Monday, November 20, 2006

Pictures to follow

Back from Bangkok and Bhutan. Talk about a contrast in cultures - Bangkok was all turmoil and clutter; Bhutan was quiet, clear and cool.

Briefly: Arrived Bangkok on 11/5 and hit the ground running. Hot, humid, exotic and modern, Bangkok is "in-your-face" vendors hawking everything from fine silk to little children for sex. After visiting the Reclining Bhudda, in a coffee shop, saw an older white man with a very young thing - either a real girl or a "lady-boy", it wasn't clear which. Tour companies offer outings to "lady-boy" shows. It was exhausting. Spent the first three days in Bangkok sorting through a cacophany of sounds, smells, waves of heat and humidity, all trying to recover from jet lag, and accompanying dizzy spells. That is new for me, when I get so jet lagged I now get waves of blinding dizziness. No time to get out of the city into the real Thailand, that wasn't this trip. Bhuddism in Thailand has merged with Hinduism, there are elements of both. All houses, hotels, buildings have a small "spirit house" outside to invite good fortune. I have no real take on Bangkok as it was too fast, and I was too tired to think. After three days, three nights, I flew to Bhutan. That is a post still percolating.

I missed you one and all.

11 comments:

robin andrea said...

Welcome home, divajood. I'm glad you're back and posting again. Looking forward to hearing about your time in Bhutan, and seeing your photos.

navyswan said...

Awe! You went to Bhutan! Was it beautiful? That is one of the places that I would love to visit. I hope you had a wonderful time.

Peacechick Mary said...

Welcome home. I take it you didn't pick up Bush hitchhiking back from his tour. We await your report on Bhutan. Rest up.

pissed off patricia said...

Welcome back, I missed you too. I watered your plants and picked up your mail. I left the mail on the kitchen counter. :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome home! You really get around, don't you?

It's good to have you back.

sumo said...

Well...you are lucky you didn't get snatched up for some sort of sex trade...who knows where you could have been sent. Although I hear there are some really beautiful places there. The normal culture is so colorful and pretty...too bad it has a darker side to mar the beauty. Glad you are safe and sound here in Dubya country again.

Anonymous said...

It has been damn tough without you!

Frederick said...

Good thing you took pics, I'm looking forward to them...

DivaJood said...

Robin Andrea, I sorta thought I'd have internet access. Silly me.

Navyswan, I went because I'm a travel agent, and was invited. It is an incredible place, and I want to send everyone there!

Peacechick, I understand Shrub wore hisself a dress in Viet Nam. What a putz.

POP, my plants were quite happy! Thank you. And as for the mail, I appreciate it. Was there anything important?

Lulu Maude, it's actually good to BE back. Now if I can actually sleep, it will help.

Sumo, oh, I'm way too old to be snatched up for sex trade. They only want the real young'uns. But Bangkok is not without some charm - photos to follow.

Pekka, I knew you could handle it - you're a pro.

Frederick, I've become a digital camera freak. I took close to 700 photos, deleted most of them. Ran through one battery but had my spare.

Anonymous said...

I cannot wait for these photos! How exciting. But the most important part will be reading your post and your description. You are a traveler with a special soul, and your words will be most meaningful.

DivaJood said...

Well, Karena, first round is up. Bhutan is going to have to wait. I have 300 photos, and they can't all make the cut...