About 15 feet from my very urban hotel is a small shrine.  Someone or several someones have left offerings of fruit, flowers, incense and even a juice box, though this last could be garbage. After some research on the web, I still have not determined who the figure inside the shrine is supposed to be.  Buddha is not usually pictured with a sword.  When I meet my guide later today I will ask if he knows.  Whoever this figurine is, s/he will be well lit by the fluorescent bulb immediately above her/his head!

Further along the same road is a shopping centre with the recommended Thai food.  The centre, though large and multi-storied, does not house much of interest to a North American tourist as most of its space is occupied by marketing agencies, tutoring firms, Starbucks, McDonald’s and so on.  At least some Thais have infected by the Western obsession with weight.  This business was not open when I took the photo, but on my way back there were customers talking to the sales clerks.

The delicious Thai food did materialize and I chowed down on “Home Fed Spring Chicken in Thai Spicy Coconut Milk Soup.”  Having asked for “a little hot,” there was only one small dangerous red pepper in the concoction. On reflection I probably could have managed with two.

This afternoon I took a boat tour along the Chao Phraya River that serves as a commercial highway through Bangkok. Letters from Thailand, one of the books I mentioned in an earlier post, is set in a home on stilts on the river’s edge, the river acting as an important thread through the story.  Now a wall blocks the view of  the homes but prevents the river from flooding them every rainy season.  Many Thais build little shrines in their gardens and regularly bring offerings of food and amulets to keep the spirits that guard their homes happy.

In keeping with the river’s role as a commercial highway, we were visited by two women paddling floating mini-marts of souvenirs and hats and fruit and beer. Two of our group purchased items, pleasing the mini-mart entrepreneur no end.

I’m wondering if there’s a typo on this sign I spotted on the riverbank.

Part way through this floating tour, we transferred to a larger boat for drinks and snacks.  Much was made by the guides of the availability of Thai whiskey to quench our thirst.

When I booked the tour, the two young women at the tour desk between waves of giggles told me of this drink.  The giggles alone warned me not to imbibe.  There was an impressive buffet of delicious Thai fruit – mango, papaya, pineapple, bananas, mangosteens, these prickly-looking rambutans and more – as well as sticky rice and peanut crisps.  The tour all in – 950 Thai baht, or about $38.30 Canadian.

Til next time!