Travel: Bangkok (8th-13th Jun 11)

Chinese characters on the Airport signage. An evidence to show the strength and might of China is getting stronger and more powerful.

Love the Hostel Bed Linen, Cold Air-conditioned room and the White theme.

Zen.

Water flowing out of the bamboo....

Nappark Hostel

(Highly recommended it. It doesn't use keys, but access token to scan into the hostel & room. Good security and nice design as well. Free Wifi access in every corner of the hostel, including toilet. Most importantly, it is very close to Khao San Road - famous backpackers street of Bangkok.)

Checked: Stayed in Khao San Road!

Tom Yam Soup & Pad Thai!!!

Love Cheap and Good Food in Thailand.

Planking for the first time

(@ the busy & dirty Khao San Road)

The idea of planking came while I was having my dinner. Initially, I brushed away the idea thinking it was really stupid and dirty, and embarrassing. But then, I decided to challenge my fear. I rather be spontaneous and foolish, than to be regretful that I did not materialize this "idea" just because of fear of embarrassment.

Checked: Planking!

   

The fishes were really really hungry.... it was a numbing experience.

Checked: Fish Spa!

Lost your ID? Need a new ID?

No worries, you can get help along Khao San Road.

(Just gotta make sure that the face and the name matches)

Typical Scene in the congested Bangkok

JOURNEY TO MAEKLONG MARKET

First Leg of the journey: 1 hr local train

40 Baht (S$0.40, US$0.33)

What inflation?

Local Hawker

I was amazed by his skills to prepare the food so quickly and dedicatedly .

A Retro Atmosphere in the local train.

I love taking train ride.

I could relax and chill.

Listening to my favourite music.

Enjoying the ever-changing scenery.

That's freedom!!

Local Market (40km away from Bangkok).

I wanted to buy the tortoises and release them, but I know they would be captured easily again and sold in this local market. That's very limited things I could do about it.

There was this air-conditioned convenient store in the midst of hot, humid, wet local market. It was a temporary relief from the heat. This is also an indication that modernity is spreading in Thailand outside of Bangkok. The middle class is growing.

2nd Leg of the Journey: 10mins Ferry.

3 Baht only (S$0.12, US$0.10)

What inflation?!?!

A high reverence towards Monks.

3rd Leg of the journey: 1 hr train ride

10 Baht only!!

Enjoying the scenery along the way.

I closed my eyes and felt the wind across my face.

And it feels good to be alive.

=)

I treasure these moments when I truly and deeply felt ALIVE.

The sense of gratitude and happiness is overwhelming.

Something I realized not everybody could understand/appreciate.

I forcefully opened the rear door of the train, sat down and enjoyed the journey.

Maeklong Market!!!

Touted as one of the most interesting markets in the world.

Tourists taking photos from train and from railway track.

At the far end, the stall holders shifted back their shelters to continue their businesses.

Stall Owners lifting the shelters waiting for the train to pass.

Train passed with fresh produce left on the track.

As the train left, it was business as usual.

Interesting!!!

Market on Railway Track.

=)

Checked: Maeklong Market!

Specially requested for a Vegetarian Noodle Soup.

Price: 10 Baht (S$0.40, US$0.33)

It was cheap and good!

WAT PHO

Reclining Buddha

(At least 4-5 storeys high)

Reclining Buddha.

Rear of Buddha's Head

Geometry

Buddha

Buddha

Peak Hour in Bangkok

(Traffic Jam in both directions)

Checked into Jasmine Executive Suites

(Reasonable price & good location)

Good View of the City @ 27th level.

As my other friends came... I had to abandon my backpackers' lifestyle...

SPA Indulgence

(Highly recommend this SPA - Urban Retreat Spa)

Reasonably priced and Good!

2 hours Spa Package ranges from 1300 Baht to 3300 Baht.

(S$53/US$42 to S$133/US$107)

Beer & Dinner @ Tawandang German Beer Brewery

I enjoyed myself thoroughly with 7 other friends, whom I have known for 18 years!

One of the performances @ the restaurant.

It was in Thai, so I did not understand the exact meaning of the performance. But it showed the pictures of Thai King since young to adolescence to adulthood, and I was literally touched by the music. I could really feel the genuine love of the Thai people towards their King. 

Impressive!!!

  

Pinky Tailor

(Well, it sounded kinky, but the workmanship is really good. I compared it to another recommended tailor whose quality was okay only. Would definitely come back here again.)

Chatuchak Market (South-East Asia Largest Market) with over 5,000 stores.

Previously, when I was ill-informed, I found the selling of puppies in Chatuchak (or any other parts of world) acceptable. But after reading reports that these puppies were injected with hormones to make them more active, so that they could be sold more easily, I am totally against it. Since only cute adorable puppies are in demand, some of the pet sellers would starve the puppies to slow down their growth. So what are the fates for those unsold puppies that grow beyond the "adorable" size? 

Death. 

Unfortunately, these cute innocent puppies are just commercial entities for the sellers. Once they outgrow their commercial value, they are worthless and will be put to sleep. That is the REALITY. Indirectly, the ignorant and ill-informed buyers (with no evil intention) are causing unnecessary sufferings for these puppies. 

Everybody should be more aware of the repercussion of their actions.  

Soi Cowboy

(Red Light District)

Checked: Go-go bar!

I visited a go-go bar and my conversation with my hostess was limited to "What is your name?" & "How old are you?". Beyond that, it was impossible to communicate. Clearly, my hostess was not from Bangkok and she came from a village. From their body languages (despite the smiling faces), I could sense that they hated this "job". I was not sure how many of them were doing it willingly. That evening, I was quite disturbed and was thinking about the lives of these girls. While I have a nice comfortable hotel bed to sleep, what are their living conditions? Were they given the opportunity to work in a proper place? Do they feel safe? Could they choose their clients? Who would want to work in such a derogatory place like a go-go bar? What would I do if I am in their position?

Clearly, I have no answer to all these questions, but I have one conclusion: Life is so UNFAIR. I was really sad, and felt like crying for them. But what can I do?

Bed Supperclub in Bangkok - Overrated!!!

Entrance fee was 800 Baht (S$32, US$26). The deco was futuristic and the crowd was mainly expatriates and foreigners. The music was O......Kay. Period.

I watched my first Thai-Girl show 10 years ago when I first visited Thailand, it was interesting and there were no aggression. This time, I accompanied my friend to watch Thai-Girl Show (aka Ping-Pong Show) at PatPong (another redlight district). It was a scam and we were cheated. A lady-boy sat besides me, he-she was quite pretty, but I could sense his-her aggression. We paid a lot of money before they allowed us to get out of the bar. This was the ugly side of Bangkok which I failed to see in my previous trips. I don't think I would ever watch another Ping-pong show again.

Sky Bar at Sirocco

You could have a dinner for 2 for around US$300 (including wine) at the world highest alfresco dining restaurant (65th level) - at least, that's what I read on the internet. It sure is a great way to impress a lady.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself with drinking bourbon, viewing the brightly lit Bangkok City, enjoying the breeze and most of all, listening a wonderful Jazz band led by an American female Black vocalist. 

Dome

ChaoPraya River

Bangkok City

The Illusion of Control... Letting Go....

Interestingly, I was thinking of posting similar content, but this post from Zen Habits illustrated this point very well. I shan't discuss more. =)

Taken from the post:

"How do we live our lives like this? It’s a completely different way of living, once we let go of the illusion:
- We stop setting goals, and instead do what excites us.
- We stop planning, and just do.
- We stop looking at the future, and live in the moment.
- We stop trying to control others, and focus instead on being kind to them.
- We learn that trusting our values is more important to taking action than desiring and striving for certain outcomes.
- We take each step lightly, with balance, in the moment, guided by those values and what we’re passionate about … rather than trying to plan the next 1,000 steps and where we’ll end up.
- We learn to accept the world as it is, rather than being annoyed with it, stressed by it, mad at it, despaired by it, or trying to change it into what we want it to be.
- We are never disappointed with how things turn out, because we never expected anything — we just accept what comes."

Taken from the The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

"It is easy to see that life is the cumulative effect of a handful of significant shocks… Go though the following exercise. Look into your own existence. Count the significant events, the technological changes, and the inventions that have taken place in our environment since you were born and compare them to what was expected before their advent. How many of them came on a schedule? Look into your own personal life, to your choice of profession, or meeting your mate, your exile from your country of origin, the betrayals you faced, your sudden enrichment or impoverishment. "

How many things in life are within your expectations & control? 

Death, Accident, Illness, Promotion, Setback, Lottery, Falling in Love, Marriage, Divorce etc....

We like to make a lot of judgments based on hindsight and results... but the fact is there are too many factors and variables at work... 

Sometimes, 

Letting Go is the wiser choice.

Move with the Flow...

Move on....

And be FREE...

One New Experience Each Week - Vegetarian Dinner Celebration

My family has a tradition of coming together for a sumptuous dinner to celebrate birthday. Well, this time it is my birthday, and I was given the privilege to choose the restaurant. I brought them to a simple organic vegetarian restaurant for dinner. 

I am quite sure this is not my dad's idea of a sumptuous dinner, especially when he asked if the restaurant serves beer. No beer, only healthy juices and drinks. It was the FIRST time my family sat down together to enjoy a vegetarian meal. I am glad that they are eating healthy food that are good for their body, and a few animals are spared.

Simple Organic Vegetarian Dinner

My dad was clearly unsatisfied without meat and beer, but I thank him for his tolerance.  

=) 

Book: Sacred Hoops

Sacred Hoops : Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior 

by Phil Jackson

Taken from wikipedia:

"Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is a former American professional basketball player who coached theChicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA)."

I was surprised that a coach could be so philosophical and deep in thoughts. Phil called himself "Zen Christian". He was brought up in a very religious Christian family - his father was a pastor and his mother would drill the kids to do Bible study and attend Church etc... Interestingly, he also embraced Zen Buddhism when he grew up, and incorporated a lot of Zen philosophies in his attitude towards life and coaching.

Below are some of the insightful quotes from the book:

"...I wanted to sit through the fear, to experience it as fully as possible..."

"Success tends to distort reality and make everybody, coaches as well as players, forget their shortcomings and exaggerate their contributions. Soon they being to lose sight of what made them successful in the first place: their connection with each other as a team. As Michael Jordan put it: Success turn WE's back into ME's.."

"Losing is a lens through which you can see yourself more clearly and experience in the blood and the bones the transient nature of life."

"My obsession with winning had robbed me of my joy in the dance....I realized that I had been trapped for years on an emotional roller coaster of winning and losing, and it was tearing me apart. I wasn't alone. Our whole social structure is built around rewarding winners, at the perilous expense of forsaking community and compassion... Eventually, everybody loses, ages, changes. And small triumphs - a great play, a moment of true sportsmanship - count, even though you may not win the game....As strange as it may seem, being able to accept change or defeat with equanimity gives you the freedom to go out on the floor and give the game your all."

"...losing is as integral a part of the dance as winning... Buddhism teaches us that by accepting death, you discover life... only by acknowledging the possibility of defeat can you fully experience the joy of competition..."

Philadelphia University Commencement Speech by Steve Blank

A really good and inspiring commencement speech.

Source: http://steveblank.com/2011/05/17/philadelphia-university-commencement-speech-%E2%80%93-may-15th-2011/

Some Quotes:

"My first story is about finding your passion.....In the middle of a Michigan winter, I stuck out my thumb and hitchhiked to Miami, the warmest place I could think of. I had no idea what would be at the end of the highway. But that day I began a pattern that I still follow—stick out your thumb and see where the road takes you."

"It’s your curiosity and enthusiasm that will get you noticed and make your life interesting—not your grade point average."

".....I was forever curious. At times continually asking questions got me in trouble…once it almost sent me to jail…but mostly it made me smarter...."

"All of you will fail at some time in your career…or in love, or in life. No one ever sets out to fail. But being afraid to fail means you’ll be afraid to try.  Playing it safe will get you nowhere."

"Be forever curious.

Volunteer for everything.

Show up a lot.

Treat failure as a learning experience.

Live life with no regrets.

Remembering…There is no undo button."

One New Experience Each Week - Wakeboarding

My first time wakeboarding. Well, it was quite fun and getting up was more difficult than I thought. 

Piece of Cake for Ash 

Boat Wake Surfing

Interesting!! Basically, the boat will create a wake where the person will be surfing (without any string/rope)

Finally, I got the taste of wakeboarding after many failed attempts.

Ivan was flying! He is quite a pro, but he is nice enough to do it with us.

It was a really nice experience, especially with a great company.

=)

Poem: Moments

(Taken @ Inle Lake, Myanmar)

Moments

If I were able to live my life anew,

In the next I would try to commit more errors.

I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more.

I would be more foolish than I’ve been,

In fact, I would take few things seriously.

I would be less hygienic.

I would run more risks,

take more vacations,

contemplate more sunsets,

climb more mountains, swim more rivers.

I would go to more places where I’ve never been,

I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans,

I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones.

I was one of those people that lived sensibly

and prolifically each minute of his life;

Of course I had moments of happiness.

If I could go back I would try

to have only good moments.

Because if you didn’t know, of that is life made:

only of moments; Don’t lose the now.

I was one of those that never

went anywhere without a thermometer,

a hot-water bottle,

an umbrella, and a parachute;

If I could live again, I would travel lighter.

If I could live again,

I would begin to walk barefoot from the beginning of spring

and I would continue barefoot until autumn ends.

I would take more cart rides,

contemplate more dawns,

and play with more children,

If I had another life ahead of me.

But already you see, I am 85,

and I know that I am dying.

Seeing beyond differences

Yesterday, I was at the HIV/AIDS patients volunteer training & sharing session. One of the stories shared by a volunteer (K) really touched me. 

A Malay Muslim AIDS patient was bedridden and very sick. There are really limited things that a volunteer could do to relief their pain and sufferings. K is a Chinese Buddhist and he tried his best to bring comfort and care to the patient by fulfilling his request.

K brought the Holy Koran to hospital and read verses from the Koran to the Muslim patient. I believe this brought a lot of comfort and peace to the patient.

I am impressed by K and his dedication. Seeing beyond differences like ethnic race, culture and religion. Helping a fellow human being who is in need. Showing compassion and love without boundary. That is so lacking in the current world, where everybody forgot to see beyond differences. A lot of people have forgotten that we have more similarities than differences.

May All Beings be Happy!

=)

Brotherhood

(Taken outside Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, Tibet)