Dames are just dead fish covered in perfume...

A second installation of random thoughts/photos...(you can run, but you can't hide)

First, an apology to Ms. Rayona: I didn't realize it was such a pain to post comments on Blogger. If I wasn't a pansy, I'd be writing my own blog page from scratch...

Secondly...ummm...the guard at the international dorm next door was stabbed last night. [Notthinkingaboutitnotthinkingaboutitnotthinkingaboutit]

Laura at a temple in Petchaburi. (No, no, the other Laura.) This is where Naught taught us the Buddhist way of praying...

Red dragon fruit. (This one's for you, Janet!) You can barely make out all the tiny black seeds. For such a flamboyant fruit, it sure didn't taste like much.

Buddamonthon Park, located between my apartment and school.

Top six things I bet you didn't know about Thailand:

1. There are 7-11's everywhere. The Bangkok challenge is to find a stretch of street where there are less than two 7-11's within eyesight.
2. The taxis are sparkling clean. Apparently the Thai government just subsidized a huge project to rehaul the fleet and make all of them hybrids. Way cool.
3. You don't need any special training to be a Bangkok taxi driver. Just show up with your driver's license...or your brother's uncle's neighbor's driver's license. (It also may explain why most of the taxi drivers here don't seem to know how to get where you want to go.)
4. Whatever you do, don't diss the monarchy. It's very highly regarded. The current king is the longest reigning sovereign in the world, and he happens to be an accomplished jazz musician.
   
5. His majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej was born on December 5, 1927 at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. There's even a square named after him in Cambridge, kind of near Harvard Square...
6. Supermarkets here have an entire aisle devoted to rice. It's also pretty common to find fish being grilled fresh right in the middle of aisles.
7. Thai streetfood is amazing! I've been pretty damned adventurous about it, and I haven't gotten sick once. (Knockonwood)
   

Fish, anyone?

Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. This guy is enormous.

A short discourse on Thai uniforms:

I have to admit I wasn't thrilled when I first heard I'd be wearing a uniform to school. Who wants to be an anonymous conforming automaton, right? They've since grown on me for assorted reasons:

• Packing was a snap--I packed less for this trip than I've taken on 2-week vacations
• No tedious clothing decisions in the morning
• Everyone looks great in a uniform!

Until next time...