Pattaya (1)

We were a bit angry when we went to have dinner last night in Chonburi. The menu sheet didn’t include any prices to the meals. But we didn’t think about that. So we just ordered some food that – by the way – was not really delicious. For my tofu soup I should pay 80 Baht (normally it’s 30 Baht) and Georg’s meat was 100 Baht (normally 40 Baht). They also brought us expensive rice that we didn’t order. Compared to German prices it is still not too expensive but the thing is that we know that the Thais here always make it much more expensive for the foreigners. That’s what we dislike.

Everyone who comes to Thailand should know that the cities like Bangkok, Chonburi or Pattaya, but as well the other tourism places like Phuket or the isles Ko Samui etc. can not be seen as Thailand. We have been living for more than 7 months in the North of Thailand and the mentality of the people there is absolutely different.

A Trailer for THAISCHLAND :)

We liked the guest house and we liked the beach that was so near to our guest house so that we spontaneously decided to stay there one more night. That is the way it happens to our plans almost every day. We said we would go to Pattaya the next day. Just relaxing, staying at the guest house, creating a trailer for THAISCHLAND, swimming in the sea and taking videos at the beach. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCHHkxjO9s0

Chonburi

Bye bye Bangkok! Next station: Chonburi. We arrived there with the bus in the afternoon and relaxed at the beach first. Then we met a 20 years old man from interpals.net, who studies English in Chonburi. He helped us to find a guest house near the beach (100 meters) where we checked in for just 300 Baht !!! We even had a fridge, a television and a balcony !!!

Thaischland-Symbol

Last day in Bangkok !!!

After a long lasting dancing night we needed a lot of sleep. I wanted to try Wing Chun again so that I left the guest house at 11 A.M. and it really took me 2 hours to get there. That’s Bangkok. So much traffic jam and as big as the whole Ruhrgebiet (where I come from in Germany). The teacher could speak in German to me ‘cause he lived in Germany for 10 years. He learned Wing Chun from an old master in Hongkong. It was amazing. I learned many new things, that my Wing Tsun school in Germany didn’t teach me. I got the 2 hours lasting training for free and talked to the teacher after the training for one hour. It was very interesting. Maybe 30 years old, but very wise person.

After that, I went back to the centre of Bangkok to meet Georg at the Moon Bar. The bar is on top of a

luxury hotel on the 61^st floor. Of course, the drinks were not cheap, but the view over Bangkok was worth it.

Last day in Bangkok!!!

Thaischland divided

I sometimes need some time for myself. You don’t need to talk all the time. Going inside and finding your centre is very important.

Wat Phra Kaew Bangkok

So there were many places in Bangkok that I wanted to see. Especially the temples Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho. I went to the GRAND PALACE. To go inside the temple of the emerald Buddha you have to pay 500 Baht. This price also includes a visit of the Museum of Textiles. Firstly, I was a bit sad that I could not be part of the Thai people, who (by the way) don’t have to pay anything to go inside. It is always separated: On the left site a passage for the Thais and on the right site a passage for the foreigners. I try to convince them by talking in Thai but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t have a Thai pass. Maybe one day…

I spent two hours there, going inside the temple, short meditation, watching the huge amount of buildings, sculptures, paintings and like always.. the people. After that, I shortly had a view over the royal residence and then visited the Museum of Textiles. It was quite interesting:

The oldest bank in Thailand

“The establishment of the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles embodies Her Majesty’s efforts to ensure the preservation of Thailand’s textile arts for future generations. The museum’s mission is to collect, display, preserve, and serve as a centre for all who wish to learn about textiles, past and present, from East, South, and Southeast Asia with a special emphasis on Thailand’s royal court and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. Additionally, the Museum’s goal is to create public awareness of Thai identity and culture, and an appreciation of the beauty of Thai traditional textiles through research, exhibition and interpretation.”

Very fascinating trees here in Thailand

After this excursion, I got a call from a good friend of my aunt who is living in Chinatown in Bangkok. We met each other at the Chao Phraya River, the big river that is floating through Bangkok. Then he showed me around through some parts of Chinatown and the area near the train station. Very interesting: I saw the oldest bank in Thailand. 

In China Town

Thai railway station

After some hours, we had to say goodbye ‘cause he had to go to work again. It was very interesting to talk to him. He is living in Bangkok since 10 years (before in Germany) and built up a his own company here in Thailand. He told me that it was hard work to reach that now, his company has customers spread all over the country.

The temple where the biggest golden Buddha is located, was not far away from our meeting-place so that he advised me to go there. I was really interested but unfortunately it was closed already at 16:30. So I decided to find a place to relax and went to the Lumpini Park. There were many Thai people standing, sitting or lying on the ground and listening to some political speeches. The mood of the people was very good. Everyone got food and beverages for free and had their telts placed in the Lumpini Park for sleeping. Not what I expected because everything I heard about the political situation in Bangkok before was not that good. There were also a lot of stalls where you could buy many different looking t-shirts presenting Thailand and the Thai flag.

 

 Those pictures were taken in the middle of Bangkok, Lumpini Park.



In the evening, we met again for party rocking at the Khao San Road.