A Bear at Large in Bangkok

Whew... it is hot here in Bangkok!! It is 35 C but feels like 45 C. Ugh!! Good thing I have my hot-weather outfit on!

This is a typical street scene in Bangkok - it's amazing more people don't get run over! I have to be beary careful on the street because I am just a little bear and people tend to step on little things!

 There are tonnes of temples in Bangkok too - not just busy street scenes.

 They are easy to spot because they usually have orange tile roofs and ornate spires on the end of the roofs.

 We walked to the Golden Mount on our first day. I wasn't all that impressed with it at first until Mama told me this was just a tiny sand-castle replica of it!

There were big lions guarding the stairways up to the summit but I sweet-talked them and flashed my Canadian flag pin at them. Pussy cats they are!

 There were lots of bells up on the shrine - and this big thing... beary noisy! It was a religious festival (Thai New Year) so there were lots of people there celebrating. The night we arrived, I almost got soaked because that is how they celebrate by spraying water on everyone and everything as a blessing.

 We got a great view of Bangkok from the top. See the temples in the background?

And this is the top of the Golden Mount. I can hear Jerry right now... no... there is no chocolate inside there!

One day was devoted to taking a tuk-tuk to the Vietnamese Embassy to get visas. Along the way....

We stopped at a Starbucks to get some hot chocolate and free wifi. (This is my Aussie look... by the way). Anyhow - NO free wifi at Starbucks in Bangkok. Ooooh... some people get grumpy at that! And even though Mama bought 150 Baht worth ($6) - it still didn't work. Super grumpy!

We wanted same-day pickup for our Visas, so we wandered around markets and sidewalks. There was a shrine here to a Hindu god and it was beary popular. The yellow flowers are jasmine wreaths that women sell out on the sidewalk.

 Speaking of sidewalks... here's a drain cover of some sort for Beanie Mouse!! Not sure if it's right side up or not...

And then we got our visas... well, the humans got theirs. It cost 10,000 Baht for the two of them and they almost squeaked in dismay. But they did want 3 months Visas with multiple entry. So that works out to $200 each which isn't too bad. Lots of tourist travel shops will sell you a Vietnamese Visa service - 9300 Baht for ONE person... It pays to do some research ahead of time!

With it being so hot out... I convinced Mama and partner to head towards the river where it is a tad cooler.

 There are some cool boats on the river...

These are the long boats - they call Bangkok the Venice of the East. So these would be the Gondolas of the East. Alas... they also looked pretty wavy in the water so Mama said we were not setting foot in them!

 We went to a couple of temples - this one was just a little one.

 There were practically no tourists... which was nice.

 Lots of people praying inside though.

 Lots and lots and lots of golden buddhas everywhere!

 See how orange the roofs are?

 And this is me! With a golden buddha. Do you see the piece that I am pointing to?

I think those might be gems in there!! Maybe??

 We also went to Wat Pho where there is a massive reclining buddha. Way more tourists here. And we just turned our backs on another Wat near the Royal Palace because the crowds were crazy!

 But Wat Pho was nice - with lots of ornate towers.

 And pink flowers...

 And then we actually caught a boat up the river - one of the Ferry Express boats - much more stable in the water than the long boats.

 Hold onto your hats - because it goes fast!

And one last drain cover for Beanie Mouse... More adventures as we have them!