I have just got back from what I can only describe as a most interesting day. Please let me explain. What I attempted to do today was visit the ‘National Science Museum’, followed by the Grand Pallace and then Jim Thompsons House and then back to the hotel. It did not quite work out that way. I grabbed a Taxi from the hotel. Not a problem. When we got to the museum it did not seem to have taken as long as I had expected. And the appearence of the museum was different from what I had thought as well. Oh, I dont have my GPS with me so I cannot be sure. The driver was confident that this was the place.

Yeah, sure. It turned out to be the Museum of Thailand or of Bangkok or something. Tried to get another two taxis and they had no idea how to get to the place. But I did find a market… This one was sort of different. Apart from the fact that I did not see another westerner, this one actually sold washing machines and wide screen TVs!!!

After this I tried a couple more TAXI’s. One who did not speak very much english had a card saying that he was calling an interpreter service for Taxi’s. Now, the Interpreter Service did not even know where the place was. They could not speak very good english either, but they spoke some. So then since he was helpful I asked to be taken to the Grand Palace. He just pointed across the road and said that was where it was. He may have lost a fare, but I paid him a flagfall anyway. It was worth it!

I did find the Cannon Museum though too…

Then I went to the Grand Palace. Really a campus…

Then I grabbed a taxi from the Grand Pallace to Jim Thompsons House, via Jim Thompsons Hotel. Oops there. I was amazed during the ride how good the traffic was. Well, it is a sunday. But also how none of the vehicles have any collision damage. None. This really surprises me. At one stage we were driving down what I thought was a one way street, and a car comes the other way. I think of the thai roads like a busy footpath for cars. And they seem about as dangerous from what I have seen.

Also, most of the cars seem to be Toyotas. They just seem to be indestructable which helps I guess in this climate.

After that I visited the Aquarium which is totally below ground, and amazing. I had never been in the under water tube before and it was slightly freaky. And they had a 7m high perspex aquarium wall at one stage which was simply amazing.