Yesterday was a long day. After working Supunsa (Dan's assistant) and I went to the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The Grand Palace houses the royal residence and throne halls. After I showered and got dressed I looked relatively cute but she made me change. Apparently you cant go into the temples w/o pants or in tank tops or flip-flops. I was SCREWED. My platforms were broken so I ended up wearing white tennis shoes, black cargo pants and my purple Old Navy t-shirt I brought to sleep in. The only other pants I brought were drying, the only other short sleeved top I brought I wore to the bar last night and it was also drying. The Thais can wear whatever they want the foreigners cant. People wont be seeing pictures of me in that outfit =(
The Grand Palace that was AMAZING. The details in the temples were beautiful. There are a lot of buildings and one main temple that holds the most important (for lack of a better word) Buddha. With Supunsas limited English she couldnt tell me how that one differed from the others except for the fact that it had a jade face and was positioned higher. The ceilings and walls are all hand painted in amazing detailed patterns. Everything is really really big. I purchased the books on the story of the palace but I havent had time to read it.
There are stories painted on the walls.
From there we took a tuk tuk to another to Wat Po a temple that held the giant reclining Buddah thats 46 meters long and 15 meters high. Im not sure what that translates to but its HUGE. Running along side the Buddha are 108 pots where you drop a coin into each pot. 108 is a lucky number. Supunsa couldnt tell me the significance again with her limited English so I bought a book that explains everything at the temple but I havent read it yet. For 20 bhat you get 108 coins and you drop one in each pot.
We walked to a flower market after that. They are packed with vendors selling everything. There were so many vendors selling cooked and raw food, vegetables, clothing, flowers, everything. I bought a dozen Lotus flowers for 30 bhat, less than a dollar. They are pink and fully closed I cant wait for them to open. Everyone kept staring at me. It was weird. Supunsa said that its because foreigners dont go to that part of town. It probably had to do with the fact that Im a foreigner, black and have purple hair. Ive seen 4 other black people in all of Bangkok and one was on the plane. There just arent a lot of us here
This picture doesnt do it justice. It got so crowded and crazy and people were staring that I put my camera away.
Dragon fruit its supposed to taste like an apple. Im not so sure I want to try it. Im a wuss when it comes to new foods.
After the flower market I was soooo tired. It was sooo hot and I was sooo dehydrated so I asked if we could go back to the apartment. We took a cab to the subway station because traffic was really bad and took the subway back here. The subway and SkyTrain systems here are great and CLEAN, no dirt, graffiti, or garbage they have Bart beat by a mile. When we got back to the apartment I thought I was going to die. I seriously drank like a gallon of water and started to feel normal. Ive been dehydrated since Ive been here and its so fucking hot that 5 hours sweating in the sun in my PANTS did me in.
After showering reading a tour book and watching half of Lost in Translation we decided to go out. All the girls got fancied up and we went to a HUGE bar called the Coliseum. There was a cover band playing songs in English and Thai and they took requests. They had no less than 8 bollywood/soul train type dancers on the stage at any given time. They even changed outfits with each song. It was the cheesiest thing Ive seen in a long time. I loved it! One guy looked just like a Thai version of Chad Michael Murphy. Ill admit it here on SG
I watch One Tree Hill on the WB. Its a good show and Chad Michael Murray is hot.
At some point it went into a drag comedy show. We were seated at a table right in the front so of course my tits became part of the show. I told the queen on stage that he was jealous, he said yeah and handed me the mic I said no, he said hes sure I have no problems grabbing my boyfriends dick
I said you got that right. Sighif only I had a boyfriend. The performers kept coming over to our table to chat. I was one of the few Americans there out of like 1000 people. There were a few men with their Thai women if you know what Im saying. I swear when I get drunk I act like I own the place. Last night was no exception I was like a fucking celebrity in the bar. Last night was so much fucking fun!!! Drag queens around the world want my tits. I didnt get any pictures there.
Yesterday I wanted to eat light so I requested a salad for dinner. After picking out the veggies I dont like I ended up eating lettuce. Top that off with a vodka redbull and probably a bottle of wine and you get one hung over girl
Where is the 24th and Mission taqueria when you need it? What I wouldnt give right now for French fries. I called downstairs and asked them not to bring breakfast. I couldnt look at eggs right now and I highly doubt they make pancakes.
Today we finally do some shopping. The JJ market is only open on weekends, only locals go there and everything is cheap. My company gives me $67/day per diem. Ive only spent 220 bhat, which equals $5.78 since Ive been here. Dans assistant pays when we go out and the client paid last night. So I can buy all kinds of cool stuff there are so many shops that have the coveted expensive stuff worn in belly dance for cheap!
Seriously those of you who really know me know that Im into the Asian culture, my house is decorated with Asian and Indian pieces and I have Buddhas all over the place. Its a wonderful experience to come here and really experience it. Im just in awe of everything. Im a big eyed tourist taking pictures of the most basic things.
I swear this is the best trip ever (so far) I have a local tour guide to take me everywhere I dont have to worry about a damn thing and its on someone elses dime. Dan lands in a couple of hours so well see how that changes. Ill probably be in his office for the next week straight. The girls made me promise not to tell Dan that we all went to a bar last night
Im not entirely sure what to expect when he gets here.
Oh and I want to get the women who work here a thank you gift but I have no idea what. Any suggestions? They are all paid REALLY well so I think money may be an insult so I wont tip. Also I want it to be more personal. It could be something from the US. I can have someone from the office pick it up and send it out here.
The Grand Palace that was AMAZING. The details in the temples were beautiful. There are a lot of buildings and one main temple that holds the most important (for lack of a better word) Buddha. With Supunsas limited English she couldnt tell me how that one differed from the others except for the fact that it had a jade face and was positioned higher. The ceilings and walls are all hand painted in amazing detailed patterns. Everything is really really big. I purchased the books on the story of the palace but I havent had time to read it.
There are stories painted on the walls.
From there we took a tuk tuk to another to Wat Po a temple that held the giant reclining Buddah thats 46 meters long and 15 meters high. Im not sure what that translates to but its HUGE. Running along side the Buddha are 108 pots where you drop a coin into each pot. 108 is a lucky number. Supunsa couldnt tell me the significance again with her limited English so I bought a book that explains everything at the temple but I havent read it yet. For 20 bhat you get 108 coins and you drop one in each pot.
We walked to a flower market after that. They are packed with vendors selling everything. There were so many vendors selling cooked and raw food, vegetables, clothing, flowers, everything. I bought a dozen Lotus flowers for 30 bhat, less than a dollar. They are pink and fully closed I cant wait for them to open. Everyone kept staring at me. It was weird. Supunsa said that its because foreigners dont go to that part of town. It probably had to do with the fact that Im a foreigner, black and have purple hair. Ive seen 4 other black people in all of Bangkok and one was on the plane. There just arent a lot of us here
This picture doesnt do it justice. It got so crowded and crazy and people were staring that I put my camera away.
Dragon fruit its supposed to taste like an apple. Im not so sure I want to try it. Im a wuss when it comes to new foods.
After the flower market I was soooo tired. It was sooo hot and I was sooo dehydrated so I asked if we could go back to the apartment. We took a cab to the subway station because traffic was really bad and took the subway back here. The subway and SkyTrain systems here are great and CLEAN, no dirt, graffiti, or garbage they have Bart beat by a mile. When we got back to the apartment I thought I was going to die. I seriously drank like a gallon of water and started to feel normal. Ive been dehydrated since Ive been here and its so fucking hot that 5 hours sweating in the sun in my PANTS did me in.
After showering reading a tour book and watching half of Lost in Translation we decided to go out. All the girls got fancied up and we went to a HUGE bar called the Coliseum. There was a cover band playing songs in English and Thai and they took requests. They had no less than 8 bollywood/soul train type dancers on the stage at any given time. They even changed outfits with each song. It was the cheesiest thing Ive seen in a long time. I loved it! One guy looked just like a Thai version of Chad Michael Murphy. Ill admit it here on SG
I watch One Tree Hill on the WB. Its a good show and Chad Michael Murray is hot.
At some point it went into a drag comedy show. We were seated at a table right in the front so of course my tits became part of the show. I told the queen on stage that he was jealous, he said yeah and handed me the mic I said no, he said hes sure I have no problems grabbing my boyfriends dick
I said you got that right. Sighif only I had a boyfriend. The performers kept coming over to our table to chat. I was one of the few Americans there out of like 1000 people. There were a few men with their Thai women if you know what Im saying. I swear when I get drunk I act like I own the place. Last night was no exception I was like a fucking celebrity in the bar. Last night was so much fucking fun!!! Drag queens around the world want my tits. I didnt get any pictures there.
Yesterday I wanted to eat light so I requested a salad for dinner. After picking out the veggies I dont like I ended up eating lettuce. Top that off with a vodka redbull and probably a bottle of wine and you get one hung over girl
Where is the 24th and Mission taqueria when you need it? What I wouldnt give right now for French fries. I called downstairs and asked them not to bring breakfast. I couldnt look at eggs right now and I highly doubt they make pancakes.
Today we finally do some shopping. The JJ market is only open on weekends, only locals go there and everything is cheap. My company gives me $67/day per diem. Ive only spent 220 bhat, which equals $5.78 since Ive been here. Dans assistant pays when we go out and the client paid last night. So I can buy all kinds of cool stuff there are so many shops that have the coveted expensive stuff worn in belly dance for cheap!
Seriously those of you who really know me know that Im into the Asian culture, my house is decorated with Asian and Indian pieces and I have Buddhas all over the place. Its a wonderful experience to come here and really experience it. Im just in awe of everything. Im a big eyed tourist taking pictures of the most basic things.
I swear this is the best trip ever (so far) I have a local tour guide to take me everywhere I dont have to worry about a damn thing and its on someone elses dime. Dan lands in a couple of hours so well see how that changes. Ill probably be in his office for the next week straight. The girls made me promise not to tell Dan that we all went to a bar last night
Im not entirely sure what to expect when he gets here.
Oh and I want to get the women who work here a thank you gift but I have no idea what. Any suggestions? They are all paid REALLY well so I think money may be an insult so I wont tip. Also I want it to be more personal. It could be something from the US. I can have someone from the office pick it up and send it out here.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
I know I should be able to identify the little figures in gold in your 4th picture, but I can't at the moment. suffice to say, I am reminded of "The King and I".
I've been to the temple of the emerald buddha too. How cool... I love seeing people's pics of places I've been. It gets me all excited to go somewhere. But.... seems the only place I'll be flying to soon is PDX to San Jose.... how exotic...
Have fun.... I need to read your past journals. See why you decided to leave the country. hee, hee...