Mat didn't sleep but woke me up at midnight to head back to the airport. We caught the 12:30AM shuttle in. Mat's picked up a sim card for his phone while I asked Information. They gave me a handwritten note and told me to talk to security. It took us a long time, going up and down many levels before we found security. I was getting nervous because everyone we asked told us to see someone else, so we'd go there and they would tell us to go somewhere else, like our can kept getting kicked down the road. Finally, we ended up at an office where they did some paperwork and brought us back to the luggage carousel. Today's flight from Shanghai had just arrived so no luggage had been unloaded yet but we didn't wait long before our bags showed up. What a relief!! We repacked our bags so everything we needed for Cambodia was in Mat's and everything we didn't need was in mine. We checked my bag into luggage storage area at the airport. Unfortunately, we just missed the 2 AM shuttle back to the hotel so we waited for the 2:30 one. Now some more sleep!
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| Sunset from our hotel room |
We woke around 9AM and set to work figuring out our plan for the day and pack everything up. We checked out at 1130AM and took a taxi into the city. We had him drop us off at one of the river ferry points so we could take the boat upriver to the west side where our hotel, The Bann Wang Lang, was located. It was pouring rain torrentially, lightning and thunder peeling across the clouds above. I'm glad we brought our umbrellas! We rushed from the cab to the dock. The Chao Phaya river looked very fast and swollen, choppy and full of brush debris floating down river. But the river taxis were having no problem. We jumped on (they move fast and won't wait for stragglers). We boarded and the boat took off. Many Thais were there, riding to the palace grounds for mourning of the king's passing, all of them wearing black. It boat ride was a fun and beautiful way to get to our hotel, and only 15 baht each!
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| Catching the water taxi on the Chao Phraya river |
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| Water taxi on the Chao Phraya river |
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| View from the river taxi |
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| View from the river taxi |
We reached our dock and unloaded. The Wanglang market was between our dock and our hotel so we moved through. A lot of people wearing black and a lot of shops selling black. We checked in and dropped our bags before heading out to Taling Chan floating market. We walked a while before realizing it would take us a long time to get there by foot and the market closes at 4pm. We flagged done a tuk-tuk who charged us 100 baht each. It was only after taking the metered taxi back for 57 baht total that we realized how ripped off we were but it still was a crazy experience, weaving in and out of traffic, scooters everywhere.
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| First tuk-tuk ride |
The floating market was pretty amazing. Mostly food and plants. We walked to one end of the floating docks and bought some food and watched the boats motor by and the catfish feast in the river. We bought some Dorian fruit to try. After stuffing ourselves and watching the market close down, we hailed a taxi back to our hotel, the radio playing a quiet, subdued talking interrupted only with silence. Possibly broadcasting a service for the king? We were dropped off at the edge of the Wanglang market and walked the few blocks to get to our hotel room where we showered and laid down for a nap.
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| Taling Chan Floating Market |
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| Taling Chan Floating Market |
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| Pad Thai!!!! |
After waking, the sun was setting and the street market had closed its stalls so we headed upstairs to the 342 rooftop bar. It was a very subdued mood. Music was playing but at a level that could only be heard inside the rooftop bar. Only a few groups where there, all of them wearing black and everyone speaking quietly. The royal palace was just across the river. We had a few drinks and some appetizers before pursuing dinner downstairs on the second level at the Olive Tree Restaurant. We were the only ones there, so quiet and subdued! But we had the companionship of a number of geckos. Twice we noticed something large flying across the night sky out the open doors we sat next to. Mat determined they were bats even though they were nearly as large as an eagle. Mat googled it and determined they were Flying Foxes, huge bats with a 4 ft wingspan
! Crazy critters! We started our meal with the best spring rolls we've ever had, then had delicious stir fried veggies with shrimp in oyster sauce and pad Thai with giant river prawns. It was all so delicious. Man Bangkok, I could eat for days and days and days here! But now it is time for bed!
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| View from Bar 342 |
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| View from Bar 342 |
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| Dinner at the Olive Tree Restaurant |
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