Boys Will Be Boys--Even Thai Monk Boys

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Trip Start Sep 05, 2007 Trip End Oct 06, 2007 Next
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  Chiang Mai, Thailand
Saturday, September 8, 2007

Not much to report on Bangkok.  Loud, polluted, dirty, crowded, and chaotic, we were happy to leave after one day.  After a pleasant bus ride 7 hours north to Sukothai, Kelly and I checked into a lovely guest house with polished teak floors and walls and a pretty garden restaurant.  Sukothai was the ancient capitol of Thailand through the 15th century, and the ruins of the old city are spread throughout a historical park.  Early this morning, we rented bicycles and rode through the park, stopping to explore wats along the way.  The park is quite large and exploring the entire area by bike would probably take all day.  We did our best, but the heat was brutal, and we gave up after 4 hours.  Still, we managed to explore about half the park, which was nearly deserted, allowing us ample opportunity to play Explorer as we roamed the grounds.

Rather than take a tuk tuk back to the city from the ruins, we opted for the town bus

Monk Boys on the Bus to Sukothai

.  The "town bus" in Sukothai is actually a pick up truck with benches that run alongside each side of the truck bed.  I'm not sure if there are specific stops.  The driver seemed to stop for anyone who raised a hand and drop someone off whenever they yelled from the back.  We were the first to board the bus. 

About 5 minutes later, 5 young monks joined us.  Two climbed in front with the driver, and the remaining three sat opposite us on the back benches.  Clad in their bright orange robes and wearing flip flops or bare feet, the boys ranged in age from about 9 to 12. All five had just purchased packages of cherry bombs.  Immediately, they engaged in a cherry bomb war, pelting each other, the road on either side of the truck, and several passersby. 

For about ten minutes, the boys laughed and smacked each other whenever one landed a particularly good hit on another with a cherry bomb.  However, one of them got annoyed and asked his buddies to quit.  Of course, his request simply egged them on, and they all 4 ganged up on him until he got angry and slid down the bench to sit at the opposite end of the bus.  One of his friends obviously felt bad and quickly moved to join him, stowing his cherry bombs inside his waist belt.  And so peace reigned for a few minutes.  

Just when calm was restored, the bus was flagged down by a transvestite male.  She crossed the street toward the bus, and when the boys caught sight of her, the two on the end quickly moved back down to their original spots, giggling and jostling each other and making inappropriate comments, no doubt. 

The arrival of our new passenger prompted the five to whispered consultation, the discussion being an obvious question as to whether they could pelt the newcomer with cherry bombs.  The young ringleader dared one cherry bomb at her feet, but she ignored him, and, somewhat disappointed, the boys returned to pelting each other. 

As we continued toward town, we picked up and dropped off an assortment of locals, mostly students and old women.  Finally, we arrived back in the center of town, and Kelly and I disembarked.  THe young ringleader twisted around in his seat, waving merrily to us as the bus jostled away down the street.  It was, by far, the most fun I have ever had on a bus. 

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