The Grand Palace was huge, beautiful and incredibly ostentatious. It had lots of gold and beautiful tiles and mosaics. It also had some wonderful statues and murals. From there I walked around all the buildings and gardens and took plenty of photos. I then had a look at the nearby area and I was taken for my second con. A man saw me enter the monks area and said that he could show me the monks' prayer room. I figured we were in a holy place surrounded by monks, what's the worst that could happen? But I discovered much to my cynical self's dismay that religions are essentially the same whether they worship a dead carpenter, wear orange robes, or believe we descend from aliens - they revolve around money.
The man took me to a monk's quarters, instructed me to remove my shoes, and I started to think that something was going to cost money, but what? (I guess he could expect something for his time.) After some preparations the monk entered and my new friend instructed me to sit. The monk then sat and my friend narrated the monk's actions and explained the significance of different things. The monk attached a thin orange rope around my right wrist then flicked "holy water" on me. My friend then explained that we need amulets to protect us and help us and the monk reached to his right and produced a great choice of amulets for me to choose from. I figuered they couldn't be free so i asked how much they were. The monk handed me one and said 500 baht (AU$20). I asked him about some of the others and they were more expensive - 1200 baht (roughly $50). I'd come this far, been brought down monk alleys, walked into a secluded room filled with monk junk, sat down in front of this holy man with my friend to my right, he's got washed and sat down then attached my powerful orange bracelet and flicked water on me, but I wouldn't be a schmuk. I told them that I didn't have enough money and that i was sorry but I couldn't buy anything. The monk looked upset and he grumbled. My friend suggested a donation so I gave him 100 baht ($4). Then the monk stood up and just like that my religious experience was over. For a measly $4 I had tricked a monk into giving me salvation, godly protection and everlasting happiness and considering he wanted to charge me $20 for it I got a bargain.
Following that enlightenment I walked out of the temple/monk area and onto the streets. After being harassed by more thais offering their services i was fed up with the touristy stuff and I headed to the Siam Paragon. I decided that instead of walking, today I would take the river ferry for as great a distance as was practicable. I then had a much shorter walk than normal to the subway station.
I cooled off in the Paragon and drank a granday capuccino at Starbucks on level 3 while sorting through my finances (makes me happy). I then went to True and spent 3 hours on the net adding photos, replying to emails, chatting on msn, and blogging. I then checked out the gourmet supermarket, bought a new toothbrush (because mine tastes like soap) and went to an atm.
The walk home was a tonne easier than the previous afternoon, obviously because I'd done it already. The only difference was that it was in the evening and dark, however, I didn't have to check my map for the entire 5.5 kms. I grabbed a salad for dinner which was very healthy of me and I enjoyed it.
Funnily enough, I'm getting used to the city and all the annoyances. I could see how one could live here as a westerner. You learn to politely decline all the tuk-tuk drivers and taxi drivers the same as you would in Melbourne for people wanted to sign you up for a credit card in Flinders Street station. The difference is that there are way more of them and they are much more persistent. However, even though I say this, I can't deny that I'm looking forward to leaving the heat, the air, and the dirtiness. Thankfully London will be cold instead of hot, the air will be a tiny bit cleaner and the city a tiny bit neater. Oh well, maybe its not really that different? At least their English is easier to understand (or is it?).
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