planes, trains, n tuk tuks….

our guest house Lamphu house had a nice courtyard filled with Euro transients emailing and skyping.  It hardly felt like bangkok….more of an EU Convention in flip flops.  Despite our rather small room, 1 bd, no sheet, fan only, we were both so jet lagged we crashed around 4pm.  woke up at midnight and staggered a whole 100yards to have dinner of french fries n fried rice n beer at what can only be described as a thai themed euro lounge.  Surprising amounts of suspicious coupled filed thru the door.  “i had no idea how many chubby european men had stunning asian girlfriends.  and decided to bring them here on vacation!”  perhaps not.

Had the day to kill in Bangkok before our night train left for Chang Mai @7:30.  So we had breakfast at the veggie organic place we found the day before and scoffed down tripical fruits, croissant, banana pancakes, and the best iced coffee ever.   (Note:  we were warned never to eat ice in SE Asia or fruit you don’t peel yourself for fear of the water.Day two and already living on the edge.

Eventually found where to board the cheap water taxi after a savy tuk tuk dropped us off @ an exorbitantly priced private boat tour kiosk and we had to walk all the way back where we started.  The boat was a nice respite from the sun, and we had a great view of all the sites we’d later see on our return trip to Bangkok.   Shanty town venice, dilapidated shacks on stilts barely teatering above the water, monks perched on balconies, sky scrappers with mod condos.  Bangkok is surprisingly metropolitan but by far the filthiest city either of us had experienced.  The river polluted no doubt with every disease ever discovered and some not yet named, would splash up into the boat and the locals would instinctivly cover their nose/eyes.  My reflexes a little slow due to jet lag weren’t quick enough and i got it right in the eye.  direct shot. immediate irritation and redness followed and am now sure i have the “bangkok stink eye”.   Hope I can remember which unmarked pills were the antibiotics.

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