Day 1 FIND COUSIN DAVE
After all 3 flights were delayed plus a literal run through the airport in Japan, we made it to Bangkok and decided on an early morning Super Bowl beer with my cousin Dave and his buddy Paul at Sportsbar near our hotel. Dave doesn’t live here, but he’s here ALL THE TIME! We’re are not football people, but we couldn’t sleep. We though we would after all the flights so we had no plans for this day. Whatever, wake up at 8, and head to a pub for some beer with family that just happens to be here at the same time.
After that we do some Bangkok walking and check out a nearby park without Dave to check out birds, but with the big lens.
Later went on a gallivant with Dave showing us around on tuk tuk and both metro trains. Lots of food. Restaurant by water. Boat ride to a weird amusement park. More food, more authentic Thai at Fancy place. More beers. Walk through a red light area just for Japanese tourist apparently.
Birds Seen Today
- Little Cormorant
- Asian Koel
- Plain Prinia
- Asian Openbill
- Common Myna
- Black-collared Starling
- Large-billed Crow
- Spotted Owlet
- Blue-tailed Bee Eater
- Red-vented Bulbul
- Ashy Drongo
- Black-naped Oriole
Day 2 Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
Today’s activity is outside the city. We hope on a small bus and head off, first to a rural train station. Can’t remember the name, but after a short train ride the train enters the Maeklong Railway Market, the place where the train literally goes thorough the market, and all the vendors pull up the shades, pull away the goods, so the train can pass. The experience was interesting, but lacked the feeling of being authentic. That’s probably due to the high number of tourists. It was probably authentic at one time. The train goes through one part of the market, but when we got off the train and walked around we found the real market next to it. many less tourists, and actually market goods for locals. The train track had mostly tourist things for sale, and was absolutely jam packed with tourists. After some walking around we started headed back to where we were told to meet, and the train started to roll through. Now we get the train show from the outside! All the vendors are in on the show for the tourists. They all give you a place to stand, and put up a little rope so you don’t die. We took photos. It felt like a tourist trap for sure.
After that we went to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and got on a canoe with an operator to push us along through the market. Okay, this was event more tourist trap. There were no locals in boats buying things. No vendors selling things locals buy. This floating “market” was exclusively for tourists to buy tourist things. We bought beer and some art to bring home. Hopefully the art was local, but who knows, honestly. I’m sure this market was a real market in years past, and I know there are other floating markets in this part of the world not loaded with tourists. Anyway, it felt weird.
Hot tip for here: The beer served to us while in the boat was overpriced. Negotiate that down. As soon as you off the boat and walking through the market you find the same beers are half the price!
Next up, back in Bangkok, was the 12-stop food tour! We made many stops, some quick, some not as quick. Got lots of food variety in us but lacked the information on the food and culture. The tour was a bit too fast paced honestly. We still had a good time, and it was in Chinatown which was interesting too.
Day 3 Ayutthaya
A tour to Ayutthaya to see several very old ruins in a city founded in 1350 and burned and ravaged in 1767 without being rebuilt. Now a UNESCO site. We visited a few sites and some modern temples, that had older sites within them. Got a little bit of birding in too.
Later, back in Bangkok we switched to a fancy hotel this evening. The Muse was a very cool 1920’s western themed hotel. Had some drinks and food in a lounge, a swim, then later cocktails/beer at the roof top bar. Living like royalty!
Birds Seen Today
- Great Myna
- Oriental Magpie-Robin
- Zebra Dove
- Asian Brown Flycatcher
- Malaysian Pied-Fantail
- Common Myna
- Asian Openbill
- Coppersmith Barbet
Day 4
Free day but we booked a last minute tour to the Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha, with a little boat trip up the river and back.
Drinks with Cousin Dave at his hotel, and nearby bar, and rooftop bar. Walked through another red light street.
Back to the Muse to get our bags and get moving to train station. The cab was very slow to show up, and we were running out of time. Felt like it took forever to get to the train station. Cabby was slow as balls. Getting passed by everybody. Got to the train station just in time to board and realized we’re not seated together! I knew it was a risk as the booking service said it was not guaranteed. It was mostly going to be a sleeping journey anyway, and the bunks do not have enough room for two. It was very cold on the train with the A/C blasting all night long.
