So sorry it's closed

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Having fallen for the the "so sorry temple closed... you will like nice gem shop" Bangkok delight last time around, I was determined not to believe any person that came up to me on the street. This would seem obvious but your guard is lowered when everyone around you is friendly and appears genuine or helpful + the intense heat + profuse amount of sweating.

As a result, I got a nice farmer's tan while wandering around randomly lost until I eventually found my way. I was pleased find my way back to the hotel in four hours via river ferry, skytrain and local bus. The best intro into the gem shop trick I heard today was "So sorry... ferry not working today because the water level is too high. Tomorrow is better. You take tuk-tuk". Its good to know this delight doesn't discriminate against any gender or ethnicity. A quick scroll through other travelblog entries for Bangkok have mentioned oddly similar stories.


Random Observations:

* Bangkok seems to be the t-shirt capital in terms of variety, styles and prints. The Japanese Uniqlo t-shirt designs have nothing on this city.
* The river view is overrated. Its a busy water highway with barges and ferries and supposedly septic according to Lonely Planet.
* It's been a running joke that I look generically asian. I can now add Thai to that list. Perhaps thats why I havn't gotten targetted from touts for tailored suits or genuine rolex watches on Khao San. Sadly, it hasn't worked to my advantage yet to get local discounts. I think the jig would be up as soon as I opened my mouth.
* The cost of all of my stomach-related preventative and curative medication far exceeds the cost of all the street stall food I'm eating
* I can't stop eating hot noodle soup from street carts in 30+ degree weather
* Passing time figuring out which touristy-looking man has come in search of certain local satisfaction. Its proving more difficult to determine if the same can be said about touristy women.

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Comments

[Gil Ngai]

Much Wiser
I am glad you are so much wiser now. What an awful scam they have running over there, still after all these years. Do help out and warn any wide-eyed newbie travelers if you can. No one deserves the Bangkok Scam! Enjoy the street food. Its soo good.