Bangkok (Thailand): I think I've found my "other" country

The Sirocco, rooftop restaurant of the Meritus in Bangkok. Entrees cost around 700-1,000 baht each. Swank! (1 baht=1.4 pesos. Thereabouts.)



The view from my hotel. (In truth my room overlooked what looked like huge boilers or airconditioning units, but kebs. I'm not taking pics of those.)



Sidewalk bazaars on Petchaburi Road, Pratunam. Shirts and blouses I bought went for 50 baht (70 pesos), or 3 for 100 baht. Winner!



I was on top of an overpass when I took this. I quickly walked away because I felt the concrete shake under me as the vehicles passed. I thought there was an earthquake.



More of Petchaburi Road. That little red ball someone could so trip over is, I assume, a fire hydrant.



My first meal in Bangkok. I just wanted to be in an airconditioned place. The thing on the left is a strawberry "Waffle-To-Go", which I bought for 39 baht. The strawberry sundae is alive and well in fast food chains in this country, by the way. They also like yogurt, except the formulation is different -- like condensed milk with a yogurt aftertaste. They also like their fruit juice, but with salt. Be careful! I bought an 8-baht iced orange drink that made me more thirsty with each salty slurp.



Looking out from inside the A&W.



The First Hotel, home away from home for four days. A cheap hotel, but it turned out to be a good choice because of its location. From there it was only a five to ten minute walk to Pratunam (Divisoria type shopping), Pantip Plaza (Greenhills type electronics and anik-anik), and the Ratchathewi BTS station (MRT type train). Plus, buffet breakfast. Woohoo!



Aforementioned Ratchathewi BTS station. Fast escalators. Tickets are purchased via vendo machine-type contraption that accepts only coins.



Exiting the Saphan Taksin BTS station. That's Beckham on the left. (Thais like their football.)



The Golden Buddha. Part of the vacation package city tour.



The Reclining Buddha. Is huge.



Pagodas in the vicinity of the Reclining Buddha temple. As I was taking this picture, I was starting to suffer from any or all of the following:
1. overeating at the breakfast buffet
2. heat exhaustion
3. headache
4. dehydration
5. hyperventilation

Because it is hot in Bangkok. Heat like steam rising up from the earth and hovering around you. Honestly, am a bit annoyed at myself for not having more endurance, as am from tropical country myself. But I did get better the day after.



Marriage for alien?!



Taking river taxi at Ratchadamri Road. (I think. These road names are a mouthful.)



View from inside the tuktuk! Like a tricycle. Imagine puffs of carbon monoxide from every vehicle on the road on your face, and the experience is complete! Hee.



An actual Muay Thai match in Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium. (Thais like their Muay Thai too.)



Real Thai bagoong rice. 58 baht. Sarap!!! I just didn't mix in most of the chili.



Waiting for ferry at the Chao Phraya river. (Sathorn port, I think.)



Nearing sunset at the Chao Phraya.



Santichaiprakan Park. View of the Phrasumain Fortress. The park feels like Luneta or Intramuros, which suddenly gave me urge to visit those places. Looking at cannons poking out of Phrasumain made me want to go to Corregidor, which I'd never even gone to.



Thais aerobicizing at Santichaiprakan.



The park is near Khao San road, of The Beach fame, backpacker central. These two are playing Scrabble. Really.



Passport Books. I bought a Thai novel, "The Judgment" by Chart Korbjitti. Guy at counter helped me pick it out. He also told us where to get cold fruit shakes in area.



Used-book store near Khao San. They buy books and stuff from backpackers and re-sell them. Which resulted in some of the best used-book selections I'd ever seen. I got Life of Pi by Yann Martel from this area (was a gift though). Bookseller kissed my hand, but not before making a crack about the Abu Sayyaf. Heh. Awkward laughter.



Ah, Khao San road. It's got a Malate feel, except you throw in internet cafes, massage parlors, henna tattoo places, cheap inns, and braid-your-hair stands to go with the bars. So many backpackers! It was fun just sitting on a corner, eating my pork barbecue from a street vendor, and people-watching. Throughout the trip, I'd been making small talk with various travelers, and the little insights they've given me on traveling have been very cool. The stuff of future anecdotes.

It rained the night we were at Khao San, so I walked into a spa and got a foot massage. First there was pain (I thought I heard some joints pop), and then it felt good. Some other people who were getting full body Thai massages on the mats beside me were groaning and moaning as their muscles were pulled and their bones cracked. I just yelped every now and then. Afterwards, my feet were minty.

I think I've found my "other" country in Thailand. If I ever chose to run away, I could go there, and live there, and shop for cheap clothes. If I don't speak, they won't know I'm a farang (foreigner). So I could just be the strange girl who doesn't speak.