The terrible monsoon storms have passed leaving many cities under around two meters’ deep water. We are bracing for the massive volume of flood water to reach the south. I do pray that the main river would be able to send the water down to the sea quickly. Finally, I had to check out Chinatown to see how life has been improving after two years of lockdown. Chinatown is very close to the Chao Phraya River, so I hope that the water from the north won’t linger around in Bangkok. I parked my car a few kilometers away and took a leisurely walk towards the south side of Chinatown.
It was late afternoon when most vendors would be arriving to set up their stalls along the footpaths which should become quite crowded in the evening. Initially I was quite disappointed that the road was still very quiet and not much activities along Yaowarad road. But as soon as I approached the middle section of Chinatown, things seemed to become more lively with promising crowds later. My heart jumped in joy when I spotted several groups of European tourists. This year we couldn’t expect any Chinese group tours in Thailand. Something weird is definitely happening in that country; no Chinese tourists have been allowed outside the country.
As soon as I crossed the road to the busy side, I was confronted with a vendor selling various insects including scorpions and centipedes. I was horrified to see these poor animals cooked for human consumption as other sources of nutritious food were available. Strangely, two European teenagers bought some fried insects and started eating them casually. I had to hurry on my way after taking some gruesome photos.
The souvenir stall caught me by surprise as it reminded me that Chinese New Year wasn’t far away. Those red items would be used for Feng Shui purposes during the New Year; I had to remind myself to get some Chinese calendars too. Time seemed to be galloping at full speed this year. I felt good seeing lots of people crowded around their food stalls. All vendors were so eager and enthusiastic to cook for customers. I could feel cheerful vibes from these vendors; at long last they could smile within and hope for a brighter future.
There were many first time visitors to Chinatown; I could hear exciting conversations among teenagers who came for their selfies and queuing in front of famous seafood stall. These youngsters followed their net idols to check-in at various places in Bangkok and posted on Facebook. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for other nearby seafood stalls with very few customers. The varieties of fresh seafood were just astounding. Lots of visitors were having a good time feasting along crowded seating areas. Seeing families sharing dinners with satisfying expressions on their faces reminded me of my childhood. We used to go out for big lunch every weekend; those were my good old memories.
Chinatown has changed a lot over the years. New buildings replaced the old two floor shophouses, new luxurious hotels and expensive restaurants became the frequent haunt of film stars and celebrities from Hong Kong. More modern tea rooms and coffee shops could be seen dotted along the main road and small alleys. But the traditional street food stalls remain top attractions to tourists who want to taste good food at reasonable prices. Being a vegetarian made it very difficult for me to enjoy Chinese food as I used to as a kid.
As it got darker, more visitors and traffic became very lively and noisy. It seemed Chinatown has managed to recovered from the imposed slumber quite quickly. What a relief! Last year I came for a walking survey; the whole place looked so quiet and empty of people that I thought aliens might have abducted all those people. Nowadays I don’t complain about the heavy traffic or noisy crowds any more. They became the signs of hope and survival for the whole economy. So, I became very grateful to all the different aspects of survival and well being.
Chinatown is a very good place for me to get rid of my negativity and expanding my mind beyond my occupation of daily chores and travails. I could see faces with patience and perseverance; these people refused to surrender to bad times. They were prepared to work hard in front of hot stoves and stand by their stalls till midnight. The rewards were not always certain but they knew they couldn’t give up hope as long as they were still standing straight. I could feel some vendors feeling rather exhausted but they were still praying in their mind. Humanity is full of unexpected surprises and courageous people who are stubborn and persisting in doing their utmost to make a good livelihood.
I respect all these hard working people as much as I were grateful to all the workers at our house during my childhood. I could feel their pain and joy, their aspirations and disappointments in life. They were like big trees that support the ecology of a forest. I wished I could have returned some good deeds to those who had helped my family to achieve our goals. Walking around Chinatown always took me back to my childhood and cultural roots, my grandparents and how I grew up and got my worldly success.
Whenever I felt low and utterly confused about life, I would take a walk around Chinatown and narrow alleys to get in touch with bigger picture of reality. The vibrant energies in the old shrines, the smiles on old faces and weary faces gave me encouragement and wisdom to be grounded in my fuzzy emotions. Just walking along the busy road then turned toward the pier for a quiet moment by the river. Life turned out to be wonderful and full of hope and enthusiasm after the boat ride. So, Chinatown is a magical place for me and I should remember to visit the old shrines and Chinese temple to recharge my inner battery.
Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.
Stay strong and cheerful.