tropicalrob

Audrey Phyllis Lowman (1925 - 2012)

2012-02-03T10:46:00.015+03:00

Sadly my mother passed away yesterday afternoon after failing to recover fully from a bout of pneumonia. It was also just a mere three months after my father's death in October last year. But at least she wasn't in pain and it was relatively quick.

The quality of her life had deteriorated considerably over the last couple of years anyway, largely as a result of losing her short term memory. In fact, she never really took it in that my father had died and she still often thought he was still around. Unfortunately I was unable to be by her side at her actual passing away, but I did manage to visit her at Christmas, just over a month before. I will always cherish my last conversations with her, mostly about the past, as her long term memory was still good.

I think her main quality was the completely unconditional love she had for her children. In fact, in most ways, she was the perfect mother, always willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the benefit of us, always putting us first. She was always there in times of need. And even to her dying day, she still cared and worried about us. Her compassion also extended to needy people and animals as well. She literally wouldn't kill a fly, but would brush it out of the window, such was her love for all living things. She was a true humanist in every sense of the word and showed us an example of humanity at its best.

Coupled to this was her incredible modesty. She always negated herself and never pretended to be anything, despite actually being overflowing with good qualities. She was always apologising for being a nuisance even in the most mundane of situations. It was a pity that was surrounded by dominating characters and that my father and her own mother (my grandmother) didn't encourage or support her more, so that she might have developed the kind of self confidence and strength she deserved to have.

But being of the war-time generation she had that typically strong sense of commitment to duty and unswerving loyalty to family. No matter how difficult their relationship became she always stood by my father, such that they were married for over 60 years, and she also tended to her own

mother in her old age with unstinting devotion.

So to sum up, she excelled in every role in life, as a daughter, wife and a mother. And if there is a heaven, I'm sure that's where she is now, for surely there has rarely existed someone more deserving than her. Her reward will truly be in heaven.

RIP

Motorbike

2012-02-01T18:43:00.006+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Nothing much going on here at the moment. Just the usual daily plod of going to work and earning a living. Unfortunately, Bahrain isn't the most exciting place to be. Of course, there are the continuing demonstrations from the Shia community, but the police seem to have a cap on the situation and it's difficult to seeing anything major developing, even though the anniversary of last years rising is coming up pretty soon.

I often think about my role as an EFL teacher and I think we must be the most underpaid professionals anywhere in the world. We're still basically treated as a bunch of ex-hippies or backpackers. Ok, that may be where many of us came from, but it's certainly not true now. We all have degrees and professional qualifications. If you meet an ex-pat in banking or oil or law in the pub, you just hope they don't ask you what you do. They must absolutely scoff at our wages, and think we're a bunch of complete dickheads. Most of them earn about 3 or 4 times as much. We just seem to be chucked a few peanuts, not even a full bag!

Anyway, enough whingeing! Last month I finally got around to buying a motorbike, like I always promised I would. It's nothing special, just a Honda 125, but has certainly opened up new possibilities. Mind you, the roads here in Bahrain are dangerous, and crossing lanes is always a scary business. Either way, I'm certainly not going to stop cycling. Cycling must still be one of the best ways of maintaining general aerobic fitness over a long period of time.

Stay cool.

Cheers,

Rob

Publish Post

Happy New Year !!

2012-01-01T12:07:00.016+03:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Let's hope it's better than 2011, but realistically it'll probably be more of the same. The global economic depression is likely to continue, rubbishy hip-hop and R&B will continue to dominate the charts, students won't stop being rude to their teachers, and Chelsea will almost certainly sack another manager!

But looking back at last year, I must say it was an incredibly eventful one for me. In fact, I can hardly believe that I packed so much into a year. I visited Africa twice, attended my father's funeral, experienced riots and a dose of tear gas here in Bahrain, met up with an old school friend I hadn't seen for 40 years, started making some serious progress with my singing and guitar playing, and finally got engaged to Rhoda, a Filipina girl I met here in Manama! Not bad for a bloke pressing on 60! In fact, time definitely seemed to slow down for me last year, which is surprising, since generally it seems to accelerate the older you get. No doubt the reality is that it is us who are slowing down rather than time getting faster!

So here's to hopefully an equally eventful 2012!

All the best,

Robert

New bike!

2011-11-28T22:46:00.010+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, here goes again. I've bought another expensive bike (above). Third time lucky, I hope! The last two both got stolen, i.e. the Mongoose and the Gary Fisher. Every one had told me that Bahrain was virtually crime free, so I confidently parked my bike outside my apartment block at night (locked, of course). It took thieves a mere two months to discover it and duly one morning I experienced that horrible sinking feeling you get when you realise you've been robbed. You always try to kid yourself there's some logical explanation. The apartment administration have moved it for security reasons or something absurd like that. Or you parked it somewhere different last night. Or you'll suddenly find it just around the corner. Such is the nature of human hope and optimism. That said, thank God we do have hope. It's such a basic and important human emotion. Once people lose hope, then surely they are lost.

The top picture is the new bike. Probably the best of the three, it even has disc brakes, so you get none of that terrible squeaking when it's wet. It's also got nice click into place Shimano Tourney gears. 21 in all, though, to be quite honest, I can never understand why they bother with that small one at the front. If you use it, you go so slow, you might just as well get off and walk! That's not my apartment, by the way, but the foyer outside the reception area. I don't have my own pool table, unfortunately!

The yellow bike is the Gary Fisher I had stolen here in Bahrain. I'd even had it specially shipped over from Thailand. That, incidently, is the view from my lovely 14th floor flat in central Bangkok. At the end of the day, I probably miss the flat more than I do the bike.

Finally, here's the Mongoose (below), which I had stolen from right outside the British Council in Bangkok. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the security guard himself. One day I locked it in the wrong place. He was very quick to put his own lock around it and demand 300 baht (ca $10). No tickets or anything. Presumably the money went straight into his pocket. That's the Chao Praya river I'm standing in front of.

Anyway, keeping my fingers crossed this time!

Cheers,

Rob

John Augustus Lowman (1922 - 2011)

2011-10-14T11:39:00.017+03:00

Sadly my father passed away yesterday (Thursday, 13 October) at the age of 89. He had had pneumonia for a couple of weeks before and apparently when the antibiotics failed to clear it up, there was nothing the doctors could do. But at least he died peacefully and was in no pain, which is arguably the best way to go.

My father originally came from a working class family in the East End of London, and it is to his great credit that he successfully educated and engineered himself into the position of a successful and prosperous upper middle class professional, enabling him to provide both me and my brother with best in every aspect of life as children, for which we can never express enough gratitude. Generosity was always was one his strong qualities. It was unfortunate that his career never reached full fruition. Nevertheless, his determination and perseverance were exemplary, and he provided us all with an excellent role model in how to succeed and advance in life.

My father, of course, experienced the Second World War in its entirety, being a 17 year old when it begun. He spent a large part of it as a prisoner of war. In fact, the war played a significant role in forming his character, in that he was always very much the military man, with strict discipline and a strong sense of authority. Although some people found this hard to handle, it is always important to remember that he was the product of his times and embodied the values of his generation. Within this framework he always tried to do the right thing and had genuine moral integrity.

What not many people know about him was that he was also a first class musician. He played mostly jazz piano and knew the works of most of the top pianists of his generation (e.g. Oscar Petersen and Earl Hines) and had a flambuoyant side to his character too. Being a musician myself (guitar), I can recognise just how good he was. I only wish I had had the opportunity to play more together with him when he was alive. It was unfortunate that in his later years he became partially blind, which affected not only his music, but also his ability to read. In fact, he was always not only an avid reader but also an excellent linguist, able to speak both French and Spanish fluently. Finally, he was a very strong chess player in his time, attaining Category 2 status while in Argentina. He always beat me!

In addition, he travelled extensively for someone belonging to the pre-jetset age, and he always took a genuine interest in my own travel experiences, particularly in the Far East. Apart from living in South America (Peru and Argentina) for several years in the early 1950s, he also visited France, Belgium and the USA. It's a pity he himself never made it to Asia, as I'm sure he would have been fascinated by the people and culture there.

Although not seriously religious, he knew a lot about Eastern philosophies and religions, particularly Buddhism and Yoga, and I had several stimulating conversations with him. Raja Yoga was the branch that inspired him most, and I sincerely hope his proficiency in that and any residual influence of Christianity will help him now in the after life state and take him to a higher plane.

He will be sadly missed, not only by me but also by my mother for whom he was a constant stalwart. They were married for over 60 years.

RIP

Istanbul

2011-09-16T10:09:00.028+03:00

Hi Bloggers!

I'm well behind schedule. I'm still blogging about stuff that happened more than two months ago. Such are the pressures and stresses of modern working life! Or am I just lazy?

Anyway, before my memorable trip to Kenya (coming up soon), I did a return trip to the UK to visit my parents, sadly ageing now, but fortunately still enjoying relatively robust health. Turkish Airlines seemed to offer the cheapest promotions, so I pounced on this opportunity to make a meal of a stopover in Istanbul. It really is all it's hyped to be, or at least from a touristic point of view.

Of course, Turkey has come on leaps and bounds economically too and still has ambitions to become a part of the EU. A far cry from the days when they supplied most of the workforce for the post-war German economic miracle! I wonder how Germans will feel about having to treat as equals people that formerly had virtual slave or sub-species status!

There were two areas I visited, firstly Sultanahmet, the main tourist area, and Taksim Square, the commercial hub of modern Istanbul. I didn't have time to see everything I should have in Sultanahmet, but nevertheless got a good taster. I can finish it off on my next trip. Apart from the manifold artistic and architectural wonders of the Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque and the Topaki Palace, I was most impressed by the covered Grand Bazaar, which is one of the most atmospherics markets I've ever visited. It really takes you way back in time, as it's basic structure and layout has remained unchaged for centuries. I particularly liked the colours too.

The only downside was the presence of persistent touts and dealers trying to make hard sells, and always using the full charm offensive technique. That approach is particularly difficult to handle, because as a tourist you're looking for a experience and to make some positive contacts with locals, which of course they exploit to the full! Carpets is the number one item they push. Mind you, some of them really are nice, but I'd recommend having a good look around first to get an idea of what prices should be.

As far as the Taksim Square area was concerned there was nothing

particularly visually exciting,

other than that it was just a generally pleasant place to hang out, including a nice park. Branching out of it, though, is Istanbul's equivalent to Oxford Street, a long walking street with trams coming up and down intermittently. But for Turks, this is the real centre of Istanbul.

Kenya coming up next!

Cheers,
Rob

Zanzibar - Island and Beaches

2011-08-20T10:23:00.035+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

The Stone Town was obviously one of the highlights of Zanzibar, but equally impressive was the island's interior and its famous beaches. The East African coast is genuinely blessed with the kind of white caster sugar sand associated with tropical paradises.
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I rented a motobike (see pic), but frankly I don't recommend this, as it was definitely faulty and broke down a couple of times. Once in a village, in fact, which could have been a scary experience for a more paranoid person. But instead of seizing this golden opportunity to rob and loot a helpless tourist, the locals were actually really helpful, and got me up and running again. Before coming to Africa I had been warned of the crime rate, but once again I experienced nothing but warmth and hospitality. In fact, if I have learnt anything from all my travel experience, it is that man's nature is fundamentally good and that the criminal is reviled in all societies, even the poorest and most primitive.
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Anyway, I certainly enjoyed riding through the lush tropical fields and forests, passing by and occasionally stopping in incredibly quaint villages. The most interesting ones were probably the fishing ones. As for the beaches, they were just awesome, and happily with hardly anyone there. Mind you, it was low season. Rainy season, in fact, which I discovered the hard way.

So, all in all, I'd thoroughly recommend a trip to the fabled spice island of Zanzibar!

Cheers,
Rob

Zanzibar - Stone Town

2011-08-14T16:06:00.038+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Just got back from a great week in Kenya! Visited both Nairobi and Mombasa, though had to cancel the safari because of a severe attack of the runs! But I'll cover this highly memorable journey in my next blog, as somehow I've managed to get seriously behind schedule, mentioning nothing about my trips to Zanzibar in March and then Istanbul in June since I lasted posted!

So Zanzibar - that's Tanzania, by the way (see previous blog for Dar es Salaam). What a place! It must be one of the top exotic destinations anywhere in the world, as combines both culture and natural beauty. The Stone Town dates back several hundred years as a centre for the spice trade and has elements of Arab, Indian and Portuguese architecture in it. Its heyday, though, was probably from the 18th Century onward, when the Omani Arabs took control of it and added the slave trade to it (nice one, chaps). There's also a buzzing market here too.

Zanzibar is worth visiting for the Stone Town alone, but it also blessed with magnificent white sands beaches, particularly on the east coast. There's a reef about a mile out too, which means that the water remains very shallow near the shore.

Myself, I stayed in the Stone Town and made excursions out to the beaches, as, to be honest, I'm not really a beach person. I love to be near the sea, but find I get bored pretty quickly if I just sit on the beach, and I gave up sunbathing years ago! The only drawback in the Stone Town is the presence of persistent touts. I found the best way was to make friends with a couple of them, because actually they gave useful insights into the place and were often interesting characters in their own right. And, poor guys, they're just trying to make a living like anyone else!

The east coast of Africa is the Swahili speaking area, whether it be Kenya or Tanzania. It evolved as a result of Afrian Bantu meeting Arabic. Swahili doesn't refer to just the language but also the coastal people as a whole. And I'm pleased to say I learnt a few basic phrases! Jambo - hello!

But enough of my blurb. Judge for yourself by the pictures!

Cheers,
Robert

Tanzania - Dar es Salaam

2011-07-22T20:16:00.016+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I haven't blogged for quite a while. I've probably been focussing on Facebook too much! But actually I think blogging provides a much more coherent and progressive record of events, whether it be travel, politics, family or something else. So ......

The main events for me this year have been the continued trouble here in Bahrain (see below) and my first trip to black Africa since 1970. Tanzania to be precise. The politics in Bahrain have frankly become boring and are well documented in other places, so I'll focus primarily on my April trip to Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Just before that trip, though, all the BC teachers here in Bahrain were fortunate enough to get one extra free week's holiday in Dubai, as the British Embassy decided the situation on the ground was dangerous enough to warrant "withdrawal". I didn't think it was that bad myself, but I certainly wasn't complaining and thoroughly enjoyed looking around Dubai. It really is quite a place, and I'd recommend it to anyone for a visit. However, it's probably best done as a stopover to somewhere else.

So on to Africa. I'd visited Ghana and Togo in West Africa when I was just a teenager in 1970, but really I was too young and green to get much out of that trip. So I was keenly anticipating this one, albeit to a different part of Africa this time, namely the East. As I only went for a week, all I had time for was a couple of days in Dar es Salaam and then about 4 days on the fabled isle of Zanzibar.

I'll take Dar first (see next blog for Zanzibar). Frankly the place was a dump, pretty ramshackle right the way through. It wasn't actually filthy and squalid, like in India, but there was no area that was really upmarket and spic and span like you might expect in a western city. Yet it was friendly enough, even quaint in places and certainly didn't lack atmosphere. But for me Dar's most striking feature was undoubtedly what it didn't have rather than what it did. For example, there wasn't one of those large colourful markets you always expect to see in developing countries. And there were no signs of major development, like a shopping mall or a governmental area with grandiose monuments, etc . In fact, there wasn't even a decent supermarket in the place. The only one I found was affected by the intermittent power cuts, such that most of the frozen foods had melted at some point.

As for the people, they were pretty laid back on the whole. I wasn't accosted in either a positive or negative way. In fact, they semed pretty indifferent to white tourists. They also tried to charge money if they thought they were in one of your photos, which I found really annoying. Nevertheless, I felt reasonably safe, though at night the streets did get eerily deserted. Mind you, I always leave all my valuables in the hotel safe, just taking out enough for the evening. My best experiences were in cafes and restaurants where I got chatting to quite a few locals. But overall a pretty mediocre experience. People in Zanzibar (next blog) were much more communicative.

Anyway, enjoy the shots. They're all of Dar. I think they give a reasonable representation of the place. Next Zanzibar!

Cheers, Robert

Manama - Saturday morning

2011-02-19T08:28:00.007+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

There was certainly plenty of action yesterday, though, myself, I only managed to capture the Sunni pro-government parade during the day. It focussed mainly around the Al Fateh mosque in Juffair, but also spread right down the highway to the Diplomatic Area. The overwhelming feeling of this demonstration was the wealth and opulence of the Sunnis. Everyone was wearing their Sunday (read Friday!) best and there were large convoys of 4W drive cars. This was in strong contrast to the more working or lower middle class feel of the Shi-ite protesters, who even had the pluck to camp out.

Tragically, I heard there were more shootings at the Pearl Roundabout in the evening. CNN is running a very graphic video, clearly showing someone being shot through the head. I went down there myself at about 11.00 pm, but it was all quiet again by the time. There was still a heavy police and army presence, so I backed off pretty quick. It's surprising how close you get on a bicycle, though, because it's a nifty, tricky and fast way of getting around.

The Crown Prince addressed the nation yesterday, but frankly I found him almost as hypocrytical as the Foregn Minister the day before. He called for calm and the recovery of our "humanity". Although superficially the right buzz words, it makes it sound like the current situation is a shared responsibility, involving two-way violence, but this is not so. The only "inhumanity" is coming from the police and army, not the protesters. The protesters who were shot at yesterday even had their hands in the air at the time.

Today is another weekend day, so there will probably be more demos. Whether the situation will calm from Sunday onwards remains to be seen.

Will contine to update,
Robert

Pearl Roundabout Aftermath

2011-02-18T09:16:00.019+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

As you all probably already know, things turned extremely nasty early Thursday morning (ca. 3.00 am), when the police brutally attacked the protesters while they were still sleeping. In a concerted and clearly well planned operation, the protesters were forced to flee. The police used tear gas, rubber bullets and bird shot. A further three people were killed. There must have been some resistance by the protesters, though, as there were a lot of stones strewn around.

I think what makes it so shocking was that up to that point the protesters had kept their activities completely peaceful (see previous blog) and there was no need for this kind of brutality. Moreover, there were women and children in amongst the crowd. It's not as if they were charging down streets smashing things or setting cars on fire, etc.

Anyway, I went down to the Pearl Roundabout to see the aftermath. Basically it was cordoned off by police, and I was quickly waved away by police (see top picture) as soon as they saw I had a camera. But I did manage to get a few shots.

The Foreign Minister has since gone on television justifying the attack, saying it was to avoid sectarianism developing. A highly paradoxical statement, given that it is precisely because the Shi-ites feel they are treated as second class citizens that they demonstrated. Surely a much wiser course would have have been to arrange negotiations and try to meet at least some of the Shi-ite demands, considering they do make up 70% of the population.

Now, it is more likely that the protesters resolve will be hardened. However, it could well be that the government is simply going to be too strong for the demonstrators. Fobodingly, the other gulf states have guaranteed their support for the Bahraini government. Should their be more demos, we may will see Saudi tanks coming in too.

Will update soon,
Rob

Protests in Manama

2011-02-16T23:23:00.008+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, not much exciting had been going on here in Bahrain until this recent wave of protests swept over the Arab world. It started in Tunisia - I've got a mate working there at the BC who was evacuated, incidentally - and has ended up here in Bahrain and Yemen just down the road. Generally, Bahrain is a pretty sedate kind of place, so I was surprised at the strength and determination of the protesters. It turned nasty on Monday when police tear-gassed and even shot rubber bullets and bird shot into the crowd. Two people were killed. I think this has just served to strengthen their resolve.

Fortunately, the police have pulled back now. The powers that be seem to be aware of the international attention they're getting and are consequently playing it safe. Let's hope they enter genuine negotiations with the protesters, who are basically Shi-ites. Shi-ites are the majority, but the country is ruled by Sunnis, who are the wealthiest group and hold all the positions of power.

It'll be interesting to see how long this goes on and what turns it takes. I'll keep you updated.

Cheers,

Rob

November in the Gulf

2010-11-26T16:46:00.013+03:00

Hi Bloggers,
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November really is the most fantastic month imaginable here in the Gulf region. Temperatures have dropped to a comfortable mid 20's Celsius. Sunny days with cloudless skies and that terrible humidity now replaced by a lovely fresh breeze. You couldn't think up better weather even if you tried. It's in strong contrast to the crushing heat of the summer. I arrived here in April and haven't really known anything else but 40+ day-time temperatures. Let's hope this continues through the "winter"!

I've taken a few shots of Manama from Muharraq (above). I've tried to get the traditional fishing boats into the same picture as the skyscrapers and, of course, the bridge itself. Funnily enough, I always think the Financial Harbour Towers (middle right) look like a giant V-sign on the skyline. But that probably says more about me than actual reality! Interestingly, there are all these old fishing boats or dows, as they're called, dotted in stategic places around the sea front parts of Manama. At first, I thought they'd got stranded, but it is in fact a genuine and successful effort to be artistic.
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Meanwhile, busy planning my trip to Africa at Christmas!

Cheers,

Rob

Bahrain Marathon Relay

2010-11-03T10:04:00.020+03:00

Hi Bloggers,
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Just ran in the Relay Marathon for the British Council team. We came placed a wretched 150 out of 157 teams, but it was great fun, nevertheless. Surprisingly, it took place from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm, which meant that a lot of us were running in the midday heat, which is still quite strong at this time of the year. Luckily, though, it had cooled down considerably from the really hot summer months, when temperatures reach as high as 45 C. I think people would have collapsed if they'd tried it then!

Anyway, I was quite pleased with my own times, 17.34 for an uphill 3.3 km stretch and then 15.34 for the home straight of exactly 3 km. Yes, I felt honoured to be selected for that role! Mind you, I was the only person in the team to run two stretches, so maybe I earned that privilege. Anyway, enjoy looking at the video (below) and pics. Hope it inspires you to take up running!

Cheers,

Robert

Tree of Life

2010-08-24T10:07:00.011+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Following our tour of the souks and a fantastic lunch at a local Thai restaurant, we proceeded to the highlight of the day - the Tree of Life. Basically, it's a solitary tree in the middle of the desert. No-one's fully sure where it gets its water from, but presumeably there's an underground table or resevoir there. Anyway, this tree is reputed to be hundreds of years old. To be quite honest, I was expecting to be disappointed, but actually was pleasantly surprised, as, in fact, the place is quite atmospheric and there's a great view around.

The biggest problem was actually finding the place! You would have thought the authorities would have gone to the trouble of making sure there were decent signposts for what is, after all, one of the country's main attractions. Anyway, after several circular detours and requests for directions, we did finally get there - just before sunset. As it turned out, that was probably the best time as the setting sun gives the place a distinctly reddish hue.

A lot of the tree had graffitti on it, which some people say spoils it. But actually I thought it rather enhanced the experience, giving it an extra historical dimension. Many of the signatures have even changed shape over time and are now really an integral part of the tree.

I'll let you judge for yourselves from the pictures.

Cheers,
Robert

Manama Souks

2010-08-20T21:08:00.031+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

People tend to think of the Gulf region as being one purely of oil-rich affluence. But actually there is quite a significant amount of poverty, and not just amongst the immigrant workers, but also the indigenous Bahrainis. One of the nicer reflections of this, however, is the general central Manama area and its sizeable souk area. This part of town is simply teeming with life and character with lots of winding alley ways and rows of traditional houses, etc.
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So, me and my friend Dave, a fellow BC teacher, took a stroll around and decided to get a few pics earlier in the month, as he was just about to depart back to the cooler climes of the UK. And make no mistake about it, the midday temperatures here really are something else. 40C plus, and high humidity. You only need to walk for about five minutes and you're dripping! We're both keen joggers, but in the end had to abandon any projects to keep fit that way! Even at night it's still 35C.

The part I liked the most was the tree covered square, where people just seem to sit and hang out for long periods of time. There aren't many green shady places in Bahrain, but this is certainly one! There are also a couple of open-air cafes where locals don't seem to do anything special other than just chill and drink their tea or coffee. Tea seems to be more popular, actually. It's a pity, though, you can't have a nice cool beer in a public place! OK, I'll let the pics do the talking from here.

After this we went out to the Tree of Life, which despite my initial misgivings turned out to be well worth the effort (see next blog).
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Cheers,

Robert

Abu Dhabi

2010-07-10T23:59:00.015+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Lovey dovey in Abu Dhabi? Well, not quite, but anyway just had a great couple of days there. It's interesting to compare it to Dubai, its illustrous neighbour. Abu Dhabi is much more like a normal town than Dubai. For example, it actually has high streets with shops, and lots of them, whole blocks in fact. That's not to say that Abu Dhabi hasn't been hit by shopping mall mania too, but it's much less at the forefront. Interestingly, I also stumbled across some quite slummy areas, where a lot of the immigrant population live. Most seem to be Filipinos. In fact, almost every shop assistant or cashier seems to be Filipina.

From a touristic point of view, the real highlight was the fabulous Sheik Zayed mosque, which is almost on a par with the Taj Mahal (see pic). There's also a park all along the "beach" front, which is great for jogging and cycling. The beach is mostly corniche, though, i.e. reclaimed land. And, unfortunately almost everywhere in the Gulf, there's a distinct lack of surf, probably because the water here is so shallow.

I was also surprised to find that the Emirates is actually cheaper than Bahrain. I did an experimental shopping run and it came out cheaper than the equivalent in Manama. The Emirates General Store is the place! Abu Dhabi would definitely be a nice place to live. Just a pity about the heat and absence of rain in this region!

Cheers,
Rob

City Centre

2010-05-29T09:12:00.012+03:00

Wotsup Bloggers?

I've been here now just over a month, so I'm beginning to get a good idea what makes Manama tick. I've also got my cargo arriving next week, which includes my mountain bike and guitars. The bike'll make me much more mobile and enable me to explore deeper into the island. Some people say I'll be crazy to ride a bike in the summer heat, but I've always been a keen cyclist, so I'm confident I can handle it, provided I have the appropriate headware!

Anyway, for this blog I've decided to focus on the main shopping mall in Manama. It's called City Centre. In fact, it's sister to the one in Dubai, probably bigger too. The reason it's important is because this is the place most people seem to end up on their days off. It represents shopping in the Gulf at its most state of the art, particularly if you're a Westerner. And apart from anything, it's a great place to be just to cool off during the summer heat!

Practically every shop you could imagine is here, not disimilar in scale to the impressive Central World in Bangkok, where I've just come from (what a tragedy Central World got burned down during the recent turmoil in Bangkok). It's set slightly outside the main drag in a land reclamation area. In fact, coming from a distance it looks almost like it's in the middle of the desert, surrounded by nothing but sand. Land reclamation's a big thing here, and is one of the reasons there are no decent beaches to speak of, just these strips they call corniches.

As usual, I'll let the pics do the talking. hopefully in my next blog I'll cover something more cultural.

Cheers,
Robb

Manama

2010-05-21T23:58:00.012+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I've been in Manama (that's the capital of Bahrain, if you didn't know!) for nearly a month now and am getting quite settled in. It's much more sedate than I expected, but that's quite nice actually. It's a bit like a watered down Dubai, much smaller and less stressful, but basically the same kind of things going on.

I was out taking some pics yesterday, but it was a bit hazy for some reason. Surprising, 'cos actually the humidity here is pretty low. It's starting to get pretty hot now. A lot, of course, depends on where you put the thermometer, but I've had one reading of 43 C up to now. Anyway, for this blog I'm just focussing on skyline pics. I'll get better ones up in due course.

One doesn't have that much contact with Arabs on the whole, or if one does it's probably a taxi driver. I must say, they've all been pretty affable so far. However, most workers here seem to be from Kerala, India. Clearly there's some ancient trading connection between the two regions, which still continues through to today. Most waitresses and shop assistants seem to be Filipinas.

The picture on the right is the spectacular Financial Harbour Towers. What I like about them is the way their juxtaposition changes depending on what part of town you're looking from!

Will say more in my forthcoming blogs.

Cheers,
Rob

London and Bahrain

2010-04-24T18:07:00.021+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, I've finally arrived in Bahrain after a long delay in London due to the volcanic ash. And what a palava that was (no pun intended)! Surely it was obvious that by the time the ash was over the UK and Europe it would have dispersed enough to have little effect on plane engines. But I suppose they were correct to err on the side of caution.

Anyway, I had a few extra days in London. The BC put me in the Strand Palace Hotel, which quite frankly was rather disappointing. I've had better facilities and services in Thailand. But at least it had a decent view. See pic above.

My first impressions of Bahrain are pretty positive. Apart from the financial area, it's relatively low rise and everything is in shades of beige or sand colour, making things look like they have come out of the ground itself. So far it seems pretty unstressful and laid back. It's very different from Thailand in that not much happens outside on the street. It's all behind closed doors. In fact, there's an element of that glassed off feel like in Dubai. Apparently 49% of the population here are foreigners, cf Dubai, where it's a whopping 80%. Anyway, now I'm focussed primarily on looking for a flat before starting work on Tuesday.

Will update as soon as I've got more to say.

Cheers,
Robert

Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle

2010-03-19T00:01:00.019+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Yes, I've been inactive rather a while, mostly due to being bogged down with logistical things related to my upcoming move to Bahrain next month. Another reason is that I haven't really been anywhere of special note recently. Of course, there have been more red shirt demonstrations here in Bangkok just this week, but frankly I've lost interest in Thai politics of late. And I don't honestly see any real change occuring here. In my opinion, Taksin's main legacy will ultimately be that he has made the masses aware of their political power.

More interesting was my return to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle earlier this week. Unfortunately the weather was a bit hazy, slightly dampening the normally stupendous views. Nevertheless, it was stil a great experience. I went with my Thai girlfriend, Ooy, who lives in Chiang Mai. We rented a motorbike and rode around using Chiang Rai as our base. I'll let the pictures do the talking for themselves.

For me one of the highlights was Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Saen. It's one of the oldest in the area, dating back several hundred years. A lot of it is in ruins. Nevertheless, it still functions as a living temple. I dutifully did a few rounds of the stupa, reciting my favourite mantra.

The white temple, Wat Rong Khun, just outside Chiang Rai was also pretty spectacular.

My next blog will probably be from Bahrain. I'm going to be sad to leave SE Asia, but being in a gulf state should be a genuinely interesting experience.

Talk again soon.

Cheers,
Robert

Dubai Sandstorm

2009-08-04T17:36:00.023+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Just been back to the UK to do the practical part of my Trinity Diploma. I must say, it was generally a pretty good experience. All the tutors were really supportive with lots of ideas and focused advice. Certainly better support than I got on the DELTA. Anyway, I reckon I did OK, though, of course I still have to wait for the results.

On the way back, I did a stop over in Dubai. It's never been high on my travel list, but I thought I'd take a look anyway. Just spent one day there. It's completely state of the art, which is maybe no surprise considering that it only took off twenty years ago. So it's also incredibly visual with some really knock-out skyscrapers. There's one where each floor rotates independently of the others!

But for all its spectacularness, it's a city without a soul. I've never been in a city where I felt so glassed off. In fact, only 20% of the population are indigenous. The rest are foreign workers, ranging from Europeans, Americans,and Japanese in top positions to Filipinas, Chinese, Lebanese, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Indians in lower paid menial jobs.

And the heat! I thought Bangkok was pretty hot, but this was something else. It was about 40C while I was there. I don't think I've ever experienced heat like it. You had to keep diving inside into the air-conditioning just to cool off for a bit. There was also a sand storm at the time, which is why all my pictures look so hazy.

The only interesting place was the old quarter and its old windy soukhs. Unfortunately, it was Sunday, so any activity was a minimum. The creek, just nearby, was also very pleasant, reminiscent of what Dubai might have been like before the construction boom.

Anyway, it's one more country on my list. I think I'm up to about 43 now.

Cheers,
Robert

Soi Dogs

2009-07-09T11:34:00.003+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Following on from my last blog, where I mentioned that there was a family of dogs living in the derelict area in Soi 6, I thought I'd just put up a few pics of them.

Lovely animals they are. Dogs are definitely capable of feeling and showing love. I've grown quite attached to this pack since I've lived here and often go and feed them. There are five altogether in the family, but one has been ousted. Bernie (that's his name) was formerly top dog, but has now been banished to the sidelines. Siri, the white one, now rules the roost, to mix metaphors. Somchai, Greg and Kathy are the others.

Talk again soon,
Rob

BNE

2009-06-26T03:37:00.006+03:00

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone noticed all the BNE graffiti that's begun to hit the city. There's some of it right near where I live, in Sukhumwit Soi 6 (see pic). No-one really knows who's doing it or what the letters stand for. Is it political, environmental, artistic or just plain egotistical? No-one knows. Apparently it began in San Francisco and is now in places as far afield as London and Tokyo too.

What do you think it stands for? Any ideas? Is it the artist's initials? Could it be a slogan, like Ban Nuclear Energy or a name like Brian Nigel Evans or a philosophical statement like Be Nowhere Else. There's often a crown above the letters too.

Anyway, yesterday CNN were down there asking people to say what they think it stands for. I'm proud to say I was interviewed by Dan Rivers himself. Mind you, I was caught cold and couldn't think of any sensible combination. I came up with some rubbish like British New Europeanism! which clearly isn't the solution!

Soi 6 is, of course, a lane of derelict buildings and wasteland. You can see it from the Nana skytrain. It's been like that since the financial crisis of 1997. There's a family of dogs in there that I often feed. I'll show them on my next blog.

Cheers,

Robert

Sri Lanka - Tamil Tigers

2009-05-20T15:56:00.020+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I felt I just needed to make a comment about the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
.

I lived and worked in Sri Lanka for a year from April 2005 to April 2006 and was able to observe the working of things at close quarters. It's a wonderful island with stunning natural beauty and delightful, friendly, open people. However, it's also a divided society, with the impoverished Tamils living primarily in the north-east of the island. Actually they are descendants of the Tamils in south-east India, a similarly lovely people.

The point is that the Tamils basically have second class status within the island, all the top positions in the government and Civil Service being dominated by the majority Sinhalese. In fact, this policy is reinforced by linguistic discrimination, in that a high level of proficiency in Sinhalese is required. The same applies to higher education. Also, through having inferior educational opportunities, Tamils are also missing out on developing English language skills, which could be a possible avenue of progress for them.

So, although I don't approve of violence and terrorism, I couldn't help feeling sorry at the demise of the Tigers, as basically I was sympathetic to their cause of an independent state. Actually, I was in Sri Lanka when Mahindra, a committed hardliner, was elected and almost all the "thinking" people in Colombo thought it was the wrong choice.
.

.
It'll be interesting to see what happens now. Let's hope the next Sinhalese leader will be enlightened enough to try to create a society genuinely based on the principles of fairness and equal opportunities.

I've attached a few pictures just to show you what a beautiful place it is. On my trip I even went right up to Trinco in the north east, a Tamil area. It was shortly after the tsunami actually, and you could still see all the devastation along the beach. Many areas were just simply abandoned.

Anyway, that's all for now. Look forward to some comments.

Cheers,

Robert
.

Come on, you reds !! - Red Shirts part 2

2009-04-13T13:00:00.013+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, things have certainly escalated, which is hardly surprising. Anyway, as soon as I heard this morning that there had been clashes between the army and protesters, I got straight out to places where I thought the action would be. Unfortunately, I missed the main place, the Din Daeng intersection, near Victory Monument. Still, I got some quite interesting shots.

I went out there on my bike, which was a shrewd move as it enabled me to slip through barricades, etc. It seems a lot of main roads have been blocked with buses commandeered by the protesters. One of my favourites too - the 511. Best bus in Bangkok!! It'll take you all the way from Pinklao over the river, right down to Siam and all the way along Sukhumwit. Beat that!

Probably the most interesting event I saw was when a whole group of police walked out from the parliament area showing solidarity with the red shirts (see video). I saw no actual violence, though I've heard that some shots have been fired in the Din Daeng face off.

Interestly, the Songkran water throwing festival is going on at the same time. The political events certainly don't seem to have dampened the Thais' enthusiasm for a party!

Will update as soon as I can.

Cheers,

Robert

Red Army - red shirts

2009-04-08T17:03:00.011+03:00

Welcome back, bloggers!

Am I talking about the Russian army, Liverpool supporters before tonight's game against Chelsea, or Thai political protesters? Well, of course, the third option is the correct choice. Yes, it's back to politics here in Thailand!

Basically, the red shirts are supporters of Taksin, the former prime minister of Thailand who was deposed by a military coup in 2006. They've certainly got plenty to grieve about, as democracy has really been ridden roughshod over during the last couple of years. And, if you remember, the yellow shirts set the precedent of going to the streets to effect political changes last year when they took over Bangkok's airport.

Although, I don't fully agree with this approach in itself, I think, in the context, the UDD (that's their official name) have little choice. I must admit I hope they succeed, as frankly I find Abhisit, the current PM, pretty slippery and unforthright. What's more, he has no real mandate from the people to govern. He's the product of parliamentary political wheeling and dealing.

Anyway, today was supposed to the Red Shirts' big day. They were hoping to get 300,000 people, but unfortunately only mustered about a tenth of that number. I'm pleased to say I got out to Government House to join them, though. They were incredibly friendly and I was really impressed by their cameraderie. I got plenty of pics and a video too (see above). Frankly, though, I think they're doomed to failure, as if they started to have a real effect, the army would undoubtedly move in.

There really should be fresh elections! Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Cheers,
Rob

Koh Samui

2009-03-30T19:29:00.015+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Just got back from four great days on Koh Samui. It's changed hugely from when I first went there in 1998, but it's still a paradise, particularly if you avoid the high season and get away from Chaweng, the main beach. Although Chaweng's beach is genuinely fantastic, with its fine grain white sand, etc, the town has gone much the same way as all the other main resorts in Thailand, such as Phuket and Pattaya, i.e. completely overbuilt and with lots of raucous, noisy tourists everywhere. How different from a decade or so ago, when I remember the place was half empty and the town wasn't even fully tarmacked!

Anyway, I stayed on Lamai beach, just down the road. It's slightly smaller, but just as beautiful, and much less crowded (see video). I also rented a motorbike. The automatic ones seem to be the craze now, and I must admit they are easy to ride. In fact, they seem to have some built in function that stops you gathering momentum as you go downhill, which can't be a bad thing! If you take either the south or west routes, you can get right away from it all, particularly if you're willing to venture off down the side roads, where you can still experience the idyllic rural life of old.

I stayed in a bungalow with no hot water, air-con or TV. Can't say I really missed any of them very much. In fact, it was good to get out of that habit of switching on your TV as soon as you get up in the morning! And even though temperatures went up to 35 C in the day, it was surprisingly cool at night, about 26 C. So just a fan was enough.

Anyway, back in Bangkok now to continue working on my diploma. It sure did me a world of good getting away for a bit, though.

Cheers,
Robert

Hot Season Flora - part two

2009-03-24T10:24:00.013+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

It's around now, i.e. March and April, that all the trees flower too, making for quite a visual display. One of my favourites is the Golden Rain tree, which looks like it's literally dripping with gold (see pic). There is simply so much diversity in the tropics, and this is one of the things that makes it such a wonderful place to live in.

Anyway, I'm pleased to say I've managed to get five days holiday for myself, and I'm off down to Ko Samui, my favourite Thai island. It's become increasingly touristified over the years, but has still managed to retain a lot of its orinigal charm and beauty, in strong contrast to a place like Phuket, which is now so overcrowded and built up that you hardly feel you're on a tropical island at all. Will blog from there.

Cheers,
Robert

Hot Season Flora - part one

2009-03-15T16:08:00.024+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I've always taken a keen interest in tropical flora. In fact, it's one of the things I like about living in a country like Thailand. There are three main seasons here - hot, cool and rainy. We're currently moving into the hot phase, when the heat and humidity slowly build up to culminate in the rainy or monsoon season.

Interestingly, it's around now that most flora reproduce. It makes for quite a visual display, as not only are there all the seed formations, but also the magnificent and abundant plethora of tropical flowers. For part one, I'm just showing the seeds. Many trees have both male and female seeds, e.g. the palm tree. On my next blog, I'll show some of the flowers.

Hope you're enjoying the weather wherever you are!

Cheers,
Rob

Christmas in Chiang Mai

2008-12-29T17:42:00.038+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Just had a nice few days in Chiang Mai. Would have liked to have spent longer but needed to back in Bangkok to work on my Diploma.
River Ping

The place has developed a lot, but still has its old worldy charm. In fact, it's a great example of successful urban development. I was unlucky with the weather, as it rained for the whole of Boxing Day, which meant I had to cancel my ride into the mountains. I did, however, make it out to Doi Saket and the awesome resevoir out there (see pic). OK, it's man made, but that detracts nothing from it. And the ride out there is just idyllic. Not many tourists do this trip, as they're usually focussing on the more famous Doi Suthep.

Doi Saket Resevoir

I've also posted some pictures of my favourite temple, Wat Chedi Luang. I usually do a few rounds of the stupa, look at the elephant statues and stroke a few temple dogs. The buildings (see below) are classic examples of the kind of fare you can expect all around Chiang Mai.

Finally, I just had to shows some pics of the moat and river. The tree lined moat with its fountains make it a photographer's dream. Here's just a couple, at the bottom.

On a political note, I have quite a few friends in Chiang Mai, and they're all ardent Thaksin supporters and are suitably horrified at what happened in Bangkok with the PAD, etc. In fact, one of my friends told me that members of the PAD were paid 1000 baht a day to protest. Some even say it was the queen herself who sponsored them. Well, the opposition accused the PPP of vote buying, but is this any less corrupt?

Back in Bangkok now. Let's hope the world becomes a less grizzly place than this year, though judging by what's happening in Gaza, that looks unlikely!

Happy New Year, anyway.
Cheers,
Robert

New PM in Thailand

2008-12-18T04:03:00.005+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, things seem to have settled down a bit for the time being. There don't seem to be any demos going on in the streets at the moment, though don't be surprised if that changes in the not too distant future!

Basically this new government is the result of political wheeling and dealing, and plenty of horsetrading, including the usual financial backhanders. It's certainly not democratically elected! Nevertheless, Abhisit does seem a reasonable choice superficially, and may even be able to provide a modicum of stability. Interestingly, he was born in England and is a graduate from Oxford University (where I'm proud to say I read myself). So he's pretty articulate and speaks excellent English. Fortunately , he's also disowned the PAD. So let's hope ....

I regularly watch CNN, and one of my favourite reporters is Dan Rivers, based here in Bangkok. Do try and watch his interview with Abhisit if you can. He always asks really tough challenging questions, and had Abhisit on the back foot a couple of times, particularly re: the popularity of Thaksin and his supporters. Dan's interview with the Bali bombers was also a real classic, especially when he tells one of them to his face "you're nothing but a cold blooded murderer, is what you are."

Of course, tourist numbers are well down as you might expect. The only benefit that might come from this is the possibility of some good bargains in peak season, due to the large number of cancellations. My advice is go to hotels in person on spec, as, if they have low occupancy, they might make you an offer there and then.

Anyway, I'm off to Chiang Mai for a few days at Christmas. It's my favourite medium sized city anywhere in the world. Looking forward to getting out into the country and riding up into the hills on my motorbike. Fantastic scenery around there.

Will blog again soon. Have a nice Christmas!

Cheers,
Rob

Airport Aftermath

2008-12-03T18:19:00.003+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

So the PAD got their demands and have now finally left the airport. But it was always likely that the court would rule against the PPP, so I wonder why they bothered in the first place. Why didn't they wait till after the court ruling? That way, they would have saved Thailand billions of dollars in lost tourism. In fact, the PAD have cost the country far more than any of Thaksin's dubious transactions. To me this is clear evidence that it's about power, not about the moral purity of a particular government.

Let's look more closely at what's really going on. The PAD are determined that no party representing the rural poor is going to have office. This is, in effect, a class war, and, in my opinion, risks eventually developing into a full blown civil war. There must now be massive discontent countrywide amongst those who voted for the PPP. And, indeed, they have themselves now formed their own protest group, the red shirts.

As it happens, the PPP will probably be able to re-constitute itself under a new name with a new leader, but the PAD will almost certainly continue to harrass them. So I think we can all expect some more fireworks at some point in the not too far future!

At street level, one of the effects of the airport closure is the absence of tourists in Bangkok. This evening, I went for a meal in the normally packed out food court in Sukhumwit Soi 7, and it was virtually deserted. Thousands of people in the tourist industry have had their lives affected by the amazingly inconsiderate actions of the PAD. It's really important the Thai people see through the PAD and banish them completely.

One of the things that disturbs me most is the precedent the whole affair sets. By succeeding like this, a signal has been sent out that it's OK to go to the streets if you don't like a government, even though it was democratically elected. Another worrying feature is the fact that the army is clearly not neutral. The PPP were unable to call on its support throughout the whole crisis. How can any government work when it is at odds with its own army? Anywhere else in the world (almost) the police and army would have worked together quickly to quell the problem.

Anyway, enough for one blog! Let's see how things unfold.

Cheers,
Rob

Mumbai

2008-11-28T18:23:00.008+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

It's sad to be following the events in Mumbai. I actually went there about three years ago and must say it's my favourite big city in India. This is the second time Mumbai's been hit, as there were the train bombings a couple of years ago, if you remember. I wish I could say something constructive, but that's pretty difficult with this Islamic terrorism. How can anyone believe that killing innocent people is God's will? What kind of God do they worship? Certainly not one worth worshipping in my book! Do they really believe they will go to Heaven with all that blood on their hands?

Anyway, I've put a couple of my own pics of Mumbai, for all they're worth. Walking around Mumbai is a bit like being in a London mark II. There are so many old colonial buildings there, and in great shape too, which strongly contrasts with Calcutta, where everything is completely dilapidated and in a total state of disrepair. In fact, I've never seen such ubiquitous poverty as I did in Calcutta. I think everyone should go there once in their life if only for educational purposes. You'll never complain about your lot again!

But, getting back to Mumbai, the city has a terrific buzz to it, being not only the commercial hub for India, but also having Bollywood based there. And, of course, there's all the usual markets and colour you'd expect in India, plus the bay, Chowpatty Beach and the Maidan with its never ending cricket. It's also got Asia's largest slum, Dharavi (see link on side bar for pics)!

Anyway, let's hope they can sort it out in Mumbai and that the city will recover despite this tragic, needless and pointless loss of life.

Rob

PAD Thai

2008-11-26T05:18:00.011+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

So the farce continues! The PAD are starting to show their true credentials now. They've taken over Bangkok airport, disrupting all departures, thereby threatening further the already diminished tourist trade. Is this good for Thailand?

Surely this alone makes you wonder whether they really have the welfare of Thailand at heart or just care about seizing power, by hook or by crook. Attacking the airport is certainly a most bizarre choice. They've probably chosen it because it was one of Thaksin's pet projects, indeed one of his most successful.

The truth of the matter is that they are just plain bad losers. Their party lost a perfectly fair democratic election. Rather than face this and try to win the bulk of the population over through creative campaigning, they have resorted to bully boy methods. This has been possible largely due to the fact that most PPP supporters are based outside Bangkok. What would happen if the PPP set up similar demonstrations? We would have complete chaos with street fighting and, who knows, even the possibility of civil war!

Remember also that the kind of democracy the PAD want is one of representation for the various "interests" in the country. They would do away with the "one man one vote" system, making sure that the rural poor play a much lesser role in elections and political life in general. How democratic is this?

I've put a picture of a plate of Pad Thai for this blog, as I feel it's a highly appropriate symbol for the PAD. While Pad Thai is a tasty staple Thai dish, it's definitely considered slightly downmarket and rather messy - greasy too, in my opinion. I must admit I hardly ever order it, preferring more exotic dishes like Tom Yam Kung or Thai Green Curry.

As far as the tourist situation is concerned, clearly the global economic crisis is effecting numbers. Technically it's high season, but most locals are saying that numbers are little better than in low season. Mind you, as an expat here, I'm not complaining too much about that!

The next few days should be genuinely interesting.

Beautiful weather at the moment, by the way.

Cheers,
Rob

Financial Tsunami

2008-10-10T17:08:00.015+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Phew, it's been quite a few days on the financial front, and it isn't even over yet! How much have you lost? I've lost about $50,000 on the year so far. However, when things like this happen, I always try and stay philosophical.

Firstly, it's only money! OK, money's important, but there are more important things in life, e.g. health, family, friends, spiritual development, etc. Also, the markets are bound to come back eventually, so if you can tough it out, it's really only time you've lost rather than money. Of course, the older you get the less you can afford that!

Hang on in there!
Good Luck

Robert

New Bike

2008-09-15T18:34:00.014+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I just thought I'd let you know about my latest bike. I'm a keen cyclist, yes, even here in Bangkok, and I love to ride in my free time. There are some great parks around, such as Lumpini, but more particularly Benjakiti, which has its own cycle track around the lake. Surprisingly, there are also quite a few cycle paths around Bangkok, some on special elevated pathways or following the canals, etc.

Anyway, by misfortune I had my Mongoose stolen a couple of weeks ago. I think they managed to decipher my revolving number lock. Right near Siam Square too! So, unfortunately, I had to fork out for a new one, about 9,000 baht. But well worth it!

Here's a picture:

My new bike - a Gary Fisher

What's cookin' !?

2008-09-10T20:14:00.007+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

What a farce Thai politics are! Prime Minister Samak showed great determination resisting the PAD, but then meekly went out to a court decree terminating his tenure simply because he took a small sum of money for appearing on a cookery show! Apparently this is illegal according to the constitution.

It'll be interesting to see what the next stage of the saga is, as the PPP say they plan to re-instate him. Will the PAD now vacate the government buildings or stay there just in case Samak returns?

Power's a strange game in Thailand! Who actually has it? I wonder.

Any comments, folks?

Cheers,
Rob

Unrest in Bangkok - PAD

2008-09-02T09:07:00.005+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, most of my blogs are about my travel experiences. However, I felt I should make some comment about the current political situation here in Bangkok, where a state of emergency has been declared, following the PAD's demonstrations and occupation of the government buildings.

I'm personally strongly against what the PAD are doing, as they're making an absolute mockery of democracy. No matter what the faults of the current government, they were democratically elected, fairly and squarely in what was generally regarded as a legitimate election last year. To just go on the streets like this and try and force change just because their party isn't in power is to reduce politics to mob rule. And this is definitely not what Thailand needs with its history of military coups. It is important that democratic processes be allowed to take root, ultimately for the benefit of all Thais.

On a more general note, I also think most of the anti Taksin feeling is largely political in nature. Actually, Thailand's economy boomed under him and he was certainly more than a competent leader. Regarding the corruption issue, he did nothing any other Thai politician wouldn't have done. Corruption is simply endemic to SE Asian politics. That's not to condone it, but the point is that he also did a hell of a lot of good for the country. He wasn't simply a guy out to fleece the nation, like Marcos of the Philippines, for example. Taksin genuinely cared about the welfare of Thais, particularly the rural poor.

So, all in all, sad times for Thailand at the moment. It'll be interesting to see how the current turmoil affects investor confidence and tourism.

Hope to get a few pics up soon.

Cheers,
Robert

Cairo

2008-05-13T15:15:00.023+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Well, the main highlights of Egypt were the Pyramids and the trip down to Luxor (see previous blogs). However, Cairo itself is also an amazing place. As in so many developing countries, it's a mixture of beauty and ugliness. It's location on the Nile is truly stunning, and gives it a feel of real grandeur. Just the sheer width of the river with its islands, bridges, cruisers and adjacent skyscrapers! Also the architecture of most of the city is from the early 20th century, which creates an atmosphere of faded glory, most of the buildings having now become pretty shabby unfortunately. In it's day it must have looked really opulent, though.

There were many features of the city I enjoyed, the main ones being the soukhs and bazaars, the river, the food, the museums, the hubub of the street life, the cafes and, of course, the Egyptians themselves. They were all so different fr0m anything in Asia, where I've spent the last nine years. It was a really refreshing experience!

One thing I really noticed, though, was the absence of women in the forefront, in strong contrast to a country like Thailand, where women seem to almost run the place. I must admit I don't like the way women are repressed in Islamic culture, though Egypt is nowhere near as bad as places like Saudi , where they have to wear the full burkha.

The Egyptians were friendly, but in a very macho kind of way. You always felt under pressure to shape up .... or else! The downside of being with Egyptians was the dreaded "baksheesh".. Just couldn't get away from it. It seems to pervade the whole culture. It's more than just an optional tip. You're really expected to pay it, and as a foreigner I'm sure I payed well over the odds!

More coming,

Luxor

2008-04-27T15:36:00.034+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I just recently got back from Egypt and one of the highlights was most definitely Luxor. The temples and tombs are well documented, so rather than bore you with more about them, I thought I'd tell you something about the place itself.

The town itself was a real delight. It's a simple trading town, lazy and laid back, traditional yet not without modernity, no doubt due to the constant flow of tourists through it.

Main Soukh

The soukhs are particularly atmospheric, even though it is mostly artifacts and souvenirs for tourists they're selling. And the setting by the Nile really does give it some extra beauty. In fact, it's the kind of place it'd be nice to hang out in for a while, doing nothing special.

Traditional hamlet

Equally interesting for me were the hamlets around the town, particularly on the West Bank. I chose to ride around on a rented bike, and I think passing through those villages, little changed for centuries, was almost as interesting as the ancient stuff. And one could get away from those never ending busloads of tourists!

The wonderful Nile

Anyway, here's some of the touristic stuff, the real reason people come here.

Sphynx and Pyramids

2008-04-15T14:22:00.010+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Just spent six great days in Egypt. I did it as a stop-over on the way back from England, where I'd been for my annual visit to see my folks.

Cairo is an exciting, vibrant, dynamic city, both ugly and beautiful at the same time. But more about that in my next blog. This blog is, of course, concerned with what is the highlight, or even sole purpose, of most people's visit here - the Sphynx and Pyramids.

I'm probably committing blasphemy by saying that I thought the pyramids themselves were quite boring! Huge but lacking any real interest other than their shape and size. No ornate carvings or stylised arches or pillars, etc. Nevertheless, I'm still pleased to have seen the only surviving ancient Wonder of the World!

The Sphynx had much greater appeal for me, particularly in its juxta-position to the pyramids. I love its stance and whimsically expressive face. Pity about the broken nose, though!

Below is a picture of a man on a camel. Needless to say I had to pay for this photo, and this is probably the main downside of visiting the touristic areas of Egypt, the ubiquitousness of locals trying to extract money from you. Mind you, Egypt is pretty cheap, certainly more so than anywhere in Asia. Nice picture too!

Local arab man posing on a camel - for LE10!

Chiang Mai

2008-03-29T10:26:00.003+03:00

Me again, bloggers!

Before going off to the UK, I also managed to get in a couple of days in Chiang Mai, as well as the trip to Koh Chang. Chiang Mai is probably may favourite medium sized town pretty much anywhere in the world. The only place to seriously rival it, in my opinion, is Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Chiang Mai is pretty well documented with its abundance of Lanna culture, temples and surrounding hills, etc., so rather than bore you with more of that, I thought I'd just mention here a couple of places some of you might not know about.

First is the existence of Baan Tawai, a village about 30 km south of Chiang Mai which is devoted exclusively to handicrafts. This is where they make them, so you get not only an amazing plethora and range of products, but you also get them at ridiculously cheap prices. Most of the stuff is wooden, but there's also ceramics, metal work and some fantastic furniture. Basically to get there, go towards Hang Dong and take a left.

Another great place is the resevoir near Doi Saket. When the water's high it's an awesome view. It's pretty tricky to find, though, but it's on the other side of the motorway from the Doi Saket temple (itself well worth a visit). You turn off at the Chinese cemetry and follow the canal, wiggling through some idyllic little villages. Eventually you'll see the huge banks of the resevoir.

Koh Chang

2008-03-28T10:38:00.007+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I've just spent a few days on Koh Chang on the S.E. coast of Thailand. It was the first time I'd been there, and I must say it was really idyllic, much less developed than Phuket or even Koh Samui. In fact, it's rather like Koh Samui was about ten years ago.

There are some important differences, though. The main one is the hilly nature of the place. It makes for some really spectacular views, but also some pretty hair-raising experiences if you're on a motorbike! Also the beaches aren't quite as good as those on the more reknowned islands. Mind you, this is compensated for by the dense jungle interior and some fine waterfalls.

Vacationing back in the U.K. now before stopping-over in Cairo on the way back.

Angkor and Bayon

2008-01-01T11:20:00.000+03:00

Hi Folks,

The Angkor complex is without a doubt one of the most inspiring places to visit anywhere in the world, and surely ranks up there along side Macchu Pichu and the Pyramids, etc. I had actually been there once before, in 2000, but was happy to go again, this time with my friend Gerrit, who had come over from Japan specially.

I personally find the Bayon area the most interesting, with all those giant smiling faces. One can walk around for hours bemused just by the sheer magnitude of the whole thing. Interestingly, most of it pre-dates Buddhism and is consequently largely Hinduistic in design. Not only are there temples, but also, of course, the king's palace and the various terraces around it. Funnily enough, the view from the Leper's Terrace always reminds me of Scotland!

View from the Leper's Terrace

Ta Phrom is also extremely atmospheric, not least because in places the jungle is still trying to reclaim it. Certainly when the original explorers discovered it earlier in the century, it must have seemed liked a fantasy, and no wonder film direcors used it for the Lara Croft movies. The only drawback now is that it's difficult to get away from all the other tourists. Damn inconvenient they are!

The fig tree reclaims Ta Phrom

Phnom Penh

2007-12-30T07:40:00.001+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

I've just been on a trip to Cambodia with my friend Gerrit, who came over from Japan. I had actually already been once before in 2000 and was interested to see how much Cambodia had come on since then. To be quite honest, the answer is not a lot, except for the area right down by the river, which has become extremely touristified, and also along the main boulevards, where some quite impressive new hotels have sprung up.

Basically, though, Phnom Penh remains a rough, dirty city with limited amenities, stifling traffic and shockingly dangerous driving. Nevertheless, there's no denying its attractions - the royal palace, ubiquitous temples, French colonial architecture, the reminders of the Khmer Rouge and a stunning location at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. Khmer cuisine is also a pleasant surprise. Softer and milder than Thai cuisine, I think it suits westerners better actually.

The terrible reminders of the Pol Pot regime
Anyway, we spent three days here, which included trips to the Killing Fields and the Toul Sleng S-21 interrogation centre (read torture camp). We also rented motorbikes and rode out in the country around. Flat terrain with numerous but isolated toddy palms is the main feature of the Cambodian landscape.

S-21 cells where detainees were kept

Typical Cambodian landscape

Nong Khai

2007-11-29T20:14:00.001+03:00

Hi Bloggers,

Here are some shots of my recent trip to Nong Khai. Nong Khai's as charming and sleepy a town as you could hope to find. It lies on the mighty Mekong River which flows unrelentingly on down to Vietnam. The Mekong is one of the widest rivers in Asia, and here is no exception. On the other side you can see Laos. In fact, you can even go across for a day trip via the Friendship Bridge. Mind you, your pocket'll be about $20 lighter for this privilege.

Apart from the laid back feel of the market and central area, the main attraction is Wat Sala Kaew Kou. Within the temple compound is the now famous Sculpture Park, with a huge array of all kinds of statue. Most depict some aspect of the Buddha or Buddhism, but there are also some strange animals, such as dogs and snakes.

Udon Thani

2007-11-21T20:18:00.000+03:00

Robinson's - the heart of modern Udon Thani
Last week I made a return trip to Udon Thani, in the far north of Isaan. Actually it's my favourite town up there, as it's got a really sleepy laid back feel to it, in strong contrast to hustle and bustle of Khon Kaen, for example. Yet at the same time, it has a modern downtown area centred around Robinson's. None of the other Isaan towns seem as developed. So it's a great mix of traditional and modern. It's also quite open-planned and easily navigable on a motorbike. Finally, there's a significant farang population, resulting in plenty of appropriate restaurants and bars.

There are tropical plants everywhere

The kind of fare on offer!

A farang area

Singapore

2007-10-11T07:12:00.001+03:00

Hi Folks,

Just been to Singapore for three days. Officially I went to get a new visa for my sojourn in Thailand, but, of course, I made a good holiday of it too. I thought it might be boring visiting it a second time, but actually the converse turned out to be true.

It's such a vibrant place, and has really begun to shake off its squeaky clean image. In fact, I thought parts of Singapore looked downright shabby, something few would have dared say ten years ago! Also the shopping malls are starting to look dated. And the MRT? Well, it's definitely in need of a face lift. Maybe, though, my view was shaped by coming there straight from Bangkok, which really is at the cutting edge these days.

Nevertheless, the buzz of the place is undeniable, whether one's in the financial district, Orchard Road, Chinatown, Boat Quay or even impoverished Geylang. Just the sheer number of people busily hiving there way around, all so purposefully. And that combined with these beautifully tranquil tropical green oases of parks everywhere in the town.

It's also a very different kind of vibe from the rest of S.E. Asia, being so Chinese. Strangely, there is an actual Chinatown, but in reality the whole place is one big Chinatown! I think what makes the official Chinatown special is the survival of all the old merchant buildings and the ubiquitousness of the food centres. Plus all those tacky souvenir shops!

And food - boy, can you get it here! Chinese, Thai, Malay, Indian, Indonesian - all catered for in abundance. This is certainly a place to extend your knowledge of cuisine, and particularly Chinese. Mind you, I seemed to end up eating Indian and Malay food as much as anything.

Anyway, by the end, I must say I was really quite sad to leave.

Will write up more about it soon

Phuket

2007-05-03T09:17:00.000+03:00

Hi Folks,

It's certanly a long time since I've done any blogging, so I'd better get back to it! Well my latest trip was just down the road to Phuket, well trodden territory indeed. Nevertheless I was interested to see how far it had come since the tsunami. In fact, I had been there just three days before that terrible event. I'm pleased to say you wouldn't even know it had happened. In fact, it's probably even more developed now than before, particularly along Karon beach.

I rode right around the island, and must say you never really feel you're completely away from it, unlike Koh Samui, where you really can get that feeling on its west coast. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my stay and found a few side paths that offered real isolation and seclusion. But generally, I'd say don't come here if you're looking for solitude or something different.

Coup in Bangkok

2006-09-19T20:50:00.000+03:00

Well, I was just relaxing watching the news, CNN to be precise, when suddenly they started flashing "Tanks in Bangkok" across the screen. I was pretty surprised, as I thought democracy had a pretty firm foothold here now despite the turmoil back in April.

This is just what this country doesn't need. Even if it passes quickly, investor and tourist confidence will be damaged, both essential to the continuing development of the Thai economy. It's really important they keep trying to make democracy work. It's almost as if the whole thing was just an experiment, if the army can just "take back power" whenever it wants.

What do others reckon? Is anything good going to come out of this?

tropicalrob

2006-09-04T16:26:00.000+03:00

My first ever blog! Am working as an English teacher in Bangkok at the moment. Fantastic place. Any other Thai lovers out there. Used to live in Japan before