If You Occupy It, You Own It

We walked to the end of Kaosan Road. It was about 9 pm and the full force of the carnival atmosphere of that street was all about us.
But, even more than the shrill sounds of music was the shouting of one man. Quite a few were transfixed, many more ignored him.
I stood there for awhile and within a few seconds it was clear that this was a man preaching the New Testament to a society not acquainted with the Holy Bible. I am speaking mainly of the countless European twenty-somethings who were in the Kaosan Road. His message fell on deaf ears and one fellow from, I'd say, Germany stopped me and asked me what the man was saying. I told him that the man was a Christian preacher. An American.
The German guy and his girlfriend nodded knowingly and laughed and moved on.
I wasn't certain if I too should laugh....or cry.

We have figured out the rules of the road. And they apply equally to river boat traffic on the Chao Praya....if you can wedge your car, cab, truck or tuk-tuk into an empty space in the traffic flow....it is yours. If you occupy it...you own it. No blinkers, horns or hand signals. Get there and it is yours. We took the river taxi today and noted that the same rule applies....though the execution of that rule is a bit more fluid.

A short break from Temples for the morning. Daughter Laura wanted to see a flower market. We showed the desk clerk at the hotel where we were going. She was baffled as to why Americans would come all the way to Bangkok and then go to a flower market. We just smiled and said, "Because we're #1" Fortunately she did not get our sarcasm and suggested a better market. We were off. Outside we flagged down a tuk-tuk and he too was distressed that we would actually want to see.....a flower market.

It was the best ever! It was wholesale and retail. Flowers, fruit. People working like mad to unload and load up. Trucks unpacking, handlers handling. Men and women using dollies to wheel the flowers and produce around. Bedlam to us tourists. Organized work to the locals. Great stuff.

Forget the silk shopping and temples and wats. Go to the flower market. Even though the locals will wonder about your priorities; in the end they'll give you plenty of room to wander among them and take pictures of the fascinating colors and exotic flowers and fruits.

I'll be next to the azaleas and baskets of garlic cloves.
Peace, Bob