Bangkok ... Good Clean Fun

Just came back from Bangkok last night. During my pre-Bangkok trip days, I always thought Bangkok was a place to, well, bang your c#@k. Now, I think otherwise. It can be good clean fun.

This trip was purely retail therapy. Whaddaya know, it actually worked! MBK, Siam Square, Suan Lum Night Market and the gargantuan Chatuchak Weekend Market were all covered in 3 days. The constant haggling of prices was fun, though it was really a test of endurance, especially when we didn't speak the same lingo. However, we Singaporeans seem to have created a bad name for ourselves there. “Hallo sir, come see, wha you lie? I gip you good pri”. So I step into the shop and look-see. “Where you prom, sir?”. To which I proudly say “Singapore”. And then comes the realization, “OH! Singapore…”. The attendant gives me a once over and loses half her enthusiasm. Is it my fault that we’re good at bargaining?

Well, the trick, I found out, is to be there early and be the first potential customer. They’ll be eager to make their first sale, I’ll be happy with my cheap buy that I so desperately think is a must-buy, only to have it collecting dust when back home. With your money, they’ll swipe it carefully all over their wares while chanting some stuff, obviously for good luck. I’m glad I did my good deed and spread some luck to the people.

After a hard day's shopping, it was easy to submit to the middle-aged masseuse to knead away the happy aches. An hour and a half of non-erotic but fully satisfying massage cost only $12.00! I was ready to shop again.


redcocoon