weinraub’s words

One of Denny’s ex-employees Phat runs her family’s Phuket elephant trekking business up in the hills above Kalim beach. So, last Sunday, we bundled up the kids and took them out for a quick ride.

In the pictures, it appears that Benjamin was none too pleased with the whole thing. In fact, as he was riding, he was guarded and quiet, pulling in tight with Mommy. But once we finished and got all dismounted, he made a big deal about wanting to get back on. Guess he did have a good time.

We got to hand-feed them afterward – chunks of bananas – just like we usually do at the zoo. Becca was comfortable enough doing it, though she complained a bit about sliminess of the elephants’ runny noses. Benjamin was a little spooked at the sheer size of the beasts, so he largely hung back.

Thais believe that riding an elephant brings good luck. I’ll let you know.

Before the mayo, before the fresh-water packing, and before the can, there is tuna.

A day of fishing in the Andaman Sea waters around Phuket.

Had a chance to tour the nuclear powered, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan during its recent visit to Phuket.

Awesome.

Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles. And for good reason: historically, the smiles were everywhere. The default face brought to nearly every encounter was a smile. That appearance of friendliness gave this country a feeling a welcoming warmth that hooked many of us foreigners, encouraging us to return time and again for vacations or to settle here.

Of course, it became clear over time that at least some of the time, and perhaps even most of the time, the smile is not genuine, Sometimes it hides mere neutrality and ennui, sometimes sadness and stress, sometimes anger and outright contempt. But, in general, a foreigner here could really bask in a general ambient feeling of warmth and pleasantness.

But lately, the smiles have been fewer.

Random interaction with strangers, walking in opposite direction on the sidewalk, exchanging looks with someone at the post office or at the phone company. While these situations do not usually warrant a smile back home in the USA, all these had typically been smile situations here in Thailand, especially if I offer the smile first. But not so much anymore. I get left hanging on the smile quite often these days. Paying the cashier at the market. Nope. Heck, I’m not even getting the perfunctory acknowledgment from workers like gas station attendants to whom I have just given a tip for service.

Where have all the smiles gone? Sigh…

There is something odd going on with the Bank of Ayudhya ATM network. Software bug? [...read more...]

With recent Thailand’s political situation making such international news, a lot of folks back home have been checking in. We are all fine, thanks to everyone for thinking of us.

As most of you know, we are down in Phuket and the vast majority of this political silliness takes place up in Bangkok, approx 1,000 miles away. So, in terms of violence or even traffic jams, there is absolutely no impact on us.

Last year’s Phuket airport blockade and the subsequent blockade of Bangkok’s airports are examples of the relatively rare kind of political protest that could have direct impact on us. In fact, I did get caught up in the Phuket airport closure on my way back from NY. That was no fun.

But except for those rare instances, there is never any direct impact of this political stuff. In that sense, it is easy to draw the conclusion that Thai politics is irrelevant to us.

Of course, that would not be true. [...read more...]