Before I left Mae Sot I got a much needed haircut at this really kick-
ass barber shop in the night-market. For 40 baht you get a haircut,
shave, shoulder massage, ear-cleaning and nose-hair trimming. They
even shave your forehead and nose!... Okay, so I'm a bit unclear on
what running a straight-razor over a persons forehead is meant to
accomplish. But the point is, that it's a great deal.
Subsequently I got the heck out of Mae Sot. It's full of Karen
refugees fleeing Burmese oppression and a really depressing place to
hang around as a result.
Now I've finally come to the fabled city of Lopburi and so far I'm
very impressed. Everything here is filthy and covered in monkeys,
just as I'd hoped. The madness is fortunately limited to a 3-block
radius around the ancient ruins the main troupe lives in. But it's a
sight to behold in that area.
Monkeys in the roads, climbing on the
buildings and awnings, swinging from the power lines. Monkeys hissing
and fighting with each other, stealing things from sidewalk vendors
and fornicating on the sidewalks. I've been wandering around singing
Funky Town to myself since I got here, but substituing the word
'monkey'.
Scott
