Bangkok - Day 2

Our second day in Bangkok was a "Bites & Bike" tour.   The first half was a walking tour around town to try local foods.  The second half was a local bike tour.

We took the hotel boat again and met our tour at the BTS stop.

View of the river and a barge heading out.

Hotel boat stop

We tasted 10 different local foods in places I never would have dreamed of going into.

The first place was a noodle shop under the steps of the BTS station.  The secret ingredient (pig blood) freaked a few people out, but it was optional... 

We then took a boat across the river to another little restaurant.   Everything cut and cooked fresh to order - YUM!

Papaya Mango salad

Spicy Pork with Mango Sauce

Fried Catfish with a sweet and spicy sauce - a hit of the tour

We took one more boat back across the river, and the next stop was a Muslim restaurant.

 Curry Noodles - Awesome!

Then we went to a bakery shop for a pork bun and a bun with green custard.

Our last stop was a famous local place - Palpapruek for great Green Chicken Curry with Roti and Young Coconut Sorbet.

Then it was off to the bike tour.

Rest stop at a Christian Church

Market

View of the river again.

Flower market we cruised through.

Gwen's flat tire getting pumped up for the 1st time.

Bikes on a boat crossing the river.

On the other side - we went to Wat Arun.

Map of where we have been.

Not pictured is Gwen's flat getting pumped up again....

We road a little further, and Gwen gave up on the tire.  Unfortunately the guides did not know how to change a tube, but they did have the spare tube and tools.  The group split - we stayed with one guide while Patrick was 'grease monkey'.

After the bike ride we visited the fish spa at the bike club house.   Very strange sensation having little fish eat the dead skin off your feet... but they're baby-soft :)

Back at the hotel that night we took some pictures of the bronze frogs.

Next day we headed home - in style.  We booked this trip in a hotel / airfare package - and that included business class home on Emirates.

More food.....

Ramp to the 'upper' deck of the A380.

We had seats together in the middle - we put the divider down between us.

Lounge in the rear of the plane.

Yes - Patrick fell fast asleep.

Best part about Emirates was they allowed you to watch a movie or TV during take off and touchdown - yes you had to have your seat in their upright position, but did not have to remove your headphones.  Here is Gwen on landing:

It was a great long weekend in Bangkok.  Check this one off the bucket list, and we would go back in a heartbeat.