Thursday afternoon Brian landed from Bali. Friday at work he had to pack for a Monday trip to Batam island. We left for the airport from work so his work bag came with us. Our flight out of Singapore was a little delayed and we ended up not taking the motorway so we took a very interesting cab ride down back streets in Bangkok. We arrived at Sarahs place and sat on the porch overlooking the city drinking wine.
In the morning we got up, had a little tour of Sarah's home and neighborhood.
The Rooftop pool with the penthouses behind
One of the building across the soi
We headed to a favorite coffee shop for coffee and sweets. On the way we stopped by the famous Erawan shrine. As it was the Kings birthday it was very busy. We saw it from above on the way to Jim Thompsons house and went in on the way back.
Erawan Shrine from the Skytrain
You can pay to have dancers dance while you pray as an offering
Alley in the student area on our way
I love the strange things you see in cities. Why was there a Predator statue at this hotel!?
Before going into Jim Thompson's house we went to the end of the soi to check out the canal. Sarah told us that Bangkok used to be a network of canals like Venice until around the 50's when they started turning most of them into streets. Some are still there though! We looked up and down this canal while listening to a call to prayer. The house we were visiting was built across from a Muslim neighborhood because they were the silk workers Jim Thompson used.
looking left
looking right
Now onto Jim Thompson's house! Jim Thompson was an American who moved to Thailand and started a silk company. He was impressed with the culture in SE Asia and was also a collector of artifacts. Thai people do not like having broken things in their homes (they believe it is bad luck). But Jim Thompson collected broken antiquities and there is an impressive collection of SE Asia art in the home. His house is made from 6 traditional Thai homes connected and modified to meet the needs of a wealthy western man.
Spirit House at the entrance
Pretty flowers!
We had to wait for our tour so we checked out an art installation upstairs above the gift shop.
Onto the house! You couldn't take photos in the house so most of my photos are of the garden and the front of the house.
The House
Bat Flower (LOVE THESE FLOWERS!)
Entrance
After the tour we have an excellent lunch at the cafe. Then we took a few more photos and also checked out the shop.
We left with some silk for me and a cookbook for Brian. Then we were off to wander Bangkok! It was a holiday weekend so everyone was out and about.
THEN THINGS GOT STRANGE.... We were wandering back through Lumpini Park and apparently there was a street circus.
Video of the performance I took
We walked back from the park and went along a walkway above one of the canals.
The next day we went and hung out at the British Club and played tennis. It was so perfect. Then in the afternoon we hopped in a cab back to the airport and back to our spotless city. Brian left Monday morning for Batam Island. Busy life out here!
