Bangkok

Early Friday morning Bangkok. Wat Po and the Reclining Buddha. I can't believe I've been here so many times and never done the tourist things, but getting OUT of Bangkok has always been our first priority. Fighting jetlag all the way, we hopped a river taxi and made our way down the choppy churning Chao Praya. The wat itself is just a few metres away from the pier. What a magnificent temple! Huge spires of mosaic shoot up to the moon and giant Chinese warrior guardians abound. The Reclining Buddha rests magnificently in a building covered with paintings of the lives of the Buddha. The constant clink clink clink of coin offerings being dropped into bowls accompanies us as we circumambulate his peaceful figure. His massive feet are completely inlaid with mother of pearl and the symbols sacred to the dharma.

We found the massage center in its in temporary quarters and sat under an obliging tree to wait our turn. Traditional Thai massage is taught at Wat Po. Sarah and I went in together, me to much laughing as they give me a pair of loose pants to wear and I indicated that they may not be so loose on me. I mime to my masseuse, a small compact little man, that I am having trouble with my thumb and have some tenderness in my ankle. I think he thought I needed MORE work on those sore areas so he doggedly ground his way into my thumb until I had tears in my eyes. He then gestured for me to move it around and by god that thumb felt better than it had in weeks...but I think the secret of Thai massage is the relief you feel when they end the torture! On the whole I felt much better when we were done. It was a miracle! No backache, no ankle distress and a moveable thumb!
It was nap time.

Traveling with Sarah is a treat. She is fearless about finding little holes in the wall to eat and we had a delicious meal in an alley off a klong...green lipped clams, tom ka and pak boon! Today we are off to see the Emerald Buddha and some shopping at the Thieves Market, sometimes called the Amulet Market. Elephants and Buddhas abound!

I miss my Muzzy. Bangkok is hot, humid, conjested, and dirty. We leave for Luang Prabang Sunday mornimg. Chautuchak is tomorrow. Sawadee ka!