KRUNG THEP (BANGKOK)
PICTURES
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As we drove in from the boat, the sky was blue (it was the AM still) and the traffic was not too heavy. Notice that the streets are clean ... India will have to learn ... |
On our way to the River Tour, Mr. Sitta asked us if we would please visit a jewelry shop that a friend had just begun to work in so, Elsie being a nice person, said sure... Big mistake for me!!! These are semi precious stones and Elsie sure was interested in them ...I think she is pointing at the largest one there... |
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These things ain' t cheap ... but I am!!!!! |
It didn't take very long and Elsie had picked out a very nice little ring which they had to alter for her finger size ...let's see: that was a camera and PDA in Singapore and now a ring in Bangkok ... I think I got a Tee Shirt .... sigh |
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This was a Sunday Morning and still was a full complement of workers there |
It was fun to watch how they added gold to the band |
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And then sized it to fit ... all within 20 minutes ... Now we just had to pay for it... |
The Chao Phraya (Thai: แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial river plain marking the mainland of the country. |
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On old maps the river is named as Menam or Mae Nam, the Thai word for river. The name Chao Phraya is also a Thai feudal title, which can be translated as General. In the English-language media in Thailand the name is often translated as 'River of Kings'. |
On our first river tour in 1988 there was a lot of evidence of poverty ... much less so today!!! |
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Lots of Temples had their back to the river but did add colour to the scene |
Interspersed with the temples hotels etc. working barges tied up along side river side apartments |
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Still everywhere you look, it is cluttered, but clean |
Older homes are giving way t to some very modern looking dwellings |
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Sunday morning private river cruise. The paddle you can not see in this shot |
The docks for the merchant boats that hurry out to sell the passing tour boats, and the locals as well, just about everything under the sun |
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This being Sunday morning, only one boat ventured out. Sadly, she had nothing we wanted |
One of the older houses |
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A newer house complete with beautiful garden |
Live goes on right on the river side |
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Another Sunday Morning Cruiser |
The Temples on the banks sure are beautiful |
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Two modern houses with the families sharing a dock |
A week's laundry ... |
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Sunday morning visitors ... this river is just like a road for these guys |
Let's see ... water, a dock, and kids ... someone has to get wet!!! Seeing how hot it was I was quite envious of these kids ... but the water was not crystal clean ... Hmmm |
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Still some of the older houses ... but no garbage evident |
A Lazy Sunday Morning .. same all over the world |
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As I said ... lots of Temples with their backs to the river |
Quite a few boats ... |
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Local Buddhist Monk watching the river traffic |
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River is complete with road signs ... |
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Old and new along the banks |
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Deep thought or just tired .... I think tired... |
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The engines on these boats or 4 cylinder diesel motors connected by this long shaft to an open propeller. If you caught someone on that blade it would be a mess |
Mr. Sitta, on our return from the cruise, took us to the famous Golden Buddha
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This is a working Temple and lots of evidence of the reverence in which people hold it |
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I love the warning sign ... very practical!!! |
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Our room in the hotel at the airport ... we had to get up at 2:30 AM so Elsie is getting everything as ready as possible |
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The view from the room. The new Bangkok airport, quite a distance from here,was to open Oct 1 so just what will happen to these hotels is anyone's guess |
We sure saw a lot of stuff ... albeit it very quickly ... but it has fulfilled a childhood dream of mine!!! |
