Bangkok.... again

"On the road again ....". oooops, not quite so fast there little lady. Poovar to Trivandrum to Mumbai to Delhi to Bangkok: sounds easy, doesn't it. Well, it was hell. But I did meet an interesting young man from Paris (he's Cambodian) and had some good chats while we were waiting for flights and then I was put in First Class Delhi to Bangkok, for some strange reason. They must have seen the dangerous look in my eyes from having been travelling for so many hours and no food or wine. It was heaven, although no lobster or steak in sight, just chicken chicken chicken. But loads of good red wine and a HUGE seat, and movies. It was over all too soon. Then Bangkok. But Iceland stepped in and my connecting flight to Qatar and Milan was cancelled so back to the Atlanta Hotel. And for those of you who haven't had a chance to follow international conflicts there is basically a civil war ratcheting up here in Bangkok. So I've been here 5 days (seems forever when you're stuck) and last night I heard the first explosions. 3 people killed and over 75 injured in the center of Bangkok, where the "Red Shirts" or Maoists have been staked out for weeks. They're not sure who fired the granades with shoulder-held grenade launchers but fact is, the terrible violence has really started. The huge tragedy is that the majority of people that are involved in this uprising are poor people from the countryside that have been bused in as "soldiers" of the power factions and they set up home in the streets, complete with beds, food stalls, clothing stalls, music. And many of them came with their children, with nobody to look after them back home. So the carnage is even more a tragedy and hopefully tonite they're not going to be more battles with grenades. The Maoists have set up roadblocks with tires and bamboo spears and look as if they are in for the long haul. The place is swarming with international journalists, with flak jackets and helmets: a real war zone. I just hope I get out on my scheduled flight on Sunday through Qatar to Milan. The world is truly a shaky place right now, and my daughter-in-law Clarissa from Kathmandu told me yesterday that the situation is very similar in Nepal and they are just waiting for it to explode. Even the more sad since the ones that get caught in the middle are the vulnerable poor.

boating through the canals

Here's some photos from a pole-pushed outrigger going through the canals, and my Kerala traditional bungalow house (all teak and wild jackfruit tree wood... wow)

Kerala, India

Hot hot hot. Muggy muggy muggy. And stickly spectacular: white egrets and eagles chasing each other out of the natural pools and canals of brackish tidal water water meandering through and around this manmade island. This is the first time I've seen palm trees growing in the water: 2 - 3 feet of it. A few years ago someone dug up sand from the canals and made this island, which has become the base for a number of resorts: Poovar Island Resort, Isola di Cocco Ayurvedic Resort (where I am), Estuary Island Resort, etc. All more or less luxurious, but in this season, the "low" season prices are half what they are during the winter months, or high season. They are also down to bare bones personnel and I still haven't had hot water since I've been here, but there is AC, TV a minifridge and WiFi so it's great. Yesterday I went to the veggie and fruit stand and bought some fresh stuff which I'm going to give to the kitchen here so I will have something to eat besides overboiled beans, carrots, and cauliflower... yuck. But it's all very healthy and the other women here are all doing Ayurvedic cures and I've had my blood tested for $8.00. Everything great... a little high on the cholesterol 198... but what the heck, at my age.... yoga every morning for free on a platform overlooking the river... I love it here but I'm sort of getting anxious to get to Italy and see Eugenio and friends... I've been offered a number of properties to buy and if I was in the market this place would be a great investment. Kerala is very popular among wealthy Indians (who are now by far wealthier and better tourists than westerners....) and will only become more and more valuable... If anybody is interested I will send photos. Love to you all!