Bangkok continued

Bangkok is a bustling metropolis nestled amongst an ancient city. Bangkok is densely populated with over 8 million people. There are modern skyscrapers mixed between older, sometimes run down, buildings. There is no shortage of shopping from street vendors to markets to massive shopping malls. In the mall Siam Paragon which is across the street from our hotel you can buy everything from a bottle of sunscreen to a brand new BMW. Now that's one stop shopping!!

Buddhism is the predominant religion in Thailand and you see Wats (temple/monastery) everywhere. In fact apparently every Thai male is expected to become a monk for a short period in his life. Monks get a huge amount of respect as well and you will find reserved seating for them on public transit. All the Wats we have seen so far are all very ornate and beautiful.

The monarchy appears to be a very important aspect to Thailand. While we were in Bangkok we found out that a funeral for one of their princesses was taking place. This meant that the Grande Palace and surrounding grounds would be closed. This occasion is something we'd never experience so we decided to make our way there to see what it was all about and to see if we could catch a glimpse of the 218 million Baht shrine they built for this occasion. We got pretty close and got to see the procession. We were even interviewed by a reporter asking our thoughts on the whole funeral.

One of the things to do in Bangkok is cruise up and down the Chao Phraya river. We bought a pass that would allow us to hop on and off the river taxis. You get a good view of the communities built on the river this way...some are in better condition than others. We also got to see a bunch of locals fishing, but even if I liked seafood I don't think I'd be too keen eating fish from that polluted river. We saw plenty of garbage floating in it.

Another must do in Bangkok is go to a moon bar. These are roof top bars that provide incredible views of the city. Z found one called Vertigo and so we made our way up to the 59th floor. Unfortunately when we arrived we were advised that it was closed due to weather conditions. There were some scary looking storm clouds in the sky and the wind was picking up. We were allowed to still go and have a look, which is really all we were after anyway, so it worked out that we got a free look. Despite the storm clouds and general smog over the city the views were worth it. While it never did end up raining we did get to experienced lightning as we left the bar.

All the Thai people we encountered were very friendly and always smiling. I read a reference describing Thailand as the "Land of the Smiles" and I'd have to agree.

Other interesting observations...Thais drive on the other side of the road and staying within the lanes seems optional, scooters are everywhere, crossing the street can be tricky because vehicles do not stop, gas prices range from 30 to 43 Baht, and there are 7-11's everywhere - more than Starbucks.