Joe wants to visit Wat Pho, the temple of the reclining Budda. We try to get a couple of tuk-tuks from the hotel there. The guy tells he he'll take us there for 20 Baht, about 80 Baht cheaper then what we have been experiencing. He says that if he stops by a department store and we look around for a bit, he'll get free gas. Since it's halfway there, cheap, and we have the time, we agree. We get there, look around, and then prepare to leave. The guy now says that only he got free gas and that in order for the other one to, he has to stop by 1 more store. Now we know we're getting the run-around. We flick them both off and walk off without paying.
We flag down a couple more that actually take us to the right place for a normal price. We check out the beautiful Wat and then walk around a little to do some street shopping. Many street vendors are closed because of the holiday. We decide to head over to MBK shopping mall. I guess that's where all the Thai teens hang out. We get there and immediately see a bug cart right on the sidewalk. This is the moment we have all been waiting for. We get some fried crickets, grasshoppers, and meal worms. The grasshoppers are large and crunchy, but not too bad. The crickets are a little less appetizing. I did not have a meal worm, but the other people seemed to like it the least. I think Anny even spit some out. There was 1 bug that no one had the guts to try, the waterbug. The thing was HUGE. No way in hell I'm getting that thing in my mouth, simply because it would have to be done on several bites.
The mall is a huge 7-story behemoth with food and clothes up the ass. There are tons of stores selling knock-offs and Anny manages to snag a nice purse. I get nothing, like usual. Someone could definitely spend all day there and not check out all the shops. I can see why everyone heads there. Like most other places, all prices are negotiable.
We get done with the mall and the women are still not satisfied. There is more shopping that can be done. We decide to head over to Suen Lam Night Market. It's right next to Lumpini Stadium, where we watched kickboxing not too long ago. Apparently the other tuk-tuk driver wants to race ours and proceeds to bob and weave through traffic cutting off everything in his path, all the while laughing like a madman. Ho and them are laughing it up not knowing how many times they came close to dying. We all get to the market safe and do more shopping. Anny buys another purse. By this time, my backpack is bursting at the seams with purchased goods. We call it a night and head back to the hotel for some New Years Eve celebrating.
After a couple of drinks, Ho and Joe decide to put on their Muay Thai boxing shorts and pose for the cameras. Words can not really describe the scene, so I'll have to post the pictures for all to see. We watch fireworks from the room and retire after a long day.
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