Bangkok - Jim Thompson's House

As Solène said, we spent the morning visiting the palace and the neighbouring temples.

Back at the hotel to rest, we were kindly disturbed by the maid, which prompted our decision to go an hour at the swimming pool -hour which turned into the whole afternoon. Most of our suntan come from that day!

And once again, we procured our diner in Khao San Roa: a drink here, a plate of rice there...

We had decided to spend the next day pursuing more modern entertainments: Jim Thompson's House, the Hard Rock Café, and Siam Ocean World.

So we left in the early morning for Jim Thompson's House. James H.W. Thompson, an American spy, but more importantly the person who revived the Thai silk industry. he bought traditional Thai houses and had them dismantled, moved, modernized and rebuilt in Bangkok in the 60's. The result is a charming western dream of a Thai home, in the middle of a lush garden complete with pond, carps, and palm trees.

Having the possibility to have a French tour, we availed ourself of the opportunity, and with two other visitors we had a complete tour of the house given by a charming woman who spoke French. Actually, we understood quickly that it isn't possible to visit the house without a guide!

We learnt that all the small altars seen besides buildings or on the roofs where altars to the spirit of the ground on which a house is built, to ask for their blessing. All the threshold of the doors are elevated and one has to step carefully above it to enter a building or a room because the evil spirits can only move horizontally: it stops them entering the room... and keeps young children from leaving it if it is high enough!

A closed doll house built for domesticated mice was presented as the ancient version of television... for the entertainment of young children.

The house is shaped as a trapeze: walls, doors and windows have a wider base and a narrower top. It is to reinforce the building, since only wood is used: no nails, no metallic ties. We have found the same shape in older buildings.

We concluded our visit by a smoothie on the veranda by the pond, looking at carps, writing a few postcards, and relaxing in the quiet and shady environment before tackling the heat again... to find the Hard Rock Café.