Macha Bucha Day
Today is Macha Bucha Day, commemorating the time in history when 1,250 monks gathered spontaneously to hear the Buddha preach (http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=1,2314,0,0,1,0).
I spent a good part of the day at Rama IX Park hoping to relax and refresh. Somehow, I think I chose the hottest and most humid day to venture out! The high today was 94F with humidity at over 60%. Never-the-less it was a good day apart from the fact that my camera batteries wore out before I arrived at the park. So you will have to be content seeing pictures of sights on the way to the park!
The first two pictures show the crazy intersection close to my apartment. They are building an overpass at the intersection, I suppose, to decrease congestion there. But currently it can take a good 20 minutes to get across the intersection.
This next picture is not the greatest, but I just had to include it. It is a pickup truck filled with individually-bagged plucked chickens! Remember the temperature?? Hmmmmm....
When I got off the bus, I still had a ways to walk. The next few pictures show a pet shop with puppies, birds, and squirrels.
The last picture I got to take was of a mosque not far from the park.
Once I got to the park I asked everywhere I went if anyone sold batteries. Always I was pointed toward another building or little snack kiosk. One of the girls at one kiosk volunteered to go with me to show me another kiosk that sold batteries. Unfortunately it was a kiosk where I had already asked, so I thanked the girl and we went our merry ways!
As I was exploring the grounds, I ran into a movie set (I think). A lot of people were there with fancy camera equipment, and the spotlight was on a pretty Thai girl. As I continued on my way, I met a family with a daughter having graduation pictures taken. The mom began to jabber away to me, asking me where I come from, etc., then continued on after her daughter. I trailed behind for a bit and then the daughter approached me, asking if she could have her picture taken with me. So she and some guy--her boyfriend, maybe--and I posed for a picture together!
Eventually I found a spot by a water lily pond where I sat and read for a while. At one point I heard a splash, and was a bit alarmed to see an alligator-like animal swimming across the pond toward me. But then I saw its tongue flit in and out and decided it must be one of those large lizard creatures that seem to be in Thailand.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, and I arrived back at my apartment around 7:00. Now I am in air-conditioned comfort after being hot, sweaty, and smelly most of the day!