After an unplanned late start our second day commenced. Due to our long lay in we had missed breakfast which at first didn't concern us but later our acid indigestion soon provided a strong reminder of how important a meal breakfast is!
Our first stop of the day was at a beautiful temple. Just as we arrived the heavens open so we sheltered under the edge of the temple until the weather started to behave itself again. We then carried on our adventure with a trip across the road to the golden mount. From what we could tell this was basically a big hill with a small temple on it surrounded by a bustling market. One thing you will find out if you visit Bangkok apart from things are not always as they seem is that there is a cocophony of intense smells ranginf from the sublime smells of exquisite Thai cuisine to the repugnant smells of raw sewage and rotten bodies which is all part of the charm when coupled with the close humid air.
The market, winding around the foot of the Golden Mount, was a bustling array of small stalls selling everything from belts to freshly cooked Thai food that smelt lovely but we were not sure entirely what it was made of. It's truely an experience and all we can compare it to is watching Floyds exotic adventures, it was very surreal.
After climbing the Golden Mount, which at first seemed like an excellent idea but soon we realised so many small steps + heavy atmosphere = shiney red faces, Adrian suggested we get some food which of course Clair and I jumped at as our stomachs thought our throats had been cut. Now little did we know that the man who the night before insisted we get a taxi to go quite literally around the corner actually wanted us to walk all this way. Walking is practially against my religion so you can imagine it was a bit of a shock to the system. After a walk that seemed to take all eternity we arrived at our chosen eatery with Clairs new friend Bertie the Blister. We sat down to a delicious meal that quite simply blew our minds and all for only 6 of our Great British pounds for four of us!
Adrian from day one told us people wash up in Bangkok, we now saw what he meant. This was where we encountered our 2nd first class crazy who first sat crying in the street and then decided to approach us and with wild staring eyes try to join our little eatery party only to be quickly shoo'd away by the owner of the establishment, he was obviously a known problem.
Our next move saw us strolling down the backpackers paradise that is Koh San Road. Growing a little weary we jumped in the most expensive cab we'd had yet and headed back to the hotel for a much needed shower and well deserved swim in what turned out to be a startlingly cold pool!
Later that evening we were again joined by Adrian who escorted us along with his Thai lady friend to an almost unknown (to tourists) spot in Chao Phaya, this was the most amazing sight. A huge sprawling flower market full of every beautiful flower you can imagine. We can highly recommend a visit there on a Sunday evening. For once our nostrils weren't being assulted, the breeze wafted the heady aroma of literally thousands of exotic flowers some of which we had never seen before.
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We are now sitting in our apartment watching a Thai music channel munching on some strangely spicy bbq crisps and revelling in the realisation that Thailand has chavs too, yes ladies and gents you heard it right, this is not an English phenomena!!!
