So although I do not drift through my day thinking how I should put this week's chapter on the big screen, I always think "I gotta blog about this!"
Water Taxi and Khun Boobtun's ride to it.
Long ago, Bangkok was circumnavigated through its waterways. Still today, many Thais make their daily commutes via the Chao Phraya River. Lexi and I felt ready for a day of adventure, combining the cultural history of taking a ride in a water vehicle with the modern blend of cultures of Kho San Road.
Getting the guards at my aunts house to call a taxi is
a hilarious experience in itself. I just walk out the door, try to find a man in a nondescript "official" military-esque uniform. Sometimes they are tight in front of the house, but often they coast along the perimeter of the gated community on their hot pink cruiser bikes. I point to a brochure that has a picture of a boat on the Chao Phraya and try my best to say the name of the dock. I think they get it, I go get Lexi, and the hot pink taxi arrives. Lexi reaffirms me that it is definitely good luck to get a pink taxi! So we enter the cab, greeting "Swadee-ka" feeling like the toddlers that only know and slightly abuse the word "hi." He asked us where we are going (I only know this because he turned around and said something to me and he is about to drive us somewhere and probably wants to know where.) So I, again, pointed to the picture of the boat on a river and repeated the neighborhood's name where the dock is located, this time I said it with much more confidence since that last guy seemed to understand what I was saying. (Later, I thought- yeah right he was probably equally confused but just said on the wakie-takie "ahhhh, I am pretty sure the white girls need a taxi again.")
The taxi driver talks to our favorite of the guards as we approach the gates of the community. Lexi and I have renamed this guard Khun Smiles because we have a higher level of communication with him. He always seems to understand! Khun Smiles all-knowingly gives the man directions and we are off.
It was nice to have someone to talk it out with when I wasn't sure if our taxi driver was on our same page. Mr. Boobtun is what his taxi license read (all names are posted on the dash. A new favorite part of taxi rides for Lexi and I is to see the drivers name. Mr. Dang still sits highly in my memory.) Khun Boobtun asked me a few questions in Thai that I repeatedly responded with, "I am sorry, I do not know Thai." Realizing that I have got to learn this language- colors and numbers can only get you so far! Like, nowhere, actually...
Of course we make it to where we want to go. Always. We hand Boobtun his well deserved 100 baht, and I inhale deeply to deal with phase two. Lexi and I climb the few stairs to the front desk. There are a handful of boats and we had heard things about certain flags meaning certain things. We didn't know what to expect or if this was even the right place to board... the woman at the front desk speaks English, She takes our money, gives us our tickets, and tell us to go to the boat right here. I forgot how easy simple things can be without a language barrier.
So we are on the boat. The boat taxi is covered with a tarp and has 16 rows of seats, two seats to a side. I feel like Paris Hilton and that other blonde girl on a farm. Lexi and I are in bright sundresses with glittering shawls to cover our shoulders. We are the only ones hiding our eyes with sunglasses, which also happen to be half the size of our faces. Did I mention there wasn't much white skin going on in that boat and the blonde thing was almost embarrassing.
The river gives an entirely new view of Bangkok, it seems to take you back in time. Far away from the cars and freeways, you see the life of people who live on the water. Homes built high on stilts, with ladders down to the water where an occasional soul can be found bathing, doing laundry, or catching fish for dinner.
We pass fishermen, temples, street vendors and markets with the entrance at the water's edge. The boat zig-zags down the river with stops every quarter mile. A man-made whistle comes from the back of the boat and is replied to at each dock, a soothing form of communication. It is peaceful and a lovely view through Bangkok... and then we approach downtown, softly veiled with a layer of pollution. Next stop is Kho San Road.
Kho San Road.
So here is where all the westerners are. My own kind sort of grosses me out. Beware of old men in small jean shorts, girls with fake hair braided in their head, and fake id's of all sorts being sold out of a suitcase. I can feel the energy from a block away as I file in-between a variety of languages being spoken by shirtless college boys and girls who talk a bit too loud. The slimy and shady meter are at an all time high as Lexi and I maneuver around unconvincing hill tribe women selling their "traditional goods" and merchants trying to get me to buy a swimsuit cover-up or a t-shirt with a mildly clever pun written on it. I am not impressed. We went to a travel agent to get my combination train-bus-boat ticket to Kho Samui and to Starbucks to decompress with a frappacino from all the seedy madness. And then we were over it- to Lumpini Park!
Lumpini Park.
We get there at dusk. 6 p.m. just happens to be the time that literally hundreds of Thais convene to do aerobics in this park that lies in the middle of downtown Bangkok. Actually aerobics is just one of the workout options offered here. People are running around on paths, and there are random stationary bikes and parallel bars located throughout the vicinity. Thais workout really differently than I am accustomed to... girls running in jean shorts, some men are on their cell phones, all ages aerobics, etc. All in all, it is a fabulous moment that you all have to see to believe! Next to the workout park, the night market begins. Over-volumed horrible singing greets you and we dodged towards the vendors. I am so lucky to be the rare person that gets "special price for you. you discount price" from almost every vendor... how nice. I begin to notice that every crowded market in Thailand sells exactly the same shit with the same "cheap, cheap for you" slogans. The same clothes, the same watches, the same scarfs, slippers, wallets, keychains, massage stops, lamps, knives, candle holders, pillow covers... everything, the exact same. As stimulated as I was the first times visiting the markets, I am now bummed at the lack of creativity. Although, they can still be pretty fun... but nothing is as fun as illegal DVD purchasing!
Illegal DVD purchasing.
No way was it legal. We cab over to this IT mall for an external hard drive and some other technical goodies. As we explore, we find a shop that is pouring out of itself into the mall. So twilight zone- the back of the store is empty. The middle of the store has racks of DVDs as you would see in a movie rental place, except, they are almost all covered with black sheets. The front of the store is actually seeping in to the hallway. Here a man is pushing DVDs on me.
Two collapsible tables display photo albums filled with new releases that he has for sale. I see "Slum Dog Millionaire" and I want it. The salesman is young and has a pinkie nail the length of some crusty ole coke-head (sp?). He is friendly but makes you feel dirtier than Kho San Road. I am not nervous, but Lexi is physically communicating that she does not feel good about any of this.
I tell him, "No way this is legal." He asks, "What is the word in English for opposite of burned?"
Really? As Lexi mentioned- You know the word "burned" but not the word "original" and you are going to sell me with that line? He can tell that I don't really care about where he gets these movies, but that I don't trust that the dubbing will be right or that the whole movie is on the DVD. He pops it into the player and I watch a few moments in each chapter. When he tells me the price is 100 baht, the money is already in his hand. $3- my Starbucks frappacino was more than that. Teresa is there with two movies to purchase as well. Her choices were not in the "new release" section but located close to the shelves covered in black. He tells her that those movies will take 15 minutes. Huh. So we wait. As we wait, he immediately makes a phone call, and proceeds to then open the cellophane wrapped movie boxes which are found to be just empty cases. Less than ten minutes later a skinny boy runs up with DVD cases in hand and the switch is made right before our ignorant and confused eyes. And as for the movie, you should all see it. It was a great story, with fantastic cinematography, and moving music.
Next up on blog-able moments:
-The $12 language-less haircut at Ruengrit (so close to "ruined it" its scary)
-Night out with the Big Girls (that's right, Lexi and I are definitely big here)
- Conversations with Khun Iad (minimal English in her vocab, breakfast always begins with her telling me how beautiful I am.)
-The elephant on my block
1 comment:
i just laughed SO HARD throughout that whole thing. "Makes you feel dirtier than Kosahn Road" love it. What an interesting life we are currently leading!
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