Friday adventures

With life in Thailand changing daily the lockdown protocols change rapidly.

Once we could swim in the condo pool, walk in a park for exercise, now we are limited to grocery stores, drugstores and walking the streets!

Street vendors, although not as many as before covid, are still hawking their wares...grilled meats, fresh fruit and veg, lottery tickets(hey I won 4000baht), face masks and pandemic supplies.

Museums, malls and massage are a no-no!

I've been trying to keep myself busy.

I finally decided to buy a sewing machine, thanks Lazada!

(ssshhhhhh I have a suitcase half full of material that I brought with me that I need to use up---said no quilter/sewist ever!) I am making tote bags right now as inspiration is brewing for a bigger project.

I try to get out of the house on an excursion in the city(transportation out of the city is non-existent) staying socially distanced and wearing masks.

A recent trip took me to Wat Paknam. Only my second trip on the MRT(subway). As I use it so little, it fascinates me to buy a token for a one-way trip, that looks like a big button. I've taken to nicknaming it, "plug nickel"!

Wat Paknam has been around for centuries but has had a few additions in the past decade.

An 80 metre(262ft) stupa was added in 2012.(apparently so tourists will visit)

A large bronze buddha was begun in 2017 and recently finished.

It stands at 69 meters (226 ft) tall and 40 meters (130 ft) wide.

Although when I visited they were doing minor construction around the site.

Chinatown

Another recent excursion led me to Sampeng Market in Chinatown. I had heard they had stalls that sold fabric. I wasn't holding out much hope as restrictions are in place for non-essential businesses to be closed during the next few weeks. If nothing else it was a chance to learn the BTS(Skytrain) and MRT(subway) systems. I do like to try and find my way around a city and this was an excellent opportunity.

4 stops on the BTS to Asok and then 8 stops on the subway. The MRT is a separate system from the BTS. Although the lines intersect, you need to travel from one station to the other(usually the entrances are right outside each other) and you pay separately. My Rabbit card(for the BTS) does not work on the MRT, thus the purchase of another plug nickel. I really can't complain. Most trips are 44 baht(more or less depending on the distance travelled ---$1.65 Canadian) and most stops on the MRT are 17 baht( .64 cents Canadian), although my trip to Sampeng was 33 baht ($1.25)

As I made my way(thanks to Google maps) to Sampeng I felt hopeful as there were street vendors selling food and a couple of stalls were opened. A large fabric store was opened as well. I started to look and asked if it was okay to go inside. I was reassured I could, but I added as I stepped over the threshold, "I can hide quickly if the police come!"

I continued to the market entry, a rather secretive-looking alley covered over with umbrellas and awnings for protection.

The alley was very small and somewhat crowded when I arrived. As it is a street, there were, at times motorcycle taxis going through and dollies of merchandise going the opposite direction which made walking difficult. I just had to pop into a couple of the fabric shops to avoid being run over!

Most hawkers were set up in closed stall fronts, selling snacks, food and pandemic supplies. If actual stalls were open they seemed to have the obligatory pandemic supplies at the entrance but were open for customers to go into the store.

The canal near the market.

It was a welcome respite as the 4+ blocks with smaller alleys and roads off the main artery became a bit overwhelming and I needed to take a break.

I did manage a few purchases before fatigue set in.

Erawan Museum

I've been following a group on Facebook called, Thailand-Secrets.

Someone posted a picture of the museum and it looked so cool. I of course Googled it and was intrigued by the pictures of the place. Again, one is never sure about what is open and closed, but according to Google, it was open.

Erawan is one of the Thai names of Airavata. It is depicted as a huge elephant with either three or sometimes thirty-three heads which are often shown with more than two tusks. Google.

Off I went.

7 BTS stations away!

Upon entry(400 baht=$15) I was told the gardens were open but the interior of the museum was closed. Somewhat disappointed I went to view the gardens.

I was in luck though! A troupe of Thai dancers were getting ready to perform.

The gardens were so peaceful and calm. There were few people around but less than 800m away was the intersection of 2 roadways, an on-ramp and an off-ramp and the BTS line overhead.

It made for a nice respite.

the pathway wound round the entire garden.

The 7 headed nagas protected Buddha from the rain during his meditation.

The gardens are dotted with shrines, statuary and elephants, that as you walk underneath, for good luck, trumpet their call.

The actual museum occupies a massive 3-headed elephant statue that stands on an equally gargantuan pedestal. Cast in pure copper, the 250-tonne structure spans 29 metres in height and 39 in length.

Gee!

I can hardly wait for next week's adventure!