Bangkok, Thailand

Well this one will be short - again.  They charge you by the minute to use the iternet anywhere over here...sucks!


Anyways - Thailand has been absoultely amazing so far.  I arrived back in Bangkok this morning.  I got a taxi to the area of town that has cheap hostels (best way to go) and wandered around the main streets until I found the one I was looking for.  It was only a couple blocks off the main road, and looked pretty good.  It's kid of like a big dormatory or something.  Lots of institutional / hotel looking rooms on several floors, communal bathrooms / showers.  It's a step up from Ho Chi Minh, that's for sure!  Here is a pic of the view from my room (on the 3rd floor) and the sign in the entry way.  "No Thai visitors" - haha!

I dropped off my bags, chatted with a few people there to get the scoop on what to do and see in the area, and headed out for the afternoon.  It's BUSY here!  These first two pictures are just around the corner from my hostel.  So really, it's a normal area just about a block away - haha!

I took a high speed train to another area of town to do some shopping in the markets.  I got a really cool paper lamp, some bracelets and jewelry (of course), a little turquoise dress/shirt thing...   The fruit here is just amazing and it's everywhere, so I tried some of that.  SO GOOD.  I also found an ice cream place and ordered a smoothie.  The young guy working tried to flirt with me forever, despite his lack of English, haha!

I am heading out on the town tonight!  This city has so much energy and is lit up like a Christmas tree at night -- SO fun!

This lady (above) hounded me the WHOLE TIME I was eating at a little restaurant.  I sat outside along the street, and she just stood there and kept scraping this stick on the back of a little wooden frog making the most annoying sound!  She didn't speak English (or at least I don't think so) and she would NOT LEAVE!  If she would have been selling something worthwhile, I would have just bought it to get her to leave me alone!! 


Again, I've met tons more cool people here and am having a blast...AND being safe! :)
I leave Bangkok tomorrow evening (thinking I might visit some of the palaces around here tomorrow) to go back to Hong Kong and then fly to LA.  I'll let you all know when I make it back alive!! :)


-TK