So we spent our last few days in Bangkok avoiding temples. There’re only so many ways to see Buddha in different poses that we can take. Instead we hung out in Chinatown, caught a Thai Khon show and shopped at Chatuchak Weekend Market, one of the world’s largest markets.

Bangkok Chinatown is what San Francisco Chinatown would be if it wasn’t for pesky health regulations and fire department ordinances: a vibrant area that comes alive at night where sidewalks are jam packed with suspicious looking food stands serving all kinds of exotic, delicious food.  A place where produce stalls and shops selling everything from electronics, cheap trinkets and even coffins clog its dark alleyways.

Can’t decide what I want

Having an elegant Peking Duck dinner at Red Rose

On another night we saw yet another retelling of the Ramayana epic, this time in the form of a Thai Khon masked dance. Kohn dancers told the story from the perspective of Hanuman, the white monkey king. Surprisingly there was no poop throwing involved.  Sorry no pics were allowed.

Our last day in Bangkok was spent shopping at Chatuchak Weekend market, a maze of stalls selling a crazy variety of merchandise including antiques, paintings, furniture, jewelry, etc.   Chinatown has nothing on Chatuchak.

Although Thailand was not part of our original itinerary it was pretty cool to see the temples and have some tasty Thai food.  We need to come back and do Thailand properly.