Walking Routes in Bangkok 1 - Yaowarat

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Route One of the Walking Routes in Bangkok.

Stop 1: Yaowarat China Town Heritage Museum - this is an amazing place to visit but can be very busy

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/trj2kHhnU6u  

Stop 2: China Town Gateway  - a wonderful and unexpected part of a roundabout marking one entrance to China Town,built in 1999 to commemorate the King's birthday 

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/SPeBW477ksw    

Stop 3: Eiah Sae 益生 - this is one of the last traditional coffee shops that can be found in Bangkok

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/PunbJmBZM5Q2    

Stop 4: Tang Toh Kang Gold Shop - one of the original gold shops in Bangkok - still trading and there is a museum (but not always open)

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/KGeS3y8WQ7A2    

Stop 5: Thai Heng Restaurant - a traditional Chinese restaurant which is very popular with the local community

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/MfC3NhQu6jE2  

Stop 6: Wat Bampen Chine Prote (Wat Yong Hok Yi) วัดบำเพ็ญจีนพรต (วัดย่งฮกยี่) - a large  Wat with lots of places to investigate

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/wqWvjg2oVKB2  

Stop 7: Wat Kanmatuyaram (Wat Yo Khan Tue) วัดกันมาตุยาราม - a Sri-Lankan style bell can be found in the grounds

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/McgLJkGgJSJ2  

Stop 8: Wat Mangkon Kamalawat - still known as Wat Leng Noei Yi and is a very large structure

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/iwVNZwEF6ut  

Stop 9: Leng Buai la Shrine - a small shrine with an ancient bell and a special incense burner inside 

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/J9uZ2dFAwmG2   

Stop 10: Thian Fah Foundation Hospital - started in 1902 and their goal was to treat the impoverished

   location: https://goo.gl/maps/GWXvSaBg4eB2 

Walking Route One in Bangkok - Yaowarat.
Walking Route Two in Bangkok - Nang Leong.
Walking Route Three in Bangkok - Thonburi.
Walking Route in Bangkok - John Bush and more.
Walking Route in Bangkok - Bangkok Dolls and more.
Walking Route Five in Bangkok - Rattanoskin and more.

Mon Bridge (Utamanusorn Bridge)

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Mon Bridge สะพานไม้อุตตมานุสรณ์  is quite a spectacular bridge stretching across the river - I understand that it is the longest wooden bridge in Thailand? 

There was also a smaller floating wooden bridge - the original one collapsed in  2013 so they constructed the floating one.

Early in the morning there were children selling flowers to you for the monks that would arrive soon - quite lovely actually.




Later that day there were children jumping off the bridge - great fun.

This was where we took a boat to explore the local area.

 

Wat Sitaram วัดสิตาราม

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Wat Sitaram วัดสิตาราม is Bangkok and is near the last stop of the river taxi. 

The 'civil temple' was formerly known as Wat Khok Mu (Pigsty Temple). It has a number of Chinese influences if you look at the style of the roof and the glazed ceramics which are scattered throughout.

It is certainly a very photogenic temple - the temple has the typical snake wrapped all around it. 

The sides of the temple were well looked after.

Inside was wonderful.

Inside there are a great many Buddhist statues in a number of positions.

I could have kept taking photographs.

Protected by the usual warriors. It was really quite beautiful.

Then I left and went into the carpark - which was a wonderful surprise - there was still more sculptures.

This is certainly worth a visit.

Red Cross Snake Farm

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The Snake Farm in Bangkok is somewhere I can remember going about thirty years ago - imagine my trepidation when my daughter was interested to see some - especially after the disastrous Siam Serpentarium. 

The building was opened in 1913 and was known as the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute. Following this the Royal Family became involved because the daughter of a Prince in Thailand died from rabies – the King supported a government institution researching into creating a vaccine for rabies and venomous snakes.

In 1917 it became the Pasteur Institute and the Red Cross Society took over the administrative duties.   Following the death of Queen Saovabha the King built a permanent memory to her and for it to be used for research in the field of research into medical science.

Apparently it was one of the World's first collections of poisonous snakes! 

Built in a French style is the much admired older buildings at the front.

But at the back was the farm - a little rundown - but you were not here to see the building it was the snakes!

And snakes there certainly were - it was a small area to walk in - wandering around took about half an hour - but we spent about an hour!

Then it was into the building at the back for the snake exhibition 

- information and skeletons...

Then it was time for the show - wow and more wow

It is certainly worth visiting if you are in Bangkok and have an interest in this sort of thing – for more information please click here - http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/snake-farm.htm.

Phone Number:  02 252 0161-4

Website: http://www.saovabha.com/en/snakefarm_service.asp

TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com - Red Cross Snake Farm
Approximate Price: $$$$$

Address:  Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, 1871 Rama 4 Rd

Hours:  9am - 3:30pm (weekends 1pm)

  

Dasa Book Cafe

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Had some books that I had read but no longer wanted - where could I go? Dasa Book Cafe popped up in a recent issue of bangkok 101. Why write a description when the Dasa Book Cafe website told you everything...

"We have over 18,000 books in stock in many fiction and non-fiction categories in English and various European languages. We also buy and sell secondhand music CDs."

I submitted a list of about ten books and they replied that three were of interest - so off I went at lunchtime.

The front was a little nondescript, I nearly missed it - Google Maps made sure that I was going on the right direction...

The shop was reminiscent of the shops that I used to go in whilst in the UK - great for searching for something...

So I had a cappuccino first.

Sat at the window contemplating whether I should buy the DVD box set of Fawlty Towers... I then perused the shop for far too long and had to put the books down because I was not sure whether I had it....

Phone Number: 02 661 2993

Approximate Price: $$$$$

Address: 714/4 Sukhumvit Rd, Khwaeng Kalong Tan
Hours: 10am - 8pm

 

Loha Prasart (Buddhist Complex)

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Loha Prasart (โลหะปราสาท, วัด​ราชนัดดารามวรวิหาร) is somewhere which is ​quite spectacular. 

The Loha Prasat is a metal castle with its 37 spikes within a Buddhist Complex.

"Loha Prasat, which means iron castle or iron monastery (โลหะปราสาท), is composes of five towers, of which the outer, middle and the center tower contain large black iron spires. The 37 virtues that are required to reach enlightenment are signified by 37 black metal spires. The 36 m high multi-tiered structure consists 3 levels, the bottom one has 24 spires, the middle one 12 and the top level has 1 spire." - wikipedia

There is a great beauty to this place - there is only one of these types of castle left in the whole world.  

The complex is quite extensive and the castle was the focus today. The castle is certainly impressive and if you want to enter.

there is a small entry fee. The floors inside have a great amount of detail that you may want to read about the history of the castle.

The wall are also lined with a number of Buddhist statues.




Then you reach the top and are able to walk out on to the top  - it is all really quite breathtaking.

Then you can take a look across Bangkok city - fabulous.

I have visited her more than once

and the Golden Mount is just a short distance away - grab yourself a coffee on the hill at Golden Mount Coffee.