..Thai fried rice, no onion no garlic please! My trip in Thailand.

"Proust says that the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in having new eyes ..."

Personally, the South East Asia I have never inspired but I must say that Thailand was not the usual cliché. " This land is truly a kaleidoscope of emotions and contradictions between opulence and poverty, devotion, and prostitution, exploitation and dignity, mysticism and consumerism, poverty and smiles ... this is my discovery!

 

Departure

Monday, August 8
10.30 we put ourselves in the car (late as always, and not because we are Neapolitan but simply because we are women!) To Rome Fiumicino from where, at 14.00, a China Airlines flight will take us directly to Bangkok. We arrive at the check-in 20 minutes before closing, and ... who says that those who arrive late evil houses? There are no more seats in economy, will be arranged in business! E vaiiii! The holiday begins in the best possible way. A beautiful air, comfortable armchairs with staff little TV from which you can watch movies, play games (football, skiing, even Mario bros !!!), order to drink and have been monitoring the route and the exact point where you are.
The flight takes about 11h and the time seems to pass ever! Massimiliano know and Mauritius (also placed in their business as us) and as good Napolitain improvise a scientific scopone to kill time.

Bangkok

Tuesday, August 9
06.00 am finally arrive in Bangkok, we take your luggage away to "Century park hotel" (www.centuryparkhotel.com). Bangkok welcomes us with a tremendous traffic, and a leaden sky un'afa unbearable. Arrive at hotel posiamo luggage, a quick shower and away .. euphoric and ready to learn this city. We decide to walk the "Ratchparop" to immerse immediately in Bangkok, but the impact is not the best, after about 500/600 meters need oxygen and clean air. We enter into a small shopping center, a stop at the bar, a fresh air conditioning and ... yes, we try again! On both sides of the sidewalks are so many small winding streets where the smell came cooked, stink, people who eat, people who go to work, vendors, tourists, all concentrated in a few square meters. For the first time we feel lost and without guidance. After visiting a tourist market (for these forces are always!) Decide to reach the zone of Siam by taxi. The stomach begins muttering, it is time for lunch, I start to worry about what to eat, what not even eat! (the Asian cuisine I do not like!) Do we take the "Siam center" where the top floor as we said our. fedelissima Lonely Planet is an ice rink and several places where you can eat. It seems a good way to chill, no? shame that we shamefully asleep on a sofa of the mall! E 'il caso di tornare in hotel, the jet-lag c'ha screwed!
After a good night's sleep, another shower and a nice (so to speak) we have eaten lead by a tuk-tuk to the night market of Patpong, which cool! We begin our ciopping "as they say. There's all not true of course, each brand of watches, shoes, jeans, bags, clothing, paintings .. Needless to say that the bargaining ed'obbligo almost a ritual. The password that opens the bargaining is "ok, best price for you!" But the price to shoot is always 4 / 5 times higher than the final. In any attempt to decrease their response is always "give me more, give me more!" And if you try to go away because they certainly interested in bargaining a voice shouting s'alzerà: Madame! Madame! A backdrop to these colorful stalls are the countless "go-go bars" where young girls, women and transvestites t'invitano a drink and see their shows. We are not revenue, but from what I have told us some numbers are really circus!
The ns. view of the city begins to change positively, we decide to return to the hotel all boils tuk tuk. The drivers are as damned, do not slow down in curves, if they screwed if the road is wet from the rain and we like this thing too!

Wednesday, August 10
The day starts early, armed with camera and digital camera, at 08.00 we are ready for ns. first excursion, we visit the most important temples and the royal palace. We begin with the Wat Traimit that houses the golden Buddha, then continue at a time of Wat Pho with its huge reclining Buddha, 15m high by 46m long, really impressive. Look of "Japanese", photographs and video footage every detail.
A calm and mystical air surrounds us, the sight of monks makes us feel really in another dimension, but here's the "sfiga" (so not to call names ..) takes us back on planet earth, my digital dead! I can not leave right now, I think and pray, but he does ... Other than nirvana, I now turn their boxes! A maledettissimo "error18" I ruined your day, especially as I die of envy for all the photos that I take, but we must be content to see the royal palace without being able to take even one! To protest, I would want to ruin the photos of others past the target at the time, but they are "good" .. we arrange with the camera!
The palace looks like a city within a city surrounded by high walls, battlements, pinnacles, pagodas all complemented by a sweet melody in music.
Then visit the Wat Phra Kaew with the Emerald Buddha, we can not take pictures, I think it is right, some 'of our solidarity. respect! And then Wat Benchamapophit entirely built with marble from Carrara.
The afternoon we spend in the canon service center (instead of going to a nice massage ..) where I communicate that to repair the car it takes about 2giorni and about 200euro for a problem with the lens. The center of Naples ass.za I suggest not to have it repaired because it seems there is a problem instead of electronics. Who will have right? Boh! .. I surrender: 1-0 for sfiga! From today onwards I arranger with a machine use & disposable.
The service center is not in one central area, the reach in meters (the famous "sky train"-I recommend imbabuccatevi because the air conditioning is set at a temperature Siberian! - This setback we can see also ' other side of town, the less touristy. It 'incredible to see how it can change the atmosphere, just a little away' from the center, maybe even turn the corner and realize that the true traditions, is the real Bangkok another. Much easier and less hectic than I had seen so far.

Ayuthaya

Thursday, August 11: Ayuthaya
The alarm now sounds even earlier than usual because we visit the ruins of the old capital of Siam, Ayuthaya, about 80km north of Bangkok where we will visit the palace of Bang Pa-in, once the summer residence of the kings of Thailand.
Bang pa-in seems more an enormous golf course, large gardens, lakes and construction typically European (the guide tells us that the King Rama 6 ° loved European architecture), will be the unbearable heat and having to be covered from head to foot (access is prohibited for those not wearing appropriate clothing and not tell you how we have caused tanning), but this residence is not at all typical. Do not miss, however, the ancient ruins of Ayuthaya, the Wattanaram Wat Chai and Wat Yai Chai Mongkol. The guide tells us briefly of the history of this city founded by Ramathibodi in 1350 and was capital of Siam until 1770 until it was plundered and destroyed by Burma. The ruins are the most important pagodas that formed the Wat Phra (main temple of the city). Unfortunately, the visit is fast and the return to Bangkok is provided with a boat motor risalirà in about 3h of navigation, the river Chao Phraya.
The lunch buffet is served on board the boat, I try again to "dare" with some typical Thai dishes but .. that we can do if you hate the onion el'aglio !!!?? Giusy instead, Gianluca and Marco (2 guys in Rome known today) are really good lunch. . . (de gustibus non est disputandum!).
Bangkok view from the boat is truly spectacular, along the banks of the river alternate huts and shacks on stilts a modern building, all, as always, in an obvious contradiction that marks quest'enorme megalopolises ..
In the evening we decide to go to Lumphini area to visit the market and finally eat something more .. "Family" (w pizza!).

Floating Market

Friday, August 12: floating market
.. But we are or we are not on vacation? Uffa even today sounds the alarm early, at 7:00 we are ready to be conducted at the floating market. E 'need to get good at 11.00 hours as the market closes. The bus leaves us in a spiazzale around the channel from now on we will launch with a motor, a kind of shuttle that will lead us through fetid canals, the area where the market is held. As we approach, many local craft vendors of fruit, vegetables and souvenirs crowd the canals and then .. Then we are the "tourists", all and all crammed within these small vessels. Arrived at the last stop we visit the market from the mainland, just observe these people 5 min. to understand how much energy, patience and simplicity of how they live, and I wonder what ever will think of us ....
The tour proceeds to the "Rose Garden", reconstruction of a Thai village, where lunch will be served and where we shall see a performance and a folklore show of elephants. Poor animals are forced to "dance", roll and do many moine in order to entertain the audience. The show more entertaining, though, was when a "circus" concluded an elephant has thought well to make his bisognini at the center of the runway. Full service: a cascade of acid and a ton of m ... (and you do not have that idea stinks !!!).

In town you can breathe air of celebration, today is the birthday of Queen, with great regret we must reject his invitation, we prefer going to dinner with Mark & Gianluca and this is our last evening, we can not leave from Bangkok without having another Skip to Patpong, where, surprise of surprises, I meet my cousin Gigi not seen for about 1 year. How small the world!

August 13th - 21st, Koh Samui

Saturday, August 13-Sunday, August 21: Koh Samui
Today we start, I am almost sorry to leave, I would still remain a couple of days, but this is the cheat of an organized trip. Patience! Sooner or later we return to Bangkok!
At 13.30 a Bangkok Airways flight takes us into little more than 1h to Samui. Already landed on time and breathe a different air, + clean and decidedly "exotic". The airport is built in wood with thatched roofs, a sort of large tent-free zone "closed". Loading and unloading baggage, check-in, waiting room .. all in the same environment, surrounded by beautiful greenery surrounding the airport. It seems to be the protagonist of the show "Fantasilandia", lacking only the man with full white dwarf and expect to exit. Withdrawn baggage we carry with us "Seascape Beach Resort in Chaweng. (www.seascapebeachresort.com).
Arrive at the hotel this is the first hitch, ask us to sleep for a night in a bungalow because the room "oceanview" that we had booked will be available from the following day. Accepted despite the hassle of having to open & close the bag again. We had not ever done! To begin the door did not lock, but the room is even worse sporchissima! We can adapt to all but not to the little health! Call the front desk lady that suddenly does not understand a single word more of ns. english. Do not know that before you there are 2 heads hard, in fact, as we say in Naples' two cap tost. " The fight is tough, but eventually gives up and almost by magic it's a room free.
Finally, we can undo your luggage and organize the afternoon! Come on now looking for a scooter, (1400 bath for 7 days), quickly return to the hotel because the desire to do so is a bathroom, but .. a sudden shower surprise us. We are on holiday, away from work and the problems will not rain to take away a smile, no? Rain or no rain, we start our. first day at sea and while the other guests depart from the beach we, in spite of everything, we plunge into this sea of hot sand sofficissima. Descends in the evening and my first thought is to find a good restaurant where you can finally eat something that I like.
We decide to dine in a restaurant "italian-thai", the Chilly, where boys of Turin we suggest you try the "padthai". Mmh; The next day, try instead the noddles but nothing to be done, Thai cooking is not just like me! Garlic and onion, Sweet-sour sauce in everything, even in the air, I swear! I believe that to give in many Italian restaurants in Chaweng, but here comes the miracle, finally I discover a dish "decent", which will become MY FLAT. From now on, the password is "Thai fried rise, no onion, no garlic, please!" Via Vai, Mamma Roma are among the restaurants where we always ate well, clearly "thai fried rice to go on sure, but also sea food: shrimp, lobsters, sharks (practically a swordfish only less tasty ..).
As for night clubs, Chaweng is full! Most popular are the "Green Mango", the "Solo" and others, all located on a street overlooking the main road. (In fact, we hardly noticed them). A corner full of local music and lights fired at a very high volume, we have jokingly nicknamed "Sodom & Gomorrah's street" even though in reality some situations we do not have anything to laugh, indeed! Men of all ages in attitudes so vulgar, offensive or even from real sex maniacs against these women (and who knows how many girls) that we have left in disgust; It 'sad to say, but after a few days ago is the habit ... Our evenings pass, so, between "Sodom & Gomorrah's street" and the radius a disco pub near the lake where every night he performs a local group that plays and sings really well, then, around the start a music "Dj Gigi" from Bari ... A very strange type who feels very Bono Vox ...
By day, however, we are dedicated all'abbronzatura and, in the days of rain to the discovery of (the tour is complete in about 1 hour) between the waterfalls, beaches, strange rock formations (with the famous "grandmother grandfhater & rock) and the big Buddha: an imposing statue located near the airport that, who takes off or lands can not fail to note. Personally it is one of the holy places which I liked more. Few tourists, very quiet but especially a breathtaking view. Ah, a Monaco of its own volition has blessed us and has donated to the wrist with 3 knots an orange bracelet. I do not know the meaning of this gesture, m like to believe that the wanted monaco intercede for us ...

13th to 21st August

Together with Marco and Gianluca, who we have reached in Koh Samui a few days later to book the excursion to the island of Koh Tao. Really nice, not to be missed! A catamaran takes us on a small island created by the tide, a strip of sand when there is low tide joining the 2 parts of the earth by the emergence of countless corals, shells and sea sponges that this wonderful cela.
Samui is also famous for the "fool moon party", the feast of the full moon which is held on the beach of Hat Rin on Koh Pha-Ngan. We are very fortunate because 20 Saturday (the day before ns. Departure) is the full moon. Wowwww .. We are told that this festival is a real "rave party". We could not conclude that there is a vacancy in a better way.
Along with Andrew and Richard, 2 children Napolitain guests Seascape them, buy at one of the many travel agencies to Chaweng the ticket of the festival. A pick-up will take us from the port of Bo-puthir where we will conduct a boat to Koh Pha-Ngan, Fortuna wanted Xuan Thai friend Andrea came to us because from the moment the pick-up there has taken is started ns. adventure.
1) The pick-up can accommodate max 10 people, we were about double
2) The port to which it leads is not that where our part. boat and between 5 min. the ns. start!
3) Two scooter we are to recover after about 20 min. but this only thanks to Xuan who call the agency or the ns. party would have ended there.
4) We arrive at the port of Koh Pha-Ngan a catorce as ns. boat was already game, but clearly the surprises do not end here!
Ladies and gentleman this is to you "GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS"
There is no place to dock on the pier, we should get there by boat passing boat; Imagine a gang of drunkards who must try to balance tests, some boats are distant from each other even half a meter. But I do not know how to reach the goal. Victory!
"... E 'qui la festa ??!!" Yes, definitely! The music was deafening, people are transformed and we let go. Let us not lose with the boys but in the end was inevitable .. The only thing I remember well is that we have done everything to not stumble into those who had drunk or asleep on the beach.
Spoiled, me, Giusy, Riccardo, Andrea and Xuan back at the hotel. We have the time to rest a few hours, dive for the last time in this emerald green sea and then reluctantly greet Thailand. Unfortunately, ns. vacation is over and the return journey will be really long ..

2 months have passed since the exact match, already feel the need to spread .. proxima parada COLOMBIAAAA (I just convince my friends), you have any suggestions?

Ilenia