Bangkok City Tour

Alarm wakes us from a deep sleep at 6.30 am. Just want to sleep, but so much to see today.
After a Thai style sumptuous breakfast which was taken outside in glorious warmth, we meet up with our guide for the morning.
Anapornon is her name she has very good ingrish but with her accent and our continued blocked heads we struggle to understand her.
We take the hotel tuk tuk to catch the sky train. It is rush hour so very busy. The train is mainly filled with very young people off to work in the new business area of the city. We are headed to the old quarter. There is no smog today but most people wear face masks because of the pollution. We switch trains and 6 stops later are getting on a boat on the ( can’t remember the name of the river) Chao Phraya River. It is wild, the tide is high and running inland. The pontoons rise and fall at an alarming rate. We are on the business "no foreigner" boat and must hurry to board and disembark. Anapornon has already clocked that I am not the steadiest of people. I am having visions of me falling into the turbulent river never to be seen again.
Water hyacinth floats in huge swathes, dredgers come everyday to scoop it up. We see several already fully loaded so early in the day.
Our first destination is the Grand Palace  no royalty live here now. It is used for funerals and ceremonies only. There are several buildings the most ornate and colourful we have ever seen. Studded with coloured glass, gilded with gold leaf and ornately carved. Ana tells us all the history and about the various kings who have ruled. It is very very hot, we have to wear long sleeves and full trousers so are feeling it a bit. After an hour or so we are flagging,  after some cold water and a tuk tuk ride to Pho Wat we are ready for stage 2. This is a magnificent place many ornate temples the school for meditation and massage (need one) loads of Buddhas here, sitting Buddha, standing Buddha, reclining Buddha, smiling Buddha, you get the picture. However the reclining Buddha is the biggest Buddha we have seen and we have seen a few.
Enough Buddhas. We go to the wholesale market ginger, galangal, chillies fill the air with the most amazing mix of aromas. Some ladies are chopping vast amounts of ginger. We eat mangos freshly peeled and chopped with sticky rice and coconut milk. It is very sweet but refreshing.we tour around the flower market. The colours and perfume are so vibrant, big bunches of orchids for 8 bhat 25p.
More water as starting to flag again.
We catch the tourist boat back and sit on the top deck, the breeze is blissful the hot sun on our face we are tired but happy bunnies. 2 more sky trains (wonderful aircon) and a short walk we are back home. We collapse on the bed, worn out. It is a much as we can do to prise ourselves out of the room and onto a sun bed. The beds are actually in the pool so we dangle our tired feet in the cool water and promptly fall asleep.
Things we have learned today.
Everyday of the week has a colour Saturday is mine Purple. Ian is pink tuesday. Sunday is red Weds is blue can’t remeber any others.
The old king of Thailand died 2 years ago. New king not popular as he does not like ThIland and lives in Munich so we are told.
Anapornon does not like the Chinese as they are uncouth loud and eat in the street. Look Look she says to me, they are eating mango in the street can you believe it. She is telling people off all the time for making too much noise, pointing their feet at Buddha and being disrespectful in general.
Massages are very cheap and ten a penny down all the streets.
After the pool snooze we get ready and go the the lounge for a gin or several if your name is Ian. We then walk down the street into the warm night air, have a beer and some food. Mr F is having a hot curry hmmmmm we have a flight to catch tomorrow.
We had a wry smile to ourselves as 2 people in the hotel were going through a presentation they were making tomorrow. Ah those were the days..... not.