| Explorer from an Island |
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| Friday, 25 May 2007 | |
 His very name means “sea” itself, in the Filipino language – “Dagat”. What name could be more appropriate for somebody for whom the beach is more than just a holiday destination, but a way of life.A tattoo artist and body piercer at Boracay, Dagat runs his own business. He specializes in “Alibata” characters, an old, old version of our very own Filipino alphabet. Well respected in his craft, he was made president by his fellow artists of the very first organization they founded in the world famous island of Boracay, in the Visayan region of the Philippines. He came to Bangkok to get more ideas for his business in the island. And he was not disappointed. Bangkok streets abound in food stalls, and that’s something he is interested to learn a great deal of. He would like to venture into the food industry when he gets back to Boracay after his Thailand visit. And after tasting the fruits here, he wished he could take them back home to start a business on. Dagat stayed in Khao San Road, and while there, he has met with some unsavory characters along the streets of Khao San. During his stay there, he has made one particular noodle shop a favorite, and so frequents it during lunch hour. One time, when he was just finishing up his bowl of noodles, the owner was gesturing to him, and asking, “Finish? Finish?” When he nodded a “yes”, the guy’s gestures became more pronounced and he said to Dagat, “You, up! You, up!” Dagat was getting bewildered, but got up from his chair anyway. Then, to his surprise, the elderly man just told him, “You go!” He couldn’t make head or tail about the whole thing. He wondered, “Was it the way I was dressed, perhaps?” Or, “Did I say or do something wrong?” “The place wasn’t even packed with customers,” he thought. Well, as most wise people would say, “Charge it to experience.” And that, this lone traveler did. But that was not the end of that story. The next day, at lunch, he came by the elderly Chinese guy’s shop again, made sure the shop owner saw him, and went on to eat at the noodle shop next door! Sweet revenge. Lesson learned? Perhaps next time, he should give shop owners bigger tip! Another misadventure that Dagat had involved a tuktuk and an alleged “free” trip to, according to the driver, among the must-visit places around Khao San Road. While walking along Khao San Road (Dagat had plenty of time because he had to take a 25-days trip with Cebu Pacific. There just weren’t any more available trips back to Philippines that would have allowed him a shorter stay in the Kingdom), he was offered a 5 baht drive around by a tuktuk driver. He agreed, but at the back of his mind, he was thinking, “Let’s see what they are up to.” First, he was taken to a temple – perhaps a bid to get him into a buying mood. Then he was told that there’s this famous jewelry shop that’s opened only for that special day. It would be such a good bargain if he bought jewelry on that day, he was told. Next stop from the temple was the jewelry shop. He met some people there whom he was told just bought jewelry, and whom Dagat was convinced were probably part of the whole drama. They were persuading him to buy some too. From the very start, he knew the whole thing was a farce, but he went along with it, curious to know what those people’s style would be to try to con him. Good thing, he survived without parting away with 200,000 baht in exchange for some jewelry offered to him at the shops. He was cajoled into buying some – for his girlfriend, they said. Dagat thought to himself, “For 200,000 baht, I would buy it for my mom, not for some girlfriend!” For this Thailand traveler, that was not something out of the ordinary, for it could happen to any other place tourists frequent in other parts of the world. But he has this for advice for those who also plan to travel to Thailand: “When people start talking money, be careful. When you ask them about directions, or something, then they speak in English and talk about money, warning na yun!” He also advises against walking along Khao San Road. One time during his stay there, he saw a tourist ran over by a motorcycle. Lucky for that person, nothing major came about it. But others may not be that lucky. All in all, despite some mishaps, as surely all tourists are bound to meet at one time or another, Dagat had a great time in Thailand. His curiosity as to what Bangkok is really like has been satisfied. He hasn’t gone outside the capital, but he got what he came here for. And that’s the most important part. Hopefully, others would learn from his experiences, and would be street-wise when they come to visit Thailand. |
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