[The Life of Shaun #390] Three nights in Bangkok

"Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town --"

I realised on the second day here, as Mary and I were in a taxi, that I don't really feel like I am in Bangkok. This is because, well, there is nothing here to make you feel like you are anywhere specific. There's no Eiffel Tower, no Golden Gate Bridge, Big Ben or Empire State building, nothing that declares "You are in Bangkok." There is just nondescript, chaotic, disorganised and exhausting sprawl.

I hate it for all the reasons I expected to, and I love that. It's exactly what I expected a huge city in the developing world to be like. Beijing was soullessly (re)planned, but architecturally inspired. Shanghai breathes with the vibrant air of a world city. Bangkok, like dozens of others, I imagine, is an undefined, heaving mass. Energetic and frenetic, garish and flashy, but not easy to get a handle on. The steady stream of backpackers attest to the hedonistic reputation of the city, and the elderly men with much younger girls (and sometimes boys) lay bare the hard facts of life in Bangkok. But all this is what gives it its sultry, almost forbidden, exotic edge. You definitely know you've left the West when you are here.

The people are golden, however. Unfathomably friendly, courteous and helpful (excusing the punters at the tourist traps, but that's a natural part of a tourist's life). As Mary Keany said, you can feel the Buddhism in the people here, there's a very genuine kindness.

The food has been great. I am a Thai buff at the worst of times and we've had one good meal after another. I had the best green curry ever and som tom every day. My stomach will leave very happy.

Off to one last Thai dinner; ready for Cambodia and its food tomorrow.

ลาก่อน,
Shaun


One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me

One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

From "Chess"

Coming into Bangkok from the airport

Mary, Sean and me at the Grand Palace

Me at the Grand Palace

Me on the Chao Phraya River

Me, waiting patiently, where assigned, for the SkyTrain

The street where our hotel was

People actually queue where directed for the train

A building I particularly loved

McD's, natch

Wat Arun from the river (cute German on the left)

No sashaying at Wat Arun!

Looking South from Wat Arun

Stairs down...

View out our hotel room

Less glamorous quarter of the capital

Urban infrastructure piled high

Under our SkyTrain stop

And finally, can you find me? :-)

Shaun H. Coley
Bangkok, Thailand

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #389] Clarification

OK, OK, before I get any comments, when I said "I'm definitely in Asia again", I was referring to the frenetic, chaotic, incongruous city that you just don't quite get in the West, even our buzziest epicentres of New York and London.

Mary Keany surprised me with a massage (at a spa, not with her own hands - she's a modern woman) as my arrival present. (The royal) We love Mary Keany.

Amazing green curry tonight. Off to bed, stomach contented.

Cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Bangkok, Thailand

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #388] In the Big B

Hey all,

Just to let ypou (especially you, Mammi-Spammi!) know that I've arrived safely in Bangkok. First impression? I'm definitely in Asia again. Which is actually kinda cool.

MK chose a great central hotel for us - heading out now to see what's there.

Sa-wut dee krup,

Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Bangkok, Thailand

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #387] And I'm off!

Well, the taxi is due in 15 minutes.

Once again, I have overpacked.  I do this every time; I think I have packed moderately, and might toss in an extra shirt or two.  Then as I am doing the 'final pack' to leave, I realise 200 things I forgot and my bag ends up bulging.  But I have my tickets, money and passport (had to be said), so everything else I can manage.

I feel a bit odd right now -- I remember before such a big trip, there would always be an enormous ball of excitement.  And I am excited - just not that excited.  I don't know if it's because I'm older, have "done this" before, am exhausted, still not comprehending just how far and foreign I am going, or just still too caught up in London life to realise I will be in Bangkok, Thailand in about 16 hours' time.  But I feel kinda like I am gonna wake up in Shadwell tomorrow and plod through another day.  I am sure some authentic green curry and £5 massage will snap me out of that (OK, thinking about the food just gave me a twinge of excitement!).

Anyway, just wanted to send a quick note before I headed out.  Here goes!

Cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #386] Where in the world is Shaun Coley?

So, what have I been up to, other than playing real estate agent? Well, 2010 started off with a bit of a stumble, but I am getting my footing back. But there hasn't been too much to report on outside of the day-to-day. A recent trip to Berlin, which I mentioned, but as of late, that's hardly out of the ordinary.

I have joined two popular cliques this week: I finally got an iPhone and I have seen Precious, both of which I can recommend.

I restarted German class tonight. I was placed in the higher of the two levels I thought I might be in - juchei! I still have to review a lot as my vocabulary is Scheiße, but I am glad to be on a level that's high enough it should keep my interest.

I should have more engaging things going on soon - I leave for my big trip of 2010 next Thursday: Bangkok, Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, Auckland and Sydney (I'll be there for Mardi Gras!). I'd been feeling a bit disquieted about the trip recently, but as it's getting closer and I've been talking to people who have been, I am getting excited. And I am looking forward to putting half a globe between me and life for 17 days.

After that, Berlin and Vegas/SF in April and then that's the end of my capricious travelling for the year. I'll be short on holidays and funds, so I will be staying put and getting better acquainted with Olde London Towne for a while. So please come visit!

(Well, I will probably get back to Istanbul in the Spring/Summer, as Lara and my parents are ceasing nearly a decade of cruelty and are moving away from Miami for a more Byzantium lifestyle, but nowhere you can reach by EasyJet counts as extravagant travel. And besides, if I am visiting family, it's officially classed as an obligation.)

Randomly attached, two pics taken from London Bridge by my friend Alexi. They are of one of the pods from the London Eye being towed by barge for maintenance/cleaning. I guess that's what happened in the last two pics here!

So, a few meandering sub-plots in The Life of Shaun. Hope you are all well -- and I'd love to hear back how you are from time to time.

Cheers from Shadwell, East London,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #383] Berlin 2010.1 and the Inbetweeners

Short note here... first trip to Berlin of 2010 complete.  It was a whirlwind 48 hours in frigid weather (high Friday was -7°C, but it warmed up to a sultry -3°C on Saturday).  But, as I cheeseily said, "Sogar sie kalt ist, Berlin ist warm", which means "Even when it's cold, Berlin is warm", or some Gernglish approximation thereof.  The usual haunts were haunted, free pour drinks drank, and a few new little corners discovered.  My friend, Alexi, came with me for his second visit (but first real visit as the first was cordoned off at prescribed dinners and parties) and I am happy to say he is a convert.

Disapropos, I am not one to share TV scheduling announcements, but I wanted to make sure my American friends and family were aware of this.  The Inbetweeners is a gem of a show that I stumbled across switching channels last year and quickly loved.  It's the funniest thing I've come across in a long time.  I highly encourage you to dedicate a little space on your DVRs to it.  Special thanks to Darrin for the heads up.

Cheers,
Shaun 

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #382] Übung macht den Meister!

"Practice makes perfect!" (lit. "Practice makes the master!")  That is my German tidbit for today from my 2010 Living Language calendar.  And I am taking it to heart; I am off to Berlin again for the weekend with my friend Alexi.  Practice, practice, practice!

Cheers (und tschüss [Marco, ich lerne!]),
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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[The Life of Shaun #381] Frozen Britain seen from above

Though the local situation was mild by Northern clime standards, it was widespread, as this (pretty cool) pic from the BBC shows.

"This striking image taken by NASA's Terra satellite on 7 January shows the UK deep in the clutches of the current cold snap."

Current temperature: -2°C / 28°F. The cold continues...

Brrr,
Shaun
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[The Life of Shaun #380] The Big Freeze

As I am sitting here at my desk, I am watching the third accumulating snowfall of this Winter fall on Shadwell. (I was sent home early because of the "blizzard".)

The news outfits are dubbing this "The Big Freeze". Though I still think this is the hyperbole* of a mild climatic isle yearning for drama, this is definitely the coldest of my five Winters in London. For weeks, the temperature has rarely gotten more than a couple of degrees above freezing (self-patting on the back on deftly avoiding °C/°F confusion there). Every Winter we've had a day or two like this, sometimes even the better part of a week, but this cold has just come and stayed -- and will continue for a couple more weeks, at least.

The clearest sign that it's a real Winter? I've been wearing my cold New York coat.

This better not be portending a real Summer...

Chilly,
Shaun

Pics: The snow makes it to Shadwell; Kelday Heights from the DLR and the DLR from Kelday Heights.


*Current BBC headline:

BREAKING NEWS
FROZEN BRITAIN
"Armed forces helped stranded drivers."

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

[The Life of Shaun #379] Good-bye noughties!

So, no long spiel, but 2009's been a good year. I've noticed recently that when people ask me how I've been, I answer "Really good". I don't mean it in a diminutive way at all. I am very much living the life I want to right now; I have a good job, love my living situation, I am travelling, I have great friends (though I could do with many of you living nearer), nothing terrible is afflicting anyone I care about. I know there will be worse (and better) times in the future, so I am enjoying this while I have it.

And with that, my new year's resolution for 2010 -- again, same as last year and several years before that: to enjoy myself more next year than I did this year. Not necessarily just more of the same, but more of the right.

Happy New Year! (And for my Teutons, Guten Rutsch!)
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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