Life in the time of Corona

In these days, I can’t help thinking of the author Gabriel Garcia Marquez book “Love in the time of Cholera”. Now we have to say “Love in the time of Corona”. Just back from a very brief trip to Hua Hin. It was nice to escape the down town Bangkok for a little sea breeze, sun and sand. At first, , Hua Hin seemed busy as usual with tourists and beach life going on, but it wasn’t the whole truth.

Many shops, massage parlors and restaurants/bars were closed. The tailors were still desperate looking for customers.The shirts were almost for nothing and a dress, “so inexpensive mam…..”.Such a horrible situation for small businesses.

The hotels were also complaining, no wonder when you only have 29 rooms occupied out of a 100, as my hotel had. Next to the hotel Wannara, “Ristorante Carlos” still managed to have almost full house every night. It seemed like all tourists gathered together at this cozy Italian restaurant there.

Signor Carlos himself welcomed every guest with a warm smile. Lot’s of Scandinavians there.

During a dinner at Carlos, you almost forgot about the crazy, surrealistic situation.

At the legendary Centara Hotel, which once was a beautiful railway station, life seemed to have stopped, but not completely. I think, it right now, is the only place that still has a live band entertaining in the famous Elephant Bar, but for how long? That is the question.

It was a relief walking in to this charming bar and sit down, ordering a drink, listening to the singer and forget about everything starting with C….

There were not many people, so yes, it was possible to keep a distance from other guests.This hotel offers all the charm from a colonial time, even if Thailand never has been a colony. The huge open air lobby is elegant and welcoming, the well looked after lawns are cut to perfection and the tree sculptures are the same as ever…time stands still.

Here you use to see couples walking around with the arms around each other, stopping for a kiss under the Temple trees, sitting down on a bench watching the sea and the waves….gone are those days.

Hope they soon will be back….

Must be difficult to be young and deeply in love nowadays.

The staff must have one question on their minds, “do I get to loose my job, will I still be able to support my family”? Many people around me, close friends, acquaintances, are going through such insecure times, loosing jobs and not knowing how to survive. In fact, I think all of us are a bit scared and worried to a certain point. How long will this agony go on? Nobody can answer the question. We have to keep optimistic and do our best to protect ourselves and still try to live as normal as possible.

I have asked myself why everybody runs for toilet paper? Corona doesn’t cause  diarrhea or? Here in Thailand most people anyway use the water hose, but toilet paper today has become an attractive currency called “butt coin”, probably selling better than e.g. Bitcoin or other crypto currencies for the time being.

Back in Bangkok earlier than planned, but a rumor says, Monday Thailand will “lock down” and then it’s far better to be within your own walls than sitting in a hotel room, so here I am almost climbing the walls as I miss my busy agenda. Maybe good with a break, good for one’s body and soul, a time for  contemplation, who knows?

Stay healthy & happy!