We had a bit of a lie in (although I woke up earlier because of a pesky c*** that crows outside the hotel from about 5am). It's difficult to get back to sleep because rush hour then starts at 5am and the road outside is mad with Tut Tuts, cars and cabs beeping their horns and revving their engines. We left Shanti about 10am and found a little breakfast place a short walk away ran by this old lady who was lovely and served us with lovely toast and marmalade and fresh orange juice. It wasn't a restaurant and it wasn't a cafe, it was like a garage with tables but it had a nice atmosphere and the food was good. We then headed back to Shanti to pick up our stuff and decided to go check out the Chinatown district of the city. Chinatown was typical of any other Chinatown that I have been to. The aromas of the street restaurants, was positively mouth watering, the chinese population were busily going about their business. Chinatown is a massive district and we really enjoyed moseying around for a few hours. We then decided to hail a Tut Tut to take us to see the Golden Buddha and then to the river so we could take a boat tour (making it quite clear that we didn't want a city tour and we didn't want to go to any tailors or travel agents).

We paid for a ticket but could not get into the Golden buddha temple because a buddhist monk was meditating with a class of school children. We could see it from outside and took some photos.

We then went to the river and was offered either a tour with 20 other people for 800 bahts or a private trip in a boat for 1200 bahts. We bartered and got the private trip for 1000 bahts. It was just Harnaik and I in the boat and started along the river and then the canals. The canals were the best bit and it was amazing to see the contrast between the run down wooden huts that people live in together with the mansions by the river. We went along the canals for about an hour and then stopped off at the Thailand snake park. I wish I could say that I enjoyed the snake park but to be honest I did not. It was more like a mini zoo. I got to hold a 6 foot python and a monkey but it was quite upsetting to see the terrible conditions in which the animals were kept. It was obvious that making money came first and the welfare of the animals last. We were then just dumped off the boat unceremoniously at the last stop and the boat drive off. We did not have a clue where we were so we just looked around a bit and then took a taxi to a recommended travel agent to book an overnight train to Chang Mai in the North for Saturday 8th September when it will be time to leave Bangkok for now. We then went back to Shanti for a while before heading back to Chinatown to see it at night. It had a totally new feel at night, feeling even more vibrant and reminded me very much of Hong Kong. We ate at a nice chinese cafe and then went back to get some sleep.