Cold city

Berlin, Germany (03.03.2014)

Work took me to Germany last week. I managed to squirrel away a couple of hours between meetings one day to explore Berlin. With no time for planned highlights, I simply wandered the streets and let the city scene wash about me.

Berlin struck me as beautiful, in an utterly soulless kind of way.

It’s a strange feeling I had walking the streets, as if the whole city was a facade. It lacks substance. The edgy architecture is cut from metal and glass, the parks filled with blackened skeletons of former trees and strangers who don’t smile. The city has a dark history and a creepy, bustling tourist trade. I found the juxtaposition of haunting memorials to human suffering and gaudy sales pitches of tour touts uncomfortable.

I may not have had the chance to get to know this infamous Cold War city as well as it deserves, but this first encounter left me a little cold.

Home

New Zealand (02.2014)

Two wonderful weeks in the homeland, filled with life-changing days (not one but two weddings), catch-up coffees, crazy dancing, lazy afternoons, and four seasons each day (ah, New Zealand, I missed you).

A high point of the trip was scrambling up a rock-face with a friend to a hidden look-out in Coromandel and being rewarded with 360 views of paradise (partially pictured). It was the kind of sweaty, breathless, joyful moment that makes you feel there is nowhere else in the whole world you’d rather be, nowhere better than standing on a rock on the top of a hill with the wind in your hair, the sun on your skin, the ocean racing towards you from every direction, and a smile on your face. This is happiness.

Chinatown

Bangkok, Thailand (11.01.2014)

It’s funny isn’t it? The way an exotic place becomes droll as soon as you make it your home.

I’ve lived in Bangkok for almost 6 months now and I’ve started to take it for granted. The sights and sounds and smells and sweets that captivated me on arrival have become the backdrop for a normal work-and-play life.

That’s why I love visitors. They come with their eyes wide open and help you see again with that glint of wonder. My friend Ingrid and her partner Patrick were recently passing through the big mango at the start of an epic Asian adventure. It’s was a streaking visit but I was lucky to share some moments exploring the city with them.

Mam, my colleague and friend, kindly took us on a tour of Chinatown. Winding streets crammed with vendors and lanterns and markets and temples. Crumbling old edifices and dusty shops filled with ancient products and ancient faces. And a strangely large number of shops selling scales and coffins and tea.

It was fun to play the tourist again, exploring this city with new eyes, snapping the scene.

A very special Christmas

Ayutthaya, Thailand (25.12.2013)

Christmas in Thailand is (despite the decorations and beer gardens) just another day. This Buddhist nation doesn’t officially recognize Christmas and it isn’t a public holiday. Luckily, my office has tons of expats so they kindly gave us the day off to celebrate.

With family far away and not wanting to find ourselves sad and home alone on Christmas, some friends and I arranged a day trip to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital just an hour or so north of Bangkok.

We spent a wonderful day visiting temples to pray and make merit, climbing the ruins of ancient temples, watching tourists snap seated photos in front of a Buddha head that has become wreathed in the roots of an old tree, and feasting on traditional sweets and delicious Thai food. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing, our hearts were soothed by the intoxicating calm of the temples, and we were together. A very unique and special Christmas day.

Christmas Eve

Bangkok, Thailand (24.12.2013)

For a country that doesn’t officially celebrate Christmas, Thailand sure knows how to have a rockin’ good time.

Walking through the central city on Christmas Eve, the streets were alive with lights and music and merriment. In the last few weeks the courtyards outside city malls have become epic beer gardens with pop or rock concerts so loud that talking is impossible and drinking from beer fountains mandatory. Carols echo along the skywalk and from all the shops, and elaborately lit displays adorn the sidewalks (nobody seems to swipe the decor – amazing!). Totally over the top with festive beauty.

Surreal

Bangkok, Thailand (December 2013)

It’s been a strange few weeks in Bangkok. Although there hasn’t been much coverage in the international media, Bangkok has been filled for weeks with tens of thousands of passionate demonstrators – some calling for the current prime minister to step down, dissolve government, and be replaced by an unelected “people’s assembly” to recraft democracy in Thailand, and others vehemently supporting the current government.

While mostly peaceful, things started to get ugly over the weekend. Simmering tensions erupted into violence as protesters attempted to claim government house and other key buildings around the city. Several days passed in a heady blur of tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, Molotov cocktails, and long, impassioned political speeches and by Tuesday morning several people were dead, hundreds injured, and no end was in sight.

Then Thailand threw a curve ball.

Early Tuesday morning protesters surged towards their key target, the metropolitan police headquarters. As they approached, police lay down their riot gear and greeted them as brothers, handing out hugs and red roses. Next they helped the protesters to dismantle the razor wire and concrete barriers that had been keeping them at bay.

Demonstrators declared victory, occupied the gardens of government house for an hour or so, and then left again.

Everyone was bemused. Protesters, police, and foreign correspondents alike were left scratching their heads. While this was a surreal turn of events, all parties were happy to see the violence come to an abrupt end.

Nobody knows yet why or how the truce was negotiated. My guess is that the current calm is in order to honour and respect Thailand’s King, who celebrates his birthday tomorrow. Most people expect demonstrations to resume by early next week because nobody has yet won and nobody has conceded anything. In the meantime the truce has allowed all parties to back off, take a deep breath, and still save face.

It certainly feels like this turn of events could only happen in Thailand. And it somehow makes me love this country more.

Note: Unlike all other photos on this site, I did not take the above pictures – they were found from various sources on twitter

Growing tension

Bangkok, Thailand (25.11.2013)

There have been escalating political protests across Bangkok in the past weeks. Yesterday, an epic 100,000 “yellow shirt” anti-government and 40,000 “red shirt” pro-government demonstrators took to the streets. Today, the yellow shirt marches continued. This was part of the procession as it passed by my office building on the way to key government and media locations in the heart of Bangkok.

Demonstrations began last month against a since-shelved government plan to grant amnesty to deposed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pardon those responsible for a 2010 military crackdown on red shirt supporters (largely rural working class) that left more than 90 people dead.

The yellow shirts (largely middle class) are calling for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (sister of Thaksin) to resign and dissolve the government. She has refused to step aside.

So far the demonstrations have been peaceful and we are watching the situation unfold and hoping that it remains so.

Loy Krathong

Bangkok, Thailand (17.11.2013)

Sunday was a full moon. Each year in Thailand, on the full moon of the 12th month of the traditional Thai calendar (which usually falls in November), the nation celebrates Loy Krathong, which translates roughly as “floating crowns” or “floating decorations”.

On this night Thais congregate near lakes and rivers to send beautifully decorated and candlelit offerings out into the water. I have had explained both as a symbol of letting go of past anger or disappointments and as an offering of gratitude to water. Either way, the waterways light up with thousands of glowing decorations and ethereal paper lanterns are also sent sparkling towards the heavens.

I celebrated Loy Krathong at Chatuchak park, which is very near my home in Bangkok. It was a very gentle evening that left me walking home with a sense of deep contentment. This city has started to feel so normal to me that it was quite lovely to be reminded just how little I understand about this complex nation and culture. I realised how lucky I am to be living in such a beautiful and fascinating country (even if we are in the middle of a surge of protests and political unrest).

Emily

London, United Kingdom (09.11.2013)

A very busy, bustling, and frickin’ freezing week in London at the World Travel Market. Heaps of nostalgia walking (and tubing) around the city I once called home – the south bank, the TATE Modern (excellent exhibit of Klee), Soho, Borough Market (and of course a Monmouth coffee), Sadler’s Wells (saw a tango show), the tube, the parks, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, and more – yet the true highlights were all human. It’s such a thrill to catch up with friends you haven’t seen for half a decade and be able to naturally pick up where you left off. Got to catch up with Johnny, Stevo, the Heenans, Darius and Sarah, Neng, and of course this wonderful little monkey, Emily. Much love to you all.

View from the castle

Heidelberg, Germany (18.10.2013)

A stolen weekend spent strolling the cobblestones of an ancient city with a well-loved friend. Playful shenanigans and philosophical discussions still dominate this friendship transplanted from the sweaty shores of the Caribbean to the chilled autumn of Germany. A wonderful weekend filled with chess and port and butlers and snowballs and friends and trains and castles. Yes, castles!

The love bridge

Frankfurt, Germany (16.10.2013)

A whirlwind 24 hour visit to Frankfurt with just a couple of hours to explore the city. A highlight was this Love Bridge (Eisterner Steg) where lovers engrave their names onto padlocks, link them permanently to the bridge, and toss the keys into the river – a symbol of the permanence of their commitment to one another.

The old part of the city was filled with old world charm, quaint cafes and boutiques, and wonderful street art and graffiti.

Old world

Bern, Switzerland (15.10.2013)

Short business trip to Europe this week.

Stolen moments spent dawdling down cobbled lanes with my coat wrapped snuggly against the icy air. Amazed at the cold, the quiet, the cleanness, after months in Bangkok. Gobbling bread and cheese like there’s no tomorrow. Smiling at the autumnal leaves and the plethora of tall, handsome men. Public transport is on time and everything is ridiculously expensive.

It’s nice to be back in the old world after 5 years absence.

Day 133 – End of the road

Bali, Indonesia to Bangkok, Thailand (22.08.2013)

Well, that’s all folks.

The time has come for me unpack my backpack and make a new home for myself. Bangkok will be the setting for the next chapter of my life. I have a week or so to organise an apartment etc and then I start work with a NGO that is working to protect children from sexual exploitation in tourism. I know it will be challenging in many ways, but also rewarding work.

So now, since we’ve come to the end of the road (for a while at least), my daily blogging will come to an end. I hope you’ve enjoyed travelling alongside me as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing the experience with you.

I will be occasionally posting about life and experiences here in Bangkok but I expect it to be quite ad hoc. Probably I will be more active on my other blog MyLifeIsMyMessage.org which offers inspiration and advice for people who want to be change they wish to see in the world. Please follow me there if you’re interested in finding ways to contribute positively in your community.

Peace,
Cassandra

Day 132 – Spa delights

Ubud to Kuta, Bali (21.08.2013)

Nina and I had our last full day together today. What started with the creepy delight of a fish spa yesterday (pictured, where fish nibble dead skin off your feet and legs) continued with pedicures and a facial (for Nina) today.

A girly and relaxing morning was perfect and helped us cope with the more stressful, later part of the day when Nina realised that she had missed her flight back to New Zealand. (Don’t worry though, she was able to get on a flight the next morning.)

Day 131 – Crazy eyes

Ubud, Bali (20.08.2013)

Dance theatre show this evening. A bit overacted but I enjoyed the elaborate costumes, ringing music and especially the crazy, shifting eyes of the women. It’s amazing how much can be expressed by dancing with the eyes. The Monkey King, with his expressive eyebrows, was also a highlight.