The Myth of the Nocturnal White Ball
~
2004.10.31 21:57 (EST + 11 hrs): Haad Rin Nok (Ko Phangan island), Kingdom of Thailand
Last Friday's Full Moon party on Haad Rin "Nok" (Sunrise) was populated, busy and anti-climactic as expected: the lead-up nights being much better than the actual main event. As far as international must-see party venues are concerned, Full Mooning in Thailand could stand a substantial overhaul. Improvements could include a greater variety of music (translation: more genres than hard trance and top-40), less glowing body paint and a proper chill-out space for the chemically mesmerized -- to name a few problems; to trace the tip of the iceberg.
I suspected that it would be a party with the lesser seductive form of "mass appeal" since over 10,000 people normally show up to shake down. Mind you, after talking to the locals, this October's was the slowest one of the year: they usually host over double. Nonetheless, those ten thousand party-goers generously brought with them the gracefulness of varied and excessive consumption, predictable music, lame venues, and hordes of snugglers, gropers and those ambitious enough to screw on the beach while an army of dilated pupils staggered along the sand and water's edge, occasionally stopping or slowing to stare at the moon or urinate in the sea.
All told, I've thought about my time there and have since rallied my own mind to break the myth of this event, to be real. To not remain latched to the fantasy notion of a worldly and ground-breaking party populated with the open-minded and culturally adept beneficient hippies of high-school documentaries. No, more aptly put, full mooning is the orgiastic trophy held high by a cross-section of an unaging generation who simply doesn't care about itself. Somehow, these people find that keeping its notion immaculately cherished maintains their collective tribute to the idolized graven images of their personal "Gilligan's Island Gone Wild." Through these eyes, I don't consider the notion, or beauty, merited.
In the end, I am resolved and truly believe that it might have been a beautiful and honest celebration once ago. When it was original and thus cool. Since that time, in my view, it has morphed into an oversize international tourist convention on debacle and carelessness, relinquished to hide on a beach facing the open, unjudging sea and ever-watchful nocturnal white circle in the sky.
Temporarly and only minorly disappointed, I remain open-minded and hopeful as I continue this venture through The Land of Smiles.
From here to there, all.
S*
Fave current track(s): "Dynamite!" - The Roots, ft Elo
Current read(s) in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
2004.10.31 21:57 (EST + 11 hrs): Haad Rin Nok (Ko Phangan island), Kingdom of Thailand
Last Friday's Full Moon party on Haad Rin "Nok" (Sunrise) was populated, busy and anti-climactic as expected: the lead-up nights being much better than the actual main event. As far as international must-see party venues are concerned, Full Mooning in Thailand could stand a substantial overhaul. Improvements could include a greater variety of music (translation: more genres than hard trance and top-40), less glowing body paint and a proper chill-out space for the chemically mesmerized -- to name a few problems; to trace the tip of the iceberg.
I suspected that it would be a party with the lesser seductive form of "mass appeal" since over 10,000 people normally show up to shake down. Mind you, after talking to the locals, this October's was the slowest one of the year: they usually host over double. Nonetheless, those ten thousand party-goers generously brought with them the gracefulness of varied and excessive consumption, predictable music, lame venues, and hordes of snugglers, gropers and those ambitious enough to screw on the beach while an army of dilated pupils staggered along the sand and water's edge, occasionally stopping or slowing to stare at the moon or urinate in the sea.
All told, I've thought about my time there and have since rallied my own mind to break the myth of this event, to be real. To not remain latched to the fantasy notion of a worldly and ground-breaking party populated with the open-minded and culturally adept beneficient hippies of high-school documentaries. No, more aptly put, full mooning is the orgiastic trophy held high by a cross-section of an unaging generation who simply doesn't care about itself. Somehow, these people find that keeping its notion immaculately cherished maintains their collective tribute to the idolized graven images of their personal "Gilligan's Island Gone Wild." Through these eyes, I don't consider the notion, or beauty, merited.
In the end, I am resolved and truly believe that it might have been a beautiful and honest celebration once ago. When it was original and thus cool. Since that time, in my view, it has morphed into an oversize international tourist convention on debacle and carelessness, relinquished to hide on a beach facing the open, unjudging sea and ever-watchful nocturnal white circle in the sky.
Temporarly and only minorly disappointed, I remain open-minded and hopeful as I continue this venture through The Land of Smiles.
From here to there, all.
S*
Fave current track(s): "Dynamite!" - The Roots, ft Elo
Current read(s) in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
Tumbling Nimbly
~
2004.10.22 22:19 (EST + 11 hrs): Haad Yuan beach (Ko Phangan island), Kingdom of Thailand
I watched the upside of a coconut tree, behind my eyes, and the stubby slabbed cement columns went up up up. In front, its beautiful twin perched away, falling fruit at its foot. It remained in bondage for better reasons than most: harnessing the blue knit hammock, some lighting and a swing looped tight to a high branch. To my right, several yards of sand lightened progressively as waves lapped up its legs like milk running off a sandy bib.
"It ain't where you from, it's where you at."
The most memorable part of today was rolling in waves. I spent the majority of my woken time tumbling nimbly across the rolls, watching for swells, crouched, forearms and hands sitting on the whitest foamy tips. Ready. I let myself be carried a lot, and it was nice -- as a permanent sedan chair might be in Venice, if it were as clean as it is beautiful. After that, I pet a caramel and white dog for a long while: behind his ears and under his jaw.
It's been tricky trying to manage my time between all this swimming and crashing into soft crispy shallow waters. The sand is very coarse here -- like kosher salt, but in more shades than white. Although ... the seasalt is like a fine silt that covers you and gets in your hair and ears. There's no denying its therapeutic values so each toss into the breaks comes with a welcome dash.
The food is creative and warms the body. Mixtures of textures relax and soothe, without being overbourne to smells, tastes or other senses pushed too far. I ate glass noodles tonight, and it was basically very impressive spaghetti, done with olive oil, a dash of cream, and meat shredded casually into the blend. Covered in cracked pepper, it was heaven.
It would be grand to have fellow friends here -- I am convinced that every one of you reading this needs to be in Thailand sometime in the very immediate future. It is crystalline and hypnotic (but more on that word another time).
I've met a wonderful couple from England, travelling the tour of Asia, having taught in China for two years. We've covered so many topics and they are both very intelligent and sociable that sentences flourish easily and without effort. Along with us are two quiet, but energetic girls from New Zealand. We have taken to hanging out in a fivesome, whether at the beach or café.
The number of tourists at our resort is small and it makes for easy strolling without distraction or disturbance; one almost feels solitarily beaming when on the beach. It's great. I suspect the numbers will generally increase as the date of the full moon party is approaching -- the 29th, we reckon. (Much closer to that date, I might make a temporary move to Haad Rin beach and stay a night on the sunset side, specifically for the party).
Until then, return the smile as I send you all tight vibes for a peaceful time wherever you are.
S*
Fave current album: "Black on Both Sides" - Mos Def -- (I know I've already listed it as a fabulous album, but lately, it's really been there when that's exactly what I wanted to listen to).
Current read(s) in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
2004.10.22 22:19 (EST + 11 hrs): Haad Yuan beach (Ko Phangan island), Kingdom of Thailand
I watched the upside of a coconut tree, behind my eyes, and the stubby slabbed cement columns went up up up. In front, its beautiful twin perched away, falling fruit at its foot. It remained in bondage for better reasons than most: harnessing the blue knit hammock, some lighting and a swing looped tight to a high branch. To my right, several yards of sand lightened progressively as waves lapped up its legs like milk running off a sandy bib.
"It ain't where you from, it's where you at."
The most memorable part of today was rolling in waves. I spent the majority of my woken time tumbling nimbly across the rolls, watching for swells, crouched, forearms and hands sitting on the whitest foamy tips. Ready. I let myself be carried a lot, and it was nice -- as a permanent sedan chair might be in Venice, if it were as clean as it is beautiful. After that, I pet a caramel and white dog for a long while: behind his ears and under his jaw.
It's been tricky trying to manage my time between all this swimming and crashing into soft crispy shallow waters. The sand is very coarse here -- like kosher salt, but in more shades than white. Although ... the seasalt is like a fine silt that covers you and gets in your hair and ears. There's no denying its therapeutic values so each toss into the breaks comes with a welcome dash.
The food is creative and warms the body. Mixtures of textures relax and soothe, without being overbourne to smells, tastes or other senses pushed too far. I ate glass noodles tonight, and it was basically very impressive spaghetti, done with olive oil, a dash of cream, and meat shredded casually into the blend. Covered in cracked pepper, it was heaven.
It would be grand to have fellow friends here -- I am convinced that every one of you reading this needs to be in Thailand sometime in the very immediate future. It is crystalline and hypnotic (but more on that word another time).
I've met a wonderful couple from England, travelling the tour of Asia, having taught in China for two years. We've covered so many topics and they are both very intelligent and sociable that sentences flourish easily and without effort. Along with us are two quiet, but energetic girls from New Zealand. We have taken to hanging out in a fivesome, whether at the beach or café.
The number of tourists at our resort is small and it makes for easy strolling without distraction or disturbance; one almost feels solitarily beaming when on the beach. It's great. I suspect the numbers will generally increase as the date of the full moon party is approaching -- the 29th, we reckon. (Much closer to that date, I might make a temporary move to Haad Rin beach and stay a night on the sunset side, specifically for the party).
Until then, return the smile as I send you all tight vibes for a peaceful time wherever you are.
S*
Fave current album: "Black on Both Sides" - Mos Def -- (I know I've already listed it as a fabulous album, but lately, it's really been there when that's exactly what I wanted to listen to).
Current read(s) in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
Bangkok: Initial Eyes
~
2004.10.19 17:54 KST (EST + 14 hrs): Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand
Bangkok. What a great city. Forty-nine hours in and it's everything I love about Asia and the tropics and travelling. Upon arrival, I immediately, but sadly drew the parallel that Thailand is Cuba without sanctions: things are splendidly upbeat, rich and diverse and most people are generally happy to be here -- whether they're locals or wandering falangs like me.
Yes, and down every avenue, I see the world's smorgasbord strutting by wearing tattoos by the body full, smart fashion by the armload, smiling, meeting each other, whispering their unspoken collective hushing desire to be tasted, devoured and remembered.
I will be good to this country, as it has already been to me. Life's easy equation is happily enacted here: do good, be good, feel good. In fact, to be less silly and more direct: I feel tremendously happy and high-spirited here. The air is thick with the warmth and its people and I have regained my capacity to laugh and smile and appreciate and mirror that warmth for what it is.
Too, I have regained my long-ago-thought-lost abilities to party past sunrise -- not seen en force since the cobblestoned days of my European trod. By chaos and chance, I have already crossed paths with some excellent Brits, Aussies and one Frenchman. The latter, who after a random streetside invitation for beers, delayed his trip northward to stay an extra night and celebrate Bangkok with me. As thanks, I shacked him up in my double room's extra bed and it's been great to have someone to hang out and share ideas with -- not to mention unearthing my less-than-oft-used lingua franca of educated times gone past.
The food here is excellent and cheap. Spring rolls are to die for while street cart noodles with pork and shallots, mystery-meat-on-a-stick, pineapple halves, papaya and watermelon quarters and a wide array of fruit juices are equally incredible. The Thai people are gorgeous and exponentially more socially adept than their Korean counterparts. Socio-sexually, figuring out which are ladyboys or not is heavily problematic at best. Almost always, if she is unreasonably friendly and considerably attractive, she's a man. Unfortunate, but educational to look at. The backpacked crew are also tanned and scrumptious: Tel Aviv is highly represented here, along with the Dutch, Irish, English, Aussies -- well, nearly all under the sun. Happily, the mix is one of the better global ones in which I've had the pleasure of mingling. Good kids, all of them.
I've only been here for two days, but I've soaked up two wats (Buddhist temples), slept less than 10 hours in the last three nights, eaten everything I could get my hands on, been to discos, pubs, and planned a vacation north (after the beaches, I splurged to pay for four days up in Chang-mai trekking, riding elephants, rafting, etc). I also had some clothes made; Italian wool pants and Egyptian cotton shirts -- knowledgeable, no pressure sales and cut to fit. They're even keeping them for me until I get back to Bangkok in a month. I also treated myself to a two-hour Thai massage. A highly personal affair (I easily imagine some girls might find it rather intrusive) but a great way to improve circulation and flexibility. I was very impressed, but the next massage will be Swedish, that is to say oiled and more concentrated on tenderizing the muscles rather than bending joints.
The city's air is comparably filthy to Seoul's so that doesn't please my lungs any, but fresh food is everywhere, so rejuvenation is only a few bites away -- and that for a few bhat, if that. Mind you, I'm not helping matters much by tuk-tukking my way around the city all time -- I'm surely headed for a less-than-glorious death by two-cycle engine, but until then, wave as I go by. As there is more than one way to get around this locale, I also zipped around the city on the back of a motorcycle, made all the more interesting dodging cars and burning rubber, speeding at opposite traffic, head-on.
All told, a red-letter time so far -- and I'm only staring at day three.
I'm down to Ko Phagnan (one of three islands off off the southeast coast, in the Gulf of Thailand) tomorrow night on the overnight choochoo and intend to stumble around in a twelve-day blazing haze, listening to Mos Def and Jack J, relaxing seaside, hammock underfoot.
Life is easy. I will write more from the edge. Until then, remember to share love with all.
S*
Current read in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
Suggested upcoming read on the block: "The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying" - Sogyal Rinpoche
2004.10.19 17:54 KST (EST + 14 hrs): Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand
Bangkok. What a great city. Forty-nine hours in and it's everything I love about Asia and the tropics and travelling. Upon arrival, I immediately, but sadly drew the parallel that Thailand is Cuba without sanctions: things are splendidly upbeat, rich and diverse and most people are generally happy to be here -- whether they're locals or wandering falangs like me.
Yes, and down every avenue, I see the world's smorgasbord strutting by wearing tattoos by the body full, smart fashion by the armload, smiling, meeting each other, whispering their unspoken collective hushing desire to be tasted, devoured and remembered.
I will be good to this country, as it has already been to me. Life's easy equation is happily enacted here: do good, be good, feel good. In fact, to be less silly and more direct: I feel tremendously happy and high-spirited here. The air is thick with the warmth and its people and I have regained my capacity to laugh and smile and appreciate and mirror that warmth for what it is.
Too, I have regained my long-ago-thought-lost abilities to party past sunrise -- not seen en force since the cobblestoned days of my European trod. By chaos and chance, I have already crossed paths with some excellent Brits, Aussies and one Frenchman. The latter, who after a random streetside invitation for beers, delayed his trip northward to stay an extra night and celebrate Bangkok with me. As thanks, I shacked him up in my double room's extra bed and it's been great to have someone to hang out and share ideas with -- not to mention unearthing my less-than-oft-used lingua franca of educated times gone past.
The food here is excellent and cheap. Spring rolls are to die for while street cart noodles with pork and shallots, mystery-meat-on-a-stick, pineapple halves, papaya and watermelon quarters and a wide array of fruit juices are equally incredible. The Thai people are gorgeous and exponentially more socially adept than their Korean counterparts. Socio-sexually, figuring out which are ladyboys or not is heavily problematic at best. Almost always, if she is unreasonably friendly and considerably attractive, she's a man. Unfortunate, but educational to look at. The backpacked crew are also tanned and scrumptious: Tel Aviv is highly represented here, along with the Dutch, Irish, English, Aussies -- well, nearly all under the sun. Happily, the mix is one of the better global ones in which I've had the pleasure of mingling. Good kids, all of them.
I've only been here for two days, but I've soaked up two wats (Buddhist temples), slept less than 10 hours in the last three nights, eaten everything I could get my hands on, been to discos, pubs, and planned a vacation north (after the beaches, I splurged to pay for four days up in Chang-mai trekking, riding elephants, rafting, etc). I also had some clothes made; Italian wool pants and Egyptian cotton shirts -- knowledgeable, no pressure sales and cut to fit. They're even keeping them for me until I get back to Bangkok in a month. I also treated myself to a two-hour Thai massage. A highly personal affair (I easily imagine some girls might find it rather intrusive) but a great way to improve circulation and flexibility. I was very impressed, but the next massage will be Swedish, that is to say oiled and more concentrated on tenderizing the muscles rather than bending joints.
The city's air is comparably filthy to Seoul's so that doesn't please my lungs any, but fresh food is everywhere, so rejuvenation is only a few bites away -- and that for a few bhat, if that. Mind you, I'm not helping matters much by tuk-tukking my way around the city all time -- I'm surely headed for a less-than-glorious death by two-cycle engine, but until then, wave as I go by. As there is more than one way to get around this locale, I also zipped around the city on the back of a motorcycle, made all the more interesting dodging cars and burning rubber, speeding at opposite traffic, head-on.
All told, a red-letter time so far -- and I'm only staring at day three.
I'm down to Ko Phagnan (one of three islands off off the southeast coast, in the Gulf of Thailand) tomorrow night on the overnight choochoo and intend to stumble around in a twelve-day blazing haze, listening to Mos Def and Jack J, relaxing seaside, hammock underfoot.
Life is easy. I will write more from the edge. Until then, remember to share love with all.
S*
Current read in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
Suggested upcoming read on the block: "The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying" - Sogyal Rinpoche
Absolved Aquamarine
~
2004.10.15 13:07 KST (EST + 13 hrs): Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hello all. I'm leaving Korea for Thailand in two days (October 17th) and am very exicted. I plan to see Bangkok for a few days then jet down to an island off the peninsula's southeastern strip -- preferably Ko Pha-Ngan. Once there, I'm limiting myself to a strict three-week diet of relaxation, tanning, reading, hammocking, snorkelling, volleyball, sleeping and enjoying each local flavour as it passes my way, slurping up the world's buffet.
I will try to write from there. Until then, stay well friends.
S*
Fave current tracks(s): "Whirlwind" - (DJ) Greyboy, "A Song For Assata" - Common
Current read(s) in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
2004.10.15 13:07 KST (EST + 13 hrs): Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hello all. I'm leaving Korea for Thailand in two days (October 17th) and am very exicted. I plan to see Bangkok for a few days then jet down to an island off the peninsula's southeastern strip -- preferably Ko Pha-Ngan. Once there, I'm limiting myself to a strict three-week diet of relaxation, tanning, reading, hammocking, snorkelling, volleyball, sleeping and enjoying each local flavour as it passes my way, slurping up the world's buffet.
I will try to write from there. Until then, stay well friends.
S*
Fave current tracks(s): "Whirlwind" - (DJ) Greyboy, "A Song For Assata" - Common
Current read(s) in progress: "Immortality" - Milan Kundera
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