Tha Phra Arthit- Pier 13 for "Backpackers' Paradise"- a real Hippie place

Wow! We had been told by the front desk staff that we would LOVE this area and we did!
 It's like old hippie haven with the pipes, tie-dye shirts, Che and Bob Tee-shirts. It was VERY different from Chinatown- in the sense that the streets were wider and while traffic was still allowed, it was less seldom. ( Did I already say crossing the street is a nightmare here???)

 Hey Sergei, Em…need a pipe? They're cheap……………( Dawn thinks I'll go to jail when we go through Customs if I buy one)

 Patio lights- sweet!

 The earrings are gorgeous

 So are the clothes - and cheap! I bought three cotton bags for gifts- gorgeous!

The "Tuk Tuk"  (pronounced "Toque Toque") drivers were hilarious here- they promised to tell our fortunes- they LOVED our footwear and wanted to change shoes- shook our hands and wanted to know where we were from……………….

 Busy- crazy- people and traffic

 We visited Wat Chana SongKram - the Wat ( temples) are plentiful here. It was a Buddhist Holiday and the National Gallery and other National sites were closed. The local Thai were paying their respects in the temples in droves. Incense, candles, prayers- quite interesting!

 More shops and interesting gifts

 Food stalls everywhere- Noodles waiting to be cooked……...

 Wish I had Grandkids- Look at these sweet little outfits (yes, Emma- that was "passive/aggressive")

 Jewelry I used to find on Yonge Street, Toronto when I was a teenager- still LOVE it!

  Tons of "foreigners" on the streets, here. We were - by far- the Oldest women on the street- All the rest were young backpackers from Australia, the Netherlands, the States, Germany and France. These were some of the distinct languages we heard on the street

 This funny Indian Tuk Tuk driver told Dawn he could tell her fortune……..funny!

 I asked two middle-aged Thai women to take our photo. I don't know if you can tell- but it is like 45 C and we are melting….holy crow - it's hot here!!!!! The humidity is unbelievable!!!

 This lovely local Thai woman pointed us to a restaurant with "fans" - and  toilet. Very few of the restaurants here have toilets ( like China) - let alone "fans" to cool off…… Her Name was Peep and she had friends living in Montreal…….. Thai people are SO nice and SO friendly!!!

 Dawn's (very cheap- like under $4.00 lunch) was calling "floating Omelette: - it was filled with rice. I just had stir fry veg with oyster sauce and rice. We chose for price -

 Funny Big-haired necklace lady at the Pier going home

Here is the first sign of  police OR Military presence in Bangkok. Funny! We feel safe and the Thai people here are so much more friendly than in China. Dawn agrees…….

Of course we took the way on our boat/taxi home. We were half way to Tokyo, I'm sure before we realized. Had to disembark and catch the boat in the other direction. A long ride one on a crowded and noisy boat after a crowded and noisy day. Happy? You bet!

Here's Dawn Opening her water-will-expand tissue.