Monday, November 13, 2006
Bangkok: Great city but get me out of here!
As I'm sitting and typing this blog, to my left is a Buddhist shrine in front of the hotel which is covered in floral wreaths with burning incense, glasses of water and two plates filled with fruit, fried rice, and curry. It's so interesting to be in a non-Western culture where 95% of the people are non-Christians (Buddhists) and very strong believers. None of this evangelical, hardcore proselytizing or fudamentalist attitude that we are so exposed to in the West. People just seem to go about their lives and incorporate their values into their daily routines. There's a real calmness to the people. You don't see many displays of anger, impatience, rudeness, hustle and bustle that you see all the time in North America and Europe.
Bangkok is truly an amazing place. It's quite unlike any other city I've visited. It's very commercially-oriented but people haven't seemed to have lost their souls to capitalism like us in the West.
Yesterday, I visited the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo. The Grand Palace is breathtaking, probably one of the most impressive palaces I've ever seen. The complex is huge with different temples, assembly halls, residences, etc. What really struck me is the Thai culture's love of gold and glitter. The temple roofs are trimmed with gold, some of the walls are gold-covered, paintings depicting Buddhist mythology include gold filigree, some of the columns supporting the temples are made of gold. Adding to the shine here are tiny mirror mosaics on the walls. There are Buddha statues which are covered with very thin pieces of gold which blow away in the wind. (The other day, I saw this man jumping around in a temple trying to catch a small piece. He seemed to be Thai.)
The wat is a private temple which contains the famous Emerald Buddha. Actually, the Buddha is not emerald at all but made of jade. It's very impressive: the shrine around and below it is made of gold with lots of statues. Despite all of the gold, it's a very peaceful place.
In the morning, I visited the famous Jim Thompson house. Jim Thompson was an American, ex-CIA agent who settled in Bangkok at the age of 40 and played a key role in building out the Thai silk industry. In 1959, he built a beautiful house (compound of several buildings) made of six teak houses brought in from different parts of Thailand. The house is amazing and was built without using any nails. He was an architect and designer by training and incorporated and altered the houses eg. flipping beautiful woodwork which was traditionally on the outside of Thai houses around to be displayed inside the house. He also collected some beautiful Thai antique sculptures, ceramics and woodwork. Thompson mysteriously disappeared while on vacation in Malaysia in 1967 and his body has never been found. The silk on sale was beautiful but silk just ain't my thing.
The day before yesterday, I was supposed to take a tour through the canals of Thonburi with Cherelle and Naomi but they didn't show up as agreed. So I hooked up with a really nice Australian, retired couple (Peter and Heather) from Brisbane and we took a longboat cruise. It was beautiful to cruise off the beaten track through canals where Thai people live in houses on stilts. Some were gorgeous and modern, others were ramshackle, run-down wooden things which looked like they were about to collapse. But the flowers: everywhere people had the most beautiful orchids and potted plants. Peter and Heather were hilarious: very passionate about reducing global warming, referring to Johnnie Howard as being totally irresponsible and repeating many times how they loved Michael Moore.
Anyway, today I fly down to Krabi which will be my base as I explore the beaches of the Adaman Sea and Ko Phi Phi (where the movie "The Beach" was filmed). Can't wait. I really enjoyed Bangkok but ENOUGH ALREADY!
Bangkok is truly an amazing place. It's quite unlike any other city I've visited. It's very commercially-oriented but people haven't seemed to have lost their souls to capitalism like us in the West.
Yesterday, I visited the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo. The Grand Palace is breathtaking, probably one of the most impressive palaces I've ever seen. The complex is huge with different temples, assembly halls, residences, etc. What really struck me is the Thai culture's love of gold and glitter. The temple roofs are trimmed with gold, some of the walls are gold-covered, paintings depicting Buddhist mythology include gold filigree, some of the columns supporting the temples are made of gold. Adding to the shine here are tiny mirror mosaics on the walls. There are Buddha statues which are covered with very thin pieces of gold which blow away in the wind. (The other day, I saw this man jumping around in a temple trying to catch a small piece. He seemed to be Thai.)
The wat is a private temple which contains the famous Emerald Buddha. Actually, the Buddha is not emerald at all but made of jade. It's very impressive: the shrine around and below it is made of gold with lots of statues. Despite all of the gold, it's a very peaceful place.
In the morning, I visited the famous Jim Thompson house. Jim Thompson was an American, ex-CIA agent who settled in Bangkok at the age of 40 and played a key role in building out the Thai silk industry. In 1959, he built a beautiful house (compound of several buildings) made of six teak houses brought in from different parts of Thailand. The house is amazing and was built without using any nails. He was an architect and designer by training and incorporated and altered the houses eg. flipping beautiful woodwork which was traditionally on the outside of Thai houses around to be displayed inside the house. He also collected some beautiful Thai antique sculptures, ceramics and woodwork. Thompson mysteriously disappeared while on vacation in Malaysia in 1967 and his body has never been found. The silk on sale was beautiful but silk just ain't my thing.
The day before yesterday, I was supposed to take a tour through the canals of Thonburi with Cherelle and Naomi but they didn't show up as agreed. So I hooked up with a really nice Australian, retired couple (Peter and Heather) from Brisbane and we took a longboat cruise. It was beautiful to cruise off the beaten track through canals where Thai people live in houses on stilts. Some were gorgeous and modern, others were ramshackle, run-down wooden things which looked like they were about to collapse. But the flowers: everywhere people had the most beautiful orchids and potted plants. Peter and Heather were hilarious: very passionate about reducing global warming, referring to Johnnie Howard as being totally irresponsible and repeating many times how they loved Michael Moore.
Anyway, today I fly down to Krabi which will be my base as I explore the beaches of the Adaman Sea and Ko Phi Phi (where the movie "The Beach" was filmed). Can't wait. I really enjoyed Bangkok but ENOUGH ALREADY!
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All this meeting of people reminds me of my friend, Greeley, who has traveled extensively for many years. He always meets people asn makes a point of keeping in contact with them through Christmas cards and postcards when he is traveling. (One of these contacts was Fred and through that connection, in a round about way, I met you.)
When he was young(er), Greeley lived in Europe and thorugh these thirty year old contacts, we traveled throughout Europe for a month staying in various places for free - one of Greeley's favorite words.
Fred and I have talked about going to Bangkok for vacation. It was on the list this year, but Florida won out. (Florida?!) We're looking forward to going there soon. What's up with the pictures? I know it's a challenge to get them uploaded if you don't have a laptop and a wireless connection.
Miss you and glad you're having a great time. Fred says hi.
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When he was young(er), Greeley lived in Europe and thorugh these thirty year old contacts, we traveled throughout Europe for a month staying in various places for free - one of Greeley's favorite words.
Fred and I have talked about going to Bangkok for vacation. It was on the list this year, but Florida won out. (Florida?!) We're looking forward to going there soon. What's up with the pictures? I know it's a challenge to get them uploaded if you don't have a laptop and a wireless connection.
Miss you and glad you're having a great time. Fred says hi.
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