One, I mean, Two nights in Bangkok.

One night in Bangkok was great until it turned into two nights we missed our bus (or missed our boat rather)  We are headed to an island next and the boat doesn't shuttle back and forth after dark, so we couldn't make it in time. . . We have a bus picking us up tomorrow at 8 to take us there, it's a 4 hour ride, I hope neither of us throw up. Why can we just take trains everywhere?

Bangkok is busy, dirty, and we don't feel as safe as we did in Chaing Mai, so now that the sun has gone down we are confounded to our hostel room, last night we went a little stir crazy. So we went to the 7-11 and loaded up on junk food, including chicken potato chips, ice cream and chocolate. So maybe we can crash after a little sugar rush and have a better night (the beds are too hard and the pillows are too fluffy and we share this thin pathetic blanket that Andie hogs the entire night.)

But no, if we would have planned to be in Bangkok I'm sure it would have been better.
Yesterday we went to this temple, or palace or whatever. . and it was amazing, kinda like a Buddhist temple square decked out in golds and tall colorful buildings, with statues of Buddha everywhere. We didn't want to pay for a tour guide, (this entire city is a tourist trap and it can be exhausting) so Andie and I just took some real good guesses as to who the statues were of, and what was going on. . . I learned a lot from her and I think she did from me too, and because of it we are better sisters.

One room had this massive Buddha laying down. I'm talking massive, and we had to take off our shoes and then put some coins in a pot. Obviously to symbolize our soul and the sacrifices we have made to come to see Buddha.

We walked around there for a while and I just think about how crazy it is that their temples have become such a touristy spot, with so many people trying to make a quick buck (or baht) and it is sad. One reason I'm glad you need a recommend to get in our temples.

What is being Buddhist doing for these people? they live in crazy homes all pack together with dirt floors alongside these big Buddha shrines. . they are nice people, maybe it is just making them nice.
Would they benefit from having a ward family? Do these women need visiting teachers?

Just a thought, and maybe I'm arrogant in thinking my way is the best.

But it was Sunday today, and as I said my prayers I wonder how many Christan prayers are being offered in this city. . And I wonder if mine was the first Christan prayer to be said in the building I am staying in.

I wonder if I would be a good Buddhist.

But we did have a wild day today, we were taken for the ride of our life on a tuk tuk. . . I wish I had time to tell the story, it's a good one.
We also saw some wild alligators or crocodiles or massive lizards in the dirty river that runs by our hostel. . Andie and I were so dumbfounded by them. And still have no idea what they were, they had to have been 4-5 feet long. . ah, gives me the shivers.

Ok, I'll leave you with a picture or two, I wish I could sit down and show you all the pictures and tell you all the stories, But I am writing like crazy in my journal so I'll remember them when I get home, and when I'm old and gray. Thailand is amazing.





Hey, big Buddha.

 Bangkok makes us look haggard and crazy.



Andie in front of our hostel