Having been in Bangkok now just shy of 2 months, there are still things that surprise me as we wander the city and settle in our apartment. I have to remember NOT to plug in any appliance we brought from the U.S. without first plugging it into a transformer we bought with us; I find myself walking down narrow streetways with no sidewalks, watching where I put my feet on the uneven roads, while also keeping an eye out for the motorcycle taxis that dart in and out among the cars and taxis. Somehow, everyone seems to be very aware of each other and there is almost a ballet of vehicles as one gives way to another and many columns of drivers gracefully merge into one or two lanes without so much as a honk of the horn, quite different than in India. At any cinema, the entire audience rises from incredibly plush seats and stands for the "
King's Anthem" which is played before each movie.
Visiting the open air markets to purchase fruits and vegetables is a sensory experience of colors, sounds and smells, some good, some bad. I don't know that I will ever get used to the overpowering odor of dried fish and shrimp products found at all of the markets. But the availability of a plethora of fruits and vegetables is worth learning to tolerate any discomfort. Today's visit to the market filled our arms with bag after bag of mini corn, pears, mangoes, green papaya for som tam salad (spicy, spicy!), mangosteens, baby corns, tiny sweet bananas, eggs, and peanuts, all for about the equivalent of $20.00.
Entering a bathroom at the subway station and finding the sign below is today's "you're not in New Orleans anymore" moment. I don't think I will stand on any toilet seats no matter how long we live here!
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