Two Years in Bangkok and the World's her Oyster

What used to come to mind when I thought of Bangkok was whores--it was like word association:

Dog ~ House
Baby ~ Bottle
Bangkok ~ Whores

Thanks to shows like Dateline and plays like Chess my view of Bangkok pretty much resembles a film noir street set: dark alleys, smoke coming from the sewers and hundreds of asian sex workers pouring out of every door and window.

Now my friend Crystal has moved there for the next 2 years. At first I pictured her getting off the plane and immediately being waist-deep in prostitutes, while wearing like a white cardigan and ankle-length skirt, seduced by the sex and scandal and ending up an opium addict giving handjobs for 20 baht. Since then I have exposed myself to some non-musical based research and am a little more comfortable with the idea of where she is going. I am still going to miss her as this is much longer than we have ever been completely away from eachother in like 13 years, but I am so proud of her for making the leap.

At a party this weekend someone who just came back from Thailand informed me that her most vivid memory was attending a "lady-show" where she sat and watched some chick catapult ping pong balls from her cooter....so if the whole teaching thing washes out Crystal, it appears Thailand is quite the nation of opportunity.