Day 19 - 21.10.2016
Today I started my day off right with another spa appointment at the Dahra Beauty & Spa. Got to make the most of it while they are still cheap!
I had a an aromatherapy with a herbal Luk Pra Kob Herbal Compression Massage including a small muslin sack packed with herbs that is steamed and pressed directly onto the skin to relieve tensions.
Then I had a coconut body scrub followed by a black sesame wrap, and aromatherapy massage and a cream milk treatment.
Just devine! I actually preferred this spa to the one in the mall, purely due to its treatment options and price range!
After the treatment I was feeling peckish and chose to follow through on a suggestion my dear Gordon Biggs made to me to go see the Taketei Japanese Restaurant here in Bangkok as they serve great Japanese food. Especially the all you can eat menu is supposed to be really good value for price.
Since I didn’t find the place right away, I was heading more and more towards their closing time, which is obviously why they no longer served the all you can eat menu. I quickly ordered from the normal menu, but unfortunately didn’t really feel comfortable as there were always a minimum of 8 -10 staff hanging around watching me drink and eat. I think they must have their staff lunch in the actual restaurant dining area and were keen on me finishing but please let me just enjoy my lunch in peace!
I was glad to get out and happy to find a taxi willing to bring me towards the royal palace. (We even went over the high way, where you have to pay 50 Baht toll fee to move around the city more quickly). Even though there was a lot of traffic, I hoped to manage to still get a glimpse of the royal palace before I left, seeing as it was reopening today.
All around the palace food stalls have been set up that hand out free food for the people coming to pay their respects to the late king. A stage was being setup, the royal anthem was played and sung, there was a lot of black and grief walking around.
The people were even sitting near the road of the palace to observe the military parades in memory of the late king. (Thats the royal palace behind the wall by the way)
And of course – the royal palace will only be open for the Thais, foreigners have to wait another month (or maybe three according to Soon my next tour guide) to get to walk through the royal palace. So instead I walked around it heading towards Wat Pho.
Wat Pho is the royal temple also known as the temple of the reclining Buddha.
Thank you Wikipedia:
„The temple is first on the list of six temples in Thailand classed as the highest grade of the first-class royal temples. It is associated with King Rama I who rebuilt the temple complex on an earlier temple site, and became his main temple where some of his ashes are enshrined. The temple was later expanded and extensively renovated by Rama III. The temple complex houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, including a 46 m long reclining Buddha. The temple was also the earliest centre for public education in Thailand, and houses a school of Thai medicine. It is known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage which is still taught and practiced at the temple.“
Oh yeah, and of course I had to have a Thai massage at THE birthplace of traditional Thai massage. Quite a tourist mashine!
A couple of stupas within the temple:
A stupa (Sanskrit: m.,स्तूप "heap") is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (śarīra - typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
One of the entrances guarded by Chinese like statues.
The Wat Pho complex.
Beautiful architecture and embellishments:
The collection of Buddhas:
A large standing statue of Buddha.
More elaborately decorated stupas:
A temple filled with Buddhist treasures:
Sorry for the photo, I don’t really like getting my camera out in these spiritual places.
Here he is, the 46m long reclining Buddha.
Inside the walls have elaborate tapistry:
The feet embellished with mother of pearl.
„There are 108 bronze bowls in the corridor representing the 108 auspicious characters of Buddha. Visitors may drop coins in these bowls as it is believed to bring good fortune, and it also helps the monks to maintain the wat.“
More beautifully tiled stupas.
Here some information about the royal palace found in Wat Pho:„The Grand Palace used to be the king’s royal residence only during King Rama I’s reign to King Rama V’s reign. Today it is used as the venue for royal ceremonies and state visits. Visitors will be allowed only into the outer court; the central court; and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha while the inner court is completely closed off to the public. (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha was built as a royal temple within the royal palace.)“
More of the collection of golden Buddhas:
After Wat Pho I wanted to head to the river to catch a small glimpse of Wat Arun on the other bank. Unfortunately it is completely covered in scaffolding...
I tried to find a taxi back to the hotel which proved to be very difficult as everyone in Bangkok wants to head to the Palace or away from it. A lot of walking was involved, and the traffic didn’t help (I think I made it back in 40 minutes – 1 hour...)
Tonight however was going to be an extraordinary evening! I had made a dinner reservation at Gaggans the number 1 of Asias best restaurants!
Short story on the side – my taxi driver to Gaggans was listening to a special Thai radio channel where all night long monks chant. Quite an interesting ride when this goes on for a good 40 minutes....
It was devine! Here is the menu for surprise tasting menu. – Yes emojis! The food was absolutely lovely, you could taste the Indian routes in all dishes. They dishes were innvocative, playful and creative with amazing products and interesting flavour combinations. I can truely understand why it is number one!
The first emoji – „Kiss“ – A jellified litshi cocktail / Aperitif.
Below - „Nut“ – The Indian flag represented with orange lentil / macadamia / wasabi. Slightly spicy and tasted strongly of nuts.
Above – „Explosion“ – A joghurt explosion in your mouth like a minty joghurt dip used for papadam.
Top „Rice“ – A small rice cake with safron – tasting slightly salty.
Left „Chili“ – A ball made from white chocolate and silver edible foil containing chili water. The chili wasn’t spicy but had a sence of bell pepper flavour to it. Very interesting!
Right „Eggplant“ – Dry frozen eggplant powder with curry leaf.
„Mushroom“ – A celery tarte with truffle oil and fresh black truffles. Absolutely delicious!
„Ice Cream“ – A cone made from mango, with wasabi ice cream and some sea urchin. Amazingly sweet and salty!
„Pork“ – Pork Vindaloo – fried potato and onion sauce (slightly spicy but not really spicy)
„Indian“ / Turban – or „Gol Gappa“ – a type of rice cracker ball with sweet potato filling –a chilled puree filling.
Meanwhile I ordered myself a bloody mary. (Tomato „cracker“ with celery mousse) Quite strong!
This insides of the Indian Turban:
„Sushi“ – Dashi „rice“ merengue with bluefin tuna – the chutoro cut of the tuna with ginger.
„Taco“ – Bluefin tuna tartar (with the Akami cut) with coriander and a bit of lime in a taco shell of corn and whole wheat.
„Chicken thigh“ – Chickpea with tandoori spice on a mango puree. Sweet taste and slightly spicy – and no chicken involved!
„Corn“ – Corn cracker with a foie grass mousse, apple blossom and a bit of spice and lemon. (Actually the foie grass mousse wasn’t foie grass but goat brain!)
„Fruit“ – No, this wasn’t just a passion fruit. This was yuzo jelly with a layer of foie grass and another layer of passion fruit on top. This was sweet and sour and savoury at the same time. Stunning dish!!
„Charcoal“ – 3 types of fish (thai bass, red snapper and lubai?) with Indian spices and a sweet potato filling. The black part was actually charcoal made from bamboo ash. The white „ash“ powder on top was onion powder. (It had a very distant taste of escargot with a garlic-y sauce)
Next up tea. „Air tea“. No just kidding, it was a full own tea ceremony and someone from the kitchen came to prepare it all!
First I had some tomato salad with melon and coriander oil.
Afterwards the chef prepared my a tomato consomé made from a powder of beetroot, pepper and tomatoes. The soup was quite savoury but still very light.
„Flowers“ – A lamb tandoori chop with with rangoli floral decorations made from (red) beetroot and (purple) sweet potato that simulate the designs used in floral displays in India for celebrations.
A very strong flavour when eaten all together, but very delicate flavours individually.
„Crab“ – Level 1 – Crab curry – quite spicy but devine! Level 2 – Deep fried crab – amazing! Level 3 – Coconut rice
All presented in the usual Indian lunch boxes.
Deserts:
Donut – however not a donut but a cronut. A cronut stuffed with safron rice pudding / „safron pudding“ called Kheer.
This I was so excited about that I forgot to take a photo....
„Snow“ – a warm apple mousse with white chocolate and melon and blueberry, topped with a crispy dry frozen melon and apple.
„Indian Flag“ – a national drink called masala chai tea in the form of paper, which you would then use to wrap the ginger and the powder and direct it to your mouth. Inside the mouth it crackled.
I had the most amazing night and was siftly brought back to the hotel.
