Day 1: We arrived at midnight, hopped in a cab and took the dark trip from the airport to our hotel (The Bossotel). Hmmm. Was our driver falling in and out of micro-sleeps or was he just driving with "character"? At least there wasn't much traffic around!
In the morning we hit the streets. Lined with densely coiled bird nest-like power lines, the streets and the traffic (road and pedestrian), combined with the food stalls, shops and general buzz of an awakened city, were intent on stimulating all of our senses. As we stopped to look at a map, a friendly man approached and before long (and against our original plans) we found ourselves on a tuk tuk (with a pre-agreed price of 20 baht), on our way to see the Laying Buddha, a small temple only open to the public one day each month (and rarely frequented by tourists). After placing three incense sticks and a white flower as an offering of peace and good fortune, we saw the long, golden figure lying in a glorious pose of everyday relaxation.
After a few photos, we got back in the tuk tuk only to be taken to Thai Centre: a place of colourful fabrics and tape measures where we learnt that all the Armani and Prada suits of the world are made and exported.
Open for only one tax-free week each year to the public we were ushered upstairs by a keen salesman. But, lacking the right level of commitment to have a dress or suit measured and made, we were quickly ushered back outside again and sent on our way. Back into the tuk tuk and we were finally taken to the ferry (our original intended destination). A crowded public ferry took us to Wang Lang. We traversed the busy markets, buying food and drink from stalls that included pineapple, banana fritters, squid, crab & shrimp balls, Kanom tom, sago desserts and cold fresh coconut juice.
From there it was into the hospital museums; five different museums strewn across the hospital grounds, mostly following the same theme of obscure, confronting and sometimes horrific specimens of medical abnormalities from patients that were doomed to never exit through those doors again. Perhaps most confronting, the full upright bodies of several violent criminals, sentenced to death and preserved by natural mummification; a process that saw the fats and oils still oozing slowly out of their dark brown remains.
Finally, back to the markets for another box of Kanom Tom before we jumped on the next ferry back to the hotel. A swim and an early night was much needed after our long and hot first day.