What a Trip in Bangkok!
So what do you do in Bangkok?
You sweat.
You get out of bed, shower, plan the day, head down to breakfast, then once you are outside, you sweat. Okay, maybe I exaggerate. But it sure seems this way.
The alphabet is incomprehensible to me (There are 44 characters total). It's squiggles and curly-cues and loops, and often it might be several words strung together without spaces in between, but I will ask Jat to confirm this impression. (It is true, but there are marks signifying new words.)
The weather is not that unbearable, if you don't mind sweating, if you stay mostly in the shade (there is plenty of shade) and a breeze comes up, you will be cool. There is a lot of greenery, this being a tropical country, it is quite humid and rain is always imminent if not falling at this particular moment. I thought rain would be nearly constant, but it is not. It just stays humid. I am very glad for the occasional wind.
You don't drink the tap water here. Even according to the locals, don't drink it. Bottled water is everywhere, and very cheap, and always chilled when you buy it. It is cheap enough here, I went to a 7-11 (yeah, they do exist here), and picked up 3 litres of water for about $.75.
The cost of living here is very different. Restaurants are a little cheaper than Dallas for the same quality (no, they are cheaper if you get away from busy sections of town), electronics are a lot cheaper (as are computer components and software), gasoline is about the same price as Dallas (but MUCH more expensive to Thais). Taxis are very cheap, too. With the price of fuel, you would think taxis would follow, but they don't. I think they usually run on natural gas (I have seen a few CNG signs), and they are very efficient to use for transportation (Taxis are VERY expensive for the drivers, due to licenses and taxes).
As for food, be prepared for all things tropical. The spices make the dinner taste good, but don't bother trying to get somebody to explain what it is. It just doesn't translate. Drinks are also tropical, plenty of guava and papaya juices, watermelon juice is all around, also plenty of coffee and tea. Coffee tends to be espresso, but I think I will try to find some American coffee soon (found a Coffee Bar, no dice). If a restaurant here has Pepsi, they might also have Sprite, a combination you don't see in America.
We went to a restaurant/bar with karaoke last night (Monday night), and I am pleased/dismayed to report they sing just as badly here, and in Thai, it sounds much worse (like a cat fight). But we had a good time, I ate much more food than I needed, and had some beer served over ice. Very nice outdoor restaurant (apparently there were bugs aplenty, judging by the bites on my arms).
Sorry for the delay in updates, I've been busy here!
After that dinner, I went to see The Ancient City, which is a small scale model of areas of Thailand. As good a national history museum as you can get anywhere. You pay the price to get in, and also rent a bicycle. The size of the structures makes it easy to forget these are to a smaller scale: "Tell me about that opening there." "It is a window." "But there are stairs going up to that window. Are you supposed to go in, or just look in the window?" "Oh, that is really a doorway at the real place." "Oh, I get it."
At this place, there are restaurants and snack shops to get drinks and things. When you get a drink (this is common practice), it comes in a small plastic bag like a music store would put a CD in, and a straw sticks out of the top. It is extremely convenient, you just hang the drink off the handlebars and never worry about spilling.
I found an Irish Pub! Very nice place, the bartenders speak fluent english (but not necessarily the waitresses, try pronouncing Jameson's more slowly), it was a welcome respite from the constant Asianity of Bangkok. Also, the bargirls (I didn't spot any) were either very subtle or non-existent. Be careful of Tiger beer.
Went on a cruise of sorts, took a boat to several villages on the river in Bangkok, maybe I shouldn't have seen some of the foods prepared, and there are what Americans would call retirees all over selling this and that (usually food) and having pleasant conversations. Most of the boats have this mysterious long shaft sticking out the back, on which is attached the propeller. It turns out these boats all have car engines, and the easiest way to attach a propeller is to just connect it to the back end of the crankshaft. During this cruise, we were sitting at the shore of the river watching the world go by (I truly love this girl). The wind starting picking up, and dead pieces of the tree we were sitting under started falling all around us (and on me). We headed toward some shops, and found a little cover. Soon after, this cover was not enough because it started RAINING! Like a major STORM it RAINED! So we quickly found a shop with a tin roof and stood under this more substantial cover until the rain stopped. It seems when it rains, the shopkeepers make a little more money. After all, why waste time just sitting when you can sell something to people who are standing there anyway? The rain stopped as suddenly as it started.
It is nearly impossible to find information about what movies are playing where and at what times in Bangkok. Tried the newspaper and the internet.
I am beginning to understand that Bangkok is in some ways primitive. Who knew? I think I will search out movie information on the internet today, and probably go this afternoon. I truly hope the theater will be air conditioned.
Jim is Now in Bangkok?
Okay, just to begin...Stayed over Richard & Nataly's for the night, stayed up a little late, but not really that much later than what I usually do with those folks. Woke up REALLY early in the morning, about 5:00, believe it or not. This is something I would not have expected, hearing it from Richard...Nataly woke before Richard. I was under the impression that she is a late sleeper, but it seems that she wakes really early, gets him ready to go (lunch, prep for the day), then goes back to sleep before he is even out of bed. Who knew? ANYWAY...We got on the road wonderfully early at about 7:15 (Thanks for the breakfast, Nataly!). Richard drove me to the airport in his truck, Nataly took her car !LEGALLY! to school, and I got to the airport. Got through check-in, took about 15 minutes for the whole ceremony, then it's 2+ hours to burn before boarding the plane. Okay, so you can walk the whole of D/FW airport in about 45 minutes, so I took the Brand! New! People! Mover! around the place and had a wonderful time looking at the airplanes because it is the FIRST time you can see them now. It is okay, the stations have terrazzo floors like Love Field, it's pretty and quiet enough to sleep if you don't mind no carpet and no seating. Got lucky getting back to the gate, loading went peacefully (not like JFK in New York), and here I am about 33000 ft up, going 550 MPH over the west side of Oklahoma right now. Wait, just past Amarillo. Now right at Dalhart! 3 miles east! I really like the LCD screens on the back of the headrests, they have the flight information and it's really easy to read. Not having to peer around people's heads.
Okay, it is ALMOST perfect...you can have music, or you can have cartoons. I was hoping I could have classical music AND cartoons. The perfect combination. But no, either cartoons or music. That's okay...at least there ARE cartoons. One thing I CAN have, classical music with the in-flight map. That's okay.
AFTER the flying-- I sat next to a lady who was VERY talkative from DFW to Narita. Once she ran out of energy for a few minutes, it was okay...I won't say anything more about her, everybody has their bears to cross. The most amazing thing about the flight to Japan was the size of Alaska. Okay, 2 things... Alaska, and how I can be satisfied to watch a moving map for hours. First, Alaska. The trip was 40 billion miles. 38.8 billion of those miles were going along the coastline of Alaska. Really, it took HOURS to get past it! Yes, it was a long flight, and Alaska was a big part of the flight. It's almost tailor-made for people who want to navigate by watching landmarks. It lasts forever.
The other thing about the flight. The back of each seat has a LCD video screen, about 5 inches across, with a menu for video (2nd run movies), music, and the cartoon. I watched the PowerPuff Girls many times, also that new McCracken show about The Home for Imaginary Friends. It's okay...but if there were more than one show of each, it would have been much better. It is amazing to me how they feed you on flights...they give you the first snack, then when they are done giving out the snacks all around the plane, they the pick up the trash, then when they are done they give you a meal, then pick THAT up, give out drinks,...on and on and on...no wonder Americans are known to be fat. It was good landing at Narita, it was a very long flight.
Once at Narita, I just followed my nose to International Connection things, and found the gate nearly perfectly the first time. There, they don't really believe in air conditioning, but at least I could walk a bit. Hung around at the gate for a few minutes, took a gander at the ANA (All Nippon Airways) plane, done up in a Pokemon paint scheme. I am not kidding. I swear to God, it was Pokemon. WIERDEST thing I remember seeing.
At Narita, they have a group of duty free shops, and it looks a lot like a Moscow street market, but cleaner and quieter. Each store also had a lady outside watching the shop, and helping out if needed. Oh...Duty free...In DFW, a bottle of Johnny Walker Green is about $80, the blue about $130. In Tokyo Duty Free, the blue is 15000 yen. I have NO idea how much it is. But I might pick up a bottle once I get home again.
Once on the plane at Narita, there are all these Japanese people there...like a tourist convention or something! I have not seen so many non-European people around, ever. Also, Jat mentioned that Americans wear tennis shoes, everybody else wears nicer shoes. I think I agree. Also, Americans ARE fat. We were the biggest people in the bunch. We got on the 747 to Bangkok, and immediately, my legs cramp from the stillness. It was insane, I REALLY needed to run around or something. Ok...The first official thing they do on the plane is all the stewardesses (all women), once they seat you and get overhead shelves locked up, they all stand at attention and bow to you. As an American, this is the wierdest thing. It was to be outdone by the groundcrew...as the plane left the walkway to taxi, the groundcrew is waving goodbye to us, and as we get past them, they also bow to us, and to each other. It is just surreal. This is about the time I remembered I was still sitting, and my legs cramped up. The flight to Bangkok was uneventful (except for throbbing legs), and I really need to learn an Asian language enough to get the gist of the PA announcements. Even when they said the instructions in English, it was incomprehensible. Sorry folks, I just really don't understand. There is a drink on JAL airplanes, called "Sky Time," it is sweet, not carbonated, clear like lemon juice, and I have no idea what is in it. None at all. Also, I think the beef is not that good, but it was better than dirt. Speaking of these things, judging by the amount of food I got, I really think next time I fly anywhere, I am going vegetarian. Not because of some timing thing (they seem to give special meals first), but because it will be MUCH lighter than the normal meals, and I could really use the lighter meals. Okay, 6+ hours later, we land at Bangkok International, and here we are. One thing JAL planes have, is a forward and a downward pointing camera you can see on your video screen. This time, it was too cloudy to see anything anywhere, but on landing, they had the forward facing camera on the main screen, and it was too scary because I kept thinking they were going to swerve off toward the left (I was looking at the screen from the far right, at a sharp angle). Got to the aerodrome, sort of followed my nose (like at Sheremetyevo), and eventually got my checked in bag, through the passport check (yes, I am planning on leaving), and met Jat! I think meeting Jat was the high point of the flight. She was a joy to see.
It's Done
Well, the exams are finished, and I have the new text book for the Beginning Programming and Logic course. I scored the English Composition book from a fellow student for $20.
The exams were terribly easy, several people even asked if that was all. Not just me and a few others, but students who I thought didn't have a clue during the whole term.
Friday, 10 days ago, Rosie (the cat) bit the geebus out of my dad's hand, putting him in the hospital for a few days for the infection (he's 79 with a 79-year-old's delicate skin). He couldn't get hold of me (I live at The Old Homestead; I turned off my cell phone during class), so he called X. X went absolutely berzerk, and demanded (not in so many words) that I put that cat down immediately. Well, she hadn't had shots in years (purely indoor cat), and I don't have PROOF that she is perfectly healthy, so she had to go into "rabies quarantine" for 10 days to satisfy the city. My dad demanded "that cat will not come back into this house," I understand that, and X is saying "that cat is sick and not normal and needs to be put down immediately," so I look for ANYBODY who can take an elder cat and keep her inside. My friends, and THEIR friends all get phone calls, the Operation Kindness (no-kill animal shelter) can't take her, no other shelters can take her. So when I get to the vet, we need to put her down. I really hate this; a perfectly healthy cat, a good friend (though sometimes annoying), sweet and harmless (except for a moment of indiscretion) kitty, put down because she can't have a home. I miss having a cat around the house already.
When I have my own place again, I will have cats again.
Much Goings On
In the morning, I have the alarm set to go off at 5:50AM. It is WAY too late at night for doing anything BUT sleeping, but here I am. I have 3 finals (DC Circuits-easy, Technical Math-easier, Basic Computer Tech stuff-easyish), and other things to deal with. I am not worried about the exams of course, but it's the "other thing" that is bothering me. Once it is consummated, I will feel comfortable mentioning it.
All This (which really isn't all that much) And More! In a few days, (Friday!), I leave town for Bangkok. I have a few things to gather before I leave; gifts, necessaries, other things. 2 weeks. Also, maybe I have the job in the IT department at DeVry? Maybe I do? Maybe I don't? Considering my skill set, they should hire me right off. I might be over-confident, but I really don't think so. Who Knows? I will know in a few days!
I'm Just a Beginner at This
I think I am going to do this. It will depend on the time I have, and to be honest, whether I am interested in doing it. So if anybody reads this and wants it to continue, let me know. Otherwise, keep it to yourself.
