Bangkok Adventures--Temple Hopping

After a good night rest, I was ready to actually walk instead of hobble walking due to the itchiness of the bites. The diagnosis of the doc--they are insect bites. What insect? ...Insects... Thanks doc for that clarification... -____- Well, at least after the medication it didn't itch as much thankfully.

We had another long day ahead of us. We walked down to the ferry to take us up the river to Wat Pho as well as the Grand Palace and the Amulet Market in the city. Getting to the ferry took us about an hour due to the fact that we were lost for a while and had to walk like 3 intersection back (equivalent to 6 avenue blocks!!!). We finally reached the ferry and we were informed that there were only two more ferries for the day. Luckily, we got on the 2nd to last ferry out of the pier.

 

Ferry Stop

 

Giant Stone Statue

 

Meeeow! Cat punch!

 

Candle and Buddhas

 

Welcome to Wat Po

 

The tourist didn't know how to take our photo...le sigh~

We took it up to Wat Pho and proceeded to tour around the temple. Wat Pho has the reclining Buddha as well as giant stone statues at most of the doorways. I think the reclining Buddha in Wat Pho is the 3rd biggest one in Thailand?...

 

Lines of Buddha everywhere

 

Siamese cats of the temple

 

Do not touch the butt hehehe

108 Bronze bowls to represent auspicious characteristics of the Buddha 

After Wat Pho, we were starving so we headed to eat and then even though we were stuffed, we bought some mango from the mango lady. As we walked to the Grand Palace, it looked like it was about to pour so we headed in, but found out it was about 400 baht to enter. We decided to not do the Grand Palace and find the Amulet Market instead. I recently got a protecting amulet from my cousin so I wanted to find a necklace for it that didn't irritate my neck. As we were walking and stopped to look at necklaces, it started to pour. Luckily, the necklace place did have the kind of beads I was looking for and we sat there while the guy placed the amulet on the necklace.

After the rain let up, we attempted to find another temple. While trying to find the temple, we head monks meditating so we followed the meditation and sat in while they were doing it. My legs were so numb at the end, but,  it was nice to hear meditation and be part of something that tourists rarely get to take part in.

 

Sunset

We missed the time to climb the temple which apparently offered a great view of the city, but I think hearing meditation trumps that. We couldn't find a cab to bring us back during rush hour so we had to settle for a tuk tuk.  Once we made it back to the hostel, we went for dinner and had more drinks afterward with friends we made at the hostel.

Phetchaburi--land of theiving monkies, insects and temple/shrines

Arrived at Phetchaburi (locals pronounce it petburi) around early afternoon. Was dropped off around the Night Market area and then started to walk around trying to find where we were suppose to stay. Asked a nice police security guard and he told us how to get to the guesthouse--two intersection a right and a left later we arrived at a small river with a cross bridge and beside it was the guesthouse.

Once we checked-in , we headed straight to a cave shrine in a tuk tuk. Not much taxis around this area so tuk tuk it was. It was not as glorious as the guidebook made it. It was suppose to be sunlight on buddha statues but really it was dark, kinda dingy and not that great. Thinking back, guidebooks are suppose to make things sound awesome I guess. A little boy was acting as our guide but it was difficult because he only spoke thai (probably assuming I knew thai....) One part of the cave the sun did shine down on a statue, but wasn't exactly angled correctly and the lightbulb kinda killed the effect.

 

Little monkey feasting on corn

 

Tuk Tuk ride over

 

cave shrine

After the mini tour, we headed out and there was a group of tourist feeding the monkeys. Giant groups of monkeys swarmed around them waiting for their piece of corn and then running away once they have gotten a piece.

After that, we headed for another cave shrine, which was the biggest in the area. Monkeys greeted us there as well. Had a tour guide who spoke decent English and he took us around the cave and explained things to us. He also had a pet monkey as well lol

 

Monkeys chilling around Khao Luang

 

Cave Shrine

 

Greedy Monkey

 

Swarm of monkeys

After this cave, we finally headed back to rest and eat dinner at the local night market. After we recharged our batteries, we headed to a bar near the guesthouse and there they had a live band who sang really good. Also a PHD student worked up his nerve to talk to us in English. He wanted to practice. He was a scientist at the local university doing research and we somehow had a heated conversation about religion and science.

As it was getting late, we headed out and a transgender woman said bye very affectionately to me...Noah was like...that was definitely not for me lmao


This was the first night in Phetchaburi.