3kg laundry

Wash and dry - 32 hkd. Cheapest so far!

Gate gate para gate parasamgate...

Going or staying?

At the moment I choose both! I got a place in Hong Kong, as a base. But it doesn't mean I'll be there! What? I mean it doesn't have to mean I'm staying put. I still plan to go China and learn mandarin...

I realize that travelling does take a toll on me. Little tired. It's been one year more or less!  So I create a small nest.

Now, when I have a space I notice how easy it is to accumulate stuff and "things that you need"!

So far I have bought:
- a toilet brush
- toilet cleaner liquid
- new tooth brush
- liquid soap
- detergent
- bath towel
- door mat
- slippers
- 8 mini towels
- sweeper and shuffle
- sheet
- cover
- pillow
- water boiler
- electrical heater
- Danish butter cookies
- ikea meatballs
- small temporary mattress
- 6 glasses
- new mail box lock

In the apartment there are already
- sofa
- 4 wine glasses
- a clock
- microwave
- fridge
- two chairs
- curtains
- glass decision fruits
- a painting

What I want:
- Chinese carved Buddha tea table
- small wooden chairs
- my projector (left elsewhere)
- fibre internet (not this house yet)
- wok
- gas stove
- meditation cushion (getting tonight)
- meditation mat (Japanese square futon mattress)
- altar, Buddha statute
- jungle plants for my tea/ meditation room

Haha.

Why Swedes are cold

Well in this person's case its because I'm wearing sandals when it's 15C outside. Sometimes I wonder about asians seemingly ability to not be effected by cold. They walk, some, in light jackets. They're barefoot in their apartment keeping windows open. I always kept my place warm, like 26C, when its cold outside. In countries that are dominated by cold we seem to always keep it nicely warm inside, restaurants or wherever.

In Thailand, its supposedly warm. Whoever heard about a tourist complaining about the cold? But it isn't all that warm night time on northern parts. Shower with cold water? when is the last timev you did that?

It ask makes me think how "developed" countries all try to avoid the influence of nature on our lives. Because of this some like to go camping, I think.

Could you live a simpler life?
Why are you not?

Settling in - work-life-balance

I notice how I've "settled-in" at this hotel. My anonymous construction worker friends across the street cheerily working/being together seemingly day and night. As is usual in Asia they live at the construction site. It's 22:12 some are still doing work. Some are cooking, or smoking while viewing the GoGo bars across the street.

The guy at the hotel works mostly 12h shifts. He stays at the hotel. He works odd hours, and of course it saves money. One day off per week. He spends it too at the hotel.

From my (our/western) perspective we may think this is terrible. Is it? "He has no home!". "He is enslaved/lives at work!". Exploitation comes to mind.

But. Monks do the same! Traditional living/farming etc. Or small business/shop where the shopkeeper live with his family in the shop.

In Buddhism we talk about the dangers of associating our selves with our work. Because if we loose our work, or it doesn't give us satiesfaction there is seemingly no room for happiness. "So don't be attached/identify to/with your job!"

Still. I wonder. They have a kind if community, albeit temporary in our way of seeing it.

Now when I said I've settled in that is also quite temporary. I'm in a different room in the same hotel as I stayed in the beginning if the year. It's not the best, its not the cheapest. But somewhat convenient. I'm used to it. It doesn't take long to develop habits. Then expectations. And possible future disappointments.

I'm having a cold. Mostly just a stuffy nose. Lying down or being in non air conditioned places is a little strain. The aircon in my room isn't really that good. During daytime it doesn't do that good of a job. I'm reading some Buddhist books. It's been a while. Maybe I started thinking too much and recognized that. Wearing my beads I walk through streets lined with food, bars, restaurants on the sidewalk, gogo bars with young girls or young guys. I've seen some shows. They are what they are. Some a bit explicit. The bouncers on the street that tries to get you go to their place like to touch the beads. Maybe it's curious for them. Maybe its just a good conversations starter. Some ask if I'm a priest. I ask if they'd like me to be. Some ask if I'm a monk. I say not yet.

Sodom? Well there is another Goodmorning.

I've previously considered if we could live in communities where some of us still do programming new revolutionary projects ala google. But still have more room for spiritually. A kind of software monastery. Healthy food, at regular times and exercise, walking meditation Etc. Yes you can do it at your company, in silicon valley there is often free food, gym at work, sometimes even room for resting when coding to long. However, there is little spiritual support. There is ( of course?) a demand to produce. If you can't you're out, sooner out later. There is stress. Or perceived stress like I say, by some. One difference with a monastery may be that the monastery is supposed to have as a goal to further the spiritual development of the individuals.

When leaving my work google had become more of a company in my mind. It would have been interesting if it could have transcended the company corporate stuff that eventuality comes with hiring ex corp goons from other companies. Penny turning etc.

I always wondered how it would be if they've "awarded" everyone with 1 year paid leave to do whatever they wanted after working for say 5 years. What fantastic things could have come from that? Or would it just have been a money drain?

Going French

Had a Filé de Beuf. Listening to french doing what french do.

I'm currently reading "Zero History" by William Gibson.

The charm of Thai tourist furniture

Seems to be made of big old irregular pieces of wood. Laquerred dark. Often I find wooden furniture to be more comfortable than "ergonomic" furnitures. Why is that?

One idea is that if you can adjust anything then there are thousands positions that are wrong!

Compassionate consumption

Is a term that came to me here in Thailand. I think/hope nobody is starving here in Thailand. But many are living in very little. May it be food, or sleep like my friend. He said that sometimes he studies and work to suppor thimself that he may only have few (2) hours sleep. In a way there seems to be a willingness to work. I was told that people in thailand doesn't try to cheat you or streak. They try to do something and get paid for it. But i think they do it with a pride and hopefully nobody looks down at them for it.

Just now I witnessed a bar maid who bought some flowers threaded on a string from a woman who made it and walks the street selling them. From some perspective its not a needed thing. Or maybe as a Swede would say - it is not needed - has no real functional value. Its purely decorative and probably must be thrown away next day. Still, it does indirectly provide her with food and shelter maybe. It's not begging for money.

I see some aspect of consuming something one doesn't need that allows you to be compassionate.

It now hangs on the small wall altar and fits better than the balloons there.

It makes me consider my reluctance to buy anything. Its normative so much about the money as about room in my bag. Travelling through 16 countries last year i was acutely aware of stuff that I carry with me. But I'll start thinking of it as a way of being compassionate. Will see what I do...

Wat Phratha Doi Suthep

Did a temple tour today. Visited THE temple of Chiang Mai. Its in the mountain. Beautiful of course. Many people doing what they do in temples. This for good luck. As if there was such a thing. That to keep bad stuff away. Etc. It was nice. But the curvy road makes little seasick. And taking a tour lends you less to do things you might want to do impulsively. We visited a "hills tribe village" direct example. It was just shops. Yes there was handcraft and other stuff but... wasn't what I'd think of as village. People are said to live in the back of the shops. But wonder how many are rich enough to have a shop full of stuff. What about those who are not?

I did buy a shirt though. Not handcrafted as many shops sold same thing. I now have one outer shirt to compliment my shirt that was lost in laundry some weeks ago. I don't miss it.

Now. Maybe a small nap.

Monkey business

Yesterday i was walking around trying to find a "wooden" temple. Many seem to be made of wood but from outside its difficult to tell.

Found another one. There was a monk there. He's been there for 8 years, he's 21 now. He's from the neighbourhood.

There are many young monks on Asia buy particular in Thailand.

A thai friend offered an explaination; He has himself lived in temple for some years. Its free and you get free education there. Much Buddhism of course but he learned English there and speaks it quite well.

Its an interesting setup. Of course there are limited things you can study there but no direct requirements except "being monk" while there.

The monk has mobile phone, goes jogging and work out his biceps muscles in his room he said. He doesn't meditate but takes part of the shanting etc. I asked why he become monk. He said his English not good so he didnt try to explain so I don't know.

I guess in the old times Monestaries in the west were similar in some way. Aggregators of knowledge and "universities". In modern Hong Kong I noticed that social services, health care,elderly care, markets, community halls often are nearby temples.

Chiang Mai - tourist overflow?

I'm sitting in a "farang" cafe. Farang means foreigner. The old town center is full of it. And full of foreigners being served by thai people. Not sure what i think about that. Not sure what thai think when they here and or use that word. Mostly money many say. So does many thai say too.

Cars drive on the left. I thought this was only true for english old colonies. Thai was never one?

People are friendly. But need money to survive and Westerners seems to have too much of it in somes eyes. But the thai do work for it.

My sandals are broken. I guess i should get some new ones. Not sure where. Or how much.

Not sure if i want to go back to Hong Kong just yet. Need to around the 20th or so.

But not sure i want to stay in Chiang Mai either. Too much tourist stuff. Tours this and tours that. I haven't done it. Because I'd be hanging out with tourists. Don't want to get too much drawn into that. :-) for now I'm just taking a slow break from Bangkok.

Cross over please

Possibly a very profund message!

Enjoyed walking a bit in Chiang Mai in the afternoon. There are temples everywhere. The Kyoto of thailand if you will. Many temples does seem to have monks. That's a difference from China.  Japan I don't know.

The evening was a bit lonely. Felt shy. I know that when I push myself to take initiative the outcome is typically good. But felt sorry for myself and my self imposed rejection feeling. I guess I choose not to cross over (my own limitation).

Shabu shabu train!

New concept to me. Shabu shabu I know its the Japanese variant of hotspots. But i never seen the sushi boat style delivery. Apparently the restaurant owns its own farms and animals making it able to give unlimited food for 1.5h for 280 baht.

Altar for dogs

In Chiang Mai. Saw this temple that had altar for dogs, and dogs lying around.

I just ate German food. Silly. But there is no German food in Germany anymore, just bad thai food. Haha.

The pagoda had a sign "no women" felt strange seing that.

Cross over please

Possibly a very profund message!

Enjoyed walking a bit in Chiang Mai in the afternoon. There are temples everywhere. The Kyoto of thailand if you will. Many temples does seem to have monks. That's a difference from China.  Japan I don't know.

The evening was a bit lonely. Felt shy. I know that when I push myself to take initiative the outcome is typically good. But felt sorry for myself and my self imposed rejection feeling. I guess I choose not to cross over (my own limitation).

plump thai girls...

...flock around the donut place. For my days in Bangkok this is first time I'm somewhere where most aren't incredible slim. Haha.

I think the influx of western (as in American food) culture brings with it bad habits. Typically malls are where you find all this stuff and they seem very popular in Asia. Full of people. My impression of malls in USA is that theyre mostly empty.

emerald buddha temple

had a nice day out

standup for the king!

stand up, 6pm, for the king of Thailand. This is in the park. Everyone standsup. It feels strange. what if we would do this in sweden? They do the same in the cinema before the movie starts.