So, I'm nearly done shopping....I think. I got up this morning and took a canal tour through the middle of Bangkok. All along the way were houses and so many probably just mediocre temples, but they were absolutely beautiful to me, with all the jutting pieces and gold and other shiny metals all over the place. We stopped along the way and I got my chance to look at some of the local stuff to buy. I ended up getting a really nice pair of silk pants, probably paying way too much...but I really like them. I've never been much for bargaining. 5 hours later and I now have a bag of all sorts of stuff. I have no idea what will be available in Ko Sumai, but if it's all the same stuff, maybe I'll just try (maybe) to hold off on buying more. That's pretty much probably gonna end up by the wayside, but I can always try. My guide today took me into a jewelery store after the canal tour. I had no idea that they were really known here for gemstones, specifically saphires. Kinda wish I hadn't known. Well, just kinda. I ended up buying a simple white gold and saphire ring and a white gold plated silver ring with an amithyst. Hell, I'm not even sure if I just spelled amithyst correctly, but I now have 2 actual real rings. My first "real" jewelery purchase, thanks to the kind and benevolent Mr. Visa. I've got the money, but hadn't exactly expected to buy something like that. They were all so relatively cheap and beautiful. I just couldn't help myself. This was before I even hit Kao San and bought a bag full of other stuff. If I'm walking away with so much stuff, who in the world knows how much damage my aunt joanie could do...

That's all for now. I might go up to the hotel pool for a dip in a little while.