I Am Not Making Any of This Up

As I walk along the street, scanning the broken tiles and cement, pocked with holes and barriers, trying not to stumble off into the ceaseless traffic, I also have to be aware of signs and awnings that are suspended over the sidewalk.  These are suspended at what for me is about eye level and the cross beams supporting the awnings and signs, running parallel to the sidewalk, are often made of metal.  I assume the short Thai people are fine with this but I'm constantly in danger of being impaled on a metal sign support.  Some of the ends have balls of tape wrapped around them, evidence, I assume, of past impalings.  

You know what they say about Thailand: "If the sidewalk doesn't fracture your ankle then the sign supports will put out your eye."  This is - and I'm not making this up - inscribed on the tails side of the 10 baht coin.

In the Gratitude List department I neglected to say that, after a second polite request, we got moved to a side-view room much closer to the river and much farther from the karaoke bar from hell.  On night one I stepped out onto our balcony overlooking a sea of jumbled humanity and was surprised to hear that the musician was calmer and quieter that night - but on nights two and three the rock and roll people were back and the sound cannonballed down the alley between buildings so that it was still possible to hear the crash of the drums and the thump of the bass in our room, although much muted.  On the two nights we had in the street-facing room I cannot emphasize enough how loud it was.  When, exhausted from a long day of being thoroughly and completely Bangkoked, I turned out the light, unable to keep my eyes open, I was forced into Airplane Technique as I lay there.  Airplane Technique is the method where an individual - pinned into a narrow seat, sitting up, with blabbering people and squalling infants all around me . . . I mean him or her . . . says this to myself . . . I mean himself or herself . . . : "You are not even trying to sleep - you're just going to sit here and relax."  It can be surprisingly effective.  On night one I fell asleep after a bit.  On night two I fell asleep almost immediately. Proof that I am equal parts calm, tired, and old.  I was too embarrassed to admit this to SuperK who had the normal reaction to loud music at bedtime.