Anne's blog travel 06-07

Saturday, February 17th 2007 ....Back in Bangkok

Thursday night I ambled over to the lake and walked around the perimeter. I sat for a moment on the South end looking up the still Lake. I'd rarely seen anything more beautiful than the lake that night with the lights of the decorated trees and buildings reflecting in the glassy water. Or rather I wondered if there could be a more beautiful sight knowing full well that I'd had similar thoughts before about other places and I'd have them again about new places in the future. Just sitting there in awe of the beauty and the peace.
I ran around the lake for about 4 laps in the morning (not back to usual form yet) enough to say goodbye and check out the preparations for the night's TET celebrations with stages up in a few locations around the lake, barricades in other areas, amazing decors around Ly Thai To's statue as if there would be a play of some sort. After a shower and packing a taxi picked me up just before 9:30am. I saw Lien there sitting on the sidewalk and rushed up to her. "Chuc Mung Nam Muoi" (happy New Year) I said and she replied "Chuc Nam Muoi". She said something else I couldn't understand but her hand gestures seemed to ask if I was leaving so I just nodded my head. "Hen Gap Lai" I said (see you later). "Hen gap lai" she said. And off I was. The forty minute trip to the airport took me past places I'd not seen by day.

The Hanoi airport seemed like something out of another century, rather small, more like a hospital then an airport. But by the time I board the plane at 12:50, it seems like I've already left the country.

I hadn't been looking forward to returning to Bangkok. But, the arrival in Bangkok seems easy and familiar. I walk past the crowds trying to get me to taxi to the city with them and head down to the metered taxi stands. On the way I see a bus to the city and decide that I could just as well take it since I know my way around. I do so. It leaves me maybe an hour later near Emporium shopping centre, Sukhumvit Soi 24. I'm definately feeling better because I walk the 1.5 km or so with my big tote bag on my shoulder pulling my hand luggage.

Bangkok seems so quiet...no beeping, honking sounds, noises, solicitations. For all the traffic Bangkok is known for I wonder where all the people are when I arrive on Friday afternoon. Streets seem clean, cars and motorcycles seem shinny and expensive and mostly drive on the right side of the road. Bangkok seems so luxurious, opulent, rich, clean, quiet. And no evidence of the upcoming new year. It's only then I realise where I've come from. The garbage in the street, the noise, the constant attention seeking calls, looks, the dirt. And yet...

I remember the Vietnamese woman who said Thailand was 50 years ahead of Vietnam regarding tourism and I realise that I really do feel like I've moved ahead 50 years in modernisation. The constrast is startling. I tell one Thai woman I talked to today that there are no "Mc Donalds" in Vietnam. "And no KFC?" she asks almost disbelieving me. None of that. Although I feel sure that one day in the not so distant future Mc Donalds will show it's rather ugly little head in Vietnam.

So I'm back at the President Park Serviced apartments. And it's actually nice to be here. A perfect stopover before heading back to Australia. I did a bit of food shopping yesterday afternoon and stopped at the DVD shop thinking of renting a movie. A movie in English...and when I ask the staff member how the system works, he understands me and explains in English. It's been so long since I've been able to talk to someone like that in a shop and been understood and replied to.

Vietnamese New Year was last night/today. Chinese New Year here is tonight/tomorrow. I can't see much happening here in Bangkok. There will be some isolated celebrations in areas for the Chinese population but no outward evidence at this stage.

Bye for now