Not much exciting happened in the time between getting back from Taiwan and heading back to the US. I write this a few hours before our flight so I hope I am not jinxing us, but I will be sure to update if the dog causes our flight to get diverted or if Amy can’t get back into the country due to her pigmentation.
Here is me feeding the neighborhood mascot
How he survives in an environment of chaos I don’t know. They used to put a yellow construction jacket on him so he would not get hit by a car, but he seems to not need it anymore. His ability to avoid traffic is most impressive.
I addition to visiting the National Museum to improve my understanding of Eastern culture, I also signed us up for a trip to the Siam Opera. This is not like an opera you might go to in a Western country. Most of the people in the pre-opera party were white and seemed to know each other. I am guessing that most were in Bangkok for diplomatic reasons. It was fun people watching. When it was time for the performance to start, instead of moving into an auditorium, we were shuffled into a hotel ball room, almost like a breakout session at a regional trade show.
We really did not mind as the performers were excellent and we were right up close. They performed all the famous numbers from Madama Butterfly to the Magic Flute. We left at the intermission because 9pm is way past our bedtime and I did not want to be driving the scooter through town when the drunks emerged. Thai drivers are bad enough during the day.
I played a fair amount of tennis this month. I got up around 4:30 am and headed down to Sirisuk Tennis Court. On the way I got to see a side of Bangkok that is not often witnessed. My route goes by Soi Cowboy; one of the busiest sex tourist alleys in the world. At 5am when I roll through it is a different scene. I watch as the teenage prostitutes are heading home, still in their dresses from the night before, on the backs of uber scooters. Some are glued to their phones, as if just another day at work, others have an empty look in their eyes. It is always a grounding and humbling experience for me to be given a view into the struggles of the less fortunate while I am not working and going to play recreational sports. I think, “I wish other’s could see this” but I then feel that it wouldn’t matter as few give a shit about these women. I also pass at least 6 trucks full of 10+ people on the way to some gov't construction project looking like workers on the way to the mine, resigned to their lot in life. Feeling a sense of embarrassment as I gun my scooter past with a tennis racquet over my shoulder.
The tennis has been therapeutic for me. I was able to meet many nice people and engage in competition again, even invited to BBQ in the evening
Unfortunately it came to a crashing halt when my spine had other plans and decided for me that I was done holding anything in my left hand without excruciating pain. It is the same repeating set of events. I try to engage in something a bit more involved then swimming or walking, and my body lets me know that is not in the cards. I feel like a version of the movie “Awakenings” where a group of patients emerge from a catatonic state for a month to engage in dance and socialization, only to watch it all revert once again. I did not take these weeks for granted and appreciate the opportunity given to me, albeit brief. Maybe I will get another “rebirth” in some capacity in the future. No complaints.
I am taking another stab at learning Buddhism to not only improve my understanding of the Thai people, but also adopt some sort of spirituality to improve my well-being. I tried stoicism for a while, but I feel it is a bit too cold for me, along with it’s inclusion of Western religion which I don’t seem to feel akin to. Buddhism shares much of the even keel mentality with the Stoics, but places more emphasis on in the intrinsic value of world around us. If I only stopped resisting learning the Thai language itself, I certainly would gain an insight into my surroundings but that is a bridge too far for me.
I do talk about the global shift to the right with some of my English-speaking Thai friends. They don’t seem to share as much concern as I do. They are quite used to this behavior as they have been under the same government since the coup of 10 years ago. Most of Southeast Asia is democratic in name only. Also, Theravada Buddhism is taught at an early age and instills those chill attitudes. I guess it is good, and I certainly could use that for my mental well-being, but complete detachment from civic involvement I don’t feel is the answer either as that apathy is how we/they got in this mess in the first place. To find that balance between the Thai, crappy patching of the leaky bucket when the water is all but gone, and my, monitoring the leak constantly, never letting the water level dip below the rim.
The last day was spent closing down the house for the season. This meant sealing up the house (literally), with boards and silicon, from potential floods during the rainy season. I also took the batteries out of the bikes and parked them in the kitchen, filling open spaces with mothballs to prevent wires from being chewed by rats. The exhaust on the Honda CRF250 had a loose bolt that lost its nut. I walked down the street to get lunch. On the way I passed the guard shack. He wanted to know what I was up to so I showed him my bolt minus the washer/nut and he spoke Thai and pointed around the corner. I proceeded down the street and stopped at my "basil/shrimp" lunch stall. I dropped off my containers and also showed him my naked bolt. He told me to talk to "pork and rice" vendor across street. I dodged traffic and repeated my pantomime. He also pointed down the block and mentioned "UOB". I knew that was a bank and remember one in the direction he pointed. I started walking and stopped at another stall that looked tool-related. He motioned no he did not have, and pointed further down. I went to next place and he looked at my bolt and reappeared with corresponding nut and washer! Walked back, picked up my lunch, and thanked all 4 people that guided me on my way. There is some metaphor for life involved in this experience, but I found it pleasant and enjoyable just on a superficial level as it was something I loved about traveling and would miss when heading out of Bangkok tonight. Another reason not to learn Thai!
Until Next Time,
Darren
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