Today's a relaxed day. We walk to the Jim Thompson house, a short mile from our place of rest (i.e., hotel). Short story is, Jim, a Delawarean, joined the army, was sent to Bangkok, but before he got there the war ended. He loved it so much, though, he decided to move there full time.

In the late 50s, he worked to rebuild the Thai silk culture. He did so using the traditional methods and tools, and was very successful. Amongst other things, he built a traditional wooden house for himself, and he was proud to build quite a significant art collection, some of which is on display in his old house. It is a good visit and a very worthwhile 35min tour. At age 61, Jim mysteriously disappeared, never to be heard from again. I read a rumor about CIA involvement. This was late 60s. His brand is still the premium silk fashion brand in Thailand today.

From here we take a boat taxi one stop up the river. 9 Baht, or 27c, per person. It's just a mile, but you can't argue with 27 cents. We get off at Pratunam mall, where we're told you can find some good silver, silk, and shiatsu. Okay, I made up the shiatsu, but I was on two S's and wanted to get to three, and foot massage just didn't work.

We walk 4 levels of the half open, half closed for business mall and find a few good things, but are largely orienting ourselves for tomorrow's visit to the JJ Weekend Market. Get some sense of quality and price. We skip the massage, get some street food (chicken and shrimp dumplings) for a late 3pm lunch and relax at the room a little bit before hitting the nightlife.

We find (well, our taxi driver finds) the train night market, or Rod Fai Ratchada. What an amazing experience! Built in a tight large square grid, the entrance is lined with food stalls. Everything from small sate sticks with meat (pork, chicken, or beef) to comprehensive fish meals that include whole crabs. You can grab a can of beer and walk the rest of the market in about an hour if you don't stop to stare and negotiate. There is a good variety of items here, and it is a fun market to walk. We barter for and buy our Christmas ornament here, a tuk-tuk fit for Christmas tree decoration. After a long taxi back (he goes all over town, according to my Waze, but it was a fixed-fee ride), I fall into a deep sleep a second before my head finds the pillow in bed.