I'm noticing a pattern - i'm landing myself in a lot of big cities these days. Not sure how I feel about that. I'm quite sure I never would've gone to Bangkok, however, had not my friend from boarding school, Sonya, been there. Her and her husband, Jason, have a great condo strategically located near the monorail, shopping, street market, and come to find out, a freakin cool gallery. I happened to pick a doozy of a week to land there though - Sonya's parents were in town on their way back from India; Friday was Sonya's birthday, for which her sister and brother were also in town (brother lives there but is usually away working); and saturday was a baby shower. Oh yeah, Sonya's 7+ months pregnant too :) i love me some babies. i'm secretly hoping she has him while i'm here. Well, like a bum, I spent most of my 5 days there at the condo. I ventured to the train station to buy my train ticket to Chiang Mai by my big self, and Thursday night I walked over to a hip art openning as well. 100 Tonson Gallery, its called. They're into printmakers, too, though this show didn't have any. Of course, next show is a local printmaker. Hopefully i'll be meeting him though after i get back from chiang mai.
I love Thai food. And there are a lot of street vendors on Sonya's street. Unfortunately, I don't know what things are called, or how to order, ask how much it is or understan when they answer. so I would just walk by slowly and inhale. pathetic. Thai is such a fascinating language. And by 'fascinating' i mean from another planet. The writing too! I feel a bit like an illiterate dumb/mute here. I guess, 'welcome to the rest of my trip'. i wasn't fluent in indonesian, but could get around decently, and read, and eat, for goodness sakes. It's really not that bad. I am very well cared-for here, helpless as i am.
Bangkok? Lots of pollution, shopping, cars, highrise buildings. The usual big city fare.
