Bangkok Mornings

By 5:30 AM I'm out the door and start my 30 minute walk to the park where I attend an intense strength training, fat burning work out appropriately called Bootcamp. My friends and coworkers think i'm crazy for getting up so early but they don't know what their missing out on. The exercise class is pretty fantastic and quite challenging but that's not what I'm referring to. What they are missing out on is the experience of the Bangkok pre sunrise morning. On my way to the park I pass by the same street sweepers. I see the food vendors setting up and preparing for the rush of the morning meal. Many of the foods I have no idea what they are but they are nicely packaged in banana leaf being warmed and/or cooked on the grill. What I do recognize are the fried meats, the soups and a variety of drinks from coffee and tea to the sweet ladies juicing the oranges for fresh OJ. There are also the nicely sculpted ice delivery men out dropping off bags of crushed ice to the various vendors to keep their products fresh. The same security officers are hanging around their territories and I'm pretty sure the same rats are scurrying across the sidewalks each morning while the same homeless people are sleeping on the same steps. I see prostitutes on their way home, white men with an asian woman on each side still drinking, laughing and enjoying themselves and there are food vendors who are now cleaning up, packing and headed home. It's normally the same people each morning but occasionally there is a random man at the bus stop who greets me as I walk by...my personal favorite being the man who asked me if he could come with me.

Once I get to the park I join in with a group that ranges from 5 to 20 depending on the day as we run, jump, squat and engage in a large variety of annoying, difficult and effective activities that challenge this less than prime body. There is a lake at the park and so while I'm doing the exercises I like to look across the lake and see the sun rise between the skyscrapers as the sky begins to dress itself in a pink tone before she changes her mind and the color disappears. I like to watch the fish jump and nibble at the surface looking for breakfast and often the turtles are also near the surface taking a look around.

This morning as we are doing whatever that crazy exercise is called where you are in plank position and then you bring your foot up to your hand...anyway, while we are doing those along the edge of the lake a good sized turtle pokes his head out of the water to get a good look at us. He swam by just watching us which was somehow refreshing. Later, as we are doing 2 minute runs I nearly tripped over a lizard as long as I am tall! I stopped to watch him crawl over a wall and splash head first into the water beneath nearly flipping tail over head.

After my hour of torture which ends with a cold, wet, scented towel to help cool down (and wash all the dirt off from rolling around in the grass...and probably to help those who have to be within smelling distance from us be less offended) the sun is fully exposed and it's time to head back to the house. Again, I embark on my 30 minute walk home. This time, there are more vendors on the sidewalks, many surrounded by people on their way to work grabbing breakfast along the way. The sidewalks are more crowded with professionals and students and motorcycle taxis carrying both. There is a line of 20+ uniformed students waiting for motorcycle taxis to transport them to their destination. It's against the law for these motorbikes to drive on the wide sidewalks but with the streets so congested with larger vehicles the sidewalk is too tempting for them to pass up...so, pedestrians beware!

And then comes one of my favorite parts of the walk. I pass by a small park that has a "dancing" fountain. The fountain is spraying water in a lovely rhythm and the turtles in the small pond are often sunbathing on the stones at the edge of the water, often piled on top of each other. One day I saw 7 turtles piled onto one rock. I love walking by the dancing fountain and seeing the turtles hanging out. It fills me with gratitude for the variety of beauties in the world.

Indeed, 5 AM is pretty early for most people, but the beauty of the morning's activities and sights really makes it worth it!...not to mention that bootcamp makes me stronger!...not thinner, mind you...but stronger.