Sunday, January 8, 2012
Arrived in Bangkok around 10:45 PM. Checked into my hostel just after midnight. No problems finding the place, thankfully.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Let myself sleep in. Rode the BTS to Saphan Taksin station and then rode the Chao Phraya Express boat to Chang station to see Wat Pho. Backtracked to the BTS and rode it to Udom Suk station to meet the Thai girls that I had met in Dalat, Vietnam. They picked me up at the station in their car, took me to a swank Thai restaurant, and treated me to a delicious Thai dinner and drinks. I was touched that they would do that for me. Such good hosts.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Went to Ko Ratanakosin and saw the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. Walked around the nearby area and saw a real, poor local neighborhood, ate some grass jelly, browsed the amulet market, and crossed the Sanam Luang field. Crossed the river to see Wat Arun. Crossed back to catch the sunset behind Wat Arun from the Deck bar on the river’s edge. Walked to Khao San Road and ate delicious street food for dinner: pad thai, a kebob, and a bag of sliced pineapple. Grabbed some beers at one of the many bars. This place is nonstop activity. Tons of foreigners. Took a tuk tuk home and got swindled because I didn’t know what a good price was. I’m taking just taxis from now on.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Delicious pineapple-fried rice at a restaurant near my hostel. Explored the street markets in Chinatown during the day. Got a traditional Thai massage at the Wat Pho massage school. Drank a couple Singha beers at the Moon Bar on the roof of the Banyan Tree Hotel at sunset. Chatted with a couple from southern France. They told me about the nearby Patpong night market, so I walked there. I met Steve and Jeff on the way and walked with them through the market. We drank some beers and walked and chatted. Jeff was having fun saying “Hi, white people” to all the white people he passed on the sidewalks. Jeff had lived in Bangkok for five years, and Steve for two. Steve is a programmer and makes a living running a games web site. Jeff disappeared on us. Steve took me to a club he liked. The club had live bands that were really good. The song Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 seems to be really popular in Taiwan and Thailand. Took a taxi home. Went to bed around 3 AM.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Woke up at 6:30 AM inexplicably hung over (I didn’t drink that much the night before) and incredibly sore and stiff from the massage. Passed between sore, tired discomfort and uneasy dozing until noon. I could barely bend over, I was so stiff. Stretched some. Pineapple-fried rice again. Rode the BTS to Chit Lom station and saw the Erawan shrine. Continued on to National Stadium station to see BMK and the Jim Thompson House. Backtracked to Siam station and changed lines for Saphan Taksin station. Rode the express boat to Saphan Phut station to see the Pak Khlong night flower market. Planned to return to the Patpong market to buy some t-shirts, but I mixed up the location, and ended up just returning to my hostel. Did some laundry.