On to Bangkok

From Patong Beach, I moved on to Bangkok. I wanted to get my computer fixed and with the short visa I decided that I didn't have much time, so I flew there instead of taking a couple of days to go up on the bus. As I was more concerned about my computer than really doing much in and around Bangkok, I didn't actually do much. However, after taking a trip to one of the electronic markets to get some idea of what would have to happen to my computer, I was told that it would need to be completely reinstalled. I was going to have to lose all the data on my computer. I would only be losing a couple of days of photos, as I have been fairly religiously backing them up, but I would be losing my music and a couple of other things that I would have liked to have kept. Since I was unhappy with that answer, I decided to take a walk and think about it.

I had seen a park and thought it would be a good place to go and think. This was Lumphini park. That's where I went. It's a nice park that I never suspected in the metropolis that I had always found to be kind of dreary.

While I was thinking about what to do about my computer, I was told about another electronic market where I might get a better answer. I went and found a spot that services computers. When I got in there, the guy immediately started trying to fix what was wrong instead of recommending wholesale reinstallation. I felt much better. Even if it ended up that he would have to reinstall Windows, I felt it would have been the final option and I was satisfied with that. In the end, the service guy managed to fix the computer and I got to keep everything. Then I immediately backed up everything that could keep me entertained.

Another day, I came across this monument.

It has a number of arches that are shown on its sides. I don't know if they are real arches or not, but they all have names. There is the Crystal Wheel Arch, and the Elephant Arch. There's the Horse Arch. And then there's the Crystal Finance Minister Arch. That was really odd.

On my last day in Bangkok, I took a walk along one of the rivers of the city. There a community was arranged along the shore. Most of the houses are on stilts and it seems to be a thriving community. It was an interesting walk that day, although I was actually trying to find the floating market that was supposedly nearby. I never found it.

But I did find perhaps the most relaxed dog I have ever encountered.