The Yin and Yang of Bangkok

The home of silk entreprenuer, Jim Thompson, is an oasis in busy Bangkok. An American, he was first here with the military and then moved here for good in the 50's. He launched the Thai silk trade to the world market level. His home's lush garden setting is along a klong (boat-traffic waterway). Six teak buildings in traditional Thai architecture were moved here from various places. The gardens are dotted with colorful orchids--in lavendar, orange, red, deep purple, white-- hanging from low branches of trees with their roots dangling in the open air below. A young Thai woman gives "group G" a compulsory tour through the house explaining all the details. (My group-!)
Low partitions between the rooms at the bottom of each doorway keep the evil spirits out. The Thai believe that these spirits can move along flat floors, but cannot go over the small bottom partition. Many aspects of the house are Thai --the teak wood, the open airy rectangular windows, but Jim Thompson also brought many things here from other countries--china from China, a crystal chandelier from Belgium, statues from Burma. Of course, when entering the house, we are expected to remove our shoes as is always the custom in Thailand. Thai people eat meals in a circle on the floor and also sleep on the floor, so keeping the interior of the house clean is very important.
Silk is a huge industry in Thailand now. Now factories create many silk products, but there are still women in the countryside who also do this by hand still. Traditionally women were historically the weavers. Girls would start learning about weaving at six years old--how to spin, how to raise cotton. By the teen years the girls would know how to weave. Boys could recieve schooling through the temple, but this "weaving schooling" was often all there was for the girls.
Traditional weavings were rich in meaning. Within the weavings would be pictures or symbols relating to ceremonies, myths, nature, the afterworld. During the Vietnam war, one could see tanks and guns in weavings. Today one can see computer symbols! as part of this ancient art.

Later in the afternoon (after a nap and lunch... after all I AM on vacation!! I know, I am ALWAYS on vacation because I am retired!!), I began walking along the Soi (quiet side street) where my guest house is and a tuk tuk driver asked me where I was going. I thought "Why not just ONE tuk tuk ride in Bangkok?" I should have done a BIT more thinking about my previous experiences with all this, but I was in the back seat and ALMOST on my way (the price was only 20 baht!/70 cents) when I heard that fateful question......CAN WE STOP AT JUST ONE GEM SHOP FOR A FEW MINUTES? (the driver can get a gas coupon if he brings a farang (foreigner) in). By then I am already in and think "what the heck" instead of what I think later.. which is "what was I THINKING?" OK, first the gem shop with specific directions from my driver to spend about 10 minutes and NOT to say that I am not going to buy. Over my many trips to Thailand, I have gotten pretty darn good at this whole charade. I have my set lines--I never buy anything the first time I look/I always must think about it/My driver is going to take me to some more places. I feign interst in some necklaces.. I like looking at sapphire and though I am not going to buy, I finally "decide" on one. It actually was beautiful! She gives me the first written price, then the factory price, then the NEXT discount... and THEN because I am a SPECIAL FRIEND who loves Thailand ( I told her this was my fifth time here) she is going to give me an extra discount. So from the $403 top price it comes down to $245... a price she assures me cannot be met if I leave today without purchasing. Alas, I walk away with only her card and my wallet full.
Back in the tuk tuk and into "full on" Bangkok traffic (sorry for the sideways picture, but my directions on the computer are in Thai, so I consider that I get it all typed and the pictures on a small miracle in itself!), I know why it is "one of the most polluted cities and at least a million residents (there are 7 million of them) suffer from respiratory problems and allergies triggered by air pollution which is 2.5 higher than acceptable standards".
Yes, while I am sitting and even sometimes moving forward! in traffic with huge diesel public buses belching smoke and blue clouds of exhaust from tuk tuks and motorcycles and taxis and cars... it takes on a movement of its own in its wholeness as we ebb along the road. And as we sat there waiting, I glanced over at the tuk tuk driver next to me and he is SMOKING--the pollution isn't enough!. My driver roars ahead and gets midway between two HUGE buses and pulls back just before the red one changes lanes. Luckily, my stop was just up the road... and with a smile and my life! I was out of the tuk tuk and walking into Pantip Plaza. This huge five story open mall is a shopping center for all things computer with the first level being full with vendors selling all pirated software (How about the 2008 version of Microsoft Vista?) or music (any artist you can think of and many I have never heard of) or TV shows (from Barney to Grey's Anatomy). My friend in Hanoi wants the first two seasons of the old series of Columbo.. of course they have it. I negotiate a price and wait for about 20 minutes till it is brought in from somewhere and I am on my way back to my guest house. On the street, another tuk tuk driver asks me, "Where you go lady?" I answer with a smile, "For a "WALK, kup khun ka (thank you)!"