Yesterday Pauline and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary: in Bangkok. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that location 25 years ago. We wouldn’t have predicted it 2 weeks ago.
Last weekend our daughter who is working for the year in SE Asia developed acute appendicitis and had to be flown to Bangkok for surgery. Five days later we flew out and we’ll spend the next week or so with her before rejoins her colleagues for a retreat about 3 hours from here
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It’s our first time to be in Asia: Sunday morning was also our first time to be in the Middle East, though it was just for two hours as we transited through the amazing modern airport of Abu Dhabi. It’s a long way from Dublin to Bangkok and Etihad serves up the journey in two neat, almost equal portions through its Abu Dhabi hub.
We are housed in a Bangkok suburb, courtesy of friends of some people who were in Westlake with us 10 years ago. The house comes with a pool and our host family has a driver who ferried us around the city as we ventured out for the first time yesterday for some shopping and a special lunch.
Lunch was in a 53rd floor Japanese restaurant with a stunning view of part of this sprawling city. At least we saw a lot of the city for part of the time: our view was eventually limited as clouds came in, bringing a thunderstorm. We were waited on hand and foot by the attentive staff. The foot bit is literal as one of the waiters discovered I was suffering from a painful Achilles injury. He arrived at the table during the meal with a tube of anti-inflammatory gel.
Bangkok is a huge city, home (I think) to some 11 million people. There are humble corrugated-roofed buildings and cramped tenements alongside impressive, bright modern skyscrapers. Motorbikes share the busy city roads with buses and brightly coloured taxis. Street vendors push their bicycles laden with fruit for sale, or set up their pavement tables offering a quick lunch.
It’s a long way from Groomsport, where our wedding lunch was served 25 years ago. Those years 25 years have seen plenty of change in many ways. I am still married to the same loving wife. Happy anniversary, Pauline.
