My recent travels to SE Asia began with my first visit to Lisa when she lived in Phnom Penh (1994?). I've been asked dozens (more?) of times what is the fascination for me. I've never been able to give a very definitive answer. Last night I met our friend, Kathy B, for dinner. She was on her way home from 14 days in Burma and 5 in Laos. Over dinner she said "Now I know why Al Negstad travels here every year."
It is not an explanation but I did think of a metaphor that might make some sense. Being here is like being in a circus. I don't mean in a pejorative sense. Rather that the sights, sounds, smells and total experience is like being under the big top, except that here, one gets to be a part of the cast however tangentially.
All travel is meaningful in so far as it presents different experiences from being at home. Here in SE Asia the differences are profound; huge pigs transported on motorbikes, push carts vendors selling everything from brushes to food, cadres of street sweepers wielding brooms, motor bikes pulling people in wheel chairs, unusual flora and fauna, five people riding the same motorbike, tuk tuks, farmers herding flocks ducks, water buffalo, rice fields, school children in their uniforms, Buddhist temples, monks begging for food...and on and on it goes.
In that same vein...Bangkok, then, is like the center ring which pulses with life and energy. Awake last night at 3:30am unable to sleep because of jet lag I looked out my window and there were people moving about. The city is quiet late at night yet in some ways never sleeps. Coming back from dinner I was caught in a traffic jam and it was 10:30om!
Of course there is one more thing...it's hot here :) and I like that.
1 comment:
Like New York, the city that doesn't sleep? Probably safer though.
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