So this morning I slept in a bit... maybe due to the fact I didn't end up going to bed until 4 am. oops. I got up and got some mango on the street for breakfast. I met a guy last night, Dax, that I had spoken to for a bit and we were supposed to go to Chinatown together today. I stopped by his place to tell him I hadn't left yet and would be back later, which worked out well. I caught the ferry to the Grand Palace. I stopped for a bottle of water since I was already out of mine, and said a few words in Thai to the guy selling it to me. "You speak Thai?" was the response I got, which made me feel pretty good, even though I literally can only say 3 things.
At the Grand Palace you have to wear pants or long skirts and have your shoulderes covered, etc. I wore my pants that the legs zip off into shorts so I could have pants for just while I was there. I decided to splurge on a live person guide once inside because there is so much I have no idea about Buddhism, and especially what symbols on the temples/wats mean. This worked out really well because besides just being impressive in size and ornamentation, I actually learned a lot. PLUS, he had an umbrella he held over both of us, which was great considering it was so hot out. I'll post a seperate writing about things I learned, of what I can remember...
BUT. my story from inside. I had charged my camera the night before, all night, so that it would be fully charged again. BUT NO. somehow.... my battery decided to die, while in the Grand Palace. Luckily it was at the end, but I still missed pics. :(
After that I came back to Khao San to meet Dax, get lunch, etc. AND BUY A NEW BATTERY. luckily there's a camera store 3 down from the internet place, and they had batteries. I bought 2. I refuse for that to happen again! :P
I also bought bug spray since I have about 6 bites and I'm not even out of the city. I bought "tropical strength" which as it turns out, has something like 50% DEET in it. Hopefully that does the trick.... haha. I also bought some stuff to put on itches, and some tiger balm, which I read in my guide book can be used for that, plus other things. Dax told me at lunch that apparently tiger balm used to actually be made with tigers... we don't know what part. Someone he met while in China told him this -- their comment being "I don't use it because I don't trust the strength now that they don't have tiger actually in there anymore" um... WHAT. We went to the same place I ate dinner a few nights ago a street over from Khao San -- I really wanted that sweet & sour coconut milk soup. It was amazing.
After, we went to Chinatown, taking the ferry. We kinda guessed which Pier to get off at, and then neither of us have a good map/ the guidebook doesn't really tell you where all the markets in Chinatown are located. We just walked around and found them. Along this trek we found a random Wat and walked in. Dax said something about wanting to look at the Crocodile, when we walked closer to the case to look at it, turns out there was a LIVE one down in a tiny tiny pond. He was at least 11 feet. And alive, because he did open/close his eyes, and move one leg. Crazy.
Reminiscent of my mission trip to mexico in highschool -- I bought a coke in a bag on the street. Because they get so much money back for the glass bottles, the coke is poured into a bag and drank with a straw. (Sarah, I know you will appreciate this more than anyone else!)
We continued to wander around with no map and no clue of where we were going. At the heart of the market, or street with market on it, I didn't see any other tourists. The entire time we both kept our hands in our pockets/where we thought people could pickpocket us, even though we had taken precautions against it already. We both made it out unscathed, and bought new headphones for $3 each -- I haven't even listened to my iPod yet, not the reason I brought it, but one of the headphones doesn't work, so I thought for $3, maybe i'd invest in a new set.
Now, back at Khao San. I went to my place and did my laundry, which is strung across my room in hopes that it will dry by tomorrow's check out time. I won't do too much tomorrow since I will have my big bag with me, and probably need to leave Khao San around 4 to get to the train station to leave for Chiang Mai. For now, at 9pm I'm off to find some food!
