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
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