My Bangkok Routine

I remember being shocked last year when I asked second year teachers from American what they were doing on the week-end. They invariably told me they were going to watch a movie at home, cook, or go to some boxing class or other. I couldn’t believe it. Here they were living in a city of 16 million people and about as many wats, markets, shops, sites and sounds that could entertain them for life. Watching television? Were they crazy?

I have now been back in Bangkok again for a week and can finally relate. I have seen every wat ever made by a Thai, and then some. I even saw wats made by Khymer (I think). I have spent my days at every market from Chatachuk on the week-ends to floating markets to markets I just fell in to around Silom when I went to get my ticket for Yangon.I am leaving tomorrow for two weeks so will not be in contact, probably. Internet, electricty and other modern conveniences do not exist in Myanmar.

When I am in Bangkok I take pleasure, believe it or not, in enjoying the museum I live in, taking walks down the street on Sukhumvit and helping tourists pouring over a map (not that I can read a map, but I can generally direct them to where they want to go). I also just go and sit in the park and watch people. There are always tai chi classes in the morning and at night, picnics and volleyball Thai style. They hit the ball with their feet or head! I discovered this great swimming pool in the park literally beside where I live that I could not even see until I was on top of it! I joined for the year for one dollar and for that they needed a copy of my passport, a police check, health report etc. Luckily I had it all so no problem. The women in charge told me I did not have the right bathing suit. (I have three bathing suits which are the shorts types) and I will be damned if I am going to go and buy some Speedo when I already own three bathing suits so I pretended not to understand her whenever she speaks Thai to me or points to my “shorts”

This year, I am actually eating on the street and I am still alive to talk about, playing golf and getting there by motorbike. I have discovered that you can sling your clubs over you back and they rest nicely on the motorbike…so far anyway. As usual, I have had fun meeting interesting people at the golf course. One Korean guy would not let me pay for anything and wanted to play 36 holes. Since I had already made dinner arrangements with friends, I actually turned him down.

As I prepare to go to Myanmar tomorrow for two weeks ( I have to be there October 4 to represent my company in a golf tournament..that could be embarrassing) I am thinking of what I did for the last week in Bangkok. Nothing really, sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?