Our days in Bangkok so far.... Well from the minute we arrived we pretty much fell in love with the city. We've heard so many bad stories about the capital that we were preparing ourselves for the worst but its great! We're staying on what could possibly be the best road here - Khao San Road, which is a backpacker's mecca and holds the best street market we've been to! Day and night the market runs, selling gorgeous clothes, lanturns, bags, shoes, fruit shakes and fallafels. Heaven! Its always buzzing with people and has such a great atmosphere. Our hotel, 'Buddy Lodge' has more than exceeded our expectations (given the name we were a bit hesitant). We are also pretty central to other tourist sights in the city, especially the Grand Palace and accompanying temple complex, holding the Emerald Buddha, which we visited on Thursday. Out of this world. Just too much to look at! So much colour and decoration everywhere! We also meandered our way (me very slowly as very trigger happy!) around the amulet market nearby. Loved it!!!! Love markets anyway, but this, wow! There were hardly any Westerners there and you could tell by the produce being sold. Lots of religious antiques. Oh and the food stalls. Ah. Had a blast! The pics are pretty cool. So yes that was Thursday. Friday: old capital and more Khao San Road shopping. Saturday: today - we rose early again to catch all the bargains at the weekend market. We had been warned that you will get lost and need entire day dedicated to the trip! They weren't wrong! It was crazy! Little rooms everywhere, it was a total labyrinth! Felt so many times that we kept walking into different dimensions as we passed familiar stalls, then didnt recognise anything else. Like all the stalls had shifted around since the last time we had wondered aimlessly around there! The market was really cool though. Although being swelteringly hot-dont you love that feeling of beads of sweat rolling down your back?! it was amazing to find so many clothes at such low prices that seemed replicas of that found in the North Laines in Brighton! So many quirky, retro, frilly, pocadot dresses, tops, belts, shoes..... the list goes on and on! Everything was sold there, from pet squirrels and dalmations (which at least for the dogs-were kept in suprisingly good conditions) to second hand books to velvet-esque accessories, to kitchen utensils, fabrics and food. Had a blast! Bought huge amount of stuff and loved it so much we're planning on another more refined trip-just in the clothes section, tomorrow! Home soon, last sleep in Bangkok! :(