder, Kal, Stan, and Doreen.  I think “adventure” is the most appropriate word to describe our expected travels.  Various advisories use the adjectives; colourful, fragrant, noisy, spiritual, bedlam, delicious (spicy), exotic, and friendly when describing India.  Jinder and Kal have been to India before and have done there very best to prepare us for the trip.  The key phrases have been “You must be flexible, this is India", “You must be prepared to be amazed in one breath and have your senses shocked the next!”,  “Plans will go much better than you had ever imagined but they could also go astray.”,  “Don’t flash your money around or you will be surrounded by large portions of the 400 million+ folks living in poverty.” 

We began our preparation meetings last June, drinking wine and dinning together.  Large amounts of India’s Kingfisher beer were also consumed to acclimate our palates.  There were usually three or four computers on the go each meeting as we researched potential areas of interest.  Doreen, Kal, and Deborah preferred to suss out the “best palaces” to call home for the night in each local.  We all watched “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” to learn the need for patience and acceptance, and dined at the Ashoka Indian Cuisine restaurant in Langley to enjoy authentic Indian food (and the spices involved). 

In addition, we arranged a group visit to a travel doctor.  He poked us with Hep B, Polio, and Typhoid shots, prescribed malaria pills and gave us Dukoral treatments for our stomachs.  Finally he suggested we spray our clothing with Permethrin while traveling in Goa and Kerala to ward off the bugs.  Admittingly he used the “suspenders and a belt” approach but told us that none of his patients that followed his advice, had ever become ill.

Deborah and I also read Shantaram by Gregory Roberts and Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, to expand our cultural awareness.  Both books are great reads to prepare one for the conditions we may be witness to.  We also watched a complete season of Outsourced to learn the intricacies of the “head waggle” and other curious Indian customs as well as to simply have a good old belly laugh.  I hope to meet Gupta along the way.

Jinder and Kal’s experiences dissuaded us from using a travel agent and for the most part this is a self-planned trip.  As a result we may be biting off more than we can chew but so be it.  The final itinerary includes: New Delhi, Jaipur (Pink City), Agra (Taj Mahal), Jullunder (Punjab), Mumbai (Bombay), Goa (beahes), Kochi (tea plantations) and Bangalore (shopping).   Hopefully we will ride elephants, camels, and see tigers between witnessing some of the wonders of the world.

I will try to keep the blog up-to-date but the itinerary will keep us on the move.

Team India - George, Deborah, Doreen, Stan, Kal & Jinder

Rome - Final Days

 Rome – Day Three & Four

Sightseeing can be hard work.  Being a tourist in Rome can be overwhelming.  During a stay in Rome it is not “time” that is in short supply but simply the “capacity” to absorb what you are seeing.  There is so much to see and do that after awhile you reach your limit on fine art and antiquities.  You find yourself walking by paintings by Raphael or Matisse, barely giving them a second look, much like driving by a couple of cows in a field.

A few last words on driving and walking in Rome.  We were crossing a street at a pedestrian light controlled intersection.  As we walked by three lanes of stopped cars on our green light, suddenly a car accelerated through the fourth lane of the crosswalk, narrowly missing many of us.  An American tourist exclaimed loudly,  “did you see that guy, he didn't even slow down on the red light.”  A nearby local spoke to him and said, “you must remember, you are in Rome, there are no rules!”

Always Start the Day with a Good Breakfast.

Day Three was a productive sunny blue-sky tourist day.  We walked to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican.  We had Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel tickets for 11 am.  Buying tickets ahead of time meant we didn’t have to stand in line to buy on the day.  We saved ourselves a few extra minutes of line waiting.  The Vatican is huge and the Sistine Chapel is one room amongst many.  Once inside with audio guides rented, we joined in the tourist throng of shoulder-to-shoulder and back-to-back mass of movement.  One hand on your partner and one on your wallet are "musts" as you let the currents of humanity carry you through the maze-like structure. 

Finding the Entrance to the Vatican can be Challenging.

The Inner Vatican Garden.

The Hallways are Over a Football Field in Length.

Your Neck Gets Sore From Looking Up.

The Vatican Museum is a huge business and much like Disneyland, they know how to move people efficiently and collect money.  You see priceless works of art, many of which you have read or heard about but most catch you by surprise by their beauty and antiquity.  The Catholic Church certainly has cornered the market on works of art.  I am sure Catholics would likely feel differently but it is almost "too much" when you consider the conditions of man when this wealth was accumulated.

The Sistine Chapel and its works of Michelangelo are worth the wait.   The beauty is underscored by the understanding that the massive work was done on wet mortar in the Fresco style and on scaffolding high in the air.  Pictures do not do it justice.

We finished the museum in about three hours.  We entered St. Peter’s next.  In the morning the line was about 800 m long but after 3 pm we walked straight in.  All cathedrals in Europe take your breath away with their grandeur and art but St. Peter’s simply takes it one step further.  We used a Steeves’ self-tour walking guide and spent nearly the next two hours in the basilica.

The Swiss Guards are Still At Work.

St. Peter's Basilica.

The huge number of sculptures and gold artistic creations was again, overwhelming. The alter was created by Bernini and is certainly a highlight as is the gilded vaulted ceiling domes.  There was a special service taking place for several hundred folks in wheelchairs and we were unable to gain access to the stairs for the dome view of Rome.  We didn’t remain long enough to see if any miracles took place.

With most of the days work done, we took the long walk back to our hotel.  Maps in hand we attempted to take different routes and discover new piazzas to explore.  We found a recommended restaurant, Roscioli near the Campe d’Fiori.  It was fully booked and we made a reservation for the following evening, our last night in Rome.

Foodie Shots.

We ended the day back in our neighborhood and explored our “own” Pantheon.  It dates back to early Roman times but survived the fall of the Roman Empire because martyrs against the Empire had used it.  Very cool hole in the roof and the floor is convex in the middle and slopes away to a concave perimeter allowing moisture to drain.  Of all the places we visited it was the only one that had constant audio reminders in multiple languages that this was a sacred place and we were to be silent.  (Of course we are in Italy so like all other rules it was ignored).

Pantheon - Our Home Piazza.

Pantheon At Night.

Day Four saw two weary tourists ready for another full tourist day.  We planned to use our purchased “Roma Passes” to ride transit to our chosen locations but alas, this is Italy and all transit was on strike for the day. 

The Newer Structure at the Right Holds the Coliseum Up.

We hoofed it to the Coliseum to start the day.  Our Roma Passes did allow us to skip the long ticket lines and walk straight in.  The iconic sight is worth the visit and we learned much more about its history.  Built to satisfy the Roman need for violent sport, the wood floor had a large number of trap doors and elevator lifts that hoisted wild animals or armed criminals into disguised locations.  The gladiator(s) waited in the middle and were to be surprised by the location and foe they faced in battle.  Wild animals were the norm.  Lions and other exotic beasts were brought in to best the gladiators.  Apparently the whole Christian killing thing probably never happened since the arena was build about 200 years after the persecution of Christians.  We were also surprised to find out the building is not just eroding due to the passage of time.  When killing fell out of favor, the building materials were scavenged to build other buildings of the time.  The wood floor rotted and all the underground rooms and passageways were filled in with dirt.  There is little marble left from the original grand amphitheater.

The basement rooms and passage ways for the Gladiators and Foe.

After the Coliseum we walked next door to the Forum.  The Forum is the area of the original Rome.  You can walk around the ruins (but no longer touch) of the House of the Vestal Virgins, Julius Caesar's temple columns, the Rostrum and others.  It is cool to sit there and realize that some ancient Roman sat in the same place, in the same sunshine and took in the same view.

Yes... I am sitting on a Roman Marble Antiquity.

Romulus and Remus - Raised by a Wolf and Historical First Citizens of Rome.

The afternoon included a walk from our hotel to the Borghese Gallery, one of the “must see’s” of Rome. The Borghese includes Bernini’s “David” is one of the most remarkable sculptures in the world.    We almost missed going to the Gallery.  You must have a purchased appointment ticket and the numbers are strictly controlled so it is nothing like the Vatican experience.  Individual tickets were sold out until days after our scheduled departure.  We had to contact a tour operator on the Internet to get our tickets.  Again, the gallery was overwhelming and by the end you walk by Raphael paintings like they were discarded beer cans.  Sorry but no pictures due the strictly controlled "no photo" rule. The only time we saw a rule enforced in Rome.

Rome's "Stanley Park" - Borghese Gardens.

We had one of our best dinners on the entire trip at the Roscioli near the Campe d’Fiori and an evening walk to end our tour of Rome.

Our Last Dinner in Rome - Roscioli.

I am writing this last entry on the plane flying over southern France.  No airport change in London this time and we should be quickly on our way to Seattle.

Of Course as happened Everyday - We Finish with a Gelato!

That brings an end to this experience and to this blog.  We hope to look at it in the future and relive some of our wonderful experience.

Bye for now… 

P.S. despite the wine, beer and pasta, we did indeed lose weight on this trip. Some redistributed, and some lost altogether.


…what was that Jinder????  We have another planning meeting this month for our trip to India in March?

I guess there may be more to come in the future.