BANGKOK
on So Now It's Cambodia (Cambodia), 08/Feb/2010 10:53, 34 days ago
We had been in Cambodia for exactly 3 months which is the longest either of us had been out of the UK. We arrived on the 15th. October and left for Thailand on 15th. January. We felt quite proud to have achieved this.However, it was time to do a bit of shopping! So we went to Bangkok. It’s strange to think it’s quicker or nearer to our house than Phnom Penh is.We went with our usual taxi driver, Cheourk, who charged 15 dollars to the border at Poipet. We had earlier agreed $12 and I’d written it down with him there…. but we gave him $15 so w could move on (and didn’t have the right money-always useful!).It was a bit slow going across the border as we queued for some time for passport and visa check. We don’t need a visa as we have Cambodian visas but they do put a visitor stamp in the passport.We went the wrong way across the border and were told to go back and go the right way. We then showed our passports again and were free to go to the bus station.We were immediately offered help finding transport which the guide books say to ignore– so we did! We saw a bus and after some questioning got tickets and got on not sure it was the right bus - suddenly our Khmer was no use!! We were pleased to be joined by a man who spoke English. We asked if we were on the right bus and he reassured us it was. It was surprisingly cheap ($3 each I think or maybe $6 each– still cheap though!).I’m glad I didn’t assume he was English as he turned out to be Persian (as he put it) or an Iranian who was married to a Thai and they lived in Stockholm!! He spoke very convincing English. We don’t know why they lived in Stockholm but we did find out he was doing the border crossing just to renew visas. This happens quite a lot at Poipet. The other things it’s known for are the enormous Casinos which are popular with the Thais and the generalisation that the people are not very nice there!Our taxi driver confirmed this as we arrived there! He said it was something to do with the Khmer Rouge and the refugees settling there after Pol Pot. We may have experienced it on our return.We had a great weekend overall and the difference between the two countries was clear as soon as we entered Thailand. Firstly, there was far less litter, it was neat and tidy with well kept bushes and gardens and dual carriageways– there are none in Cambodia that we know of.The dual carriageway finished and the stretch of 2 way road that followed was a bit scary as everyone was overtaking and oncoming traffic has to pull over to what we would think of as the hard shoulder. Even the bus driver was taking chances like the others.We were advised by our Persian friend to get off at the airport and get a taxi to our riverside hotel even though the bus went into town. Apparently, it goes to the“wrong” part of town and would take longer to get a taxi from there because of the horrendous traffic. He took us to the taxi office which was kind of him and we parted company. The girl at the office was very helpful and jumped out to organise our taxi and hand me a slip of paper. Our next experience wasn’t so good!Our driver immediately started to do what the guide books say they do, which is to try to persuade you to ignore the taxi meter and agree their fixed price. We said we wanted the meter and that it was illegal to not use the meter. He got nasty and said: driver good - passengers bad because we wanted to save some money. He said he waited for us for 2 hours (how did he know we were coming??!!). I tried to talk to him later but he wasn’t having it. He just said he wasn’t happy and scowled into the mirror!He then tried to drop us off at the wrong hotel and we insisted he took us to the right one (we hadn’t a clue where we were!!). He had wanted 450 baht but it cost about 320 using the meter! All these scams are warned about in the guide books. It’s a shame and saddening to realize they are true.Having survived this test we were delighted with our hotel. For the same price as a Premier Inn in Chichester we had a lovely small boutique hotel by the river. It had a delightful café by the river with wonderful views. Our room had a river view and tiny balcony.The sight of the various boats trekking up and down was amazing when experienced for the first time. There are all shapes and sizes. Some are ferries which we used to get to the Sky Train.We managed to find the pier and got on a boat– Paul being last on nearly fell in the water as there wasn’t really enough room but I held on and got a good position with a view of the sights. At the next stop even more people got on! This was accompanied by much annoying whistle blowing and pushing from a man in uniform. We ended up insidethe boat and Alison was advised to get off when I was stuck some way from her being advised not to get off!! We were worried about getting separated as our phones didn’t work outside Cambodia.We managed it anyway and made our way to the Sky train (BTS) terminal where the boat had taken us. A little complicated at first– I thought I had been manly and bought us two tickets only to find I had been given change for the ticket machine! You then have to work out which zone you want and press the right coloured button and put in the right change! All a bit different from cycling around Mongkul Borei!!Like the underground in London it’s fine when you get the hang of it.Once again we were hemmed in the train. We did choose Friday afternoon rush hour for our arrival I suppose. Once moving it felt like floating over the city. We finally arrived at the shops!We got off at the famous Siam Paragon shopping centre and were gobsmacked by the well known fashion houses that had their shops there– very expensive. Lots of glass, floor upon floor and eateries everywhere! Where to start! We wondered around a bit then crossed over to the next big centre called Siam Discovery. After wondering around there for a while Alison said - there’s your electric piano!We wondered in and I tried a few. The manager joined in a jam session at one point which was nice. One was particularly good but a bit too big for transport - shame. It also had auto accompaniments which would have been very distracting! I was also shocked at how much they cost!We occasionally found a few other music shops (including Yamaha) but they had the same stuff and were occasionally even more expensive.There was other shopping to do and it was strange to be surrounded by so much western produce of one kind or another. We got fan coolers for our laptops but I wasn’t prepared to pay the extortionate price for underpants at Marks & Spencers!!Where to eat - so much choice! Great coffee and cake at Black Canyon but we headed home (hotel!) and took their recommendation to go to a restaurant on the other side of the river. They organised a taxi for us who only a little way down the road tried to drop us off to get the boat even though we’d been advised taxi was better. We persuaded him to carry on and after a disorientating journey over the river (twice??!!) - we eventually found it down a dubious looking alley but it turned out all right. In fact we achieved our target meal of Thai green curry – delicious! Lovely view of the river at night too.It was amazingly quiet in the hotel bedroom– such a contrast to our home in Mongkul Borei where the barking dogs and wedding or party music continues to intrude at unbelievable volumes. How could the city be so quiet and the country so noisy??!!A good breakfast by the river set us up for more shopping. We were spoilt for choice for food again and chose a fine Italian restaurant that was doing the most amazing buffet (which we resisted). So refined after 3 months in rural Cambodia.We sort out some jazz (for which BKK is famous– it’s a passion of the King who’s birthday had recently been celebrated there.) on Saturday evening. We went to the Sheraton Grand Hotel and were treated to a world class group. This featured the black American blues/jazz singer called Alice Day. She was a typical example of the genre and could have been something from the Muppets. She was dressed entirely in purple with an enormous hat and really long nails on one hand and a glove on the other! She had to leave her brandy to take the stage!The pianist and trumpeter (Randy and Steve Cannon) were brilliant and they had a bass and drums as well. It was great to relax and enjoy music being played and presented so well, along with good drink, food and service. A real tonic.The main feature of Sunday was going for afternoon tea at what some say is the best hotel in the world!! We took the Sky Train to the river from the shops and found the hotel shuttle ferry. This is a beautiful brown wooden boat quite a high frame a bit like a junk in it’s shape. We just missed one but they turned round and came back for us!! When we got to the hotel by the river we were initially shown to the wrong café which was lovely and overlooking the river. Alison had researched this so we asked again and were led through a splendid foyer where the rich and famous pass through and eventually into the beautiful and opulent tea rooms - it looked like a wedding cake!!It was a refreshing taste of refinement and there were lots of little touches which added to the class including a blind Asian pianist doing the“cocktail bar thing” like at the Ritz.The tea was lovely but unfortunately the cakes we had chosen had run out so we had to make do with 2nd. or 3rd. choice! I had wanted Sacher torte but the chocolate cake I was offered as a substitute was delicious. I think I can say the actual tea was probably the best I’ve had. They make it then bring it ready brewed with no tea leaves or bags and put it on pretty crockery bases with candles which keep it hot but it doesn’t stew – clever!We reluctantly had to leave and the foyer had a string quartet playing and lots of important looking people sitting around. An awesome atmosphere. As we had tea we read reviews by people like the Prime Minister of Brunei who rates it as his favourite! I can see it could grow on you!!We had another lovely meal by the river– this time walking distance from the hotel. Splendid view for pre dinner drinks up on the highest level - it’s called the deck and is a bit like going up the decks of a ship - it’s a like a mini version of the FCC in Phnom Penh. I was glad to again be able to enjoy seafood safely as I had done at the Sheraton the night before.One of the challenges of living in Cambodia is the constant search for food that is either safe or interesting to eat. Fortunately, the salad, vegetables and fruit are good and plentiful at our local market. However, we are cagey about the meat and fish– especially as I had had a bad bout of food poisoning before Christmas (and that was after being careful!!). So it was with some reluctance that we left the delights of Bangkok and returned home.Our return journey which involved buying and transporting my electric piano is another story in itself so I will post that separately. Meanwhile, we are in PNH and enjoying our extra language lessons and have met up with Matt and his girlfriend Challin - which was great.