The People in my Neigborhood

It's amazing who you meet in the corridors.

Today we met Walter, the Belgian French-speaking pianist who lives one floor below, and he was a great talker. Philippe just chatted him up en Francaise, so they conversed in French, naturellement. I joined the elevator, so being polite, chirped 'Bon soire'. Walter was pleased, Elle parle francaise? To which my beloved said, in perfect English, "Just a bit". Ah, bon, said our new friend.

We live in a 9-storey condominium unit, low key, in a cul-de-sac street. Not really high profile, but according to this gentleman, houses great personalities. Walter relayed the story of one of the first tenants here, who's been living at the 9th floor for the last 20 years: he was the counselor of the counselor of the King of Thailand. There was also Monsieur Lieutenant General, the first Thai who graduated from the London School of Aviation (yes, Khun Lieutenant was a pilot). 

Then there was Marco, the Chef in Bangkok's premiere Italian Restaurant L'Opera, who lives at the 9th. There was the Italian dude at the fifth, who was the go-to guy for anything Italian. We were promptly given a small pint of Italian traditional cheese to sample that Signore's produce.

Walter says that Bangkok is full of surprising personalities. My favorite story was how Walter, a piano teacher by profession, knew the Dalai Lama's personal adviser--also a pianist himself. "This man," Walter said, "is Spielman's son's best friend." That promptly gave me goosebumps; The Pianist's (from the Polanski film) son was three degrees from me just by speaking to my neighbor one floor down.

There are other stories, like the Yakuza who opens the door in his briefs; about the crazy lady from the 7th floor; and the former owner of L'Opera who sold his resto to a German for 60 million big ones.

Walter promptly invited us to have Happy Hour at the Italian Restaurant across the street one day, where we can dine on cheese and fresh bread avec Sangiovese, all for less than THB300. And then, in a gesture of hospitality, gifted us with a packet of authentic Japanese green tea and a box of Ceylon apple infusion, which he had in abundance as supplied by his piano students.

It was a good evening meeting the neighbors. I think I'm liking them already.

Exciting!

Season 2 started with a BANG.

Oh yes, it's an explosive season premiere, and man, was it a rollercoaster of an episode today. Ibang klase talaga to work at a Regional Office.

Siyempre, drama queen that I am, merong may-I-cry-with-matching-hagulgol moment ngayon. Nothing alarming, the pressure to do well (overachiever kasi ang inyong lingkod) was just too much. Nakakaloka, buti na lang I have another language to fall back on. Imagine, kung Ingles lang ang wika ko, ang boring siguro ng buhay ko! Ang saya saya magTagalog ngayon, lalo na to make taas my kilay with matching rolling of the eyes and raising the shoulders. Sarap ilabas ang inner bakla to make taray, I swear. Without going into the gory details, this week packed a wallop in the stress category. Mega super gigantic humongous over sa sobra as in tremendous talaga!

If what I'm writing sounds like incomprehensible gibberish to you, then, my dear reader, you have fully understood my day today.

I'm just thankful for music (the Rat Pack, thank you Mr. Chairman of the Board), for my family (love to Mama and Papa), and my cherished Cheri (without you, hun, I would have had a terrible meltdown by now. mwah! mwah!)

Buti na lang din, may Diyos akong makapangyarihan at napakahenerosong magmahal. Amen!

Oh, and such great timing too. Actually, I celebrated my 11th month in Bkk on Monday, and wow, coming full circle soon. Woohooo!

As I close this entry, Ol' Blue Eyes was crooning, "Dream your dream!"

Season Finale: Mangroving in Krabi

I love great season enders, and in my teleserye life, I think today is the best season ender for Biyaheng Bakawan Season 1.

Remember, I started this blog almost a year ago. Episode 1 was 'The Big Move', when I flew to Bangkok on the eve of my 30th birthday. Only the hotel front desk officer wished me happy birthday then, because no one in this land knew I was celebrating my third decade that day. Episode 2 was 'Clear as Mud', when I was unsure of what I was doing in Bangkok chasing my mangrove dream (sabi nga ni Lourd Ernest deVeyra, "Nakaka-t*ng*n* this, di ba?"). Episode 3 was 'Sri Lanka: The Emerald Isle'; then, Episode 4 'Buddha Bless You' immediately followed by 'Pilipinas Kong Mahal'.

'Pas de parle Americain' (I and II) was a two-part episode concluded by 'BS kayong lahat!!!' (I was having a very uneasy first and second quarters).  Ilang episodes na ba? I think I have at least 13, complete with a season break when I went back home to Manila this June ('Time Out'). There was also this most tumultuous time in Phuket when I went through my Eureka moment ('Joie de Vivre'). Then came the Season CliffHangers, 'Oui, Je T'aime Aussi' and 'Route 66' (remind me to write about these later). I think today is the best day, though, and today is the Season Finale.

I call it "I, Mangrover."

Yep, I've come full circle in my mangrove-chasing career. I've reached my pinnacle. Today, I reconnected with one of the mangrove world's foremost mangrove heroes (Dr. Norm Duke, the original Dr. Jones of the mangroving world). Tomorrow, I celebrate my 100th* visit to a mangrove forest, and it's in the Krabi estuary, a RAMSAR site. I've been chasing mangroves since I was 10, and for 20 years, it's been a great journey. Since devoting my early career to mangroves, I've been all over the Philippines, and almost all over the world. I've been to Singapore; to Viet Nam; to Malaysia; to France; to New Zealand; to Sri Lanka; and to Thailand. Ibang klase talaga ang buhay kasama ng mga bakawan!

Tapos na ang Season 1. Ano kaya ang darating sa Season 2?

Abangan!


*indicative of how I lost count of how many mangrove forests I've seen and visited in the past 10 years