Fight Club in the Land of Smiles

9/20

I think the blue trunked guy is gonna kick the red trunk guy's ass, Lisa says to me as we watch the twelve-year olds battle things out. And to think she we paid $20 each to see this. And to think we actually like it. Lisa's prediction does come true as the blue trunked kid lands a roundhouse to the right temple. The other guy gets carried out on a stretcher.

This is the sport of Muay Thai boxing. It seems to be Thailand's national sport. We decide to take in a fight to get some true thai culture. We take our second class seats as we follow the "Foreigners" sign upward. We sit on the concrete bleachers with Tiger beer and roasted peanuts no more than 20 yards from the ring.

It seems to me that it is an honor to be a Thai boxer. They are given offerings of flowers. They get to wear head pieces which look like elongated Christmas wreaths. Not to mention the flowery upright horn in the back. They are the center of attention in the ring as the Thai National Anthem starts. Before the match begins, each of the boxers will do a ritual folk dance as the band begins to play alongside. One fighter strikes up a gallop, while another strides across the ring like he is Michael Jackson in his golden years. Two drummers, a bell player and a woodwind player strike up a tune that crosses middle eastern music with Kenny G. Both fighters pray to their God of choice as the opening bell opens.

There are ten fights tonight. Each fight can go a maximum of five rounds. Three minutes each round, two minutes between the rounds. Unless there is a knockout, in which case the stretchers come out as described above.

Among all of this, a pack of locals in the stands next to us begin to murmur to each other, flashing their hands back and forth. One of the boxers lands a side kick to the stomach and these locals erupt in cheer. More hands and fingers beginning to flash back and forth. A few people at the bottom of the bleachers have a pen and notepad in hand. Reminiscent of the New York Stock Exchange, bets from all sides seem to be pouring in. Somehow the system emerges within the chaos.

To add to the fun, there is a Cheech Marin Look-a-like who is a coach for some of the fighters. He shakes his arms wildly with his dilated eyes and stained blue shirt. He begins to yell and scream profusely at his boxers.

With all of the fanfare, it's hard to concentrate on the fight, itself. We focus our attention back to the main event for a bit. We watch seven fights in total before jet lag kicks in. Three hours of Muay Thai boxing is enough for a lifetime. We walk through the iron gate out the doors, hop in a tuk-tuk and sleep off the festivities.

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This was the first time I've ever seen the Thai people violent or emotional. Usually it is the land of smiles. A Wat-dee krap, hello to you too sir. Even the 7-11 workers across the street are happy to see you in the morning.

So Thailand has served as a nice resting point as our trip officially begins. The other biggest accomplishment of the 48 hours in this city is viewing the Grand Palace, where the Royal Monastary and the Emerald Buddha Bust resides. We learn that the Thais dress up Buddha bust according to the seasons. The summer Buddha is scantily clad with almost nothing on. The rainy buddha has a big diagonal god stripe across his chest. And the winter Buddha has a light preforated gold blanket to get him through those cold 75 degree nights. It's not a bad life for the Buddha in this part of the world. He gets offerings of fruits, nuts, cheeses, lotus flowers, eggs. The Buddha eats better than I do, for sure.

The other highlights of the Grand Palace are the Golden Garudas (half man-half bird mythical creatures) throughout the place. He has this amazing hand over head posture move that I can't replicate even in my most precarious of states. It is also noted that the Thai Rama IX, the ruler of Thailand, has some amazing rooms throughout the palace. He conducts his state ceremonies in the Grand palace as well as the Coronation Ceremony every December 5, which basically is a day where all the people tell him how great he is in public. And word on the street is that he truly is a great man who has helped make a good life for his people.

Tomorrow we fly to Cambodia, our first stop being the town of Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat. But that's another story for another journal entry.


-Travelling Sherman