Bangkok

Big, chaotic, crazy, noisy, polluted Bangkok (8 million people) is many things to different people. Everyone moves at breakneck speed and the city has a pulse of its own. We tried all the forms of transportation--bus, taxi, Tuk-Tuks, canal boats, river boats. We saw many Buddas (reclinging,standing,sitting,emerald) in this nation of 63 million people who are 95% Buddhist.

We managed to see the main tourist attractions--the incredibly beautiful Grand Palace, Wat Po(best Wat), Wat Po massage school(best in the country-we had two messages there!), and Jim Thompson's teak house.

We avoided an ugly, violent politcal protest in a park we planned to visit. It was the worst protest in Bangkok in 16 years. Two people were killed.

There is a scam going on at every major tourist attraction(watch your pockets for pickpockets)and we learned to bargain hard. We got into an argument with a Tuk-Tuk driver. He just wanted to take us to out-of-the-way gem dealers, tailors, and merchants just to get kickbacks(gas commissions) and not take us to sites. When we protested he dropped us off where we didn't want to go and walked away. At least we didn't have to pay the fare! Still, it was an exciting two days.