Bangkok weekend

I just got back from a weekend in Bangkok. I find myself there every 3 weeks-ish. That's where I go for doctors appointments and I am currently having a little hip problem. Everything should be fine with a little rest, heat, and streching.

So to get to bangkok I go to a van stop in my town and when the van is full it leaves. That's the schedule. It usually takes about 3 hours (but can be up to an hour or more with traffic). I really look forward to the trip to relax with my IPOD and whatever book I'm on. The bangkok stop is at a pretty central location so depending where I'm staying I can get right on the sky train, or get a bus. I am pretty proud to say I have mastered both modes of transportation in Bangkok and often get random phone calls from friends who are in bangkok and need help with travel.

Bangkok is bigger than any city I have ever been in. Or at least it feels that way. It has about 6-9 million people, depending how you count. And it has the longest name of any city in the world. It is around 70 words long. The short version that Thais call it is "Greung Tep." It is a crowded, smoggy, humid, smelly city with a huge traffic problem. You can find almost anything you want or could need in Bangkok, but finding where and getting there could take forever. And after living in a rural area, Bangkok is pretty expensive too. But partly I spend more money there because I want to get my fix of western food. I love to get sushi, or go to Subway for a turkey sandwich, or to get a western salad somewhere.

And I have yet to do all the touristy stuff in Bangkok because when I'm there I usually spend some time shopping for things I can't get where I live and often I head to the movies at some point. Usually I head dancing with friends at some point. We have a couple clubs we frequent. One is in the backpakers strip and is full of foreigners. That area is called Khao San Road. A really fun atmosphere. Lots of tourists from all over the world on a road that is practically, but not officially, cut off to traffic because so many people are walking there. Loads of shirt, jewelery, books, Thai crafts, beauty salons, email shops, open air restraunts, copied CDs, and nock off sneakers, jeans, and sunglasses. Oh, and loads of little carts selling noodles, egg rolls, orange juice, fruit, fried rice.... There are always people walking around selling some wear too. People carry hammocks, maps, balloons, and there are people in hill tribe wear selling jewlery from Northern Thailand. I love to get a street side seat on Khao San and watch it all go by.