Nui

Of all our students, one is particularly dear to us: Nui. There are many reasons for this, but I will not break her confidences with us by telling you more about her life. Instead, I will write about what she has done for Phil and me.

Nui has been especially anxious that we should see all the sights of Bangkok while we are here. The three of us are free on Fridays, and so on several Fridays she has journeyed an hour from her home to meet us on the boat dock behind Bangkhapi Mall. She travels with us the hour-long journey down the canals to various places—most recently to the splendid Grand Palace and to Chinatown. Here are a few pictures of the world she has opened to us:

Tuk-tuks are a great way to get around in the tourist areas.

Nui finds a driver who is willing to bargain, and gets us the best price.

In front of our tuk-tuk.

Ready for a day in the hot sun—over 90 degrees and high humidity.

The Grand Palace has evolved over the centuries into a sprawling complex of temples, stupas, royal graves, and royal residences. The king and his family no longer live in this compound, having selected a more modern and convenient residence for the brief time they spend in Thailand. The buildings are magnificent, often glittering mosaics of gold and red and blue, fantastically shaped and guarded by scowling demons and monsters.

The Grand Palace was also crowded with multitudes of every tongue and nation. The heat was almost unbearable, but we bought cold water and Pepsi and sought out every little particle of shade.

We couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant, cheerful, and patient guide.

Pekingese carved dogs were everywhere, guarding the palace.

The sculptors would carve out the mouth, leaving a round ball of stone inside

that could not be taken out.

On our visit to Chinatown this past weekend, we were again guided and shepherded by Nui. We wandered the streets of Chinatown for a while, watching the preparations for the lunar new year, which runs from February 7-24. 

We ate lunch at a mall food court, enjoying a world-class mango smoothie along with our Thai and Chinese food. Tom-yum soup is the best!

Nui knew I am interested in Thai silk, so she brought us to some amazing shops in the silk district near Chinatown:

 

Then, considerate as always of our advanced age and need for afternoon naps, she brought us home again via the ubiquitous canal boats—in time for a stiff cup of tea and a “toes-up.”

The canal is lined with dwellings of every description, from grand houses

to derelict shacks, decorated by racks of drying laundry and strings of shirts and dresses.

There is much to see on the canal ride, from towering skyscrapers and apartment buildings

to ramshackle housing, groves of banana trees, and ornate temples.

Note Phil’s shirt: red and gold with dragons to celebrate the lunar new year.

I’m not sure we would have seen any of this, had Nui not offered to guide us. Trying to navigate the fares, the boat schedules, and communications with drivers would likely have scared us off and kept us home. Thank you, Nui, for your kindness, your patience, and especially your obvious delight in spending time with us. We love you!