Monday, May 30, 2016

Bangkok, Grand Palace, Floating Market

Our last day on our trip we were leaving to go back to Japan, but not until 11 at night. What to do with one day in Bangkok? We decided to hire a guide to help make the most of our visit. The guides are expensive but they have knowledge of the country and the sites that we wouldn't get on our own...plus they had a really nice air-conditioned van with ice-cold bottled water, sold!

Our first stop of the day was 40 miles outside of Bangkok at the Maeklong Railway Market. The Market is literally right on the railroad track, yes, an active railroad track. Our guide said the train comes by three times a day and the merchants simply pull back their canopy's and let the train pass by and then it's back to business as usual. I think the purpose is because of the location the merchants don't have to pay rent for their stalls. I think. Anyway, the whole thing was really interesting and our guide bought some local fruits for us to try.
Another warm day.
These vendors let me try flipping the coconut cakes they were making.
Move it on back, train's coming.
Don't know that my kids thought it was as cool as I did.

Next stop was a coconut plantation.
Another good thing about having a guide is lots of family pictures, I think the kids could of done without this part, but mom loved it.
Scraping the coconut.
Then holding a squirrel.
Then holding a giant snake, I passed on this part.

After that we went to the floating market. We didn't go to buy anything in particular but for the novelty of it, I mean a market on the water?
Boat traffic jam.

After the floating market we went back to Bangkok to visit the The Grand Palace and Wat Pho.
By the time we got there the kids were hot and grumpy, a recipe for disaster. Let the whining begin!
Avie was still in a pretty good mood, but Rayce; I should have taken a picture of what saved the day, its name is Haagen-Dazs!

Last stop, Wat Pho or Temple of the Reclining Buddha.
We arrived back at our hotel in time for a swim before our shuttle came to take us to the airport. Amazing two weeks and the perfect last trip to end our three year Japanese stay.

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