Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (pronounced Swarnapum) International Airport is quite amazing. First of all, it's HUGE!! I mean seriously large. It's one of those all-in-one-building airports, unlike JFK, or Newark, or Narita. Also, it's beautifully designed from an architectural point of view. But boy - is it busy! I flew with Air Asia who close their gates 20 minutes before takeoff, and at 30 minutes before takeoff I was only just completing check-in, and then had to walk forever to the gate. I guess that should have been a hint to me that departure would not be on time Anyway off I went to the gate only to discover that the plane wasn't even in yet. What was interesting though is that once the plane was in, it took about 25 minutes to disembark all the passengers who were on the arriving plane and also board all those who were leaving on our flight. Amazing!
The flight to Phuket was an hour and 20 minutes and uneventful. Once I arrived I went off to organize us some transportation from the airport to Patong Beach which is the area where I was staying. Phuket is a very large island with numerous beaches which are all loaded with hotels, resorts and shops by the million. It seems that tourists are all considered walking wallets because everyone is trying to sell you everything, a million times over all within a space of five meters. Massages, tattoos, all sorts of sea foods, hardware, chachkes, taxi service, tours, snorkeling services, and what not else, and of course, Thailand's notorious skin trade. The town is full of elderly Lotharios trying to regain their youthful lusty days. It's really quite pathetic to see elder men walking hand-in-hand with young girls (who are in it for the money), and it's even more pathetic when you overhear their conversations with their friends describing their "conquests" in detail, as was the case at Chabad (on Sunday – a few days time, but I'm writing looking back).
Which brings me again to the subject of Chabad. Once I arrived to my hotel at Patong Beach and checked in, I set off to find Chabad and get something to eat. It was already 4 p.m. and I was hungry. Chabad was about a 10 minute walk from my hotel, and once I found it I sat down to a lovely meal at their restaurant. Not fancy, but tasty good food.
After lunch/dinner I returned to the hotel and then went out for a walk around the area, down toward the beach (about 3 minutes walk) and then down the drag parallel to the beach. There was a parade going on and I asked what it was all about. I got a series of replies, starting with "It's a parade of the girly-men" and ending with "it's a parade for the beginning of the high season" which was more likely. First of all, there were no girly men. The parade started with the Thai version of hell's angels on huge bikes parading down the road. That was followed by a fleet of boom-box vehicles blaring music and ten gazillion decibels; then came a school marching band, followed by fireworks. Later on there was a whole lot of floating candles that were launched into the air. These are tea-light candles covered by a rice paper dome. The hot air causes the balloon to rise into the air and float away high. Quite amazing!
The next day started with rain. To be more correct... RAIN!! Oh man, I have seldom seen such a downpour; true tropical weather. Hot and RAINY! BIG drops - and LOTS of them. OMG! So after I got up and had breakfast, while it was RAINING, and later when it sort of died down, I went out and got an umbrella and headed out again – to the beach! There weren't many people there and I basically had the beach to myself. By midday I went to Chabad for lunch and later on I returned to the hotel for a rest, prepared for Shabbat, and then walked back over to Chabad for candle-lighting and Kabalat Shabbat. There were TONS of people there. Many came for shul and many more came for supper. They had two sessions for supper: one right after shul and one an hour and a half later. Dinner was a 2-course meal (fish followed by chicken & rice with vegetables) plus salads. There must have been about 120 people the first session and about 80 the second round. Kol Hakavod to those Chabadniks. After supper, walk home and to bed.
A walking Restaurant
Shabbat Shacharit was called for 10 a.m. You gotta love those Chabadniks! There was more than a minyan by 10 a.m. and we davened pleasantly. Pesukei DeZimra was Edot Hamizrach, Shacharit was Nusach Ari, Kri'at Hatorah was mistake-ridden Chabad Style. Haftarah and Musaf were perfect J! There was a single session for lunch. Also 2 courses plus salads. Then back to the hotel via a long roundabout walk along the beachfront and a sleep till late afternoon. Got up for an in-room seudah shlishit, maariv and havdalah. After Shabbat I went out to one of these grand spectacle shows about Thai culture, along with elephants, water buffalo, goats, horses, and chickens, acrobats, clowns, dancers, fireworks, rain, and whatnot else. A grand show in a Disney type setting. All in all, it was a lovely and worthwhile evening. Late return to the hotel and to sleep.
Sunday started with breakfast followed by some beach time. Then to Chabad for lunch (here the local Israeli Lotharios were regaling one another with their escapades in the sack the night before and for how cheap they managed to get their rocks off. Pathetic and 'prost'.) After lunch it was back to the hotel to pack and go to the airport. The drive to the airport was via a whole lot of back roads which was very beautiful, jungle country and huge estates of the rich and famous, a massive British school with vast grounds and sports fields. Typically British! My flight was delayed an hour which meant that I arrived in Bangkok an hour later than planned, and had to wait for a taxi, so by the time I got back home, it was time to shower and to bed.
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