Well Friday was our last day of classes. We got to go to the Thai CDC and learn about a ton of great research that they had going on with MSMs and IDUs to learn more about the nature of the epidemic and treatment potentials. It was pretty interesting. They we did a wrap up of our class and ran over some logistics for the weekend and how we were going to leave on Sunday for Vietnam.
After class a group of us headed to dinner in Chinatown. We ate at some hole in the wall, half outside half inside, tiny but 3 floored Chinese restaurant. The group of us took up the entire top floor of the place. Ordering was interesting since they spoke NO English as many Thais do but luckily we had a couple of Thai friends we had made during the week (a guy named Nicky and his friends) and they basically ordered for us. I tried to order bubbled water and that was hilarious. First I tried "soda water" then I tried "mineral water" - to which my response was "what minerals??" haha. Then, I tried "soda water" again and they waiter goes "oh, soDAAA" and I laughed and nodded. It was hilarious, the whole group was cracking up. Anyway, I ate to eat crab cakes with rice noodles in them, super garlicky and spicy squid, and some water spinach stuff they don't really have in America. It was very good. Oh, of course we had bunches of Singa - the national Thai beer as well. Singa isn't great but it passes as cold and beer. After Chinatown dinner we walked around a bit and then headed over to the Night Bazaar on Tuk Tuks - these are the bicycle taxis - I have pictures for those of you who don't have a mental picture of 4 adults crammed in the back of this tiny thing. The Night Bazaar was GIANT. You couldn't haggle as much here but I did manage to buy Tyler's little gift and some of my friends got foot massages. They had a bunch of hilarious clothing - many of which were American style dresses from the 1950s-1980s. Truely awesome. Then, heading home from the Night Bazaar we got in Taxis. Shannon, Megan, Sarah and I got in one taxi and headed back to the Ambassador Hotel. Well about 4 minutes into our journey we were waiting at a light in the middle of the horrendous Bangkok traffic and a truck starts getting really close to us. Well now if you had been doing Bangkok traffic now for 4 days you wouldn't be worried about this because the traffic is indescribable and they get very very close to each other. Well, this truck side swiped us. Yes, we got in a car accident in Bangkok. Now don't freak people, we are fine. But the truck was literally stuck on the taxi. They had to throw the car in reverse and pull themselves apart. The taxi driver was so upset and apologetic that we paid him and got in a new taxi that a Bangkok police officer called for us on the side of the road. Then, we paid him again. But, we got home alive.
The next day was our free day and Sarah and I headed out to see the Bangkok sights. We saw the Wat Pho and the reclining Buddha - which is so giant it takes up a whole room!!, the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha - which is tiny and on top of a giant shrine, and then took the boat across the river (for a whole dime) to see Wat Arun and climbed to the top to get a great view of Bangkok. It was so hot, I got sun burned, but loved the entire experience. Between the two of us we have over 100 pictures so get ready to see those! I got more Pad Thai at some tiny whole in the wall our Grand Palace tour guide recommended. It was cheap and decent considering we were in the tourist area. Then, Sarah and I got back to the hotel around 3:30 and by 4:30 we were both asleep and didn't get up til about 4:30 the next morning. Yes, we were exhausted. But, hey, we needed that sleep.
Sunday we packed, ate, and left for the airport to go to Vietnam. We arrived safe and sound Sunday afternoon!
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