Weekly Topics/Archive
November 2014
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During my stay in Bangkok, I went back and forth between the hotel and
my
daughter's place with my wife everyday.
It's in order to help my daughter with the housework while she cares for
her
newborn baby.
[Note] go back and forth between 〜 ；〜の間を行き来する
care for one's newborn baby ；育児をする
help someone with the housework ；(人)の家事の手伝をする
We open the front gate to come in and out of the apartment complex.
A pair of the elderly lean back on a chair in the courtyard near the gate and monitor
the visitors going in and out all the time.
When the residents get in and out of it by car, they open and close another larger
gate.
This is too classical and idyllic security scene, isn't this?
[Note] come in and out of 〜；〜に出入りする，apartment complex ；(2棟以上の)アパ−ト,共同住宅
the elderly ； お年寄り，monitor the people going in and out ； 出入りする人々を監視する
lean back on a chair ； 椅子の背にもたれる， courtyard ； 中庭, idyllic ；長閑な
My wife helps busily with the housework.
However, I have no part to play in the housework and am unuseful.
The dishwashing after meal is almost the only things that I can do.
The young couple is both working.
My daughter said a maid usually does most of housework like dishwashing,
room
cleeaning and washing.
She is very lucky because she has only to do the laundry during our stay.
[Note] busily ； せっせと，have part to play in 〜 ； 〜で果たす役割がある
dishwashing ； 皿洗い，do (the) housework ； 家事をする，do the laundry ； 洗濯する
have only to do 〜 ； ただ 〜しさえすればよい
Anyway, it's so hot here every day.
The couple use some funs leaving the windows open to beat the heat in this
apartment.
It seems like Gerry is a person prferring nature and so almost never uses the air
conditioner.
I eventually get my daughter to turn on the air conditioner to the extent
Hannah-chan don't feel annoyed while he isn't at home
[Note] beat the heat ； 暑さを凌ぐ，leave the window open； 窓を開けっ放しにする
eventually ； たまりかねて，結局は，to the extent 〜 ； 〜の程度まで，〜の範囲で
feels annoyed ； 不快に感じる
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
Hannah-chan is repeating her life cycle as a newborn baby.
The following are photos taken in the interval.
Hannah-chan is two weeks old.
To my surprise, she holds the grip of her father's tennis racket in her
hand.
Hannah-chan is powerful !
I finally have to say goodbye to such Hannah-chan.
I can't wait to see how she will grow.
How does she grow when I will meet her again?
I'd like to live as long as possible for years to come.
If I should live to be conservatively 90 years old, Hannah-chan would reach
the age
of 18.
Is that so?
I left Bangkok after 5 days of stay while imagining such a thing.
My wife is going to stay in Bangkok for the periode of stay permitted and
help with
the housework.
The high season has come in Thailand.
Suvarnabhumic Internationa Airport was crowded with tourists.
[Note] conservatively ； 控えめに，periode of stay ；在留期間
Pls click the picture to see a full-size version
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| At Suvarnabhumi International Airport (02Nov14) |
Japanese Diary / No.650−2014.11.05 / 「バンコク滞在記(3/3)−バンコクを離れる−」
＜Immigration Examination in Bangkog＞
It was when I went through passport control.
It seems the immigration officer was a military personnel since he was dressed
in an army uniform.
If my memory is correct, the officer used to nearly complete the examination
with only stamping our passport.
Probably because Thailand was under military government, the examination
became stricter and so it took time to complete.
In addition to it, we, immigrants, were prompted to turn their face toward
a stand like a desktop microphone by the officer.
It seems like each of us had been photographed during the examination.
[Note] immigration examination ；入出国審査
go through passport control ；入国審査を受ける
immigration officer ； 入国審査官，military personnel ； 軍人， army uniform ； 軍服
stamp one's passport ； パスポ−トにスタンプを押す
Probably because 〜 ； 〜であるから(でしょう)か
military government ； 軍事政権， prompt to 〜； 〜するよう促す， desktop ; 卓上型の
turn one's face toward 〜 ； 〜に顔を向ける
＜Scrap-and-build＞
These are the scenery from a window of the train like SA City Line, which
is
airport rail link, and BTS called Sky Train.
We can see the city very well since these are the elevated railways.
The scrap-and- build is actively going on in Central Bangkok and high-rise
builings are under construction in many places.
They are for commercial facilities, rental building, parking lot, apartment,
etc.
It's the scenery which can be seen in the Tokyo metropolitan area in the
past.
I can see that ordinary houses and barracks with poor environmental sanitation
coexist in the town.
There was an evident unequal society here.
[Note] airport rail link ； 空港連絡線， elevated railway ; 高架(を走る)鉄道
be actively going on ； が盛んである，high-rise builing ; 高層ビル
ordinary house ；普通の住宅, barracks ； バラック
poor environmental sanitation ； 悪い環境衛生，coexist ； 共存する
unequal society ； 格差社会
＜Smog＞
Even though the sky in Bangkok is clear, it looks like it's dull and cloudy.
Probably because it's very hot and humid, soggy and hypothermal air covers
all around the city.
Since there is so much traffic, it must be smog due to automobile exhausts.
When it's too smoggy, I feel staffy as I walk the road.
And even the far buildings is veiled in the smog.
I hope Bangkok don't repeat the same mistake as Beijing.
[Note] dull ； どんよりした， soggy ； 湿気た，湿っぽい， hypothermal ； 生温い
all around ； 辺り一面に，automobile exhaust ； 排出ガス，smoggy ； スモッグの
staffy ; 息苦しい，be veiled in 〜； 〜にかすんでいる， Beijing ; 北京
＜ Tap water and Drinking water＞
Tap water at home (even at a hotel) in Bangkok is not drinking water.
In the apartment my daughter lives, residents are provided some plastic tank
with drinking water by the landlord and use pumping the water out of the
tank.
(She said the rent includes the cost of the drinking water.)
She washes the dishes and food materials with the tap water.
However, before she cooks their foods, she washes them again with drinking
water.
Inconvenient, isn't it?
Hotel has plastic bottles with drinking water ready in the room.
[Note] tap water ； 水道水＜tap ； 蛇口＞， resident ； (特定の場所に長期的に住む)居住者
landlord ； 大家，pump 〜 out of 〜 ； から〜を汲みだす，rent ； 家賃
have 〜 ready ； 〜を用意する
I heard tap water in Bangkok is underground water.
I guess tap water probably isn't suitable for drinking because it isn't purified
water.
I want to purify water at least like tap water in Japan.
Her husband “Gerry ” said tap water in Tokyo may be drinking water, but
he can't drink it.
Since tap water in Japan contains residual chlorine, it has a taste distinctly
different from mineral water sold in pet bottle.
He proudly said that tap water in his mother country, Austria, is drinking
water and its raw water coming from Alps is hard water containing rich
minerals.
[Note] underground water ； 地下水，purified water ； 浄水，purify water ； 浄化する
residual chlorine ； 残留塩素，sold in pet bottle ； ペットボトルで売られている
distinctly ； 明らかに，proudly say ； 誇らしげに言う，raw water ； 原水
hard water ； 硬水
＜Public transportation for lower-income people＞
Aside from subway, elevated railway and boat, there are buses and taxis
as
public transportation of lower-income people on the ordinary road.
There are taxis as unique transportation.
There are three-wheeled and two-wheeled taxis in addition to common four-wheeled
one in Bangkok.
Tuk-tuk which is the symbolic three-wheeled taxi is still alive.
We can see them waiting for customers in front of department stores, supermarkets
and hotels.
[Note] lower-income people ； 庶民，低所得者, aside from 〜 ；〜は別にして
elevated railway ； 高架鉄道, three-wheeled ； 三輪の，
tuk-tuk ； トゥクトゥク(バンコクの三輪タクシ−)
Three-wheeled taxi, tuk-tuk |
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I was very surprised to see two-wheeled taxi.
They are waiting for customers around stations, hotels and bus stops.
Their drivers wears orange-colored vest.
It's said the taxi fare is determined by pre-negotiation between a driver
and
a customer.
Two-wheeled taxi seems to be convenient because it travels faster than
common
taxi in a traffic jam and its fare is cheaper than that of common taxi.
However, it's horrible to take when I imagine the accident.
[Note] traffic jam ； 交通渋滞，horrible ； 恐ろしい
＜Road conditions＞
When I say the road, I'm talking about the sidewalk.
Anyway, it is too bumpy.
I feel like I stumble over if I don't walk with careful attention to my
step.
Its maintenance and repair is a little bit poor.
Over the head on the road, there are a huge number of tied cables (electric
and
telephone cables) hunging together.
The scenery is really ugly.
[Note] bumpy ； でこぼこが多い，stumble over ； 〜につまずく
with careful attention to 〜 ; 〜に細心の注意をして，maintenance and repair ； 補修
tied cables ； 束ねられたケ−ブル，ugly ； 見苦しい，醜い
In the evening, when I walk into an alley, I can see the food stalls standing
side by side.
I'm vaguely aware that they are in an unsanitary condition and so shrink
from buying.
[Note] alley ； 裏通り，路地，food stall ； 屋台，stand side by side ； 軒を並べる，立ち並ぶ
be vaguely aware that 〜 ； 何となく 〜 の感じがする，unsanitary ； 不衛生な
shrink from 〜 ； 〜 に尻込みする
＜Military junta and Civic life＞
Thiland has been in political instability and turbulence for a long time.
However, in this May, military junta was established in a military coup.
Though I think this administration don't obtain sufficient legitimacy,
Thiland
seems to be politically stable now at least.
Calm has returned to the streets in Bangkok and civic life is peace itself.
[Note] military junta ； (ク−デタ直後の)軍事政権，political instability ； 政情不安
political turbulence ； 政治的混乱, military coup ；軍事ク−デタ，administration ； 政権
legitimacy ； 正統性，calm return to 〜 ； 落ち着き(平穏)が戻る
＜Traditional Thai greeting＞
When we're paying after shopping at a department store or dining at a
restaurant, the store clerk bows her greetings, saying “Khob Khun Ka.”
with her hands clasped in prayer.
When I asked my wife about the meaning of the phrase, she answered me
it means “Thank you”.
I imagine the gesture joining their hands in prayer is influenced by Buddhism
like in Japan.
Unlike people in Japan, People in Thailand inflate their hands a little
bit
when they join their hands in prayer.
In Japan, people make a gesture of joining their hands in prayer in the
sense of
request and apology, but gratitude in Thailand.
Though Thailand is the same Buddhist country as Japan, I learned a clltural
difference between both countries.
[Note] traditional greeting ； 伝統的な挨拶，dine at a restaurant ； レストランで食事をする
store clerk ；店の人，bow one's greetings ; お辞儀をして挨拶する
Khob Khun Ka ； コッブクン カ−(タイ語でありがとうの意)，
with one's hands clasped in prayer ； 合掌して
clasp ； (手など)をしっかり握る，握りしめる，joinone's hands in pryer ； 合掌する,
unlike 〜 ； 〜 と異なり
in the sense of 〜 ; 〜 の意味で， apology ； 謝罪， gratitude ； 感謝
As described above, I wrote down what I have seen and heard, and also how
I felt about them during my stay for five days in Bangkok.
The diary was really getting longer.
I'm sorry!
Khor Thot Krab/Ka.
[Note] Khor Thot Krab/Ka ； コ−ト クラップ/カ−(タイ語でごめんなさいの意)
Japanese Diary / No.649−2014.11.02 / 「バンコク滞在記(2/3)−拙者が見たバンコク−」
To be continued Weekly Topics / No.224−Nov05. 2014 /
“The record of my short stay in Bangkok (Part 3)” (Uploading soon!)
My daughter delivered her first child on Oct.15th in Bangkok, Thailand.
I visited her place with my wife on Oct. 29th to see our first grandchild face
to face.
It's the second time since my golf and sightseeing trip in February, 2008
that I visited Thailand.
Now, Thailand is at the time of seasonal change from wet to dry seaon.
Even now, the temperature is about 30 ℃ and the humid is high.
Anyway, it's too hot !
Even if I stay still, I get sweaty.
I can take the heat if I'm on a sightseeing trip.
How do you manage to live in a hot place like this?
My daughter and son-in-law live in Phaya Thai, which is located in central
Bangkok.
An airport rail link called SA City Line, which was opened in 2008, is
used
for a means of transportation to Phaya Thai from Suvarnabhumi International
Airport.
It takes about 30 minutes by it from the airport to Phaya Thai Station.
An apartment house they live in is a 5-minute walk from the station.
[Note] deliver one's first child ； 第一子を生む，first grandchild ; 初孫
see 〜 face to face ； 〜と対面する，at the time of seasonal change ； 季節の変わり目
stay still ; じっとしている，get (become) sweaty ; 汗が滲み出る
take the heat ； 暑さに耐える，How do you manage to do 〜; 一体どうやって〜しているのか？
someone's daughter and son-in-law；(人の)娘夫婦，airport rail link ；空港連絡線
a means of transportation to 〜 ； 〜への交通手段
Suvarnabhumi International Airport；スワンナプム国際空港
First, we checked in at the hotel “THE SUKOSOL HOTEL”near the station.
You can click the picture to see a full-size version
We got to the apartment in about 7 minutes on foot from the hotel.
According to her, it's the appartment for about 50 foreigner's families.
She also said it has a sweeming pool and she sometimes swam here during
pregnancy.
[Note] pregnancy ; 妊娠
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| Phaya Thai Court which my daughter and son-in-law live in |
We got to their place on the 4th floor.
This was once a residence of US military officer during the Vietnam War
and
changed to the private appartment after that, I heard.
So the building itself is old but the living room and other rooms are pretty
spacious.
Young couple greeted us at the door.
We happily met Ms.Hannah face to face who was in Gerry's arms.
It's been 2 weeks since he became an “iku-men”.
( Iku-men in Japanese means a father who is actively involved in child-raising.
)
He got very good at holding his baby.
[Note]US military officer ; 米軍将校，greet someone at the door ； 入口で(人を)出迎える
iku-men ； 育メン，child-raising；子育て，get very good at 〜 ；とても〜がうまくなる
It's only been two weeks since her birth.
She seems to be unable to hold up her head and also see anything.
However, accoding to Gerry, she can't see objects clearly, but she can
see them blearily, and she can gradually focus her eyes on them with her
growth.
[Note] hold up one's head ； 首がすわる，blearily ; ぼんやりとして，かすんだように
focus one's eyes on 〜； 目の焦点を〜に合わせる
Hannah-chan has a good sense of smell!
It is surprising that she's nursing nearly constantly after she instinctively
sucks at her mother's nipples smelling of milk when she try to drink breast
milk
She falls into a doze soon after getting full.
Whenever she starts crying, she can either be hungry, wetting or soiling
her diaper.
I heard it from my daughter that she is suffering from lack of sleep because
Hannah-chan repeats this cycle all day long.
[Note] a sense of smell ； 嗅覚
nurse nearly constantly ; ゴクゴクと(ひっきりなしに)おっぱいを飲む
instinctively ； 本能的に，suck at someone's nipple ; (人の)乳首を吸う
smell of 〜；〜の臭いがする，breast (mother) milk ; 母乳
fall into a doze ； ウトウト居眠りする
get full ； お腹が一杯になる，wet one's diaper ； おもらしをする，おむつに漏らす
soil one's diaper ; 便でおむつを汚す，ウンコを漏らす
can either 〜, or −；〜か−かのいずれかである
There is a framed photo like this in the room.
This is Hannah's picture with her birth record when she was born.
[Note] framed photo ； 額入り写真
Ms.Hannah Wagner
Born on 15 October 2014 Time 02:57 p.m.
Weight 3,480 gm, Height 50.5 cm
At Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok, Thiland |
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I feel easy because Hannah seemed to be growing up healthy.
Japanese Diary / No.648−2014.11.01 / 「バンコク滞在記(1/3)−初孫と対面−」
To be continued Weekly Topics / No.223−Nov02. 2014 /
“The record of my short stay in Bangkok (Part 2−Bangkok I've seen−)”
 TOPペ−ジへ戻る
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