Koh Samet: White Sand And Black Oil Gunk

Ao Phai beach, on the opposite side of the island from the recent spill

As weeks go, the island of Koh Samet (or Samed, if you prefer... I flip-flop on some transliterations) hasn't had a very good one. The story goes that PTT Global Chemical was pumping crude oil from an offshore drilling platform to a container ship when a leak in the piping allowed somewhere between 50,000 liters (according to PTT) up to 100,000 liters (according to some environmental groups) of crude oil into the Gulf of Thailand, forming a thick layer of gunk on the relatively pristine water of Phrao Bay, on the Western side of the island.

On the map below I've added an insert that shows a little detail of where the spill occurred and came ashore at Ao Phrao. In the main map most of Koh Samet is covered by "Khao Yaem La - Mu Ko Samet", which is the national park whose boundaries cover a large part of the central area and Eastern side of the island.

I recently stayed on the Eastern side of Samet, on the beach at Ao Phai (near the asterisk on the inset map) so when the news began to leak - pardon the weak pun - I was concerned that the beautiful spot I'd visited was now awash in thick, sticky crude oil. Thankfully that was not the case, and I'll post about that resort soon.

Outside my bungalow on Ao Phai beach on the Eastern shore of Koh Samet, a few months back

While the lion's share of tourists vacation on the long stretch of beaches on the Eastern shore, the Western shore is home to some of the more pricey resorts, and I'm sure they're hurting now. Estimates are that it may be up to a year before the mess is truly cleaned up, and although PTTGC has said they'll make good on losses to the fishing and tourist industries, I tend to doubt that's really going to happen.

PTTGC has said they'll cover any damages over their $50 million in insurance coverage, but that remains to be seen, of course. Any of you who've had to deal with insurance companies know that their prime marching orders are to make you put in claim(s) multiple times, reduce any amounts claimed as often as they can and make any payments they're cornered into making for as long as possible. While the corporate resorts may do OK, many of the smaller interests will suffer. That's a sure bet.

The latest news I've read is that the island is essentially shut down at this point; the regular-as-clockwork (or as regular as anything on Thai time can be) ferries and other boats to and from the main pier of Ban Phe have stopped running and most of the people who don't actually live on the island have been evacuated.

The beach at Phrao Bay, bearing the brunt of the mess... so far.

With the oil slick now moving up over the Northern end of the island and heading toward the mainland - Koh Pla Teen, Koh Kudee and Koh Kham seem to be the "guesstimated" targets for it to hit land. Unfortunately there are important coral reefs in its path, and there's great danger of harming or destroying the delicate life there. Let's hope the damage is as minimal as possible.

Playing With Fire On The Beach On Koh Samed

It's Friday, and Friday is usually the time when people's minds turn to thoughts outside of their office or regular weekday routines.  I'm no different, really (well, I freely admit to being a bit strange, but that's an entirely different arena) so I'm ready for a couple of days with friends and family.

Sitting out in the back yard with a cup of coffee this morning I watched birds landing in the upper pond of the waterfall to take a morning bath. Every so often one of them would misjudge the flow of the current and end up swept over the edge of the falls. They always catch themselves, naturally - birds can fly, after all - but one this morning kept dipping in, being carried over the brink and coming back to try it again... much like a child shouting "again! again!" when they're tickled by something.

The mild "flirting with danger" aspect of it reminded me of the traveling bands of Thai men who move along the beach of Koh Samed with their fire shows. Some are more skilled then others and some bear the scars of previous mistakes, but they, too, continue to flit about the flame(s) like moths.

So, here's an example of one of the somewhat larger groups doing a portion of a number. The sound isn't important on this one - trust me; the music was loud and the wind caused a roar in the recording as well.  Still, an entertaining routine.

Enjoy your weekend - whatever it is you end up doing.  

One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure

A boy on a mission - note the plastic bag - stopped repeatedly along Pattaya Beach one morning.

Although millions of "personals" ads seeking relationships use the tired old phrase "I enjoy long walks along the beach" - with all good intentions, probably - it's a pastime I honestly have long had high on my list of pastimes I enjoy, with or without anyone walking beside me. Not looking for a date here; I'm just stating a fact.

Small shells on the sand of North Pattaya Beach

Unless I'm somewhere that I shouldn't be doing so I tend to pick up interesting shells and items when I'm on these walks, and sometimes even bring one or two home with me to add to a large jar that sits in my home; each a reminder of a pleasant place.

While I was in Hawaii with my family one trip many, many years ago I was collecting shells along a  quiet beach when a local saw me and gave me a look to indicate I was lolo (crazy). I could imagine him saying to himself "I use that junk by the shovelful to level the stepping stones in my garden," but it didn't matter to me. A tiny jar of those shells still sits on my desk today; a memento of a happy time.

On my second trip to Thailand I was staying in a place nearer Banglamung, at the North end of Pattaya Beach (for reference, Walking Street is at the other end) so I had easy access to that lovely few miles of walkway and beach, and took frequent morning leisurely strolls along it.  I'd often walk on the sand, and, amid the junk tossed there by the inconsiderate I'd usually see a variety of shells.

Among the shells one morning were the ones pictured below.  Now, I have no idea what the beaches are like where you are, but along most of the California coast you don't often find much in the way of proper sea shells; bits and pieces, at best.  With the advent of so many beverages being in plastic now you don't even find much sea glass (called that where I live because of it's rounded edges and matte surface, caused by natural sanding while being tossed about for years - or decades).

My trash and treasures. It depends on your point of reference, I suppose. 

Marveling at my good fortune I picked up two bulging pockets-full and brought them back to my hotel room, laying them out on the table of my balcony and thinking what nice additions they'd be to the jar awaiting them back home.  Later that afternoon a Thai friend came to pick me up for an outing, and I proudly showed him my "haul".

He got an odd look on his face (which I later learned was caused by his discretely attempting to hold back a laugh) but he poked at them and then picked out a few, setting them aside.  "These are shells that washed up on the beach," he said, pointing to the few he'd pulled out "and these," he said quietly about the majority "are garbage."  He went on to explain that what I thought were specimens Nature Herself had brought to me as a gift were in fact the leftovers from snacks people had eaten on the beach and lazily tossed aside.

Seeing me smile at my naiivete he burst out laughing, which was a good thing because I think he'd have burst if he hadn't.  Still, the "refuse" shells were new to ME, so I did bring a couple of them home. When I see them I'm reminded of my morning walk... the day I did garbage detail while searching for treasure.

Trip Report, Part 31: The Report Concluded (Finally)

Carved detail at the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya

When I realize how drawn out this trip report has been I almost feel an apology is due. Part 1 appeared back on May 7th of last year (Bangkok Bound), and finally ends today, just a bit shy of nine months since that first installment.

As mentioned back then I tend to glean something out of most other's trip reports, so hopefully mine will serve a purpose and you'll find some helpful tips/ideas/suggestions that you can refer to, too, even if not all of it applies to you, your travel plans or your own tastes.

The trip report covered my Thailand trip nearly a year ago, and we'd just gotten through a weekend trip into new territory for me, but I figure I'm going to call it there. I'm not entirely done with things from that trip, but the series has gone on long enough, it's getting dark and the floodlights annoy the neighbors so I'm calling it with this wrap-up; a summary, if you will.

The last portions had to do with a long weekend away I'd taken under the wing of an always gracious Thai friend who delights in sharing the "off the beaten path" places with me, and for that I'm always grateful. He has another junket planned for me for my next trip there this year, and I've given up on trying to guess where we'll go and what we'll see.  Since this is Thailand it's comforting to know that the unexpected can - and often does - pop up along the way and sometimes he's surprised, too.

Along the way in the series we covered a lot of ground, figuratively and literally. To save anyone scrolling back that far I hope you'll allow me to refer to some points along the way. The stories you'll reach by many of the links below often contain updates or further information, as well. You are, of course, free to click on the "Trip Reports" link in the right hand column and just plow through them, although since I was still in the kingdom another couple of weeks there may be other posts with that label after today. You've been warned.

Here are some of the things we covered during the 30+ part report:

• An updated installment on Duty free shopping at Taoyuan International Airport
• Transferring in Taipei and using airline lounges
• Arrivals in Bangkok, Immigration and ground transportation
• A visit to emergency at Bangkok Nursing Hospital
• Photos and a report about dinner at Sugar Hut Restaurant & Resort, Pattaya
• An accommodation report about Sunshine Vista Serviced Apartments, Pattaya
• Dinner at Sea Zone on Walking Street in Pattaya
• The tourist spot Million Years Stone Park in Pattaya
• Being a gracious guest and being fair to Thai friends
• A four part bit about the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya here, here, here and here
• A massage boy's story
• An updated reminder on staying healthy in hotels
• Mingling with the Pathumthani prison chain gang guys in Bangkok
• Another accommodation report about the Seashell Village Resort in Chanthaburi
• A grass-weaving area where some of your souvenirs may have originated
• Two posts about a night festival, raising funds for a new wat (here and here)
• My visit with a former bar boy at his "retirement home"
• Two posts about the large hillside temple Wat Khao Sukim (here and here)
• One post about pushing your comfort zones while traveling
• An observation about being a boorish tourist that I'm told one boor took offense to
• A short piece about Kuk Khi Kai, aka the "bird shit" prison in Chataburi
• Shrimp farming in Chantaburi
• Oyster farming in Chantaburi
• Visiting and walking along Laem Sing Beach
• Walking through Kung Krabaen Bay Nature Preserve and mangrove forest
• Two posts about the Lady Bars on Walking Street (here and here)
• ... and a look at the Tamnanpar Forest Restaurant and Resort on our way back to Bangkok after the long weekend away.

A friend said one time noted how I seem to return home more tired out than when I left on vacation, and they might be right.  This next time I'm hoping for more "down" time: more reading, more naps, more time in the shade beneath an umbrella.  We shall see.

Night Photos, Part 22: A Late Evening Walk In Pattaya

A panoramic shot of the shore along Beach Road in Pattaya, from an angle you don't often see.

Other than the festival night shots at Laem Singh there hasn't been an installment of the Night Photos series since June. Popular consensus is that you've been spared long enough. Well, popular with me, anyway, and since I've been running for close to three years on faith that what I find interesting you'll at least find tolerable here's another batch of long-exposure night shots - all taken around the Beach Road area of Pattaya one evening.

The Oriental Star restaurant glows brightly onto the water of Pattaya Bay

I liked the colors on the water and the blurring of the tiny waves in the top shot. It's a view of Beach Road you don't see photos of very often.

Speaking of Beach Road, there's always a vast assortment of ladies of the night, lady boys, transsexuals  transgender, tran-most-anything along the walkway there, some deeper into the shadows than others.  There were some actually "working" behind me on the beach under cover of darkness. It's one of the few times I've felt compelled to keep a closer eye on my camera and wallet.

It's not even fair to call them "rented admirers" as I've been told it's strictly business along there, for the most part. Nothing against it - work is work - but the World's Oldest Profession can be a trying one, I've learned from those who've made a living at it (on one level or another).

Male, female and in-between prostitutes along Beach Road.

On side streets things can be quieter, but from the beach you need to be alert and sometimes spry to get across Beach Road. Despite traffic signals installed to make it somewhat safer for pedestrians to cross, rumor has it locals can still collect a bounty on tourists. Or so it seems, if you're trying to get across.

Looking North from the curb on Beach Road, Pattaya

And why would you cross the road?  Why, to get to the other side, naturally. Restaurants, beer bars, open air clubs, tailors, opticians, massage storefronts, go go clubs and businesses of all stripes catering to the visitor line beach road and the side streets nearby.

Business lights can give things a warm glow late in the evening

As the weather begins to chill where I am it's easy to daydream of lazy afternoons along the beach and leisurely dinners in small, cozy eateries on the side streets of Thailand.  Not difficult at all to admit I miss it.

Trip Report, Part 26: Walking Laem Sing Beach

A young man jumps for joy (or his wife, anyway) as his picture is taken along Laem Sing Beach

It was after lunch and our stop at Bud's Ice Cream that we finally got out onto Laem Sing Beach itself to walk along the surf line, people watch and just meander along for a couple of hours or so. Although it was a warm afternoon the sun wasn't too harsh, and the locals were out to enjoy the day, too.

The Thai being modest overall (and not being tan fanatics many are in other parts of the world) most were wearing shirts in addition to their swimming suits or shorts, as you can see in the picture of people in the water below.

These eight people (one was underwater) were enjoying the mild afternoon temperature

Sea shells of all kinds were
the only "litter" on this beach.
What a nice change!

The beach itself was cleaner than you'd normally see in Pattaya or Jomtien, and it was nice not to have to be quite as careful about stepping on glass, metal shards and other trash. A cut on the bottom of your foot can be more than an inconvenience when you're on holiday, as can the infection that can come soon after; sewage treatment in the Land of Smiles can be nothing more than releasing it into the sea a little too close to shore for my liking. Here there were precious few hotels, so that possibility was far slimmer than other more concentrated tourist areas.

The locals also appeared to be more conscious about keeping "their" beach clean, and I was pleased that there wasn't the usual assortment of wrappers, plastic bags, bottles, cans and other assorted litter floating up onto the beach at the water's edge. Another plus in my book.

The walk brought back memories from my youth of walking along a beach and seeing sea shells all along the way; small treasures when we're children, and still a pleasant sight when they're sprinkled along as far as the eye can see.

A Mother watched as her three young kids played in the small, gentle waves that lapped along the shore of the sandy beach; the little ones edging their way closer and closer to the water and shrieking with happy surprise as it washed over their tiny toes, sending them running back towards Mom before they'd again creep nearer.  Two of the boys repeatedly picked up stones and shells and hurled them with great zeal as far as they could out into the surf.

A message in the sand, left by a local

I got a laugh out of the message above, left in the sand by a local. Unless you've never been to Thailand you've heard someone - at one point or another - defer a choice to you by saying "Up to you!".  Here the tables had been turned, and as you can see above the message was "up to me... becoose up to me"!  Both the sentiment and their spelling of "because" were amusing, I thought.

It's a phrase heard so often along Soi Twilight and Soi Cowboy from club workers trying to encourage an off with a customer, and thinking it might have been left by one of them away for a holiday themselves I went over after I'd taken the picture and added "you go, girl" below the original message, figuring it'd apply to workers of either variety.

Dried and freshly barbecued squid at a cart on the sand

The shells crunching beneath my sandals (worn without socks, if there are any from the Fashion Police reading this) I was lost in thought and didn't notice my friend stopping as the breeze changed direction. He'd caught the smell of BBQ drifting towards us, and exclaimed "squid!". He made a turn and headed back up across the dry sand to a cart selling dried and BBQ squid. I was still full from lunch and our ice cream stop, but had a sample of the piece he bought to snack on as we went back down to walk along the waterline.

The sun was beginning to set as we reached the farthest end of the beach, and we turned to head back to where we'd left the car. In Hawaii (and other tropical tourist areas) you're likely to see tee shirts emblazoned with the phrase "Just another shitty day in paradise", and that thought came to me as we made our way slowly back along the sand. 

Goose barnacles growing on a piece of wooden handle that had washed up onto the shore

It had indeed been a fine afternoon, and one of the nicer walks of my trip.

Trip Report, Pt. 22: Details Along Laem Sing Beach

Friends walking along Laem Sing beach one afternoon

Tiny treasures

My friend and I had several opportunities to walk on both the sand and promenade that runs the length of a good portion of Laem Sing beach on the weekend getaway, along with a lot of locals.

It's not as easy as you might think to blend in with a crowd of people when you're the obviously different-looking outsider, but things like parks, waterfalls and beaches can be good times to try.

A beach is a beach, in some cases, but if you take the time to look a little more closely there's almost always a variety of interesting items - and if you're not paying attention, you miss them.

A small group of mollusks, clinging to a rock

It's not just the chance to do some people watching, although sharing the experience of being there with others is a benefit in and of itself; there are often opportunities to interact with others along the way, even if it's on nothing more than the "isn't this a beautiful place?" smile after making eye contact when you notice someone examining shells clinging to a rock as the water laps over them.

Moving with a purpose, a sand crab works to clear his hiding spot

Sand crabs are usually pretty skittish about something thousands of times larger than they are as we humans come walking along, but this one was hard at work pushing pellets of sand out of the burrow it was digging, moving them out around the hole it would duck into with lightning speed if it sensed any danger.

Several people of assorted ages back home are always happy to see whatever unusual shells I bring back for them. I don't tend to lug back a sack full, but every so often there's one worthy of dropping into a pocket and taking back to the room. I rinse them off and put them into a small baggie that I wrap in clothing to get it back home with the shells intact.

The children above were just picking up things to throw into the water most of the time, but you'll see even the smallest of visitors occasionally pick up some new "treasure" and tuck it away to take away with them, and who can blame them? Sometimes the smallest mementos are the most precious reminders of a trip to the shore.

An Imaginary Friday At Jomtien Beach

Part of the walkway along Jomtien Beach

Not to whine - although I did minor in it in college - but this past week has taken a bit of a toll on me, both physically and emotionally. It's at times like this that I like to find a quiet spot, tune the world out for a little while I attempt to center myself sometimes and daydream about being somewhere else than where I am at the moment.

Rows of chairs beneath a brightly colored ceiling of umbrellas

 
Many times that "somewhere" is under an umbrella on a tropical beach, like the one above; a cool drink within reach, hopefully an interesting book open but spread flat on my chest as I lean back, allow my eyes to gradually close while I listen to the waves lap rhythmically on the sand in front of me, joined by the rustling of the palm trees high overhead and the gentle flapping of the umbrella fringe against a neighboring edge.

A foot masseur works on a farang foot nearby

If I allow myself to drift deeper into the daydream I can sometimes imagine a voice asking "Massage? Massage?" The voice is low and soft as my eyelids slowly open and I see the familiar blue shirt of an "authorized" massage man standing in front of me; alternately looking down at my feet and back up at my face, hoping for a positive reply so he may make a bit more to add to his fee pocket and tip kitty for the day. "Foot massage? Body massage?"

Body massage under the palm trees

If you agree to a body massage you're often guided over to a flat spot beneath the trees closer to the walkway, where there's room for the masseur to manouvor around you better while he works, unless you're on a lounger that will flatten out, but those aren't nearly as ubiquitous as the canvas sling-type chairs seen above that are more for resting, although they're fine for a foot or neck/shoulder massage.

Either way, it beats the crap out of sitting in traffic, or worse yet, in a cubicle accessorized with an overflowing "In" box.  I left that nightmare behind a decade ago, but there are still obligations to living - and that's what I'll be attending to for the next few days.  If I'm not back here by Monday, start without me and look for me Tuesday.

And now, if you'll excuse me... I can see my chair is ready. And yes, I'd like to see a menu, please.

No Way I'm Staying Inside Today

It's an absolutely gorgeous day here in my neck of the woods, and as much as my work ethic tells me I ought to be writing a post, my heart just isn't in it.

Thanks to those who sent positive feedback about Friday's post - I replied to them yesterday.

Back tomorrow.

P.S. - I missed posting one picture from the batch prepared for Friday.  Here it is:

Party Time With The Beach Boys

Spirits to venerate on the left share space with spirits to imbibe on the right. An interesting juxtaposition, I think.

Placing a customer's umbrella
on Dongtan Beach

One can't have too many friends, I like to say; just too many to keep up with sometimes. The second portion of that thought is more often the case for me when visiting Thailand. Even on my first visit I'd been in email contact with four or five folks that I was interested in meeting, and there's rarely much of anything faster to separate the sincere from the insincere than a face to face conversation - but that's another story.

I only mention this because I tend to overbook my time there, and while I think longingly (and long) in advance about days in the shade on the beach with a good book, those days are far and few between. This last trip I only made time for two partial days in nearly a month to simply rest on the beach, which tells me it's something I need to put more effort into next time.

Beers on the beach.  Memories of my free-spirited youth!

My raised glass gets a smile
of acknowledgement 

My suggestion to those of you lucky enough to be planning a trip there anytime soon would be to leave plenty of slack for the inevitable probability of wanting to visit, see or try something that you hadn't expected to. The old saying "any job expands to fill the time allotted for it" applies in this situation, too. Trust me.

While sitting one afternoon, finishing the lunch I believe was brought in by the chair concessionaires from Tui's Place (nice food there - reasonably priced, too) two guys planted in chairs two rows ahead of me were having beers and chatting, just as friends would do most anywhere in such a setting.  I watched them fool with their hair between pulls off of their bottles with more than a slight twinge of nostalgia for times when I'd have been in the middle of such a scene and not merely watching from a sober distance.

All that and a bag of chips, as the saying goes

Every so often they'd call out to a passer-by walking along the shoreline in front of them, and although I couldn't understand the Thai it was evidently pleasant; the walkers would inevitably smile, laugh and/or give them a "thumbs up" signal.

The breeze in off of the gulf was gentle and refreshing, and despite the view my eyes closed a number of times while I lay my head back and relaxed, relishing the rest time.

One of the guys had his ear buds in, bobbing his head to the beat  from his MP3 player while listening, and he'd take one out to talk only when his friend reached over and tapped his arm to get his attention. They seemed to be waiting for others, because one of them kept looking back over his right shoulder as if to check for an arrival.

They didn't have to wait very long.

A short while later, several more young men came traipsing down the aisle past me to my right, their feet spraying sand onto posts and vacant chairs with the whisper only sand seems to make.

They snuck up behind their seated friends and, reaching out as they bent over, grabbed their shoulders, making them jump and shout with surprise. After they'd gotten that desired reaction they all laughed and greeted the others with a camaraderie you'd expect among friends. They all seemed genuinely happy to be together for the afternoon, and they began chattering rapid-fire between themselves almost immediately.

One of the new arrivals held up a bottle of 100 Pipers, a scotch widely available in Thailand, and a cheer of approval rose from the group; all of them glad to see the party ready to begin in earnest.

100 Pipers appears to be somewhat of a staple of life for some, by the number of empties you're likely to see being hauled out from clubs if you're out walking in the daytime as the trash is being dumped. Never was much of a scotch drinker myself, but I'm told it's adequate and affordable.

It was certainly adequate for the boys that day. They had it open in a heartbeat and were pouring themselves a few fingers' worth in their glasses without ice, topping it off with Coca-cola. Soon they were well into the bottle, and as the level quickly began to drop they danced and laughed among themselves, as did a couple of young women who'd also arrived soon after the 100 Pipers did.

A ways further into the bottle

It soon became apparent that they'd probably had enough to drink, and as their movements became more animated and their voices a bit louder while they swayed now from scotch more than the music my beach time was running out, and I had to gather my things and head back to my hotel to prepare for a banquet dinner that evening.

As I often try to do I walked over and asked if I could email the re-sized pictures to anyone. A couple of them gladly accepted, and I've since sent them along. Both of them replied to say thank you, and that made for a fine ending to the experience, I thought.

So, again I'd suggest: leave yourself some slack in your schedules. You never know what might happen when you're least expecting it.

OK, OK... I'm Back (Sort Of)

Lovers walking along the beach at sunset in Chantaburi

After a couple of slightly overscheduled weeks around the provinces I’ve found myself back near the Big Mango, in Nonthaburi. The air seemed a bit better when I bounced through Bangkok again than when I left to head South a couple of weeks back, but that may just be the Pollyanna in me, trying to see the bright side, and despite the cynicism of some there are many bright sides if you look for them.

This trip my health has been more or less problem-free - knock on wood - and while I’ve been getting much less sleep than usual the only complaint I have is that it’s been hotter than I’d prefer, and that in and of itself isn’t a legitimate complaint, anyway; it’s Thailand, heading into their Summer, so what could I expect? One torrential burst of rain down South a few days ago, but otherwise just hot weather.

Most of you already know it’s the everyday experiences that I enjoy the most, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have witnessed and recorded dozens of them again this trip; fodder for future posts when time allows me the luxury of going through the 75+ pages of notes and well over 3,000 images I’ve taken to jog my grey matter when its time to share the stories - like two today of the young couple walking along the beach in Chantaburi. They were obviously in love, and that's always nice to see, I think.

I keep reminding myself that I’m far behind with the regular number of posts, but it’s difficult to sit and write while life in Thailand goes on for everyone else outside my window; I want to be immersed in it as much as I can, while I can. Honestly I could do without the haze and raucous noise of the streets of Bangkok, but the opportunity of interacting with people selling things along the uneven sidewalks running next to them is just too powerful a force to keep me indoors. Besides, there are still so many places to see and things to do here; my “to do” list is still a foot long.

I’ve caught up with a number of friends again this trip, and re-visited some places favored in the past - although some have closed or moved, such as the foot massage place I’d visited for at least eight years, now with a new name and a new owner. That one was difficult to let go of, but worse still was the guy who eight years ago had done the best foot massage I’d ever had and subsequently went on to become a good friend. He’s now in Germany with his partner of a few years, doing the beautician work that had long been his dream. I’m happy for him, but I miss his laugh and company.

I’m currently in the Northern suburb of Nonthaburi for a few days, again venturing into a new area. I had no idea what to expect here, but I’ve again been a bit of an odd duck to the farang/Thai ratio and have enjoyed being in the decided minority. I’ve had that happen in Amphawa, Phitsanulok, Chantaburi and other spots. I like to be far enough from the farang areas that most signs you see in English are for Pepsi, Coke and a precious few other things - although this area has "The Mall", and that's a seven-floor monstrosity with all of the expected Western trappings. 

I'm thankful I could spend a handful of days this trip in an area where I didn’t see a single 7-Eleven, and that takes some doing  here if you're anywhere with a population of more than 500 people... but it’s the Thailand I’ve come to love.

Lots of new stories to share. Thanks for being patient while I took the break.

The same couple at sunset

Basin Bathing Beachside

No, I haven't been abducted here in the Land of Smiles, but between scheduled obligations, some internet connectivity problems and a minor health glitch I've been away from the web for around six days. Those of you who have made it here already know how easy it is to be swept up in the activity and culture around you - and why sitting indoors composing posts isn't all that attractive an option!

I'm off to a Thai beach resort booked by one of my friends where I don't expect to see another farang for a few days, and I have no idea about internet availability there, either, so it seemed only polite to make an offering here today to you kind souls who check in regularly. If it's possible, I'll post again soon.

The young man above works with one of the umbrella chair concessions along the main beach in Pattaya and I took a few pictures of him while there one morning. He was scooping up handfuls of water from a medium-sized basin and washing the sweat and sand off off his face, arms and torso after setting up who knows how many umbrellas and beach chairs.

Neither of us spoke much of the other's language, but what a great smile.  Nice six-pack, too.

Playing Chicken With The Waves

A surfer makes his way to the path down on the California coast

There was some legal paperwork a ways away from my home that's needed tending to for a while, so yesterday I took the afternoon and got it taken care of. Since I was already near the beach front I took a drive up the coastline for a ways afterwards, stopping at a few spots to stand on the cliff and watch the surf.  The waves have been much larger than usual lately - probably fueled by some storm out on the Pacific - and were putting on quite a show while pounding onto the rocks below.

The sound of that much water slamming into the face of the rocks and cliffs was so powerful you could feel it in your chest; a concussive WHOOMP that added a rhythm to the consistent song of the sea gulls and other birds nearby.

The higher surf also brings out the surfers.  Being later in the afternoon they were now out of school and work and came like lemmings to the sea, clad in their wet suits and carrying their surf boards.  From one vantage point I could see them approaching the path down the rocks to the water and watch the sets of waves, waiting for a break in the sets so they could get to the water as safely as possible.

The young man in the top photo is also in the one below. He made it down the rocks and entered the water without being pulled in - deaths from this seemingly foolhardy practice are very rare - but I didn't watch very many of them try it. Made me nervous.

It was a fine reminder of how small and insignificant we, our lives and our planet are in the Grand Scheme of things.

See you back here on Monday. Have a great weekend, unless you've made other plans.

Suntans: More Than "Black" And White

A farang on the beach, basted and broiling.

Sitting under an umbrella on the beach in Thailand some months ago I watched  an older man in a Speedo (something that probably ought to be a felony in and of itself) getting a foot massage from a younger Thai man.  Well, if truth be known I was actually observing the younger man more than the older one, but that was primarily to see if I could get a hook on the relationship between the two. The farang appeared to be in his late sixties, the Thai in his mid-twenties.

They seemed to know each other somehow, but since I resisted the opportunity to eavesdrop I couldn't do more than speculate.  From the disinterested look on the young man's face my guess is that the music coming through my ear buds trumped what little they were talking about, anyway.  He looked longingly at the shade from the umbrellas all around him as he toiled away in the direct sun of mid-day.

His customer seemed to know the people who ran the chair concession where he'd rented his lounge recliner for the day, and they apparently recognized or knew him, too. At least, one would hope they knew each other as he'd reach out and grab at any of them who didn't give him a wide enough berth to be more than an arm's reach away. Most of it seemed to be in good fun, but some of them either made faces or rolled their eyes as they passed out of his range of view.

When the massage was done the man handed his masseur a bottle of tanning oil, motioning for the kid to oil him up for his next spin at Carcinoma Roulette.  I couldn't help but notice that it didn't so much resemble an oiling up as it did a basting; the man was already darker than most roasted fowl you'd see served at a family gathering.   "At least his family could save burial expenses and just have him made into an ottoman after he's gone," I thought to myself  "He's pretty close to leather now."  If he were a third his size he probably have passed for a kahlua pig at a Hawaiian luau. Still, to each their own.

Having been born with enough of a beautiful tone an acquaintance stays in the shade at the beach

I've never quite understood the obsession with sunbathing, myself.  Part of that probably comes from my inability to do anything myself other than sunburn and peel time and again, but if you look that up it's really nothing more than damaging your DNA and your skin attempting to repair the damage by shedding itself.  I don't try to emulate the pasty look of the "Goth" youth of today, but I respect the power of the sun - especially in the tropics. To put it another way: SPF-50 is my friend.

Now, before you Snow Birds who migrate to sunnier climes from places where the weather takes a colder turn from oh, say, October through March get upset, let me say I fully understand not wishing to live in a country that's somewhat like a blast freezer for a quarter of the year.

A lack of sunshine has been proven to have detrimental effects on humans, too - both mental and physical.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a legitimate condition - I know someone who deals with it each year. When I was in Seattle a month ago I saw a surprisingly large selection of light fixtures and lamps designed to provide artificial sun for both that and to help adjust people's internal circadian clocks. However, 20 minutes beneath artificial sun per day is (pardon the pun) light years away from day after day of sunbathing.

Many Asian cultures view darker skin as being less desirable than lighter skin, and folks go to great pains to avoid the sun.  Walk through the personal grooming aisle where the creams and lotions are on display the next time you're in a store in Thailand - or Japan, or China, or Vietnam - and you're going to see more skin-lightening products than you can shake a stick at.  If a Thai (male or female) is to wear any make-up on their face you're not going to see them using anything  that would darken their skin.

You're also likely to see a similar phenomenon in many Latin America countries, too.  One dear friend, born in the Southern part of Mexico has the most gorgeous dark skin of anyone I know, but when he was a child and the family was invited to, say, a wedding, he was left behind at home because he was too moreno (dark) and they were ashamed of him.  Go figure.

A handful of years back I read on one forum or another an anecdote from a farang man who'd left his boyfriend in Bangkok while he went for the first time to some beach resort for a week, staying stretched out in the sun most days; getting a deep tan he was rather pleased with.  Thinking "now I'm the grandest tiger in the jungle" while coming back to Bangkok he was a bit shocked when his boyfriend greeted him with "Why you do this?  Now you black... I ashamed you!"  It took him a couple of minutes to realize that to make himself darker (many Thai would say "black" when they mean tanned or darker) seemed like a completely irrational act to most Thai.

I suppose that for aesthetic reasons it's merely a matter of cultural preference, but for health reasons it makes more sense to avoid being one of the walking lobsters you're likely to run across at the Grand Palace along about three o'clock in the afternoon.  Sunscreens are available so you don't need to bring a bottle or tube with you, but if you have a specific brand you prefer just seal it in a bag to avoid a leak and bring it along.

And - more importantly - use it. It beats having a doctor carving bits off of you in another decade.  Just my two satang on it.