Wat Arun or not?

Wat Arun was on my agenda today because I didn’t make it there in April.  Again, I took the Chao Phraya Express from my pier Phra Arthit to Wat Arun pier, several stops away.  Pulling in there, I had the distinct sense of déjà vu.  Yes, I had been hopped off there before … and I remember reboarding the ferry there too.  But somehow I had no recollection of visiting the temple.

With that thought, I decided not to revisit Wat Arun but to stay on the ferry until its final stop.  I decided that it I could have a great morning, taking the return ferry to the final stop at the other end of the line upriver as well.

At the final stop downriver, I took a walk around the neighbourhood.  The flash Asiatique mall wasn’t yet open at this time in the morning.  I backtracked my route on land ending up at Sathorn Pier, the boat stop that connects to the monorail.

It wasn’t a particularly scenic walk but I got a glimpse of real-life Bangkok and also plenty of Loi Krathong baskets and candles.

Hopping back on the boat upstream, the conductor yelled “Last Stop” when we got to my pier.  Damn!  There goes the idea of going all the way to the last stop upstream.

I rested briefly before coming out for a lunch of Pad Thai at Soi Rambuttri.  It was hot and I decided to a have a restful afternoon indoors.  I checked my travel blogs from April to determine if I had in fact visited Wat Arun.  There was nothing written about it and there were no photos from land, only a few from the ferry.  I racked my brains and decided that Jo and I had arrived there, felt too hot tired and disinterested and left immediately on the next ferry.

Dinner in a restaurant on Rambuttri proved disappointing.  The chicken green curry lacked the punchy mix of flavours.