BANGKOK!

Wow!
Teeming city of the 21st century...monorails and skytrains, asphyxiating pollution, skyscrapers galore, temples and stupas, orange clad monks with umbrellas, hot noodles off the street, a backpackers Capital City and Centre of Operations.
One Big Shop!...anything available here, if you want what what they,ve got.. although all somewhat now standardized and packaged for the bargain hunting tourist...
The Best Hotel...clean towels and sheets and bedrobes that looked and felt like furry waffles, air conditioning and a swimming pool on the roof, and breakfasts you help yourself to and always regret on day one when you get your money's worth...and CNNad nauseum, and spotless rooms. We loved Buddy Lodge and its $25.00 a night of luxury...
Spent 5 nights here, doing some belated Christmas shopping for the fashion afficianados back home, some sightseeing and enjoying that hotel and city, but its changed so much - Jac was here 15 years ago and could barely recognise it - yes, the beggars are gone and you can't buy live sparrows for dinner off the streets anymore, but its joined a lot of those other big cities in the world, and by the first weekend we had our ticket booked for the night train to the border, visas in hand, for Laos.
LAOS!