13-18 July 2018
Bangkok, Thailand
We arrived in Bangkok in the afternoon and found our way to our AirBNB at the Lighthouse Condos. Our location was great, in Thonburi. We were across the street from a city park, which was under the Taskin Bridge that crosses to Chao Praya River to the Saphan Taskin pier and BTS station.
This is the view of outside the lower floors of the Lighthouse. We ate dinner at Scoozi, a delicious pizza place right here.
Fun on the ground floor of the Lighthouse, outside Tops supermarket, which came in handy for cooking breakfast and some dinners in the condo.
We found this porcine friend at the ferry stop, in the park under the bridge.
Every day when we walked by to go the bridge, the pig would be lying in the same general spot, just switching which side of her body she was sleeping on!
Here is the view from under the bridge, of the Shangra-La Hotel. It’s a fancy hotel that we visited, enjoying the Air Con in the lobby. We stopped by on our first night after checking out the BTS and ferry terminal to figure out our transportation options for the next few days.
A view from the bridge.
This is the park under the bridge. Such a great use of city space!
Our first full day in Bangkok, 14 July, we head out early to catch the first ferry to the Grand Palace.
You can see the Lighthouse Condos in the center of this photo, set back a little.
Another cool building we can see from the water.
We hop off the ferry and find our way to the Grand Palace.
We arrive at the Grand Palace, and put on our pants because the dress code says no shorts.
A first look at the Grand Palace from outside the gates. Lydia takes a chance in wearing her dress because it covers her knees and she’s a child. The guards let her through!
Once inside, Brian sees a sign for a free English tour. It starts in one hour, so we rest in the shade and check out the map. It is incredibly hot, especially in our long pants!
The walls are painted with beautiful murals.
It is the story of Rama and Sita, which we learned about at Angkor Wat where it was carved into the stone reliefs.
Here was the view from where we waited in the shade. Incredibly dense area of temples. The kids are hesitant about a Temple tour!!
We learn that the Grand Palace was built in 1782 by Rama I, the first King of the Chakri family. The former palace was located in Thonburi, but they were running out of room so Rama I decided to move it to the current location. For 150 years, it was the home of the Thai King and his family, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government. The current King, Rama X, stays in Hua Hin when he is in Thailand, although he lives in Germany.
The buildings amazingly ornate.
This is a statue is at the entrance of Grand Palace. It used to be the site of an herbal garden and now there is this statue of a herbal medicine man.
We meet our animated, enthusiastic guide and start the one hour tour, along with a family from Colorado.
There is a market where we can buy food to give as offerings.
Really gold plating.
We learned about the difference between Thai, Sri Lankin, and Cambodian achitecture. The Sri Lankin is bell shaped. Cambodian is similar to angkor wat, and Thai has the multiple layers.
Lydia had a stomach ache, so Daddy carried her. When she felt better, she asked why Daddy was all wet. A bit warm for a snuggle!
These were mirrors on the house the kept the previous kings. The mirrors are to keep out the demons.
Mini Angkor Wat. It was nice for the kids to have seen the real thing.
The demon god and the monkey god. Hayden was able to tell the entire group about the story. Although the Thai history had a different ending: Rama went to the mountain to learn how to kill the Monkey King and he learned that since the Monkey King did not have a heart, he needed to shoot him in the chest instead of the head.
Sri Lankin achitecture.
They change the emerald budda’s cloths based on the season: Summer, Rainny, and Winter.
On the outside of the temple with the Emerald Budda.
With our guide at the end of the tour.
Grand Palace guards, we were not supposed to take pictures, but I got one before I knew we should not.
We take the ferry back down the river.
This is Wat Arun. The name is from the Hindu god Aruna, often personified as the radiations of the rising sun. It is also known as the Temple of Dawn because the first light of the morning reflects off the surface of the temple.
We do not get out to visit because the kids are templed-out, but we could see it from our AirBnB.
We walk back across the Taskin Bridge toward our condo.
The next morning, we head out to Lumphini Park via BTS (Bangkok Transit System).
A map of the BTS system.
A little swan paddle boating.
We see some wildlife- turtles and what looks like a Komodo dragon (or some kind of iguana)!
The Kimodo dragon swimming toward us. We are especially excited because Evan McPhee loves Kimodo dragons!
The dragon walks up the river bank (on the left).
We found Mexican food at the mall, on our way back from the park to the BTS station. The kids get nachos and Katie gets a green guacamole salad- and is so happy!!
We found this top, which Lydia thinks might be good for the safari because it is green!
We take the BTS back to Saphan Taskin and then a ferry down river to Asiatique. Asiatique is a market and amusement place.
The kids have been looking forward to the ferris wheel since we found out about it when we first arrived in Bangkok.
Hayden and Brian have some dinner while the girls do some souvenir shopping.
Lydia gets this shorts jumpsuit. She is super excited because she has wanted one since last summer and has been seeing them throughout our trip.
Time for the ferris wheel! Headed up!
And around!
A view of the market from above.
And a view of Bangkok up river.
While up in the ferris wheel, the kids discover the ATV course!
They zoom around for ten minutes and have a blast!
It’s a fun night!
We had a “day off” in the morning. Brian got a haircut and a Thai massage down the street. Then Katie had a Thai foot massage while Brian took the kids to the park.
Exercise machines, like the ones we saw in China and Vietnam.
They are playing Takraw: a Thai Volleyball game played with anything but your hands. You can kick, chest, head the ball. They could do this amazing leap, spiking the ball over the net with their feet and then land on their feet. It was really incredible to watch.
A little time in the boxing ring.
Brian and Hayden find two kids to play basketball with them.
We ate dinner at Be My Guest, a restaurant along the river down the street from our AirBNB condo.
We had been really looking forward to this restaurant, and even tried to go a couple days earlier, but it was closed. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t great. Hayden ordered Spaghetti with meat sauce and the sauce was BBQ sauce!
The kids and Brian think this photo is hilarious. Basically, I (Katie) tried to take a photo with Brian’s phone and messing up. I finally get a pic, and this is what I got!
The kids got some ice cream at McDonalds on our way from the Saphon Taskin pier to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
We visited the lobby (and restrooms) of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the oldest, fanciest hotel in Bangkok. Brian was not allowed in because he was wearing shorts! The kids were too, but kids have less strict dress code rules, we’ve learned. Hayden draped is button down shirt over his shoulders, to hide his tank top. Katie wore a warp around her shoulders.
We arrive at the MBK center for some shopping.
Titty Tat is in Bangkok!
Hayden finds a new Chang soccer shirt.
Lydia finds this store in the Siam Center mall: Lydia for Lynn
Some pics of the walk way going to the ice rink. It was a bit longer than we expected and it was in a different mall.
We arrived at the ice rink. Hayden has a vlog of it showing off their mini zamboni.
They take their durian prohibitions very seriously. I can understand why. This was above the check in counter for our flight. No bombs, guns or durian!
Our arrive to the Bangkok airport was uneventful and early. We grabbed some breakfast at burger king to use up our extra Baht and caught our last few sounds of the restaurant ladies saying “Breakfast Kaaaaaaa.”