Merry Christmas 2010
Remember that simple Corona beer Christmas commercial of the palm trees across the water on some secluded beachfront; with the whistling of “Oh Christmas Tree” in the background; and then comes the lighting of one lone palm among the five in the row?
It’s an epic commercial from years ago. But I did see one replay of it the other night. A sample can be seen on YouTube by clicking here.
Whenever I see that commercial, I can’t help but think about a trip to Thailand when in Asia. I was out visiting a factory supplying us. It was located a couple of hours outside Bangkok. My driver and I met some local Thais and were invited to go to dinner with them out in the country. We had no idea where we were headed. And we got more worried as we turned off the main road, and cautiously rolled down a rutted dirt road for a mile or two
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But similar to the commercial, a lit tower appeared. No it wasn’t a tree, but across the water it appeared like one, and had that same magical spirit as the lone Christmas palm in the Corona commercial.
The night was magical too. Beside the tower was a great little fish house, where the gracious cooks prepared us a wonderful dinner. We sang karaoke by the pond. We even strolled through the nearby coconut grove. And we made new friends, in the same spirit of Christmas. It was a great night! Like many in Thailand! And like any other time, when shared with friends.
Merry Christmas to All!
Labels: Christmas, Thailand
Chinese New Year in Thailand
Thailand….. HOT! And I love it! Yes! I’m finally warm!
Okay I was surprised to find rain on arrival in Bangkok, but that didn’t last too long. In fact, it has cleared off and gotten extremely hot. And that is the usual conditions here this time of year. This is typically too early for the rainy season, and that is okay by me.
Meanwhile, China continues to suffer from the worst blizzard in 50 years. Just, when the country was all primed for this being the year of China with the Olympics in Beijing, instead the coverage it is getting is all about the travails of the migrant workers caught trying to get to their homes.
I even had the chance to catch both sides of the news on the subject too. In Hong Kong, the newspapers were freely reporting the unrest and dissatisfaction of so many workers in their difficulties in going home. While the newspapers in China and releases from the government sanctioned news agency, Xinhua, was reporting how things were coming together and that migrant workers were happily not going home. That is the way news often gets reported. It is probably a little of both sides of the issue, and neither is wholly accurate.
And believe me I’m sure a lot of workers definitely want to get home. They often do not have a factory home any longer to go back to, particularly in Dongguan. Recent actions by the government have increased costs substantially, and reportedly as many as 1000 shoe factories alone in Dongguan have closed and moved to other regions or countries.
Couple that with the fact that many workers use the Chinese holiday break to change jobs, and you have a lot of workers that have quit their jobs and no longer have anything to stay for in their home away from home. A newscast reported that as many as 38% of white collar workers alone use the break to change jobs! I knew that every year I have gone back to the factory only to find several of the office staff had not come back. I didn’t know the numbers were quite as high as reported, but that’s what they said on a CCTV newscast.
Labels: Bangkok, China, China Weather, Chinese New Year, Guangdong News, Newscast, Thailand
It's TOO COLD!!........I'm Getting Outa Here!!
Brrrrrrr!!! I’m getting out of here! This is far too cold! Okay, yes, I lived in Michigan and it was colder! But never was it this cold and wet. And I could always walk into a heated room! Again there is NO HEAT! Not anywhere here!
Okay, I have found heat in our finishing oven. And yes, I have been seen frequenting the ovens, not to smell the fumes, but to get some heat!! Otherwise, I enjoy going to the washroom to use the hot hand warmer! It’s that bad!
I could have it worse. Many of you have probably seen the plight of the workers here in Guangdong area. The Lunar New Year starts next week, and already millions of workers are trying to get home for extended leave. But the snows are hampering travel. They just want to get home. They only go once a year. And they go all year planning for this one trip to see family. It is often the only time they see their small children, who have been left with grandparents while they have come to this manufacturing region to work.
Me, I want out of this cold too. So I’m going to Thailand! Yes! Thailand. Warm and beautiful Thailand! I can’t wait. I’ll be working at our new factory all next week, but working with temperatures in the 90’s will be a great change!
Labels: China Weather, Dongguan, Life in China, Lunar New Year, Thailand
OHIO
Now one of the things I didn’t expect with my friends was to be subjected to their interests in Ohio State. It’s not even football season, but that didn’t stop them from wanting to sign OHIO like the singers from the Village People, every chance they got.
My good friend Jim McD, has long been an avid OSU fan, and his compatriots all had Ohio roots that put them in similar interests. Every where they went, Jim, Jim C, Jay and Steve were plotting how to show their school spirit again and again.
Here are a couple of shots where they even got a little assistance from the guards at The Emerald Temple and The Grand Palace – both very stoic, but one more alive than the other.
More photos available by clicking here or using the link on the right.
Labels: Bangkok, Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace, Thailand
O - H - I - O with help from a Palace guard.
Labels: Bangkok, Grand Palace, Thailand
What a Small World!
Now I’m really worried that I’m traveling too much. Here I was in Bangkok for the weekend in a hotel with friends, and up walks a coworker from Decca, and says “Hi Gene.” ………. Are you kidding me? I can’t even go to Bangkok now without running into people I know!
Here my USA friends decided to meet in Bangkok because it was close to where they had been doing business in India, and it was convenient to my business in Thailand the following week. Only my coworker didn’t even know I was going to Bangkok, nor I that he was. Who would have ever thought that we would end up at the same hotel! But of all the hotels all over this beautiful city, he happened to book the same one my friends had booked. Amazing!
And BTW Bangkok was great! We had wonderful foot massages, watched some soccer in a great pub, ate some great Thai food, and saw the Emerald Buddha and The Grand Palace. Very impressive! The friends didn’t have much time here (less than 2 days), but they made the most of it, and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Labels: Bangkok, Life in China, Thailand
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