Let Go of My Map!

Tuk tuk drivers in Chiang Mai: genuine and laid back
Tuk tuk drivers in Bangkok: looking to get slapped by a Texas tourist

One day last week, my friend and I did the sight seeing thing. We were walking to a pier a little north of all the sights to get on a local river taxi (14 baht versus 600 baht for a tourist river taxi). As we are walking, we occasionally pull out the map. Every time we do this, a tuk tuk driver comes up offering to help. At first, we think, "Wow how nice of this person." But then he grabs one side of the map and starts telling us he will take us to this place and then this place and this place too. We say "No, thats ok we are walking, but thanks for the help." But they just don't give up! They always say "too far to walk, I take you on tuk tuk." And we are trying to walk away, but they just keep holding on to my map.

We finally get on the boat, go most of the way down the river, come back up and get off at pier near the Grand Palace. Here we go again...as we are walking in between the palace and the Wat Phrakaew, tuk tuk drivers just keep appearing asking the same things.

"Where you going?"
"Where you come from?"
"Tuk tuk?"

We walk in to the Wat Phakaew and just kind of walk past the ticket counter. We didn't really mean to, but once we realized you were supposed to pay 50 baht, we just kept walking. This place was actually a lot of different temples...very pretty.



After the impromptu temple sighting, we set out for our original destination: the Grand Palace. Unfortunately, we couldn't go in for another 2 hours. But the guy at the information desk said we could take a tuk tuk up to the Big Buddha and come back to the palace for only 30 baht each. We were a little skeptical, because usually if its really cheap you have to stop in at these stores for 5 minutes, so the drivers get coupons from their sponsors for gas. But, since the tuk tuk driver looked legit, and the guy told us he worked for the government and not just a random driver, we decided to go.



Afterwards, we get back in the tuk tuk, and the driver mentions he must stop at two places and we must go inside. Ugh! But we're good sports about it, and I tell Kyle I'm not doing the suit store again since I went into FOUR the first day for a cheap ride to the weekend market. The first stop is a jewelry store. I actually enjoyed this one, found a ring I wish I could buy, and met ANOTHER ex-Texas resident. The man behind the counter went to UT for engineering in the 1970s. And his parents live in Florida. I think I attract these people with some kind of Texas radar.

The second store was a suit shop, and Kyle did all the looking. So I was a hot but happy camper.

We finally get to the Grand Palace and discover that I'm showing too much skin (my calves and ankles are so promiscuous) and so is Kyle. We have to borrow clothes from the Palace, which is very common. So we walk around the massive compound wearing these.



My favorite part of the Palace wasn't a temple or the mansion or the actual "palace". As always, I was drawn to the trees!



We walked back to our hostels and braved the tuk tuk madness, keeping our heads down and our eyes focused on the sidewalk ahead. We got to the busy highway intersection we bravely crossed a the night before. Only this time, we decided to walk down further to cross at an actual cross walk. But I want to take this moment to show a picture of when we DID cross. Grandparents and parents, I apologize for what you are about to see.



But we made it safely across!

Overall, it was a productive day for sightseeing. I'm just glad its over so I can now spend the rest of my time here doing absolutely nothing.