Anything Can Be Baht, Bangkok, Thailand
Wednesday, May 16th, 2007From the small part of it I’ve seen so far, I’ve come to believe that Bangkok is a city that moves fast and moves all-the-time.
Already, I am:
A. Hot.
B. Sticky.
C. Full of Pad Thai.
D. Feeling the need to buy stuff.
Once night falls in the tourist streets, it starts to feel like some strange dream involving a frat party, tropical fruit, an import store, rodents ready to be eaten, and lots of neon. I am in awe. Or jetlagged. Or some dizzying mixture of both.
Fabric in every color, cut and texture, sparkling or flowing or soft, begs me to touch it, to try it on, to see how it looks against my skin, to give in. Silver glints in the sun. Any body part may be adorned by one or another shining jewel. Leather sacks, flip flops, and every possible knock-off is pondered by the barely-clad masses, pawed through, and quickly consumed. I want to consume, too. I want to have it all! But I calm down, count my Bahts, settle on a simple and modest pearl necklace for 3 bucks, and call it a day.
Tomorrow is to be full of temples. Buddhist temples. Let’s hope they can do something to ease my eager need to acquire all of these colorful and frivolous things. Somehow, I doubt it.
bonniecaton