Sunday in Bangkok and most of the markets are closed with locals taking a well- deserved rest. We took the riverboat to Silom Road - only to be picked up by a TukTuk driver who told us that everything is closed . We agreed to a tour around Chinatown ...and the inevitable visit to a tailor, gem outlet ( Clint didn't think that the Usd6000 bracelet looked so great as he had first thought ....and this was after the 45 % discount ) and a leather handbag shop ( with a...

After our mammoth walk yesterday, today was a quiet day. Jedda, in transit through Bangkok, joined us for a visit to the Arun Temple - Temple of Dawn. Amazing temple, with narrow and steep high steps half way up the main spire. Awesome views of Bangkok from there, as well as marvelling at the construction and detail. The temples and Buddhas in the Arun compound seem quite different from those around the Grand Palace. Rounded off Jeddas visit with lunch at the Tha...

The auspicious day has arrived. Yes ...It is Mare's 50th ...and the word has spread to Thailand. Oh yes ...and maybe it has something to do with the King's Birthday - that from about 7 am the busses start rolling in with yellow T- Shirted Thais and there is singing broadcast from Loudspeakers from Wat Po across the road. People have set up camp all along the main decorated roads - a plastic sheet of paper on the ground marks the spot. Food stalls, fruit and drin...

Thai speeches and children singing at the school in Wat Po (famous for the huge reclining Bhudda and having been the royal temple before the building of the Grand Palace and the Emerald Bhudda temple)across the road. Decided that we would do the Grand Palace Tour today and dressed according to their rules - shoes with socks, long trousers and shirts with sleeves. As we were walking past Wat Po we decided not to miss the opportunity to look at this large royal tem...

Bangkok. 3.12.2014 And so the adventures begin ...again. The backpacks are out,the travelling clothes on and the gypsey mindset installed. How lucky and blessed are we ! Landing in Bangkok after our last visit 14 years was magical. This vibrant city grabbed me as it did on our previous visits. Incredible how they knew I was coming though ...the whole city decorated with flowers, gaudily gold colourful peacocks and statues of deities and just millions of fairy li...