Morning

I slept fitfully. Thailand has a well deserved reputation for hard beds. My body feels bumped and bruised from lugging my bags yesterday.

I was so famished this morning that at 530am I dug out a half eaten date & nut bar that I had crammed into a baggie at the bottom of my purse. Desperate times, people. I couldn't wait for 7am to roll around.

At 6:59 I was downstairs and hopped on that buffet breakfast like I hadn't eaten in weeks. Two pieces of French toast, watermelon and a mystery fruit that I had mistaken for pineapple later, I decided on my next mission: buy toothpaste.

I was told to walk to the gas station. So walk I did. It was a short walk, but plenty of interesting things of note: Entire families crammed onto one vespa (no helmets!), stray dogs running around sniffing for food, people walking to work, spirit houses outside every single establishment. Spirit houses are mini temples dedicated to the spirits filled with offerings like flowers, incense, candles, etc. I would take a pic but it's the biggest faux pas in the book, apparently, because Thais believe the photo will capture the spirits and take them away from protecting their business/workers/etc. So no photo for you, but I bet if you google them, you could find them. I arrived at the gas station, and left with some crest, chocolate covered almonds (the only food I could identify with certainty) and a giant bottle of water. Even though I get free water at the hotel, I feel better having some bottled water on hand for brushing my teeth. Yeah you read that right. Having spent extensive time in Costa Rica, I learned the hard way that brushing with sink water is a sure way to get yourself sick.

Here are some crap iPhone shots from this morning. Blogging from my phone so photos may be out of order: Buddha at my hotel, area where they hold a cooking class, my breakfast, koi fish in the gardens at the hotel. I'm gonna try to rest now. Maybe I will venture out to the old town if I can find the energy. Xo