Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year blogging buddies, it is New Year's eve, the year of the horse and I have a belly full of beer...am in the mood to tell you all about another wonderful day in Bangkok. My days are numbered here, leaving on Sunday, bright and early (4:30am taxi), and there is an irony to be celebrating a new year just as I am looking forward to going home to Nicole to celebrate new beginnings.

I started my day fulfilling a promise to an old chinese man I met in my first days here. There is a temple beside the Taksin skytrain station I wandered into early on in my month here. From the outside it looked normal but upon entering it was clear the place was in transition. Let me rephrase that, renovation! Regardless of the fact it was a contruction zone there was still a shrine at one side of the opem air structure and a charming man to greet me. Broad smile and a shuffling walk, his english pretty good for Thailand and an obvious pride in the shrine. He encouraged me to look around and take pictures, including pictures of him. He was very pleasant and gave me his address to send him the pictures. I have exchanged addreses or received addresses many times with the understanding/hope that pictures will be exchanged but rarely does it happen. This was different however, perhaps the influence of Buddha, promise of a better life next time around depending on how I do this go round, but I knew I would fulfill this promise. Well it took me a few weeks but I went to a photo store on Khao San road and got prints and went down to deliver them a couple of days ago. When I got there I was shocked and disappointed to see the renovations had swallowed up all I had known and seen before, including my friend! A huge disappointment. Well I am not sure why, be it this spiritual place or simply my hope and belief but I thought I would give it another try today and headed down to the shrine this afternoon. Walking in to what is a construction site I met a group of old Chinese men sitting around a table, I showed them the picture and they lit up and pointed me to a room to the side of the renovation. I entered to find the shrine moved, into this smaller room and sitting at a table was my guy! Great smiles and pleasant words were exchanged upon receipt of the gift photos I characterized them as a new years present. I left feeling very contented.

Flushed with my success at gift giving I headed up the river to Chinatown to celebrate the new year. Another hot sunny day here and the streets were filling as I got closer. There were baricades set up and streets closed and the crowds in a festive mood. I saw amazing things, a woman praying at a shrine then releasing birds from a small cage, a woman selling birds to be released, people getting their faces treated with some white powder then I can only conclude exfoliated with strings rubbed over their skin!

Face painters, fortune tellers, herbal medicine practitioners, food vendors everywhere and a great vibe all around. I was mesmerized as I walked around. The traditional dragon dancers were out in force but what I learned was they would go into businesses to 'fundraise' seeking contributions at every stop, in fact when the dragons mouth opened up people put money in and of course it was gratefully accepted. Food everywhere of course, sidewalks lined with the exotic and mundane, Squid eggs!!

I settled in on the terrace of the Chinatown Hotel for a bite to eat and rehydration. As I sat there police started putting up baricades on the street and people sat by the side of the road. I expected a parade but was told the King's daughter was coming by! Now I have not seen many Princesses in my day, Princess Margaret during the '76 Olympics being the only one, so I was pumped. While waiting and rehydrating I met a Dutch man and a couple of Dutch women.They did not know each other so it was a fun time with lots of laughs and beer waiting for the Princess!

It took a while but suddenly the road was filled with official vehicles travelling at great speed with lights flashing, dark windowed vans, police cars, security cars all driving by at 40km an hour.Then it was over!

I assume the princess was in one of the vehicles, no idea, but when they all went by they opened the streets again! WTF! Who do I write to complain? It was amazing, I am not sure whether there was trouble up the road or what but the princess was a high speed rumour at best!

Anyway that was my brush with Royalty.

The streets filled and I am sure a big night is going to happen in Chinatown tonight but I am home and happy to be so.

Happy New Year!

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