Act Naturally

An intro to Bangkok life.

We asked the desk clerks at the hotel about Chatachuk Market. They said it was quite a distance and we said, "great, we'll take a tuk-tuk."
They said, "Oh, no, take a taxi."
So we went out to the street and took a tuk-tuk.

We saw the same thing in India a few years ago. No one would recommend the tuk-tuk cabs (basically, a revved up golf cart which zips in an out of traffic with reckless abandon). We were always told to take a cab. We always took tuk-tuks for the around town travels. Longer trips went to the cabs.

Chatachuk Market is THE market for everything. Personally I found great triumph in locating the toilets which cost 2 baht and for a shower 10 baht. Not sure who would be stopping off during shopping for a shower, but with the humidity and the enormous back-packer trade, I suppose there is a call for public showers.

The market is endless and if you can' find something then it does not exist. When the merchants were not busy, they sat in front of fans and worked their Ipads. One world out there.

Back near our hotel, I went up on the roof (when this ole-world starts getting me down) and noticed the spire of a nearby Buddhist Temple. A golden lance piercing the sky. Finding it on the street was a bit trickier but I went by myself.

So I read up on temple clothes etiquette. I didn't want to offend the local populace. I wore long pants, short sleeve shirt and shoes, not sandals. I even had socks on. Turned out the locals hardly had been reading the Google site on temple clothes etiquette. Women in skirts at the knee. Guys in shorts. Everyone wearing open toed sandals except for those wearing flip-flops and one American guy with shoes and socks and long trousers.

And since this was my first temple, I hung back at every turn to make certain I could walk in this part of the temple, and where to put my shoes (and socks.....which I pocketed). Could I snap pictures? Apparently so. I noted one local with a big camera so I pulled out the Ipad and recorded it all.

It was all quite beautiful, serene. The entire temple area covered several city blocks and I have no idea what all the rest of the place was for...looked like a cool college campus. There may have been a wedding reception in one part of the grounds. No one volunteered any information, there was no drinking, dancing or general merriment but something good was happening.

And...knowing my track record over the years with losing shoes at religious sites...I left wearing my own shoes! Good karma.
Bob