Last Full Day of Killer Heat

We are at breakfast around 7:30. My stomach is still a little angry.

So I keep breakfast simple. 

We head out for the palace via Uber. The place is crowded. It's hot and humid. I think all of this weather the last 5 days is getting to us. 

We catch the changing of the guard.

It's beautiful but we don't have the stamina to see more. 

 

Plus we have our shirt fitting. 

We arrive and my first shirt is fine but there are flaws in the material. After a bunch of back and forth they say they will change out the panels. I try the second shirt and it's much better. They let me know the roll of material is bad and I have to pick out another material. I wonder if that is the case or if it is too much work to replace the bad panels. I find another blue material. Aparna gets her shirt refitted and we arrange for delivery at the hotel. 

Our palace tickets also give us access to the Vinmanmek Mansion made of teak. It's close by but we Uber it. You can't take pictures inside. They go as far as making you lock up your cellphone and bags. It's huge and we only see a fraction of it. 

View from the outside. 

I find a lunch spot that is less than a mile away on Google Maps that has good ratings so we walk. It's on the other side of the university so I figure it's a student hangout. Even in the shade it's a punishing walk. We find the place and it's busy. It turns out it is some foodie Thai place and has picture menus with English. However I think there is only one other non-Thai speaking table. It has a range of ages eating there. 

I know more fried rice, right?  It's crab fried rice and really good. 

Our first phad Thai of the trip. I wanted the green papaya salad but they ran out. Both dishes are good and we rest in the AC. 

We Uber back to the hotel. I nap and Aparna cools off by the pool. Now that Aparna has shoes we head out for a roof top bar. I pick a different one since this one has seats and is only 4 floors lower than the other one. It also doesn't have a roof. I check Uber and they are twenty minutes out so I figure we'll take cab. Our hotel is great but the location makes it tough to catch a cab. All the drivers want a flat 300 Baht to take us. No one wants to run a meter during rush hour. Finally I manage to get an Uber. It costs us 122 Baht.  This is the most expensive trip and it's less than $4. However by this time we are pushing it to make sunset. The driver gets us near but will need to make a u-turn and I'm guessing that will take another 15 minutes in this traffic. I decide to get out in traffic and walk. Aparna is a bit concerned but there is a turn lane and traffic is at a standstill. We safely and quickly cross. 

Are up to the top with about 15 minutes to spare. It's surprisingly only half full.

The place fills up after sunset. We meet a couple from Alabama. They tell us about their traffic issues. I'm beginning to think a lot of people missed sunset due to traffic. 4 drinks sets us back $75 but the view was worth it. 

We head back to our hotel as our clothes is being dropped off. Our clothes is there. They seem fine and we eat in the hotel. 

I order a stewed beef dish and pick around the Thai chilies. 

Aparna gets a green curry with roti. They are good but greasy. 

Food cost for the day is just under $120. We are definitely spending more in Bangkok but it's mostly high end alcohol. You could get by on a lot less. 

Steps are just under 10k and just over 3 miles.