The story of two geeks and their adventures in (and around, above and under) Asia. We're a couple of gamers, historical reenactors, and all-around geeky folks living in Bangkok, Thailand starting in February 2008.
So how does one become responsible for starting a new branch of the SCA in a foreign country? I'm not 100% sure, but we're going to try to find out!
As many of you know, our new friend, known in the SCA as Saito Takauji, moved into the area back in January, and we've been hanging out and talking about things SCA. However, in contact with the Barony of the Far West, we learned of a group of Thai larpers that are interested in going from foam swords to something more substantial. And look at how they came decked out!
We had our first meeting the other day, and started getting them some basic practice in what needs to be done. We need to get some rattan, now, and some armor, clothing, and, well, figure out where we are.
The closest group is in Japan. However, that's a baronial group, and if this really gets going, we need to figure out what is best for our Thai compatriots. If they want royalty, honors, etc., then is it better for them to be a part of the West Kingdom, based on the West coast of the US, or the Kingdom of Lochac, based in Australia. Lochac is definitely closer, but there aren't any groups near us. On the other hand, I don't know when the last royal visit to Japan was--not a problem for people who travel to the US regularly.
Of course, this may not be in our hands, so we'll see what the BoD says. In the meantime, we'll just do what we can to get our soon-to-be incipient Canton of the Golden Plains up and running!
Pop music, video games, green architecture, and centuries of history, all packed into 21st century city--that's what we found in Seoul, Korea.
Although we had both been looking forward to it, we had no idea what to expect in Seoul. It is definitely a city on the move, with a blend of history and technology.
One of the palaces we checked out was Deoksugung. It was built as a mansion sometime in the 14th or 15th century, and was used as a royal residence after the Japanese invaded and burned down the palaces in the late 16th century.
They still do the changing of the guards at several palaces; this practice has actually been resurrected based on documented evidence. They do it several times a day, and, since there is no more Korean royalty, it is done mainly as a cultural exhibition.
Another palace we visited was Changgeonggun. There, we were treated to a reenactment of a royal banquet, complete with the "king" coming in on a litter born by his servants.
We even got into the act. There were stations set up on the weekends where you could try historical Korean costume, or hanbok, and have your picture taken.
Besides this historical displays, we also found modern performance arts groups, like the one below. This martial arts comedy was performed in front of the National Museum, and its slapstick comedy is pretty self-explanatory.
Food is also a draw in Korea. This is, after all, the home of Korean BBQ; plates of raw meat and possibly other items) are brougth out to your table, where you have your own grill. It cooks right in front of you, and you have a variety of choices as to what to eat it with, once it is ready.
Of course, it isn't all about meat. In fact, since Buddhism had long had a strong presence in Korea (and is still the official religion of the state, though many Koreans are Christian), there are are many vegetarian restaurants that recreate the food from Buddhist monasteries. Of course, it isn't in the meager portions one might expect in an austere religious institution.
After dinner, Seoul is still wired, and people might go out for coffee or alcohol. Our friends took us out to a wonderful little hole in the wall that served dongdongju, a Korean unfiltered rice liquor. It is not uncommon for people to go out drinking and stay up so late that, rather than going home, they will just go into work. There are plenty of stories of people having beds in their offices so that they can be at work on time.
That, in brief, was Seoul. We spent plenty of time taking it in, and didn't have nearly enough time. There was a breathtaking sense of history in all of the palaces, museums, and reenactments; and yet there was also a sense of the modern, future city. There were examples of new, green technology in use in architecture that were really incredible in their scale. This is definitely a city that has one foot in the past and the other firmly planted in the future.
Laos. A country shrouded in mystery. Though briefly during the Cold War its name was splashed across the headlines, I doubt most people remember it today. Nestled along the Mekong valley beneath verdant carst peaks, it rests chiefly between Vietnam and Thailand, sharing borders with Burma, China, and Cambodia. A communist country, still pock-marked with unexploded ordinance left from bitter fighting, it would hardly seem like the ideal vacation spot.
Yet Communism seems to have done nothing to dull the open friendliness of the Lao people. Perhaps, as has been said, Communism was just not designed for the agricultural lifestyle of the average Lao. Whatever the reason, Laos is an amazingly relaxed country, even in the "big city" Luang Prabang.
The ancient capital city of Laos is today an ideal spot to just unwind. Most of the people still make their living in an agricultural economy, though commercialism is coming in along with the "falang" as word of Laos spreads. Still, there is plenty of traditional culture in Luang Prabang, which is a city of temples--the oldest founded in the 16th century.
We were there with friends whom Ellen had met online. Peter had been to Luang Prabang several times before, and two years ago made reservations for his own family and friends at the Apsara, a cozy little place on the Nam Kan river-side. He then asked friends to join him--and a few of us did.
The reservations were deliberately made for Pi Mai, the Lao new year (their version of Songkran).
As in Thailand, Songkran is a water festival. Water fights erupt everywhere, and going out means getting wet. Not that this is an objectionable thing in the heat of the day. Still, we were rotating through clothes to keep dry.
Everyone gets involved in the water fights in Laos, which started early--there were already kids hitting passing tuktuks and motorcycles as early as Friday before the official festivities.
Foreigners, including Westerners ("falang," the Lao term for the Thai word "farang," but used more amongst foreigners themselves than by the Lao), Thai, and others were everywhere. Thai tourists often came as much for the merit making activities as anything else--such as getting up early in the morning to give alms to the monks as they parade through the city.
In both Thai and Laos, where the people are intimately connected with the rivers, streams, and canals, water holds an especially prominent place. This seems doubly true along the Mekong, where it seems that ancient practices are mingled with Buddhist ritual.
For instance, instead of building the sand chedis in the temple grounds, along the Mekong the people build sand (or mud) chedis along the river. It is a busy family gathering, and many of the chedis are built directly on the riverbank, with a small channel dug between the chedi and the water. This apparently allows for the spirit of the river, usually envisioned as a naga, to come or go from the chedi.
There is also a festival of salting the clouds. Handmade rockets are launched from a bamboo platform. They are supposed to help encourage the rain. Here you can see one going off:
Pi Mai lasts for much longer in Luang Prabang than in Thailand, and there are numerous little festivals. One of the local villages, known for their silk, had a small ceremony and festival.
Local or regional worthies were invited as guests of honor, who were welcomed in style. After a long speech (in which I have no idea what was said), there were various dances performed by men and women, apparently from the local area.
Despite the local atmosphere (it was mostly Lao there), the tourist papparazzi were there in force.
Besides the local festivals, people also take the time just to go out. We spent some time up at the local waterfalls--a beautiful area.
They even have an Asian bear rescue center.
The waterfall itself is beautiful, but the smooth cascades below were even moreso.
Granted, the hike to the top was probably more than we had bargained on, but the view was incredible.
Unfortunately, going down wasn't nearly as peaceful! A steep gradiant with little to no real trail. We started leapfrogging down--the person in front helping the people in back, etc.
After coming back down, we headed towards some of the pools where swimming was allowed. The best had a tree leaning out that one could swing from before splashing into the pool below.
Back in the "big city," there is a carnival atmosphere on the outskirts, complete with dart games and bumper cars. Although perhaps driving around in a vehicle connected to an electric grid in the middle of a thunder storm might not have been the best idea ever.
Later in the week, there is a beauty pageant, followed by a parade with all of the contestants and anyone else who wants to join in.
The real center of the festivities, though, is the Prabang (or Pabang)--the royal Buddha.
It is taken to a local temple, where it is installed so that people may pour water over it in a ritual of cleansing. It is believed that this will help make merit for the people doing it, allowing them to get closer to their goal of attaining Buddhahood themselves.
Unfortunately, that ceremony was to take place the day after we were to leave. Still, we had a wonderful time, and I definitely look forward to returning some day, even if it is just to sit by the river and watch the sunset.
Okay, I'm not sure if those are "large, friendly letters," but I just thought it might be a useful phrase to reuse these days.
For all of our friends and neighbors reading about the current situation in Bangkok, I just want to tell you not to worry about us. We are actually quite happy here in Luang Prabang, Laos, where we are celebrating "Pi Mai" with some friends. Pi Mai is the Lao and Thai New Year (also called Songkran in Thailand), with a huge water fight everywhere.
Pictures are going to take a while to load due to the connection speeds, but we'll do what we can. As soon as we have them, pictures will be up at our flickr page: http://flickr.com/photos/tatsushu.
Not much going on, but I thought I'd try this whole updating thing.
Ellen's parents are in town, and we're going to be taking them around for the next couple of days. We'll probably visit the Grand Palace and Wat Po, but everything else is rather up in the air. It is great to have them, though.
Oh, we have another SCAdian out in Bangkok. Yay! If we can find two more, we could have an actual Canton, which is one of the smaller groups you can have in the Society. We are also all Japanese personas, which is rather an interesting stroke of luck. This is motivating me to work on a new set of armor for the SCA as well. We'll see how that turns out. Part of the problem is finding the correct materials.
We also went down to the fabric market recently. Wow! 3 meters of nice fabric (i.e. not muslin) for 100THB, which is under $3 USD, and in good widths. Silks for maybe 100THB/meter. Lots of dance costumes, Thai fabrics, etc. Didn't quite find what we need for SCA stuff, yet, but I think it probably is in there, somewhere. Lots of good Chinese silks that we could use for some Chinese stuff.
I also picked up some pearls in Bangaladesh. I'm thinking of making one of the Chinese Imperial mortarboard caps, with the dangling pearls. My only problem is that it would not be something I could use much. The Japanese don't seem to have used pearls too much (mother of pearl they used a lot), but I may be able to do something Elizabethan. Perhaps a nice doublet, studded all over with pearls? I picked up some white, pink, and black pearls there for incredible prices.
That's about it for now. We'll have pictures up about our trips with Ellen's parents around Thailand and Japan, just as soon as we finish taking them!
