Encounters: (Episode 4: Hey Lady... Shady Lady!)
September 26, 2007
pic taken by the shady lady aka scam lady in the wat
As we entered the temple courtyard, there she was, a chubby woman wearing the colors of the King - big smile and all!
She approached us talking in thai, we corrected her and said we are from the Philippines. "philippin (pointing to binky). i thought thai. thai and philippin same-same" she said, followed by an annoying giggle "heeheehee!"
She claimed to be from Chiang Mai and is on vacation in Bangkok too. She told us her name, but all I can remember is that the last syllable was "chai". she also told us that we can't enter the temple because we're not properly dressed. This made me somehow suspicious because (1) we were dressed decently - perfect for any temple in the city and (2) the last time i was in Wat Mahatat, I just rented a white robe from the centre. She motioned us to follow her inside and since she can get us in without any problem.
As we entered the temple, she reminded us to be quiet. "shhh.... meditating... heeheehee!" she said. We sat down by the altar were she began her spiel about her life. As she finished, she asked about how we find Bangkok:
woman: how many days in thailand already?
us: 2nd day today.
woman: how long you stay?
us: 10 days.
woman: first time in bangkok?
me: my friend, first time. me, many times.
woman: in thailand we say sawasdee kah to greet. in philippin how?
us: "Kamusta"
woman: have you been to Chiang Mai?
us: no
woman: SUS! (she wipes her face with a sense of disbelief and disgust). Have you been to ayuthaya?
us: yes. yesterday.
woman: have you been to kanchanaburi?
us: no
woman: SUS! (again, she wipes her face with a sense of disbelief and disgust). have you been to pattaya?
that part of the conversation went on in what seemed like forever, just substitute the place name with something else and we would just give her "no" for an answer. Now that i think about it, we should just have said "yes" all along to shut her up. she continued:
woman: have you ride boat in chao phraya?!
us: no.
that was her cue. she asked for our map and started marking places we should go to...
"hee is golden mountain. hee is happy buddha. hee is standing buddha. you tek tuktuk. tuktuk go around, tek you golden mountain, happy buddha, standing buddha, thai expot." she said while desecrating our map with her undecipherable handwriting.
she continued...
woman: what is your name?
my friend: Binky.
woman: him?
my friend: jeremy.
now i have a tattoo of my name written in thai on my right arm. she sees it and reads it aloud "JE-RE-MY heeheehee." She repeats it like 5 times: "JE-RE-MY heeheeehhee" "JE-RE-MY heeheeehhee" "JE-RE-MY heeheeehhee" "JE-RE-MY heeheeehhee". (how annoying). Now, aside from the fact that I have a short attention span and I get the feeling that there's a twist to all this, i stood up and took pictures. I left the agonizing conversation between her and my friend, but I can't help overhear her.
she asks binky: what is your work?
binky: i work in media.
woman: what about him? MOVIE STAR? (she calls me) JE-RE-MEEE! (points at binky) MEDIA! (points at me) MUVISTAR! (repeat countless of times) MEDIA! MUVISTA! MEDIA! MUVISTA! MEDIA! MUVISTA!... after that, she further terrorizes our map.
woman: so again, you go to golden mountain. happy buddha, standing buddha. then thai expot. and you can go to boat and go around chao phraya. it will take you here. here. here. here. it will go around for one hour.
us: how do we get to the boat?
woman: (repeat performance) go to golden mountain. happy buddha, standing buddha. then thai expot and you can go to boat and go around chao phraya. it will take you here. here. here. here. it will go around for one hour. (for the most part she kept on repeating this).
us: if we take the tuktuk how much do we pay?
woman: go to golden mountain. happy buddha, standing buddha. then thai expot for SU-FIFTY baht.
us: you mean FIFTY baht each?
woman: NO. SUVENTY-five plus SUVENTY-five I-SU-FIFTY bath.
us: seventy-five plus seventy-five. one fifty?
woman: SUS! NO! SUVENTY-five plus SUVENTY-five I-SU-FIFTY!!!
us: AH! 25 + 25 is 50!
Woman: YES YES! SUVENTY-five plus SUVENTY-five I-SU-FIFTY! (oh Lord)
i think it took her about 45 minutes just trying to convince us to take the tuktuk to the places that she mentioned for fifty baht. she even had us rehearse what we were going to say to the tuktuk... like binky would say the greeting. i would say where the tuktuk should take us. then binky would tell how much. etc... all of it she even wrote on our poor map, so we won't forget our lines. I already knew then that this is a scam. So I told Binky that we should think of a way to get rid of her without embarrassing her after all her efforts.
She escorted us outside endlessly repeating "MEDIA! MUVISTA! MEDIA! MUVISTA!" until we reached the gate where she had a tuktuk ready! She starts to tell him about our itenirary... of course that would be "goldenmountainstandingbuddhahaddpybuddhathaiexpot".
We started to make excuses telling her that we will do the tour the next day. But she insisted "NO, only today. tomorrow cannot be."
"WOW! A Limited edition tour" I said to myself.
Now it's really time to get away.... far away from her. I told her we were going to the mall to meet with friends for lunch. As soon as i said that, she walked away pissed-off. I mean why not, we wasted 45 minutes of her precious time. She did all the stunts for nothing!
As soon as we got inside a cab, we burst into laughter. We couldn't even sleep that night because we kept on replaying the scenario and acting it out.
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
Create a free TravBuddy account or login to leave comments, meet travelers, and share experiences with the TravBuddy travel community.
pic taken by the shady lady aka …
Busy Bangkok Intersection Teeming with Life
The Erawan Shrine is a popular tourist attraction smack right in the middle of one of Bangkok's busiest intersections. It houses a thai representation of the Hindu God Brahma and features resident Thai dance troupes hired by worshippers in return for having their prayers answered.
I've been lucky enough to see the original Brahma statue during my first visit to Bangkok, the one at the shrine right now is a replacement since it was vandalized back in 2006. Still, the Shrine attracts many worshippers and tourists. Albeit the smoky atmosphere (incense galore!), this one is a must-see for every visitor since it is very accessible. You can visit it while you take a break from all the shopping in the nearby malls. The Shrine is a perfect place to observe people worshipping and a little bit of thai dancing. And it's all for free.
There are also other Hindu shrines in the immediate vicinity. Although not as popular as the Erawan, you can still always find worshippers in these small shrines. All are a few minutes walk from each other, and since you are already there, might as well visit a few of them:
1. Indra Shrine infront of Amarin shopping center
2. Narayana astride Garuda in front of Intercontinental Hotel
3. Lakshmi Shrine on the fourth floor of Gaysorn
4. Trimurti Shrine in front of Isetan at Central World Plaza
5. Ganesha in front of Isetan at Central World Plaza
Location: Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel (Ratchaprasong and Ratchadamri Road intersection)
To Get There: By BTS. Go down at Chitlom Station.
Shopping: The area has many shopping malls nearby (Gaysorn, CentralWorld, Big C and Amarin Plaza, all conveniently connected by an elevated skywalk to the various BTS stations.)
I've been lucky enough to see the original Brahma statue during my first visit to Bangkok, the one at the shrine right now is a replacement since it was vandalized back in 2006. Still, the Shrine attracts many worshippers and tourists. Albeit the smoky atmosphere (incense galore!), this one is a must-see for every visitor since it is very accessible. You can visit it while you take a break from all the shopping in the nearby malls. The Shrine is a perfect place to observe people worshipping and a little bit of thai dancing. And it's all for free.
There are also other Hindu shrines in the immediate vicinity. Although not as popular as the Erawan, you can still always find worshippers in these small shrines. All are a few minutes walk from each other, and since you are already there, might as well visit a few of them:
1. Indra Shrine infront of Amarin shopping center
2. Narayana astride Garuda in front of Intercontinental Hotel
3. Lakshmi Shrine on the fourth floor of Gaysorn
4. Trimurti Shrine in front of Isetan at Central World Plaza
5. Ganesha in front of Isetan at Central World Plaza
Location: Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel (Ratchaprasong and Ratchadamri Road intersection)
To Get There: By BTS. Go down at Chitlom Station.
Shopping: The area has many shopping malls nearby (Gaysorn, CentralWorld, Big C and Amarin Plaza, all conveniently connected by an elevated skywalk to the various BTS stations.)
The Erawan Shrine
Worshippers at the Shrine
Flower vendors line up the road …
Dancing for your soul
Ganesha Shrine @ Centralworld
Moment of Silence @ the Ganesha …
Shopping at Centralworld
Strolling along Centralworld
Mall Maintenance
Street Food along Ratchadamri
History Highlights (National Museum in Bangkok)
If you consider including a little of history to your stay in Bangkok, then the National Museum is the place for you.
Although it's a bit run down and poorly lighted (which i gives the site a relaxed ambiance), an hour or two at the museum is highly recommend, specially since it's just across the Grand Palace and a 10 minute walk from Khao San.
Notable sections of the Museum are:
- The Thai History Gallery. Outlines the history of the Thai people;
- The Prehistory Gallery. Features fine examples of ceramics, bronzes, cave paintings, and other artifacts dating between 3700 B.C. and 300 A.D are found.
- Buddhaisawan Chapel. Houses the Phra Buddha Sihing, the second most highly revered Buddha image in
Thailand, as well as, the oldest mural paintings in Bangkok.
- Transportation Room - Perhaps my favorite section. It contains palanquins, ceremonial
chairs with carrying poles and howdahs used by Royalty and high-ranking officials.
- Weapon room - Dominated by a life-size model of a war elephant, this section contains ornately decorated guns and swords (for ceremonial use only).
There are also collections of Ivory carvings, ceramics, masks and puppets, gold treasures, stone inscriptions, costumes and textile, musical instruments and funeral chariots (very impressive section, i must say!).
There are also a number of Various Pavillions (Sala) within the Museum compound.
The Museum is open everyday from 9AM-4PM except on Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays. Admission fee is 40 Baht.
English guided tours are available every Wednesdays and Thursdays between 930 AM and 12 Noon.
If you're feeling a bit tired and want to cool off, there's Häagen-Dazs® by the entrance.
Although it's a bit run down and poorly lighted (which i gives the site a relaxed ambiance), an hour or two at the museum is highly recommend, specially since it's just across the Grand Palace and a 10 minute walk from Khao San.
Notable sections of the Museum are:
- The Thai History Gallery. Outlines the history of the Thai people;
- The Prehistory Gallery. Features fine examples of ceramics, bronzes, cave paintings, and other artifacts dating between 3700 B.C. and 300 A.D are found.
- Buddhaisawan Chapel. Houses the Phra Buddha Sihing, the second most highly revered Buddha image in
Thailand, as well as, the oldest mural paintings in Bangkok.
- Transportation Room - Perhaps my favorite section. It contains palanquins, ceremonial
chairs with carrying poles and howdahs used by Royalty and high-ranking officials.
- Weapon room - Dominated by a life-size model of a war elephant, this section contains ornately decorated guns and swords (for ceremonial use only).
There are also collections of Ivory carvings, ceramics, masks and puppets, gold treasures, stone inscriptions, costumes and textile, musical instruments and funeral chariots (very impressive section, i must say!).
There are also a number of Various Pavillions (Sala) within the Museum compound.
The Museum is open everyday from 9AM-4PM except on Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays. Admission fee is 40 Baht.
English guided tours are available every Wednesdays and Thursdays between 930 AM and 12 Noon.
If you're feeling a bit tired and want to cool off, there's Häagen-Dazs® by the entrance.
Buddhaisawan Chapel
I dunno what this is but it's qu…
I think that's the library.
Naga
Bird.
Naga
Samranmukhamat Pavillion
Elephant!
Buddhaisawan Chapel and Sala Lon…
Wat Mahathat and Surrounding Areas
Founded in the 18th century, Wat Mahathat is one of Bangkok's most important temples. It houses the Mahanikai monastic sect and the Vipassana Meditation centre. The temple grounds is large and full of schools and you have to make your way through some buildings and parked vehicles before you reach the inner courtyard. You'll know you're in the inner courtyard when you see buddha images lined up.
This wat is in a way different from other temples because people come here for the interaction and participation rather than any special architectural feature. The first time I went to this temple, I encountered some friendly monks who are so eager to practice their English. My second visit was a different experience altogether, (see my blog entry "Hey Lady... Shady Lady"). Be careful of people approaching you, they might try to scam you. If you sense any situation leading to this, just say "NO" politely and walk away... far ... far... away.
Next to the wat is the city's largest amulet market, where you can buy traditional medicine, charms and talisman for various purposes. The amulets are spread on the ground so buyers can inspect them. Although there are always hawkers lined-up, the best time to visit the market is on Sundays. There are also palm-readers and astrologers in the area.
Across Wat Mahathat is Sanam Luang Park. This is where thais go for picnics and some kite flying. There's pretty much nothing to do here, unless you want to feed and chase pigeons.
This wat is in a way different from other temples because people come here for the interaction and participation rather than any special architectural feature. The first time I went to this temple, I encountered some friendly monks who are so eager to practice their English. My second visit was a different experience altogether, (see my blog entry "Hey Lady... Shady Lady"). Be careful of people approaching you, they might try to scam you. If you sense any situation leading to this, just say "NO" politely and walk away... far ... far... away.
Next to the wat is the city's largest amulet market, where you can buy traditional medicine, charms and talisman for various purposes. The amulets are spread on the ground so buyers can inspect them. Although there are always hawkers lined-up, the best time to visit the market is on Sundays. There are also palm-readers and astrologers in the area.
Across Wat Mahathat is Sanam Luang Park. This is where thais go for picnics and some kite flying. There's pretty much nothing to do here, unless you want to feed and chase pigeons.
sanam luang pigeons
tuktuk.
moment of silence
attack!
Coco Walk (Prathong Buffet)
Binky and I were on our way back to our hotel when we chanced upon Coco Walk. Since we were both wanting to have a little alcohol in our system that night, we went to check it out.
Granted, the place doesn't look nowhere near elegant, but the big menu board that said "BUFFET 89Baht (US$3)" was enough to merit our approval. Besides, if there's a lot of people eating then it must be good.
We sat down, ordered a couple of beers (60Baht each) and gave the buffet a try. The buffet table offers a wide variety of vegetables, seafood, meat and noodles to choose from. The idea here is to grill the meat over charcoal allowing its juices to gather on the sides where your vegetables, fish/meat balls, and noodles are being boiled. You can mix both grill and soup with spicy sauces to make for one very delicious dinner!
Anyone who happens to find themselves here should give it a try. The exterior may not be impressive, but the food is really good and cheap.
A couple of cons though: the staff don't speak english well, so make some extra effort to get your message across; and the area can be a noisy since there are other bars within and surrounding it, competing for their music to be heard.
Granted, the place doesn't look nowhere near elegant, but the big menu board that said "BUFFET 89Baht (US$3)" was enough to merit our approval. Besides, if there's a lot of people eating then it must be good.
We sat down, ordered a couple of beers (60Baht each) and gave the buffet a try. The buffet table offers a wide variety of vegetables, seafood, meat and noodles to choose from. The idea here is to grill the meat over charcoal allowing its juices to gather on the sides where your vegetables, fish/meat balls, and noodles are being boiled. You can mix both grill and soup with spicy sauces to make for one very delicious dinner!
Anyone who happens to find themselves here should give it a try. The exterior may not be impressive, but the food is really good and cheap.
A couple of cons though: the staff don't speak english well, so make some extra effort to get your message across; and the area can be a noisy since there are other bars within and surrounding it, competing for their music to be heard.
grill it baby!
at Coco Walk
