We know it is going to be hot in the Caribbean and dress for hot weather. We know that if we go to the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic beaches, it is hot. We know it is hot in Egypt and Israel. I grew up in Louisiana and went to school at LSU, so I know what Louisiana feels like in the summer. But nothing beats the hot temperatures that we encountered in Bangkok, Thailand.
We took a overnight shore excursion in Bangkok because we were interested in learning about the city and what it had to offer. And we weren't disappointed. We saw the reclining Buddha, the jade Buddha, and many others that are too numerous to mention. When we went into the temples, our tour guide had to watch our shoes for us because we couldn't wear them in, but there is a serious shoe theft problem in the tourist sites.
After we checked into our hotel, several of us visited a jewelry store where we could get jewelry at reasonable prices. Since I still had a lot of baht that I would need to spend before we left Thailand, I bought an elephant with beautiful gemstones. No, even thought I live in Alabama and am not an Alabama fan, Thailand is known for its wild elephants so I wanted a necklace that reminded me of the country.
We had a dinner cruise on a boat on the river. Because of stomach issues and spicy food, I soon because ill and couldn't wait for the cruise to be over. Maybe it was because I ate the salad and no telling what kind of water it was washed in but I wanted to take a tub-tuk back to the hotel and not wait for the bus. My husband said to wait for the bus so we walked around the night market. I was glad when it was time to leave.
The next morning we had a trip planned to the Grand Palace. No shorts were allowed in the Grand Palace, so everyone had to wear a long skirt or pants. I had bought a black skirt on the ship as I knew pants would be too hot. If anyone didn't have the proper clothing, he or she had to rent printed cotton pants that looked like pajama pants. After our tour through the Grand Palace where we saw the Jade Buddha, we got back on the bus. I had brought a pair of knee-length shorts which I put on under my skirt and then took off the skirt, while sitting in my seat on the bus. I also bought cold bottled water and a folding fan.
In corresponding with a former classmate who lives in northern Thailand, he said that we picked the worst season to visit because March and April were the hottest months there. We had passed some slums and I really feel for the people who live in those rickety metal buildings with no air conditioning. After lunch in a nice hotel, we went back to our cruise ship so we could shower and feel clean again.
