I just pet a rat!!!

Ok, I didnt really "pet" it, it kinda "pet" me, kinda...

So im walkin home, a bit a buzzed, listenin to tunes and dodging all the normal obstacles (ad signs, people, food vendors, kids playing (and YES its after midnight), merchandise, awnings, garbage piles, broken water run off drains, motorbikes, etc, etc...) where the sideWALK is suppost (bitter?) to be. THEN, I decided to take the path between a garbage pile and a water run off drain, partly, so as not to risk stepping a foot nearer then needed in the way of scowling tuk tuk and taxis because i realize what would benefit them most %( . So Im strolling along, with a little pep in my step, been a good night, hung out with some peaceful red shirts, drinkin with some police officers (on duty :), hanging out after walking the sweet sunday market in Chiang Mai (more on that at a later date). So anyway Im boppin along, ok, truth be told, Im dancing my heart out, swingin my hips, pointing this way and that, lip syncing to a slurred version of what SHOULD be the right words, when damn near all of a sudden I feel something with course fur brush against my leg! Wait! I gotta preface this with the understanding that there are cats and dogs everywhere, some limping from being hit by cars, most scratching the infinite itch of flees leaving bumps, bare skin and bone, and they sleep like they are dead, no chasing mailmen dreams for these mangy pups, when they finally get exhausted enough to accept the infinite itch they are OUT. Some are living fat and happy, these ones have established prime locale, ie market scourers, they have the luxury of picking what they eat, and most of them pick everything that slips through greasy fingers so they are living fat and happy. One of them who lives down the street I actually mistook for a pig! No joke, until I saw her furry face and feet. The cats are more behind the scenes, they got all they can handle chasing Geckos, and rats, rats, o yea sorry....

So yea... (where was I going with this?) ...yea so, I'm waltzing through, when out of nowhere/(the pile of garbage) I feel this furry thing brush my ankle, I thought it was a cat so I just picked a foot up and twisted around to see what it was, then it brushed my other ankle, so I'm thinking its just looking for lovin. Let me remind you, this all is taking place in less then a second, which is understandable to the misfortunate many who have fallen prey to my foosball fury. So then, I realize where this thing came from, so I jump high as my height while looking back to confirm my prediction, and off to the drainage hole scurries meaty mouse. Did I mention that Im decently drunk at this point, and its a good thing cause I was then able to shake the inevitable chills that where crawling up my spine from replaying what had happened. It was no mouse at all, it was a full grown, meat n potatoes n khao soi eatin RAT! I was close enough to hear its little squeeks and catch a glimps of its chubby hairless tail.

But, after thinking about it for a second, it wasn't all too bad. He was kinda soft, in a fibrous kinda way, and I think we give those guys a bad rap, he was just grubbing on leftovers when I came waltzing through. I don't really mind the little scavengers cleaning up after us. Which must be a common feeling here cause they let the Cockroaches grow to be monstrous!

OK, I know it was long winded (and mostly fabricated), BUT, would you rather read:
I just got brushed by rat tonight...
The end...(???)

Moral of the long story short:
Don't come between a rat's home, and his diner plate...................

Red shirt update

With a national "bird" like that its no wonder..............

So there are two main parties:
The RED: mainly rural poor and urban working-class red shirts, who support Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister
The YELLOW: who staged their own street protests that led to a 2006 coup ousting Thaksin the then red shirt prime minister

The yellow shirts said a week ago that they would give the government a week to solve the problem and if nothing was done then they said they would take matters into their own hands, launching thier own protest, not ruling out direct confirentation with the red shirts. The yellow shirts could make things alot worse as evidenced by taking over Bangkok international airport with thier own protest. The week is up and the red shirts are not showing any signs of letting up so there is the possability of Yellow shirts taking the streets tonight (Monday, April 26)

A lead red shirt protester was quoted as saying "We don't want to talk to the government because there is nothing to talk about. We cannot agree and the only way is for Abhisit to dissolve the house now." and "We will continue to fight until our victory is achieved." At least 26 people have died since the protests begain over 6 weeks ago

There is actually another protest of the protest, Bangkok businesses have banded together to protest the red shirt protesters, so of course they needed a color for thier shirts, they decided pink would be a good choice. The businesses are fed up with the red shirt rally and the effects it has had on the businesses in Bangkok because of the original protesters attempting to shut down Bangkok to get the attention of the current prime minister and show that the majority is not happy with the yellow party and they want an imediate disolve of government with new elections.

Ive heard from other backpackers that the red shirts have moved to the main shopping area of Bangkok to slow business and that they got ahold of some grenade launchers and bombed one of the sky trains.

There are investigations underway looking into if the former red shirt prime minister is funding these terrorist activities.

I hung out with some peaceful red shirts the other night, drinking cheap rice wine, shootin the shit with some police officers. They all assured me that Bangkok is the only area being targeted to get attention from the government.

So, allswell in Chiang Mai Mawwwww

WATER FIIIIIIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Song Kran is amazing
SSsssooooo much waterfightin fun for all ages and origins!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songkran

So much fun in the morning, more Thais and more kids then other times, with all the little Thai kids having a blast (heh) dripping (heh) with enthusiasm and wide awake for the antics to come.

I cant see anybody not loving it!!! It is some GOOD CLEAN FUN, little kids and food vendors everywhere (even more then usual, which is ALOT), and getting little kids to chase me around, so great, o and people driving around drinking and truckloads of people throwing ice cold water, and parade of Buddha statues going through where people throw water scented with ginger and tamarind at the statues, everybody is SOAKED, tuk tuks with loads of people hanging on getting doused, and there are transvestites and cross dressers dancing their gay asses off, it is what i would image like a gay pride parade is as free and nonjudgmental, and so much FUN, you should REALLY come see it at some point in your life!!!

Safety is def an issue though, all of this is happening on the side of a major road, and most all the roads as a matter of fact, kids chasing each other next to the road, water being thrown in the faces of motorcyclists while driving, food vendors with friing vats of hot oil right next to a bucket of water right next to a lady holding her baby, the moat of stangnatin water with kids and tourists swimming and people throwing buckets with a string to refill pistols or throw at others, cars in que at idle with exhaust spewing out and everybody running around sucking it down, people driving with a beer in hand, tuk tuks popping wheelies with people hanging off the back in a crowd full of people, etc etc etc.

BUT, this is part of what makes it so great, its much less regulated but it still works without having all the rules and restrictions like back home in our rigidly standardized and regulated western societies.

A tangent:

It seems like this could have negative effects on people, it seems that people can be bound up too much resulting in the urge for rebellion. Ive noticed westerners getting a kick out of inapropriate actions, doing what we shouldnt do and getting a charge out of it, pushing the envelope, trying the limits of what is appropriate, and its funny. It seems like theres a notion of indomitability, (and ive heard some people say this) "We can do whatever we want, we're in SE Asia!"

I was hanging out with some English peeps and they where talking about getting some motorcyclist to wipe out from throwing water at them, or pushing unsuspecting people into the moat. Just my oppinion, but seems to me that getting surprised by a shot of water is one thing and these are another.

I havent seen that in other cultures, it could be because I dont understand the culture enough to see it, or language barriers.

Just a thought................................................................................................................

Never thought it could happen but im actually starting to get sick of the water fight, its been going on ALL day for about 5 days, its too much, time gets lost, your distracted from everything and your exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions. squirt, retaliation squirt, laugh, walk, bucket dump, retaliation squirt, laugh, walk, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. For 12 hours. Never thought id say it in this hot hot heat getting cooled down and playing with kids and haveing a blast why would i get sick of it, but i guess even this is best in moderation. The recipients of my suprise attacks also seem much less humored by a large, attemptingly acrobatic westerner on the 4thd day of the water fight marathon when compared to the first.

But I still had some great fun hanging out with people I wouldnt otherwise have interaction with because when it comes to water fightin, words just get in the way..............................................