Thailand.Bangkok. Part 2

  Returning to Bangkok in the evening from Cambodia, our bus passed through the Chinatown district, which is much farther from the tourist area on Khao San Road where the final stop was supposed to be. So, we decided to get off in Chinatown and take the opportunity to spend the evening in this vibrant part of Bangkok...

  After finding a hostel near the main street for one night and leaving our belongings, we went to explore the Chinese alleys... Colorful advertisements were scattered everywhere, exotic prostitutes waited for clients near hotels, massage parlors were abundant, and street food was everywhere...    

  Coconut milk, which we drank almost every day... The coconuts are taken out of the ice, cleaned, and the top is cut off, voilà... It quenches thirst best in hot weather...

  Durian is Thailand's main fruit that must be tried, although it's quite expensive... The fruit's flesh has a very specific taste and resembles cream... It is sold already peeled and laid out on a plate...

Grilled seafood menu...

  

 Scorpions on a stick...

   We tried rice baked in palm leaves with seafood...

In the morning, the main street and the entire Chinatown transform into a completely ordinary city... All the magic happens after sunset...

 Very close to Chinatown is the Temple of the Golden Buddha...

 Here stands the world's largest golden Buddha statue, over 2.5 meters tall and weighing 5.5 tons. Interestingly, it was made in the 13th century...

 During the war with Burma, the statue was covered with plaster, which helped it survive the looting in 1767... 

 After crossing the bridge over the Chao Phraya River, we reached the so-called "Turtle Temple" Wat Prayoon...

  Thanks to the setting and lighting, in our opinion, this temple has the most photogenic Buddha statue...

   On the territory of Wat Prayoon, there is a very beautiful park with a lake and many turtles...

  From the temple, we headed past the flower market towards the royal palace... 

   Dried flower teas... 

  This is how lunch is typically prepared on the streets of Bangkok...

  Our favorite lunch dish in hot Bangkok was sliced and chilled pineapple in bags... 

  Upon reaching the entrance to the royal palace, we boarded a nearby bus that took tourists to a theater for a short dance performance for free... The thing is, the ticket to the royal palace, which we visited three days ago, also includes a show that can be attended within seven days of purchasing the ticket. So, we took the opportunity to see what a Thai theatrical performance looks like...

  In the evening, after waiting out the heat in the guesthouse and resting a bit, we took a river tram to its final station and back, to the pier near Khao San Road. This way, we decided to see what the city looks like from the Chao Phraya River... 

   Dinner on Khao San Road...

  The next morning, we went to the Marble Temple... Morning is the best time to visit temples when it’s not too hot, there are no tourist groups, and you might even catch a Buddhist service...

   Here, you don't have to worry about going hungry, as there is always food available at every corner for a very reasonable price... Bananas with rice baked in palm leaves make for a great snack...

 Wat Suthat Temple... 

  Lotuses...

   Another tasty treat we bought when we wanted a snack - baked pancakes with delicious fillings...

  In the second half of the day, we headed to the airport for a flight to the island of Phuket...