Night Walk I
Night Walk II
Night Walk III
Dusk at the Gates
Yesterday I took my first night walk in Chiang Mai. I have been avoiding the nights because I don't know the area well enough, but I am beginning to feel a certain comfort so I decided to walk around with the camera. I saw some interesting things, ate at a good cafe, and on the way back stopped to make a photograph, and as I was searching for a good position to stand I felt my left foot sink into ankle deep water. I was confused because there has been very little rain since I had arrived, and everything is parched and dry. When I pulled my foot out of the water I looked down into the darkness and saw that I had stepped into some kind of sewage swamp - I shook my head and started walking, not bothering to make the photograph. I still had a 40 minute walk back to the Dome and it was not pleasant knowing my shoe was filled with something awful.
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Having now been at The Dome for nine days I am beginning to create not just routines, but an orbit which allows me to belong and thrive. Passing through one area in a day or two does not allow for a deep impact, but once I begin to favor streets, cafes, one time of day over another, I begin to affect not just myself, but the landscape as well. I observe how the relationship begins to wrap and knot its way around my spirit, and it becomes an intricate game of skill to remain a free entity, while at the same time becoming ever more involved and connected.
I believe it is possible to be in a place too long, to have the knot tied so tightly that all sense of proportion and freedom are choked and fogged. The time could be ten days, or ten years. Becoming involved with ill-intentioned people can poison the orbit, creating an environment of slavery and fear. I have learned how to judge a person's intentions, and trust this instinctive art to keep me out of trouble. While it is possible to get into a bad situation with wild animals or forces of nature, the most likely cause of grief will be interactions with people.
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This morning I woke up at sunrise and told myself it would be smart to skip the day's run to let my legs recover, but the desire to run was too strong so I decided to head in the direction of the zoo because I wanted to see the arborteum and fitness park which is next to it. When I got to the zoo I saw many monks walking up and down the mountain with alms bowls, and I decided that there must be enough room on the road for a runner, so I trudged up the mountain for a short distance. I passed the monks, and then more monks, until I reached a sign for a National Park, and lots of people were standing at an intersection praying to the monks, but I kept on running until I reached a wot and decided to run up the steps. When I reached the wot grounds I saw a kettle burning with smoke rising into the air, monks wandering about, and I decided to turn around and head back down the mountain. It was steeper than I thought and it was easy to run the half mile down. I stopped at the arboretum and walked around the paths using the fitness stations. When I finished I walked back to the Dome feeling strong and happy.
