Bloody Foreigners

Thursday 31st January

Slightly later up today (not a hangover I swear) and decided to go down to Chinatown and wander around there for a while. The quickest and cheapest way is back on the boat, and soon I was wnadering around the Chinese market. As it is Chinese New Year on Feb 4th, the place was mental, like Grafton Street a week before Christmas (multiplied by 10). For some reason the Irish Embassy is located amongst this madness, not in the more upmarket areas like the other countries. Although I didn't pass it by.

I think I liked this market more than others, probably because there was less hassling from traders, the products on sales were more like what we would get at home (well all our stuff is made in China these days) and I guess it did remind me a bit of Parnell St.

Chinatown is also the home of Wat Trimit, and the Golden Buddha. This is not the biggest Buddha you will ever see (and by now I've seen a fair few), but it is solid gold. And for some reason it refused to take a picture.

The most annoying thing about this part of the visit was looking at the other tourists. There are three rules for entering a temple, no shoes, don't step on the raised lintel in the doors, and don't point the soles of your feet towards the Buddha. I saw all three broken by tourists here, although by different ones for each of the three. In some respects its no wonder the Thai try to fleece all the tourists.

I really have begun to get the hang of the scammers. I caught two wrong changes today, and heard the best line ever from a tuk-tuk driver. Normally they ask where you are going, you say the Grand Palace, they say its closed, and then take you to their friend's shop to get you to buy something. Anyway today one asked me where I'm going and I said by river to Chinatown. His reply was that the river was closed for low tides. Its an insult to think I'd fall for that, but I could imagine a lot of foreigners would (I won't mention which countries I think are more susceptible).

After Chinatown I decided as I was on the river to go to the Barge museum. However the ferry back up broke down and we had to transfer to another boat, which then wasn't going to stop there. So I had to get off and approach it on foot through totally untouristy areas. There is a reason why everyone goes by boat, the approach on foot literally takes you through peoples back gardens. This was real shantytown like conditions, although everyone was very helpfull in pointing me in the right direction. When I got to the barge museum they didn't allow photos, there were only 6 barges, and to be honest it wasn't really worth the trek. The best part of the trek was seeing how real Thai people live.

After that it was back to the madness of Khao San. I was going to go to Thai boxing that evening, but I had to collect my passport so couldn't. Had dinner in a place that played a lot of Corrs music. They seem to be big out here, maybe the most known Irish band, even over U2, although Bono is known. But he ain't the favourite Irishman, that title goes to Roy Keane. Every tuk-tuk driver asks where you from, and when you answer Ireland, its always oh Roy Keane.

I like my spicy food, but the meal I had tonight did catch me out, almost burnt my mouth off. Its the first time I've been caught, although I haven't yet tried the famous Tom Yung Kung soup.

Drinks that evening were in the company of Glenn from England, who was in Thailand the same lenght of time as me but already had a girlfriend and was planning on moving there. Foreigners are weird.