Anyway, back to our day. Bangkok is one of the least bike-friendly cities either of us have experienced. Which is strange, because the city isn't that large and the weather is always bike-permitting. Instead, the Thai would rater sit in bumper to bumper traffic for hours on end... it does not match up for me.
Bangkok is a difficult city to navigate via foot too. The sidewalks are narrow, non-existent, or taken up entirely by synthetic prada bag vendors and sausage stands. Our hotel staff was amazed at how much we walked, but there are very few options for maneuvering the city after 8:00pm (when the river boats shut down), unless you understand the bus system.
Biking was quite the experience. Traveling down narrow roads with cars, motor-bikes, and vendors wheeling their carts. Traffic in Bangkok lasts all day, and it can take hours in a car to move 2 kilometers (I am not being sarcastic). We didn't believe the locals when they told us this, and then Sam and I got into a cab at 5:00. Such a waste of money, gas, and time.
Today we decided we would bike to Klog Tome, a market about 1 kilometer from our hotel. We went for the food, not for the shopping. Outside of the market is the most amazing tempura fried chicken we've ever had. As we rolled up I yelled to Sam "Order 50!" Ever my gate-keeper of self control Sam bought 4 to start with... they are the size of small chicken breasts (on sticks!). After the initial 2 each I insisted we buy more. Sam opted for the seafood option, I returned to what I knew best. We also ordered coke in a bag. The best lunch thus far, fried chicken on a stick and cokes out of a bag = $3 total. The smile on my face (and the post-indulging stomach-ache) = priceless. *The street vendors do not take credit cards.
After lunch we decided we should bike it off. We decided that biking the streets of Bangkok was not really fun. Wanting to give it our best efforts we decided to bike down the large, new, main roads... that sort-of had bike paths. We soon learned that the locals treat the bike path as a joke. Mostly people walk in it, but vendors also set up shop in it. As we navigated our way through we headed in the direction of the Royal Palace and some Wat's.
The Royal Palace is very uninviting. There really isn't anything to see. It's a white concrete wall. You can't see in unless you happen to catch a gate or two open. Across the palace is a Wat with yet again another giant golden Buddha. We're over the whole Wat/Giant Buddha thing... after awhile it's all the same. Fortunately Sam and I took the "Thai" entrance... so we avoided the 50 Bhat fee (about $1.65). Not that it's such a large fee, it's just that it's like every time you step into a place of worship you're hit up for $$. After the 50th time we felt we deserved the frequent visitors fee.
By 2:00, we were ready to head back to the hotel. Sam wanted to pick up a new book, and he had his final suit fitting this evening. Sam is at Narin's for his fitting and I'm at our hotel using the computer. We depart for Ranong in a few hours (9:00 overnight bus) to do our boarder hop and then off to the islands... for Thanksgiving & Sam's Birthday (Dec 7th)!
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