Bangkok R & R

After a night in a real bed and a hot shower I wandered out to see what's up on Silom Rd., a major street one block away. In the block to Silom I pass many sidewalk foodstalls. offering everything from sit down full meals to ala carte chicken, pastries fried as you wait, fresh fruit, fruit juices, fried eggs and omelets, a pastry in big pan they looks like Danish ebleskiever and more. The crowd on the sidewalk rivals the most dense at the state fair. One pedestrian rule prevails on the sidewalk; don't wait for anyone no matter how narrow the opening even as others come from the other way. I tried waiting once and I'd still be there if I hadn't given up and plunged ahead.
Silom Rd, three lanes of traffic each way with the Skytrain track overhead, is bumper to bumper as usual. That allows for foot traffic across the street as cars stop for the jam, just look out for the motorcycles scooting between the stopped cars. Oh, Yes, remember to look to your right because they drive on the right...but do glance left to watch for the motorcycles going the wrong way.
The sidewalks along Silom have stalls selling clothes, shoes, jewelry, sunglasses, cosmetics, lingerie, music CDs, flowers (for altars), etc. In addition there are always people selling raffle tickets. Today they were two sellers peddling sim cards for cell phones, one of which I noticed advertised 3G (I need to explore that.) There are also blind people who've been outfitted with music boxes to accompany their singing as they solicit money. A group of young people are collecting for UNICEF. I haven't seen the elderly woman who tells fortunes this year. Every block or so there is a beggar holding up his/her cup. One woman sells prepackaged sandwiches. All in all...never a dull moment!