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Published: January 3rd 2008
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Well, I'm already pretty tired of Bangkok. Imagine a 24/7 flea market + a thick layer of pullution to boot...and a gabillion people walking around. Not that there aren't highlights.
Let's start with the good...
On our second day, we wandered around for quite a bit. Little to say my feet hurt. We went to Siam Square, which is a nicer area of Bangkok with high commercialism. There is a mall there that is circular in shape, and 8 stories high. Is that too many levels? I think so. Maybe 8 levels too many. We looked for some books, and I came to find that any Lonely Planet I looked at was about 30 dollars atleast. Yikes. After that we went to the food court, which was more like a food tsunami. About a billion places to eat. After wandering for about a lifetime, we couldn't decide on anything and felt very ADHD. We left and got lunch at a hole in the wall - better choice IMO. Then we returned to the mall to use the bathroom. Then left and visited a wat.
For those of you who aren't familiar, a wat is a Buddhist temple, usually
with a giant Buddha statue in it, and people come to pray to it. You have to have pants on, shirt covering your shoulders, no shoes, can't take pictures (atleast you're not supposed to), and may never point your feet at the Buddha (you tuck them under you, or point them to the side while kneeling). All wats are very elaborately decorated with silk/gold/otherexpensivething. It was a nice break from busy Bangkok, and I enjoyed finding a moment to pray for our travels and the people in my life. I have yet to get the whole, try acting like a Thai thing down, so I'm sure I looked like an ass...the Buddha just smiled though, so I guess we're cool. Then we went
back to the mall to shop at a market in it. Yes, a full sized market in a mall...and lots of people come to shop there. Like a sea of Thai. We had a hard time finding things to say the least. Then we road the skytrain, which is an excellent form of transportation (much like a combo of the Bart and the Muni in the bay).
Our hosts then treated us to a dinner at
a very touristy restaurant which was accompanied by...traditional Thai dancing (complete with elaborate costumes, 6 member band, and lady-girl as Rama the fifth). It was a very interesting meal - we sat at tables sunk into the ground and just sat with our feet dangling underneath the tables. Our hosts (Lily, Bank, Lynn, and Eve) said they were unimpressed with the food, but I liked it, it tasted like American Thai (which is different than Thai here - especially the curry). The dancing was great fun for the most part, some parts were more boring than others. Our hosts looked like they were dying of overboredom by the end, because it isn't something they would normally attend. They paid for everything, so now we are forever in their debt.
Afterwards, Paul and I explored Patpong, which used to be the old red light district, but now is a market...with red light bars. A lot of hawkers trying to sell us women. Paul and I didn't feel like, "have beautiful lady on you" so we just used our eyes as we strolled. It was a very crowded market.
Today, we explored several highlights in Banglamphu and Rotanikisan areas of
Bangkok. We saw giant buddhas at some incredible wats, more specifically Wat Poh. Here's where the story starts to get good: you have to take off your shoes to enter, so I do, and leave them on the steps with the other million shoes - not realizing you should store them in hidden cubbies behind a wall. My bad. Come out...shoes are gone. Sweet. So I walk down a long road while Thai people snicker at me and find some cheap sandals at a store. The owner pegged me for a Korean and told me I have bad luck. Apparently.
Afterwards I got scammed/pressured out of 30 baht (US 1$) when a woman made me feed pigeons with corn (she shoved it in my hand and then threw it up) and then demanded money. Welcome to stupid US traveler 101. We tried to explore the National Museum and National Gallery, unfortunately, we did not anticipate them being closed because the King's sister had recently passed away (much respect to her, and how dare she). So we have been forced to Thanon Khao San road, which is much like all the other streets lined with vendors, but most all of
the people here wandering are foreigners. We just got a Thai massage (I got a man, wtf) for 180 baht (about US 5.50$) for an hour. I feel like rubber, and great.
We are now waiting till around 6:30 to head to a stadium where our hosts graciously BOUGHT us 2000 baht (about US 55$) ringside Muay Thai boxing tickets because we didn't want to pay that much for them, and Paul decided he wasn't good enough to compete (Cmon, take one for the team, Paul). Now we owe them our first borns I'm pretty sure. Yay violence.
Tomorrow we head for Cambodia. It will be crazy, trust me. I am out of time at this internet cafe. I will post pictures later.
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biseat and katie n nathan
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thoughts x pacific
kam, katie, nate and i are chilling and we wanted to say happy new year, travels and sandal searching. santa cruz is rainy, we love u. b,k,n