Into the City

Today I took the trains into the city, to my favorite premier department store, Siam Paragon, for the first time since this Plague Era began so long ago.  I desperately need to acquire a new tablet computer since my ancient faithful Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact has died – after many, many years of service as a lightweight, waterproof Internet connection (at an 8-inch display) midway between a phone and a laptop.  It was a phenomenally great device that served me so well, and I’m struggling to find a replacement.  But no luck yet with that. 

The great shock at Siam Paragon was how empty it was.  Spooky.  I saw immediately that there were no “farang” around, no foreign tourists.  Everybody was Thai except for me.  And all of us wore a face mask, without exception. 

Face masks are mandatory on public transit and in public market interfaces.  Although we haven’t had a domestic infection in over a month, we still follow the guidelines.  Because of my face mask, my eyeglasses fog up continually in the a/c environment on the trains, in the malls and in each individual store.  Frustrating. 

I just got word today that the pubs are conditionally re-opening, with strict guidelines.  I have sent in my reservations for the limited seating in the first two nights of The Rock Pub’s re-opening this week.  Hope to once again hear great live Rock n Roll!  “It’s been a long time -- a long lonely, lonely, lonely time!” 

-Zenwind. 

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