Another busy day in Bangkok!

Across the river from the Grand Palace is the Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn.. Again we travelled by skytrain and then river boat and were now feeling like old hands at getting around Bangkok, especially Ads who seems to have an inbuilt sense of direction - not sure where he gets that from - not from either of us!!

Anyway, a sign on the trains you won't see else where - please give your seat up to monks!

The Wat Arun is seriously tall with very high steps - we got up as far up as possible and could definitely feel our thighs later that day - especially poor Wills whose muscles had the shakes!

 The views were pretty good though.

The boys decided to go dress up!

Next stop was Jim Thompson's House. Said man was an American who was employed in Thailand from the US, fell in love with the country and then retired there. One day aged 61 and 5 days he went for a stroll in the jungle and was never seen or heard of again - either dead or alive. We took a tour of the house but our guide seemed to focus primarily on the toileting issues from bygone ages. Apparently Thai's being very hygienic preferred outdoor toilets. However, if there was a call of nature during the night they used well disguised pottys (not so hygienic). A pottery cat with a removable head was designed for the gentleman's usage and a sort of frog with a hole in its back for the ladies to squat thereover. They say if you kiss a frog it may turn into a prince - not sure what the comparable is here. Anyway it was a very nice Thai style teak house!

At Jim's pad, as all over Thailand, there was a little shrines outside. The theory is that when you build a new house you may displace the spirits who were previously resident. In order to escape their wrath one builds a little house outside for them to live in comfort. Food and water is regularly provided for their welfare.

Next stop the biggest indoor market in South East Asia -The Bangkok weekend market. This is a labyrinth of stalls selling everything - from clothes (knock off designer gear), foods, ornaments, pets and clothes for them, scrap booking and crafting stuff, candles and incense, household goods, knives and knuckledusters........

It was very busy - even the approach.....

Luckily Ads is taller than the average Thai, so even when he'd speed ahead, lag behind or wander down a side street as he is prone to do - we didn't loose him!! He was always at least a head above the crowds!!

 Even Simon who hates to shop was entertained in this market for several hours!!

Last stop in Bangkok was the Erawan Shrine - a very active and busy pray center. I do love the way Hindu's and Buddhists -in fact all religions except Christians  it would seem  - can get down and pray wherever, whoever is about and whatever is going on around them.  We seem to prefer the privacy of  cold dark churches. The Erawan Shrine is right below the sky train and an over road foot path.

None of those at pray seemed remotely concerned by the surrounding activity of everyday Bangkok.

There was a haze of incense and some very Chinese looking dragons, and some acrobats, the significance of which I didn't work out.

 The Thai dancers prayed for folks by request, chanting and dancing the relevant prayers while the person requesting the prayer knelt on a mat in front of them.

It was then time for us to pick up our bags and return to the airport on the ever efficient public transport.

Three nights in Bangkok and the Towers family happy

Not much between the temples and all the shopping

I feel a return visit coming to me

OK that is terrible but I don't have time to do any better - Thursday off to Pushkar to take pics of Camels......Camel Chaos, Camel Confusion, Cavorting with Camels....there will be camel blogs to come!!!!!