Russ&Suzie

Trip Log
2012-02-08 00:59:32 (UTC)

Bangkok, Thailand, Day 1--7 Feb 2012

We slept in late yesterday and then enjoyed the sumptuous breakfast buffet provided by the Majestic Grande Hotel, then did lots of washing and catching up on needed tasks until early afternoon when we ventured forth, first changing money in the nearby mall and then seeking out the elevated train (we wished a view), we proceded to the river (Chao Phadya) where some of the grand hotels (Shangri-La Bangkok and Mandarin Oriental) provide free river transport boat rides. We explored the Mandarin Oriental redolent with 20th century fictional author fame: Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad, Raymond Chandler. We went to the Garden Suite/Wing that celebrated these especially, although the Bamboo Bar where we stopped for a late afternoon drink also provided a meaningful experience. Many old black fans on ceilings and spread around testified to pre-air conditioning days when no doubt Joseph Conrad dipped his mustaches into the chipped ice of this times, sitting at little tables and conversing. We had learned from our Colorado teacher friend that Oscar Wilde and Joseph Conrad corresponded so that Heart of Darkness contains the name of the biscuit made in the factory that Wilde could see from REading Gaol where he'd been imprisoned for his homosexuality offenses. The two corresponded about their readings of Freud and the very title of Heart of Darkness stemmed from a term of Freud's describing the depths of depravity as in the id (I believe). Such interesting lore from the Heho Airport of Myanmar.

While in that hotel we found a book store and I got a very up-to-date history of Thailand (and really the whole south east Asian region) that I summarize below in lines that resemble a bit the Homo Linearis that a poet supposedly represents what I've read so far:

The southeast Asia rivers splay out from the Chinese mountains
That protected the muengs, little Tai nation-states, from the Han up there,
and then coalesced for protection, management of monsoon waters,
And for glory, while the people yearned less for that, and more for life--
Buddha guided life with karma protected by making
big and little Buddha monuments, pagodas, stupas, temples
in memory of lost ones or for wishing for a future good life
when and after one dies.

This summarizes how I see it so far.
Quite a lot actually, lots of surprise.

We also ate our dinner outside that hotel on the very scenic and atmospheric river with the spirit of Susie and Lisa's dad and his thorough-going love of such life very much with us.





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