Thailand – Laos: Day 9 – Part 1 – Aesah Rotdee Restaurant & Wat Bowonniwetwiharn Ratchaworawiharn

Continued from Thailand – Laos: Day 8 – Part 9 – Underground Train & Soi Rambuttri. For pre-travel, please refer here.

Travel Date: 5th January 2017
Day: 9
Location: Bangkok

Around 10.18am, we just started our steps from Barnana Hostel to a Muslim restaurant called Aesah Rotdee. This was our 3rd day in Bangkok and also our 9th day of travel. I feel the owner of the restaurant is named Aesah while Rotdee is probably referring to the meaning of “Roti” (meaning bread in Malay). Thais may not be familiar with roti canai, murtabak and so on and call it roti only.

Starting from this post, I edited all the images using filters and HDR from the Snapseed apps. We did not go through the main road, instead of through the edges of the alley starting from the bridge that connects the main road of our hotel with the road leading to Khao San Road.

This is the atmosphere of the view of the back alleys in the morning. Seen at the end there is a bridge reserved only for pedestrians and motorcyclists. How do I know that little bridge exists? It’s easy …. Just checked Google Maps and sees first if there is a bridge to cross. Otherwise, it’s tiring to walk too far and need to turn back.

It’s not advisable for anyone who comes here and hangout longer. The smell of the river was a bit musty but it didn’t make us vomit. At night, too, it smells like spreading around this place.

While heading to the small bridge, there are several grocery stores and even a morning market that sells wet goods.

I guess, the stuff sold here is enough to cook all day at home. The situation is the same with retail stores in Malaysia.

Everything is here, from cooking items to non-food items.

If you are in Bangkok and live for a long time in an apartment or house that has a kitchen, I think it is very suitable to buy fish here. Just hope that the fish here are not caught from the river next to it, haha! Hopefully, my guess is wrong.

We’ve reached the bridge, it’s time to cross. In fact, the row of shops and the morning market in front of it is quite long.

Most likely at night, there will be pub and clubbing activities in the backyard and the atmosphere here is more lively. For your information, most western tourists already know that the back area is more lively and private than the main area such as Khao San Road.

Our walk from Barnana Hostel to Aesah Rotdee Restaurant. About 600 meters.

This small river is directly connected to the largest Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. If you take a boat and paddle straight to the end there, on the left is Soi Rombuttri that we visited yesterday.

If in Malaysia, the back alleys are of course full of stallholders selling fried noodles, roti canai, nasi lemak and so on. If it was halal, of course, we would eat here.

The view on the other side from the top of a small bridge. People are seen sitting here while sniffing the smell of the river’s moss.

Pictures of birds from Thailand were taken by Tatie.

Let’s eat here! Roti canai … do you want curry sauce, dal or sambal? Just joking. It felt just like I was in Malaysia.

We walked through the alleys until we came across the main road. Actually, here is the area adjacent to Khao San Road which is located on the east side. If you walk into Khao San Road, you will also get here later. But, since Khao San had nothing during the day, we felt bored to see its surrounding condition for the third time. So, this morning we will look for differences.

This is Wat Bowonniwetwiharn Ratchaworawiharn. It’s a bit difficult to pronounce its name. We will stop here after eating at Aesah Rotdee Restaurant shortly.

Along the main road, we entered a small road and met a bazaar that sells clothes here.

It’s a bit difficult to find even if using Google Maps. Then we found it. Try looking at the restaurant sign on the outside, with Thai writing. I expect only the moon and star symbols. If you go through this area for the first time, you will definitely miss it. On the third attempt, only then will it feel like turning back and trying to explore the inside. Aesah Rotdee Restaurant is located inside. From the outside, it is quite difficult to realize it was inside there.

Location of Aesah Rotdee Restaurant in Bangkok. GPS: 13.759992, 100.498727

We are not the only Malays who eat here. Actually many more. I guess, about 3-4 dining tables are filled by our same races. Ok, this is Aesah Rotdee Restaurant.

Although it is still 10.34 am, but dishes like Hainan Rice are already available. Don’t forget to order sup buntut sapi (cow butt soup), lol! Number 6 sounds like TETELAN.

And don’t forget to check out the menu at the back. That lumpia is the nickname for popia. In the Philippines also call the same, as well as in Indonesia. Only in Malaysia is it called popia or popiah or popiahhhhhhhh! Hehe.

This is what we ordered. Every time the meal arrived, we immediately ate it and forgot to take pictures of the food because we were a bit hungry. Excited to taste the local cuisine is also one of the reasons. So, the menu we ordered was chicken hainan rice, murtabak and meatball noodles.

Before heading elsewhere, I took a picture of the food sold here. Apparently, the food is very suitable for breakfast and can withstand hunger for another 3-4 hours.

I’m sure that’s Mrs. Aesah, the owner of this restaurant. But I didn’t saw here around here.

Appetizing hainan chicken.

This is also appetizing …. a choice of various types of meatballs and fillings for the soup.

Conclusion after eating here, I can give a rating between 7/10 to 8/10. The food is delicious, especially meatball soup if eaten hot. Why are there two ratings of 7 or 8? Because at that time, the taste of the food was mixed with our hungry lust. When a person is feeling hungry, all the food suddenly becomes delicious.

Just out of the Aesah Rotdee restaurant, we headed to the nearest tourist destination, Wat Bowonniwetwiharn Ratchaworawiharn, which is quite difficult to be pronounced.

Description in the information board above:

This monastery is a first-grade royal temple of Ratchaworawiharn, which was built in the reign of King Rama III, by Somdet Phra Woraratchao Maha Sakdiphollasep during 1824-1832, and its former name was Wat Mai. In 1836, King Rama III had invited his younger brother, Prince Mongkut (Later – King Rama IV) in monkhood resided at Rachathiwat to rule this temple, and named it Wat Bowonniwet Wiharn. In the reign of King Rama VI, the nearby temple Wat Rangsi Sutthawat, and Wat Bowonniwet Wiharn were amalgamated into one temple in 1923. Enshrining Phra Ubosot is a brazen Buddha image named Phra Phuttha Chinnasi in the attitude of subduing Mara’s posture. The image was shifted from Wat Phrasri Rattana Mahathat in Phitsanulok Province. During monkhood, King Rama VI, King Rama VII and King Rama IX have resided at this temple.

Tatie is already at the entrance. To get inside, it’s free.

GPS location of the entrance into the Wat.

The wat is listed on Tripadvisor and is a must-visit tourist spot, but it is not essential to visit for those not interested in “discussions of religious differences”.

Upon entering the Wat, on its left side, there is a statue representing a person in the picture behind it. I’m not sure who. A few people are worshiping there, I don’t want to get to the front to look at the picture. After all, quite a few people passing by here. On the other hand, I want to avoid myself becoming a ‘center of attraction’. Maybe the picture is of the person responsible for building this temple or maybe the previous King Rama who once settled here to deepen his studies to become a monk.

Entry is allowed even if you wear a headscarf and embrace Islam. No one looked at us with a strange look. Just take off your shoes and put them on the edge of the stairs.

While we waited for the line of people to come in and out at the front door, I took a picture on the left side of the stairs. Just like Muslims who take ablution first before stepping into the mosque, they also have the procedure. If I’m not mistaken, this is not the relic as told in the information board above because the relic has been moved to another province. But this straight stone that resembles a tombstone looks like it has some meaning or symbolism for Buddhists. One more thing, until now I’m still wondering. What is the use of the gold bowl at the bottom right (pictured above)?

This is my favorite thing about a Wat. The architecture is magnificent and full of ceiling decorations according to the creativity of the past people.

There is no need for me to comment on what they did with the picture of King Bhumipol who had just passed away because it has been described in my previous entries.

Only Aqif and I entered while Tatie waited outside. First, I took off my hat in honor of entering the place of worship. And with caution and a polite step, I continued to head to the front just to take pictures from the front of the faces and countenances of the Thai people when they were worshiping. From the face, I can see what human hope is in what they worship. We don’t have to dispute their beliefs, otherwise, we will end up arguing until tomorrow morning. What I want to highlight is ‘submission to their worship according to their way’, this is facial art in the real world …

Look … how beautiful the lights and flowers are. This is art. Did you know, if you want to see the result of art or the result of sincere donations and the best handicrafts, look at the items and interiors in any place of worship around the world.

Ok, this is a bit different from all the Wats we’ve visited. Because of what? All right, this is my assumption. There are two layers of Buddha statues that are not found in any Wat. It seems like there is another higher Buddha ruling a slightly lower-ranking Buddha. The Buddha statue in the back administers the statue in front in a ‘behind the scenes’ manner. Why do I think so? Because the two statues on his left and right only worship him and not the one behind him. This is the essence of the Buddhist version. At the same time, I was also reminded of the meaning of ancient Malay spiritual knowledge which refers to an acting stage of wayang kulit , a traditional form of a puppet-shadow play originally found in the cultures of Malaysian and Indonesian). Try to do research on the character of the mastermind and his puppets.

Again, the ceilings at every Wat are very charming. The majority of the colors chosen are usually red.

Aqif is pictured here as a memento. I hope that one day, Aqif can explain to anyone about the old belief that is often haunted in the minds of the community that is ‘if you go to another place of worship, you will be possessed or hysterical by jinn’. If so, just sit at home and don’t go out anywhere. We have a god, we are Muslims, why should we be afraid of that and this if our beliefs are true and we are convinced that Islam is the true religion? Yes, that’s the belief I want to highlight here.

Psst, the conspiracy of today is Freemason, Illuminati, Triangle, Pyramid, Star of David, Hidden Hand, 1 US Dollar (One Eye Pyramid) and all sorts of nonsense… But, have we forgotten the existence of the actual hidden hand and higher which is God as the Greatest Planner. Don’t forget this quote, “as good as man plans, God is the best planner”.

Alhamdulillah, even though it has only been two years since this blog post was completed since returning from Thailand and Laos, we are still Muslims. Tatie is still praying 5 times a day as usual and Aqif is about to finish studying Muqaddam. Soon, Aqif will start studying the Al-Quran at the end of the age of 6 years old.

At the back of the main hall, there is another quite large stupa but the entrance was locked. However, it was not big enough to beat the stupas we visited in Nakhon Pathom.

Sat for a moment with the background of the stupa building. For now, I’m thinking about where we’re going next. There really isn’t any planned itinerary. We just visit any popular spot among tourists in the immediate vicinity here.

These are said to be the footprints of the Buddha. But in my opinion, it is not the actual footprints that seem to indicate this Buddha is a giant. Probably just a work of art with meaning and metaphor to explain the teachings of the Buddha through the translation of the creation of the body part such as feet.

At this time, it is only 11.21 am. There is still plenty of time for today. Follow our footsteps to the October Memorial and Democracy Monument.