Two nights in Bangkok..
I am having a couple of days in Bangkok before flying to Cambodia. I haven't been to Bangkok for a long time. On every visit I have been amazed at how it changes. It now feels more like Tokyo although the old Siam is still to be seen not too far from the centre.
I am staying on the fabulous Chao Phraya river. There is so much activity on it it makes the Thames seem like a backwater. There is constant traffic, river buses, hotel shuffles and huge barges, often tied 6 or 8 together ferrying freight.
This morning I went to Wat Pho, a huge temple complex near the river. It houses the massive reclining Buddah, has the usual colourful buildings, a million statues of Buddah lots of monks and the devout praying and the most famous School of massage in Thailand.
If you do nothing else in Bangkok you should have a massage at this place. It is housed in an attractive pavilion with a very jolly red and gold ceiling in a quiet part of the Wat looking out upon a great many stumpas.
After changing into cotton pyjamas you lie down on one of the many large,low beds that fill the room. THe therapist then starts to use her hands, feet, knees and every other part of her tiny body to push and pull you into all sorts of unnatural positions. All this is interspersed by being rubbed and thumped all over bay a ball of steaming, hot herbs, Some of it hurts, but in a good way. Not the good way in which earnest women talk about the pain of childbirth, that isn't good it just hurts. This really does feel like good pain.
You come out walking on a marshmallow high up in the air with a feeling of great calm. You may walk in but you are guaranteed to float out. I want to start every day with a massage at Wat Pho.
Te rest of the day has just been exploring this great city, apart from a short visit to a fish spa. This involves sticking your feet into a tank filled with tiny fish how then proceed to feast on your dry skin - insane. It tickles like mad but is great fun. I could live in Bangkok.
It has all been rather hedonistic. Tomorrow I fly to Siem Reap. The start of a new life for the next two months.
I am staying on the fabulous Chao Phraya river. There is so much activity on it it makes the Thames seem like a backwater. There is constant traffic, river buses, hotel shuffles and huge barges, often tied 6 or 8 together ferrying freight.
This morning I went to Wat Pho, a huge temple complex near the river. It houses the massive reclining Buddah, has the usual colourful buildings, a million statues of Buddah lots of monks and the devout praying and the most famous School of massage in Thailand.
If you do nothing else in Bangkok you should have a massage at this place. It is housed in an attractive pavilion with a very jolly red and gold ceiling in a quiet part of the Wat looking out upon a great many stumpas.
After changing into cotton pyjamas you lie down on one of the many large,low beds that fill the room. THe therapist then starts to use her hands, feet, knees and every other part of her tiny body to push and pull you into all sorts of unnatural positions. All this is interspersed by being rubbed and thumped all over bay a ball of steaming, hot herbs, Some of it hurts, but in a good way. Not the good way in which earnest women talk about the pain of childbirth, that isn't good it just hurts. This really does feel like good pain.
You come out walking on a marshmallow high up in the air with a feeling of great calm. You may walk in but you are guaranteed to float out. I want to start every day with a massage at Wat Pho.
Te rest of the day has just been exploring this great city, apart from a short visit to a fish spa. This involves sticking your feet into a tank filled with tiny fish how then proceed to feast on your dry skin - insane. It tickles like mad but is great fun. I could live in Bangkok.
It has all been rather hedonistic. Tomorrow I fly to Siem Reap. The start of a new life for the next two months.
Sounds lovely mum. Well done on getting the blog working. G x
ReplyDelete