Bangkok

Experienced the Bangkok protests this week. What a strange site. In some ways so peaceful with a lunatic thrown in here and there with a pipe bomb or gun. Luckily I only saw the peaceful side. It reminded me a little of a folk concert or giant yoga session.

Not sure if you have read about any of the government turmoil here but here is just a little birdseye view on what I saw. 

From where I live in a Pattaya it's about an hour and a half drive to Bangkok. 6 ladies road in together. We are going to India together to see the Taj Mahal in February and we have to go to the Indian Embassy in Bangkok to get our visas to enter into the country. This trip in February will definitely be a different kind of girls weekend for me!

The roads are pretty empty considering this is a city of about 9 million. People are staying away. As you get closer to the city you begin to see entrance ramps and exit ramps blocked. Blocked with large piles of tires or homemade wooden barricades sometimes bags of sand. Even fishing netting is strung up to block roads. We were dropped of at the Dusit Thani Hotel from there a very short walk to the MRTA which is the subway that runs through Bangkok. I had never been on the MRT which reminded me of NYC except cleaner. People were helpful, computers spit out your token, maps in English and Thai. Very user friendly. After several stops we get off and come up to Sukhimvit which has become tent city. 

Sukhimvit is the main thorough fare through the city and the protestors have blocked a good portion of it off. It is still quiet because it's only 10am in the morning. Tents are everywhere and food carts are all along the road. 

Some ways they block roads / check out the giant black tarp in the background   

They like to use lots of tires

Lots of fishing nets / not sure why - 

Close up of the picture above. - We named it babies first protest!

Large TV screens everywhere. - it's mind boggling on how much money is being spent on this protest. 

One of many tent cities. We walked by and most people were still sleeping. I loved how organized the tents were lined up. Each tent was numbered. We walked right by and no one bothered us. 

Check out the people in the background sitting so peacefully listening to the guy on the stage rant. They were all sitting Indian style like a bunch of yogis. 

Some people were capitalizing on all the crowds and selling anything and everything. 

Oh and these protestors like their whistles. Anytime something was said that they agreed with they blew their whistles. Loud is not a good enough word to describe the sound. 🙉

This weekend is the big election. We have no idea what will come of this or if it will be carried out. Lots of threats and already blockage of voting centers. I am hopeful it continues to be peaceful! 

  

Today we are celebrating the Chinese New Year!  It is the year of the horse. I went to bed last night around midnight with a full firework show to be woken up around 5:30 to the beat of drums. The drums led way to chanting and now at 8am a women's voice has taken over talking. All over are lanterns and bright displays. On the side of the road and in front of people's houses are their offerings laid out. This usually consists of food, drinks, flowers, candles, pictures, incense and an occasional beer (hey the spirits have to have a little fun). 

This is inside our mall. 

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Cheers from the other side

😘 M