Remembering Bangkok

Bangkok - weekend market, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

Here is a photo of a lady one typically sees in the markets and shops of Bangkok. She is a probably a mother with growing/grown children, still beautiful and proud. She is wearing yellow as do most of the women do, many of the men too. I took a whole series of photos ofg yellow/golden Bangkok today, which I will upload tomorrow in commemoration of the 60th anniversary celebrations.

It was 40 years ago since we lived in Bangkok, leaving in 1966, the year in which England won the World Cup. We have a family photo album, with black and white photos mounted on black paper, witha blue cover, yellow laces and a photo of the King and Queen on the cover. It is so good to think that they are still here. They ahd been there already for 20 years then and are there 40 years later, giving the country a degree of stability during a hectic time politically and economically. The Thais love their King and Queen, of that there is no doubt. It almost seems as if they worship them, especially when one sees so many photos of the young king kneeling in the way of Buddha.

Today, Richard and I walked arounda different part of town, quite relaxed, visiting a few temples and stopping every now and again for a drink or a bite to eat. We crossed over and walked along several khlongs (canals) and when walking pasxta school I almost thought I was reminded of the kindergarten (Bangarangsee) which I attended as boy of four years.

There were smells as well which harked back to that time, notably boiled rice and various vegetables.

We went past a fun-fair just outside the Golden Mount and on the (mini) big wheel, there were plastic Mickey Mouses and Donald Ducks and I remember very well that I had a Donald, Diana a Mickey and Richard a Goofy!

I remember the khlongs and the fish and it is interesting that little fish are caught and put into plastic bags. You can come along and buy the bag and release the fish back into the (dirty) water. You can do the same with birds, as I had done outside a Hindu Temple. An exercise in complete futility, but the people make some money and the people who spend teh money have the satisfaction of letting the fish and birds back into their natural habitat, at least for as long it takes for them to be caught again!