Final Letter
Well this is REALLY the last letter. I was mixed up on my days last time so I
had one more day than I thought. You would be surprised how difficult it is to
remember the day of the week let alone the date.
I have seen the weather you are having in Detroit. Figures when I try to skip
the coldest weather it gets warm. I cannot complain, obviously. Here you just
wonder if it will be sunny and hot or sunny and hotter.
I spent my day yesterday doing the mundane here in Bangkok. There are other
tours and things I could do, but it is the everyday and mundane that I find so
fascinating.
I had dropped my laundry at a place near my hotel. I went to pick it up and as
is common everywhere here, personnel is not a problem. Three young woman greeted
me with the usual "Good morning, Sir" and a bow. My laundry was given to me
pressed, folded and even my jeans on hangers. They make a special effort to
allow one woman to accept payment, about
$10.00 for a bunch of laundry. The other two girls stand at the door, although
the area is so small we are almost shoulder to shoulder. Each hands me a bag,
bows, and says "thank you, sir, have a nice day". Picture that at One Hour
Martinizing!
The multitude of girls dressed in blue sarongs smile, and wave each time I pass
the barber shop so why not? Three woman take care of cutting my hair, giving me
a manicure and a neck and face massage. About $7.00. No daughter, not a sex
shop. In front of all glass windows and totally legitimate.
I had lunch with my friend Pam who has many ideas as to how I should come here
after I retire and start some business venture. She is very intelligent and some
ideas are not bad. As I am sure you know saying good bye is always hard. But I
feel this is a friendship that is not over but has just begun.
I went to the bar at the hotel where they were having a special party. Beer and
whiskey were free from 7PM until 9PM. Now that is a happy hour! They have some
very good bands and singers here. It is still funny to hear English lyrics with
the Thai accents and long hair Asian drummers.
I took a taxi later with Jane
to see where she actually lives with her sister. As I said before it is a poor
family. Each time I take a trip around Bangkok I realize I have just scratched
the surface. It is a sprawling city of extremes with great modern, high rise
offices and apartments and the near slums I have previously described. You can
go everywhere by one of the thousands of "suicide taxis", for no more than
$6-$7 and usually more like $2 if not far.
Her home was in a "low rent district" where it looks like just rows of garage
doors, side by side and no more than 3 feet from the edge of the road. After we
stopped I find that you slide open the door and behind it is what can be
described as a carport area (no car) and behind that the small living space. One
room on the first floor, with a stairway to the second where the two small
bedrooms and bathroom are. There is laundry neatly hanging along the walls in
the living room as Jane's sister works out of this space doing laundry for a
living. The floors are tile and as everywhere, spotless
I haven't touched much on the nightlife that is so a part of this city. After
visiting, it is another high speed taxi ride into the heart of the city. We
decide to walk through one of the notorious sex scene areas one reads about
called Nana. I had also seen what is called Soi Cowboy the previous evening.
It is really a shame that this city and country is so famous for the sex trade.
These areas are probably no more than a few square blocks in size. There are
many woman out front or seated at open air bars loaded with 'farang' tourists.
Inside the couple of bars I have been in they are tame compared to American
standards.
They have dancers dressed in
bikinis, but they are not topless, there are no lap dances and no lewd behavior.
There are some "show bars" where the acts get extreme but they are few in number
and you would have to search them out. I sat at an outside bar in the middle of
this where the barmaid, Jane and I played a type of board game on the counter
while talking (what a party animal).
The big difference, I guess, is that the women are so available as they will
"leave" with the customer in many cases. The women at the bars and on the street
are in appearance no different than the others. There are very few extreme
outfits, and the woman are all beautiful. Once one leaves these specific areas
however you do not see solicitation.
Also I do not think
neighborhood bars exist. At least I have not seen any except in tourist areas.
It is a shame the reputation this country has received from this small part of
the culture.
We sit in the hotel and have some desert about 1:00AM. It is amazing to watch
the steady parade of 'farang' with beautiful Thai woman on their arm. I wonder
what their story is (you have heard mine)? I claim to be visiting with friends
and spending legitimate vacation time. What are they doing and where do all the
woman come from? Can they all be from bars?
Bangkok is also a very large
multinational business center area. When walking around the streets during the
day one sees the professional woman, mostly all beautiful and always well
dressed, going about their business. At night you see the woman who appear the
same on the arms of the tourist . There are a million stories I would love to
hear.
As I walk past the multitude of street wears being sold, the tailor shops asking
me for the hundredth time if I want custom shirts or suits in 24 hours, the drug
stores with the signs "Viagara and Rogaine, no prescription necessary" , and the
innumerable legitimate massage parlours, the one song refrain that keeps going
through my mind is "You can get anything you want, at Alice's restaurant".
Tonight I am taking a dinner cruise on the Chai Phraya river which runs through
the heart of Bangkok. I am picking out my last souvenirs, packing and taking my
last kamikaze taxi trip to Bangkok airport. Hard to believe it is over (at least
for this trip)...