Day 1 Bangkok

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After about 18 hours on a plane I finally arrived. There are certain strange things you don't think about until they happen, for instance, crossing the international date line. You people are all a day behind me, and all I did was fly over an invisible line... anyhow...My room is very comfy and clean and the hotel people are all very nice. I am staying at a place called Rambuttri House. One typically NON- American thing is that next to the toilet they have this little spray gun to wash your bum and peeps off after you go to the bathroom... which actually makes you feel cleaner than toilet paper. Oh and the shower, toilet, ans sink are all in the same room - which is weird.
It occurs to me today that as long as I am here I will be covered in a thin film of sweat. It is very hot - about 97 degrees. However, it is the humidity that makes this place really intense. This morning I sat myself at an open air cafe and ordered breakfast - which was a bowl of spicy chicken and rice broth and I had a screwdriver. This was the point where it hit me that I am not in America anymore. Soup for breakfast... Even the American music blastin from the speakers just made it more obvious... actually they were playing the theme music from Austin Powers, which I found really amusing. It made everything seem more foreign. The waitress stared at me while I sat at my table and I'm sure it was because I was writing in my notebook with my left hand, which wouldn't seem strange anywhere else except in Thailand the left hand is reserved for butt wiping and other toilet ablutions. So I tried my best to hold my soup spoon in my right so as not to offend. It was interesting to sit and hear all different languages spoken around me, French, Dutch, Hebrew, and of course Thai.
It is difficult to not feel a little sexy here, in this slow languid exotic place. Even the sweatiness adds to it. After my breakfast I wandered around to different Wats - Buddhist temples. They pop out of nowhere in the midst of unbelievable traffic and modern living. One particular Wat has a spiral staircase and you can walk to the top and see the view of the whole city. In the heat my legs felt like they were made of jello on the way back down. I went to the amulet market and bought a very old ornate looking amulet but the lady did not know enough English to tell me the history of it. I did find out that a portion of the money she makes selling the amulets goes to feeding the numerous amounts of cats and dogs that live in the temple. In fact every corner I turned I would happen upon either a mangy sleeping dog or cat. The marble floors must be quite a retreat from the hot world outside. I held back from touching any of them because I have yet to get my rabies shots... it was tempting.. you know me.
I wandered around some more and then after my fourth bottle of water I realised I had no idea where I was and jumped in a cab and returned to the hotel. Now I am going to shower and nap. Love to all who read this!

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Comments

[Roy]

God Damn
THAT sounds like fun, other than the spray gun bum part, which may actually be fun but I like to feel dry after I pee, not wetter. At any rate, glad to hear you're doing well and having a blast. I love all the picutres too and the baby kitties even if they are ridden with all sorts of things.

[Ed]

It's hard for you not to be sexy anywhere
So glad you made it over safely. I hope you update this blog a lot because you're actually good with a camera and are pretty entertaining sometimes. I was about to sign this Ed Jemison, because Ed's your nickname for me, and then I realized that's my Dad's name. Isn't that weird?