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Published: March 19th 2005
Ben at Le Lys's
Ben and Kris had an expensive Thai dinner.Pappa Jones/Nord and the rest of you (didn't want the pappas to be left out),
First we have to finish up our experiences in Bangkok but will keep it short. After Ben and I got taken for an exciting tuk-tuk ride to the travel agency we walked around for a while grumbling. Walking in Bangkok is an experience in itself, I don't recommend it if it can be avoided. Besides the heat and humidity, and second hand monoxide there are no rules on the roads and pedestrian right of way seems to be an outdated American fantasy here. In Bangkok you have to fend for yourself. Ben's favorite person we met on the street was a man who actually helped us find our way and didn't ask for a kickback, and he even yelled at a kid riding his motorcyle on our sidewalk (what traffic rules) and stared him down until he rode around the corner. Another guy told us that we should go to Chinatown because it was the kings 50th birthday and everything was 50% off...yeah right. We weren't fooled though because we figured the king had to be older than 50 with the number of people telling
Ben Hollywood in Lumphini Park, BKK
A day in Lumphini Park is a nice break from busy Bangkok tourists it was his birthday everyday, he has to be a couple thousand years old we think.
The best investment of the day we agreed were the skytrain tickets we got for 100 baht each that let us ride all day on airconditioned elevated commuter trains.
On Saturday Clayton joined us in our tours of the city and the day started off early and well. We went to Lumphini park at 7 am and it was packed with people exercising doing Thai Chi, Yoga, and other bendy sports that old people seem to enjoy. Clayton was telling us about how the previous day their guide had told them that seeing giant lizards swimming in the river were an auspicious sign and lo and behold we saw 3 of them in the park. 2 of the swimming auspiciously and one crawling around on the ground looking meanly auspicious. We knew it was going to be a good day! Ben and I had breakfast at the park outdoor market...rice noodle fish soup yummy and then we shared a dragonfruit. They even cut it up for us and gave us giant toothpicks to eat it with.
We had a great
Thai Chi in Lumphini Park, BKK
Kris tries some Thai Chi to release the stress of the day before tour of the Grand Palace and saw the Jade Buddha which is very small and the murals were much more interesting that the little Buddha. We are realizing quickly that most temples and Buddha statues look suspiciously alike. And the foriegnors who are dumb enough to pay the admission fee get dinged while the Thais and everyone else goes in for free. Well most of the time and most temples anyways. The giant Buddha at Wat Pho was cool. And on the way there we met another tout and his tuk-tuk driver...this was pinnacle of auspiciousness when Kris told him in Thai we didn't need him...we all felt empowered when he had to shrug and say... oh you speak Thai hah hah.
We made it to the train station early on Saturday evening and Ben and Clayton even worked out an agreement by which they could share the same room. Basically Benny quick talked a poor Dutch woman who spoke poor English into trading spots with him...she like it though...oh yeah because she got to ride with her family. Ben earned himself a nickname today by the way, Hollywood, because the Thai taxi driver thought he looked like a
Kris, Ben, and the Demon at Wat Phra Kheow
Kris and Ben at the Grand Palace in the temple of the Jade Buddha complex in Bangkok Movie Star. What a smile eh.
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