Time for another train - this time for Bangkok (but not to change trains...ish!) We are meeting Dan Tilley there. I used to work with him at Risk Decisions, and he is now living with his wife and son in Bangkok. It has been some years since we met.When Cathy and I arrived in Bangkok, we stayed in an area called Banglamphu. We stayed at the Diamond House Hotel (where Cathy and Dave had stayed earlier in their trip) where we were near a nice bit of canal and had easy accessed to a river taxi (30 pence a ride). The views were not unreasonable.
We strolled around taking in the atmosphere, and took a jaunt outside the national palace. We did not pay to go in, since you still only get to walk around an interior wall for your money! However, the palace is very large and you can get some lovely perspectives on it from outside it.The central part of Bangkok is a very nice place to walk around (and not necessarily see specific sights) due to the ambient architecture. I would suggest that a walking and river taxi tour are the best way to see it. For example, pictured below are the City Pillar Shrine and another nice temple (in the Botanical Gardens), that we stumbled upon whilst wandering.
The botanical gardens were also a nice place for Cathy and I to hang out to play some outdoor summer Cribbage. On the way back to the hotel to meet Dan, we were approached by a friendly man who wanted to tell us about various celebrations relating to the election of a new female prime minister - he strongly suggested that we go to a silk shop that he recommended - commission perhaps?!
That evening, we met up with Dan Tilley, and caught up on old times. Val/John at Risk Decisions - Dan says "Hi"! We tried a nice Thai restaurant, and Dan recommended some delicious food such as steamed seafood in red curry paste, red curry with roast duck and a papaya salad.
