Update from Bangkok

[Preface: This was originally sent out as an email on 3 May 2004 from Bangkok, Thailand. I (Dave) have made minor stylistic edits to the original. Click on the photo to enlarge.]

Where to begin?! Our third full day in Bangkok is coming to an end, and tomorrow morning we move on to Phnom Penh (the capital of Cambodia). What to say? BKK (Bangkok) has given us massive sensory overload; to put it into perspective, imagine the sights, sounds, and smells you might experience walking around Manhattan (those who have been can imagine this better, but most should have a general idea), and multiply that picture by 10 and you would come close to BKK... it never ends. It has been a thoroughly overwhelming experience: the markets, the temple areas (today was a Buddhist holiday, so you can imagine the festivites around the temples), the traffic, the food, on, and on.

BKK is a study in stark contrast. It is not uncommon to see multi-million dollar glass and steel skyscrapers standing next to various and sundry shanties stacked on top of each other. This is especially true along the main river; however, the phenomenon is not exclusive to any part of the city. Here abject poverty and excessive wealth stand hand in hand, each magnifying the other extreme. It is a very sobering experience.

A stroll through any of the market areas (which are just about everywhere, both informal and formal) reveals one of the deep values of thai culture (I suspect this is true of other asian cultures as well): community. Market participation is a truly communal venture; every family member is involved, playing a role appropriate to one's stature in the family. Kids hauling merchandise from one place to another or acting as de facto salespeople; parents negotiating and exchanging; grandparents looking after infants and toddlers. Because of this communal feeling, the markets have an extremely social feel; Family life is intermingled with work life (most market merchants probably work 12-14 hrs/day), and the market atmosphere has a (somewhat) relaxed ebb and flow. it is clear that selling (anything you can think of can be bought here for any price you can imagine) is a high priority, but working (in any strict sense of the word) is clearly secondary to family. To be clear, this community ethos is not some idealist utopian balance of work and play; I think there are unhealthy consequences (manipulation by wealthy tourists, child exploitation, parents selling their children for profit, i.e., sex tourism); it's simply an environment that is very different from the one we are used to.

(Sidebar: I am currently sitting in an internet cafe, and a dog is standing behind me barking ceaselessly. Animals seem to have no bounds here. our hotel lobby is constantly full of cats.)

For those who are interested in the shopping scene, the markets are good for picking up goods for VERY cheap. For example, the other day, I bought 4 name brand (e.g., O'neill, Ripcurl, Billabong) t-shirts for a total of $15. At home, one of these might be worth $30+. This proved to be good for us since we opted not to bring clothes from home in hopes of being able to buy our travelling wardrobe. Also, we have discovered the convenience and comfort of thai fishing pants (one-size-fits-all that are baggy and light; great in the thailand heat) (the dog just walked under my legs!); many of you will know what we mean when you see them once we come home. Thai merchants are very friendly and respectful, albeit persistent.

So, we are off to Cambodia tomorrow. We plan on being in Phnom Penh for 5-6 days, and then spending 3-4 days in Siem Reap to check our the Angkor Wat temple ruins. Should be great! We would love to hear from you if you are at all inclined to write; however, do not expect prompt replies... we think that coming over here to spend as much (or maybe more) time on the internet as we would at home would be poor use of our time! Until next time...