Exit Asia: Insightful Moments

Today I had my last meal in Mumbai/Bombay if you hark back for the British Rule days. And with it I leave behind Asia. I think I made a pretty good go of it, I've done Japan, China, Southeast Asia and India and have been succesful as far as 'seeing' is concerned. That said there's a lot I don't understand. There's a lot I may need to understand, and there's a lot that I don't need to understand.
But there have been momements. Cathartic moments and I thought I might list them here, I've possibly referenced them before or in my facebook albums before, but i thought I would collect them here, some made me think 'I love this place' some made me think 'I hate this place' but they were poigniant nonetheless:

Coco's Curry Restaurant Takamatsu, Japan - Good Smell, Good Curry (Do I recall correctly Brenton?)

The moment was taking delivery of my potato salad late one night, and the homely waitress after dropping the salad dressing dispenser off on my counter propped her tray under one arm and asked me where I am from, how long I was in takamatsu, how I could speak Japanese so well, and so fourth. Her delight (which I saw mirrored once again in Cambodia) when I complemented her english, and then asking her manager like a 12 yo girl if she could man the register when I had time to pay. The precise moment was seeing this 30 year old fast food worker imploring the shift manager like a daughter to her father and clapping in delight. And I thought then 'I love this place'

Walking Along the Old Moat, Chiang Mai, Bangkok

It was late, I was near a body of brownish water contemplating the deeper reasons for why I wasn't eaten alive by mosquitoes here when I was inevitably done so in Australia no matter what precautions I took. Stumbling up and down the semi existent footpaths of thailand when I looked periodically ahead and glanced a little kid of (I have no idea how big or small kids are at what ages) 3-5 fuck maybe even 12 I don't know running toward me with palm up and Thailand's famous smile smeared across his face in a gesture that said 'give me money white man' and when I shook my head with George Bush preemptiveness, the kid with terrorist like change of tactics hugged me. And in this moment lasting less than half a second before I shook the little darling off, I thought 'I hate this place' a place where a 3-12 year old in the presence of his mother and siblings will hug a foreigner in the street with a smile on their face in the hope of some money. I'm not blaming the thai people, government, globalization, british colonialism or whatever brought this moment to bear, I just hate it. Period.

Lucky, Diner Khar West, Bombay/Mumbai

Poverty, Globalization, Economic Mismanagement, Religious Caste Systems, Anglophiles, Ancient Culture, Custom, Brand Management, Marketing all of these are no laughing matter, and throughout all of Asia I've been hard pressed to laugh at it all even though it is ridiculous. Until two days ago, sitting in the Lucky Diner, waiting for lunch where the waiter refused to let me sit at a two person table even though I am party of one he insisted on an enclosed booth for 4 for me. I was tapping my fingers waiting and glanced to my right where a family of 5 was eating and glanced to my left where a guy was on a date with a lady and they looked well to do and then I saw he had his bluetooth earpiece still in his ear though it was clear he was having a conversation whilst having lunch with his lady friend. And the sheer riduculousness of his status statement, the stupidity and tastelessness of it cracked me up. I had to look away very quickly though I remind myself of Hindu non-violence all the time. I laughed to myself for a little while and it was good and refreshing. just ridiculous.

The Tokyo Bathhouse, Wuhan China.

I walked out of the situation that made me feel more Japanese than anything else I've ever said or done which was seeing the relative social lawlessness of Chinese Society applied to such a Japanese mainstay as a public bath, smoking in the bath, broken and vandalised shower booths, transparant door on the squat toilet (taking public to a whole new level) and dodgy men recieving massages from smoking employees.
I, having simply showered not wanting to risk having a turd poke me in the chest in the bath headed into the changerooms and was intercepted by a maitre de or whatever he was and asked 'do you want someone to massage you?' in panicked english. And I said 'Hell no' and Andy stumbled out hot on my heels more embarassed by the naked in public factor than I was but at this moment I knew I would never comprehend the Chinese take of 'relaxation'

Eating by Myself, the restaurant infront of my Hotel, Beijing

I had ordered some corn soup, and then a main dish and been surprised to find my corn soup the size of a salad bowl, and my main dish about the size of a plate at the Victoria Market 'Night Market' and that is to say small. China is like upside down land for me. But I was happy that in an Unenglish friendly district of China I had managed with moderate success to order my own meal.
I went to pay and got handed a garbled engrish note asking for my phone number in a roundabout way from one of the waitresses who had kept super cool and expressionless with practiced ease. I ignored the note not wanting a stalker on my heels even for a short time before I fled China but this let me know that the Chinese public is genuinely trying.

There's more there's more but these ones stood out with crystal clarity. Which is good. Harvards blog references the book 'On Bullshit' which I saw on a street stall yesterday and thoght it always good to remember that we are always swimming in a sea of bullshit, and its amazing how much of it surrounds us and can form our core opinions. So be careful, be sensible. And think. Fucking if nothing else please just think.