Cay jen jen

I make a concerted effort to wake up not only on time, but EARLY, to get to mass this morning. Going to daily mass in the city of Bangkok is a bit of a trek. This morning I wanted to get here to use the computer to get some work done, and which means attending mass in French at the Paris Foreign Mission. Mass (MEP)is at 7:30 am here. MEP is about 3 miles away from house by the market, but as the city is designed and being poor, we usually plan one hour to get there. 

 Missioneres Etrangers de Paris. (Paris Foreign Mission)

On my way over the bridge. 

This morning I left early, at 6:20-- I walked through the slum, waking up to the smell of dog shit in the street, overstepping the puddles of liquid (never know what it could be...) and trying not to trip over the speed bumps on the sidewalk that keep the motos from speeding through the narrow sidewalks. I walked on the train tracks, crossed the expressway (dodging moving vehicles),  walked across the creaking bridge (stepping in the right places to not twist an ankle or lose a shoe to the dirty canal water below, full of sewage and trash), and greeted the grandmother on the other side... 

Grandmother and grandson on the other side of the bridge.

I made a quick stop at 7/11 for a hot ham and cheese croissant sandwich and a fruit/veggie drink in place of my typical coffee. I walked past all of the daily food stands selling breakfast and lunch at the same time, as many Thais buy lunch on their way to work. 

The blue sign in the window designates "free" buses!

Waiting for the bus is always a moment for me to look like a local--proving I live here and am NOT a tourist, despite my obvious Western look (it's not easy to hide being almost 6 feet tall and having long blonde hair) by casually hailing the bright pink bus #115 to stop for me, and having my 8 baht already in my hand to pay the fare. (I always hate dressing up here or wearing any shorts or leaving my hair down--the Thais are shameless in staring and shouting farang-- as if they've never seen a Westerner before in a city of more than 12 million people...)

Waiting at the stoplight for the police to say GO!

Now, you may have heard about traffic in Bangkok--this city is notorious for horrendous traffic. I have decided that it has nothing to do with the amount of cars, buses, motorcycles, tuktuks, rot song teos, and bicycles--it has EVERYTHING to do with the traffic police. Instead of using the timed stoplights, the police decide that by dispersing into traffic in their skin tight dark brown uniforms, they and their walkie talkies can direct the traffic better. I actually have a couple theories--maybe it's a conspiracy between the police and the taxi drivers, who, by sitting in the traffic with passengers, reap in the satangs by the minute as the fare rises. Or, it's a way to keep stimulating the economy as passengers on the buses, already having paid their fare, get off and take a moto, subway, or another bus. Sometimes, we've left the bus, walked a bit until traffic opens up, only to find the same bus we just left and we get back on. 

Entrepeneur taking advantage of the piles of cars every day by selling 'papes. 

This morning, I got on the bus at 6:40--at 7:20, we still had not moved more than one mile--only passing one traffic light. I kept thinking, "I am poor. I can't just go pay more money because I'm in a hurry..." Living here for 8 months, I was able to stay cay jen jen (cool, calm, patient) for the first 35 minutes as I stood on the crowded bus that didn't move more than 300 meters in 20 minutes. The last 5 minutes, I was hopeful as we moved past one light--only to stop again. Fed up, I got off and walked to the subway, taking it two stops ahead to Silom, where I would again catch another bus. 

And you know how Bangkok traffic police and bus drivers tell me once again to just be patient and wait? 

...As I came up the escalator and looked down Silom Road, I saw the back end of the bright pink bus number 115 barreling on down the street.