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Benchasiri Park

The problem with me is, i keep going to things with low expectations,
then i end up getting amazed by little things. (Wat Arun really doesn't seem
all that it's hyped up to be though.)

Like this jog.
From outside the park gates, Benchasiri seems like nothing but a quiet cluster of trees.
The highlight of the park being the fountain that runs along its front.
Benches line it and people come to watch when the fountain comes alive (ie. starts spurting)
for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.
Sitting there IS quite pleasant. Gray doves alight by park meanderers' feet and feed off tourists' bread crumbs.

So going through the gates, making a few rounds, i was surprised to find clusters of activity around the park.
And a huge lagoon in the center! if i cared to, i could have imagined i was in UP.
Except i think, rather than smooching dormers,
i actually preferred the four old Chinese women gliding their swords into wushu motions,
the first live game of sepak takraw i ever saw (ang galeng! their kicks require tight turns in air EVERY time),
and the thai skater boys practicing on their sad half of a half-pipe.

on the last bit of my first round the park, a little girl twirled about with her sparklers.
and on my very last round, she and two of her friends lit sparklers again and danced around in a circle.
i headed home smiling.