Night Photos, Part 6: Down and Back

The top photo today was taken from one of the restaurants high atop Baiyoke Tower in 2008. Above the watermark you can make out the Victory Monument statue, lit a golden color by the night spotlights surrounding it. It's an area I've explored on many walks and is always a pleasant reminder for me of trips past. The picture was taken through the window next to my table so leaves something to be desired quality-wise, but I like the picture.

Below you'll see a shot of Baiyoke Tower taken that very same night from the elevated walkway that skirts Victory Monument. The tower itself is a little blurred but you can see it clearly, reaching toward the mottled cloud layer that blanketed Bangkok that night.

THERE'S Something You Don't See Every Day

While riding with a friend through the countryside in Isaan we pulled up behind the truck in the photo above, and I without thinking said "Well, would you look at that... someone's throwing away a perfectly good farm worker!" - and then had to explain my somewhat twisted joke for him.

Jokes are rarely funny if you have to explain them, but once I'd rolled down the window and taken the picture I made a feeble attempt - after we'd safely passed them and I didn't have to wonder if they'd hit an unexpected crater on the road and the poor man would land on our hood... or worse.

Of course, it may well not have been trash, but I preferred my original guess so I didn't pursue the matter with my friend.

By the way... for those who wonder what garbage trucks look like in Bangkok, there's one below.

Thai Smiles, Part 14: The Water Story

It was late one Saturday afternoon and the heat and crowds of Jatujak Market had taken their toll on me. Chanting "mai pen rai, mai pen rai" under my breath while working my way as politely as I could through the crowds and vendors that make the surrounding sidewalks an obstacle course I was frustrated and more than a little cranky at how slow things were moving.

Off to my right I noticed a tall, dark-skinned man at the edge of this river of humanity, trying to get the cap off one of the more inexpensive bottles of drinking water - the type with a pull-strip around the base of the cap to seal it instead of the usual screw cap. Sometimes the pull tabs aren't scored as well as they might be, and can be a real bitch to open. This was one of those times.

Misery loves company and I'd just wrestled with one of these bottle tops myself not 10 minutes before, so I pulled over to the edge of the pedestrian traffic and stopped to watch. Granted, it was a somewhat twisted satisfaction watching him struggle with one, too, but I'd honestly thought "well, he's opened these thousands of times before - maybe he knows the trick".

He didn't.

He pulled at the tiny pull tab that sticks out maybe 3 millimeters from the neck of the bottle, but it was wet - as they often are after chilling in a tub of ice water - and it slipped out of his grip several times. He tried with thumb and index fingers of both hands first, then with other combinations, his brow furrowed as he became more frustrated. Finally he tipped the bottle to the side, brought the tab to his mouth and tried to catch it between his front teeth. I could almost hear them clack together above the crowd noise as the bottle jerked away from his mouth, still firmly sealed.

He shrugged his shoulders almost imperceptibly in resignation and again brought the bottle to his mouth - this time putting the entire top between his molars and biting the cap open. These bottles are made from a far softer form of plastic than the clear bottles are, and the pressure of his hand squeezing it while he bit down caused it to spray the icy water up onto his face, where it drained down his neck and into his shirt, down his chest. The look of surprise on his face was classic.

After quickly wiping off his face and neck with his sleeve he was putting the straw into the bottle and looking around to see if anyone saw the embarrassing thing that had just happened to him... and saw me, with my camera pointing at him. He grinned, somewhat sheepishly, and I got the shot below.

He pantomimed the "explosion" again after looking at his image on my camera, and we both laughed about his misfortune. To this day I think of his perseverance every time I wrestle with one of those bottle tops.

Staying Healthy In Thailand

A roadside eatery outside of Bangkok

On April 27th we took a look at things you might try to stay healthy while being hurtled through the air in an aluminum tube at 500 miles per hour, 30,000 feet above the surface of terra firma. Today is a follow-up to that: making an effort to stay healthy once you’ve reached your destination – Thailand, Tierra del Fuego or wherever. Please take all of this as just advisory and not something to sour you on the idea of enjoying yourself in Thailand. Take what you want of it and leave the rest!

You can’t avoid all exposure, naturally, but you can do things to keep your immune system stronger and help your body fight off the germs and viruses you'll be faced with: keep your hands clean, stay hydrated, take vitamin supplements if you wish and stay rested. By “rested” I mean having a somewhat normally-scheduled night’s sleep, not staying up most of the night and then catching naps on the beach during the day. I know, I know… that's easier said than done when we’re on holiday and don’t want to “miss out.”

Keeping your hands clean can be difficult while out for the day. Many hong nam (toilets) you’ll encounter away from your room will have no more than spigots for water, and soap is uncommon. Paper towels are as rare as hen’s teeth. I strongly recommend carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer along with you and using it throughout the day – especially before eating here, a land where food is frequently eaten with the fingers. The other day I saw towelettes in individual packets about 2” square for sale here in the US, and those would be ideal. Most any time I see soap and water anywhere I stop and give my hands a good cleansing. To their credit, many BTS stations have a pump bottle of waterless handwash on a table just inside the paid passenger gates.

I know this next suggestion is going to sound like overkill to a lot of you, but follow the logic and hear me out before you scroll past it: I do a minor amount of sanitation to my room when I check in.

As I already mentioned in the health post about flying I’m not a “germophobe” but I’ve taken to grabbing about 10 of those disinfectant pop-up wet paper towels, folding them into something the size of a playing card and putting the stack of folded wet-naps into a baggie that I put into my carry on. I carry a dozen or so in another baggie in my checked luggage. Most people have read how seldom bedspreads are cleaned, and I’d bet you most of the items you regularly handle in your hotel room are dirtier. I’m talking about the remote for the TV, the room phone handset (and mouthpiece), the radio/alarm if there is one, the buttons on the TV set itself and the door handles. Have you ever known housekeeping anywhere to clean any of those? I didn’t think so. It takes two minutes of time and gives me peace of mind.

I shared my dehydration story back on March 24th (“You’re A Couple Quarts Low There, Buddy”) and can still assure you it’s not the way to toss away a day or two of precious vacation time. With so many convenience stores in Thailand it’s foolish not to have a few liters of water in your room, at the very least. Most hotels provide a couple of small bottles per day for free. Drink them. While you’re out, take advantage of safe drinking water more often – probably more often than you would back home.

What’s “safe” drinking water? Good question. Bottled water, naturally, but I mean from the bottle, because you always have to weigh the wisdom of ice in a glass. That sounds silly to some of you, but here’s the logic behind it: ice in your hotel or in a restaurant is more than likely just fine (the hollow cylindrical ice cubes you’ll often see, for example) but common crushed ice can be made with questionable water and I avoid it at street-side carts and eateries, as a rule. I had a friend point out that while the ice itself may have been fine when it was put into the ice chest for the day, the produce and fresh herbs kept in it in the same container may not have been rinsed off well (if at all) and therefore made the ice “iffy”.

Dish washing by hand: the norm at many eateries

It’s also wise to be aware of the plates and bowls at most local Thai eateries, especially outdoor places and food carts. As you can see, dishwashing there – while done in good faith – isn’t quite what you’d expect back home. It’s no big deal for the locals; they’ve grown up with the local germs...we haven’t. What’s fine for the locals can become a race for the Imodium to a farang. You can’t be too paranoid or you’ll starve (or try to subsist on a diet of sealed items from 7-11) but use the brains you were born with.

Hot dogs at a Bangkok 7-11. Just as dodgy there as anywhere else!

Street snacks and food are a topic for another day, but here’s a couple of quick tips: look to see where the locals are eating (a form of “safety in numbers”), eat fresh fruit and vegetables if you can rinse them in safe water and/or peel them yourself and have anything cooked or BBQed cooked thoroughly.

You can’t avoid everything, but you can be aware and eliminate many exposures – and it’s all a numbers game, isn’t it?

Jatujak Market, Part 3: Pets vs Wildlife

As mentioned in the introduction to Jatujak/Chatuchak weekend market almost everything you can imagine, a lot you can’t and some things you probably shouldn’t are all available for purchase there; and that includes traditional pets, creatures that belong in a zoo where skilled handlers can care for them and - if you know where to look - things that would be better left unmolested to fight extinction on their own in the wild.

National Geographic did an interesting article on this in their January 2010 issue called "Asia's Wildlife Trade" that's worth a read. In it you'll find mention of Jatujak Market and some cute little fur balls known as slow lori they claim sell in Japan and Russia for the equivalent of $1,000USD. Exotic pets just never made sense to me; bringing a crocodile home never seemed like a wise idea.

Five good reasons not to keep pet crocodiles at home

I've found myself off the beaten track in Jatujak and seen the rings where cock fights are held amid the exuberant shouts of those there betting on them while they slash away at each other, but let's address the grey areas another day, shall we?

There's an enormous section of fish, aquariums and supplies at Jatujak - the largest of all the pet areas by far, by my "guesstimate". Rows of relatively permanent stalls lined with tanks, some specializing in a specific type of fish, such as fantail goldfish or what we in the US would call "Siamese" fighting fish - although it didn't occur to me to ask what the Siamese call them!

One shop had nothing but baby geese, chickens, ducks and the likes...

There are also many, many places to buy reptiles of all stripes (and scales) - and puppies by the dozen. It's a fascinating menagerie - somewhat like taking a stroll through Noah's ark - and we'll take another look at it soon.

Full Moon Over Pattaya

It's a lazy Sunday here... a good day to share a photo of the full moon as I saw it in 2008 from a beach between Pattaya and Jomtien, and then go catch a nap!

Jatujak Market, Part 2: A Few Tips

A view down of one of a thousand narrow interior walkways at Jatujak

In addition to going early to avoid the mid-day heat at Jatujak Market there are three nuggets of advice shared with me that I’ll pass along to you here. Take them with as many grains of salt as you wish. OK, make that four tips – because taking a pinch of salt in fruit juice or by way of a salty snack is good advice for maintaining hydration in tropical heat, too – but these are the main three:

One: Hydrate your system before you go out into the market or anywhere you’ll be out for hours in the tropical heat, and take advantage frequently of the bottled water for sale throughout the market. Remember that coffee is a diuretic so it doesn’t count. Fruit is also a good source of water (and nutrients) but takes some thought in and of itself: we'll cover staying healthy overall in a post soon. There are restrooms throughout the place, so you can always find a clean place to pee – but finding a spot to lie down because you’re dizzy, weak, nauseated or otherwise incapacitated with heatstroke is a little tougher. Several enterprising folks were actually selling damp washcloths to mop yourself up with as you wandered – and doing a brisk business, I might add. Trust me, the headache (literally) isn’t worth it and can lay you low for hours, if not the rest of a day. Don’t chance wasting your time and missing something you wanted to see or do.

Two: Be aware of your valuables; mainly your wallets and pocketbooks, but cameras and things, too. I tend to carry a very small billfold when traveling (you only need three or four items besides cash) and put it in a front pocket where it's easier to keep track of. This isn’t a negative comment about the Thai people, just common sense that many tend to take leave of when on vacation. You’re in a dense, smooth-moving crowd here, and waving a digital camera that’s worth more than most of the gracious people around you earn in six months is not only vulgar, it’s asking for attention you don’t need – so tuck your gold chains inside your shirt or blouse and just use your head in general. Even if you’re alone, you most likely aren’t in danger by any stretch of the imagination, but be aware of your surroundings. To temper that point, I’d say you’re in far mare danger in a crowd at home than you are in Thailand.

Three: Travel light. If you’re lucky and your stamina holds up you’ll walk for miles, and you are going to see things you want to buy. Take a couple of sturdy plastic bags with you, they’ll take almost no space at all in your fanny pack or bag if you fold them flat. You’ll be glad you brought them. If you forget, you'll be able to buy light-weight handled shopping bags there. I have - in fact, I bought a plastic, nylon reinforced suitcase-sized bag one trip (like you'll see merchants and locals use to haul things around in) and then left it with a friend there who was glad to have it for his laundry.

No need to bring water with you, it’s available everywhere. Slather on the all-day sunscreen before you leave the hotel, to save needing to bring any with you. Dressing lightly is also a good idea.

A bonus point: bring sufficient baht in cash with you, while not forgetting point Two above. Almost none of the merchants at Chatuchak take credit cards and while there are ATMs in a few spots on the grounds (you can see some on the layout sign from Thursday's post), the chances are very good you’ll never find your way back to the stall where you saw - and perhaps already bargained for - that "perfect" celadon ceramic bowl or whatever. Just don’t carry Bt20,000 in your back pocket. All right... end of lecture. For today. Don't try to leave town.

A stall showing some of the wide variety of items for sale

BTS Break Dancers - Bangkok

It sounds strange to say but if we're lucky and live long enough we enter an age where we're forced to take extra care moving around so we don't "fall and break something". Even such mundane activities as climbing stairs, strolling along uneven sidewalks or bathing can be a permanently life-changing event past the age of 60; earlier for some. I have a friend my age who's mending a leg, ankle and ribs at home as you read this. I'm not quite there yet, but it's on the horizon close enough to see clearly. There are some near and dear to me who've already entered the "bag of glass" stage and are dealing with the results of it.

When we're young we often think of ourselves as indestructible; caution not merely being thrown to the wind but disregarded entirely. I was reminded of this late one pleasant evening in Bangkok while returning from a movie with a friend, and it certainly gave me pause to think.

Walking along the elevated walkways that connect the National Stadium BTS station with MBK mall and the other three corners at the intersection of Phaya Thai and Rama I roads I could hear boom box music coming from the area closer to the BTS station, and asked my friend if he minded taking a detour to see what it was. "Dancing," he said, probably having seen it a thousand times, but he turned to head that way with me.

A large oval had formed on the wide walkway, edged mainly by college-age kids who sat cross-legged or squatted and watched (or joined in in turn) with the dozen or so who were practicing steps and break dance moves/routines. One knot of them were involved with a casual tag team-type competition of sorts; each taking their turn to show their stuff.

As you can see some wore protective headgear or knee guards but many just flung themselves around on the stone tiles with no less than reckless abandon, demonstrating that air of indestructibility I mentioned a few paragraphs ago.

A couple in particular seemed to be a few "moves" ahead of the others there that evening and put on an impressive display, whirling like dervishes. It made me wonder if it was merely youthful enthusiasm that fueled their energy of if they were artificially stimulated by means of the controlled substance known there as yaba (pronounced yah-bah, meaning methamphetamine). I suspect it was a combination of both in many cases. The shirtless young man in the black pants seemed to be wound pretty tightly, for whatever reason.

In the clip below I caught one occasion where the guy in the purple shirt came toward him as if to say "nice job, now watch this" and was abruptly pushed back by the shirtless guy who then goes on to do an extended head spin. It gives me a headache just watching it!

It's an agility I remember from my distant past - and I love seeing it, if for no other reason than it reminds me of the days when I wouldn't have dislocated something trying it myself!

[Note: These clips are "HD"/high definition clips you can watch in that mode, if you have a fast enough internet connection. The layout scheme I chose for Bao-Bao's Blog doesn't allow displaying a wide-screen clip very well. Nothing I seem to be able to do about that at this point - perhaps I'll figure a way of altering the code some day.]

Jatujak Market, Part 1: An Overview

A family out shopping early one Saturday morning

The Jatujak Weekend Market can be an overwhelming experience, even if you've already been there a few times. Also known as Chatuchak Market (or just "JJ" among many locals) it's a test of endurance on a few levels - feet, stamina, vacation budgets, heat tolerance, claustrophobia and personal hydration, for example - but it's an experience I strongly advise all visitors to try at least once. Then when you've had enough, leave. For those with no sense of adventure whatsoever there's still the Suan Lum Night market adjoining Lumpini Park, although they continue to threaten to bulldoze it away. We'll cover that another day. [Summer 2012: the Suan Lum is now gone, by the way - Bao-Bao]

My first visit was back in 2003, guided by a long lost Thai friend who was then going by the name of Voy. Actually "lost" isn't accurate, but let's be kind and say I've made the acquaintance of other Thai friends since wishing Voy a good life and let it go at that. Voy had arrived on his own personal “Thai time” schedule (a bit after 1pm – instead of 8:00) and took my farang friend and I via BTS to the Mo Chit station at the northern end of the Sukhumwit line. From the elevated station platform we could see - stretching off into the distance - roofs of a small portion of the most unbelievable open-air market you can imagine.

Looking down about a third of one of the long, covered buildings

Depending on which estimate you choose to believe there are between 10,000 to 15,000 vendor stalls on the official grounds, most crowded together side by side under a series of long, high corrugated metal roofed buildings, covering the better part of 35 acres (or 70 Thai “rai”) like a regular weekend flea market on steroids. Some stalls - primarily produce, I'm told - are open on Friday, but the main market itself runs from 9am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. On any given weekend day between 250,000 to 300,000 people wander their way through the heat and humidity to shop for the best bargains in Bangkok. Not especially well organized but loosely grouped by item types, it’s a labyrinth of mythological proportions.

A photo of a map/sign - one of many to help guide you around

From the "official" map sign pictured above you can see there are hundreds of the buildings I mentioned above. In addition to this mapped area there's an additional area of homewares, fish and aquariums and an enclosed air conditioned mall not surprisingly known as JJ Mall. The mall is open every day and has many of the things a shopper would want - except many of the surprises and experience of the monstrous market itself, which is worth the effort.

A stall of religious statuary, one of dozens

Almost everything you can imagine, a lot you can’t and some things you probably shouldn’t are all available for purchase here: packaged and freshly cooked food of all varieties, all types of traditional and modern clothing, herbal remedies, leather goods of all kinds, electronics, music, animals, thousands of tropical fish, jewelry, orchids, medicines, appliances, software, plants, furniture, china, pottery, everything but humans themselves - and I’d imagine they were available for rent in some part of the market as well, if you catch my drift.

Creatures you (thankfully) don't often see outside of a zoo are available as pets

Enclosed “aircon” eateries rub elbows with a stall of musical instruments next to ATM machines, sandwiched between stalls of religious statues and artifacts that adjoin a small cock fighting ring – it seemed that every turn we took (and we wandered for hours) brought a surprise. My index finger cramped from taking so many pictures.

One of many places to eat - some smaller than this, some seating hundreds

By leaving the hotel at 1:00 that first visit we began with the deck stacked against us, and I've never gone there in the afternoon again. By 12:00 noon the covered buildings become large convection ovens. If you knew what you were going there for and precisely where to find it you could probably get in and out without roasting, but unless you thrive in the heat it just takes too much of the fun out of it for me. I like the wandering, the people watching, the sights and sounds - and that's so much nicer with the temperature less than 100F+ and without everything you're wearing stuck firmly to your body with perspiration.

There's no way to do "JJ" justice in a single post, so I'll break it up into some sort of sections. Today is your introduction - in Part 2 I'll share some guidelines based on my experiences that you may find helpful, and past that we'll cover some specific areas and stories.

From the air. Detail on this image to come

Night Photos, Part 5

While wandering around the night market in Chiang Mai

If you look in the column on the right hand side of the page (below the Archive, Legalese and Other Sites spots) you'll see a list of labels where you can see (or re-visit) posts that feature examples of my night photography. It's an area I'm really interested in, and something I'll explore much more on my next visit to Thailand. Available light photos add an entirely new dimension to the hobby, and there's still so much I want to learn.

Here today are a few more of varying quality and style, taken in various places on different trips there.

An alternate shot of the above image was used in the post It Was A Dark And Story Night . You can see Dong Muang Airport in the upper left and Downtown Bangkok in the distance.

The fire dancer in this last picture was performing at a cultural dinner in Chiang Mai, back in 2003.