Delicious Thailand. A Whirlwind of Temples, Treats, and Tourist Troubles (not us!)

 

This is how most of the PoS were. First time I was super confused. And since the numbers were always randomly organized, it never got any easier.

Welcome to our last full day of the trip and Scott's first time in the vibrant chaos of Bangkok. So we set out to cram as much excitement into our day as humanly possible.

Our first stop was the illustrious Golden Mount temple, promising breathtaking views, lush garden and an ample dose of religion. The climb to enlightenment involved a very long stairway to sweaty heaven, complete with a surprise detour to a shoeless toilet - who would want to take off their shoes and walk barefoot to a public toilet? And as a twist - temple etiquette means the shoes are not to be taken off when entering the temple.

After emerging from the temple, slightly disheveled but brimming with newfound spiritual enlightenment (and a touch of sweat), we made a beeline for the sanctuary of consumerism: Siam Paragon Shopping Centre. Armed with a hunger for both blizzards and mugs, we indulged in a Dairy Queen delight, a Starbucks visit, and a smorgasbord of sweet treats, including a Krispy Kreme donut and a chocolate cookie. The shopping center's vastness was nothing short of stressful – a labyrinth of luxury and confusion at every turn.

A brief respite back at the hotel recharged our batteries before we embarked on the next leg of our journey: a public boat ride to the vibrant flower market. Navigating the bustling waterways was a very different experience, with the salty water hitting us when sailing through the waves. From there, we made our way to the iconic Wat Arun, where serenity and spirituality awaited amidst the gleaming spires. However, our tranquil moment was interrupted by the antics of some less-than-savory tourists, who thought it was totally appropriate to walk in shirtless and start harassing the girl, who asked them to cover their beer bellies. Regretfully they were not denied entry after they all had shirts on.

As the sun began to set, we found ourselves in the area of Khao San Road to grab some long-awaited dinner. From sizzling chicken satay to zesty papaya salad, fragrant pad thai, and decadent mango sticky rice, our taste buds were treated to a symphony of flavors that danced upon our palates with each sweet or savory bite.