Bangkoking

I like Bangkok. Always have. And for many people who've never been here, they wonder why. And it's kind of hard to explain why, actually. Even local Thais wonder what the tourists see in the place. It's certainly not for the traffic gridlock, or the dirty pavements, or the taxi scams. I like it for the great street food, the genuinely nice people, cultural heritage, non-stop market shopping, and the luxurious cinemas.

Over the past 3 weeks or so, I've had an opportunity to see what it is like to live in this sprawling city. All the previous times I've been here, I always had a ticket out - a deadline. It made me cram as much in to my days as possible, so that I had a good time here. Now, since I am not in any hurry to leave, my days have been much more relaxed. I know that if I don't get to that market or shrine today, there is always tomorrow.

Since I've been here, I've tried to revisit many of the places that I've been to in the past, so that I can enjoy them with a slower pace. So, I've been back to the Grand Palace, many Wats, the weekend market, etc. It's been great to spend more time at these places, and not worry so much about getting to the next place so I don't miss anything.

Another thing that I've done since I got here, was to get another tattoo. I've been thinking about getting a second one, for a long time. It's commonly said that once you get your first tattoo, you will always want more. That is how it was for me, at least. But the challenge in getting a tattoo is determining just what to get. The placement on the body is secondary to the design. Actually. in my mind, it hardly matters where you get it. It's the design that is key.

I long assumed that while I am in Thailand, I would get a tattoo that was representative of the country. So, for weeks, months, years, I was flipping through tattoo sample books, and just never settled on anything I liked. Most of the Thai characters looked angry. It just wasn't me. I am more the silent gentle type. So, I thought long and hard about what it is that I wanted to draw into my skin for all time. One idea that kept coming back to me, was Haida designs. I've always liked the style and boldness of the designs. I don't profess to understand what it all means, but they speak to me, nonetheless.

So, I settled on a Haida sun design. The one that I chose was actually quite large, and very detailed. What I ended up getting was the center part of the design. But the reasoning for not getting the whole artwork was purely financial. I paid 5500 baht for this one, and it would have been 15000 baht for the entire design. However, I am still pretty happy with it. This tattoo was done the 'normal' way, with electric needles. It hurts a little, but you get used to it. I've had this for about 4 days now, and it's starting to peel, so it will fade down to the final colours in a short while.


I am still seeking work. I've widened my net now, and I am looking for positions in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia. I've been sending in applications for lots of stuff, but still no bites. But, being the confident 'glass half full' type of guy, I know something will turn up.