Prayers For Military Ceremony

27.12.2009 - 01.03.2010 New Year Bangkok

Actually, we do not want to go to Thailand. But as our friend Petra from Hong Kong along with her brother Lars and his wife on his return from Myanmar Jaca a stop-over has been scheduled on New Year's Eve in Bangkok, we meet instead of just in Hong Kong in Bangkok. The stay in the country is short, so we focus on the old and new capital from the airport and drive equal to about 80km north to Ayutthaya, the ancient imperial city. We live in a very nice little guest house out of wood by the river and our room is a pure Dormitory, after all, with 2 fans, we are using now. Unlike Delhi, it is hot and humid here and we have to get used to once again take the heat. On the bike, we explore the cozy old capital with its numerous historic temples (Wat). The children are happy that they do not leak, but on the rack or the handlebars are a journey around the area and makes us the fun of movement. Soon "Buddha-scouting" a popular game of the girls. Supposedly there are about 400 Wats in Ayutthaya. At an evening boat tour, and several bicycle tours, we see a lot of it and are proud of us, all we have 400 not well discovered. We try to name as Mongkonbophit Phra, Wat Mahathat, Wat Phanan Coeng or Wat Chai Mongkol Yia to remember, but to be relatively quickly and limit ourselves to the visit of the facilities. Each of the Wat is on his way and most were either built as a tribute to their mother, the father or because of any event. Unfortunately, many of the temples are often very damaged. Imagine how everything looked like in its original condition must. Wat Chaiwatthanaram is reminiscent of images from Ankorwat in Cambodia. Already on our trip to Vietnam 8 years ago we did not make a trip there and especially Ariane's great regret is not Cambodia, this time on our route. Once again, we must recognize that the 6 months are too short to see everything.

rely on the penultimate day of the year we the small quiet town and travel back to Bangkok. The 1.5-hour train ride - a remarkable way to a ticket price of about € 1.80, - total - fun for everyone. Similarly, the subsequent tuk tuk ride, as they are here much more quickly than we have ever experienced. Tempo and dynamics change but also nothing to nod to the amazing gift that many Asian taxi driver with a specified target gay and to agree on a price, and following a route to determine that they actually have no idea where to go there.

We refer the centrally located and very beautiful hotel Siri Satorn, which was visited by Petra already on their various visits Bangkok. For our standards we live very luxurious apartment in a quite huge. The children enjoy the pool and the slide in the little garden, we vertratschen the mornings in the garden with Peter, Lars and Jaca. To ease our cultural consciousness, we visit the impressive temples of the Royal Palace in Bangkok, however, that this plan at the same time about 300,000 other visitors to the city. However, we are impressed by the many golden towers and the huge wall decoration, the evening also clears the area quickly so that the beauty of this system even better reverberation.

we celebrate New Year's Eve spectacular, but nice all together. The fireworks over the rooftops of Bangkok is also not as dramatic as expected, and soon after the new year we are in bed.

Inspired by Petra, we can also tell us a little under the spell of this shopping Eldorado pull and pull through the MBK Shopping Centre and the Night Market. Here there is everything you could wish for at low prices, not always in 100% purity mark, he and best quality. However, it is fun by the full Shops to run and look around. On the Night Market, there are even a few corners, strongly reminiscent of the various exhibitors at the Bread & Butter in Berlin. Small designer shops with some very cool clothes, but unfortunately all only one size available and therefore inappropriate at least for European Eriks Guard degree. Basically, it is clear that the girls go shopping at least as much as the mother and every article of clothing will be discussed in detail. Inside the Night Market is the food market, the structure and offer her a good mix of Oktoberfest and malls in the season. Accordingly, the colorful variety of Western visitors, after the last few weeks a small culture shock for us. extent, we are by the nice days, not unhappy, it now goes to Laos.