Now in Bangkok

We made it! From San Diego to Bangkok there was a gruelling 20 hours of fight time broken by a a layover in LA and in Seoul.

Upon arrival the visas were stamped with no questions and we walked through customs without a word out into the humid warm Thai night (it was 1 am local time). Several people offered a limousine into town but to stick with the budget we bargained with the independent cabbies and got a ride at 1/3 the original price. But he did not know where the street we were going was so he and his son drove us all over asking people on the street for directions. Eventually we were dropped off near Khaosan Road- an area with many guest houses -and we walked amongst the many foreign and local revellers. There were street vendors, drunks, prostitutes and ordinary folks wandering around on the streets. We went a few blocks away and obtained a room from "Four Sons Guest house" to say the best it was adequate.

(photo: Kaosan Rd at night)

In the morn we left to find food and look around. The empty stalls on the street edge filled with vendors of many types. We bought a bottle of fresh orange juice and a bowl of noodle soup for about 60 cents (20 baht ; $1 = 35B : 100B = $2.84). Just walking around in a novel environment was entertainment enough for the morning. We retrieved our bags and key deposit and went to the National Gallery to check out some art. There were a wonderful set of relief panels illustrating aspects of Thai culture such as family, piety, charity and virtue. (no photo allowed there).

Then we wnet for a ride in two ways. While trying to find the Amulet Market a man told us about a Buddhist holiday today and that the government was promoting it with free gas to the tuk-tuks (motorized ricksaw) and that we should not pay more than 10B for one today. Strangely perfectly conviently there was one waiting right there on the quiet street (yeah we saw it coming). So we agreed to go to two temples for 10B (a ride that usually cost 100B). First it was at the feet of a tall Buddha and associated complex, the driver agreed to wait so we took our sweet time imploring Buddha to keep us safe while travelling in his lands.

(supplicants at the feet of a tall Buddha)

Then we went to a second temple and when we leaving an over-friendly Thai man chatted with us about where we were from and where we were from and going. When we told him about Cambodia he warned us about excessive hassles there and had a travel agent to reccommend (yup). So our driver took us there without our instruction when we asked him about another specific travel agent, he let us in and explained that if we go in and talk he we get his fee. So we did and the agent offered us a grossly overpriced bus ticket through to Siem Reap. I told him we did not know when we were leaving and asked politely for a buisness card "so we could come back and get the ticket later."

Then the driver brought us to a fancy suit store and we avoided buying a suit and soaps. Then at jewelry store we asked if they had hand-made fashion. At that point the driver got his fee and brought us to the Amulet Market. Perhaps we wasted half an hour or so in their scheme but it was a cheap thrill.

At the Amulet Market we bought a few charms to bring us various benefits: luck, protection, fertility and others unknown. These were in the form of small statues of Buddha, Shiva, Ganesh, other mythological figures and creatures. The Thais are no prudes so the virtues of some of these go without explanantion.

(various amulets)

Aferwards we found a better guest house (cheaper, too) and rest for a bit (Jetlag is why I am up now at 5 am to do this log). Then we had Indian food for supper.

Last night we fell asleep a bit too early and were awake in the middle of the night so we took a walk to gawk at the revellers on Kaosan Rd. Soon we go to the weekend market.