This morning our entire group drove into an outskirt of Bangkok to go to a local grocery market. While it is always nice to experience the culture and see other ways of life, this market was almost a bit too much for me. Here there were fish, chickens, pork, and many other kinds of meat just laid out for the choosing. The smell was overwhelming. I am thankful I am not a vegetarian because that would have been a horrid sight. Some of the fish were still alive on the table. It was a little over the top for me. I wish I had pictures to show, but we couldn’t stop and linger too long because the walkways were very narrow and since we went in the morning (shopping time) it was very busy and filled with people. I did buy something at the market though: lychee. Lychee is the most wonderful fruit I have ever tasted and it is now my favorite I have tried so far. It is about the size of a plum with a hard outer shell. The inside is soft and juicy; it tastes a little like a pear with the texture of a grape. Absolutely fabulous. We spent about 45 minutes here and then headed back to the Thai house to pack and eventually leave for downtown Bangkok.
To get back to our original hotel, Viengtai Hotel, we got to take a longboat down the Chao Phraya River. This river is bustling and is also home to many families whose homes are built right over the water. The sun was shining, the views were gorgeous, and almost every Thai person who was outside, waved at our boat. I really enjoyed this trip back to the center of Bangkok. Once we reached the boat launch, we then had to walk with our bags (mine was by far heavier than when I left) about 15 minutes to the hotel. The rest of the evening allotted for free time in Bangkok until our meeting with our 2nd group leader for our trip to the islands.
The time spent in Bangkok was spent mostly shopping. Jen, Renee, and I decided to bargain for gifts, sarongs, and clothing. We left enough time for a dip in the pool, a shower and then met our new travel group for the 2nd week of our trip at 6pm. Our new tour guide’s name is Apple and she is originally from Bangkok. We have a full group of 12 people: A veterinary nurse from Australia, a girl our age from Australia, a 27 year old from London, a young couple also from Australia, and a couple from Ann Arbor! Small world, huh? Everyone is really looking forward to next week’s trip because there is a LOT of free time. Overall, the next week should allow for some relaxation, water sports, and more vacation-like event that I so badly need.
That evening after dinner, Suzie, Jen, and I walked over to Khao San Road, a backpackers haven for shopping, extreme nightlife, and just pure people watching. It was absolutely crazy on this street and I wished we had a bit more time to enjoy the big-city feel.
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