Packing it all up

Well the time has come for my final post from Bangkok. I can't believe we are finally heading home. In some ways it seems like the time has gone by quickly and in others I feel I've been away forever. I'm just really looking forward to home.

Today we did our last bit of sightseeing at the Jim Thompson House. It was a very unique piece of architecture and filled with so many beautiful things. It's funny because you have these great house preserved with a great garden and now restaurant and store, and right next door is a giant high rise building looming so close you could spit on it (if that were appropriate). Then we went on to find this handicraft shopping area that was mentioned in a previous comment. I had the page dog-eared in our guide book but timing and and illness had prevented me from going sooner. Too bad because it was amazing!!!!! We were short on time today as well but we had a great Thai meal and managed to do a little shopping. Sam saved a lot of money by not taking me there with oodles of time because I could have gotten in some major trouble. I did by a nice jade beaded bracelet though, so not a complete waste of time. After that is was running around returning papers to the TRC and going for the Visa. It's all official and we area ready to head home.

I keep forgetting to mention this funny story about a soi (street) dog. The stray dogs are everywhere and even the ones with owners look ragged and homeless - but anyway, I feel they need to be treated like a possible criminal. No eye contact, keep walking, pretend they don't exist. Many times they sneak attach you and bark from behind a pole - always scarring that pants of me. Well the other night when heading to the tex-mex place we were walking on the sidewalk. It was busy with street vendors, outdoor eateries and such....I was busy looking at this pub just checking it out when Sam said "keep walking past the sleeping dog to the next place" I thought the pub was called The Sleeping Dog - so because my head was in the clouds when I turned to walk I nearly jumped out of my skin to see a huge dog lying in the middle of the sidewalk. I know i made an audible gasp and nearly fell over. People must have thought I was crazy and Sam thought it was so funny. So, if I ever decide to open a bar I think I'll have to name it The Sleeping Dog. :)

We've packed up the room, have our taxi on call for 3:30am and are ready to hit the road (so I leave you with a picture of the crazy Bangkok traffic).