Newness

As I often do when journaling in a new land, I record sights, sounds, smells, all the things that stand out for me enough to notice that it is really not the norm where I am from or in my own practices.

Without further adieu, here is my list as of today:

• Hippie-thaisters getting hair extension dreads sewn into their short hair on the touristy sidewalk of khao san road
• foodstands everywhere. fruit that is green, red, hairy, spikey, smelly, and delicious. As I write I munch on a large green guava-like thing, and yesterday consumed lychees (they are reddish-green on the outside and have a beautiful spikey thing going on), although one brit I met described them as "balls" to me, I ate this things called "sela" or some such. Delish. And much more
• lots of kids playing with remote-controlled cars. I feel I have returned to the 80s.
• Tuk-tuks. these are 3 wheeled taxis that buzz around the city leaving gobs of blue-black exhaust. the drivers enjoy sidling up next to you as you walk down the sidewalk and just trailing along, sometimes not saying anything, and just figuring you'll jump in when you feel so inclined. when you do not, they buzz off in a what feels like a fit of rage-- revving their engines and coughing the exhaust fumes in your direction.
• roaches. huge roaches. squished and sometimes not, crawling over the unsuspecting pedestrians flip-flopped foot.
• vendors. everywhere. every available sidewalk foot seems to be covered.
• snarkey shirt vendors. Not only have I seen the hilarious "good bush bad bush" shirt a few times, but yesterday I was moved to blurt out a laugh among a crowded sidewalk as I walked alone, when I saw a shirt with a dog mounting (to put it nicely) a bunny, and the word below stating simply, "wrong."
• 7-11s. They proliferate here. Unbelievable how many 7-11s I see. It's like Dunkin-donuts in boston, or starbucks in any other part of the states.
• which brings me to my next point: starbucks. I've spotted 3 so far. People seem to be enjoying their frappachinos. In this regard, I've also spotted a McDonalds, Haagan Das, Baskin Robbins (what?!), and the inevitable Pizza Hut and KFC, which seem to find their way to all parts of the world.
• more dogs with hair-dos and some jewelry around their necks.
• group work-out classes in Lamphini park. This is where a huge group of people (around 200) gather and follow instructors in any of the open spaces in the park as they do group aerobics and the like. It is incredible. There are quite a few men who partake in these classes, which I found surprising
• large cars. Unlike parts of europe where I have been, I was shocked to see SUVs here. Even the smaller cars are like our regular cars-- not compact at all, as I was expecting
• monks. they have shaved heads and wear orange. Just like the pictures.
• female versions of this. They wear white and I am still trying to figure out what they're all about.

Alrighty. All for now. I hope you enjoy this list. I'm off to start my day-- wander the city much like I did yesterday... who knows what I'll report in the near future.

:) L