19-back in Bangkok

after the retreat I went with fellow meditators to Chiaya & had good time chatting about our experiences & eating some sweets & such...one older gentleman from America was working as a college literature professor in Oman & shared how after the invasion of Iraq even the young women in that liberal Arab country hate America(thank's to Junior/Cheney & fellow Republicans!).....at the train station there were no more 2nd class tickets so I got 3rd class for 211 baht to Bangkok.....in car 13 with all thai people & 3 other farongs...I sat next to Michelle from Colorado who was returning from the annual huge full-moon party on Ko Phangon...also Shawnee & Alan, Americans from the retreat who were heading back to Guilin, China.....we survived the straight seat train ride(I got about 1 hour sleep) & in the morning made it into Bangkok where we got a taxi to Banglamphu, the backpacker section of town...Alan knew of some cheap guesthouses by Santichaipraken Park(Phra Samane Fort) by the Nam Chao Phraya/river(cross the dirty canal by the fort & ghouse's on the left...cheap 100-200baht) ...I mainly hung out with Shawnee & Alan(Michelle went on to Laos) in the famous backpacker Bangplamphu/Khao San road area which has a variety of hostels,restaurants/bars & street vendors, shops, clothing,ect....... After 2 nights I left by the River Ferry to the elavated Sky Train which took me to the East Bus Station where I got a Bus to Ko Chang Island....