We're in a slow mode here waiting for Nell to arrive and getting a feel for what it's like to live in such a totally alien environment. We've been trying to preserve Iris's sanity ( David is in China week) by venturing out our own or simply tagging alone enjoying her life here.
Every adventure leads to the same trite observation--this country and these people are a study in contrast. I am aware of the triteness of that statement.
Last night we walkied through the backyards of neighborhoods and along the canals ( Bangkok has a series of them and used to be called the Venice of Asia) to go to a concert by the Bangkok Symphony in Lumphini Park, the Central Park of the city. We passed luxury towers and tin hovels--side bt side. The gorgeous in places and clogged with trash in others--these people have the same casual disregard on trash that Italians have of graffiti. They also apparently have no olfactory senses at all. The canals smell like our bathrooms after a week of no power.
The path led to the park which, because it's under royal patronage--the king is a jazz aficionado., is well tended respite from traffic and street hubbub.
The orchestra played a lineup of material that began with the Lone Ranger theme worked through the
Blue Danube and a medley of Henry Mancini tunes. It ended with a few Broadwayv tunes. It was like a combination of Lawrence Welk and American Idol.
Dinner afterwards was in a chicken restaurant that was both delicious and cheap. It also looked like a place I would be afraid of ---and you've seen my kitchen.
Too tired to go the second half of our day of contrast except to say it involved experiencing the amazing shopping malls of Bangkok and thee amazing sight of the pollution in the city from the observation deck of the city's tallest building.
Nell arrived. Seemed sane.
No comments:
Post a Comment