Where to begin...

The past week has been like a magic carpet ride.  Moving from country to country, city to city.  Bangkok was familiar and fun.  Walking the small soi, or alleys, in our hood, lined with restaurants, food carts, foot massage ladies with their reclining bamboo chairs all in a row, and little huts filled with simple flowing cotton pants and wild printed t-shirts.  All the young tourists ditch their western wear and begin to dress alike in the light weight happy clothes they can buy for a few dollars on every street.   Fresh squeezed bottles of sweet tangerine juice cooled in ice boxes, pad Thai noodles cooked by street venders in large metal woks, their metal spatulas making music banging on the edges while tossing the whole lovely tasty batch.  Cycles driving down the narrow walk way, tooting their horns, dogs wandering along, music playing from each restaurant open to the street, their short tables and tiny plastic stools filled with travelers eating and drinking all day long.  Yes, it’s a tourist scene, but what fun it is.  We spent one afternoon with our Canadian friends, having not seen one another since Bali two years ago. Wonderful to be in Bangkok at the same time! Along the river a nice footpath leads to the old fort and park.  Sunset time it is filled with locals and tourist.  Young kids juggle and perform back bends and yoga, like young lithe tourist have done forever.  At 6:00 pm exactly a loud speaker plays a nice tune and everyone stands to attention in respect as it is the National anthem.  Only two full days in the city and it was great to be back.