Day 4, Friday 06 Dec' 2013
Early in the next morning I left hostel and walked along Khaosan Road and arrived at Ratchadamnoen Road. As you know, Khaosan, Rambutri, and Ratchadamnoen Road are near each other. At those roads, we can find alot of small alleys that filled by hostel or guesthouse. These hostels mostly are cheap, starting from 100 bath for dormitory room and 150 bath for a single room.
At Ratchadamnoen area, I found CH. 2 Guesthouse. This guesthouse has 4 floors. I have to pay 150 bath/night for single room. Single room is on 4th floor, and... it was quite tiring to go to 4th floor.. (-_-*)
Only a bed and a fan at the top of the roof that I saw in this single room. The bathroom is outside. I have to use sharing bathroom with other guests. But that was okay, cos the bathrooms are clean. I decided to move here 'cos I can save enough money if I stayed here.. :D
Afterwards I went back to hostel that I stayed before, to checkout and moved to CH. 2 Guesthouse. After I paid for one night, I put my backpack at my room and went out. It was a lovely morning. Sunshine was shining brightly.
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| Khaosan Road area and pink cabs |
At the corner of the alley, I saw a woman who was selling beverage. I got closer to her and found that she sold hot thai tea.. yeaayyy.. and its cost only 20 bath, slurrppp.. sooo deliciousss.. (^_^)
With hot thai tea on my hand, I walked to tour agency at Khaosan Road. That day I will go to Kanchanaburi to visit Tiger Temple.
Near tour agency I was looking for something to eat and I found coconut cake. Its cost only 20 bath for 8 small pieces. This cake is sweet and delicious... recomend to try ^^
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| (up) Khaosan Road still empty in the morning. (down) coconut cake. |
At 10 o'clock, me and other tourists who were waiting at tour agency went into the car. After that, we went to some hotels to pick up other passangers who want to go with us. A half hour later, we were on the street heading to Kanchanaburi ...
Kanchanaburi
There were nothing special scenes when we were heading to Kanchanaburi. Around 2 hours on the road, we hitted at Kanchanaburi. Kanchanaburi is one of town in the west of Thailand. This town has warm climate, and famous for its long history and ancient civilizations. More info please check wikipedia ;)
Honeslty, I was so exciting when we arrived at Kanchanaburi. I can't wait to see Tiger Temple and taking photos with those animals (tiger -red).. (^_^)
But before we hit at Tiger Temple, we have to stop at some places to disembark some passangers. Because not all of us (in the car) went to Tiger Temple that day. Some of us take the same car with us to go to their hotels. They wanted to stay at Kanchanaburi.
The funny things happened when we arrived in front of River Inn Hotel. Our diver which is Thai, disembarked from the car and open the door. He yelled words "Kwai In".. and repeat it over and over again. None of us understand what he said. Then he looked angry, and once again shout out loud to us "Kwai In"...
An old man who was sitting next to me said something to a couple behind us. "Do you stop here?"
One of that couple looked outside and said in panic voice, "Oh yes, yes.. I am sorry," while he and his partner disembarked from the car. Our driver looked angry and yelled to them.. :p
Of course that couple did not understand what he said (our driver-red). It was because he used Thai accent, "River Inn" became "Kwai Inn", hihihi... ;))
And then we were driving again, this time to Blue Star Hotel. In this hotel, our driver did the same thing again. This time he said, "Bu Ta".. over and over again.
Luckily, the old man who was sitting next to me understood what he said. The old man, quickly said, "Yes, Blue Star.. Blue Star," while looked at me and we laughed... hihihi.. ;))
After disembarking some passangers to their hotels, we continued our journey to Tiger Temple. But.. we did not go straight to Tiger Temple, the driver disembarked us in front of a restaurant. There, we met a young man, he will be our guide to Tiger Temple, okkayy..
Then that young man explained to us, that we will go to Tiger Temple a half hour later because the driver must refill gasoline. He also said that we can walk around while waiting for the car, and visiting the famous River Kwai Bridge.
Heh? I was little bit shock listening what he said,.. River Kwai Bridge! Because when I was still in Jakarta, I have a plan to visit River Kwai Bridge. But, since I did not have much time to take tour, I skipped my plan to visit that bridge. Sooo... it was my lucky day I guess, alhamdulillah.. hihihi... (^_^)
River Kwai Bridge
River Kwai Bridge became so famous since it was featured in David Lean movie. This bridge as a part of Death Railway which is linking Thailand and Burma. In the past, the bridge was the target of frequent allied bombing raids during World War II and was rebuild after war ended. A daily train is still following the historical route from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok Railway Station.
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| River Kwai Bridge. The black iron bridge was brought from Java, Indonesia by Japanese, wohoo.. ^^ |
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| Scene around River Kwai Bridge. |
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| Restaurants in front of River Kwai. |
It was very hot when I walked toward the bridge that day. The sun were shining so bright and I melted.. :p
When I entered the bridge, It was quite exciting standing at the center of the bridge. But the bridge was too crowded.. :O
Locals and foreign tourists were back and forth at the bridge. Not only that, near the bridge there were so much sellers and shops in tents (like small market- red), and people who asking tourists to buy their things. Very annoying.. :'(
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| Sellers everywhere around River Kwai Bridge. |
After walking around about a half hour, I came back to meeting point, at the restaurant.
About 10 minutes later, we were in the car, driving to Tiger Temple. It took about one hour to the temple. There were no interesting scenes along the road to Tiger Temple. Most of I saw was savannas and woods. Because the road to Tiger Temple is the road to outside the city, there was only a few residential along the road. That day we were driving so fast. Maybe it was because the street were empty, only a few vehicles that passing this way.
When our car arrived at Tiger Temple area, I was so thankful to God that I decided to go to Tiger Temple by tour not by backpacker style. Why? Because the road from entrance gate to main gate is so far.. :O
I do not recomend for girl who want to go to Tiger Temple with public transportation by her own. You have to go there by tour agency or with your friends for your own safety. Except if you rent a car or motorcycle.
Around 13.40 pm we hitted at the main gate of Tiger Temple, horayy.. ^_^
FYI:
- Before you go to Tiger Temple, do not forget to bring along with you mineral water because the temperature at Tiger Temple is very hot and dry.
- And for woman or man who want to visit this temple must wear polite cloth. Short pants and short sleeves cloths are not allowed. If you insist to wear that clothes, you have to prepare an extra money to buy cloths that more polite at the entrance or you can not come inside the temple. This rule is made because inside of the temple you will meet monks. In Thailand, monks are holy people. They never take physical contact with woman. So, we must respect them.
- And you are not allowed to wear cloths with yellow, red, and orange colour due to those colours are look like the monk's cloths. The tigers are so close with monks. So, you dont want they hit you right? :p
At the main gate, our guide gave us a paper whose filled by some rules that visitors must obey. We have to sign the paper as our agreement that if there is something happened to us during our visit to Tiger Temple, the authorities of the temple do not resposible of what happened, fiuhhh.. ;'(
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| paper agreement & ticket booth & entrance. |
After we signed the paper, we entered the gate but our guide did not come with us. He just wait outside the gate and let us did our journey by ourselves.. (-_-*)
Before that, he gave us a paper map. "You just have to follow these signs, and you will find the tiger's venue," he said while pointing some signs by his finger at the paper map.
Olrite... together with other tourists I walked inside the gate following the map's direction and some other signs.
The road that we passed was so dry and the weather was so hot.. (-_-*)
There are no grasses along the way, only trees, buffalos, deers, pigs, rocks, and cliffs. The colour of the street and cliff are brown mix white, and grey, sooo dryyy...
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| Buffalos and deers near entrance. |
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| Tiger canyon. |
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| Entrance Tiger Canyon..^^ |
Finally, after 15 minutes walking, we arrived at Tiger canyon where those tigers stay.. ^^
Well.. when I saw the canyon, it was under my imagination. Before I came to Tiger Temple, I saw lots of Tiger Temple pictures and also their videos. My imagination and expectation about this place are too high. Tiger Canyon is not look like in pictures. This place is too small for those tigers.
And.. most of those tigers were sleepy and sleeping. I ever read about these sleeping tigers. The monks said that before those tigers came to canyon, they have to do some rituals and prays to make those wild animals sleepy or asleep.
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| Most of these tigers were sleep. |
But, some of animal protectors say that the monks do something terrible to those tigers. They say that the monks give those tigers drugs, that is why the tigers always asleep or sleepy during 'the show'. Well, I do not like to be sceptic with the monks, because in my country (Indonesia) there is also that kind of rituals ;)
FYI: These tigers only show up in public at 12 pm - 4 pm. Entrance ticket is closed at 03.30 pm.
Do not forget to bring camera. The Tiger Temple's staff will help you to take photos.
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| This is it.. Tiger's show. |
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| If you enter this area, you have to be gudied by a tiger temple's staff. And the staff must hold your hands. You can't walk alone by yourselves here. |
And then, I must wait on the line so I can take pictures with those animals. One of the Tiger Temple's staff gave us announce that if we do not want to wait on the line, we can take photo group (maximum 6 people) but we must pay again 1.000 bath.. geezzz.. (-_-*)
After wait for a half hour on the line, it was my turn to take pictures with those animals, hurrayy.. ^^
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| When I want to take pic with this monk, I have to ask for it to the staff who was accompanying me. She think I am Thai, that was why she looked shock when I asked her in English (-_-*) |
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| Love the baby tiger.. ^_^ |
After my turn over, I went out from tiger canyon and walked to the exit gate. But there were some scenes that I can see along the way out.
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| You can take pic with another baby tiger in this area, but you have to pay again. I forget how much it is.. :p |
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| This Peacock walked alone and it did not afraid with people.. ^^ |
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| Another scene at Tiger Temple area. |
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| Black Bear cage & bird cage, I do not know what this bird's name.. :p |
And then I arrived at exite gate. I felt so tired visiting this temple but I am very happy.. ^_^
I always dream to visit Tiger Temple since long long time ago, and now my dream comes true, alhamdulillah.. ^_^
At 4 pm I was in the car, leaving Tiger Temple. So long Tiger Temple, hope I can visit you again in another time.. ^_^
to be continue... Shopping Area Around Bangkok
Salam
Ifa Abdoel
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