A vast gymkhana.

I would like to start with a general remark, and give a positive tone to my observations of the traffic in Thailand: “Driving in this country is a permanent obstacle race, punctuated with thousands of dangers. However, I have no hesitation in preferring the local driving freedom to the coercive rules making the Western roads safer”. For the rest, riding a motor bike is as risky as life.

Even anecdotic, the description of traffic problems is not inconsequential. It is easy to digress into social criticism of different customs and behaviours, or to put a joke on the hecatomb of causalities.  To follow the middle path of realism and objectivity is a difficult approach and I do not claim  success with my narration, founded on personal observations, experiments and emotions.

Here is an unsorted account of “generalizations” collected during my twenty years of  survival on the roads of Siam. They are among the most dangerous in the world, but also offer, especially in North, the most extraordinary journeys on motor bikes.

For foreigners, the first difficulty is the direction of the circulation. It is mostly a left-hand traffic.  However, even citizens of the Anglo-Saxon countries, in which circulation is always on that side, are surprised by the number of exceptions.

This is not the only point of amazement for aliens. Any surface can be used to drive, on the side and following the mood and opportunity of the moment.  Foot-ways are used by vehicles and highway lanes serve as parking. The definition of  “road users” is also broad, it includes elephants, gigantic lorries, frail pedestrians and timid cyclists, as well as motorcyclist and cars testing the limits of their performances.

All intermingle or gently fight on the same tracks. In this apparent disorder, a good level of composure, affability or perhaps resignation prevails. There is little aggressiveness  and almost no noise of horns.

Behaviour wise, one needs to think out of the limited box of traffic laws. Anyway, if such a code really exists, nobody knows it and worries about it. Some “consensual rules” provide help to ensure a minimum of fluidity between the users. For instance, it is important to avoid collisions with vehicles driving in front and to give priority to the biggest, the most prestigious and the boldest.

Other “postulates” are based on observations of driving behaviors. Speed is not limited by a panel, but by the technical constraints of the vehicles and dexterity of the drivers. The “law of universal gravitation” and the “square root of reaction time” are little known, apart from victims of accidents. Unfortunately they passed away without sharing their experiences. At speeds over one hundred kilometers an hour, a vehicle lead distance as short as one meters is a “suspended death sentence”. The slightest incident will immediately  revoke it!

The chronicle of “indulgences” includes many other idiosyncrasies. Markings give an air of modernity to the roads, they have no further utility. To be attentive to others, to be seen and to react properly, is the usual way to avoid accidents. This works well in many cases, even if frequent exceptions feed the statistics of casualties. Exaggerated speed (vision too late to react), heedlessness (vision impaired by  alcohol or illegal substances) and missing lamps (headlights also help to be seen by others) are the main human obstacles to reduce the “body count” on the asphalt.

Other “driving aids”, like traffic lights, help to regulate the crossing of vehicles in a nearly effective way. It is enough not to be color blind, inattentive or “high” to consider a stop. The waiting cycles are generally long and foster a filling gymkhana, between cars, by the smallest users, particularly the two wheelers. Attracted by the vacuum, they zigzag and penetrate, like a fluid between interstices. The aim is not only to go to the front, but to reach pole position. Jostling, the boldest dominate the “battle ground”, sometimes till the middle of the intersecting lane. In the back, the tangle becomes more complicated seconds after seconds, till the “green light” liberation. Amazed observers will then contemplate the dissolution, usually with few causalities, of an apparently inextricable Gordian knot.   People not ready to join the “forward stream” have a high risk of suffocation. No engine is turned off and the heavy lorries, with badly regulated carburetors, reject their emanations at nostrils levels. If they were cigarette packs, they would bear the compulsory label: ” my smoke kills”.

“Jai yen yen” – In cold blood on the streets.

Through urban dwellings, the network of Thai roads is broad and comfortable. Four, six, eight lanes are  standard, generally with an insuperable central wall. These constraints of the fast traffic require escape possibilities, like the occasional regulated intersections and the omnipresent “U-turns”. During their manoeuver, large lorries block two or three tracks, whilst others are satisfied with slightly less, but all inconsiderately cut the road of speeding motorcycles. Two wheelers start fast and gallop ahead of the pack, becoming privileged targets of the “u-turner”, little impressed by light vehicles.

Excess speed on streets passing cities and villages are amazing realities. In Western countries the limits would be around fifty kilometers per hour. A lack of control equipment, like speed radars, leaves it to the unconsciousness or recklessness of the road hogs to fix the standards. In populated areas,  meters marking a hundred twenty kilometer per hour only wear out brakes and the nerves of the other drivers.

Among my preferred aberrations are the apertures authorizing perfidious “X-turns” toward the opposite lane (a “U-turn” in the wrong direction). This allows all sort of users to drive against the flow. Moving at the right place, you are supposed to see and approve the tactic of your opponents and avoid to collide with the culprits. Even vehicles heading in the same direction are a challenge to mindfulness. At any moment they might bent  right or left, without a former signal, even not realizing that they have a rear view mirror. It is important to be constantly aware of this “possibility”, but if a sign is given, by a flash indicator or a stretched arm , it becomes an immediate “certitude”. The driver will instantaneously cut the way, without concern about ongoing traffic operations. I had the opportunity to verify this assertion when a motorcycle cut my way, at right angle, letting me taste the tarmac. The hit-and-run driver quickly vanished, without worrying about how I would raise my chopper with a broken clavicle.

Another disconcerting operation is a right bent preceding a left curve into a side road. This unannounced  “zigzag” allows to enter, at relatively high-speed, into a narrow crossroad,  without risking to chip the car. If a driver, in a following vehicle, had intended to overtake on the left side (a frequent ploy) he will be lucky to avoid a smash and remain at least perplex.

In the chapter of forgotten street users, we can count the pedestrians. They are treated as pariah and I wonder that there are still some around. To cross the roads they run for their lives, facing the vehicles like bullfighter. It is vital to avoid protected zones (zebra stripes) providing a fallacious sense of safety, source of fatal issues. Traffic lights give a provisional harbor for them, but motorists quickly move off after a group has crossed the lane without awaiting the green light. Latecomer, trying to rush through the place, are considered suicidal.

Traffic lights, nevertheless, command a certain level of respect, but with a broad tolerance margin. A minimum of two or three vehicles will accelerate and pass the red light, before someone thinks about stopping. Depending on the speed and the size of the vehicles, this figure can increase considerably, until it event blocks the green wave of the opposite side. The lamps themselves are often in a pernicious or unexpected way, for instance very high, at cables crossing the horizon. The alternative between “starring at the sky” or concentrating on the preceding vehicles, is a risky choice. In addition, the lights regulating the straight lanes and the right or left one are frequently twinned on a panel. Thrusting the color, without focusing on the arrows, is a straight way to collisions.

Road users in Thailand (and I include foreigners ecstatic of their new freedom), remember the theorem defining a straight line as the shortest way linking two points. Opportunities to apply this are many. A “one way” street, for example, is hardly worth a trip around . Other widely accepted practices are the famous “X-turns” (driving against the flow), sharp cuts in the opposite lanes whilst “negotiating” curves, crossing at right angle through four tracks of a highway, and so on. We are in the country of tolerance and all surfaces, adequate for circulation, are open to everybody, as long as they are able to  fight for survival. The principle of natural selection leads to witness all kind of casualties, sometimes minor but far to often fatal. Columns reporting “death of dogs” in newspapers, would darken many pages. Nevertheless, dead animals are no real threat to motorists. The true plague, are beasts pushed by their karma to suddenly cross the road, particularly when a two-wheeler is approaching.

Creativity can be expected and feared when Sunday drivers are involved. On the other hand, one should be able to rely on the skills and behavior of professional drivers and public transportation. This is by far not the case and they are not more trustworthy. This group of people are prone to create accidents as they wear the burden of an explosive cocktail, combining nonchalance, pressure to carry out many trips, badly maintained vehicles, tiredness and stimulants. Countless journeys end up against obstacles, in collision with other users or in a ravine. I am also very cautious about the load of trucks. The stuff is often loosely  attached and prompt to release itself on the road. I once experienced a flight of a dozen of wooden palettes, jumping against me on a highway. My reaction time, to curb to the other lane, was close to the limit.

And yet they are moving!

All users and all roads are not equal as far as accidents are concerned. Whilst stuck in the legendary Bangkok traffic congestions, the main risks are suffocation and poisoning through carbon monoxide. In the countryside bewilderness prevails. At any moment a horde of animals might occupy the tracks of a road, also used to dry rice and vegetables or to trail home drunkards (on foot, motor bike or in a coffin). Another “lively” feature is the quality of the pavement, when potholes make place to “pig bathtubs”, with uncertain depth, filled with water from the last downpour. As most of the roads are in good conditions, degraded sectors come unexpected. “Work in progress”, on the bitumen, is generally marked by large tree branches, more perilous for motorcycles than the holes themselves. The same stalk is used to signal vehicle breakdowns. It is usually “forgotten” on the spot after the incident is cleared.

In the center of Bangkok, the traffic slowdown is an effective protection, not against accidents globally (as the capital is the largest contributor to them) but against their gravity. In addition, rescue services are efficient, with a dense network of ambulances competing for every corpse.  The nearly deserted back tracks of remote countryside are also quite safe. The heaviest tribute in human lives is paid by the capital’s suburbs and the other large cities. The flourishing  Chiangmai, with its teenage students population, the “Hi-So” of Bangkok in secondary residences, the emigrated workers from nearby Burma and an important quota of tourists, often makes it to the top of the obituary hit list.

Touring Isan (the  North-East) for more than 3000 kilometers on a motorcycle I have not seen a single accident and not crossed a single crushed dog (this is quite unusual). Just back to Chiangmai I  saw a car having struck a tree, in the perimeter of my residence. The driver was probably dormant, in the middle of the day. A taxi driver also told me that he made a trip to recover a motorcyclist in the mountains who felt asleep whilst biking.

My account of generalized anecdotes does not give an exact depiction of the reality. All Thais (or foreigners in Thailand) do not drive in an inappropriate way. It is worth to acknowledge their equanimity when they thwart the road impediments, keeping a regular course and their smile. However, some listed individual behavior or local practices are astonishing, sometimes amusing, but often dangerous (as demonstrated by the casualties statistics (1)).

“Make no mistake  – the Thais are not the only people in the world who have bad driving habits. However, they could drive in a far better way … the inhabitants of Thailand are very gifted in handling motor vehicles. In which other country can one see a drunken 14 years old girl “zigzagging” on a 50 cc motorcycle while speaking on the mobile phone with his friends sitting “Amazon” on the back seat with a terrified puppy in the arms? They should not be in the street, but in the circus.”
(3) Olivier Benjamin

I personally saw such a situation. I could not swear that the girl was drunk, but all other elements were in the picture.

Next post (second part): The roots of the disorder -  Means to cut the hecatombs – Personal conclusions and prevention measures.

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(1 )  Songkran’s (the Thai New Year) “seven dangerous days” ended with 373 deaths and 4,332 injuries in 3,977 road accidents nationwide.
…
Motorcycles were the vehicles most involved in road accidents, about 82 per cent of all vehicles. The biggest cause of accidents was drunken driving (40.66 per cent), followed by speeding (19.96 per cent).

A total of 5,271,977 drivers and motorcycle-riders were examined at checkpoints nationwide. Of those, 408,020 were cited for violating the law, including 137,806 for driving without a licence and 136,772 for not wearing a helmet.

The Nation  2009-04-18

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Songkran-Traffic-Deaths-Up-Injurie-t258549.html

accessed september 2009

(2) The Outsider’s guide to Thailand, Olivier Benjamin. Bangkok books, 2005

On the right path, each step is a journey.

The shaman said:
“you must not eat cow’s meat … Think of the ox. A strong, handsome animal. He helps man in the fields and on the road. To eat him you must kill him. That meat enters into you and turns you, too, into a murderer.”
(1) A Fortune – Teller Told Me, Tiziano Terzani, Flamingo 1998

I decided, a few years ago, not to consume Bovine meat anymore. No justification or explanation of this choice is needed as it was not founded on a dogma nor is it an indoctrination, nothing esoteric, but a banal personal reflexion. In spite of its limited practical impact it is a positive intention and, “on the right path, each step is a journey”.

The year of the ox (2) gives me the opportunity to make an apologia of this symbolic animal and to demystify my resolution. It was not without consequences on my entourage. My friends were  amused and adapted, in my presence, some gastronomical practices, even the selection of some restaurants. They accepted this change without skepticism, mocking remarks or proselytism.

My determination goes back to a time with a widespread epidemic of  the “mad cow” disease. There was no relation for me to this epizooty, however, fear to contract the Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness was an acceptable “à priori” for giving up eating ox. Personally, I was geographically far away and not sensitive to sanitary arguments about the devastations of a disease having particularly touched the United Kingdom.

A posteriori, I discover many arguments speaking in favor of a reduction in meat consumption globally. These elements, however, were not part of my decision at that time, as it was only based on a daily life’s anecdote.

When traveling the countryside of Thailand, I often stop my motor bike to appreciate and photograph the rice plantations with there random patches, delicate color shades, reflections and undulations who never fail to fill me with admiration. Everywhere, busy families of peasants punctuate the landscape with their indigo colored costumes. Now and then, small huts with thatched roofs of broad foliages, offer a precarious shelter to rest and eat. Strangers passing-by are greeted with broad smiles and any question related to the meal will immediately trigger a proposition to share it. Knowing the fondness of farmers to consume all kinds of animal proteins, from the more crawling to everything winged and flying, I generally avoid to accept this charming custom. It is then enough to tap its belly to signify that one just leaves table and is already “full”.

Without going as far as tasting the food, I am always interested to know about the the contents of the dishes. Traditionally, meals were wrapped in banana leaves, modernism has often replaced them with plastic bags. A merry hubbub introduces me to the delicacies of the day and the alternatives seasonally available according to the success of huntings and harvesting.

Communication is done with laughter and conspirator’s onomatopoeias, punctuated by the questions: “can you eat this?”. With some practice, everything can be eaten. Rodents, inhabitant of the rice plantations, and many kind of insects are delicacies. If a little money is available, poultry, ducks, pigs and shrimps will  enhance the daily repast. Pointing toward a beast of burden, I get reprobative pouts. No! Not the ox, it is a sin, this animal has value, he brings us his assistance in the fields and on the roads.

In the West, we do not consume our pets, dogs and cats are saved from butchers, sometimes even the rabbits, tortoises and other playmates. An Asian farmer can have similar feelings towards its work companions. His respect of the buffalo, the cow and other bovine family members combines a practical and a sentimental value. It is not only founded on the teaching of the Buddha (3), which protects any living being, but a personal conviction anchored in the heart of many peasants.

This attitude seduced me and I adopted it. This is not a crucial renunciation, however no stone is too small to build a road, no contribution is unimportant if the intention is positive, “on the right path, each step is a journey”.

Later on, some research and readings devoted to the environment reinforced my conviction about the adequacy of my choice. Beef has a low conversion efficiency of feed to meat proteins. The process is also intensive in water consumption and the extension of bovine breeding has catastrophic effects in certain countries. In Brazil, it contributes largely to the destruction of the Amazon forest (4,5). Perhaps more humorous, a serious study of the Australien government recommends the replacement of beef by the meat of kangaroos. The bovine emit significant amounts of methane, a polluting gas for the atmosphere (6).

Recently, the film “Home” of Yann Arthus-Bertrand (7) highlighted, for a large public, the harmful effects of certain excesses. Among the quoted examples were the consumption of 30′ 000 liters of water wasted for the production of one kilo of beef, and the use of half of cereals marketed in the world for animal food and the production of fuel.

Finally, it is also necessary to distinguish the religious interdicts, in particular in hinduism. The backgrounds are similar as the cow was protected by the Brahmans for his utility and its symbol as a source of life. It became thus taboo to kill this animal. The farmers, on the other hand, do not act because of a prohibition but through compassion.

This approach allured me some years ago. It was of course a very small step. Becoming totally vegetarian would probably be much better … and, why not?

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(1)  A Fortune – Teller Told Me, Tiziano Terzani, Flamingo 1998

(2)  A New Chinese year began on January 26, 2009 and finishes on February 13, 2010. This year is placed under the sign of the buffalo (or ox),  one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

(3) This attitude is not ordered by Buddhism which prohibits to kill, but not to consume the majority of the meats, if the animal was not killed specifically to be offered as a meal to the monk.

(4) Three or four reasons why eating beef might become the subject of open social disapproval:
its highly energy-intensive (the energy required to produce one kilogram on a table in the UK is among the highest for any foodstuff) its water consumption is big (instant data from Fred Pearce’s book: 11,000 litres “to grow the feed for enough cow to make a quarter pound [100g] hamburger” – compared with 500 litres for a kilo of potatoes) commercial beef ranching creates a monoculture – and can even lead to desertification of the area.

http://thenextwavefutures.wordpress.com/

http://thenextwavefutures.wordpress.com/2007/05/24/beef-starting-on-the-road-to-disapproval/ (accessed in September 2009)

(5) The past three years have been the most destructive in the Brazilian Amazon’s history. In 2004 26,000 sq km of rainforest were burned: the second- highest rate on record. This year could be worse. And most of it is driven by cattle ranching.
George Monbiot The Guardian, Tuesday October 18 2005

(6) Professor Ross Garnaut, the man asked by the Federal Government to help save the planet and reduce the impact of climate change, has published a 620-page report, which forecast higher electricity, gas, food and petrol prices for us all, predicted that unless a way is found to reduce livestock methane emissions, that iconic Australian animal, the kangaroo, could become a regular feature on our dinner plates.
Garnaut warned that food prices will rise to a point where households will move away from traditional beef and lamb, eat more chicken and pork and re-runs of Skippy will start being shown on the Food Channel.
There are an estimated 1.5 billion cattle on the planet, their four-chamber, bacteria-filled guts generating more than 100 million tonnes of methane, about 20 per cent of the emissions thought to be contributing to global warming.

Kangaroos, apparently, are far more polite dinner guests. “Australian marsupials emit negligible amounts of methane from enteric fermentation,” wrote Garnaut, who added that scientific modelling shows the potential for big reductions in our sheep and cattle numbers. These could be replaced at the same time by expanding the present population of kangaroos from 34 million to 240 million within 12 years.

http://www.garnautreview.org.au/chp24.htm

http://www.garnautreview.org.au/domino/Web_Notes/Garnaut/garnautweb.nsf

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/roo-not-for-our-bland-palates/story-e6frezz0-1111117646351

(accessed in September 2009)

(7) “Home” Yann Arthus-Bertrand, June 5, 2009 . Movie presentented worldwide, on multiple media, for the World Environment day.

Cultural similarities at the confines of the Indonesian archipelago

Bali, a dream destination, a harbour of quietude bathed by the Indian Ocean, at the confines of

Bali beach - cultural show

Indonesia, at the southern boundaries of the large Java, is a vivid window of Eastern culture. Attracted by its charms, amateurs of surfing, expatriation or rest regularly colonize the beaches of this Sunda island (1). Determined to preserve the originality of their traditions, the inhabitants are eager to shelter themselves against too much foreign influences. They maintain their heritage and their invaluable ethnological capital. Beyond the sun, the sand and the waves, the Hindu Pantheon (2), with his divinities, mythological characters, its many festivals and religious rites, attracts and enchants the travelers.

Kuta, a small town, on the shore of the sea, did not escape modernism. Beyond its beaches, in its hotels and “guest houses”, in the stores and stalls, on the roads and in the narrow lanes, the animation is permanent. Gifts and handicrafts, adapted to tourist tastes, all kind of copies, particularly of recent movies, a comprehensive offer of fast food and ready-made clothes brands are appealing to passers-by. This urban landscape would be monotonous without the exotic spots of small Hindu temples, colourful and peaceful islands, a contrasting permanency to the ephemeral commercial centres. They are strongly enrooted in their traditions, maintaining customs and beliefs through frequent ritual ceremonies, like the daily offerings of rice and flowers.

At a crossroads, in the middle of the city, a small temple is particularly in obviousness. I had often

Bali writing

visited it without really paying attention to a gilded inscription, engraved on one of its walls. Suddenly, this message, in dancing letters, appeared familiar. It seems written in Thai characters, like a welcoming message to Siamese visitors. The resemblance to the writing of Chiangmai, the one of the North, the old kingdom of Lanna, is even more striking (3). “This is Balinese writing (4)”, explained some passers-by. It was used before the romanization of our characters, introduced with colonization. Nowadays its use is limited to religious inscriptions and to some street names, but its bases are still taught in the schools.

Thousands of kilometres separate Thailand from the island of Bali. Between them, all writings are in Roman characters, making the similarity more astonishing. Some believers, that I met in a temple, gave me some elements of an answer. With a broad smile they affirmed: “Thailand, is also Buddha”.

As this island has a strong Hindu (2) prevalence, I am amazed by the number of representations of Siddhārtha Gautama(6), available in tourist shops. This is not only a commercial opportunity, as the

Bali Hinduism

local practices really combine elements of both religions. The relationship of the writings thus goes back to the roots of Hinduism and Buddhism. The alterations of history, with political and religious transformations, have covered the linguistic ties in Malaysia and Indonesia when Islam became predominant.

Many Indian and south-east Asian writings have their roots in the brahmi(5). Ashoka, an enlightened Indian emperor and promoter of Buddhism, used it for his edicts, engraved in rocks and on monumental columns marking events of the life of the Buddha. The merry farandole of rounded characters gives a familiar appearance to these writings. However, the similarity ends with the visual impression. Divergent evolutions and local adaptations made these alphabets incompatible.

Sometimes following separate trails, sometimes antagonistic or intermingled, two main streams modeled the cultures, beliefs and writings of Asia. The Middle Kingdom (7) extended its influence from the North and the Aryan India propagated its culture from the West. A third current, brought Islam through the Indian sub-continent, reaching Indonesia. More recently, western colonization added another layer, also modifying some habits, languages and religions. The island of Bali was not covered by the Islamic influence and Hinduism remained prevalent(2). With the western colonization, on the other hand, the local writing was replaced by the Roman characters, used all over Indonesia.

Burmese, Thais, Laotians, Khmer and many inhabitants from the South of India will find similarities

script from the North of Thailand

when comparing their writings, particularly in the inscriptions of temples and old streets names. Unfortunately, this resemblance does not allow them to decipher the messages as the alphabets underwent divergent evolutions and the spoken languages are completely different.

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(1) Bali is most western of the lesser Sunda islands, situated in the south of the indonesian archipelago.

(2) Agama Hindu Dharma is the formal name of Hinduism in Indonesia. It is practised by 93% of the population of Balii http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Balinese-Hinduism accessed 12.10.2008

(3) The Lanna script is a descendant of the old Mon script like the Lao religious scripts and Burmese script. It was used during the time of the Lanna kingdom, founded in 1259 and conquered by Burma in 1558. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/lanna.htm. Accessed 10.10.2008

(4) The Balinese alphabet or Carakan descended ultimately from the from Brahmi script of ancient India. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/balinese.htm. Accessed 10.10.2008

(5) Brāhmī is a term which refers to the pre-modern members of the family of the systems of brahmic writings, born in India

(6) The original name of the Buddha

(7) Name given by Chinese people to their country (Zhong Guo)

The Indian god Ganesh

This is of course a joke! Learning the Chinese writing is extremely challenging. Without this major

The sun behind a tree = East

difficulty, it could however be universal. By using ideograms (1) drawn without reference to an alphabet of sounds, communication is freed from the constraints of the spoken language. The graphics are representing objects and concepts in an often very schematic way (2).

A similar system develops again in the modern world. Symbols are used to express ideas and to transmit message which can be quickly assimilated, without being decoded through sounds. This is, to some extent, the reinvention of the writing in Chinese characters.

On roads, at the stations and in airports, signalization panels are burgeoning. Words are replaced by simplified images or drawings with an obvious visual meaning. “

“Nose toward the sky” on takeoff, the symbol of a plane announces “departures”, “check in” or a “bus stop for the airport” depending on the posting environnement. The message is expressed without the use of the hermetic phonemes of the oral communication. Pictograms have the advantage to be universally understood.

Realistic crossed out fruit

Graphic signs might be combined to extend their meanings and convey specific messages. Crossing an image indicates nega

tion or prohibition, for instance over a cigarette, a mobile phone or a durian (3) all not allowed in certain public areas. A square represents a mouth, an opening or a tunnel. Combined with other caracters, it shows an underpass and his direction if an arrow is added.

Streching this concept to the limits and with the respect of some conventions, a succession of signalisation panels could express a whole sentence, breaking the barriers of spoken languages. This « picturesque » way to describe objects and ideas is an original characteristic of the Chinese writing. Without a tonal alphabet and the necessity to convert words to sounds, it is used to communicate in various languages, not only in all Chinese dialects, but partially in Japanese and Korean.

Mouth-man-direction = pointing to underpath

By investing the time necessary to master a few thousand ideograms, one is equipped with a sort or writing esperanto (4), a universal mean of communication. Nowadays, a billion and a half people make this effort, more or less voluntarily. In ancien times, the Chinese characters were used in several asian countries. They were completely replaced by locally designed alphabeths in Thailand and in Vietnam and are used only partially in Korea and in Japan (5). These changes were intended to reduce the time needed to acquire literacy. The gain in speed took his toll on the universality of the writing.

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(1) “Logograms” , “ideograms” , “sinograms” or “pictograms” are nuances used in linguistics publications and are not useful within the restricted framework of this blog.

(2) Waves of simplifications of the Chinese writing (the most recent at the occasion of the Cultural revolution) do not always contribute to universal comprehension. The characters become different between periods and counties. Taiwan, for example, preserved the traditional characters whereas continental China adopted the wave of simplifications.

(3) Durian. The king of the exotic fruits but with a very strong odor. Reference: http://mybanyan.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/smells-like-hellsmells-like-hell

(4) Esperanto is a built language, conceived at the end of the XIXe century by Ludwik Leizer Zamenhof with an aim of facilitating the communication between people of different languages through the whole world. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto

(5) In Korea and Japan a system was set up combining an alphabet of local design with Chinese characters, often used in a phonetic way.

left - east - exit (mouth)

This blog was originally written in French and translated with the assistance of Babelfish

(http://babelfish.yahoo.com).

Finally the luckiest month of the century is here. Molly is getting her chance … even so she does not wear the luckiest of all numbers with her “010808″! But it’s not bad! Why are we all waiting till August 8th to start? Something to do with Chinese believes?

See our former post about the “ultimate luck”

http://mybanyan.wordpress.com/2008/06/29/the-ultimate-luckthe-ultimate-luck

http://mybanyan.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/une-chance-unique

Molly designer toys site :

http://www.kinkirobot.com/

Molly was created by Kenny Wong  http://www.kennyswork.com/

In the early morning hours, as Europe is still chasing unfinished dreams, noon has crossed the nineteenth meridian. As I wake up, my first thoughts are to imagine a wet torpor wrapping up midday hours in a mythic, exotic and remote Orient; a reality as of tomorrow.

A few hours flight suffice to accelerate time. Whilst traveling against the sun, the lag of the internal clock is fostered by a precarious sleep, rocked by the vibrations of the engines. Eleven hours of flight, sixteen hours on a clock, it is early morning in Bangkok, the first stopover. Furtively, time has shrunken.

East bound around the South Pacific

Two week spent to discover South-East Asia, jumping around the 100e meridian, have faded-out all references to time. After Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta and Bali are in neighboring zones. Finally, before taking-off towards Australia, one single hour is added to the lost time.

Touching ground in Sydney, the journey continues towards the Fiji islands where the date line diverts from the anti-meridian (1), allowing Tonga to stay in the same day. This sector added another 5 hours to the time deficit (6 hours when compared to Greenwich). After three weeks of travel, half a day has melted. Nevertheless, losing four minutes for every degree of longitude crossed, is meaningless in the vast Pacific.

A few days later, the tour continues. Takeoff from Nadi, stopover in Rarotonga and arrival in Faa, airport of Papetee, eight hours later… the previous day! Going back in time is improbable and it is easy to be amazed by this phenomenon. The culprit is an imaginary line, roughly drawn on the antipodes of the prime meridian (Greenwich). Depending on the direction of rotation, the crossing of this demarcation, adds or retracts one day from the travelers journey.

Time is melting

Actually, minutes “saved” whilst traveling to the east are restored at once, with an additional credit of twelve hours, to be written down during the second part of the trip.

Magellan’s sailors, after their circumnavigation, already created astonishment as they were living on a different day, as attested by a precise log. On its side, Filias Fog, Jules Vernes’ hero, took advantage of one additionnel day to win his eastbound race around the world (2).

Polynesia, Hawaii, United States two more weeks of strolling before returning to Europe, 35 days later … actually after a round the world trip of 36 days averaging 23 hours and 20 minutes.

29 juillet 1988.

(1) meridian of 180° longitude

(2) Jules Vernes; Around the World in 80 days

Some lucky ... some not

Superstition, very alive in that culture, has promoted the number “8” to a key symbol of luck. Its power as an “amulet” it linked to a banal homophony with the word ” wealth“ (“Ba”/” Fa”). The figure “4″ on its side, is strongly avoided and pays a tribut to its phonic resemblance with “death” (“si”). The strength of such symbols can be measured in economic terms, as high amounts may be paid to acquire lucky numbers. Car plates, driving licences, mobile phone numbers as well as house addresses or auspicious bank accounts are particularly thought after. Another example of this powerful figure is the majestic “Jin Mao” tower in Shanghai (Hyatt hotel), with its 88 stories.

Ostensibly displayed series of “8s” are status symbols. The number “4”, on the other hand, is often removed from series and elevator plates. Westerners are amused about eastern attachment to numerology. In the west rationalism and the fading out of traditions has erased many superstitions. “Friday the 13th ” however… and in many buildings the 13th floor is also avoided. The “7″ often has a positive connotation whereas ” 666″ does still impresses the initiated. Beliefs in the power of numbers have there roots in a religious or phonic context. References and meanings vary drastically with places, cultures and languages, highlighting how irrational they are. However, this evidence does not shake convictions, deeply anchored in popular traditions.

Fostering luck with a handful of “8s” is probably impossible. Nevertheless, the possession of an “expensive” good omen

number is an outstanding social symbol. Avoiding dreaded figures is just its antithesis!

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Some doubts … maybe!

This article is quoted from “The Epoch Times” (May 20th, 2008,)

“What Does the Auspicious Number 8 Portend for China?”

The following is making the rounds these days in Chinese internet chat rooms.

The number 8 is a lucky number in Chinese culture. That is why the Beijing Olympics chose to start at 8 p.m. on August 8 (8/8/08). Here is what has happened this year.

1/25 brought a giant snow storm, a disaster from the sky.

3/14 brought the suppression in Tibet, a disaster from humans.

5/12 brought the earth quake, a disaster from the ground.

1+2+5 = 8

3+1+4 = 8

5+1+2 = 8

8/8/08 is date for the Olympics.

The 5/12 earthquake is 88 days away from the Olympic date of 8/8/08.

In Chinese culture, numbers in the calendar are often used in prophecy.

Similar blog story : http://monicabaylon.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/080808/

Thai kitchen abounds in traps! Sometimes red, sometimes green, the small peppers are hidden everywhere and appear in the most unexpected places, even penetrating the apparent sweetness of certain desserts.

« Vegetable-spices », these condiments are so perfectly integrated in several Asian kitchens that their South American origin comes as an amazement. The flow of exchanges fostered during the century of the famous explorers, some 500 years ago brought them to this continent.

Chillies have a near to neutral taste. The strong sensations linked to their consumption are produced by an intense signal on the pain sensors located in the mouth and throat, simulating for example the swallowing of a too hot coffee.

The culprit of this « apparent » burnings is the capsicum oil contained in the flesh and seeds of the peppers. Not very soluble in water it binds with the sensors and resist the washing with drinks usually available to consumers. The casein of a glass of milk or yoghurt would be a good detergent. Without this available, a piece of bread or a spoonful of rice is of some help.

Peppers are found in various forms in the different Asian kitchens. Usually fresh, in powder or incorporated in a sauce (nam preek) in Thailand, they are a component of Sambal  in Indonesia, Sichuan chili paste in China, kochujang in Korea and tuong ot toi in Vietnam.

iThe feeling of pain produced by peppers has also positive effects. The brain reacts by producing endorphin, generating a sense of pleasure. Once the practice is acquired, eating hot meals becomes addictive. Consumption of chillies brings many other benefits linked to their content in vitamins and the therapeutic effects of capsicum.

Thai « Singha » beer, popular with travellers, can be replaced with a glass of milk to accompany spicy dishes. Instead of this, one might prefer to indulge in the « attaching » warmth of hot Asian meals.

1. Preek Kee Noo

Reference : Wikipedia

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A shadow puppet

Like a shadow puppet on the blafard horizon, a tree is cut out against a fireball. This it how mandarins write the character for East. Middle Kingdom (1), country of the Fresh and Calm Mornings (2), island where the Sun Rises (3), this is the Far East of the Westerners. Beyond Japan and the Sakhalin island or to the South of the Philippines and Indonesia, Asia fades out in the huge Pacific. Further South West, the Indian Ocean takes over, bathing the coast of Malaysia and Sri Lanka, down to India and Pakistan.

Located on the same continental plate, Europe and Asia have less obvious borders. From the Dardanelles to the Bosphorus or running through the Ural mountains, the political frontiers do not match the underlying structures.

Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Russia overlap the two regions and are often excluded in a restricted definitions of Asia.

Logically and culturally, Asia starts with the Indian Subcontinent and includes Mongolia in the North. Even when amputated of a part of Central Asia, this area remains one of the most extended and most populated part of the World, sheltering half of the inhabitants of the planet. The biggest treasure and attraction of this continent is it’s extreme diversity with a wealth of ethnic groups, languages, writings, different religions, political regimes, cultural practices and gastronomic delicacies.

Indian Subcontinent, South-East Asia, Far East, the mysteries of the rising sun still fascinate many Westerners, whereas others are reluctant to face the unknown and experiment differences. However, in less than twenty years, a overwhelming wave of similarities has ironed out many specificities. The quest for the East becomes more subtle but the approach remains rewarding.

1. China (Middle Kingdom)

2 Korea (Morning Calm)

3.Japan (Roots of the Sun)

References: Wikipedia (Asia)

This article was translated from French with the help of Yahoo Babel Fish.

«Smells like hell, taste like heaven»! The reputation to be one of the most stinky thing precedes the encounter of this fruit by travelers. This arbitrary qualifier is a disrespectful manner to treat a fruit, little known out of Asia, but held in high regard in this continent.

The durian is originally from Malaysia and Indonesia where his name means “covered of spines”. It matures on trees reaching sizeable dimensions, at the image of the fruits that they carry. The cultivation of the durian also extended towards Thailand, in particular the South, in the province of Chantaburi, the greatest zone of current production. It’s popularity is reflected in it’s prices which depends on the variety and quality, but remains always high. It is a fruit of great luxury.

For the Chinese the durian heats the body and is often eaten with fruits reducing this effect. In Indonesia and Malaysia people believe that his consumption has aphrodisiac virtues. Despite popular devotion, he is usually banished in public transportations, hotels and other places where his strong presence is not compatible with promiscuity or lack of ventilation.

The king of the fruits is appreciated for his delicacy and his nobility by millions of Asians, often shocked and puzzled by the scatologic qualifiers that foreigners use to describe him. This huge difference in appreciation cannot be objective, it is a state of mind. In a striking way, the example of durians illustrates more subtle conditionnements of our brains, that we are often not aware of.

In himself the durian has neither nauseous odors, nor a delicious taste. These qualifications are given by our conditioned mind, in reaction to measures transmitted by the nose and the mouth. The scent of this fruit is strong, that’s all! The other appreciations refer to our life experience, analysed and filed by our brain. This system generates useful signals, like warnings or attractions. Nevertheless, if left without control, our mind also produces less advantageous associations.

Bad taste, disgusting smell, unbearable vision, unpleasant feelings, cacophonous music, these are all conditionnements related to negative experiments or not controlled associations of our brain. In the later case, and without even trying, we might miss many opportunities to discover new treasures. Indulging a durian is just one example. If we fail to open our mind and to prepare ourselves for a neutral approach, we might remain estranged to a whole culture.

What millions of humans finds delicious, beautiful, fragrant, sensual and harmonious cannot really be completely reverse for the others. The difficulty is to master our mind and to keep an open and neutral approach of new experiments. The benefits of such an attitude are immediate, for example the satisfaction to appreciate a durian.

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Durian discrimination

These are some qualification of the odor of the durian found on Internet sites :

« smelling like stinky socks » , »it smells like a poorly maintained public convenience », »It smelled like someone's 2-year-old had a stomach ailment about a week before and no one had carried off the soiled nappies yet ». « Like eating custard in a sewer ». "It smells like a poorly maintained public convenience but the taste is worse!".

References:

1(May – Octobre).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian

http://www.durianpalace.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odor