Bangkok

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Lovely long overnight train to Bangkok...not the most comfortable as you can imagine, but some pretty funny people on the train to keep me entertained!!

Bangkok...not quite as crazy as i expected at first. completely amazing market at Chatuchak...overwhelmed by it all..dirt cheap clothes, scrumptious food, just...everything!! if only i had more momey to spend!!

traffic in the main centre is ridiculous & many parts (especially the part i was living in as is cheap) is seriously touristy, full of, mainly english & other westerneres making fools of themselves getting pissed until the early hours. gives the rest of us wonderful people a bad name!! anyway, aged to avoid the annoyingness of it all & do some great sightseeing.

wondeful wats (temples) some with stupidly huge buddhas...1 where the food itself was 3m long!! pretty awesome being underneath it all....
gorgeous food, as ever...though slightly concerned by the very unappealing deep fried bugs!! ...yep...you got (that will NOT be in my diet i can asure you!!!)

had a taster in meditation at Wat Mahatat...always been interested in the buddhist mediation, so had a try at walking & sitting mediation... both really quite hard...having to take into acount of every little movement & thought every intention to think about moving or changin thoughts is very tricky stuff. i cant sit still that long! legs went to sleep so much i thought they may just fall off!! but it was interesting to say the least. Needs more practice i think!!

Damdoen floating market...wonderful...people on little boats selling the usual stuff, but over water is quite an experience!

ceremonies being conducted all over the place for one reason or another (although the reasons seem to be differnt for different people there...i think its just an excuse to get down to the temple or shrine, say a few prayers & make a few offerings, all of which people love doing...great to watch and take part for us too!!) Many interestin things about how they conduct cermeonies, things offered, rituals performed...cant really go into it all now, too long...ask when i return if you really wana know!

& finally...managed to resist as far as now, but had to be done...i went in search of salsa...& found it (very small scale, but it does exist!!) had a couple of very nice dances, although it only really happens here at weekends & it was a sunday, so bad timing on my part. anyway, great salsa fix. managed to get there on a weekend night which was lots of fun. it appears i do speak the thai language...the language of salsa...works al over the world, how amazing. some pretty great thai dancers here, shame i need to leave them behind. doubt much going on in that field in laos!

people really respect the king here in thailand, to a great extent...also wear yellow t-shirts displaying their love for him..a kind of thai unifrom if you will & pictures of him all over the place. how nice. shame we aren't more like that in the uk towards our royals!!

sure i've missed loads of stuff off here, there is so much more to bankok, but thats all ive got time for!!

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