Tourist in a Tourist Town Doing Locals Thing: Lumphini Park

Ducks on the pond in Lumphini Park

After a long walk through the National Museum Bangkok complex, it was time to cool down.  In the way the locals of Bangkok do!  Hang out in shady Lumphini Park.

You don't need to take a tuk-tuk.  That's the tourist way to travel.

Although that was the best way, on a hot mid-afternoon day, to get from the National Museum Bangkok complex to the nearest Metro station, which google-maps said was a 23-minute walk.

You don't need to interrupt the mid-traffic photo shoots.

Lumphini Park is a large park within the urban core of Bangkok.  And it's right near my hotel.

Fountain at the entrance.

Statue of this gentleman.

King Rama VI, for those of you keeping score at home.

Into the park where we meet a crane enjoying a little fast food.

Lots of runners in the park.  With shade being a rarity elsewhere in Bangkok, this has got to be runner's paradise.

This sign was a bit disconcerting.

Beware of the water monitor.  The bites could require medical attention.  But, really, in an urban park in the middle of a city of multiple millions, how likely is it that I will encounter a water monitor?

Literally seconds later.

Water monitor in the water.  Where they belong. 

Water monitor and the water fountain.  I much prefer the latter to the former.

Beware little crane.  There's a water monitor in the water, right nearby.

And, of course, here's a water monitor on the land, a few seconds later.

Using the zoom function on the camera because I didn't want to get too close.  I've been warned about water monitor bites.  I guess I should clarify what I mean by "zoom" to all you kids living in the 21st Century.  I was not holding a teleconference with the water monitor over the internet.  Although, given the danger of the water monitor bites -- they require medical care after all -- a zoom conference would be a safer way to interact with these poisonous lizard creatures.

And the crowd runs away from the water monitor.  Actually, this group of runners is running toward the water monitor.  Not away.

At this point, I hear classical music.  Well, not "rea;" classical music.  Pop show tune music done by an orchestra.  It sounded like "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty And The Beast."

The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra is giving a free concert in the park.  I didn't know!  Vacation serendipity!

And it was "Be Our Guest," which sounded great coming from a small orchestra.  I knew for certain when the orchestra seemlessly segued into the best song from the Disney Renaissance era, also from "Beauty And The Beast":  "Beauty And The Beast," the title theme.

I listened for the remaining hour or so that the orchestra played.  I'm not sure how much of the program missed,

Apparently, from the announcement made before the last song of the show, this is an "every Sunday evening" thing.  At least during the tourist season.  Which is the dry season.  Listening to an orchestra in the park during the "rain and flood season" would be a much less pleasant way to spend a Sunday evening as the sun dips behind the skyscrapers of Bangkok.

The cat was not amused.

But the cat did sit there in front of me for a couple of songs, taking in the show.

All in all, a nice way to spend a Sunday evening, living life like a local in a tourist town, hanging out in the park, listening to the local symphony.

And the day concludes with the moon over King Rama VI.  I'm still not sure who the "Lumphini" is/was for whom the park was named.