You and I, the last refugees

A Filler Post

To bridge some of the gap between the posts, I thought I'd write one detailing some of the more interesting bits of my last month in Asia.

After the somewhat excruciating 4 months stuck on the Disney island of Singapore, I departed back to Thailand to meet with old friends. A week of fun in the sun followed where I wandered around Bangkok, bought a few things, ate the wonderful Thai food and then sat on a beach near Krabi. Although huge polluters, the longtail boat that takes you from Ao Nang to Tonsai and Railay beach somehow fits the Thai beach landscape. Although some people complain about the frequency boat trips - that they run too often, I found there to be less boats than during my stay on Koh Phi Phi. Tonsai beach is known for its rock climbing, and that was certainly true to form as you look up at the majestic limestone cliffs to see hanging human beings in distorted positions (kind of like spiders or crabs) clinging for dear life. I have to say it's pretty impressive as both guys and gals had that fit, muscular, lean upper body look, so that they can pull themselves up - sometimes using pure arm muscles. I still remember the water, warm and calm, the kind you can just float on top of for hours even as it rains.

Following the lovely sojourn in Thailand. I met my family in Vietnam. Much eating followed. By much, I mean hordes --- and mostly seafood at that. Unfortunately, too much seafood means the potential for uncomfortable stomach conditions due to the consumption of shellfish. It was pretty inevitable, but worth it, one day of discomfort for all the great food is acceptable. The most amusing bit was the aghast look my brother and I were given when we walked to the beach in December to swim. We were bombarded with --- "What?? You can't swim, it's winter!" Yes, it is winter, but winter is about 72 degree F. Although the water was not very suitable for swimming as it was storm season and there were riptides there was plenty of sun. I still remember, Nam walking by with just his swim trunks as a family of 4 were bundled in hats, coats, sweaters and scarves. I think the Vietnamese also like holidays for the sheer sake of holidays. Although Vietnam has a large Catholic community, the hordes that turned out for Christmas Eve was ridiculous --- people taking photos at the cathedral with the Last Supper Mural, the biblical story ---- starting from Adam and Eve -- I don't know how long that lasted. It was amusing in any case.

For all the glorified trappings of life in the big city, with the barrage of motobikes, the countryside is beautiful albeit very poor. We went out to find our old ancestral home in Thai Binh, which we did. We saw the market and the road my great grandfather built, the pond they used to fish in and what is left of the house - a wall and a well. So much of it has changed, with more buildings and more families in the area. However, those who live there (extended, extended family members) are still poor with little to no running water while surviving on agriculture. There is something about the simplicity of life in a village that I cannot fathom anywhere else. It seems to bolster my ambition to one day have a house in the city and a country retreat where I can relax and "escape from the world."

posted by Mai-Lan @ 07:05