Roadmap Thailand - Day 2 Aug. 20 - 11:30 local time - BANGKOK
We take a bus to get to the hotel in central Bangkok, 30km from the airport. During the journey, the driver moves from the Thai pop music ... an atmosphere of madness sets in, ice everyone, and is Pupuce died of laughter!
During the 1:30 minutes (yes, okay, it's not Alain Prost driving !...), we discover progressively townscape atypical in 3 levels: ground, traditional houses made of wood or metal embedded in a lush tropical vegetation just above, snakes highways waste whose pillars slip between the houses, then again above , new snakes of new highways this time. This vision straight out of science fiction films of Spielberg.
We meet in passing various means of transport: the tuk-tuks (3 wheeled motorcycle with a seat back) and taxis including a multicolored makes us smile every time because all painted pink. Pupuce decides to call it: "Taxi Barbie."
Nous arrivons enfin à destination et prenons de plein fouet un 32°C bien tassé. Nous demandons notre chemin à un thaïlandais qui lève un bras et répond : « This way… One hour ! » (par là, une heure). Je le regarde avec de grands yeux et répond : « One hour ?! ». Il se met à rire en imitant ma réaction et répond : « No !... 5 minutes !»… J’le crois pas ! Premier contact avec un thaïlandais et il se f… de moi ! Au fil des heures, nous constaterons que les thaïs sont très cheerful and helpful, as claimed by their reputation.
We enter the Khao San Road, the street from the hotel, and are amazed by his hyper side trader with huge signs and lil boui-Bouis (carts itinerant) coming out from everywhere and nowhere. Then there is the international population that already abounds in early afternoon.
Nous trouvons l’hôtel et entamons une discussion avec l’hôtesse d’accueil. Nous découvrons alors que le thaïlandais qui parle anglais… bah c’est nul ! On n’comprend rien ! Ils mangent la moitié des mots, ne prononcent pas les « r », mais sourient tout le temps ! Du coup, nous aussi on sourit… mais on n’comprend toujours rien pour autant ! Nous arrivons tout de même à nous installer dans une chouette petite chambre et décidons de visiter la ville et ses temples.
Avant de démarrer, nous nous arrêtons devant un de ces boui-bouis tenus a noodle vendor. We ordered two portions and then we are faced with Bruce Lee in an apron! The guy takes two spatulas and chained 3-4 taken from kung fu to prepare delicious cups of noodles. Delicious!
It is already 4:00 p.m. ... On the way, a Thai explains that most temples close at 16H30. Awesome! ... We decide to take a walk to the Chao Phraya River which runs through Bangkok. We embark on a boat shuttle on the advice of tourists français qui passaient par là (c’est fou, y en a partout !).
Nous arrivons à un magnifique complexe de temples dont l’un est réputé pour son revêtement de mosaïques : le WAT ARUN. Nous escaladons la tour principale. On n’fait pas les malins ! L’escalier est si abrupte qu’il donne le vertige ! « Tu m’aideras pour descendre hein Toune ?! » dit Pupuce.
After half an hour we take the boat ride and back through the river that looks more like a giant river Creek.
Once ashore, we decided to dive straight into the alleys of BANGKOK to find the temple that we saw the top of Wat Arun. Then we fall on a Thai who recognizes the two tourists who we are and shows us the way to the temple. He asks us what country we come from. Just finished the word "FRANCE" the man laughs and chained a monologue of a half-hour presentation of his city and its surroundings! After managing to get rid of, we find that night has fallen and that the temple was that we wanted to see the doors closed! But apparently, the temples were all night-lights so we can admire on the way home, these beautiful illuminated buildings.
We decide to take a tuk-tuk to go to the hotel where you can sample this means of locomotion is so typical of Thailand! We walk on the sidewalk until one of them stopped at our level. We tell the street from the hotel and begin our first trade! As the MALI, negotiation is systematic! It says "6 baths" by 6 with his fingers. We climb in the back and then the serious stuff begin! Imagine a scooter with a motorcycle engine making a terrible racket, with lots of little lights flashing everywhere. Add to that conduct ... in Thai! The thing is, we are behind the driver, or rather, pilot, and we do not see the road! It only needed a music chase and one would have thought! Once there, I tend to 6 baht driver replied: "No, sixty! "(No, 60!). We had misunderstood early in the race! ... On holiday it! ... I made him understand that I'm only 50 baht on me and he agreed.
In the hotel, we do not long to we decide to take a dip in the pool. (We chose a hotel with swimming pool! ... Super gegene !...) We climb ... on the 7th floor with elevator, do not mess around! And find a wooden deck overlooking the city with temples illuminated scattered everywhere. It's beautiful as all! After half an hour, the wind was right to us, and we descend into the room for a shower that will make us sweat again after 30 seconds ! We are all beautiful for our first Thai restaurant! Before that, we decide to hide our money and find the perfect place: Toune socks on his feet during the day! This should stop the evil intentions ... There has to in there, is not it?
We go out into the street and take a slap huge! The Khao San is filled to the brim! It teems with people and he comes out of everywhere! The music is loud because each brand wants to attract tourists. While walking, we were talking to the right, left ... "Come on, come on, good drinks! "(Come, come, good drink!). The huge signs are illuminated and are more like commercials than anything else!
We find a little further, in a small street, a small restaurant cute held by a smiling woman and her mother talking in the street to catch the eye of passersby. Vegetation on the pergola near the restaurant. We decide to move here. The woman holds out the Menu: writing in Thai and in English only and no photo ... please! Allez hop! In war as in war! We choose to feel each a different dish. Pupuce falls on a noodle dish with shrimp and I found very big on noodles with chicken and peppers. Believing that the peppers were orange seafood, frankly I bite into it and my mother cry! I empty my glass in one gulp ... We finish our meal slowly. A review of food is now more than wise before swallowing! Then we walk in the surrounding streets and discover lots of little restaurants, canteens and other pavement boui-bouis interest to other parties.
On the way back we stopped at a greasy spoon, which offers chocolate-banana pancakes Thai. We request one and Bruce Lee resurfaces again! In 30 seconds and it bent the plate! Super good, but side diet is not! The Thai is like super Breton finally! Oil and butter thrills! ...
Back home. I hang the sign "do not disturb". After 5 minutes we heard knocking on the door. Super! ... I look ... nobody! I removed the sign ... We do not rest in BANGKOK! I finish writing these lines ... and sleep!
