Day18 Chiang Rai to Bangkok

Time to fly!

We depart Chiang Rai for the airport at 0800 and arrive 0900 for our 1040 flight to Bangkok which will be a mere 90 minutes! Hate to leave this beautiful woodland resort but the porters have a great system to be sure we have all had our bags picked up and delivered to the front entrance.

I wear my P95 mask on the plane and through the airport as a precaution both in Chiang Rai and especially in Bangkok since the air quality leaves a lot to be desired. My bag got checked as I entered the airport building. Then we got our boarding passes and checked whatever bag(s) we wanted. Then we had to go through another scanning process for our carry on and our person.

Thai Smile Airlines will provide both of our flights: this one and the one from Bangkok to Phuket.

We no sooner took off and leveled then the flight attendants were passing out a drink and snack. They followed that with additional beverages of our choice.

Our arrival in Bangkok was smoggy but the airport was beautiful and Noi, our Bangkok guide, was waving to us as we got our baggage to exit the airport.

In case you can't read it "Save our Oceans. Say NO to Shark Fin."

 

Flowers abound at every venue and the airport is no exception.

We board a double decker bus where the bags are stored in the lower compartment and the handler is almost able to stand upright. It's a big bus! Of course I grab a front row seat so I can see forward. The city sights and signs definitely say "You're not in Kansas, Dorothy!"

95% of Thai people are Buddhist. Buddha can be seen at every turn.

Slum area along the highway.

Their unique way of stringing all types of electric, cable and telephone lines makes me want to duck!

Glad I'm NOT a lineman!

We arrive at the Ramada Riverside.

The unique Thai dress of the porters.

We are greeted with beautiful string music.

In my room's desk drawer.  We're not in Gideon country folks! I like the layout of this book and it would be a good addition to a school library for those interested in comparative religions.

This is the FULL NAME of Bangkok. It was called Krung Thep and the British renamed it Bangkok. And the translation of this LONGEST CITY NAME IN THE WORLD is right below.

I asked Dome to recite the name of Bangkok from memory. His first response was to sing it as that is the way he learned it in school. But then I pulled out my phone camera and had him repeat it but he didn't add the singing. Darn!

It's off to dinner at Asiatique. This Riverfront is a large open-air mall in Bangkok. It occupies the former docks of the East Asiatic Company, and faces the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road. The complex opened in 2012 after extensive renovation of the site.

Makes me think of Las Vegas!

Dinner at Baan Khanitha by the River.

This started our delicious array of many appetizers before the main course. Miang kham is a traditional Southeast Asian snack from Thailand and Laos. The name "miang kham" translates to "one bite wrap", from miang (food wrapped in leaves) and kham (a bite).

Making our spoon out of a leaf and filling it with peanuts, lime and garlic, shrimp, roasted coconut and topped with a spicy sweet sauce.

Papaya salad

This dish is called “Khao Tung”. It's just a rice crispy cracker called with the coconut milk base, with pork, shrimp and peanut dip. 

Shrimp cake with sweet or cucumber sauce.

Chicken Massaman Curry is chicken and potatoes cooked into a sweet, slightly spicy sauce,

Chicken with basil

Fruit is the dessert staple of Thailand.  Sorry sweets and chocolate lovers.

Many of us stay to shop but I returned to the hotel for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is another early and hectic day and rest is my best friend to cope with the heat and pace of this trip.