i got some clothes today. i did a fair bit of sightseeing. we came across a 'real' market next to the Royal Palace. Here is something different, we could not get into the royal palace because we were wearing shorts. Shorts are considered lower-class and no local wears them. We didnt get within two blocks of the place without total strangers pointing out that you need shorts to get in. The market was much more like what i read about in books, a lot of questionable food. often there was a beautiful display of a dozen large woks filled with colorful dishes. i got some 'bottled' water but it turns out it was tap water in a bottle. i disposed of it. there were many monks walking through the market and there was a school near by. the polition can get very very bad here. i mean real bad. in some blocks you can not have a car for 200 feet yet it feels like you're sucking on the tailpipe of a greyhound bus.

ive been eating a lot and having beer at random times during the day. i need to get a little more focus, i mean i want to have a little more meaning during this trip than 75 cent beers and $2 meals 4 times a day.

i had a massage at the guest house next door. it was very good. thats gonna be a part of the daily routine. oh yes. 200 baht or $4.90 or so for an hour massage. in the US its $60/hour.

ta ta for now