A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 1:

GOING TO SOUTHEAST ASIA:

THIS MOMENT IS PART OF THE SECOND DAY OF 1992.

WALKING AND REALIZING THAT IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO LIVE

IN THE MOMENT. IT IS THE PRESENT MOMENT THAT WE CAN BE CERTAIN OF.  

NOTHING ELSE IS AS CERTAIN AS THIS.  STILL I MAKE MY PLANS. FOCUSING

ON MY EXPERIENCES CLARIFY WHAT THE PRESENT MOMENT IS.

FOR ME,

TRAVELING IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THIS. OF COURSE, ONE DOES

NOT NEED

THE HOBBY OF TRAVELING TO EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND EACH

MOMENT OF REALITY. WE CAN DO THIS WHILE EATING, WASHING DISHES, OR READING. 

IT IS JUST EASIER FOR ME WHEN I AM TRAVELING BECAUSE THERE

ARE TOO MANY MUNDANE ASPECTS OF DAILY LIFE HERE, IN ALBUQUERQUE, THAT I

TAKE FOR GRANTED. I

SPEND TOO MUCH TIME FRETTING ABOUT GOING TO WORK AGAIN, PAYING

THE BILLS AGAIN, SHOPPING FOR

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AGAIN AND AGAIN. ALL THE WHILE I AM THINKING OF GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHEN I AM TRAVELING, EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE IS CENTERED AROUND WHERE I AM AND

WHO I AM. LIFE IS CIRCLING AROUND US

ALL THE TIME AND WE NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL COME AT

US AT ANY GIVEN TIME. WHEN I AM PLANNING A TRIP,  100%

FOCUSED, I AM LIVING IN THE MOMENT BECAUSE TIME GOES BY

AT AN UNRECOGNIZABLE

PACE AND I HAVE NO IDEA

WHAT THE RESULT WILL BE. THE YEAR WAS 1992 AND I WAS

PLANNING A

TRIP TO SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THIS TRIP INCLUDED A STOP IN TRAVERSE CITY MICHIGAN TO

VISIT ABIGAIL AND HER PARENTS, HIBBING MINNESOTA SO I

COULD VISIT MY GRANDMA CICCHI (VIA DETROIT). THEN I WOULD

BE BROUGHT TO LAX AND AN EXCURSION UP TO SAN LOUIS OBISPO

TO VISIT MY SISTER. 

IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRIP, I WENT TO LOVELESS

HOSPITAL TO GET AN IMMUNO GLOBULON INJECTION. IT

COST $30 AND WILL LAST FOR THE ENTIRE JOURNEY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. I

ALSO PICKED UP A FEW MALARIA PILLS. 17 OF THOSE TABLETS COST $93!! THEY HAVE QUININE IN THEM. THAI, INDONESIAN, AND

ARABIC LANGUAGE BOOKS, BANGKOK TO BALI GUIDEBOOK, FLASHLIGHT, CLOTHS TO

WEAR AND DISCARD, CANVAS TO SLEEP ON, MOSQUITO REPELLANT, THE MALARIA PILLS, AND PASSPORT; I AM READY FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA. 

 CHICAGO O'HARE AIRPORT, LARGE, RUNWAYS TRAVERSING OVER CHICAGO HIGHWAYS AND TUNNELS. HUGE AND BEAUTIFUL WITH DIFFERENT STYLES

OF STRUCTURAL DECOR. REACHING TERMINAL F3, NOW READY TO FLY. 

IT IS 0030 DULUTH TIME. I AM SITTING AND WRITING IN A COUNTRY KITCHEN. I ORDERED HOT CHOCOLATE AND A MUSHROOM AND CHEESE OMELETE. THE BEECHCRAFT

PLANE THAT WE TOOK FROM CHICAGO TO DULUTH WAS SMALL. I

HAD TO BEND DOWN TO GET IN AND WALK TO MY SEAT. IT HAD PROPELLERS.

IT IS ALWAYS SCARY FOR ME TO FLY IN A PLANE WITH PROPELLERS. WE MADE

A STOP IN IRONWOOD MICHIGAN FIRST. AFTER WE ARRIVED AT THE DULUTH AIRPORT, I CHANGED MY CLOTHS, THREW AWAY THE OLD, WALKED OUT OF

THE AIRPORT, AND STARTED DOWN THE ROAD. A CAR RENTAL EMPLOYEE PICKED ME UP AND GAVE

ME A RIDE TO THE COUNTRY KITCHEN SO I WOULD NOT GET

SNOWED ON TOO MUCH. IT DID NOT FEEL TOO COLD EXCEPT ON MY FEET AND FACE WHERE THE WIND WAS BLOWING

ALL THE SNOW. THE OMELETE HAS ARRIVED. IT IS NICE AND WARM.

I AM WARMING UP QUICKLY. I MUST SIT HERE FOR AWHILE, WAITING FOR THE SNOW TO STOP.

THINKING ABOUT HITCHHIKING TO HIBBING IN THE MORNING. WE WILL SEE.

A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 2:

A ROUNDABOUT ROUTE TOWARDS SOUTHEAST ASIA:

CRUNCHED CRACKERS YET 

SITTING IN A PLASTIC BAG. CRUNCHING DRIED LEAVES 

WALKING ON GRASS AND PAVEMENT. THE 19TH OF

NOVEMBER

WAS THE NEXT DAY. THAT DAY WAS THE DAY OF MY

DEPARTURE.

SAMPAI JUMPA LAGI.

I must live in the moment. Do not let the planning and the

waiting 

drag on, must remain calm of mind.  Must remain calm of mind

in 

all works of nature and man. Yet, it has occurred to me that the

distance of one period of time and another seems to be, quite

often,

an unnerving obstrosity, in waiting for the arrival of a certain

point

of time so that I may witness the result of my expectations. I

needlessly expend energy. I admit, against my better judgement, 

time is often thought of as a dread obstacle. We are just specks of 

dust and time is an eternity. As such, I must understand that any 

impatience or exitement felt by me is verily quite superfluous. 

IT WAS 2:30 PM DULUTH MINNESOTA TIME 20TH NOVEMBER.I

WAS

SITTING IN THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION. A DULUTH TRANSIT 

AUTHORITY BUS WOULD PICK ME UP AT 5:00 TO BRING ME TO 

VIRGINIA MN. I WENT TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SINCE I HAD A

LONG 

WAIT FOR THE BUS. I ALSO PRACTICED MY TAI CHI CHUAN. I HAVE

NOW PRACTICED MY TAI CHI IN DULUTH, DAMP CEMENT, SPRINKLING

RAIN WITH SNOW FALLING JUST WEST OF DULUTH AND ARRIVING

HERE SOON. I HAD MY GREEN DUFFLE BAG WITH ME. THERE WOULD 

BE A BUS TO TAKE ME FROM VIRGINIA MN TO HIBBING MN IN THE

MORNING. 

THE NEXT MORNING I WAS AT THE BUS STOP IN VIRGINIA. THERE 

WAS A MAN THERE WHO HAD BEEN THERE LONG BEFORE I HAD

ARRIVED. HE HAD A CHILDISH MENTALITY. HE SPOKE AS A CHILD 

AND WAS PLAYING CHILD GAMES. HE WAS DRINKING SODAS AND 

IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS ON HIS THIRD SODA. HE ALSO HAD A FEW

BAGS OF CHIPS AND A CANDY BAR. BUS HAS ARRIVED.

IT WAS 10:00 AM HIBBING MN TIME  21ST NOVEMBER AND I WAS

SITTING AND WRITING THIS AT GRANDMA CICCHIS' HOUSE. AUTHOR 

POLUZARRI, AN OLD FRIEND OF MY GRANDMA WAS ALSO THERE.

AS A CHILD, I KNEW HIS SISTER WHO LIVED DIRECTLY ACROSS THE

STREET FROM GRANDMA IN THIS AREA OF HIBBING WHICH IS CALLED

BROOKLYN.  IT IS NAMED AFTER BROOKLYN, NEW YORK CITY BECAUSE

SO MANY ITALIANS SETTLED HERE FROM BROOKLYN TO WORK IN THE

OPEN PIT IRON ORE MINES NEAR VIRGINIA AND CHISOLM, JUST NORTH

OF HIBBING. WE ALSO LIVED ACROSS THE STREET FROM GRANDMA,

FOUR

HOUSES DOWN THE STREET. MANY OF THE HOUSES IN THIS AREA WERE

BUILT BY MY DAD AND GRANDPA. THEY COULD DO EVERYTHING . THEY

DID HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE DOING THE OUTER WALL FACADES THOUGH.

MY DADS' COUSIN, PETER TARAMELLI (HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO DRIVE

A CAR), WAS A STONE MASON WHO BUILT MANY BRICK WALLS AND

FIREPLACES

FOR HOMES AND BUSINESSES ON THE IRON RANGE. WHEN

I FIRST ARRIVED HERE, I SLEPT LONG AND DEEP. I MUST HAVE BEEN

EXHAUSTED. I WAS NOW RESTED AND READY TO LISTEN TO THE

CONVERSATIONS. VISITING GRANDMA CICCHI ALWAYS PROVIDED

OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR INTERESTING STORIES. ARTHUR POLUZARRI

AND GRANDMA WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WERE ALWAYS

CUTTING WOOD AND DID NOT HAVE TELEVISION. "WE DID NOT EVEN

HAVE A RADIO FOR HEAVENS SAKE." MR. POLUZZARI TAUGHT SOCIAL

STUDIES IN HIGH SCHOOL FROM 1935 UNTIL 1955. HE WAS ALSO TALKING

ABOUT HOW THEIR YARDS HAD NO GRASS. THEIR YARDS HAD LOTS OF 

GARDENS WITH VEGETABLES GROWING. GRANDMAS' GARDEN WAS HALF

GRASS AND HALF GARDEN. SHE GREW GARLIC, LETTUCE, TOMATOES,

LONG  GREEN BEANS, CUCUMBERS, AND ONIONS.

I WAS AT THE DAYS INN OF HIBBING. MY DAD ARRIVED FROM LAS VEGAS

NV AT 8:15 AM. HE WAS IN A NICER HOTEL BUT I WAS IN A DOUBLE ROOM.

THE NEWS PAPER WAS SLIPPED HALF WAY UNDERNEATH THE DOOR.

THE FREE BREAKFAST THAT COMES WITH THE PRICE OF THE ROOM WAS

THE BASIC CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST WITH EGGS AND CEREAL, BREAD,

AND A TOASTER. WITH THESE SIMPLE HOTEL BREAKFASTS, I DRINK A LOT 

OF THE FRUIT JUICES BEFORE EATING EGGS OR CEREAL. MY DAD WAS 

TALKING ABOUT HOW HE SENDS GRANDMA $500 EVERY MONTH. SHE

SAID THAT SHE DOES NOT NEED HIM TO SEND HER THAT MONEY. WHEN

SHE PASSED AWAY, I RECEIVED ABOUT 20 CLASS EE SAVINGS BONDS,FOR

ME, RAYHEND AND RENO. I HAVE THE IDEA THAT SHE BOUGHT ALL THE BONDS

WITH MONEY DAD SENT HER. SHE TELLS DAD "YOU DO NOT HAVE  TO SEND

ME ALL THE MONEY."

HE SAID; " I DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING". HE LAUGHED AT THAT.

IT IS 6:30 PM DULUTH MN TIME, 27TH OF NOVEMBER. I AM SITTING AND

WRITING THIS WHILE WATCHING HBO IN A $36 A NIGHT MOTEL ROOM

ONE MILE FROM THE DULUTH AIRPORT.  THE NEXT MORNING AT 0730, I

WILL WALK TO THE AIRPORT TO MEET THE FLIGHT TO LAX. MY DAD GAVE 

ME $200, GRANDMA GAVE ME $50, GREAT AUNT EDDIE GAVE ME $10.  I 

PAID FOR THE MOTEL ROOM WITH SOME OF THE MONEY.  AT 8:30 TONIGHT,

THE MOTEL ROOM TELEVISION WILL BE SHOWING THE GOLDEN CHILD ON

THE HBO STATION. I DECIDED TO WATCH THAT MOVIE AND THEN I WOULD

CALL VANESSA. RIGHT NOW THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL IS SHOWING THE

MIGRATION OF BLUE WHALES AND GREY WHALES. THE WHALES WERE

MIGRATING FROM THE BERING SEA DOWN TO THE TROPICAL WATERS 

OF MEXICO. 

A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE; CHAPTER 3:

FURTHER TOWARDS SOUTHEAST ASIA:

LAX VIA TARMAC OF DULUTH AIRPORT, LANDSCAPES OF TREES AND LAKES. CHICAGO SKYLINE, ROLLING AGRICULTURAL HILLS, MAJESTIC ROCKY MOUNTAINS, CONTINENTAL DIVIDE, A HUGE EXPANSE OF WHITE SNOW COVERING THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND THEN THE DESERT LANDS OF NEVADA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE HILLS JUST EAST OF LOS ANGELES, AND ULTIMATELY, LAX. 

IT WAS 5:30 AM LOS ANGELES TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LA CAMPUS. IT IS PEACFUL BEHIND THE PLANT PHYSIOLOGY BUILDING. I PRACTICED A PEACEFUL AND CHARMING  TAI CHI CHUAN AND TOOK A LONG REST. I WANTED TO STAY RIGHT THERE ON THE CAMPUS TAKING NAPS, SENDING OUT POST CARDS, CALLING VANESSA, DOING THE TAI CHI, FINDING PLACES TO EAT. I HAD NOT ARRANGED FOR A HOTEL ROOM SO I DECIDED THAT I MAY AS WELL SLEEP HERE WITH THE COMFORTABLE WEATHER, TREE COVER, AND THE CANVAS SPREAD THAT I HAD IN MY GREEN DUFFLE BAG. SO I LIVED ON THE UCLA CAMPUS FOR THREE DAYS UNTIL I HAD TO RETURN TO LAX FOR THE KOREAN AIRLINES FLIGHT TO ICN AIRPORT. 

SITTING AND WRITING THIS AT THE SUNSET THAI RESTAURANT AFTER WALKING DOWN SUNSET BOULEVARD FOR TWO HOURS. THE ROXY THEATRE, WHISKY A GO GO, TIFFANY THEATRE, GOOD THAI FOOD. NIEL YOUNG RECORDED A ROXY LIVE RECORDING. ALSO PERFORMING AT THE ROXY; BOB MARLEY, FRANK ZAPPA, VAN MORRISON, WARREN ZEVON, THE RAMONES, THE CRUSADERS, ETC. (I BETTER STOP BECAUSE THE LIST GOES ON AND ON). THE TIFFANY THEATRE WAS BOTH A PERFORMANCE THEATRE AND A MOVIE HOUSE OPENED IN 1966.HOWARD HESSMAN AND ROB REINER PERFORMED HERE IN THE COMMITTEE. IT BECAME A HUB FOR THE ROCKY HORRER PICTURE SHOW AT MIDNIGHTS ON THE WEEKEND AROUND 1977. I HESITATE TO MENTION MORE ABOUT THE WHISKY A GO GO BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE PERFORMED THERE; INCLUDING THE BYRDS, TAJ MAHAL, LED ZEPPELIN, PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC, THE DOORS, FLEETWOOD MAC... WAIT STOP, I BETTER NOT CONTINUE BECAUSE THE LIST IS EXTRAPHENOMENAL. IT WAS OPENED IN 1964.

WALKING DOWN WEST SUNSET BOULEVARD, SANTA MONICA, WEST HOLLYWOOD, ONE IS PROVIDED WITH VIEWS OF MULTIMILLION DOLLAR HOUSES; HOUSES OWNED BY ARAB PRINCES, MOVIE STARS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, ARCHITECTS, AND THE OCCASSIONAL ANONYMOUS MOBSTER. 

THE UCLA CAMPUS PROVED TO BE A GREAT BASE OF OPERATIONS. I TOOK NAPS IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE CAMPUS. I ALSO EXPLORED THE CAMPUS AND TOOK PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING BUILDINGS. I WAS USING ONE TIME PROCESSING, THROW AWAY CAMERAS. I WAS STORING MY GREEN BAG IN A STORAGE LOCKER AT THE ENGINEERING BUILDING WHERE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME. I WAS ABLE TO STORE MY BAG THERE WHILE I WANDERED THE STREETS OF VARIOUS LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SHOW AT THE ROXY THEATER THE NEXT NIGHT BUT I DID NOT GO. 

IT WAS DURING THIS STAY WHEN I FIRST VISITED THE ISKCON TEMPLE NEAR VENICE BEACH. IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS NEW DVARAKA. THE TEMPLE WAS ESTABLISHED BY A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPAD IN 1970. THERE IS A BHAGAVAD GITA MUSEUM THERE. THE ORIGINAL DVARAKA WAS THE KINGDOM WHERE THE PANDAVAS RULED; THE FAMILY OF LORD KRISHNA. I WALKED A COUPLE OF MILES EVERY DAY AND TOOK THE BUS BETWEEN UCLA AND THE TEMPLE. 3764 WATSEKA AVENUE IS THE ADDRESS OF NEW DVARAKA ISKCON TEMPLE. AFTER MORNING DARSHAN AND GOOD MEAL OF PRASADAM AT THE TEMPLE RESTAURANT (GOVINDAS), I TOOK AN EXTENSIVE WALK UP ROBINSON AVENUE INTO BEVERLY HILLS, AND INTO WEST HOLLYWOOD,  SANTA MONICA, AND TO THE SUNSET STRIP, THEN INTO AREAS THAT LOOKED LIKE LITTLE THAILAND AND LITTLE ISREAL. WHEN I GOT TIRED, I RETURNED TO THE UCLA CAMPUS BUT I NOTICED A FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING THAT HAD AN EMPTY FLOOR. IT WAS IDEAL FOR TAI CHI CHUAN SO I PRACTICED THERE WHERE THE FLOOR DID NOT HAVE ANY CARPET YET. I HAD NO FEAR OF THE STREETS OR BUILDINGS OF LOS ANGELES. 

IT WAS ABOUT 0700 LOS ANGELES TIME AND I JUST FINISHED MY TAI CHI CHUAN, THIS MORNING I PRACTICED THE TAI CHI ON SANTA MONICA BEACH. THIS WAS A WONDERFUL HALF HOUR EXPERIENCE. IT WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HAD NEVER PRACTICED ON THE BEACH BEFORE. THE SURFACE WITH DEEP, CLEAN SAND GRABBING MY FEET AND DOING HALF OF THE BALANCING WORK WAS EXHILARATING. THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT AND SPACE / TIME TOOK ON AN EXPANSIVE AND INEXPLICABLE CHARACTERISTIC. I ALSO WALKED FURTHER ALONG THE COAST TO VENICE BEACH WHICH WAS A HANG OUT PLACE FOR JIM MORRISON AND RAY MANZAREK OF THE DOORS. IT CAN EVEN BE SAID THAT THE IDEA OF THE DOORS WAS INITIATED THERE BECAUSE THEY MET THERE AND RAY MANZAREK DISCOVERED THE LYRICAL TALENT OF JIM MORRISON. THERE IS A HOSTEL IN THE AREA WITH $10 ROOMS WITH DORMITORY BEDDING AND $14 SEMI PRIVATE ROOMS. IF I EVER RETURN TO LA AS A BACKPACKER, I WOULD STAY THERE ALTHOUGH THE PRICES WILL PROBABLY RISE A BIT BY THE TIME I RETURN. 

A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 4:

FIRST EXCURSION INTO SOUTHEAST ASIA :

IT WAS 0800 LOS ANGELES TIME AT LAX. I WAS FEELING SLEEPY BUT FLIGHT 75 WOULD BE LEAVING AT

0925  SO  I DID NOT HAVE A LONG WAIT. I HAD THE BOARDING PASSES READY TO GET ME ON THE PLANE AND INTO BANGKOK THAILAND. 

ONCE ON THE PLANE I DID RELAX AND SLEEP QUITE A LOT BUT I ALSO WATCHED MOVIES. BY THE TIME

WE GOT TO ICN, I WAS FEELING SLEEPY AGAIN AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TIME IT WAS. I REMEMBERED

THE WHITE LIGHTS OF TOKYO JAPAN WHICH COVERED A MASSIVE EXPANSE OF LAND AND THE AMBER

COLORED LIGHTS OF SEOUL

SOUTH KOREA WHICH WE LANDED INTO. WHILE WE WERE IN ICN AIRPORT, I WAS HOT AND SWEATY SO

IT WAS NOT GOOD NEWS THAT OUR FLIGHT WOULD HAVE AN HOUR DELAY. IT WAS NOT TOO BAD

THOUGH, BECAUSE I DOSED OFF. THE ROOM WE WERE IN WAS A LARGE, SQUARE ROOM WITH ABOUT 20 ROLLS OF FOLDING CHAIRS

AND NO CARPET. THERE WAS NOTHING INTERESTING TO KEEP US ENTERTAINED SO IT WAS EASY TO

DOSE OFF.  I SAT VERY CLOSE TO THE PODIUM TYPE DESK ( THE ONLY OTHER PIECE OF FURNITURE IN

THE ROOM BESIDES THE CHAIRS  NEXT TO THE JETWAY LOADING BRIDGE. ) I REMEMBER THE CALL TO BOARD THE

PLANE AND EVERYBODY JUST QUEUED UP AND WE ENTERED THE PLANE IN THE ORDER WE HAD STOOD

IN THE LINE. 

IT WAS 3:10 BANGKOK THAILAND TIME. I WAS SITTING AND WRITING THIS AT THE ISKCON TEMPLE OF SAI PATTAY OSTHO NEAR THE GENERAL POST OFFICE ON NEW ROAD. I HAD MET A KRISHNA DEVOTEE AT THE TAIPEI TAIWAN AIRPORT WHICH WAS A STOP OVER LOCATION BETWEEN SEOUL KOREA AND BANGKOK THAILAND. WE DECIDED

TO MEET IN THE BANGKOK AIRPORT AND SHARE A TAXI TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE ISKCON TEMPLE AND SEARCH FOR IT TOGETHER. WE PAID ABOUT $4.25 EACH FOR THE TAXI RIDE. THE DRIVER WAS

FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT; QUICKLY GETTING US TO THE GENERAL POST OFFICE WHERE HE DROPPED US

OFF. WE FOUND THE TEMPLE BY ASKING PEOPLE IN THE STREET FOR "THE KRISHNA TEMPLE". IT TOOK ONLY ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO FIND THE TEMPLE. I WAS THEN ABLE TO REST;

TO SLEEP. I DID NOT SLEEP A LOT.

I DID SLEEP ABOUT THREE HOURS. FEELING GOOD...

SO I AT LEAST GOT A GOOD NAP.

COLD WATER BUCKET BATH...CLEAN...

SHAVED... CLEAN CLOTHS.

WE WERE ONLY ABOUT FOUR STREETS AWAY FROM THE GENERAL POST OFFICE. I WENT OUT AND

QUICKLY FOUND SOME POST CARDS TO COMMUNICATE WITH MY DAD, VANESSA, GRANDMA, AND MY GREAT AUNT EDDIE.

IT WAS ALMOST 0700 BANGKOK THAILAND TIME AND I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE MUCH TIME AT THE

TEMPLE AFTER MORNING KIRTAN AND THE MEAL OF PRASADAM. I CALCULATED WHAT I COULD

CONTRIBUTE TO

THE TEMPLE AND THEN I WENT OUT INTO THE EXCITEMENT OF BANGKOK. THE NEXT TIME I RETURN TO BANGKOK, I WILL LOOK UP ISKCON AGAIN TO SEE IF IT HAS GROWN OR MOVED ON TO A LARGER SPACE WHICH I EXPECT THAT IT WILL. 

I RETURNED TO THE SMALL ISKCON TEMPLE AS IT GOT DARK OUTSIDE. I WAS HOT AND SWEATY SO I HAD TO TAKE

A BATH. THEN I COULD EAT SOME PRASADAM AND REST THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. I SAT ALONE SO

I COULD WRITE ABOUT MY DAY IN BANGKOK. I WAS UP AND DOWN THE CHAO PRAYA AND I SPENT TIME

IN CHINATOWN. BANGKOK HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST CHINATOWNS IN THE WORLD. A LARGE

PERCENTAGE OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRANTS ARE OF THE TEOCHEW ETHNICITY. GUAN YU SHRINE IS WORTH VISITING

AS WELL AS SOME OF THE GREAT RESTAURANTS. 

AFTER WAKING UP, WE ALL ATTENDED ARATI AND KIRTAN. THESE TAKE ABOUT HALF AN HOUR HERE. IN LARGER TEMPLES, IT WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER. THERE ARE ONLY A FEW DEVOTEES IN THIS TEMPLE.

AFTER KIRTAN WE

HAD A BHAGAVAD GITA READING CLASS (ALSO ABOUT HALF AN HOUR)  AND THEN WE ATE BREAKFAST

PRASADAM. THEY WERE ASKING ME TO STAY AT THE TEMPLE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. OF COURSE, I COULD NOT STAY THAT LONG. I DECIDED TO STAY TWO MORE DAYS AS A COMPROMISE. I COULD NOT

STOP THINKING ABOUT A TRAIN RIDE FURTHER SOUTH. 

MY NEXT EXPLORATION IN BANGKOK BROUGHT ME UP THE CHAO PRAYA (MY FAVORITE WAY TO GET AROUND THE CITY). 

MY FIRST DESTINATION WAS THE SI SAO THEWES MARKET WHERE I HAD PREVIOUSLY PRACTICED MY

TAI CHI CHUAN. THIS MARKET IS IN THE DUSIT AREA OF BANGKOK. IT IS NEAR THE SUKITHAI PALACE

AND

THE DUSIT PALACE COMPLEX. THE MARKET IS A TYPICAL, LARGE MARKET WITH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

STALLS AND MERCHANDISE SHOPS SURROUNDING THE CITY BLOCK. THE PRICES OF THE FRUITS AND

VEGETABLES ARE

CLEARLY DISPLAYED BUT THEY ARE ALL IN THAI BHAT. AFTER I LEFT THE MARKET, I WALKED DOWN TO WHERE

THE GRAND PALACE IS LOCATED. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 40 MINUTES WALKING DOWN SAMSEN ROAD, PAST

A CANAL,

A 7-11, AND A SECOND CANAL TO  PHRA SUMEN ROAD.  THEN THERE WAS A RIGHT TURN TOWARDS  SOI LUMPHU WHICH MERGES INTO PHRA ATHIT ROAD. BY THIS TIME I WAS WALKING ALONG THE CHAO

PRAYA RIVER. I PASSED PHRA SUMEN FORT, PHRA PINKLAO BRIDGE, NATIONAL MUSEUM BANGKOK,

AND SILPAKOM UNIVERSITY.  

THE GRAND PALACE IS MAGNAFÍQUE WITH SEVERAL BUILDINGS OF BEAUTIFUL, TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE. I PAID THE ENTRANCE FEE WHICH MAY BE ABOUT $10 AT THE TIME. A LOT OF THIS

COMPLEX WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT AS THE RESIDENCE FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY OF THE KING OF SIAM

AROUND 1780. SINCE AROUND 1930, THIS COMPLEX HAS BEEN USED FOR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT

BUSINESS WITH  THE ROYAL FAMILY RESIDING AT THE

DUSIT PALACE COMPLEX.

AFTER I LEFT THE GRAND PALACE, I STARTED WALKING DOWN SAMAN CHAI ROAD TOWARDS WAT PO.  BEFORE I REACHED WAT PO, I ENTERED A VERY LARGE FIELD BECAUSE I ESPIED A MOUNTAIN OF GIANT SPEAKERS. THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE IN THE FIELD, EITHER STANDING AROUND OR MOVING ABOUT. 

THIS FIELD IS SARANROM PALACE PARK AND IT IS ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN THE GRAND PALACE AND WAT PO. SOME PEOPLE WERE PLAYING WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE A SOCCER BALL. THEY KICKED THE

BALL AS THEY WOULD

IN SOCCER AND THEY WOULD STRIKE IT WITH THEIR ELBOWS. THE CONTESTANTS FORMED A CIRCLE

WHILE THEY TRIED TO GET THE BALL INTO A NET THAT HANGS BETWEEN THREE HOOPS. IT WAS NICE RELAXING HERE

WATCHING THE GAME AND LISTENING TO THE LOUD MUSIC. AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS I WALKED TO

WAT PO.

THE WAT PO COMPLEX IS MASSIVE WITH BEAUTIFUL, TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE. IT HAS A THAI

MASSAGE SCHOOL, THE WORLD FAMOUS RECLINING BUDDHA, AND  MANY ARTWORKS. WAT PO IS ALSO CALLED THE

TEMPLE OF THE RECLINING BUDDHA. THE NAME WAT PO IS SHORT FOR WAT PHOTARAM. IT IS ONE OF

THE SIX "HIGHEST GRADE  OF FIRST CLASS ROYAL TEMPLES". THE ASHES OF KING RAMA I ARE INTERRED HERE BECAUSE HE HAD A LARGE PART OF THE COMPLEX BUILT SINCE 1788. AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS AT WAT PO,

I RETURNED TO

THE ISKCON TEMPLE TO PLAN MY TRIP TO KANCHANABURI. IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR A BIKE RIDE.

A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 8:

A SECOND GO AROUND IN BANGKOK BEFORE TRAVELING FURTHER SOUTH. 

I WALKED BANGKOK DOWN TO THE GROUND. NOT EVEN KRUNG THEP MAHANAKON

CAN SUBDUE ME. I WILL BE HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS MALAYSIA IN JUST TWO DAYS. THE ROOM I HAD AT FREDDIES GUEST HOUSE HAD A GOOD VIEW AND IT DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THE RESIDENT LIZARDS THAT ARE OFTEN SEEN IN MOTEL ROOMS. I THINK THEY ARE GECKOS. THE MOST WONDERFUL VIEW THAT I HAD SEEN OF BANGKOK WAS ON TOP OF THE GOLDEN MOUNT OF WAT SAKET. THE VIEW IS ENORMOUS. YOU CAN WALK ALL AROUND THE GOLDEN MOUNT. EVERY ROOF TOP IN BANGKOK CAN BE SEEN FOR MILES AROUND. THERE IS NO END TO THE VARIOUS SIZES, SHAPES, AND COLORS OF THE ROOFTOPS.

AFTER WAT SAKET, I WALKED TO LUMPINI PARK WHERE I PRACTICED MY TAI CHI CHUAN. LUMPINI PARK IS HUGE AND PEOPLE CAN EVEN RENT ROW BOATS AND ROW AROUND AN ISLAND IN THE LAKE. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF BRIDGES THAT PEOPLE CAN USE TO REACH THE ISLAND. OLDER PEOPLE CONGREGATE AT THE PARK. THERE ARE SEVERAL FOOD STALLS INSIDE THE PARK AND THERE IS A MARKET STREET JUST ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK. ONE MAN WAS JOGGING AROUNG THE PARK WITH A TIRE DRAGGING BEHIND HIM. HE TIED A ROPE AROUND HIS WAIST WITH THE TIRE TIED WITH THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE. I SAW ANOTHER MAN JOGGING WITH A VERY HIGH STEP AND HE LOOKED LIKE A DUCK WALKING UP HILL. EVERY TIME I DO MY TAI CHI CHUAN IN THIS PARK, A CAT COMES UP TO WATCH AND IT STAYS UNTIL I FINISH. 

THE GUIDEBOOK SAID THE POLICE PRESENCE IN THAILAND IS MINIMAL AND I FOUND THAT TO BE THE CASE. I DO SEE THEM NEAR "POLICE BOXES" AND DIRECTING TRAFFIC. THAT IS NEEDED OFTEN BECAUSE TRAFFIC CAN BE EXTREMELY HEAVY AND THERE ARE MANY INTERSECTIONS WITH NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS. TRAFFIC CAN LOOK LIKE A RIVER BREAKING THROUGH A DAM. 

TODAY I WAS EATING IN THE STREETS. I ATE WATERMELON, PAPAYA, COCONUT, CARVED UP PINEAPPLE, A SWEET BREAD, AND I FOUND OUT THAT THE COCONUT LIKE FRUIT THAT I HAD EATEN A FEW DAYS EARLIER WAS ACTUALLY A YOUNG COCONUT.IN CHINATOWN I BOUGHT A ROOTBEER AND A CAN OF WATERCRESS JUICE AT A MINIMART. I WOULD TIP 5 OR 10 BHAT IN RESTAURANTS ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT NECESSARY. THE STAFF MEMBERS DO NOT SEEM TO MIND A LITTLE EXTRA BEING LEFT FOR THEM ON THE TABLES. 5 OR 10 BHAT ARE ONLY A FEW CENTS ANYWAY. BUT THEN AGAIN, THE MEALS WERE COSTING ONLY TWO OR THREE DOLLARS. 

THERE IS A GOLDEN MOUNT THAT STANDS ON A ROCKY HILL. THERE ARE TOMBS ALL AROUND IT. THESE TOMBS ARE SIMILAR TO THE TOMBS IN KANCHI THAT I PHOTGRAPHED. I AM STILL WORRIED THAT THOSE PHOTOS MAY HAVE BEEN RUINED. WEALTH AND POVERTY EXIST RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. ABJECT POVERTY IS NOT HIDDEN FROM VIEW. I ONCE SAW A MAN ON SILOM ROAD WHO HAD NO RIGHT HAND AND NO RIGHT FOOT BUT HE WAS STILL ABLE TO PLAY CARATELAS. HE TIED THE CARATELAS TO HIS WRISTS AND ANKLES. HE ALSO PLAYED THE HARMONICA. I BOUGHT SOME SWEETS AT A STREET STALL THERE AND I GAVE THE CHANGE TO THAT MAN. HE FOUND A VERY INOVATIVE WAY TO MAKE MONEY EVEN WITH HIS GREAT HANDICAP SO I MADE IT A POINT TO CONTRIBUTE A LITTLE TO HIS WELL BEING. I WAS ALWAYS WALKING BY CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT BANGKOK. WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE OFTEN INVOLVED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION. IT IS A VERY EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE BUILDING BUILDING BUSINESS HERE. THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF PRETTY BOARDS WITH CHAIRS. I THOUGHT THEY WERE FOR PICNICS IN THE PARKS AND ON SIDEWALKS BUT EVENTUALLY I SAW MEN PLAYING CHESS ON THEM. THEY OFTEN USED BOTTLE CAPS FOR THE GAMES. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO PLAY CHESS WITH BOTTLE CAPS THAT WOULD LOOK THE SAME AS ALL THE OTHER BOTTLE CAPS SO MAYBE THEY WERE PLAYING CHECKERS. MARBLE CHESS BOARDS ARE OFTEN DISPLAYED IN STORE WINDOWS. THAT WAS ALL I MANAGED FOR THIS VISIT TO BANGKOK. NEXT, THE TRIP TO HUA HIN.

A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 9:

ARRIVAL INTO HUA HIN.

HUA HIN SEEMS TO BE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE COMPARED TO PLACES LIKE PATTAYA OR PHUKET. THAI ROYAL FAMILIES HAD SUMMER PALACES HERE SO THIS IS KNOWN AS THE BEACH GETAWAY OF THE ROYALS. NIGHTLIFE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE MORE LAID BACK HERE THAN IN BANGKOK AND OTHER TOURIST DESTINATIONS. MANY EX-PATS LIVE HERE. THERE ARE MODERN HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS HERE WHILE RETAINING ITS ECONOMICALLY VIABLE FISHING TRADE.

HUA HIN IS A VERY CHARMING PLACE AROUND THE SOFITEL HOTEL AND THE SUNEE GUESTHOUSE WHERE I STAYED. I DID NOT QUICKLY FIND THE GUESTHOUSE MENTIONED IN THE GUIDE BOOK I HAD SO I FOUND A SIGN THAT SAYED 100-200 BHAT FOR NIGHT. THERE WAS AN OLD LADY SITTING ON A COT IN FRONT OF THE GUESTHOUSE AND SHE MOTIONED TO THE SIGN, NODDING HER HEAD. THE PRICE WAS RIGHT AND I COULD NOT RESIST IMMEDIATE RELAXATION SO WHEN A YOUNG GIRL POINTED TO A COUPLE OF ROOMS, I CHOSE THE ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR. SUNEE GUESTHOUSE WAS VERY PLEASANT WHEN I STAYED THERE. IT TOOK THE BUS ONLY THREE HOURS TO ARRIVE INTO HUA HIN FROM BANGKOK. I FOUND AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWS PAPER THAT IS CALLED "THE NATION" WITH WORLD NEWS. HUA HIN IS ON THE COAEST OF THE GULF OF THAILAND. IT HAS BEAUTIFUL GREEN WATER BUT IT IS SAID TO BE POLLUTED. THEREFORE, I DID NOT SWIM IN IT BUT I DID WALK DOWN HUA BEACH, OFTEN WADING IN THE SHALLOW WAVES. I WALKED AS FAR AS THE AREA WHERE THERE IS A HILL WITH A GOLD COLORED BUDDHA. IT IS A SMALL MOUNTAIN OR A LARGE HILL. THE BUDDHA IS RATHER LARGE BUT IT IS CALLED THE BUDDHA SHRINE PRACHUAP. I TOOK ONE PHOTO EVERY TIME I WOULD STOP TO RELAX. THE BUDDHA STATUE WAS LARGER IN EACH PHOTO. WALKING ALONG THE COAST SOUTH OF HUA HIN / PEOPLE PLAYING VOLLEYBALL / CHILDREN PLAYING SOCCER / FAST WALKING MAN / TWO JOGGERS / PEOPLE DIGGING INTO THE SAND / BARKING DOG / SAND TOWER CONSTRUCTION. THERE ARE MANY DOGS IN THE STREETS BUT THEY GENERALLY LOOK HEALTHIER AND CLEANER THAT THOSE IN MANY COUNTRIES LIKE MEXICO. THEY SEEM MORE DOCILE TOO. MAYBE THEY ARE BUDDHIST DOGS. I ATE AT A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT CALLED KHAN SEAFOOD. IT WAS A WONDERFUL PLATE OF FRESH CRABS ON A BED OF RICE WITH GREENS AND SAUCE. WITH PINEAPPLE JUICE, ONE BEER, AND BOTTLED WATER, THE COST WAS 156 BHAT WHICH WAS ABOUT $6.10 (AROI MAK). 

I WAS VERY HAPPY HERE SO I DID NOT MIND WHEN IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE AND IT TOOK LONGER THAT I EXPECTED BECAUSE THE GIRL WHO HAD SHOWN ME THE ROOMS, SLEPT IN AND DID NOT APPEAR UNTIL 0900. BEFORE GOING TO THE BUS STOP, I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE TO MAIL A POST CARD TO VANESSA. I FIRST FOUND AIR CONDITIONED BUSES TO KRABI BUT THESE WERE VIP BUSES THAT COST 500 BHAT TO GET THERE. I DID NOT LIKE THE PRICE SO I WENT OVER TO THE TRAIN STATION AND FOUND A TRAIN TO SURAT THANI THAT WOULD LEAVE FIVE HOURS EARLIER THAN THE BUS AND IT WOULD COST ONLY 150 BHAT. A SLEEPER CAR WOULD COST 300 BHAT. I WENT TO EAT SOMETHING AT 12:00 AND THEN WENT TO THE TRAIN STATION TO WAIT FOR THE DEPARTURE AT 1600. 

I DID SURVIVE THE TRAIN RIDE. NOW I KNOW HOW MUSLIMS PRAY ON A MOVING TRAIN. NOW I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO TAKE A TWELVE HOUR TRAIN RIDE IN THIRD CLASS. AND I CAME TO KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SLEEP IN A TEMPLE COMPLEX. I MET TWO PEOPLE ON THE TRAIN. ONE MAN TRIED TO MAKE HIMSELF TO BE A MONK AND INVITED ME TO HIS VILLAGE. I WAS CONSIDERING IT BUT HE REALLY DID NOT SEEM LIKE A REAL MONK AND THEN ANOTHER MAN SAT NEXT TO ME AND HE WAS WEARING A MONKS ROBE AND HE INVITED ME SPECIFICALLY TO A TEMPLE SO I ACCEPTED HIS INVITATION. WE GOT OFF THE TRAIN AT PHATTHALUNG AND CAUGHT A BEMO TO ARRIVE AT THE WAT WHERE HE STAYED. WE FIRST MET WITH THE HEAD MONK OF THE TEMPLE AND THEN WE FOUND OUR HUT WHERE WE WERE TO SLEEP. THERE ARE SEVERAL SMALL BUNGALOW TYPE HUTS LIKE THIS WHERE THE OTHER MONKS SLEPT. IN THIS HUT WERE A LOT OF RELIGIOUS PHOTOS, A TAPE PLAYER WITH LOTS OF TAPES, ROBES HANGING ON A CLOTHS LINE, ANTS ON THE WOOD PLANK FLOOR, MOSQUITOS BUZZING AROUND SINCE THERE WERE NO SCREENS ON THE OPEN WINDOWS, DRINKING GLASSES, AND A WATER PERCOLATOR FOR MAKING INSTANT COFFEE OR CHINESE TEA, 

THE TRAIN RIDE WAS INTERESTING AS LONG AS THE SUN WAS UP BUT WHEN THE SUN WAS DOWN, IT WAS JUST ONEROUS. I HAD TO RIDE THIRD CLASS BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO SECOND CLASS SEATS WHEN I ASKED FOR THEM. AT LEAST I REACHED SOUTHERN THAILAND ON THE RAPID TRAIN FOR ONLY 130 BHAT WHICH WAS ABOUT $5.50 AT THE TIME. I DOZED OFF FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS ON THE TRAIN. WHEN THE NEXT DAY BEGAN, WE WERE ON MOTORCYCLES THAT WE HIRED IN THE TOWN, PHATALUNG, HEADING TO THE TEMPLE AND I TOOK A SHOWER IMMEDIATLY AFTER ARRIVING. THE MONKS BROUGHT ME SOME FOOD THAT WAS MADE BY SOME OF THE VILLAGE HOUSEHOLDS. THE MONKS EAT IN THE EARLY MORNING AND THEN ANY GUESTS AT THE TEMPLE WILL EAT SOME. I ATE AS MUCH AS I COULD BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO INSULT ANY OF THE WOMEN WHO BROUGHT THE FOOD TO THE TEMPLE BY NOT TRYING THEIR DISH. THERE WAS EVEN SOME DESSERT. SOME OF THE BOWLS HAD MEAT AND I JUST ATE THE VEGETABLES FROM THOSE BOWLS. AFTER I ATE, THE HEAD MONK INVITED ME TO HIS PRIVATE HUT NEXT TO THE CEMETARY. AT ONE SIDE OF THE CEMETARY IS AN AREA WHERE BONES ARE STORED AND SMALL STUPAS MARK THE PLACES WITH THE BONES. THE HEAD MONK GAVE ME SOME TANGERINES AND WATERMELON TO EAT SO I ATE SOME AS ANOTHER DESSERT. I WAS THEN SHOWN AROUND THE TEMPLE COMPLEX AND THEN I WAS LED TO AN ENGLISH CLASS WITH STUDENTS OF AROUND 16 0R 17 YEARS OLD. I STOOD IN FRONT OF THE CLASS WITH THE HEAD MONK AND THE STUDENTS ASKED ME MANY QUESTIONS IN BROKEN ENGLISH AND I ANSWERED THEM SLOWLY TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD UNDERSTAND. 

THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE SPIDER HANGING FROM A TREE BRANCH JUST OUTSIDE THE WINDOW. IT IS UNUSUALLY BEAUTIFUL. I WAS SURROUNDED BY BUDDHIST TEXTS BEING RECITED, COWS, RICE FIELDS, COLORFUL MUSHROOMS GROWING WILD, AND MOSQUITOS. AT LEAST I HAD A MOSQUITO NET TO SLEEP UNDER THE SECOND NIGHT I WAS AT THE TEMPLE BECAUSE I SLEPT IN THE HEAD MONKS HUT. THERE WAS TO BE A CREMATION CEREMONY THE NEXT DAY BUT I INTENDED TO TRAVEL SOUTH INTO MALAYSIA. BEFORE I HEADED SOUTH TOWARDS MALAYSIA, I VISITED A CAVE TEMPLE WITH SEVERAL SHRINES. IT IS IN A MOUNTAIN THAT HAS A WALKWAY WHICH IS STEEP AND MAZE LIKE LEADING UP THE MOUNTAIN. FIGURES OF MONKS WHO HAVE LIVED AND DIED THERE ARE COMMON. ONE WALKWAY LEADS DOWN TO A POOL OF WATER. 

A TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 10:

I LOST SOME MONEY.

I AM ANGRY THAT I AM MISSING A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS STOLEN OR IF I LOST IT. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I THINK I HAVE ABOUT $200 LESS THAN I SHOULD. I BACKTRACKED TO THE PLACES WHERE I HAD BEEN THE PREVIOUS DAY AND FOUND NOTHING. I DID NOT FEEL LIKE DOING ANYTHING ELSE IN HUA HIN SO I JUST RELAXED UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO GO FURTHER SOUTH TO HAT YAI. I WAS GOING TO ADD AN AI PARAGRAPH HERE ABOUT HAT YAI BUT WHEN I DID, IT COMPLETELY REPLACED WHAT I HAD ALREADY WRITTEN HERE. I DID NOT WANT THAT SO I REVERSED THAT ACTION. THE AI PARAGRAPH CALLED HAT YAI AS A BUSTLING CITY WITH GREAT TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE. IT TOUTED ITS GOOD RESTAURANTS AND GOOD HOTELS. ANYWAY, I THOUGHT I WOULD ADD AN AI PARAGRAPH SINCE I DID NOT HAVE MUCH TO INCLUDE HERE ABOUT HAT YAI ON THIS BLOG.  BUT I CAN SAY THAT IT IS A GREAT PLACE FOR WALKING AROUND.

WHEN I GOT TO HAT YAI,  I FOUND A GUESTHOUSE CALLED CATHAY GUESTHOUSE. CATHAY GUESTHOUSE IS AT 93 NIPHAT UTHIT 2 ROAD AND IT IS GOOD AS A BACKPACKER HAVEN. I WAS OFFERED A GIRL FOR 1,200 BHAT WHICH WAS ABOUT $48 BUT I DECLINED THE OFFER. I DID TAKE A ROOM FOR 120 BHAT AND WAS QUITE PLEASED THAT IT WAS A DECENT ROOM THAT EVEN INCLUDED A SHOWER. I LIKED THE CHEAP ROOM. IT HAS AVERAGE REVIEWS BUT THE STAFF MEMBERS ARE FRIENDLY AND SOME EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH. IT HAS PLACES WHERE WASHED CLOTHS CAN BE HUNG  UNTIL DRY. AFTER I GOT SETTLED IN, I WENT TO THE BUS DEPOT TO BUY TICKETS  FOR A TOURIST CLASS RIDE SOUTH TO PENANG MALAYSIA. I PLANNED TO LEAVE THE NEXT MORNING. AFTER ALL, WHAT IS IN HAT YAI? LOL...  HAT YAI MEANS BIG MAHAT TREE (MAHAT YAI). THE BIG MAHAT TREE IS RELATED TO JACKFRUIT TREES. THERE IS A POST OFFICE SO I BOUGHT A POST CARD AND SENT IT TO VANESSA. I PAID 200 BHAT FOR THE RIDE TO PENANG WITH A SHARE TAXI WITH A/C. I SPENT THE AFTERNOON WALKING AROUND THE TOWN. I NOTICED THE  BARBERSHOP POLES. THERE  ARE A LOT. MOST ARE REVOLVING. AND THEY ARE OF SEVERAL COLORS AND DESIGNS. THERE IS A LARGE VARIETY OF BARBERSHOP POLES. THERE ARE SEVERAL MARKETS IN HAT YAI. IN FACT, IT IS A PARADISE FOR BARGIN HUNTERS BECAUSE IT IS A COMMERCIAL HUB CLOSE TO THE BORDER WITH MALAYSIA THAT HAS ITS GREENWAY NIGHT MARKET AND HATYAI STREET  STALLS. HAT YAI HAS A STRONG MALAY INFLUENCE DUE TO MALAYSIA BEING A MUSLIM COUNTRY 

WITH A SOURCE FROM ARABIC  AND TAMIL TRADERS.  ABOUT 405,000 PEOPLE LIVE HERE.   I THINK IT IS CITY NUMBER FIVE FOR ITS SIZE IN THAILAND. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A VERY SAFE PLACE TO EXPLORE BUT BOMBINGS ARE RELATIVLY COMMON HERE SO I GUESS VISITORS SHOULD BE WATCHFUL FOR STRANGE ACTIVITIES. STILL, I FOUND THE CITY TO BE SAFE.        HAT YAI IS 135 MILES (216 KILOMETERS)  FROM PENANG SO IT TAKES JUST OVER THREE HOURS TO ARRIVE THERE. ACTUALLY, IT COULD TAKE FOUR HOURS TO REACH PENANG IF YOU STOP AT THE GREAT RESTAURANT A FEW MILES INTO MALAYSIA. IT IS A BUFFET STYLE RESTAURANT WITH WONDERFUL MALAY FOODS.

 .

TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE; CHAPTER 11:

PENANG MALAYSIA AS THE GATEWAY  TO INDONESIA.

IT WAS A STRANGE SOUND AT FIRST, FAR AWAY AND FOREIGN. I WAS FULLY AWAKE WHEN I RECOGNIZED THE MELODY AS THE ADHAN WHICH I HAD NOT HEARD IN A LONG TIME. THE SONOROUS MUSLIM CALL TO PRAYER BECAME MORE FAMILIAR AS I WOKE. I THOUGHT OF PENANG AS THE STOP OVER PLACE TO RELAX BEFORE VENTURING INTO SUMATRA. I GREW TO LOVE IT THOUGH. I CONSIDERED THE TOWN AS PENANG AS WELL AS THE ISLAND (AS SINGAPORE WOULD BE) BUT THE TOWN IS ACTUALLY GEORGETOWN. THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE IS ABOUT 90 AND THE AVERAGE LOW IS ABOUT 75 DEGREES. PERFECT WEATHER TO ME, PERFECT WEATHER FOR ME. GEORGETOWN IS MULTICULTURAL WITH DISTINCT CHINESE, MALAY,AND TAMIL NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH INCLUDE MANY BRITISH COLONIAL BUILDINGS. THE POPULATION IS AROUND 225,000 RESIDENTS. I WAS STILL UPSET ABOUT LOSING THE MONEY I HAD LOST SO I MADE A PLAN TO SPEND MOST OF MY TIME HERE IN PENANG AND ESPECIALLY IN VERY INEXPENSIVE SUMATRA. IN RETROSPECT, THIS TURNED OUT TO BE FOR THE BEST. THERE WAS A FERRY THAT I TOOK FROM BUTTERWORTH, ACROSS THE CHANNEL, TO THE PORT OF PENANG. TERMINAL FERI BUTTERWORTH WILL TAKE YOU TO PENGKALAN RAJA TUN UDA FERRY TERMINAL AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF GEORGETOWN. DURING THESE FIRST YEARS OF TRAVEL, I NEVER BOOKED HOTELS AHEAD OF TIME SO, AS USUAL, I LOOKED AROUND FOR A PLACE TO STAY. I FOUND THE NEW CHINA HOTEL AND PAID 65 RINNGIT WHICH IS JUST SHY OF $3.00 A NIGHT.  AFTER ONE NIGHT AT NEW CHINA HOTEL, I MOVED TO WAN HAI HOTEL. I PAID AN EVEN 6 RINNGIT. THEY ARE AT 35 LOVE LANE. IT IS A BREAD AND BREAKFAST WITH A "GOOD" RATING OF 6.2 ON AGODA.COM, WHICH I WOULD AGREE WITH. I MOSTLY ATE MIE KARI WHICH ALWAYS HAD NOODLES IN A CURRY BROTH WITH EITHER TEMPE OR SEAFOOD ADDED. 

I MET A CHINESE / MALAY WOMAN WHO I THOUGHT MAY HAVE BEEN DISTURBED MENTALLY. SHE GAVE ME A CARD WITH AN IMAGE OF BUDDHA AND SHE ALSO GAVE ME A BUDDHA  PENDANT ON A CHEAP CHAIN. SHE SEEMED INTELLIGENT BUT SHE WAS CLAIMING TO BE TELEPATHIC. I WAS THINKING THAT I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID HER BECAUSE SHE WAS A LOT LIKE SHAKABUKU KING IN BOULDER COLORADO. HE WAS A HOMELESS MAN WHO ACTED LIKE A PROPHET OF  SORTS AND HE WOULD ALWAYS MANAGE TO FIND ME  WHEN I WAS OUT AND ABOUT TOWN. IF YOU MEET SHAKABUKU KING AND TELL HIM YOUR BIRTHDAY (YES, HE WILL ASK YOU FOR IT), THEN YOU MEET HIM 5 YEARS LATER, HE WILL REMEMBER YOU, HE WILL SAY HELLO,  AND THEN HE WILL SAY YOUR BIRTHDAY.  HE HAD A FREAKY ABILITY THAT I WITNESSED SEVERAL TIMES. I ONCE RETURNED TO BOULDER AFTER BEING AWAY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND HE REMEMBERED ME BY CALLING ME BY MY BIRTHDAY. HE COULD ALSO TALK FOR HOURS WHICH IS WHY I WANTED TO AVOID HIM AND WHY I WANTED TO ESCAPE FROM THIS WOMAN IN PENANG. I APPEASED HER BY TELLING HER THAT SHE WAS VERY INTERESTING AND THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO TALK WITH HER AGAIN, "I HAVE TO GO TAKE PHOTOS BUT MY HOTEL IS IN THE AREA AND I WILL BE HERE FOR ONE WEEK."

I TOOK A BUS RIDE DOWN THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF PENANG ISLAND AFTER A LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING THE CORRECT BUS. IT IS PROBABLY BEST TO LEAVE EARLY IN THE MORNING TO SEARCH FOR THE CORRECT BUS. I PAID 1.20 MALAYSIAN RINGGIT TO TRAVEL DOWN TO BATU MAUNG. IT COST 1.75 TO RIDE THE BUS BACK UP TO THE KOMTOR BUILDING. I TOOK QUITE A FEW PHOTOS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE AND HAD A NICE CONVERSATION WITH THE BUS DRIVER. HE GAVE ME FIVE LIMES AND OFFERED TO ACT AS A GUIDE IF I WANTED TO BE SHOWN AROUND THE ISLAND. ONE OF THE LIMES WAS AS LARGE AS A CHICKEN EGG AND IT WAS SHAPED LIKE ONE. I HAD NEVER SEEN AN OVAL LIME BEFORE BUT I HAD ONE HERE.

THERE IS A VAISNAVA TEMPLE IN GEORGETOWN AND I DID STAY THERE A FEW DAYS. THEY HAVE BUDDHA AND QUAN YIN MURTIS IN THEIR ALTAR ROOM BESIDES SOME MURTIS USED BY ISKCON. I BELIEVE THIS TEMPLE IS AN OFF SHOOT OF ISKCON THAT SEEKS TO INCOPORATE VAISNAVA RELIGION WITH BUDDHISM. I WAS STILL AT THE WAN HAI HOTEL WHEN I FIRST VISITED THIS TEMPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A RATHA YATRA FESTIVAL WHEN THE DEVOTEES AND LOCAL RESIDENTS DO PARIKRAM AROUND GEORGTOWN. THIS IS LIKE A PARADE WITH THE TEMPLE DIETIES CARRIED IN FRONT OF THE PROCESSION AND THE DEVOTEES DANCING AND CHANTING AROUND THE DIETIES. HUGE VATS OF DELICIOUS PRASADAM WERE BROUGHT BY THE DEVOTEES TO FEED EVERYBODY WHO ATTENDED THE RATHA YATRA. WAN HAI HOTEL IS VERY CLOSE TO THE TEMPLE WHICH IS ON JALAN PENANG.

I ALSO ATE AT A MUSLIM STREET CAFE FOR LUNCH. A LARGE MURTABAK AND CURRY SAUCE WITH POTATO AND A STARFRUIT JUICE COST ONLY THREE RINGGIT 50 SEN FOR EVETYTHING. THIS WAS DURING A TRIP TO A SNAKE TEMPLE. IT IS ACTUALLY THE TEMPLE OF THE AZURE CLOUDS. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL CHINESE TEMPLE THAT IS PROBABLY TAOIST. THE CENTRAL ALTAR HAS A BLUE SKY BEHIND IT, WHITE CLOUDS, INCENSE, AND GODDESS SURROUNDED BY SNAKES. THERE WERE FOUR SNAKES ON THE ALTAR. THERE ARE ALSO A FEW OTHER SNAKES IN THE TEMPLE BUT I DID NOT ENCOUNTER THEM. THESE SNAKES ARE CONSIDERED THE REINCARNATION OF BUDDHIST MONK MASTER QINGSHUI. THE TEMPLE OF THE AZURE CLOUDS, BUILT IN HONOR OF MASTER QINGSHUI, IN 1805,  IS ACTUALLY BETWEEN BAYAN BARU AND BAYAN LEPAS WHICH ARE ABOUT ONE HOUR SOUTH OF GEORGETOWN. THE TEMPLE COMPLEX HAS SEVERAL ROOMS WITH ALTARS, A GARDEN, TOILETS, FOOD STALLS, AND A GIFT SHOP OR TWO. I BOUGHT A STRAND OF BUDDHIST CHANTING BEADS WITH A RED TASSEL AND A CHOKER WITH AN ELEPHANT AMULET. THESE TWO ITEMS COST 25 RINGGIT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT NINE DOLLARS AT THE TIME. IT WAS AN ORDEAL TO FIND THE BUS WHEN I WANTED TO RETURN TO GEORGETOWN. IT TOOK ABOUT ONE HOUR OF WAITING FOR THE BUS. THERE IS A BUS STOP NEAR THE SNAKE TEMPLE AND I HAD TO GO THERE AND WAIT FOR BUS 66. 

I THINK PENANG IS AN IDEAL PLACE TO LIVE. FISHERMAN PIER WITH FOOD STALLS, PRETTY SEA SHELLS LYING ON THE BEACH. NEIGHBORHOODS STEEPED IN ANCIENT CULTURE, AND FOODS THAT I WILL ALWAYS CRAVE TO EAT AGAIN. THERE ARE SOME OPEN SEWER GUTTERS HERE AND THERE IN GEORGETOWN WITH AN OCCASIONAL LARGE RAT ENCOUNTERED BUT THEY CAN BE AVOIDED BY THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEM UNBEARABLE. SUCH DRAINS AND RATS ARE NOT REALLY UNBEARABLE THOUGH. JUST GET USED TO THEM. ANOTHER THING TO BE CAREFUL FOR ARE THE PURSE SNATCHERS. THEY WILL RIDE CLOSLY PAST A LADY, GRAB HER PURSE, AND TAKE OFF FASTER ON THE MOTORCYCLE. IF THE STREET IS TO YOUR LEFT, CARRY THE PURSE ON YOUR RIGHT. 

ONE MORNING I DRANK A BUAH-BUAH WHICH IS A FRUIT JUICE SODA. I LOVED IT. THEN I PRACTICED MY TAI CHI CHUAN IN A SMALL, CUTE PARK. A MAN CAME TO ME AND TRIED TO TALK WITH ME BEFORE I FINISHED. WHEN I FINISHED THE TAI CHI, HE WAS STILL THERE. IT TURNS OUT THAT HE WAS GAY, ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD, AND HE ASKED ME TO STAY AT HIS HOME ON BURMA STREET. HE TOLD ME THAT I HAVE A STRONG BODY. I TOLD HIM THAT I COULD NOT BECAUSE I AM NOT GAY AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT. 

I TOOK A BUS UP A HIGH PASS TO AYER ITAM. I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE WEAK LOOKING BUSES COULD MAKE IT THROUGH THE PASS. AYER ITAM IS WEST OF GREORGETOWN ABOUT SIX KILOMETERS WHICH IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILES. PENANG HILL AND KEK LOK SI TEMPLE IS THERE. THE SCENERY IS GREAT AND IT INCLUDES FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FARMS. ITAM IS FROM HITAM WHICH MEANS BLACK.  I GUESS THE RIVER HERE HAS DARK, MURKY WATER. KEK LOK SI TEMPLE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST TEMPLES IN MALAYSIA. MANY OF THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOUND AT THE MARKETS IN GEORGETOWN ARE GROWN AROUND HERE. PEPPER AND NUTMEG HAVE ALSO BEEN CULTIVATED HERE SINCE AROUND 1788. I ALSO SAW A LOT OF HOUSES ON STILTS. IT IS A  VILLAGE OF CHINESE FAMILIES. THE HOUSES WERE BUILT ON FETTIES AND EACH JETTIE HAS HOUSES BUILT BY SPECIFIC CLANS. TOURISTS CAN VISIT THE CLAN JETTIE CALLED CHEW JETTIE. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER TEMPLES LIKE SHAN DIN DI MU NIANG NIANG AND BEOW HIANG LIM, AND SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN TEMPLES. THE LATTER TEMPLE HAS SHRINES FOR SHIVA, LAKSMI, GANESH, KRISNA, AND HANUMAN. EVERYBODY IS REPRESENTED THERE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER COOL THINGS HERE LIKE BATS CAVE TEMPLE, PENANG HILL BAT CAVE TRAIL, AND A FUNICULAR SERVICE. KEK LOK SI TEMPLE HAS A BEAUTIFULLY ORNAMENTED TOWER WITH  SEVEN LEVELS THAT YOU CAN CLIMB. IT HAS MURTIS OF BUDDHA WITH EVERY POSITION AND MUDRA YOU CAN IMAGINE. IT IS THE PAGODA OF 10,000 BUDDHAS. THERE IS A MURTI OF GUANYIN (KUAN YIN), THE GODDESS OF MERCY, AND IT IS VERY TALL; 120 FEET HIGH (ABOUT 37 METERS). THERE ARE SEVERAL PAGODAS HERE WITH MANY STALLS WHERE TOURIST ITEMS ARE SOLD. THERE IS ALSO A VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT ON THE GROUNDS. THERE IS A LIBERATION POND WITH SO MANY TURTLES THAT I WOULD NOT EVEN BEGIN TO COUNT THEM. I PAID 1.40 RINGGIT FOR THE BUS 81 RIDE UP THE MOUNTAIN  BUT I HAD TO WAIT FOR BUS 79 TO RETURN TO GEORGETOWN. THE BUS STOP IS LOCATED JUST TWO OR THREE BLOCKS FROM THE TEMPLE COMPLEX. IT IS IN FRONT OF A SHOP SO I BOUGHT AN IKAN BILIS WHICH COST 50 SEN. IKAN BILIS IS A SERVING OF DRIED ANCHOVIES WHICH SERVED AS A GOOD SNACK. WHEN I RETURNED TO GEORGETOWN, I ATE A FULL MEAL AT LOKE THYE KEE RESTAURANT WHICH IS ONE OF THE OLDEST RESTAURENTS ON PENANG ISLAND. THE MENU INCLUDES TRADIONAL MALAY DISHES THAT STEM FROM NONYA, CHINESE, MALAY, AND INDIAN TRADITONS. I PAID SEVEN RINGGIT FOR POSSIBLY THE MOST INTENSE FISH CURRY I HAVE EVER EATEN. THIS RESTAURANT IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF BURMA STREET AND PENANG ROAD. IT HAS A COOL BALCONY WHERE YOU CAN EAT, OVERLOOKING THE STREETS AND KOMPTOR WALK WITH KOMPTOR TOWER CAN ALSO BE SEEN FROM HERE. KOMPTOR WALK IS A LOCATION WITH SEVERAL RESTAURANTS. 

I HEARD LOUD POUNDING. I WENT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS. IT WAS AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE. THEY WERE USING MACHINES TO POUND DOWN ON REALLY LONG CEMENT TUBES THAT WERE PLACED IN HOLES. IN THIS CASE, I SAW THREE TUBE POUNDING MACHINES THAT DID NOT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. WERE THEY DIFFERENT MODELS? ONE OF THE TUBE POUNDING MACHINES MADE PUFFS OF BLACK SMOKE THAT POLLUTED THE AIR IN THE AREA LIKE A LARGE COAL BURNING TRAIN ENGINE. I SAT ON A HILL ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CONSTRUCTION SITE AND WATCHED THE ACTIVITES. THE OTHER TWO POUNDING MACHINES DID NO AIR POLLUTING. THEY POUNDED THE TALL TUBES JUST LIKE A GIANT SLEDGE HAMMER. THE AIR POLLUTING POUNDING MACHINE HAD A CYLINDER THAT SLID DOWN THE TALL CEMENT TUBES EMITTING THE PUFFS OF BLACK SMOKE AND ON THE WAY BACK UP, THE CEMENT TUBE WAS POUNDED DOWN FURTHER.EACH OF THE POUNDING MACHINES HAD DIFFERENT STYLES OF HOLDING APPARATUSES WITH WHICH THEY KEPT THE TUBES IN PLACE. I WROTE EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THEM IN MY JOURNAL AND I WILL KEEP THAT PAGE IN MY JOURNAL IN CASE ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN KNOWING EVERYTHING I WROTE. I DID NOT WANT TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING HERE BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO BORE ANYBODY WITH TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONS. 

RATHER THAN GOING STRAIGHT TO INDONESIA, I DECIDED TO RETURN TO PHATHALUNG THAILAND. I WAS THINKING THAT I MAY HAVE LOST MY MONEY AT THE TEMPLE COMPLEX WHERE I STAYED. I HAD BEEN IN SOUTHEAST ASIA FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS AND I HAD NOT SEEN ANY REAL RAIN. IT RAINED THE DAY I RETURNED TO PHATHALUNG. IT RAINED A LITTLE BETWEEN PENANG AND HAT YAI BUT, LUCKILY, THE HARD RAIN DID NOT START FALLING UNTIL WE WERE ON THE ROAD. WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR MINIBUS OR SHARE TAXI SERVICE (LIKE NEWASIA TOURS)TO HAT YAI, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BOOK IT THROUGH YOUR GUESTHOUSE OR HOTEL YOU CAN TRUST THEM AND YOU WILL PAY A FAIR PRICE. I PAID ABOUT 18 RINGGIT FROM GEORGETOWN TO HAT YAI. YOU WILL ALSO GET MOST OF YOUR PAPERWORK DONE FOR YOU AS YOU CROSS THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER. USING SUCH TRANSPORT SERVICES WILL HELP YOU AVOID THE STUFF THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE GUIDEBOOKS:

                    BORDER DELAYS, UNKNOWN CONSTRUCTION DELAYS,

                    WAITING PERIODS FOR BUSES OR TRAINS, LANGUAGE 

                     BARRIERS, MUGGY WEATHER WHEN WAITING FOR SOME

                      THINGS, SWEATY CLOTHS, PAYMENT HERE AND PAYMENT

                      THERE. 

NO,NO,NO. JUST PAY IN ONE PLACE AND LET THE PROFESSIONALS GET YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING. I NORMALLY TRAVEL ON MY OWN BUT THIS TIME I LET THE PROFESSIONALS TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. 

TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 12:

ANOTHER GO AROUND IN SOUTHERN THAILAND:

VILLAGES, RICE FIELDS COCONUT TREES, JACKFRUIT TREES, BROWN COWS, WHITE COWS, BIG BLACK COWS, BULLS, RUBBER TREES WITH SMALL BLACK BUCKETS ATTACHED TO THEM, HAT YAI, BACK TO PHATHALUNG, MOTORCYCLE TAXI TO WAT BAN SUAN. AT THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, I WAS ABLE TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME RUBBER TREES. THEY HAD WHITE SAP DRIPPING INTO THE SMALL BLACK BUCKETS. THEY DID NOT FIND ANY OF MY LOST MONEY HERE. I DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO HAT YAI THE NEXT DAY. IN THE MEAN TIME, I SPOKE TO THE ENGLISH CLASS WHERE STUDENTS AROUND 16 OR 17 YEARS OLD WERE ASKING ME QUESTIONS IN WHAT ENGLISH THEY COULD SPEAK. WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE, THE HEAD MONK ASKED ME IF I COULD RETURN SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE AND BRING HIM A CANTEEN. I TOLD HIM THAT, YES, I WILL TRY TO RETURN AND BRING HIM A CANTEEN. THEN, ONE OF THE STUDENTS CAME UP TO US AND ASKED ME WHEN I WOULD BE RETURNING. I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN UNTIL AFTER TWO MORE YEARS. AS I TOLD HER THIS, I WAS THINKING, WOW, MAYBE  I SHOULD RETURN HERE SOON BECAUSE SHE IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL (SHE WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL). LATER, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND DECIDED, NO, SHE IS TOO YOUNG AND SHE WAS PROBABLY JUST ASKING BECAUSE I WAS VERY NICE TO HER AND HER CLASSMATES IN THE CLASS. 

BACK IN HAT YAI, I WALKED ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND ENTERED A TEMPLE COMPLEX. THERE WERE SEVERAL RAKSHASAS LOCATED AROUND THE COMPLEX AND I ENJOYED VIEWING THEIR VARIOUS FORMS. I STARTED TO SWEAT AND SAT DOWN IN SOME SHADE TO EAT SOME SWEETS THAT I HAD BOUGHT EARLIER. NOT LONG AFTER, A MONK CAME AND WE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT WHERE I AM FROM. HE THEN BROUGHT ME SOME MORE SWEETS AND WE SPOKE WITH SOME CHILDREN WHO FOLLOWED HIM TO WHERE I WAS SITTING. THAT EVENING, I PAID 100 BHAT FOR A ROOM AT CATHAY GUESTHOUSE. SINCE I HAD STAYED THERE BEFORE, I KNEW THAT I COULD JUST NOD AT THE LADY WHO WORKS IN THE BACK AND SHE WILL VERY SOON ARRIVE AT YOUR ROOM TO PROVIDE A MASSAGE. SHE COULD GIVE A MASSAGE OR ARRANGE FOR ANOTHER GIRL TO ARRIVE FOR GIVING THE MASSAGE. I NODDED. PLUS NON POSSUM DICERE. 

LATER THAT EVENING, I BOUGHT THE TICKET BACK TO PENANG. I PAID 200 BHAT FOR THE TICKET. I PASSED BY THE POST OFFICE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL MERCEDES BENZ CARS PARKED ON THE STREET. I THINK THERE WERE ABOUT 12 OLDER MODEL MERCEDES BENZ CARS PARKED ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET. THEY WERE REALLY PRETTY AND MOST ENJOYABLE TO VIEW. THE NEXT MORNING I DID A NICE TAI CHI CHUAN BEFORE HOPPING ON THE MINIBUS TO PENANG. WE LEFT AT 0930

BACK AT WAN HAI HOTEL IN PENANG, I WAS SEARCHING FOR NAILS OR HOOKS TO HANG WASHED CLOTHS ON TO DRY. THERE WERE NONE. WHEN I WENT OUT, I HEARD SOME ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC AND FOLLOWED THE SOUND SO I COULD SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. IT WAS AT THE WAT KUAN YIN TENG COMPLEX. THEY WERE A CHINESE ROCK BAND PERFORMING. PEOPLE WERE AT THE TEMPLE PRAYING WITH THEIR INCENSE WHILE  THE FEMALE CHINESE ROCK BAND WERE ON A FAIRLY HIGH STAGE LIKE THE ONE WHERE I SAW THE CHINESE OPERA IN BANGKOK. AFTER THE ROCK BAND FINISHED THEIR PERFORMANCE, A THICK RED CURTAIN WITH TWO DRAGONS ON IT DROPPED, BLOCKING OUR VIEW OF THE STAGE.  AFTER AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE IN CHINESE, THE CURTAIN ROSE AND A TRADITIONAL CHINESE OPERA PLAY COMMENCED. HERE IS A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE:

         THOUSANDS OF INCENSE STICKS BURNING WAVING SMOKY ALTARS                      

           GIANT RED INCENSE STICKS ONE CHILD CONDEMNED TO DEATH 

          EMPEROR CONDEMNING CHILD ONE SAVED CHILD SINGING HALF  

         SINGING CHILD RAISED IN WOODS TWO HOURS AND FORTY FIVE

         MINUTES ONE CHILD REUNITED WITH MOTHER AROMATIC SMOKE IN

          THE AIR EXAGERATED HAND GESTURES MARTIAL ARTS WAVING OF

          SLEEVES TWICE AS LONG AS A PERSONS ARMS FAKE PAPER MONEY

           BOUGHT AND BURNED LARGE PAPER BURNER SMOKE RISING UP

           FROM WITHIN MONSTROUS TAN INCENSE STICK  BURNING AROMA 

           EMPEROR EXECUTIONER FIGHTERS GHOST GENERAL OF ARMY 

           DISTRESSED MOTHER  LADIES WITH TOO MUCH MAKEUP CHILD 

            RAISED AS A FIGHTER IN THE WOODS WHITE FACES ROSY CHEEKS 

             RED LIPS ACCENTUATED MASQUERA ELABORATE SHINY COSTUMES       

             TASSELS HANGING FROM HEADDRESSES STAFFS AND SLEEVES LIKE

            FLAGS SCENIC BACKDROPS DROPPING OF CURTAIN RAISING OF

            CURTAIN DIFFERENT SCENE CHINESE MUSIC VERY LOUD SOMETIMES    

             COULD NOT HEAR WORDS SPOKEN LAUGHTER IN THE CROWD SMOKE 

             YET FILLING THE AIR TWO HOURS AND FORTY FIVE MINUTES.

I LINGERED THERE AT THE TEMPLE WAITING FOR A PROCESSION THAT WAS MOVING THROUGH THE STREETS OF GEORGETOWN AND I THOUGHT WOULD END THERE BUT IT DID NOT. AS THE PROCESSION WAS PASSING THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, I BOUGHT A PAIR OF BATIK SHORTS FROM RICHARD THE TAILOR. I PAID 18 RINGGIT. I THEN WALKED ALONG WITH THE PROCESSION TAKING PHOTOS OF THE DRAGONS AND LIONS. I CONTINUED WALKING ALONG WITH THE PROCESSION AS I SEARCHED FOR A PLACE TO EAT. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO LOKE THYE KEE RESTAURANT. THAT WAY I COULD SIT OUT ON THEIR BALCONY AND WATCH THE REMAINING OF THE PROCESSION PASS BY. THE PROCESSION LASTED ABOUT TWO HOURS AND I WAS EATING SWEET AND SOUR FISH WITH GOOD CHINESE TEA WHILE IT PASSED BY. I PAID 3.70 RINGGIT. THERE WERE AT LEAST THREE DRAGONS IN THE PROCESSION. THEY WERE HELD UP WITH POLES BY YOUNG MEN WHO WAVED THE DRAGONS UNDULATING AND CIRCULATING AROUND FOLLOWING A BRIGHT RED BALL. THE BALL WAS ALSO HELD UP AND TWIRLED ABOUT ON A POLE. THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT COLORED LIONS WORN BY TWO MEN IN EACH LION OR SOMETIMES A LION WOULD BE MOUNTED ON A TRUCK. THE LIONS SHOOK, BLINKED, OPENED THEIR MOUTHS, FROLICKED, LAYED DOWN, AND JUMPED UP AND DOWN. SOME OF THE LIONS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY MALE AND FEMALE CLOWN LIKE FIGURES WHO HAD HUGE, SMILING FACE MASKS. THERE WERE ALSO HINDU PERFORMERS WITH A GIRL DANCING ON A FLOAT WITH MEN WITH PAPER MACHÉ HORSES AND BOYS BEATING TOGETHER STICKS AND PLAYING ORIENTAL CLARINET TYPE INSTRUMENTS ALONG WITH DRUMS. THERE WERE ALSO TWO BOYS DANCING WITH ANKLE BELLS RINGING AND PAGODA LIKE OBJECTS ON THEIR HEADS. MARCHING BANDS WERE VERY DISCIPLINED. LONG POLES WITH FLAGS AS LARGE AS A SAILBOAT SAIL WERE BEING BALANCED ON FOREHEADS, CHINS, OR THE SMALL OF THEIR BACKS. THESE FLAGS ALL HAD LOGOS OF SPECIFIC GROUPS. THERE WERE JUDGES AND I GUESS THEY WERE JUDGING THE LIONS, DRAGONS, MUSIC BANDS, AND POLE BALANCERS. THE JUDGES WERE WEARING GREEN OUTFITS AND WERE SITTING IN A STAND NEAR THE ENDING POINT OF THE PROCESSION. AT THIS POINT, THERE WERE STUMPS OF VARIOUS HEIGHTS AND THE LIONS JUMPED ONTO THESE STUMPS, JUMPING FROM STUMP TO STUMP. THE LIONS WOULD EVEN DANCE ON THE STUMPS WITH THE MAN IN FRONT SOMETIMES STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE MAN IN BACK SO THAT THE LION COULD STAND TALL, SHAKE, AND THREATEN THE CROWD. AFTERWARDS, I WENT TO A HINDU TEMPLE TO RELAX. ALL I WANTED TO TO DO WAS TO RELAX. TOMORROW WOULD BE A BIG DAY.

TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 15:

FROM TARATUNG TO PADANG SIDEMPUAN.

THE BEMO BROUGHT US DOWN THE MOUNTAIN FROM 

THE VILLAGE TO TOWN. RIKSON FOUND THE RIGHT SHARE TAXI THAT WOULD TAKE US TO JAKARTA FROM TARATUNG. AS WE WERE WAITING FOR THE CUE TO BOARD, WE MET A YOUNG LADY NAMED FARIDA. RIKSON WAS TALKING TO HER WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO BOARD THE VAN. WE ALL SAT TOGETHER; FARIDA BETWEEN RIKSON AND MYSELF. 

WE PAID THE SHARE TAXI COST WHICH WAS 6,000 RUPIAH TO JAKARTA. I HAD TO CONSULT THE ENGLISH / INDONESIAN DICTIONARY AS I SPOKE WITH FARIDA BUT WE DID PRETTY GOOD WITH COMMUNICATION. COCONUT TREES, RUBBER TREES, OIL PALM TREES, DURIAN TREES, SALAK TREES, BANANA TREES, THE AROMA OF RUBBER PROCESSING FACTORIES (VERY DISTINCTIVE AND UNFORGETTABLE), AROMA FROM THE HUMID, VERDENT FORESTS WE PASSED BY, NARROW, TWISTING ROAD WITH POTHOLES AND ROCKS, MOUNTAINS WITH CLOUDS HIDING THEIR TOPS, FISH TO EAT WITH THEIR HEADS STILL ATTACHED, FISH HEADS WITH NO FISH ATTACHED, AND THE ALL PERVASIVE BOILED WATER BOTH FOR DRINKING AND FOR THE WASHING OF HANDS.  AFTER OUR LUNCH STOP, WE ALL SAT TOGETHER AGAIN; ME THEN FARIDA THEN RIKSON. 

BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED INTO PADANG SIDEMPUAN, FARIDA HAD GIVEN ME HER ADDRESS. WHEN WE GOT TO THE BUS DISEMBARKING / LOADING AREA (NO PHYSICAL STATION BUILDING AS IS OFTEN THE CASE IN SUMATRA), FARIDA GOT OUT OF THE VAN AND WALKED OVER TO A GROUP OF OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE AND STARTED TALKING TO THEM. I WATCHED HER FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN I NOTICED THAT SHE LOOKED OVER AT THE VAN SO I KNEW SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HAVING MET ME. 

"I AM GETTING OUT HERE"

"WHAT ABOUT MY SISTER?"

"IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE."

I GOT OUT AND STARTED TO SEEK OUT A HOTEL.

AFTER I FOUND A RATHER LARGE, WHITE HOTEL WITH A LARGE AREA WHICH WAS EMPTY OF FURNITURE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, I BOOKED A ROOM THERE AND PRACTICED TAI CHI CHUAN IN THE LARGE, EMPTY AREA WITH A BARE CEMENT FLOOR.

AFTER I SETTLED INTO THE ROOM AT THE MINANJAU HOTEL, I WENT OUT TO EXPLORE. I FOUND MYSELF IN AN AREA CALLED GURUN TUA. THERE WAS A ENGLISH SCHOOL THERE AND I SPOKE WITH THE STUDENTS IN ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS. I JUST HAD TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN ENGLISH. AFTERWARDS, I HAD A MOST INTERESTING EATING EXPERIENCE. ONE ENGAGES IN SOME INTENSE TASTE, SIGHT, TOUCH, AND SMELL WHEN ONE EATS DURIAN. MUCH AS WITH THE AROMA OF RUBBER PROCESSING FACTORIES, THE AROMA OF DURIAN IS EXTREMELY UNIQUE AND UNBEARABLE TO MANY PEOPLE. I LOVE BOTH. I LOVE HOW UNIQUE BOTH AROMAS ARE AND DURIAN IS DELICIOUS TO EAT, AT LEAST FOR ME. I DID HAVE TO GET USED TO THE STRANGE, MUSHY TEXTURE BUT I BECAME A TRUE FAN OF DURIAN SOON ENOUGH. THE OWNER OF HOTEL I AM STAYING IN IS THE FATHER OF A FRIEND I MET HERE. THIS FRIEND IS SOON MOVING TO YOGYAKARTA FOR A FEW YEARS TO STUDY. I PAID 5,000 RUPIAH EACH NIGHT FOR A VERY QUIET ROOM WHERE I COULD JUST BARELY HEAR THE MUSLIM CALL TO PRAYER EACH MORNING. IN PADANG SIDEMPUAN, I ATE A LOT OF GADO-GADO, MUTABAK SAYUR, AND RUJAK WITH FRUITS. I DID NOT EAT ANY SAPI (BEEF) NOR BABI (PIG) BUT I DID OCCASIONALLY EAT SOME IKAN (FISH). THAT IS PRETTY MUCH MY DIET ANYWAY. PIG MEAT IS NOT COMMONLY FOUND IN THE RESTAURANTS OF PADANG SIDEMPUAN BECAUSE IT HAS A MAJORITY MUSLIM POPULATION.KAMBING (GOAT) IS VERY COMMON THOUGH. IN THE RESTAURANTS, THERE OFTEN WILL BE SMALL PLATES OR SMALL BOWLS OF FRUIT OR SNACKS. IF YOU WANT TO PAY FOR ONLY THE MENU ITEM YOU ORDER, THEN DO NOT EAT ANY OF THOSE SNACKS ALREADY ON THE TABLE. I ALWAYS MADE SURE I KNEW WHAT THINGS COST BEFORE I PAID FOR THEM. THAT WAY I COULD BE ASSURED I WAS NOT PAYING TOO MUCH. I WOULD SOMETIMES BE TEMPTED TO EAT SOME OF THE SNACKS ON THE TABLE WHICH COULD ADD  1,000 RUPIAH COST TO THE MENU ITEMS ORDERED. I WOULD OFTEN TELL SELLERS OF PRODUCTS THAT I COULD NOT PAY THE PRICE THEY WERE ASKING ME TO PAY BECAUSE I HAD SO MANY RUPIAH IN MY POCKET LESS THAN WHAT THEY WERE ASKING. THAT WAY I WAS ASSURED THE PRICES I PAID WERE A BIT CLOSER TO THE PRICES THAT THE LOCALS PAID. 

          MY SINGER / MUSICIAN FRIEND HAD SOME MONEY TAKEN FROM HIM.

          A GIRL HE KNOWS TOOK 10,000 RUPIAH FROM HIM, NOT MUCH BUT HE WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

          WE TOOK AN INTERESTING WALK DOWN SOME BACK ALLEY TYPE WALKWAYS.

          HOUSES THAT WERE CLOSELY ARRANGED NEXT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD MESJID.

          WE FOUND THE GIRL, MY FRIEND WAS TALKING TO HER BUT SHE THEN RAN OFF.

          WE ENTERED A BECAK WITH A SECOND GIRL, PAID THE BECAK DRIVER, AND WERE BROUGHT ELSEWHERE.

          WE NEVER FOUND HER AGAIN THAT DAY.

          "HELLO MR." WAS WHAT PEOPLE SAID TO ME ALL THE TIME.

          IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO AVOID TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THESE TOWNS, OFTEN INVITED TO HOMES.

          I WAS ONCE OFFERED HELP IN MOVING TO A DIFFERENT HOTEL AND BEING BROUGHT TO A WATERFALL.

          SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO BRING ME TO THEIR HOME TO SHOW ME THEIR GARDEN OF VARIOUS PLANTS.         

          I JUST RETURNED TO THE HOTEL MINANJAU, PRACTICED TAI CHI CHUAN, AND WENT TO SLEEP.

MY MUSLIM FRIEND BROUGHT ME TO HIS FAMILYS' SALAK ORCHARD. I GUESS IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN ORCHARD; SAWA SALAK. WE TRAVELED UP A MOUNTAINOUS ROAD ON A MOTORCYCLE. THEY ALSO HAD SUGARCANE PLANTS. I GUESS IT COULD BE REGARDED AS A GARDEN OF SUGARCANE. THE PLANTS WERE GROWING IN BUNCHES. THE STALKS ARE STRONG AND THEY HAVE CUTE FUZZY TOPS THAT HAD SORT OF A SILVER COLOR. THE SALAK TREES ARE VERY UNIQUE. I THOUGHT OF A CROSS BETWEEN A CACTUS AND A PALM TREE WHEN I LOOKED AT THEM. SALAK FRUIT IS ALSO KNOWN AS SNAKESKIN FRUIT BECAUSE ITS SKIN IS BROWN, HARD, AND ROUGH. IT IS EASY TO PEEL THOUGH BECAUSE THE SKIN IS THIN. THE EDIBLE PART IS WHITE WITH STREAKS  OF PINK SOMETIMES. SALAK IS VERY DELICIOUS BUT I HAVE HAD MANY WITH BROWN, BRUISED SPOTS ON THEM. THE FRUIT GROWS IN BUNCHES, BELOW THE PALMS, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TREE. 

DURING ALL OF THESE EXCURSIONS WITH MY CHRISTIAN FRIEND AND MY MUSLIM FRIEND, I WAS VISITING FARIDA EVERY EVENING. I SHOWED A BECAK DRIVER THE ADDRESS SHE WROTE DOWN AND HE BROUGHT ME TO THE HOUSE. FARIDA WAS LIVING IN THE HOUSE OF A FAMILY MEMBER WHO ALSO HAD SEVERAL OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING THERE. FARIDA WAS LIVING THERE IN PADANG SIDEMPUAN BECAUSE SHE HAD A JOB AS A SECRETARY AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I ASSUME THAT HER HOUSE MATES ALSO WERE THERE BECAUSE OF JOBS. I AM GUESSING ABOUT THAT THOUGH. I NEVER ASKED MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHERS. I WAS TOO BUSY ANSWERING QUESTIONS. ONE DAY THEY HAD SOME GUESTS OVER THE HOUSE WHEN I ARRIVED. THEY WANTED TO SEE ME PRACTICE MY TAI CHI CHUAN:

          "THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM HERE."

          "WE WILL MOVE THIS TABLE."

AND THEY MOVED THE TABLE.  I DID THE TAI CHI AND I NOTICED THE GUESTS WATCHING ME CLOSELY. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, AFTER FARIDA AND I HAD BEEN GOING PLACES TOGETHER AND GROWING CLOSER, SHE TOLD ME A SECRET. SHE TOLD ME THAT ONE OF THE GUESTS AT THE HOUSE WHEN I DID THE TAI CHI CHUAN, WAS ACTUALLY A MAN WHO LIKED HER AND WHO HAD TAKEN HER OUT A FEW TIMES. I FELT BAD ABOUT THAT AND I STILL DO. I DID NOT TELL HER THOUGH. ANOTHER DAY, WE WERE SITTING AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT I MUST BE SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING MARRIED TO FARIDA. THAT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD BECAUSE I NEVER MENTIONED MARRIAGE. I TOLD EVERYBODY THAT I DO LIKE HER AND I AM THINKING ABOUT IT. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT A BOY VISITS A GIRL EVERY DAY WHEN HE IS COURTING HER. TWO OR THREE DAYS LATER I TOLD FARIDA AND HER HOUSE MATES THAT I WOULD BE GOING TO BUKITINGGI FOR ONE WEEK. I WANTED TO GIVE FARIDA A LITTLE ROOM AND I WANTED TO THINK ABOUT VISITING HER EVERY DAY OR NOT AFTER RETURNING FROM BUKITINGGI. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD BRING SOME SOUVENIRS. THE LAST DAY, BEFORE I TRAVELED SOUTH TO BUKITTINGI, FARIDA AND SOME OF HER HOUSE MATES BROUGHT ME TO A FAMILY AGRICULTURAL PLOT. WE BROUGHT COCONUT JUICE TO DRINK AND THERE WERE JACKFRUIT TREES THERE SO WE WERE ABLE TO PICK SOME JACKFRUITS OFF OF THE TREES AND EAT IT RIGHT AWAY. 

                                                                                                      BUKITTINGGI

AFTER I ARRIVED INTO BUKITTINGI, I FELT THAT I HAD ACCOMPLISHED A PILGRIMAGE. IT WAS A ROUGH, TYPICAL SUMATRA BUS RIDE. I PAID 7,000 RUPIAH FOR THE RIDE FROM PADANGSIDEMPUAN TO BUKITTINGI. IT TOOK US ABOUT NINE HOURS ON A NARROW, CURVEY ROAD THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AS SOON AS I REACHED BUKITTINGI, I BOUGHT A KOPI SUSU WHICH IS COFFEE WITH MILK. SOON AFTER THAT, I FOUND AN ES PAPAYA WHICH IS CHILLED PAPAYA JUICE. I THEN MADE MY WAY OVER TO THE KANTOR POS (POST OFFICE) TO SEND OUT A COUPLE OF POST CARDS (POSTAGE COSTING 200 RUPIAH EACH) AND FINALLY TO THE YURIKA HOTEL WHICH IS FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE POST OFFICE. AT THIS HOTEL, I WAS SOMEWHAT REMOVED FROM THE NOISY A YANI AREA WHERE THE CLOCK TOWER IS LOCATED. I MET TWO BOYS WHO WANTED TO ACCOMPANY ME DOWN INTO SIANOK CANYON THE NEXT DAY. THEY ALSO INVITED ME TO THEIR HOMES. THEY SAY THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER. THEY MADE THE PROPOSITION THAT WE ALL THREE WOULD SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER. "WE SHALL SEE." 

THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FOUNTAINS HERE. ONE HAS RED AND GREEN FLASHING LIGHTS ON IT  AND IT SHOOTS WATER QUITE HIGH INTO THE SKY. ANOTHER FOUNTAIN HAS DEMONIC FACES CARVED INTO A HUGE STONE WITH A MAN HIGH ON THE TOP WITH HIS ARMS REACHING UP TO THE SKY. I NOTICED THAT ALL SHADOWS LIE SOUTH OF THE OBJECTS AND PEOPLE THAT CAST THEM. WE ARE A BIT SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR HERE. I DID MEET THE TWO BOYS WHO I KNEW WANTED ME TO BUY THEM SOME SNACKS AND MAYBE GET A DOLLAR BILL FROM USA. I HAD FUN WITH THEM BY MAKING THEM WALK WITH ME THROUGH SIANOK CANYON AND THEN UP THE STEEP STEPS THAT LEAD UP TO KOTA GADANG WHICH IS KNOWN FOR ITS FINE SILVER  WORKS. I DID NOT BUY THE BOYS ANYTHING AT ALL DURING THIS EXCURSION. WE WALKED A BIT INTO THE FOREST AND I NOTICED BAMBOO STALKS WERE CUT DOWN TO STUMPS. I FELT SAD BECAUSE MANY OF THESE BAMBOO STALKS WERE IMPRESSIVELY TALL. WE WERE ASSURED, THOUGH, THAT BAMBOO GROWS RAPIDLY AND IS SOON REPLENISHED. POLES AND FENCES ARE MADE FROM THE BAMBOO STALKS. I ALSO SAW SOME OF THE TUNNELS THAT THE JAPANESE DUG INTO THE CLIFFS ON THE BUKITTINGI SIDE OF THE CANYON. I DID NOT GO INTO THE CAVES THOUGH. THE JAPANESE DID SOME ATROCIOUS THINGS DURING WORLD WORLD II. 

EATING FOUR LARGE PIECES OF DEEP FRIED YAM. 

WITH PEANUTS.

COSTING ONLY TWO HUNDRED FIFTY RUPIAH. 

A LARGE PLATE OF GADO GADO.

ONE GLASS OF HOT TEA AND JUS POKAT.

ALL FOR AROUND ONE DOLLAR.

TIGA BALAI LOSMAN HAS ROOMS FOR 3,500 RUPIAH.

MY ROOM, 5,000 RUPIAH, WAS QUIETER.

IT WAS FURTHER FROM THE NOISY STREET.

OUT AND ABOUT.

LOOKING FOR POST CARDS.

NOT SO EASY TO FIND HERE.

WE FOUND SOME DO DAK JAU.

SIMILAR TO TIGER BALM.

BOUGHT FROM A STREET VENDER.

A MEDICINE SELLER MUCH LIKE IN OLD WEST USA.

MUCH LIKE SNAKE OIL MEDICINE SHOWS

HAMLINS' WIZARD OIL TRAVELING SHOW.

EMULATED IN BUKITTINGI.

DISHES WITH LEECHES AND DIAGRAMS CHALKED ONTO PAVEMENTS.

BURNING NEWSPAPER ON DIAGRAMS.

TRANCE LIKE MOVEMENTS.

JUST DOWN THE STREET.

MEDICINE VENDER WITH POSTERS AND MAGAZINE PHOTOS.

TWO ROLLS OF POSTERS, PHOTOS, CLIPPINGS.

SPREAD ALL AROUND HIM. 

WOODEN PHALLIC OBJECT PLACED IN FRONT OF HIM.

I WOULD ALWAYS LEAVE BEFORE THE MAIN SALES PITCH STARTED.

I DID BUY SOME LEGITIMATE DO DAK JAU BUT I DID NOT WANT TO BE ASKED FOR ANY MORE MONEY. I WAS TIRED OF BEING ASKED FOR MONEY BY SO MANY PEOPLE. THEY THOUGHT I WAS RICH BUT I AM FAR FROM IT. YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL ASKED ME FOR MONEY. "POOR STUDENTS" WOULD ASK ME TO GO PLACES WITH THEM WHICH WAS NICE BUT I WOULD BE EXPECTED TO FEED THEM AND PAY FOR THEIR TRANSPORTATION FARES. ONE ELDERLY LADY TOLD ME SHE LIVES ALONE, "FEEDING TWO GRAND CHILDREN WHO HAVE NO MOTHER OR FATHER." SHE SOBBED OSTENTATIOUSLY AFTER SHE REMOVED HER GLASSES. 

I PRACTICED AN EXCELLENT TAI CHI CHUAN YESTERDAY, ONE OF THE BEST EVER.  THE FUNNY THING IS THAT I HAVE TO GO BACK TO PADANG SIDEMPUAN SOON AFTER FINDING SUCH AN EXCELLENT PLACE TO PRACTICE HERE IN BUKITTINGI. ANYWAY, THE HOTEL IN PADANG SIDEMPUAN HAS THAT LARGE AND EMPTY ROOM FOR TAI CHI PRACTICE. THE ELDERLY LADY WHO TOOK HER GLASSES OFF TO CRY ABOUT TAKING CARE OF TWO GRAND CHILDREN ALL BY HERSELF WAS EXPECTING ME TO VISIT HER HOME. SHE WANTED ME TO BUY HER A NEW SHIRT SO SHE COULD GO TO THE MESJID TO PRAY.  I DECIDED NOT TO GO BECAUSE I DID BUY 200- RUPIAH WORTH OF FRUIT FROM HER. I THOUGHT THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH BECAUSE I DID GIVE HER SOME BUSINESS. I HAVE TO LEAVE SOON. I WILL MISS THE HORSE DRAWN BUGGIES AND CARTS. SOME OF THE BUGGIES ARE FOR TRANSPORTATION. THE HORSES ARE DECKED OUT IN COLORFUL DECORATIONS. THEY ARE A QUIET REPLACEMENT FOR THE NOISY BEMOS AND MOTORCYCLE RICKSHAWS WHICH UNFORTUNATELY STILL EXIST HERE TOO. 

TRAVEL GUIDE OF LIFE CHAPTER 16:

AND THEN I WAS BACK IN PADANG SIDEMPUAN.

THE BUS THAT I TRAVELED IN FROM PADANG SIDEMPUAN TO BUKITTINGI HAD TO BE FUELED UP WITH A SIPHON HOSE. THE BUS I TRAVELED ON FROM BUKITTINGI BACK TO PADANG SIDEMPUAN HAD TO BE PUSH STARTED AND THE SEATS WOULD COME APART ONCE IN AWHILE AND THERE WERE ANTS CRAWLING AROUND SOME OF THE SEATS. WELL, THESE WERE THE CONDITIONS OF SUMATRA BUSES WHEN I ARRIVED INTO INDONESIA FOR THE FIRST TIME. 

THE FIRST DAY I RETURNED TO PADANG SIDEMPUAN, I SLEPT OUTSIDE IN A FIELD AMONG SOME TALL BUSHES. I DECIDED THAT I DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR A ROOM SINCE THE DAY WAS ALMOST ENDED. I SAVED A FEW THOUSAND RUPIAH THAT WAY. AFTER ACCOMPLISHING MY PILGRIMAGE TO BUKITTINGI, I FOUND MYSELF BACK IN THE SAME 5,000 RUPIAH ROOM AS BEFORE AND I PAID 12,000 RUPIAH FOR TWO NIGHTS.  

I HAVE BEEN IN SUMATRA FOR THREE WEEKS NOW. LOTS OF PEOPLE EVERY PLACE. VERY LOUD PEOPLE. THEY LOVE MUSIC. THEY LOVE SINGING. THEY ARE THE MOST FRIENDLY. MUSLIM COMMUNITIES WITH HOUSES SET CLOSE TOGETHER WITH EACH OTHER. THATCH ROOFED, SMALL HOMES. MUSLIM GIRLS WITH ROUND FACES ENCLOSED WITH HIJAB. BIG SMILING FACES; "HELLO MISTER" ABOUND. HALF OF MY MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT. 10,000 RUPIAH A DAY ON AVERAGE SHOULD SEE ME THROUGH FOR ANOTHER THREE WEEKS. TAI CHI CHUAN PRACTICE ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF HOTEL MINENJAOU. A LARGE, TILED ROOM FOR TAI CHI CHUAN. NASI GORENG WITH FRIED EGG ON TOP, KOPI SUSU, A GREEN COLORED DESSERT, (GREEN EGGS AND HAM; JUST KIDDING), BOTTLES FILLED WITH WATER AND ONE FISH IN EACH. THESE ARE FOR SALE. THE SUN HOVERS STRAIGHT ABOVE. SO DOES THE MOON. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO TELL THE TIME ACCORDING TO THE SUNS' LOCATION IN THE SKY. LIVING ON THE EQUATOR MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO TELL THE TIME AND TO WALK. SUN BURNING ON MY FEET WITH THE CLIMATE DRY WITHOUT THE RAIN. SOME DAYS ARE SO HUMID THAT IT WEIGHS ME DOWN. WE LOST ELECTRICITY FOR A FEW MINUTES. NEWS THAT SOME ROADS WILL BE WIDENED AROUND TOWN. MANY ROADS LACK SHOULDERS AND SIDEWALKS. A NEW SIDEWALK IS ALWAYS NICE. A WEDDING PARTY TONIGHT. MANY PEOPLE IN FRONT OF A HOUSE ON JALAN WILLIAM ISKANDAR. THE STREET IS ALMOST BLOCKED OFF BY THE PEOPLE. MANY TIMES ASKED TO FOLLOW SOMEBODY TO THE VILLAGE WHERE THEY ARE FROM. MANY TIMES ASKED TO SPEAK IN AN ENGLISH CLASS. I AM MORE OF A LONER. I DO NOT LIKE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO MYSELF. IN SUMATRA, ATTENTION IS UNAVOIDABLE. 

PADANG SIDEMPUAN HAD A FEW RESTAURANTS THAT I REALLY LIKED EATING AT. "BUFFET ANDA" HAD A LRGE CHOICE OF BEVERAGES AND THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME. I LOVE DRINKING VARIOUS JUICES AND SHAKES. "TAMAN DO RE ME" IS LOCATED AT A PARK LIKE SETTING AS A CANTINA TYPE RESTAURANT WITH A NICE STAGE FOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCES. THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE LIST WAS EXCELLENT. MY FIRST DATE WITH FARIDA WAS HERE. SHE HAD THE BEJAK DRIVER DRIVE US THERE. SHE KNEW THE MANAGER AND HE CAME TO OUR TABLE AND SAT DOWN WITH US FOR A FEW MINUTES. "RUMAH SELERA" HAD A GREAT IKAN BAKAR AND INDONESIAN STYLE VEGETABLES THAT I REALLY LIKED. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT WHERE YOU CAN SIT ON THE FLOOR IN ONE AREA. I DO NOT REMEMBER IF IT WAS A JAPANESE STYLE AREA OR A TURKISH STYLE AREA. 500 RUPIAH TO 4,000 RUPIAH WAS THE PRICE RANGE FROM THE DRINKS TO THE MEALS. ON THE STREETS, PISANG GORENG AND BAKSO ARE VERY COMMON. 

I TOOK AN EARLY MORNING STROLL AROUND THE HOTEL. IT HAD RAINED REALLY HARD FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR. I ENCOUNTERED FOUR LARGE, GREEN/GREY LIZARDS AND THE LARGEST MOTH I HAD EVER SEEN. THE LARGE MOTH WAS BLACK AND GREY WITH A WHITE STRIPE. ITS WING SPAN WAS LIKE FOUR INCHES. AND THE MOTH ITSELF WAS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF INCHES LONG. I ENJOYED WALKING AROUND THE HOTEL I LIKED IT THERE, IT WAS COMFORTABLE. THERE ARE NOT ANY DISTRACTIONS AND NOBODY EXPECTING ANY MONEY JUST BECAUSE I HAD THEM SHOW ME WHERE THE CLOSEST PISANG GORENG STAND WAS.  I OFTEN CAME ACROSS A FIRE PIT OR A PORTABLE STOVE WITH A LARGE WOK ON IT. THEY WOULD BE SET UP NEXT TO THE SIDEWALKS. PISANG GORENG OR PEANUTS WERE USUALLY BEING COOK AT THOSE PLACES. THE TOWN IS QUIET IN THE EARLY MORNING. NO GROUPS OF PEOPLE TALKING AND LAUGHING AND NO LOUD VEHICLES BESIDES AN OCCASIONAL BEJAK PASSING BY. AND THEN, AROUND 0430, THE QURAN RECITATION AND CALL TO PRAYER WILL BE HEARD. WHENEVER I RETURN TO SOUTHEAST ASIA, I AM REMINDED  HOW MUCH I ENJOY HEARING THE MUEZZIN. IT IS THE RAINY SEASON. IT RAINS A LOT IN THE EVENINGS AND MORNINGS. 

THE WEATHER IS EITHER WET OR VERY HUMID. CLOTHS TAKE A LONG TIME TO DRY. PEOPLE HANG THEIR CLOTHS UNDER MATAHARI (THE SUN) BUT I HAVE MINE ON HOOKS IN THE HOTEL ROOM WHICH  MEANS THAT I AM CONTENDING WITH A CONSTANTLY DAMP TOWEL. 

I PRACTICED AN EXCELLENT TAI CHI CHUAN TODAY. THE AIR WAS HUMID BUT NOT TOO HOT. I WAS ON A TILE FLOOR. NOBODY WAS WATCHING. MY MIND WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE MOVEMENTS AND THE ENERGY.

I SPOKE IN THREE ENGLISH CLASSES TODAY. THE STUDENTS ARE SHY BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS A FEW STUDENTS WHO WILL SPEAK UP. THEY LIKE TO ASK ABOUT WHERE I LIVE. SOME WILL ASK ME FOR MY ADDRESS AND THE YOUNGER CHILDREN WILL ASK FOR MY AUTOGRAPH. I SIGNED ABOUT TWENTY NOTEBOOKS. 

IT IS AN EXITING SCENE WALKING UP JALAN MERDEKA. THEY ARE TEARING EVERYTHING UP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD NORTH OF THE BUSINESS DISTRICT. THEY ARE WIDENING THE ROAD. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA CAN BE SEEN ALONG THE ROAD CHOPPING DOWN WALLS AND CUTTING OFF TREE TRUNKS AND ROOTS. EVEN A PORTION OF A GRAVEYARD IS BEING DUG UP. 

MIE GORENG, PISANG GORENG, NASI GORENG WITH FRIED EGG ON TOP, GADO-GADO, PECAL, RUJAK, ALL THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE JUICES LIKE JUS POKAT AND JUS SIRSAK OR JUS TIMUN;  I WAS IN HEAVEN. I WAS ALWAYS SURPRISED TO SEE PEOPLE IN POVERTY WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FOOD BECAUSE INDONESIA ABOUNDS IN CHICKEN, EGGS, GOATS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS. INDONESIA ESPECIALLY ABOUNDS IN SEAFOOD. SO WHY THE FOOD SHORTAGE IN SO MANY COMMUNITIES? IT ALWAYS MADE ME ANGRY THAT I COULD NOT DO MUCH MORE THAN BUY A FEW OBJECTS FROM STREET VENDORS OF FROM CHILDREN SELLING GUM. 

I WAS SPENDING TIME WITH THE HEADMASTER OF AN ENGLISH SCHOOL. HE BROUGHT ME TO HIS HOUSE AND FEED ME AND BROUGHT ME TO VARIOUS CLASSES TO SPEAK WITH THE STUDENTS. THE HEADMASTER IS A VERY BUSY MAN. HE HEADS SEVERAL BRANCHES OF THE ENGLISH SCHOOL IN VARIOUS PARTS OF PADANG SIDEMPUAN. I LEARNED SOME ARABIC MYSELF BECAUSE MOST STUDENTS WERE MUSLIM AND THEY MADE SURE I LEARNED SOME OF THE ARABIC SCRIPT AND SOME VOCABULARY. MUSLIM STUDENTS ALL LEARN THE ARABIC SCRIPT WHEN THEY ARE VERY YOUNG SO THEY COULD RECITE THE QURAN.  

I PACKED MY BAG TO LEAVE THE HOTEL MINENJAOU TO TRAVEL WITH MY FRIEND SEFRIAN TO HIS HOME. BEFORE LEAVING, I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE TO SEND A LETTER TO VANESSA. THEN I DID MY TAI CHI CHUAN. I THEN MET WITH SEFRIAN AND WE WENT TO THE BUS STOP TO BOARD THE BUS TO SIPRIOK. THIS TOWN IS ABOUT FIFTY KILOMETERS (31 MILES) NORTHEAST OF PADANG SIDEMPUAN. SIPRIOK IS A SMALL MUSLIM TOWN WHERE BEAD WORKS ARE CREATED. PRETTY BEAD WORKS ARE SOLD FOR VERY LITTLE. THE PRIBUMI SCHOOL HERE IS SMALLER WITH FEWER STUDENTS THAN THE ONES IN PADANG SIDEMPUAN. THE TYPING CLASS STUDENTS WERE LEARNING TO TYPE WITH MACHINES THAT ARE OLDER THAN THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE. 

THE GIRLS WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE WHERE WE WERE STAYING WERE REAL SWEETHEARTS. THEY WERE COOKING IN A KITCHEN THAT WAS NOT WELL LIGHTED. ALTHOUGH THE KITCHEN WAS A LITTLE DARK, THE COOKING SPACE WAS SUFFICIENT. THERE WAS A WAIST HIGH COOKING SPACE WITH LOTS OF ROOM. THERE WAS ALSO MORE THAN ONE FIRE PIT FOR COOKING. THEY MADE A WONDERFUL, SPICY, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SALAD THAT INCLUDED CUCUMBERS, PINEAPPLE, RED CHILI, JICAMA (OR SOMETHING LIKE JICAMA), AND GINGER. THIS WAS THEIR VERSION OF RUJAK. IT WAS SPICY. IT ALMOST MADE ME CRY. 

THE NEXT DAY, I TRIED AN ES CAMPUR. CAMPUR MEANS TO MIX OR MIXED. THE ES CAMPUR DRINKS COME IN VARIOUS VERSIONS,OF  SEVERAL DIFFERENT COLORS. IT IS ALSO SERVED IN A BOWL AS A DESSERT. IT IS AN ICY AND SWEET DRINK OR DESSERT WHICH IS LIKE A PIECE OF HEAVEN, HERE IN THE SUMATRAN HEAT AND HUMIDITY. COCONUT MILK IS VERY COMMONLY USED IN ES CAMPUR. GRASS JELLY IS A CONSTANT INGREDIENT AND THIS INGREDIENT IS A MAJOR REASON THAT ES CAMPUR COMES IN SO MANY VARIOUS COLORS. GRASS JELLY COMES IN MANY BRIGHT COLORS AS WELL AS DARK GREEN AND BROWN. FRUITS ARE ALSO OFTEN INCLUDED. 

I WAS BURPING A LOT THAT DAY. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT GAVE ME SO MUCH GAS. I DECIDED TO EAT LESS MIE GORENG AND NASI GORENG. I ALSO DECIDED TO TAKE SOME MEDICINAL MIXTURE OF SANJIVANI, GUDUCHI, AND VIDANGA  WHICH I HAD ACQUIRED FROM DR. VASANT LADS' OFFICE IN ALBUQUERQUE. DR. LAD IS AN AYURVEDIC DOCTOR. WARDS OFF TOXINS AND BACTERIAL INFECTIONS. GUDUCHI IS CONSIDERED TO BE AN AMRITA MEDICINE WHICH MEANS IMMORTAL. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BOLSTER IMMUNITY AND SUPPORT A LONG LIFE. VIDANGA IS ALSO KNOWN AS WHITE FLOWERED EMBELIA. IT FIGHTS AGAINST "DIGESTIVE FIRE". IT ALSO RIDS TOXINS FROM THE BLOOD. 

THE RIDE TO SIPRIOK WAS WET BECAUSE OF RAIN. WE ALSO MADE A WET TRIP TO GUNUN TUA. NOT MUCH CAME OUT OF THE RIDE TO GUNUN TUA BUT I WAS NOT CONCERNED BECAUSE I PAID NOTHING FOF THESE EXCURSIONS. I WAS SPEAKING IN THE ENGLISH CLASSES SO THE BUS RIDES, FOOD, AND LIVING SPACES WERE ALL SUPPLIED TO ME. I JUST FOLLOWED ALONG TO THE VARIOUS PRIBUMI ABDI SCHOOLS AND SPOKE TO THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSES. IN GUNUN TUA, THE CLASS HAD ALREADY FINISHED BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED. WE STAYED IN TOWN SO WE COULD ATTEND A LATER CLASS WITH OLDER STUDENTS. I DO NOT REALLY LIKE SPEAKING WITH THE OLDER STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE DEMANDING. THEY EVEN ASKED ME TO MAKE A DRAWING. I DREW A RHINOCEROS BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ANIMALS (NOT BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE SALVADOR DALI BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW HIS WORKS BACK THEN). 

WE WALKED UP A LARGE HILL THAT HAS THE GARUHA UNIVERSITY ON TOP OF IT. THE UNIVERSITY OVERLOOKS PADANG SIDEMPUAN. WE WERE FIVE MALES AND ONE FEMALE. THE FEMALE WAS ABOUT 16 YEARS OLD. SHE WAS REALLY CUTE WITH HER HIJAB SURROUNDING HER PERFECTLY ROUND FACE. SHE HAD A CAMERA AND SHE TOOK A FEW PHOTOS OF US AS A GROUP. THE BOYS WANTED TO RACE ME UP THE HILL. THEY WERE THE HARE AND I WAS THE TURTLE. THEY WERE JOGGING PRETTY FAST UP THE HILL AND I WAS JUST TROTTING AT AN EASY PACE. THEY WERE WELL AHEAD OF ME BUT I KEPT GOING AT A STEADY PACE. THEY EVENTUALLY GOT WORN OUT AND I GRADUALLY PASSED EACH ONE OF THEM. I WON THE RACE. BACK IN TOWN, I WAS INVITED TO VISIT SEVERAL HOUSES AND AT EACH HOUSE, THERE WOULD BE YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WANTING TO CONVERSE WITH ME; QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS. I ALSO HAD A DATE IN A NICE RESTAURANT WITH FARIDA AND A FEW OF HER ROOM MATES. I HAD A GOAT MEAT MEAL. SOME PIECES OF THE MEAT WERE TOUGH AND I DID NOT WANT TO SWALLOW THEM SO I HAD TO REMOVE THEM FROM MY MOUTH AND PUT THEM IN A NAPKIN. I DID THAT AS INCONSPICUOUSLY AS POSSIBLE. A GIRL FROM ONE OF THE CLASSES I SPOKE IN WAS THERE. SHE LIKED ME. I DO NOT KNOW WHO TOLD HER THAT I WOULD BE AT THE RESTAURANT BUT  SHE DID KNOW. SHE WAS WATCHING ME EAT AND HER FRIEND WAS MORE REASONABLE, TELLING THE GIRL THAT SHE SHOULD JUST FORGET ABOUT ME. I JUST HOPE THAT FARIDA AND THE GIRL DID NOT NOTICE ME REMOVING THE TOUGHER PIECES OF GOAT MEAT THAT I DID NOT WANT TO SWALLOW. 

MANY HOMES AND BUSINESSES HAVE BIRDS. THE BIRDS ARE OF MULTIFARIOUS SIZES AND COLORS. THE BIRD CAGES ARE ALSO MULTIFARIOUS. SOME ARE METAL, SOME WOOD, AND SOME ARE MADE OF BAMBOO. SOME ARE SQUARE, SOME ROUND, AND SOME ARE PAGODA SHAPED. SOME HOUSES HAVE SEVERAL BIRD CAGES HANGING ALL ALONG THE EDGE OR EVE OF THE ROOFS. THERE WAS ONE RESTAURANT WITH BIRD CAGES ALL ALONG ONE OF ITS WALLS. THERE ARE A LOT OF GREY, FAT BIRDS THAT CAN BE SEEN EVERYWHERE. ARE THEY TURTLE DOVES? I DO NOT KNOW. THERE ARE ALSO BIRDS WITH SMALL WHITE FEATHERS ON THEIR CHINS, LOOKING LIKE BEARDS. I ALSO SAW LOTS OF SHEEP. THEY SEEMED SMALLER THAN THE SHEEP IN THE USA. ITS WOOL SEEMED TO LAY FLAT TOWARDS THE GROUND. SOMETIMES THEY WERE WHITE AND SOMETIMES THEY WERE TAN. 

ONE OF MY MUSLIM FRIENDS BROUGHT ME TO A HOUSE THAT HAD VERY LITTLE FURNITURE. IT WAS MOSTLY FLOOR WITH RUGS. AT THE FAR END OF THE HOME WAS AN OLDER MAN OF AT LEAST 60 YEARS OLD. HE WAS TEACHING A YOUNG BOY HOW TO READ THE QURAN. THIS TEACHER HAD SEVERAL STUDENTS WHO WOULD ARRIVE AT HIS HOME IN THE EVENINGS TO LEARN QURAN READING AND RECITATION. HE BROUGHT ME TO ANOTHER HOUSE WITH A YOUNG GIRL WHO WAS MEETING SOME FRIENDS TO LEARN QURAN RECITATION. WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED, SHE HAD NO HIJAB ON HER HEAD BUT SHE PUT ONE ON RIGHT AWAY WHEN SHE SAW ME. NELFEZAR, (MY MUSLIM FRIENDS' NAME THAT I AM NOT SURE HOW TO SPELL), TOLD THE GIRL THAT I AM MUSLIM AND SHE TOOK OFF HER HIJAB. I JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE NOT TO STARE HER IN HER EYES BECAUSE THAT COULD BE THOUGHT OF AS AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. WE LATER WENT TO AN OLD, ONE ROOM CEMENT MOSQUE SO WE COULD DO SALAT IN PRIVACY. IT WAS COMPLETLY EMPTY EXCEPT FOR THE RUGS ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF THE QIBLA. THE PRAYER RUGS WERE OLD AND I WAS THINKING THAT I COULD TAKE ONE AS A SOUVENIR BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE. I DID NOT TAKE ONE BUT I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST FINE IF I REPLACED THE RUG I WERE TO TAKE WITH A NEW ONE. BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE PURPOSE OF THAT? I WOULD JUST BUY A NEW ONE FOR MYSELF. 

VISITING SO MANY HOMES AND MEETING SO MANY PEOPLE, IT WAS EASY TO REMEMBER TO TAKE SHOES OFF AS SOON AS I ENTER A HOME. IT WAS EASY TO REMEMBER TO REACH FOR FOOD WITH MY RIGHT HAND EVEN IF THE FOOD IS TO THE FAR LEFT SIDE OF THE TABLE. IT WAS EASY TO REMEMBER TO GIVE MONEY TO OTHERS WITH YOU RIGHT HAND EVEN THOUGH MONEY IS RATHER DIRTY. 

I DID THE TIGHTEST TAI CHI CHUAN THAT I HAVE EVER DONE THIS MORNING. THE BEDROOM THAT I WILL BE USING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IS VERY SMALL. I DID GET THROUGH THE PRACTICE EACH DAY THOUGH. I ALSO PRAYED THE SALAT PRAYERS EACH DAY WITH MY MUSLIM FRIENDS. WHEN EVER I SAW THE GIRLS PRAY, I WONDERED HOW THE HIJABS STAY IN PLACE DURING THE MOVEMENTS THROUGH EACH RAK'AT (OR RAK'AH). UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I NOTICED SOME TINY PINS THAT HELD THE HIJABS IN PLACE. WE PRAYED FIVE TIMES EACH DAY. WE ALWAYS HAD TO WAKE UP VERY EARLY TO PRAY THE FAJR SALAT. FAJR SALAT HAS ONLY 2 RAK'AH. MAGHRIB SALAT HAS 3 RAK'AH AND THE OTHER 3 SALAT HAVE 4 RAK'AH. 

THERE ARE MATS SPREAD OUT ON THE ROADS IN MANY PLACES. THE MATS HAVE VARIOUS TYPES PF PRODUCE SPREAD ON THEM. CHILIS, RICE, AND BEANS ARE OFTEN SPREAD ON THE MATS TO DRY.

HOMES OFTEN HAVE MOSQUITO REPELLANT COILS. THEY ARE GREEN AND THE SMOKE THAT COMES FROM THEM CAN BE VERY OVER-POWERING. I DID LIKE THEIR AROMA THOUGH. THEY LAST THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. 

INDONESIANS ARE VERY POLITE ALTHOUGH I WAS OFTEN ANNOYED BY THE FACT THAT THEY APPROACHED ME SO MUCH TO TALK. I AM BASICALLY A LONER SO THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET ACCUSTOMED TO. MEN HOLDING HANDS WITH MEN AND WOMEN HOLDING HANDS WITH WOMEN IS A COMMON SIGHT. THEY ARE NOT GAY. HOLDING HANDS WITH FRIENDS OF THE SAME GENDER JUST SHOWS THAT THEY ARE CLOSE FRIENDS. 

WHEN PASSING CLOSE TO ANOTHER PERSON, PEOPLE WILL SAY "PERMISI" OR THEY WILL BEND A LITTLE FORWARD AND HOLD THEIR RIGHT HAND IN FRONT WITH THE PALM OPEN AS THEY PASS. WHEN SAYING HELLO TO OTHERS, THE PALM OF THE RIGHT HAND WILL BE PLACED OVER THEIR HEART. 

I WAS BROUGHT TO A PLACE JUST OUTSIDE OF GUNAN TUA. IT WAS A POST CARD BEAUTIFUL PLACE. THERE ARE PASTURES WITH SHEEP, A WOODEN MOSQUE, LADIES CARRYING LONG POLES OF WOOD, THE MANY CHILDREN WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL WEARING UNIFORM UNIFORMS, TEENAGERS PLAYING GUITARS AND SINGING FOLKSY OR POP SONGS. THE SHEEP WERE A NICE CHANGE OF PACE FROM ALL THE GOATS THAT ARE TYPICALLY SEEN EVERYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY. BOTH THE SHEEP AND GOATS ARE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT OVER THE UGLY PIGS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN THE VILLAGES AROUND LAKE TOBA. 

THE LARGER, MODERN HOMES DO NOT USE FIRE PITS. THEY HAVE REGULAR STOVES SIMILAR TO WHAT WE BUY IN THE USA.JAKARTA HAS IKEA STORES. ACE HARDWARE HAS MORE THAT 100 STORES THROUGHOUT INDONESIA. MEDAN HAS MODENA APPLIANCE STORE. I THINK IT IS CALLED MODENA HOME CENTER. BOSCH ALSO HAS STORES IN JAKARTA. OTHER HOUSES, LIKE THE ONE THAT FARIDA WAS LIVING IN DURING HER PADANG SIDEMPUAN EMPLOYMENT AT A SCHOOL, HAVE BURNERS LIKE COLEMAN STOVES. SOME OF THE PROPANE STOVES ARE RATHER LARGE. THERE WERE THREE SUCH GAS STOVES IN THIS HOUSE WHICH IS A GOVERNMENT HOUSE. FARIDAS' UNCLE WAS LIVING HERE FOR FREE WITH HIS WIFE AND SONS. THEY WERE WORKING FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. THE CEILING HAD SOME HOLES IN IT BUT THE HOUSE WAS LARGE AND FAIRLY COMFORTABLE. THE ELECTRICITY WENT OUT OCCASIONALLY. THAT WOULD HAPPEN ONCE OR TWICE A DAY. IT REMINDED ME OF INDIA WHERE ELECTRICITY WAS VERY OFTEN GOING OUT. 

I WAS TAKEN TO A SALAK GARDEN. I HAD NEVER BEEN TO THIS GARDEN BEFORE. WE WERE RELAXING IN THE HOUSE OF THE GARDENS' OWNER. A TRADITIONAL TYPE OF PARADE PASSED BY. IF I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, IT WAS A PROCESSION IN HONOR OF A BABYS' BIRTH. AT THE FRONT OF THE PROCESSION WAS SOMEONE WHO CARRIED A LARGE, YELLOW UMBRELLA. THERE WAS AN ELDERLY PERSON WALKING UNDER THE UMBRELLA. ANOTHER PERSON WAS BEATING A DRUM AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS READING FROM A BOOK. THERE WAS SOME FURNITURE PLACED IN FRONT OF A HOUSE. THE PROCESSION HEADED TO THAT PLACE AS A GROUP OF OLDER PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND THE FURNITURE AND WATCHED THE APPROACH OF THE PROCESSION. YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO WERE TALKING TO ME TOLD ME THAT THEY DO NOT LIKE THIS TRADITION BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT AND THAT IT IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. 

WE WENT TO A MUSLIM GATHERING WHERE THE ROOM WAS FULL OF YOUNG MEN SITTING ALONG TWO WALLS AND UNMARRIED WOMEN WERE SITTING ALONG THE OTHER TWO WALLS. WE WERE ALL SERVED PLENTY OF TEA AND BUBUR. THIS BUBUR WAS A SWEET GREEN PEA PORRIDGE. WE WERE TAKING TURNS WITH EXPLANATIONS ABOUT HOW WE EXPERIENCED ISLAM IN OUR LIVES. I JUST TOLD EVERYONE WHO I WAS AND HOW I BECAME INVOLVED WITH ISLAM. WE ALL HAD TO START OUT WITH ASALAAM'ALAIKUM. WE ENDED OUR STORIES IN THE SAME WAY. AFTERWARDS, WE ALL HAD TO SHAKE EVERYONES HAND SAYING ASALAAM'ALAIKUM. THEN I RECEIVED A NICE ISLAMIC WORK CALLED TAKAHLLY DAN DO'A BERMAKNA. 

WHEN SCHOOL BELLS RING, THE CHILDREN WEARING THEIR SCHOOL UNIFORMS WOULD GATHER TOGETHER INTO STRAIGHT LINES. THE LAST EXAMPLE OF THIS PRACTICE HAD CHILDREN WEARING WHITE TOPS AND RED SHORTS OR SKIRTS. IN ONE CLASS I ATTENDED, I SAW ALL THE CHILDREN STAND UP AS SOON AS THE TEACHER ENTERED. WHEN THE TEACHER STOOD IN FRONT OF THEM, ONE CHILD MADE A PROCLAMATION AND ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN MADE A RESPONSE. AT THAT TIME, ALL THE CHILDREN SIT DOWN AND CLASS BEGINS. 

TOURNULI, PARLILITAN, PAKKAT WERE OUR NEXT DESTINATIONS. THE REASON FOR THIS TRIP?

                      "WE ARE GOING TO MY HOME TOWN (IBU KOTA)BECAUSE I GOT PERMISSION FROM MY 

                        PARENTS TO BRING YOU TO OUR HOME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY FAMILY"

                        "WOW, OK. WHEN WILL WE GO THERE"?

                          WE WILL GO TOMORROW."

I WAS TRYING TO SOUND CONFIDENT ABOUT THIS TRIP BUT I WAS QUITE NERVOUS ABOUT IT.

WE SET OUT THE NEXT DAY ON A BEMO. THE TRIP TOOK A LOT LONGER THAN I EXPECTED. THE ROAD IS A DIFFICULT ONE. IT IS NARROW. THE ROAD HAS LOTS OF POT HOLES. THE ROAD IS WASHED OUT IN PLACES. THE ROAD HAD A COUPLE OF MAKE SHIFT BRIDGES THAT HAD TO BE ADJUSTED BEFORE WE CROSSED THEM. THE BEMO WAS NOT A FAST FORM OF TRANSPORT ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER COULD DRIVE AT SCARY SPEEDS. THE ROAD WAS JUST TOO SHABBY AND NARROW, CAUSING VEHICLES TO MOVE OVER TO THE EDGE SO THEY COULD SLOWLY PASS EACH OTHER. THE SCENERY WAS INCREDIBLE THOUGH. SIBORUNGBORUNG TO PARLILITAN IS ALL AGRICULTURE, RUSTIC VILLAGES, AND JUNGLE. WE WERE ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS AND RIVER VALLEYS. WHEN I FIRST MET FARIDAS' MOM, SHE WAS CALLING TO SOME CHICKENS AND CHICKS SO SHE COULD FEED THEM. SHE USED A LOUD ROLLING RRRRR SOUND TO CALL THEM. THEIR HOUSE WAS BUILT ON THE SIDE OF A HILL SO THAT THE TOP FLOOR WAS JUST SHY OF STREET LEVEL (ABOUT TWO FEET LOWER THAN THE STREET) AND THE LOWER FLOOR WAS AT THE LEVEL OF THE HILLS BOTTOM. THAT IS WHERE THE WC AND MANDI WERE LOCATED. THE CHICKEN COOP WAS ABOUT TEN YARDS TO THE LEFT OF THE BOTTOM ENTRANCE TO THE HOUSE. INSIDE THE HOUSE, THERE WAS A ROLL UP CARPET THAT CAN BE REMOVED ANY TIME THE FLOOR WAS TO BE CLEANED. THE HOUSE WAS RATHER LARGE WITH THREE BEDROOMS AND A SPACIOUS LIVING ROOM. THE KITCHEN WAS QUITE LARGE TOO. THERE IS AN APARTMENT ATTACHED TO THE HOUSE WHERE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS LIVE. AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED ABOUT 10 MINUTES WALKING FURTHER UP THE ROAD AND FARIDAS' FATHER IS HEAD MASTER THERE.

I DO NOT REMEMBER IF IT WAS GRANDPA AND GRANDMA OR IF WAS AN AUNT AND UNCLE WHO LIVE IN THE APARTMENT. MY SOJOURN IN THEIR HOUSE LASTED  A COUPLE OF WEEKS. I DECIDED TO JUST STAY THERE TO WAIT OUT MY RETURN TO THE USA. BY THE TIME I LEFT, WE HAD DECIDED THAT WE WOULD WRITE FOR TEN MONTHS AND THEN COME TO A CONCLUSION ABOUT MARRIAGE. 

EATING AT RESTORAN YASMEEN AGAIN.

MAILING OUT LETTERS, ONE TO FARIDA AND ONE TO ANDIS, HER YOUNGER SISTER. 

GOING TO THE TAOIST TEMPLE ON THE WAY TO LEONG SAN TONG KHOO KHANGSI HOKKIEN CULTURE.

ENJOYING THE INTRICACY OF THE DECORATED GOLD AND BLACK ALTAR AREA.

ARRIVING INTO THE LEONG SAN TONG KHOO KHANGSI CLAN HOUSE COURTYARD .

CHECKING OUT THE LOVELY AND SUPERBLY CARVED PAGODAS IN THE COURTYARD.

ADMIRING A BEAUTIFUL TAOIST SCROLL IN THE SMALLER, SOUTH SIDE BUILDING.

HANGING ON A WALL IN THE LOBBY POSSIBLY SERVING AS AN ALTAR AREA.

WALKING AROUND THE VERY INTERESTING STREETS OF GEORGETOWN CHINA TOWN.

FINDING NO SIGNS OF HINDUISM NOR OF ISLAM.

ENCOUNTERING ONLY CHINESE SHOPS WITH CHINESE SIGNS.

PASSING HOMES WITH SMALL, RED ALTARS ON COLUMNS NEXT TO DOORS AND STEPS.

VISITING THE HINDU AREA WHERE STANDS THE MARIAMMAN TEMPLE, TAMIL CULTURE.

SITTING AT THE BAY; FISHERMANS' WHARF AREA CLOSE TO KARPAL SINGH DRIVE.

WATCHING SMALL AND LARGE VESSELS HEADING UP TOWARDS THE NORTH CHANNEL.

HEARING THE CEMENT POLE POUNDERS AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY.

SEEING THE LARGE HOTELS STRETCHING LONG ON THE GEORGETOWN COASTAL ROAD. 

TASTING THE FOODS AND JUICES SOLD BY THE FEW VENDORS SEEN THROUGHOUT TOWN.

STROLLING UP THE ROAD LEADING TOWARDS BATU FERRINGI. 

RETURNING TO THE HOTEL.

SLEEPING.

CEILING FANS TURNING AT A MEDIUM SPEED, MOSQUITO NET WHITE BLEACHED CLEAN HANGING OVER BED, GUITAR PLAYING, SOFT SONG FROM ANOTHER BUNK,BEARDED IRISH CHAP RESTLESS BECAUSE A TRAIN LEAVES BUTTERWORTH AT 1045 AND HE DOES NOT KNOW IF HE SHOULD BE ON IT AND IT IS ALREADY 0900 OR MAYBE HE SHOULD JUST WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY TO GO TO SINGAPORE. 

THE NEXT DAY, EARLY MORNING ARATI AND WORSHIP PROGRAM. I BELIEVE THAT SWAMI KIRTANANDA BHAKTIPAD STARTED THIS ASHRAM AS AN OFFSHOOT OF ISKCON. IT IS PART OF HIS INTER FAITH PROGRAM WHICH REPLACED ALL THE PROGRAM PRAYERS AND CHANTS WITH ENGLISH. I DID NOT LIKE THAT. THE SANSKRIT IS MUCH MORE AUTHENTIC AND THE ENGLISH SOUNDS LESS MATURE. THE WOMEN ARE ALSO TAKING SANNYASA WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT TRADITIONAL BUT I FIND THAT TO BE ACCEPTABLE PROGRESS. THE TRUTH AND ACCEPTANCE BETWEEN ALL RELIGIONS IS ALSO AN EMPHASIZED  PART OF THE TEACHING HERE. THERE ARE BUDDHIST AND HINDU DEITIES HERE. THEY HAVE A VERY NICE QUAN YIN MURTI ON A STAND NEXT TO THE WALL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROOM (AT LEAST THAT IS WHERE SHE WAS WHEN I STAYED THERE). WOMEN ARE ALSO GIVING CLASS NOW. THAT WAS NEVER THE CASE IN THE TRADITIONAL ISKCON TEMPLES BUT IF THEY CAN TAKE SANNYASA, THEN THEY SURE WILL BE  GIVING CLASS TOO. 

TWO CATS AND ONE DOG RESIDE HERE AT SWAMI KIRTANANDA BHAKTIPADS' MAHA MANTRA MEDITATION CENTER. THE CATS EVEN LOUNGE ABOUT IN THE TEMPLE MEDITATION ROOM AND IN THE DINING ROOM. THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NEVER SEEN IN TRADITIONAL ISKCON CENTERS. 

THERE IS A LIBRARY AT THIS MULTI-FAITH ASHRAM. IT HAS BOOKS ABOUT VARIOUS RELIGIONS AND DISCIPLINES. I WAS GIVEN SOME BOOKS. ONE WAS BY HENRY S. T. LEE WHO IS A TAOIST. ANOTHER BOOK WAS BY SWAMI BHAKTIPADA AND A MAGAZINE THAT WAS PUBLISHED BY THE DEVOTES HERE. IT IS CALLED SPIRITUAL LIGHT ISSUE #ONE. THE DEVOTES ARE STILL DEVOTED TO SWAMI BHAKTIPADA EVEN THOUGH HE IS IN PRISON RIGHT NOW. HE IS FROM THE NEW VRINDAVAN COMMUNITY IN VIRGINIA WHERE HE BUILT UP A VERY ELABORATE TEMPLE COMPLEX AND FARM AS HE STARTED TO DIVERGE FROM ISKCON.

ONE MORNING WE WENT TO THEIR MOUNTAIN RETREAT. THERE ARE A FEW DURIAN AND PAPAYA TREES ON THEIR MOUNTAIN PROPERTY. I THINK THERE WAS ONLY ONE BUILDING THAT WAS FINISHED AND THEY WERE STILL BUILDING TWO OTHERS. THE BUILDING THAT WAS FINISHED (OR CLOSE TO IT) WILL BE THE MENS ASHRAM CONNECTED TO SWAMI BHAKTIPADS' QUARTERS WHICH WILL BE HIS PRIVATE TWO ROOMS INCLUDING A BAK MANDI. THIS RETREAT IS LOCATED ABOUT 30 MINUTES SOUTHWEST OF PENANG. THERE IS A LOT OF PROMISE FOR THIS RETREAT BECAUSE THERE ARE NATURAL SPRINGS WHERE POOLS OR FOUNTAINS CAN BE CREATED. 

"HALLIELULLA" IS RECITED ALONG WITH "HARE KRISHNA"

AN EMPHASIS ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE VAISNAVA FAITH IS EVIDENT HERE. SCRIPTURES OF OTHER FAITHS ARE REFERRED TO IN LECTURES QUITE OFTEN. THERE ARE ALSO INSTANCES OF COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE LITERAL ACTUALITY AND THE FIGURATIVE SYMBOLOGY OF STORIES FROM THE SCRIPTURES. ONE EXAMPLE IS HOW THEY LECTURE ABOUT THE BATTLE OF KURUKSHETRA WHEN KRISHNA AND ARJUNA WERE LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST THE KAURAVA ARMY. THERE ARE A FEW SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT CONCERNING THIS BATTLE AND THE WAY THE BATTLE IS TREATED HERE, THE BELIEF THAT IT NEVER LITERALLY HAPPENED AND IT IS ONLY SYMBOLICAL, MORAL MYTHOLOGY CAN BE INCORPORATED IN WITH THE BELIEF THAT IT TRUELY DID HAPPEN AS DESCRIBED IN THE MAHABARAT. THE IDEA THAT THE BATTLE ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE IS DEEMPHASIZED AND THE ALLEGORICAL ASPECTS OF THE STORY ARE TAUGHT. IT DESCRIBES THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE LIGHT AND DARK ASPECTS OF LIFE. IT IS A UNIVERSAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN HUMAN EMOTIONS AND THE DUTY HUMANS MUST FULFILL. THE LITERAL BELIEF HOLDS KURUKSHETRA TO BE THE FIELD WHERE THE PANDAVA ARMY  FOUGHT THE KAURAVA ARMY. THE FIGURATIVE BELIEF HOLDS KURUKSHETRA TO BE THE UNIVERSE WHERE THE DUALITIES OF ALL HUMAN EXISTENCE PLAY OUT. 

CAT STROLLS ACROSS ASHRAM TEMPLE ROOM FLOOR WITH A GECKO IN ITS MOUTH. 

CAT FOLLOWED BY KITTEN.

TAIL AND FOOT OF GECKO STICKING OUT OF CATS' MOUTH.

SRILA PRABUPADAS' DISCIPLE SAID THE WORLD IS A DREAM.

A DREAM AS COMPARED TO THE ETERNAL SPIRITUAL REALM. 

HAD A DREAM LAST NIGHT. 

I GOT SEPARATED FROM FARIDA.

SHE WAS IN ONE TRAIN CAR.

AS I WAS IN THE OTHER. 

THE TRAIN CARS DISCONNECTED AND I COULD NOT LOOK FOR FARIDA BECAUSE MY TRAIN CAR ENTERED A TUNNEL AND IT WAS A DEEP DARK TUNNEL BROWN SHARP EDGED STONES ON ALL SIDES FALLING FAR DOWN DOWN AND FAR DOWN.

WOKE UP. FOUND FARIDA.

"THE NAMES OF GOD AND GOD ARE NON DIFFERENT. CHANTING THE NAMES OF GOD IS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE AND EFFICIENT MEANS OF MEDITATION IN THIS AGE OF KALI. THE PROPER WAY OF CHANTING IS TO ABIDE IN THE NAMES RATHER THAN CHANTING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. JUST ABIDE IN THE NAMES OF GOD. SOME NAMES OF GOD ARE ESPECIALLY INTIMATE. KRISNA, RAMA, AND GOVINDA ARE SUCH NAMES. 

STAYING AT THE MOUNTAIN RETREAT, WE CAN AVOID THE HOT AND MUGGY WEATHER OF GEORGETOWN. LOTS OF ROOM TO PRACTICE MY TAI CHI CHUAN. SOMEBODY WATCHING ME SAID THAT THE STYLE OF TAI CHI I AM PRACTICING LOOKS LIKE A DANCE. I WILL PROBABLY REMEMBER THAT STATEMENT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. 

CHANTING ANCIENT VAISNAVA MANTRAS IN ENGLISH WHEN THEY SHOULD BE IN SANSKRIT DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT. WELL, IF THEY GOT THE MEANING RIGHT..."LET US MEDITATE ON THE EFFULGENT SUN FOR HE FIRES US WITH LOVE OF THE SUPREME ONE. LET US OFFER PRAISE AND HOMAGE TO THE LORD. AND TO OUR SPIRITUAL MASTER WHO IS MOST ADORED. LET US MEDITATE ON THE SPIRITUAL MASTER. HE IS THE SOURCE OF SUCCESS OR DISASTER. LET US OFFER HOMAGE TO LORD CHAITANYA WHO IS LORD KRISHNA OF NAVADWIPA. NOW LET US BOW DOWN TO THAT SUPREME PERSON LORD KRISHNA GOVINDA, THE GOPIS' BRIGHT SUN"...AND SO ON.

IT CONTINUES LIKE THAT WITH MANY OF THE CHANGES SWAMI BHAKTIPADA MADE WITH THE GAYATRI MANTRA AND THE NRSIMHADEV PURANA ETC. I WOULD NEVER GET USED TO THE ENGLISH AND IT SEEMS RATHER SILLY TO ME.THE DEVOTES WANT ME TO STAY ONE MONTH HERE BUT I MUST MOVE ON SOON. I ALREADY MADE PLANS TO RETURN TO BANGKOK AFTER JUST TWO MORE DAYS. LUCKY FOR ME, ISKCON DOES NOT OPERATE LIKE THE MOONIES DID BECAUSE THE FOLLOWERS OF REVEREND SUN YUN MOON DID KIDNAP ME ONE TIME. ISKCON NEVER DID THAT.

QUAN YIN IS THE GODDESS OF MERCY. SHE IS QUAN YIN PU'SA AS SHE IS A BODHISATTVA AND HER TEMPLES ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMONLY SEEN IN ASIA. HERE IN PENANG, HER WORSHIP IS ALL PERVASIVE AND THE MOST POPULAR TEMPLE IS DEDICATED TO HER. IT IS ESPECIALLY BEAUTIFUL AND ELABORATE. QUAN YIN WAS ONCE MOST REVERED BY SAILORS AND FISHERMEN SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT SHE HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE ON PENANG AS IT IS AN ISLAND. THE GODDESS OF MERCY TEMPLE OR KUAN IM TENG WAS BUILT IN 1728. IT IS THE OLDEST TEMPLE ON PENANG. I SAY THAT IT IS A MUST VISIT FOR THOSE WHO FIRST COME TO PENANG AS TOURISTS. IT IS ON PITT STREET. GUAN YU AND TUA PEK KONG ARE OTHER DEITIES FOUND HERE. THERE IS A WELL IN ITS COURTYARD THAT VISITORS CAN USE. THERE IS ALSO A WELL NEXT TO THE MAIN ALTAR BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR THE MONKS.

WAKING UP AT FOUR OR FOUR THIRTY IN THE MORNING AFTER SLEEPING FOR ONLY ABOUT FIVE HOURS CAN BE ANNOYING. I JUST TAKE A SHOWER AND THEN GO DOWNSTAIRS TO SIT IN MEDITATIVE MODE FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR. I WOULD BE SITTING IN THE DARK AMONG THE LIT CANDLES THAT ARE ON THE ALTARS WHICH SURROUND THE ALTAR ROOM. THE ROOM HAS TWO VYASASANAS (ELEVATED SEATS FOR DISTINGUISHED PERSONS). ONE WAS FOR SRILA PRABHUPADA AND THE OTHER WAS FOR SWAMI BHAKTIPADA. ONE ALTAR WAS FOR LORD CHAITANYA AND NITYANANDA. THE ALTAR WITH QUAN YIN ALSO HAD A GOOD SIZED BUDDHA ON A HIGHER LEVEL THAN WHERE QUAN YIN STOOD. THE DEVOTEES WOULD GO OUT EVERY DAY TO FEED PEOPLE WITH THEIR MEAL ON WHEELS VAN. ACTUALLY, THEY WERE NOT GOING OUT ON SUNDAYS BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN THEY HELD THEIR SUNDAY FEAST IN THE TEMPLE. I HELPED A LOT IN THE KITCHEN. I MOSTLY CUT UP VEGETABLES. ONE DAY, A LADY WITH AN INFECTED GALL BLADDER LAID DOWN ON THE TEMPLE ROOM FLOOR. SHE COVERED HERSELF NICELY WITH A BLANKET; POOR GIRL. 

I WITNESSED A TYPICAL PENANG STYLE PURSE SNATCHING. THOSE PURSE SNATCHINGS REALLY IRATE ME! A MOTORCYCLE RIDER RODE UP CLOSE TO SOME TOURISTS WHILE THEY WERE ABOUT TO ENTER A TAXI. THE TOURISTS WERE PLACING THEIR LUGGAGE INTO THE TRUCK OF THE TAXI AND THE THIEF RODE UP TO THE LADY WHO WAS ON THE STREET SIDE OF THE TAXI AND SNATCHED HER PURSE. HE QUICKLY RODE OFF AROUND THE CORNER OF THE HOTEL MALAYSIA. 

0400 PENANG MALAYSIA TIME. IT IS VERY QUITE WITH A FEW DOGS AND CATS AND A FEW BIG FAT RATS LUMBERING AROUND THE OPEN DITCHES THAT RUN ALONG THE SIDEWALKS. I WAS IN FRONT OF THE NEW CHINA HOTEL HAVING WALKED THERE FROM THE MAHA MEDITATION CENTER. I WAS WAITING FOR THE SHARE TAXI TO HAT YAI. THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT AND THE DOGS WERE GATHERING TOGETHER, DISPERSING, AND REGATHERING. THEY WERE OFTEN BARKING AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE RICKSHAW DRIVERS WHO WERE SLEEPING IN THEIR RICKSHAWS DID NOT WAKE UP FROM THE BARKING. I PAID 17 RINGGIT FOR THIS RIDE TO HAT YAI AND THERE WERE ONLY TWO OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE SHARE TAXI VAN. 

IT WAS FOGGY IN SOUTHERN THAILAND. WE WERE FAST CROSSING THE MALAYSIA / THAI BORDER THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING. BY 0730 WE WERE FACING SIGNS WRITTEN COMPLETELY IN THE THAI LANGUAGE. SOON I WOULD SEE LOTS OF SIGNS THAT I COULD NOT READ. I CAN READ THE ARABIC SCRIPT. I CAN READ THE DEVANAGARI SCRIPT. I CAN READ A LOT OF CHINESE CHARACTERS. BUT THE THAI SCRIPT? NO WAY. I STAYED AWAY FROM THE THAI AND LAOTIAN SCRIPTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SCRAGGLY SGRIGGALY LOOKING THE SAME. 

BACK IN HAT YAI, I PRACTICED MY TAI CHI CHUAN NEXT TO AN ANTIQUE TRAIN ENGINE. A MAN WAS WATCHING ME AS I WAS PRACTICING AND HE EVEN TOOK A COUPLE OF PHOTOS OF ME. IT WAS 0830 AND THE SKY WAS CLEAR. I HAD BOUGHT A TICKET FOR THE THIRD CLASS EXPRESS TRAIN FROM HAT YAI TO BANGKOK. THERE WAS A SIX HOUR WAIT UNTIL IT ARRIVED TO PICK ME UP. I WANTED A SECOND CLASS SEAT BUT THEY WERE ALL BOOKED UP SO I PAID THE 249 BHAT FOR THE THIRD CLASS TICKET. THAT WOULD AMOUNT TO ABOUT TEN DOLLARS USA. 

OUR DESIRES LEAD TO OUR KARMIC SITUATIONS. WHAT LIFE WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS A DIRECT RESULT OF OUR DESIRES. NO OUTSIDE POWER OR ACCIDENT CAN REALLY BE BLAMED ON ANY LIFE THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED FULLY HEALTHY. AS HUMAN BEINGS WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD ON OUR CONSCIOUSNESS AND RISE TO A HIGHER EXISTENCE. 

IT IS RELAXING TO JUST SIT AT THE HAT YAI TRAIN STATION, SOMETIMES WALKING AROUND, SOMETIMES READING, SOMETIMES WATCHING PEOPLE. TWO RAILS AWAY FROM THE PLATFORM WHERE I AM TO BOARD A TRAIN, THERE IS A TRAIN CAR WITH CLOTHS HANGING FROM ITS WINDOWS. THERE IS SOMEONE WASHING CLOTHS THERE. SOME LADIES WHO WERE CARRYING POLES WITH BASKETS HANGING FROM EACH END CAME AND SAT NEAR ME. THESE POLES MUST HAVE BEEN PROFESSIONAL POLES BECAUSE THEY WERE STURDY ENOUGH THAT THEY DID NOT BEND FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE BUCKETS. THEY WERE ALSO CARVED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE BUCKETS COULD NOT SLIDE TO THE END OF THE POLES. 

I SAW A FEW PONDS WITH LOTUS PLANTS. THE LOTUS FLOWERS ROSE HIGH  ABOVE THE GREEN PADS. IT IS SAID THAT THE SOUL IS LIKE THE LOTUS FLOWER IN THAT THE SOUL REMAINS UNAFFECTED BY MATERIAL NATURE JUST LIKE THE LOTUS FLOWER REMAINS UNAFFECTED BY THE MUDDY WATER THAT THE PADS LAY UPON. IT IS SAID THAT THIS IS THE CASE ALTHOUGH THE SOUL IS WITHIN A VESSEL OF THE MATERIAL REALM JUST LIKE THE LOTUS IS PART OF A PLANT WHICH IS WITHIN THE POND OF MUDDY WATER. IT IS SAID THAT THE LOTUS IS A SACRED FLOWER THAT SYMBOLIZES PURITY AND TRANSCENDENCE. IT IS SAID THAT THE LOTUS FLOWER IS A SYMBOL OF ENLIGHTENMENT. IT IS SAID THAT THE LOTUS FLOWER EXPRESSES SPIRITUAL AWAKENING RISING OUT OF THE MURKY 

CONDITIONS OF THE MATERIAL WORLD. I DO KNOW ONE THING; LOTUS FLOWERS ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL AND I ALWAYS STOPPED TO ADMIRE THEM. 

WHEN THE TRAIN COMES, THE MANY VENDORS WILL APPROACH EVERY TRAIN COACH TO SELL DRINKS, NUTS, FRUITS, BOTTLED WATER, SODAS, FRIED SNACKS, SWEETS, AND A FEW THINGS I DID NOT RECOGNIZE. THE TRAIN I WAS WAITING FOR WAS ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATE. WELL, I ENJOYED MYSELF DURING THE WAIT ANYWAY. THE SCENES ARE QUITE LIVELY ON THE TRAIN PLATFORMS OF ASIA.

ABOUT SEVEN KILOMETERS NORTH OF BA PHON, I SAW A COUPLE OF CORRALS WITH WATER BUFFALOS IN THEM. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER SAW WATER BUFFALO CORRALS. THEY WERE PLACED BETWEEN A HIGHWAY AND THE TRAIN TRACKS. THERE WERE ABOUT TWENTY WATER BUFFALO IN EACH CORRAL. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA OF THAILAND; QUITE MOUNTAINOUS. WE EVEN WENT THROUGH A TUNNEL WHICH HAD NICE RED BRICK WALLS. AFTER PASSING THROUGH THE TUNNEL, WE CAME TO A VILLAGE CALLED CHONG KAO. THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL, ONE ROOM TEMPLE THAT WAS PAINTED BRIGHT YELLOW WITH ORANGE TRIM. IT ALSO HAD A TALL SPIRE FOR SOME REASON. DID IT USED TO BE A MOSQUE? 

0230 THAI TIME ON THE FOURTH OF FEBRUARY. I THINK I WAS ON THE TRAIN FOR ABOUT TWENTY HOURS BY THAT TIME.  I DID GET SOME SLEEP ON THE TRAIN. DAWN CAME. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL ORANGE DAWN. LOTS OF SMOKE LINGERED IN THE AIR AS BONFIRES AND BRUSH BURNINGS ARE COMMON IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE LANDSCAPE HAD A TINGE OF ORANGE ON COUNTRYSIDE GREEN FROM THE ORANGE THAI DAWN SUNLIGHT. 

ONE LADY HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIRTY PARCELS OF GOODS. PURCHASED IN SOUTHERN THAILAND, THE GOODS WERE BRING TRANSPORTED TO A VILLAGE CALLED BON PONC WHICH IS ABOUT 100 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF BANGKOK. THERE WERE THREE RICKSHAWS WAITING FOR HER ON THE TRAIN PLATFORM. THE RICKSHAW DRIVERS HELPED HER UNLOAD ALL THE GOODS FROM THE TRAIN AND PLACE THEM INTO THE THREE RICKSHAWS. SHE PROBABLY HAD A ONE MONTH SUPPLY OF PRODUCTS FOR A SHOP IN THE VILLAGE. THIS IS MY GUESS. THE TRAIN STARTED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE BON PONC STATION AS SOON AS ALL THE GOODS WERE UNLOADED FROM THE TRAIN.

MANY VILLAGES ARE NAMED AFTER A BUDDHIST TEMPLE THAT IS LOCATED THERE. I SAW ONE VILLAGE THAT IS NAMED AFTER A KLONG THAT RUNS THROUGH IT. THE HOUSES ON THE KLONG HAVE SMALL PIERS. SOME PIERS HAVE SMALL BOATS TIED TO THEM. SOME PIERS HAVE YOUNG GIRLS AT THE END OF THEM WASHING CLOTHS. 

HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED AT SOMEONE WHO WAS STANDING IN A TRAIN ABOUT FOUR ROWS BACK AND WHO WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW? WHENEVER I DID, I WOULD LOOK AT THE PERSON INSIDE THE TRAIN AND I WOULD STICK MY HEAD OUTSIDE OF THE TRAIN TO LOOK AT THE PERSON AGAIN. TO MY MIND, IT ALWAYS LOOKED LIKE THE PERSON WAS CLOSER TO ME INSIDE OF THE TRAIN AND FARTHER FROM ME WHEN I LOOKED AT THEM OUTSIDE OF THE TRAIN. IN MY MIND. 

BACK IN BANGKOK, I RENTED A ROOM THAT WAS CLOSE TO SOME SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. THE TEACHERS SPOKE LOUD ENOUGH SO I COULD HEAR WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. THE STUDENTS WOULD THEN LOUDLY RECITE THEIR LESSONS. IT WAS QUITE ENTERTAINING TO HEAR THE CHILDREN RECITE THEIR LESSONS SOUNDING LIKE THAI POETS OF CHOPPY THAI POETRY.  THE MOTEL ROOM WAS COOL BECAUSE THE SUN SHINED HOT THROUGH ONLY THE TOP QUARTER OF THE WINDOW AS THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROTECTED THE LOWER THREE QUARTERS OF THE WINDOW FROM THE HEAT OF THE SUN. THAT WAS VERY NICE IN HOT AND MUGGY BANGKOK. WHEN CLASSES WERE OUT, THE ROOM I WAS STAYING IN WAS RATHER QUIET. I WAS STAYING AT LEES' GUESTHOUSE AND IT WAS NOT ON A BIG, BUSY STREET. LEES' GUESTHOUSE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A COURTYARD FROM WHERE ANNIES' GUESTHOUSE IS LOCATED. I STAYED IN ANNIES' GUESTHOUSE DURING MY FIRST BANGKOK VISIT, AFTER I LEFT THE ISKCON TEMPLE. THE ROOM WAS SPACIOUS, COMFORTABLE, AND CLEAN. FOR JUST 140 BHAT A NIGHT, I FELT THAT I WAS DOING QUITE WELL FOR MYSELF. AT VINE GUESTHOUSE, I PAID 160 BHAT AND THE ROOM WAS SMALLER THAN THE ROOM I WAS NOW STAYING IN. THIS ROOM ALSO HAS A DOOR THAT CAN BE LOCKED TWO TIMES WHEN I GO OUT. IT HAS THE REGULAR LOCK AND IT HAS A LATCH WITH A PADLOCK SO THE ROOMS AT LEES' GUESTHOUSE HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA SECURITY. 

I WAS FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE BANGKOK AIRPORT TAX BECAUSE IT WAS 200 BHAT AT THE TIME AND THAT MEANT I WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE MY LAST TWENTY DOLLAR BILLS WHICH WERE WRITTEN ON. MANY COUNTRY GOVERNMENTS DO NOT WANT BILLS WITH WORDS ON THEM TO BE ACCEPTED. I WENT TO THE BANK OF AMERICA IN A FINANCIAL DISTRICT OF BANGKOK TO SEE IF THEY WOULD ACCEPT THEM. A REALLY PRETTY LADY HELPED ME OUT AND EXCHANGED THEM FOR ME BUT SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT TOO PLEASED ABOUT THE WORDS ON THE BILLS WHICH SAID SOMETHING LIKE "BOMB SERBIA BECAUSE THEY ARE WAR CRIMINALS". THE LADY TOLD ME THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO WRITE ON BILLS BUT SHE EXCHANGED THEM FOR ME ANYWAY. THESE WERE MY LAST BILLS AND I NEEDED THEM TO PAY THE AIRPORT TAX AND SURVIVE THE LAST THREE DAYS IN BANGKOK. I ALSO HAD TO BUY $10 WORTH OF BEADS FOR VANESSAS' MOM BECAUSE SHE GAVE ME $40 TO BUY HER SOME BEADS AND I HAD BOUGHT HER ONLY $30 WORTH SO FAR. I HAD ALSO BOUGHT A GOOD SELECTION OF AMULETS, ANCIENT CHINESE COINS, CORAL, CARVED SILVER BEADS, AND A COUPLE OF LARGE, HEAVY, ROUND BEADS. I FIGURED THAT I COULD SELL A FEW IN THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES IF I NEEDED MORE MONEY TO DRINK AND EAT SOMETHING BETWEEN LAX AND ABQ. KNOWING ME THOUGH, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE JUST FASTED IF IT CAME DOWN TO THAT SITUATION. 

AROUND 6:30 PM, I WOULD GO TO LUMPINI PARK TO PRACTICE TAI CHI CHUAN BECAUSE THE DAY WOULD START COOLING DOWN BY THAT TIME. TAI CHI IS VERY NICE IN LUMPINI PARK BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES TO CHOOSE FROM AND THE MOSQUITOS WILL NOT BE A BOTHER UNTIL AFTER I FINISH. I WOULD RETURN TO THE ROOM AROUND 2000. MY LAST COUPLE OF DAYS WERE HARD WALKING DAYS. BOATS UP AND DOWN THE CHAO PRAYA AND FOOTSTEPS ON THE STREETS OF BANGKOK. MY FEET WERE FEELING THE WORKOUT I GAVE THEM. IT WAS TIME TO REST. THE CEILING FAN IN THE HOTEL ROOM WAS GREAT. IT HAD THREE SPEEDS. THE ROOM KEPT COOL WITH ITS THREE QUARTERS BLOCKED SUN LIGHT. 

THE CHILDREN WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL BELL TO RING. THEY CAN BE HEARD CHATTING AND LAUGHING FROM THE HOTEL ROOM. THE BELL RINGS AND THEN A TEACHER OR MAYBE THE HEADMASTER SPEAKS WITH A LOUD SPEAKER. THE CHILDREN IMMEDIATELY LINE UP STRAIGHT. NICELY LINED UP THEY LISTEN QUIETLY. THE SPEAKER THEN SINGS A NICE SOUNDING SONG AND THE CHILDREN SING ALONG WITH HER. I AM GUESSING THAT THIS MAY BE THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. THE SPEAKER THEN RECITES SOMETHING AND THE CHILDREN RECITE ALONG WITH HER. THEN THERE ARE TWO SPEAKERS. ONE IS THE SAME LADY AND THE OTHER IS A MAN. THEY BOTH TALK FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND THE CHILDREN SOMETIMES RESPOND IN UNISON. WHEN THE CHILDREN ARE RELEASED TO ENTER THEIR CLASSROOMS, THEY ENTER EACH CLASSROOM ONE AT A TIME. AFTER THEY FINISH ENTERING ONE CLASS ROOM, THEY BEGIN TO ENTER THE NEXT CLASSROOM. THEY REMOVE THEIR SHOES AND CARRY THEM TO THEIR DESKS. THEY WOULD THEN PLACE THEIR SHOES UNDER THEIR DESKS AND PUT PLASTIC BAGS ON THE SHOES. INSIDE THE BAGS WERE LUNCHES. DURING LUNCH, THE CHILDREN CAN BE SEEN BARTERING FOR DIFFERENT FOODS WITH EACH OTHER.

IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS THE LARGER INTERSECTIONS. HERE AND THERE, AN OVERHEAD CROSSWALK WILL SAVE THE DAY. BUS #1 FROM GPO AREA ON NEW ROAD NORTH TO GRAND PALACE AREA AND BACK IS NOT ALWAYS TOO FULL AND COSTS ONLY TWO AND A HALF BHAT. THE CHAO PRAYA  EXPRESS BOATS ARE ONLY FIVE OR SIX BHAT DEPENDING ON IF THERE IS AN EXTRA CHARGE AT A PIER OR NOT. I WALKED THE GRAND PALACE AREA, LUMPINI PARK AREA, AND THE GPO AREA QUITE A LOT. ON ONE SIDE STREET, I FOUND AN ORANGE JUICE CART WHERE I COULD SIT AND RELAX WITH A GLASS OF FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE. THE JUICE COST FIVE BHAT. THE JUICE CART VENDOR WAS A FRIENDLY CHINESE MAN WHO WAS FAIRLY OLD. I ACTUALLY BOUGHT THINGS AT MANY FOOD AND DRINK CARTS BECAUSE OF ALL THE WALKING I DID. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHEAPER TO TAKE TAXIS AROUND BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MAKING SUCH PIT STOPS BUT WHAT FUN WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT? I WOULD ALSO GO TO  MINI MARTS TO BUY TALL, THIN CANS OF FRUIT JUICES FOR AROUND EIGHT BHAT. 

I TOOK A LOOK AT A CLASSROOM OF 10 OR 11 YEAR OLD CHILDREN. I SAW THREE GIRLS ASKING PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE ROOM. THEY SALUTED THEIR TEACHER WITH THE THAI WAI. THE THAI WAI IS WHERE THEY PRESS THEIR PALM TOGETHER IN FRONT OF THEIR CHEST, FACE, OR FOREHEAD DEPENDING ON THE STATUS OF THE PERSON THEY ARE SALUTING. THE GIRLS LEFT THE CLASSROOM ONLY AFTER THE TEACHER SMILED AND NODDED HER HEAD IN AFFIRMATION. THE CHILDREN AND THE TEACHERS ALL SEEM TO HAVE BETTER ATTITUDES IN THE CLASSROOMS AND WITH THEIR STUDIES THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN USA. THEY EVEN SEEM TO HAVE A WHOLESOME ENJOYMENT BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE. 

I WAS FEELING GREAT. I WAS NOT EATING ANY MEAT, NOT EVEN FISH FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS OR SO. IN THE BHAGAVAD GITA IT SAYS THAT ONE SHOULD OFFER UP TO KRISHNA "PATRAM, PUSHPAM, PHALAM, TOYAM" WHICH ARE LEAVES, FLOWERS, FRUITS, AND WATER. NO MEAT IS ACCEPTED. I DECIDED TO LIVE BY THE PRINCIPLES HELD BY THE VAISNAVAS AND BUDDHIST MONKS AT LEAST WHILE I WAS SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH THEM. NEVERTHELESS, SEAFOOD IS SOLD IN ABUNDANCE IN ASIAN CITIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR WET MARKETS WHERE EELS, SHELL FISH OF MANY VARIETIES, MANTA RAYS, OCTOPUSES, AND INSECTS ARE SOLD. PAK KLONG MARKET IS ONE SUCH MARKET IN BANGKOK. MULTIFARIOUS KINDS OF FISH CAN BE BOUGHT. SOMETIMES MANY FISH WERE STUCK ON STICKS. BOWLS WILL HOLD SHELL FISH ARRANGED ARTISTICALLY IN CONCENTRIC CIRCLES; WHITE FISH WITH BROWN STRIPES AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF OTHER COLORS. IT IS AMAZING HOW VENDORS AND GOODS ENCROACH UPON THE SIDEWALKS TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT YOU ARE SOMETIMES SQUEEZING PAST PEOPLE AND BASKETS OF FISH, SCALES, STOOLS. MORE PEOPLE, AND AN OCCASIONAL MOTORCYCLE PASSING ALONG THE ALREADY TOO NARROW PATHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UMBRELLA COVERED SIDEWALK. WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THE CARGO TRUCKS THAT YOU HAVE TO DODGE BECAUSE YOU STEPPED OUT INTO THE STREET FOR FASTER WALKING. THE FLOWER MARKETS POSE THE SAME ADVENTURE ON NARROW SIDEWALKS THAT LOOK LIKE OVERCROWDED, UMBRELLA COVERED GARDENS.

WALKING THROUGH BANGKOK CHINATOWN; THE TRAFFIC WAS HORRENDOUS BUT THE SIDEWALKS ARE WIDE, RED AND GOLD SHOPS, NICELY ARRANGED CLOTHING, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT SHOPS, SWEET SHOPS, THEN WALKING DOWN SIDE STREETS, MERCHANDISE FLOODING ONTO THE MORE NARROW SIDEWALKS, AUTOMOTIVE PARTS OVERFLOWING FROM SHOPS TO STREETS, PRODUCTS BEING UNLOADED AND PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF SIDEWALKS, CAR PARTS USED AND NEW, THERE PLACED IN ORDER,  HERE PLACED IN CHAOTIC MOUNTAINOUS HEAPS,  RIVER DOCK WAREHOUSES  WITH PILES OF PRODUCE LIKE CHILIS AND CHILIS AND CHILIS, ENOUGH SMALL RED CHILIS TO CLEAR OUT ALL BANGKOK POLLUTION FROM YOUR SINUSES. 

THE BHAGAVAD GITA HAS A VERSE; "KRISHNA IS THE TASTE OF WATER"...WHICH WAS MY FAVORITE VERSE AFTER EXCURSIONS AROUND THE HOT, MUGGY, BANGKOK THAT COULD LAST ALL DAY. I WOULD DROP INTO A MINI MART OR A 7-11 AND BUY A COLD STORAGE BOTTLE OF WATER. IN THESE SITUATIONS, WATER IS WONDERFUL. WATER IS A BLESSING. WATER IS EXQUISITE JOY. STUFFED PANCAKES AND SWEET POTATOES WITH SYRUP FOUND ON THE STREETS OF BANGKOK ARE ALSO QUITE WONDERFUL.

I WAS ALWAYS SURPRISED AT HOW QUITE THE STREETS WERE AT NIGHT. DURING THE DAYS, THE STREETS ARE A SCARY CIRCUS TYPE ENVIRONMENT.  AT NIGHT, THEY ARE SO CALM THAT I MUST WONDER WHERE ALL THE VEHICLES HAVE GONE. IT IS LIKE MILLIONS OF VEHICLES DISAPPEAR AT NIGHT. THERE MUST BE A LOT OF ABOVE GROUND AND BELOW GROUND PARKING STRUCTURES. 

SO, I CHECKED OUT OF LEES' GUESTHOUSE, WALKED THROUGH LUMPINI PARK, DECIDED THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE THERE FOR PRACTICING TAI CHI CHUAN, WALKED PAST THE GOOD EARTH THAI / VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT WHICH NOT YET OPENED, DISCOVERED THE BAHAÍ CENTER, WALKED BY THE HUGE WORLD TRADE CENTER, AND ARRIVED AT THE INDOOR PLAZA SHOPPING MALL UNDER THE INDRA REGENT HOTEL, THEN RELAXED. I COULD SMELL THE AROMA OF POPPING POPCORN IN THE FOOD BOOTH SITTING IN THE CENTER OF THE MALLS' LOBBY. 

1350 BANGKOK TIME: I WAS RESTING IN A SMALL PARK. THERE ARE MANY PARKS LIKE IT IN BANGKOK. THEY ARE RECTANGULAR OR TRIANGULAR IN SHAPE. THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY BLACK, IRON FENCES. THEY USUALLY HAVE THIN, BROWN GRASS AND DIRT RATHER THAN LUSH, GREEN GRASS. THERE WAS A BUS STOP ON ONE SIDE OF THIS PARK SO IT WAS RATHER BUSY. THAT IS WHY I DECIDED NOT TO PRACTICE TAI CHI CHUAN THERE. I RESTED THERE FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR BEFORE CONTINUING ON TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. I WALKED NORTH AS FAR AS THE TALL VICTORY MEMORIAL BEFORE I CAUGHT THE AIR CONDITIONED #10 BUS TO THE AIRPORT. I WAS DROPPED OFF ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH RUNS BETWEEN DON MUANG AIRPORT AND A BUDDHIST TEMPLE AND SHOPS. I HAD TO CROSS THE STREET TO GET TO THE STAIRS THAT LEAD TO THE AIRPORT. I DID SPEND TIME AT THE TEMPLE THOUGH. I SPOKE TO ONE OF THE MONKS THERE. I DO NOT REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT WAS VERY GENERAL, MUCH LIKE MANY SUCH CONVERSATIONS ONE HAS WITH STRANGERS WHEN ONE IS TRAVELING. AFTER I LEFT THE TEMPLE, I HAD TO WALK PAST A FEW SHOPS AND A TRAIN STATION TO FIND THE CORRECT WALKWAY FROM THE STATION TO THE AIRPORT. THE TRAIN STATION IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE TRACKS AND HIGHWAY AND THE AIRPORT IS ON THE EAST SIDE. THE CORRECT WALKWAY WAS GREEN METAL AND NOT THE GREY CEMENT WALKWAY NEAR WHERE THE BUS STOP IS. BEFORE I WENT UP THE STAIRWAY, I BOUGHT SOME SMALL CAKES AT ONE OF THE SHOPS OUTSIDE OF THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE. I PAID FOUR BHAT FOR EACH CAKE. THE CAKES WERE SUPURB, LIKE MINIATURE PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKES.  I ALSO BOUGHT SODA WATER FOR THREE BHAT. I THEN MADE MY WAY INTO DON MUANG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

1605 DON MUANG AIRPORT TIME: I AM EXPLORING THE AIRPORT UNTIL 1700. I PRACTICED TAI CHI CHUAN IN A WIDE HALLWAY, AWAY FROM THE HALLWAYS USED BY THE PASSENGERS. I BOUGHT THREE SMALL BOWLS OF THAI SWEETS. I THINK I WAS IN RAJNENE FOOD COURT. ONE OF THE SWEETS HAD THREE KINDS OF BEANS IN IT AND THE OTHER TWO SWEETS HAD YELLOW SQUASH. THEY COST EIGHT BHAT EACH. I WAS STARTING TO FEEL SORRY THAT I WAS RETURNING HOME. I WAS RETURNING BACK TO WORK. I WAS RETURNING BACK TO THE DAILY GRIND. CAN I JUST STAY IN THIS AIRPORT? I WAS ACTUALLY HAVING FUN IN THE AIRPORT. IT IS A FUN AND INTERESTING AIRPORT. I DISCOVERED  PEOPLE SLEEPING HERE AND THERE ON EACH FLOOR. I ALSO DISCOVERED COFFEEHOUSES AND RESTAURANTS ON EACH FLOOR AND THEY HAD FAIR PRICES. I ALSO DISCOVERED CNN NEWS ON PANASONIC TELEVISIONS THROUGHOUT THE AIRPORT. I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT ALL AREAS OF THE AIRPORT WERE CLEAN AND IT WAS NICELY AIR CONDITIONED. I ALSO DISCOVERED BIG BOARDS THAT I HAD TO WATCH BECAUSE MY FLIGHT STATUS WILL BE SHOWN THERE. I HEARD NO LOUD SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT FLIGHT STATUSES. THE BOARDS SHOW "LAST CALL" ELECTRONICALLY ON A SCREEN AS THE BIG BOARDS FLIP TO THE APPROPRIATE FLIGHT TIME, GATE, AND DESTINATIONS. SMALL GREEN LIGHTS FLASH NEXT TO THOSE FLIGHTS THAT WERE PRESENTLY BOARDING. I ALSO DISCOVERED FREE BAGGAGE TOTE CARTS. WERE BAGGAGE CARTS FREE TO USE IN ALL AIRPORTS BACK THEN? I DO NOT REMEMBER. SECURITY WAS CONSTANTLY POLITE AND EFFICIENT. I WAS ABLE TO BREEZE THROUGH THIS AIRPORT SECURITY STUFF WITH VISA, IMMIGRATION, AND CUSTOMS ALL IN ORDER. SOON, I WAS IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR GATE 44. 

                            FIN