Cheers from London (Updated at bottom)

Regretably it's been a long time since I have updated -- a lot has been going on. After exploring the temples of Angkor we headed off to Bangkok, Thailand. The most that I can say about Bangkok is that everybody there is trying to sell you something, and generally not something that you need. Furthermore, their methods tend to border on crooked. Thai shadebags hang around national monuments telling you that whatever site you want to visit that day is closed for whatever reason, and that to kill time you should come with them to find this great deal on .... (fill in whatever here; suits, gems, etc.). Obviously, they are lying about the place being closed and just want to con you into buying crap.

This happened to us. We were going to see Wat Arun and stopped into a 7-11 to get some water along the way. A Thai man claiming to be a lawyer who liked to see Americans began talking to us about what we did and our trip to Bagkok thus far. He asked what we were doing, and we said we were going to take a river ferry to the temple. Naturally, he told us that the river ferries were not running until 3:00, when the temple would also open for the day. He suggested we go look at this tailor he knew about, who was having a sale that ended at 2:00. Oh, how convenient.

We thanked him for his help and he left. We talked it over and decided to check for ourselves if the Wat Arun was really closed. Of course, the man was outside smoking a ciggie when we left the 7-11 and offered to get us a cab. We said we wanted to check out the temple, but he was adamant that it was closed. Naturally. Finally, we whispered to each other that we'd just get in the damn cab and take it to the temple. He wrote down the address on a piece of paper and gave it to the cab driver, who said something back in Thai, and then the sleezebag told us that the driver didn't know where it was, so he would come with us. Obviously, to make sure we would go to the damn tailor.

At this point, we realized we were obviously caught deep in a scam, but to be honest, the two of us were laughing so hard in the back of the cab that we did not do what we should have done -- gotten out immediately and told the bastard to fuck off. He asked us what was so funny, and we said it was an inside joke. We were cracking up the entire way to the tailor. Granted, I got a good deal on a suit, but we still wasted an entire day. Later in the week, on our way to the Grand Palace, we were approached by three people within 3 km of the Palace telling us that it was a) closed or b) or clothing was inappropriate. All of this despite the fact that we i) specifically dressed for the Palace and ii) there were literally signs right next to one of the guys telling us it was closed saying "Do not trust strangers, we are open every day from 8-3:30". You might think I am kidding about the man next to the sign, but I am not. I did get a chance to tell that man to fuck off.

UPDATE:

Just as we were ready to go insane in Prague for lack of good help, we met a very nice American woman who is living in Prague teaching English. She reassured us that the rude attitudes were to be expected and it was not anything we were doing. She asked about our travels so far and when we mentioned Bangkok, she again validated our opinions for a nasty city, stating, "Oh God, I'm sorry. That city's a fucking armpit." Truer words have not been spoken.