Bangkok part 4

This is a little out of sequence. the last post seemed to take so I will try to recount our last day in Bangkok before taking off for the north. We were on our own for the day eschewing the optional tour. we hopped an upriver ferry to the golden palace district where we picked up a tuk tuk driver. These are the ubiquitous vehicles that consist of a small cart pulled along by a guy with a small motor. They zip in and out and half the time you have to close your eyes. Our guy, Mr Philom took us to the sacred mount where we cllimbed a few hundred steps to the temple. Our next stop was the lucky buddha. Here we were assured by a nice man with impecable English that if we bowed to this buddha we would have our wishes come true. I'll let you know if it works. We then were taken to the Gem Expo where Bert bought a citrine ring and I did a little Christmas shopping. After an abortive attempt by the driver to get us to buy a suit- though he did get us into the shop- we were deposited at the zoo. It is a really nice one and we especially enjoyed the langurs which are Thai monkeys. Soon enough we hailed another tuk tuk to the ferry and back to the National Museum. Wonderful collections. Someone likened it to something out of Indiana Jones and I can see it. My favorite were the golden funeral pyres and caissons. You cannot imagine how ornate they are. Gold everywhere and little jewels and intricate carvings. just unbelievable and over the top. The same was true for the things- can't remember the name- with which they ride on the elephants. We had been to the Royal Barge museum the day before. These kings really travel in style. About the king- Rama IX- his picture is plastered all over the country, sometimes with the queen or his children, but really everywhere you look. He is nearing 80 in December which will be a really big event here. These people really love their king and probably know more about his family than their own.