Thinking Positive

Living in Bangkok is not just about being annoyed and disturbed by the reds. So for a change, I am now going to write about other things. About things in Bangkok that I enjoy, that fascinate me, that make me smile but also those that annoy me. But nothing about color-coordinated thinking.

I have lived in Bangkok now for a month so its about time to say something about it. I'm gonna be honest and I'm also going to get stuck with details. It's the little things that make the whole...

Foot massage, I just have to begin with the foot massage. Without this affordable luxury I would be in war with my legs. They protest with me walking rather long distances in this heat and humidity and they very much disagree with my devotion to wearing flipflops. Thanks the professional and effective massage I let them have at least once a week we still get along.

Having just eaten a fresh papaya this subject is forcing itself to come up. What could possibly compare with being able to buy fresh delicious fruits on the streets, peeled and cut into pieces in front of you, and getting the healthy tasty snack in a little plastic bag with a little wooden stick to eat the pieces with? This is called service. And yes, for a very reasonable price. My favorites papaya and pineapple cost 20 THB, thats less that 0,50 EUR. For the entire fruit, ready to be just enjoyed. And oh do I enjoy...




Food in general is very good here although very different than thai food anywhere else where I've been. Tasty it is for sure but also very spicy, so I'm warning you, european friends of mine, train a little with some chili before coming for visit! To make it clear, "less spicy" or even "no spicy" equalizes with lets say german very spicy. Or veryvery extremely spicy...to compare with finnish food? No can do (words spicy and finnish food just can't possible be used in a same sentence.) So get used to spices and enjoy, the cooks here know what they are doing.

The major surprise for me was the lack of vegetarian tofu-dishes in the restaurants, though. I expected to land on a paradise on earth what comes to vegetarian options but have been more than disappointed. In thai-restaurants here I haven't yet once found a pure tofu-based vegetarian dish. Points to thai-restaurants in Berlin, miss their menus! I'll stay vegetarian (thou having to make an exception with fish sauce) for luckily most of the dishes on the list can be done without the advertised meats. And will then cook tofu at home! I'll survive. (And there are plenty of indian restaurants around serving malai kofta and other veggie delicacies...yammy!)

For shopping there are more than enough options, even though my favorite malls have remained closed for the past weeks. There are other malls, there are single stores and the streets are filled with stands and booths for all sorts of goods and food stalls serving for the hungry ones. Nonetheless have to say that shopping for clothes for a medium sized European requires looking for the largest option available.

The case is even worst with shoes. "No big sizes madaaaam, sorry madaam..."and this answer you get after they have finally believed you truly are asking for the size 40. A woman. Size 40. Unbelievable. Very kindly they try to advise me then to the men's department. Thanks but no thanks. Frankly, it's not impossible but difficult, to find proper shoes for an average european.

But if you are not picky in the sizes (or have a thai-sized body) anything is available and once again, for rather reasonable prices. Or even for a special price, "just today, just for you" (madaaam). Believe it or not. And now that I've found "Finland bread" and Wasa Knäckebrot (only available in german!) I can say they are selling you whatever you desire for (could have larger selection for salmiakki though). The whitening creams are my "favorites", who would want a nice sun tanned skin anyways...

Traffic is horrible but I've already written about that. Those opinions remain unchanged, if there are something called traffic rules in here then I'm either not capable of understanding them or they are not followed. My favorite example when asked if i feel threatened by the reds (ups I mentioned them again) is that its much more dangerous to just cross one street than to walk through the demonstration area.

Taxi drivers make an interesting case here. They have very good cars (my favorites are of course the pink ones and especially the ones with pink burberry-styled seats), are inexpensive and use taxi-meters. Mostly. At least if asked or begged for...but they do tend to cheat where ever they can. They take the longer route even if I knew better, they try to charge me too much by not turning the meter on and if you don't know where you are going, they don't either. Getting lost is a certainty. Sometimes it's a trick to make you pay more I'm sure, but all too often they are actually the last ones to know how to get to anywhere. If you don't know where you are going, I wouldn't suggest to ask a taxi driver...

There are exceptions though. Just yesterday I took a taxi, the driver made a minor mistake and had to take a longer route - but he knew where he was going, and he even gave me discount of the price! And he was very nice (although of course spoke only a few words in english as usual)

In general, people here are friendly and nice and helpful. Even the reds (got even offered coffee on my way to work through the demo area a few times). Always there are exceptions but I don't have much to complain. To the top 3 in annoying things make it the locals manners and conduct on sidewalks. Combine a flock of elephants wandering around in snail's space and you know what I'm talking about. Also unfortunatelly little english is spoken but oh well, we are in Thailand and here they speak thai...

But I'm not done with the favorites yet either! Forgot to add it here earlier- Sorry my dear wooden-floored buses! I mean for real, how sweet and hübsch and söpöö can it be that these old buses actually have dark wooden floors...me like! The cost-free air-condition solution (open windows) completes the charm.

And not to forget, then there is California Wow with all possible Les Mill's programs and superb trainers! I have always enjoyed sports and LM classes since they were launched in Europe but never as much as here. The trainers are fantastic and everyone is having a blast while sweating their butt off. Moremoremore of pumping and combating and balancing and jamming!

So honestly, despite the unfortunate political crisis and some other minor obstacles, Bangkok is great. Besides the glorious Wats the normal day-to-day life here is fascinating enough. If you enjoy the little things.

Seeing Red

I didn't mean to make this blog a political one but if I want to write anything about my life at the moment it is rather affected by politics. Unavoidable. I assumed when moving to Thailand that red is gonna be the theme-colour of my life but I hadn't meant it exactly this way. And I haven't even burned my skin yet, it's still white even without the here "oh so popular" whitening creme...yes my dear truly white friends - here it is pretty difficult to find any beauty products without the "whitening" effect, like I needed that!

But to get back to being serious. Serious about the reds. The situation has changed. The atmosphere has changed. What began more or less like a protest with people having a good time, partying, spending their days on eternal street-picnic is now less fun for all.

The reds have been on streets for about a month and blocked a huge part of the business centre for some weeks. First I somewhat sympathised with them, understanding them wanting a change in the politics and among the leaders of the country and blahblah. But no more, no sympathy for the devil. This is not only me complaining 'cause they have forced my favorite fitness studio and sushi restaurant to close. This is me being serious and seeing how all of this affects way too many people and likely the entire country.

"Welcome to Thailand - We Just Want Democracy" they say in the huge linen they have hung marking the centre of the demonstration area. Is this really how it should be fought for democracy? Taking over a busy business and shopping area, blocking the streets, forcing hundreds of stores, restaurants, offices, hotels to close? Our Embassy can re-locate to the Residency and keep on working but for most of the others there are no such options available. And surely most of the employees in the closed places will have zero income during the time the reds keep them from working. Among these quite likely many (former?) supporters of the cause. On a longer run this might have much wider effects than they can think of - on the city's and the state's economy, on tourism and business in the country.

Now today they appealed to the UN to come for help as they fear the army will act soon, as they are not giving up but actually setting up perimeters and preparing for a fight. They want UN to send peace-keeping forces to help them? Hello...I know a much easier way to prevent the army from using force on them, a much easier way to get them out of the danger - go home! Leave, give up. You have made your point clear, now it's time to fight for the cause in a proper and in a legal way. As it is now, no one can win but there is a lot to lose. (And I want my sushi place to open again!)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/175466/protesters-appeal-to-un-for-peacekeeping-force
'

Home

I've been asked plenty of times what I consider as my home or where my home is. Thats a tricky question. Does a home need to refer to a place or even to a building? Can one have many homes?

My home can't be bound to a place or a building 'cause I move too often. I carry my home with me, my home is where I am. I'm at home when I feel safe and comfortable somewhere. My parent's home is a home for me for the while I'm visiting them, although I've never actually lived in the apartment. The city where I grew up, Pori, is my hometown, although it has to share the definition with the city where I studied, Turku, for that's the city where I feel more like at home.

Homecountry is a little easier to define, for even if I'm not very nationalistic I couldn't imagine calling any other country than Finland my homecountry. But I certainly can have my home outside Finland. As I'm having now and as I've had before. San Antonio in Texas was at the time when I lived there like my second home, besides the one I still had in Finland. Leipzig in Germany was and stays very dear to me but had only the status of a temporary home - my home then was partly in Leipzig but still partly in Turku. But, later Berlin became a real home to me. It was love at the first sight, a city where I instantly had the feeling like coming home. There I had a sense of belonging that felt great. If I would feel ready to settle down to one place, Berlin would be my choice.

Now I'm at home in Bangkok, just moved in to my new home-apartment, where I do feel safe and comfortable, although still living the "honeymoon-phase". And I doubt ever feeling like really belonging here...happy, relaxed and comfortable yes but lets face it, I'll always be a stranger in Bangkok. If for no other reason, but the Thais aren't tall and blond...

Still it doesn't mean I couldn't be at home here. I am. Being different is nothing new to me anyways...Kinda start getting used to that, seems to belong to being me - I've pretty much always had that feeling.

So my home now is in Bangkok, at the moment between the red-shirts and their "new" opponents, the no-colour movement. I suppose I could have chosen a bit more calm area but at least the neighbourhood istn't boring! Our office is within a walking distance, which suits me well, even when this means I need to walk past, or thru the demonstrations every day...But they will end the demo some day, sooner or later (lets hope so at least) and then my favorite sushi-restaurant and gym can open again. I'd prefer sooner to later...

Until that, I keep using the other gyms and there certainly are enough restaurants around to keep me satisfied. And now that I have a kitchen (a great luxury in the apartments available and payable with my salary) I could learn to make sushi myself? Very funny? Knowing me, my kitchen will be used for same dishes than anywhere else before, for making porridge, toasting bread, cooking pasta with tomatosauce and, depending on the products in the "super"markets here, with some tofu. And when craving for anything else, well, that's what the restaurants are for!

Life Goes On

Just as I had written about the carneval / street party-like demonstrations they just had to get more violent...I'm very sorry about what happened here between the reds and army / police. Things got out of hands, and I don't think anyone wanted it to go this far. Still, life goes on.

Now for three days there have been more fightings but luckily only with water, so happy songkran! There is no way to avoid getting wet these days, and am I glad its over soon...If you ask me, songkran would be much more fun if it only lasted for one day. Songkran is the Thai's "new year" party, although the year doesn't really change. This celebration seems to be just an old habit, a tradition, one more excuse just to have fun - and it really does seem everyone here is having the time of their lives! So join the forces and get soken wet or stay at home...

Tomorrow the party will be over and things go back to normality. The reds are still blocking my street, the malls are probably still closed...nothing new. Unfortunately. I wanna go back to my nearest gym and eat in my favorite sushi restaurant! (so difficult can life be, I know...)

For me, songkran days off from work meant going to beach for one day (Hua hin), going to work for the second ( yes, never mind the holidays) and playing with elephants on the third. Not too bad I would say! I have enjoyed myself. I'm a little sad I didn't get to play with the crocodiles too but can't have it all...I guess elephants were the safer option?

And the Demo Goes On

Check: http://www.bangkokpost.com/


The red-shirts are filling the streets again - and as it seems, I usually get stuck in the middle. Last weekend they blocked the areas I wanted to go play a tourist at and this weekend they forced all the malls to close just as I had planned to do some shopping. Not only the government but it seems I need to begin negotiations with them?

The funny thing about these in international press widely reported demonstrations is that it seems more like a big street festival than an actual demo...party party - feeling is what you get in the middle. Maybe me not yet being able to understand thai-language is one of the obstacles in me not getting the political message? Dunno.

And what is that (political) message? Wanting new elections? ok. I can understand them wanting a lot of things and especially change in governing the country. But wanting Thaksin back? Oh come on...this is the obscure point I (and many others) just don't get. These are for most part poor people from the north, supporting the ex prime minister. But so far has none of them been able to answer the most relevant question satisfactorily - what good has Thaksin ever done to the poor? Why would they want him back?