Sometimes in businesses, the monk drawings are small. But, in some taxis, half the ceiling is covered in white powder and gold. I asked my taxi driver the other day if the size of the monk drawing affects the potency or the meaning in any way, and the cabby told me it doesn't make much difference, and that it's up to the monk's creativity and mood. Some of those monks can get pretty artistic.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Monk Drawings
Sometimes in businesses, the monk drawings are small. But, in some taxis, half the ceiling is covered in white powder and gold. I asked my taxi driver the other day if the size of the monk drawing affects the potency or the meaning in any way, and the cabby told me it doesn't make much difference, and that it's up to the monk's creativity and mood. Some of those monks can get pretty artistic.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Ganesha
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Fare is Fair?
The cabbys that I talked to about the new fare are pleased because it'll help take the edge off the cost of the fuel. It's become more and more difficult for the drivers to make a decent salary. But, the higher fare also means customers who take taxis regularly, like me, will have less baht to spend on other things.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Lady Driver
She also mentioned that she's been a cabby for over ten years, and that when she first started driving there were only eleven lady taxi drivers in Bangkok. She claims that there are now over one thousand female cabbys in this city, but I find that hard to believe. I've taken hundreds, if not more than a thousand taxis here, and have had only three drivers who were women. If the other lady drivers in Bangkok are as friendly and pleasant as this driver, I'll be sure to look for more women cabbys in the future.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Inside Out
Yesterday, in a taxi, the driver had a collection of metal reliefs with images of Buddha. The driver told me that they were from temples in different regions of Thailand; one was from Chiang Mai in the North, another was from Phuket in the South, there was one from the old capital city of Sukhothai, one came from Khon Khen in the Northeast, and another was from Bangkok.
The metal reliefs faced the outside to protect the driver and passengers on the inside. But, even from the interior, the relief images were striking because of the concave effect and because of the patina surfaces on the back of the metal. I took many photos of the backs of the metal plates, but the driver wasn't convinced that my photos would look good. He insisted that I photograph the images of Buddha from the outside. So, he stopped the car on the side of the road and told me to get out and take some pictures. I appreciated his concern and good intentions, but, to be honest, the photos from the inside turned out to be much more interesting.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Recycle Taxi
Unfortunately, the overabundant use of plastic bags here, as well as the eco-unfriendly product packaging used in Thailand, is still a big problem. For example, in franchised convenience stores, it's common to see clerks putting each item into separate plastic bags, and then enclosing it all in one big non-biodegradable sack. Even worse, much of the product packaging here includes layer-upon-layer of plastic and styrofoam.
It's nice to see many Thai people walking around with natural cloth bags that read, "Say No to Plastic" or, "Save the Planet", even if it's just a trend (hopefully, it'll last). As individuals, we can each do our part if we cut down on using harmful materials. But, businesses here, big and small, need to get into the act, too.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Taxi Bank
During the conversation in the cab, I joked with the driver and asked him if he likes to collect Thai baht, too. He replied by telling me that his piggy bank is completely empty, but I can contribute to his collection. I decided to give him an extra tip and dropped two ten baht coins into the slot of his piggy bank, and I also dug deep into my coin bag and found a quarter dollar from the States to add to his other collection.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Taxi Meditation
Of course, you don't need to be in a Bangkok cab staring at a Buddhist monk statue to meditate - you can do it anywhere. I have to admit, however, being in Thailand helps to set the mood.
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