Dolce Far Niente: Two Trips to Italy Summarized.

I've been intending to write about the two trips I've made to Italy over the past year, but have been way to relaxed because...well...Italy.

The Mumbai Factor

Panoramic view from an apartment in Andheri West

"Do you like prawns?  You should come over for dinner; just knock any time." These were the words of a virtual stranger who I met just five minutes earlier. This was not surprising to me at all. It's my second time in Mumbai, and such interactions have proven to be the norm.

I really like this city, although it took some time to get over certain aspects of it. The first time I came here it was culture shock in its most intense form. The sights, sounds, and smells initially felt like an aggressive assault on the senses. It wasn't until I came home that I began to appreciate it.

Westerners tend to see mostly the not-so-desirable aspects of Mumbai, and this place not typically high on their travel bucket list. Here are some of the reasons: sanitation in public spaces is usually questionable at best, food poisoning is a constant possibility for any newcomer, the working poor are the largest social class, and the traffic situation will make you question reality. 

Still, there's something beautiful about it all. 

One Mumbai resident told me that although she's tired of the dense population and constant risk of illness, there is something about being here that overrides those concerns. Another told me that the beauty of this city is that it pierces your senses so much that you feel more alive than you would elsewhere. It's as if it induces a heightened sense of vitality. 

Man showing showing us a manual washer and dryer in an open-air laundry facility.

I'm not sure if the feeling (or the "Mumbai factor") is inherent in the city's culture or if there's something more to it. Regardless, it's one of experiencing life in its most intense, raw, and concentrated form.

To the average western visitor, Mumbai appears to be a mess of garbage and poverty (I'll avoid elaborating on the poverty because it's too complex and political to even begin here). There is no choice but to become acclimatized, if not desensitized. 

Those who move to this city tend to do so for a few reasons: the seemingly limitless opportunities in many career fields, the around-the-clock energy, and the resourcefulness of the citizens. There is a very distinct and worthwhile sense of presence in being here.It's my second time here, and I feel it more than during the previous visit. Something here gets in your blood and gradually intensifies. 

Social events tend to unfold organically and spontaneously.  I've been to several, and they can be planned as late as a couple of hours before the start time. It's also not unusual for a neighbour or friend to ask you over for dinner a few minutes before food is on the table. You can also knock on doors to visit people unexpectedly. 

Spend some time here, and you'll be able to understand the feeling that separates Mumbai from other cities --- regardless of continent.  You'll find that it's a place where people of all social classes live in the same space, eat the same food, and often take the same public transportation. It's a place where a wealthy person with excess food can walk outside and give it to someone less fortunate. Nothing is wasted here, and people co-exist in both shared space and shared resources.

This can be a very humbling place. 

Most of Mumbai's population is here simply for survival; it's often a live or die situation, with little room for regret. Roughly twelve million people seem to be functioning together as a collective, regardless of personal circumstances or objectives.  It's difficult to articulate in words, but if you ever have the chance to spend some time here and experience it for yourself, do it. 

I was in the traffic most of the time, so I had to get this from Google images. This is exactly the type of traffic you can find yourself in regularly in Mumbai. 

It's not all chaos here. 

There is something very calm in the air, despite the absurdly high population density.  People don't seem to be in a rush. Walk down nearly any street and you will see people simply hanging out, looking around, and taking things as they come. Oh, and the driving ----- it's a superb mix of risk and talent (the only comparable place I've been is Ho Chi Minh city), but still the drivers are calm overall. If the experience of driving Mumbai were transplanted to the GTA, there would be an inevitable epidemic of road rage and hostility. I'm still not sure what's behind the hostility in drivers at home, but there is an undeniable contrast in attitude towards traffic and communication on the roads. 

Fortunately the consensus is that people like it. One resident had previously lived in Toronto and said that people were "just so disconnected there" (nothing against Toronto, but it's a fair observation, and it's probably true of other North American cities too). Perhaps people in these cities feel connected to others based on career field, industry, identity, religion or social stratum, but that's as far is it tends to go. The difference in Mumbai is that the energy, pride, and interconnectedness of people here is natural, unlimited, and all-encompassing. It's a city with an identity that does not need to be manufactured or promoted in any way. I can't fully do justice in explaining it, but hopefully I scratched the surface. Either way, I'm grateful to have been able to come back here. 

Two Goats and Two Guys on a small Motorbike  (left)  /  two Goats hijacking a Rickshaw (right)

Every place has its positive and negative aspects, and the best way to get to know them is to ask the people who live there. In doing this, I've also found out the the people who live in this city have the city living within them to an extent that I've never witnessed before. 

Also, there are goats everywhere. Goats are great. 


Stay tuned.... 

Re-Reading a Good Page: Chiang Mai Round Two

Coming back here was probably the most whimsical decision I've ever made. I booked a flight last Wednesday afternoon and landed in Bangkok the next day. From there I took some very impressive public transportation across the city to the bus station. By sunrise Friday morning I was in Chiang Mai. Within a few blurry hours, I managed to catch up with some friends, get settled in my old apartment, and jam with a couple of bands. 

The following afternoon I was in a house on the countryside, surrounded by rice paddies. A friend had invited me there for a German bbq party. I was a sleepy, jet-lagged mess for most of it, but it was a great time nonetheless.

Doubt: The Inevitable Consequence of Spontaneous Travel 

I woke up Sunday morning in a panic—I just left, barely told anyone, and didn't even book my ticket home. The sketchy Thai energy drink from the night before probably added to this. To make the situation worse, I woke up to what sounded like gunshots, which can make the mind wander pretty quickly in a country that has gone through certain political changes that are best not discussed here (it turns out the sounds were fireworks, which were part of a Buddhist funeral ceremony). On top of this, people at home might find it kind of weird for any guy to just pack a bag and go to Thailand on a few hours' notice (even though Chiang Mai does not align with most westerners' perspectives on this country). Fortunately, I've never cared much for what people think. It was nonetheless a rushed decision, and the seeming ridiculousness of it had hit me hard.

I made some anxious calls home for reassurance, and then went for a short walk along a country road. The homeowner's dog (who connected with me unusually well) joined along. Once I took in the landscape and had some friendly interactions with local people, I was reminded of why this part of the world had occupied my mind for the past year. 

Jack the dog looking out at the rice paddies

Why Come back?  Why Chiang Mai?

Travel is a good thing—whether it's thousands of kilometres of away or a two-hour drive from home. It's a way to step back, put yourself in another context, detach, and reset your perspective. 

There are push factors and pull factors. In short, I found my self in a situation at home in which there was a lot of free time and little to do. I didn't take on the usual summer teaching gig, and it was too early to start preparing for the upcoming school year. Push factors didn't necessarily determine the location, so I'll elaborate more on the latter. 

To me, Chiang Mai is a familiar place, but familiarity is not enough to warrant travelling halfway around the world to stay for just a couple of weeks. Sure, I could have gone somewhere closer to home, but anyone—regardless of age or gender—who has spent time here would easily understand the pull factors. Also, a trip like this is not nearly as expensive as it seems; the costs are cut by eating local food, knowing how to get around, and getting modest accommodations. 

Remembering how to speak some basic Thai has had great benefits. It doesn't hurt to get cheaper transportation by giving the driver the impression I'm an expatriate who knows the deal here. Locals seem to have a lot of respect for foreigners to try to learn the language, and my attempts to communicate often turn into mini-language lessons.

It's currently rainy season, which is actually a pleasure to experience. It rains on and off, so the air is cooler than what I came to know last time around.

I don't want to give the impression that this place is perfect. It's not, but it's certainly somewhere worth revisiting. 

You can't walk a few minutes in the city without seeing temples like these. There are literally hundreds of them.

Highlights: Music, Food, and Friends

This city is bursting with live music. You can see underground Thai rock bands, reggae bands, jazz bands, and metal bands (the plural is intentional) all on a weeknight, and usually within walking distance of each other. This isn't even a tourist thing; it's part of the culture. 

I can't really describe the feeling of walking back into the Pentatonic Rock Bar (a venue so distinct that I wrote a lengthy post about it last year). It's truly a place like no other. Despite being open nearly every night and having countless guests (both foreign and local), the musicians and owners remembered me by name. I've been there a few times since being back, and couldn't help but notice that the musicians I've come to know here have become even more refined and skilled.

Cover Band at Pentatonic Rock Bar

Catching Up

In a short time, I was able to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Connecting with both travellers and expats is not difficult if you share perspectives on life. Reconnecting with Thai friends was also refreshing. Despite some language barriers, the friendships are still there—bound together largely by food, music, or both.

The hospitality of Thai people is consistently over-the-top. After a few days here, the family of a student I taught last year took me for a traditional Khan Tok dinner and show. When I was dropped off, they offered to let me stay at their condo in Bangkok, as I'd pass through there on the way home. 

My food vendors had their own way of showing they were happy to see me. On my first evening back, I visited my favourite food stand, and the whole family who works there remembered me. It was an oddly emotional experience. Now the father keeps texting me confusing emoticons and pictures of parades. And, in keeping with last year's tradition, the friendly couple who makes fresh orange juice continues to teach me a new Thai word or two upon each visit to their stand.

Khao Soi (Northern Thai noodles) and Moo Sa Te (pork skewers with peanut sauce)

Final Thoughts after a Week of Reflection

Travelling and speaking highly of a place so far away sometimes gives the impression that I don't appreciate where I'm from. That's not at all the case. It's important to be grateful for what you have, where you're from, and the people around you who care. I'm becoming more and more grateful for these things as the years go by. It's also important to take opportunities when they present themselves. It was a hasty decision, but a good one. Gut instinct at its finest. 

As cheesy as it might be, I'll end this off with a quote from St. Augustine: "the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."

Not everyone can easily travel, but the quote still holds a powerful truth. 

I've been fortunate enough to see a few interesting sections of the book, and this page is one worth reading twice.  

Alas, I can't stay here long-term, but it's good to be back. 




Next stop is likely a short visit to Mumbai to see my sister and some friends. 



Stay tuned. 

Cambodia and Vietnam: Images and Thoughts

I just got back to Thailand after a month-long trip through Cambodia and Vietnam. I didn't write much about the specific places I visited, as there are dozens of decent blogs that can tell you all about them (i.e. Angkor Wat, the Killing Fields, Sa Pa, etc). Just google whatever peaks your interest in the pictures and captions.  I'll save myself the time and you the boredom.

For good measure, I wrote a bit below about the journey, but please take everything with a grain of salt because it was a relatively short trip. I don't think I can really paint a fair picture in such a short span of time.

CAMBODIA

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CAMBODIA PICTURES

Some Observations

Cambodia is as lawless as I anticipated. For example, I've seen police officer go into "inspect" a certain venue just so he could get drunk for free. After this, he rode off on his motorbike. Pharmacies hand out generic versions of valium and xanax like its tylenol—only cheaper (almost free). Many tuk-tuk drivers will offer to sell Yaba (more or less methamphetamine, and the literal translation is "madness drug").  

You can do just about anything if you're willing to dish out some money. Some travellers speak of firing a bazooka at a cow or throwing a grenade into a pen of chickens (I've heard even crazier things involving homeless men and orphans, but can't verify them). Some travellers just go to ranges to fire an AK-47, which is a weapon that is known not only for its use by Soviet-supported countries during the Cold War, but also one that is still being used by soldiers (often children) to kill innocent civilians in several ongoing African conflicts. Needless to say, I skipped these attractions.  

Despite the "wild west" nature of the country, I was impressed with the people. I kept hearing about thieves and blackjack scammers (especially in Phnom Penh), but I encountered more people warning us about them the thieves and scammers themselves. Also, the infamous tuk-tuk drivers were just plain interesting. Overall, they were next-level annoying (some even tried to offer rides as I was getting out of another tuk-tuk). This is likely due to the poverty and the necessarily aggressive work ethic that comes with it. Cambodians don't have the type of government that will just hand them money if they can't find work. Even though I had to decline most drivers' offers, I learned that saying "no thank you" with a smile was a great way to open up some small talk or even a long conversation. 

What was most impressive was the fact that the Cambodian people seemed to move forward from the genocide (1975-79) with an incredible amount of resilience and even forgiveness. Roughly a quarter of the population was killed, and everyone seems to know someone who was involved. Still, relatives of perpetrators (many of whom had little choice in their role) work side-by-side with relatives of victims. 

Also, I was able to get a Vietnamese visa in Phnom Penh for $65. This is a steal given that in Canada I'd have to drive to Ottawa a couple of times and pay even more. In Cambodia, I just paid someone at the hostel and waited a day. 

The Route in Cambodia

- Two nights in Siem Reap
- Seven-hour bus to Phnom Penh

- Two nights Phnom Penh 
- Three-hour bus to Kampot
- Four or Five nights in Kampot (I originally planned for 2 nights; if you've been there, you know what I mean)

- Bus to Vietnam. It took just an hour to the border (Ha Tien), and a few more hours to Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon

VIETNAM

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIETNAM PICTURES

Some Observations

Vietnam was more or less what I expected: great food, interesting history, lots of socialist/communist propaganda, and ridiculously chaotic city traffic. 

In theory, everyone in Saigon should have suffered fatal or life-threatening injuries just from the driving. The chaos, particularly in Saigon, was surreal. Crossing the street is probably more adventurous than anything I can do back home.

The art of Saigon road-crossing is like a cruel video game. To cross most roads, you need to take a deep breath, walk slowly (you can even close your eyes), and the traffic will go around you. Just don't walk too quickly or do anything spontaneous. You'll probably get hit by a motorbike. 

One of my favourite aspects of the country is the prevalence of "easy riders." These are guys who will give of custom motorbike tours throughout the country. They know the cities, the countryside, the backroads, and all kinds of incredible places. You can either get on their bike, or have them lead the way. There is some debate about which ones are "real" and such, but it wouldn't matter to most visitors. Whether someone is a "legit easy rider" or not, the odds are he will be awesome just the same. Most of the easy riders I met had a great sense of humour and were just plain fun. Some sit on the curbs, look at tourists, and say "I am easy rider."     

I was tempted to ride up the Ho Chi Minh trail to Hanoi, but time was running out. Also, the prospect of dying or being severely injured is not high on my to do list. I've become fairly experienced riding motorbikes in Asia, but I've heard more than enough stories from travellers to dissuade myself from any kind of long-distance motorbike journey. 

The Route in Vietnam

- Two nights in Ho Chi Minh City (still commonly called Saigon)

- Seven-hour bus ride to Da Lat

- Three nights in Da Lat

- A long bus ride to Hoi An (somewhere between 12 and 15 hours) 

- Two nights in Hoi An

- Three-hour bus ride to Hue

- Two nights in Hue

- One-hour flight to Hanoi (seat sale ftw) 

- One night in Hanoi

- Overnight bus to Sa Pa

- Three nights in Sa Pa

- Overnight bus back to Hanoi, which somehow arrived four hours ahead of schedule. It just dropped us off in an irrelevant part of the city at 2am. I think the driver was just trying to give us to his cabbie friends. 

- Another night in Hanoi. 

POPULAR THINGS I DID NOT DO AND PLACES I DID NOT VISIT (in both countries)

- Islands (i.e. Koh Rong)

- Marble Mountain (Hoi An)

- Caves

- Halong Bay

- Nha Trang

- Crater lake

- Ride an ostrich

- Eat a poisonous snake/drink venom/take a shot with a beating snake heart in it

- Eat dog

- Fire an AK-47, M60, rocket launcher etc

- Ride the Ho Chi Minh Trail or the epic roads near the Chinese border

- Train Rides  (the sleeper-busses were just cheaper, and I've grown to like them)

I don't regret not doing these things. Most of the choices were between awesome, awesome, awesome, cruel, and ridiculous. 

There is a lot to experience no matter where you go, and I can't do it all in such a sort time. Honestly, I didn't want to do it all.

LESSONS LEARNED

Lesson 1: hosteling is not always conducive to budget travelling

I'm a big fan of backpacker hostels, but many involve a food/alcohol trap—especially in Cambodia and Vietnam (I'm sure the Thai islands are similar). In many hostels the food is very expensive, and all kinds of tactics are employed to encourage visitors to drink (i.e. free beer on arrival).  Many hostels even have scoreboards listing the nationalities of the people who were crazy enough to drink record numbers of whatever concoction that particular hostel produces.  I guess this is why the rooms and dorms are so inexpensive; the money is made elsewhere. Fortunately, there are always other options. I've learned to wander out a block or two and find cheaper (also better) food and a more sober and genuine atmosphere. I'm 29, and have had enough fun for two lifetimes; there is more to backpacking than staying with the in-crowd, although I certainly wouldn't discourage the younger travellers from doing so. In both scenarios, you meet people from all over the world and learn a lot about travel recommendations and people's home-countries.  

Lesson 2: if a place is full of tourists, it does not necessarily mean that it's "inauthentic" or not worth visiting.

Before I went to Sa Pa, a traveller told me that it is too touristy, and that I should go to some remote village 200 kilometres away instead. I've gotten over my "off the beaten path syndrome" because I learned something important in Thailand: if you pick up some of the language, the dynamics of social interaction change no matter where you are. For example, the ladies bugging tourists to purchase bracelets in Sa Pa are no less "authentic" than the people in the smaller villages. Just try to speak some Vietnamese or Hmong (a friend did this), and people seem to open up to different types of interactions. There is an impressive plethora of smartphone apps that can help with this. Yes, places like Sa Pa have their share of things to "make the white people think they are doing something genuinely different" (i.e. trekking and home-stays),  but the locals are still locals, just trying to make a living in a different way than the rice farmers down in the valley. In a way, I'd rather talk to them than bug the people who are working on their farms.

That's all for now. 

Stay tuned... 

Thinking about freedom in Vietnam

This is me with Dung, a former school teacher and ARVN veteran.
Tolerate of this entry for an explanation. 

This is Titi, another vet who took on some hard work after the war. He has since "retired" and now gives motorbike tours in Da Lat.

Throughout these past few months in southeast Asia, I've repeatedly found myself talking about how much more alive and free I feel here—even with Thai martial law, a confusing Burmese government, severely corrupt Cambodian police, and a pompously "communist" system in Vietnam. However, in any of these places, you can find food and friendly people virtually anywhere at any hour. If I want to open an all-night food stand in Toronto, well, I'll have better luck playing Lotto Max. 

You can (especially as a traveler) do almost anything you want with little consequence in much of Southeast Asia. If you want to sit on a curb in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City till 5am and drink cheap beer with locals, nobody will stop you (you might get mugged in an alley on the way back, but it's still probably less likely to happen than in places like Barcelona and Rome); if you get into a motorbike accident (and live) or break a minor law, a few dollars will likely cover the other party. Fewer lawyers, less paperwork, and less nonsense. If anything, you might help someone send their kids to school in the process. In Canada, we pay extra if we want our passports processed more quickly ("express service"); perhaps this is no less corrupt than paying someone for special treatment / express service in the eastern hemisphere. 

For some reason, I keep viewing Canada as a more restrictive place than those I've recently visited. I can't help but see it as a country controlled by lawyers, bankers, bureaucrats, and capitalists, just to name a few. I also have a place in this mix, and I feel I have no choice. Of course, these influential entities are perfectly suited to a democracy in which political loyalties and reciprocated favours are the norm.  

Where I'm from, more and more people are living in the suburbs (increasingly out of necessity), and the housing prices are rising grossly out of proportion with wages. Average car insurance prices in the GTA are just plain criminal. 

We also have citizens who purposely abuse the welfare/employment system with relative ease, while others work two jobs to keep a roof over their heads. The latter pays the taxes. Yesterday my less-than-proud view of Canada's civic infrastructure intensified when I found out that someone who murdered a friend of mine got a 10-year prison sentence. Guess who pays the bill?

It all just seems kind of bizarre, and most travellers I tell this to seem to agree. 

Anyway, you get the picture.  I've repeatedly said that I'd take 50 years in Asia over 90 years in an Ontario Suburb.

Then today I was walking around Hue and met a man named Dung. He was sitting against a fence beside the sidewalk, and was wearing a military veteran hat with an American flag on it, which is pretty rare here. It turns out he is a 61-year-old former schoolteacher.  He also happened to fight with the pro-American ARVN forces during the Vietnam War. I suggested we go for lunch, and we did.  

Here is what I learned from him:

When Saigon fell to the communists in 1975, Dung and all other known non-communists were forced to report to the new authorities and were subsequently banned from their previous professions (especially if they were "white collar"). Dung was sentenced to 3 years of hard labour and near-starvation in a prison camp near the Chinese border. After his time in prison, he and others like him have been spending most of their lives farming instead of returning to their professions as teachers, doctors, lawyers, and other such careers. They had—and still have—little choice. Even his children's career prospects suffer because of Dung's association with the anti-communist forces. He is also not allowed to leave the country.

Here are some other interesting facts:

-Vietnamese citizens have to pay for health care or insurance
-Vietnamese citizens have to pay for some of their "public" schooling
-Speaking publicly against the government is a punishable offence 

The brand of communism here is not exactly in keeping with theory. There is, however, a ton of propaganda everywhere, which I expected. Massive red flags and Ho Chi Minh banners are ubiquitous. There is also no shortage of suspicious government buildings and military compounds. Just a few days ago I walked though a gate to see what was up with the beautiful gardens.  A man with an AK-47 swiftly came out of nowhere and kicked me out. I still have no idea what the place was. 

I'll conclude by reminding myself and you wonderful readers that no system is perfect. I still feel more alive here, but it is refreshing to regain some perspective on the other types of freedom Canada offers. 


Stay tuned....    Pictures and a more detailed a posting about Cambodia and Vietnam should be up at the end of the month. 

My First Curfew in a Very Long Time: The Thai Political Crisis of 2014

This week, Thailand experienced the imposition of martial law, followed by a military coup. Television and radio stations have been taken over by the military, and schools have been closed for a few days. There is also a curfew in place (10pm-5am). I wrote this out of boredom. 

The curfew has totally changed the city. The usually-busy streets are dead tonight. I already miss the sound of motorbikes dangerously racing down my street at 3am and the ability to get amazing food at any hour. Also, the ever-ubiquitous 711 stores are experiencing a separate crisis: they haven't locked their doors in years, and now the popular chain (of which there are about 7000 locations in Thailand) has to close all locations before 10pm. From what I've been told, employees were scrambling in a state of confusion to adjust to the new hours of operation. The curfew is, for many, the least popular part of this coup. It's already having a severe impact on businesses, and military governments aren't exactly known for compensating people's losses. 

Regardless of the changes that are taking place, there is nothing new about this political crisis—the country has had about a dozen such incidents since the conversion from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932. 

Yes, it's safe here in Chiang Mai, and no I'm not going to break curfew just to see what happens or go down to Bangkok to take pictures on top of military vehicles any time soon (although it's tempting). Most of the action is about 700 kilometres south of me, and it's not easy to find reliable information about it. Some people here are speaking of gunfire in their relatives' neighbourhoods in Bangkok, but some of my friends in Bangkok say it's pretty tame there. It's hard to know when so much information is being controlled and censored. One thing is for sure: there isn't much happening Chiang Mai, aside from the suspension of certain tv/radio stations, the presence of military personnel in some key spots, and small groups of protesters being forced into prison-trucks. It seems like a crazy state of affairs, but the reality on the ground is a bit different from what the average westerner would expect.

Here are two important terms necessary to understanding the situation here:

Yellow-shirts: citizens who are against the elected government because of alleged corruption and the dedication of government resources to the working classes/farmers etc. These citizens are typically monarchists, and the Thai military is known to operate in their favour. Many yellow-shirts have argued that the king should unilaterally appoint a new government. 

Red-shirts: citizens who support the elected government, and are largely northerners, farmers, and working class people. They protest and fight on behalf of the majority who has elected the most recent democratic government. Some prominent members of this movement have been known to be critical of the monarchy. 

There is a very sharp contrast in citizens' attitudes towards the situation.

I was tutoring a student when the coup was declared. When I went to talk to the student's mother after our session, I saw the entire family glued to the TV screen. They were smiling (more like glowing), and were on the brink of tears. They composed themselves, looked at me, and said "revolution!" They were happy about the military coup—like really happy. The mother proceeded to explain to me why democracy is overrated. This family supports the "yellow-shirts," royalists who are dissatisfied with the way democracy has operated here. This is due to corruption of elected leaders and the alleged "buying" of farmers' votes. This particular group holds the belief that the pro-government supporters are against the king; this is a strong card to play, as speaking against the royal family in any way is highly illegal in Thailand (up to 15 years in prison). Also, the king (now 86 years old) is widely revered for having modernized the country though royal projects, such as bringing running water and electricity to all citizens, no matter what their role in society or where they lived.  

In short, yellow-shirt supporters draw on the fact that an ousted (and allegedly corrupt) former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has been operating a puppet government while in exile. The yellow-shirt protests fired up when recently-removed Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, Taksin's sister, proposed an amnesty bill to bring her brother back. This, combined with allegations that her government was doing "favours" for the working class to get votes, resulted in fierce opposition from the middle/upper class royalists and yellow-shirt supporters. Perhaps the government was just doing what it was elected to do: make life better for the majority of citizens (i.e. infrastructure, education, health care), but the yellow-shirts certainly don't see it this way. Many of them have even argued that the king should appoint a new government. They have suggested this this before, and the king said it's contrary to Thai democracy. Clearly this is a complicated situation.   

Two weeks ago, Yingluck was also removed form power on corruption charges. She, the interim prime minister, and leaders from both political groups, have been detained by the military after it assumed control of the country. Among the detained is also the "yellow-shirt" leader, Suthep Thaugsuban (he walked right by me before giving a speech in Siam Square in February. I had just landed in Bangkok and had no idea who he was, although his face was printed on shirts in the protest zone where I was staying). Despite Suthep's detention, yellow-shirt supporters seem very supportive of the situation. Some say it's because they know this coup is, once again, a means to impose their agenda.

Others are not so satisfied. Northern Thailand is full of farmers and working class people who support the elected government (i.e. red-shirts). I know some of these people, and they don't seem pretty happy right now. Why would they be? They elected a government, and once again that government has been declared illegitimate by other powers. It's no wonder why this group has previously taken to the streets (most notably in 2010) with whatever weaponry available. It's also been alleged that they have previously and recently hired Cambodian assassins to help them out. Nameless and faceless people from a poorer and more lawless country are ideal for such tasks. However, rumours and lies flourish in this type of political climate, and they come from people on both sides. It's going to be an interesting few weeks, but alas I'll be in Cambodia and Vietnam for much of it. 

     

This is what it looks like here in Chiang Mai: a man playing Beatles songs (as he always does) and a soldier watching.

This was followed by a guy coming in with a massive picture of the king in the basket of his motorbike. He offered it to the soldiers and gave them an emotional "thank you." At the other end of the spectrum, my apartment's security guard (redshirt supporter) was not his usual cheerful self tonight.

The North Gate in Chiang Mai  (the pickup truck and the white van are also used to bring soldiers around the city)

Just couldn't resist... cheesy, I know.

Many of the other people asking for pictures with the soldiers were Thai parents with their children. The soldiers had no problem holding their guns across children's chests and letting them wear their helmets.
In a way, it is still the land of smiles.

The curfew seems like the most unpopular part of this whole situation (it's affecting businesses and such), but beyond that, not nearly as many Thais seem to get bent out of shape about their rights as people do in western countries. Some have even told me that this is the best option, since the two sides of the political spectrum just can't get along. If history is any indication of things to come, this military coup is once again a way to impose the will of one of those sides. Time will tell.

I don't watch television, but I decided to turn the thing on for once during the coup. Here is what was is available. It is accompanied by soothing Thai military songs. 

A MESSAGE TO ONTARIANS:

Despite the situation here, it's good so see people who are intensely passionate about their country. That being said, I hope the voter turnout in the next Ontario election is more than 49.2% this time around. Canadian democracy is far from perfect, but when every citizen has the right to vote (even from overseas), there is no good reason not to to elect a government that represents the population as much as possible. Of course, this comes with some responsibility: making facebook/twitter posts demonizing a party you dislike is not a good thing; in fact, I think it's a very immature way of conducting yourself as a citizen. Support what you like, read from both sides, and decide from there. Whether you're right, centre, left, green, northern Ontario separatist, or any alternative, please vote on June 12th. It's highly unlikely that you'll have to deal with a grenade at the voting booth.




UPDATE - May 28:  The curfew has been loosened, and is now in place from 12am-4am.  Things seem pretty calm here, but I'm sure there are some things happening secretly.  Yesterday, a friend of mine (living here for over 10 years) was driving by a military compound and saw about some guys exiting the premises on black motorcycles without license plates. They were dressed from head to toe in black, and were wearing ski masks and carrying automatic weapons. They are most likely assassins operating on behalf of the military (perhaps targeting key red-shirt leaders). Another friend who has lived here her for most of her life said that these "ninjas" have been around for a while. Unfortunately there is no information about this online, and only eye-witness accounts (which often get mixed in with rumours and propaganda) can verify it.

UPDATE - A Few Weeks Later: The curfew has been lifted throughout the country. Although this is a positive development for Thai businesses and the tourism industry, it does not mean that things have returned to normal. Military personnel and police officials are currently enforcing laws that have long existed, but were never enforced (e.g. no live music after 1am).



Stay tuned....

Pentatonic Rock Bar: Refuge in a Sea of "Same Same"

"Sud-yod" is the Thai equivalent of "awesome." When I hear the word, it makes me think of my favourite place in Chiang Mai. 

Before I get to that, here’s a little context:

There’s no shortage of live music venues peppered around the city. Some of my favourites include The Brasserie, Boy Blues Bar, Inter Bar, and the North Gate jazz club. On nearly every night, in any of these places, you can see musicians performing anything from jazz to punk. 

Unfortunately, Chiang Mai has its share of dance clubs that cater to the average 20-something westerner.  I say “unfortunately” because it connotes an objective truth: these places exist in nearly every city in the world. They are, as the Thais say, "same same," and are virtually interchangeable. Also (if you can pardon a generalization), a visitor can regularly expect to see the same type of clientele. They tend to have the same types of conversations, buy the same terrible beverages, and do the same types of lubricious things on the dance floor—all with unapologetic indiscretion. 

One of the most popular places for nightlife in Chiang Mai is an L-shaped walking area with an open-air dance club in the middle. This spot is known as the “Zoe corner." Here there are several bars and clubs, featuring a mix of dance/hip-hop, reggae, more dance/hip-hop, and some rave-ish electronica.

Fortunately there is also the Pentatonic Rock Bar—a place for refuge in a sea of predicable social attractions. Located on the edge (perhaps a good metaphor) of the Zoe corner, this place features live rock music every night. Most of the bands play covers, and they play them awesomely.  Of course, rock is a very broad genre, and venue features the full spectrum.

One evening in February, I was enticed to go to the Zoe corner with some friends. While exploring the area, I walked by a small venue and heard a band covering “Aneurism” by Nirvana. This is a lesser-known song, so needless to say I was already impressed, and the night was still young. Later I saw a band cover “Sugar” by System of a Down and “I’m Broken” by Pantera, among many other epic 90s hard rock/metal tunes. Everything was played immaculately. My jaw dropped, and I felt at home. 

Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I grew up on a diet of heavy music. I sometimes forget about this part of myself while learning and working in certain environments, but its still there; it always will be.  Yes, I still play guitar, but as a high school History and English teacher, my guitar-playing roles are a bit limited, and there is often little time or energy left to play during most days. However, you can’t change the things that fuel you, but you can take advantage when sparks lead to flames. After a few conversations with the bands, I found myself being invited on stage regularly to play Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Pantera, etc.

Jamming some Rage

What makes this place feel even more special is that it harbours a tight-knit community of local and foreign clientele, many of which are close friends with the bands and the bar’s owners. Still, the staff and bands welcome me as if I belong there, and the same applies to anyone who walks through the door.

During subsequent visits, I heard songs I had loved yet had forgotten, such as “Between Angels and Insects” by Papa Roach (a grossly underrated song inspired by Fight Club). I also heard a house band cover "Where is My Mind" by The Pixies—another song with a Fight Club connection. One band even covered some No Doubt songs with shockingly accurate pronunciation and energy. 

The music at Pentatonic isn't exclusively North American; Thai rock songs and European metal are also regularly played.

The house bands (Project Mayhem, Lords of Rock, Peace Flower, Gain, and Rock A Fellas) are all just plain great, as are the special guests. Last year, Pentatonic featured a guitar competition; last month, they it had an all-night tribute to Nirvana; and this month the venue hosted a local death metal festival, during which the place was packed all day and night with bands and fans from all over the country (there also happened to be an earthquake the following day. Coincidence? I think not). Whether it's during a festival or an average weeknight, this place always has a great community-vibe. 

Since that fateful February evening, I’ve gone to Pentatonic over a dozen times, and I hope to go at least a dozen more. I’ve met people from all over the world there, and even had the good fortune of sharing the stage with some of them. This is a place I’ll surely miss when I get back to Canada in July.

Pentatonic Rock Bar is a testament to the community-building power of music. There are few other places that can keep an early-bird like me out late when I need to wake up early. Well worth it. 

Stay tuned.......