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With our first full day we took the skytrain down to the river which is one of the best ways to get around Bangkok, high above the busy city full of traffic and the heat we snaked round tall skyscrapers in lovely air conditioned carriages. From the skytrain we caught the ferry down the river to the main tourist destinations giving us a different view of the city. We started off trying to visit the reclining Buddha but there were so many tourist wearing next to nothing we felt it ruined the experience so we abandoned it and started wandering round to the Golden palace. Again the line of coaches, tourists and touts selling cheap trinkets started. We had thought we had dressed appropriately in long leggings and shoulders covered ect. but the guards on the door decided otherwise, i felt this was a little over kill and the line for renting sarongs was huge, again we abandoned it feeling that once again something beautiful and historical had been ruined by tourism. A little way down the street we happened across a local Thai market selling gorgeous looking food, clothes ect. Feeling better as we were the only non-Thai's there and enjoying all the smells, colours, and oddities that came with it. After wandering for quite a while we found our way out and chanced on a gorgeous temple. No touts or tourists wearing next to nothing just people praying as they did most days. We went inside and sat in the peace and quiet for a few minutes making a small donation as a thank you for letting us visit.
Feeling ravenous after our long walk we crossed the river to find a restaurant Gavin and Laura had found earlier in the week with a prime location overlooking the river. It would have been very easy to miss, just an open door to the side of an shop but so glad we didn't. Most definitely the best food we have had the whole trip. Sharing piled plates of pineapple rice, amazing fried chicken, crispy squid, coconut with vegetable and spicy beef it was amazing. Feeling thoroughly worn out we headed to the massage parlour near our hostel. Kev and Gavin went for the bone cracking Thai version and Laura opted for a foot massage, i'm weird and don't like massages but the lady let me sit in one of the comfy chairs anyway. With the dimmed lights and soft music a quick nap was inevitable. Feeling thoroughly relaxed we headed back to the hostel to decide on our next destination (after a good couple of hours the decision was Chiang Mai) and sent the boys out for some yummy food.
Last day and we had bought our train tickets to head up to Chiang Mai that evening. So after packing.. again, we had our last wander around Silom visiting the markets and exploring the side streets. Gavin was having a few stomach problems which we have discovered noodles and rice does not help so treated ourselves to a Moe's burger, kind of like the Japanese version of BurgerKing. Probably one of the tastiest burgers i've ever had (except Devil burgers in NZ of course) and the chips tasted exactly like Aunt Bessie's which was weird, anyway was definitely a nice change. Next door was a Japanese supermarket and we stocked up on dinner for the long long long journey north.
Just a note if anyone visits Bangkok and needs a taxi around 5pm you have no hope of getting the meter put on, many of them won't even entertain your business! greedy sods
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