First day part 2

We checked into the hotel and decided to drop our stuff and head out to explore. We needed a light late lunch and water. There are 12 people on the trip. We ended up breaking into 3 groups. The group I was with walked from the hotel to a street with vendors selling fruit (I bought pineapple because, yes, again I was starving). We walked a bit and decided on a street vendor for a light lunch, basil chicken with rice. Delicious!
There was a temple on the corner so we wandered around inside admiring the statues and people watching. We were trying to get an understanding of the process. Seems like they make an offering, pray, then receive a blessing. Cameras are not allowed so no pictures.
We went to 7-11 for water and then decided to head back to the hotel to shower (long over due after 18 hours total on an airplane) and put our feet up before dinner. We all have sausage toes from traveling.
It felt really good to be clean. We met up in the lobby for a drink before heading to dinner. The hotel is swanky & the bar has some fun & interesting drinks. Mine was made with passion fruit, YUM! We took the sky train to a local restaurant called Bua (a favorite of the TBF clan). Dan ordered family style and everything was delicious (no squidgy chicken, all white meat). Thai food is super spicy but nothing too crazy yet. Dan warned not to eat the red peppers. I had to ask Dan how to order Thai iced tea in Thai. He said if I just ordered "iced tea" they would bring me Lipton because I'm white.
We were back at the hotel by 7:30pm and Dan told us to go to bed because tomorrow is a long day. We are supposed to meet in the lobby at 5:00am (no that's not a typo) to go for a run in Lumpini Park. We'll see if I make it.
The pics below are the outside of the temple & flowers hanging at one of the street vendors.