There's a well known Bangkok scam where a tuk-tuk driver (a tuk-tuk is an open sided 3 wheeled taxi which makes a tuk tuk noise but we have not yet tried as they are near the bottom of the motor vehicle feeding chain in the driving chaos of the city but most open to the pollution of the traffic clogged-streets) or other helpful local smilingly tells you that wherever you want to visit is closed today but for 40 baht they will take you somewhere better. We encountered it one evening walking into chinatown to find a restaurant. The tuk tuk drivers told us that all of chinatown was closed but for 40B they would take us downtown instead. Even our guide was impressed by the scope of this one.
Today we went on a boat trip on the river and were supposed to go down the small side canals or khlongs. At first we thought the guide was joking when he said the khlongs were closed today, but sadly they were, due to high water levels so we had to make do with the main canals which was a pity but still showed a different side to the city. Beautiful temples and some expensive teak thai houses rub shoulders with more numerous modest wooden raft houses and shacks at the waters edge, the odd floating market boat pulls up selling cheap souvenirs for tourists and we saw a few locals who still jump into the river to bathe. The river is full of large catfish which are easily caught by local anglers and apparently safe to eat considering what goes into the river.
We have found some good street stalls for lunch, a bowl of noodle soup each for £1.50, including a tip for the 2 young daughters working there with their mother (they looked about 7 or 8 so I hope it is school holiday time here) and 50p for a mango for dessert. Probably tourist rate as it is at the back of the hotel. We have driven passed stalls selling food to locals for 10-20p.
We had some massage at the kwai river camp but the body massage was obviously watered down for delicate tourists so back in Bangkok we went to a local place recommended by the guide to try to find the real thing. £6 for one hour of being folded like origami paper and kneaded, prodded, stretched and pummelled. I loved it and I think Martin did too. The only potentially sticky moment was when my trachea was pressed so hard into the mat as she kneeled on my upper back that i had a little trouble getting in any air until i learned to time a gasp in between moves. Afterwards we felt a foot taller, have lost odd niggling pains and are much looser as various cricks have been stretched out. I reckon I might even be able to wiggle my hips in salsa class now.