While scouring Twitter last night, I stumbled across the call for people to assist in "The Big Clean Up". An organised event, for the cleaning of Lumpini Park and the surrounding areas. The government had delcared the area safe, so my daughter and I decided to go, and put our shoulders to the grind stone.
As the BTS and MRT (public train systems) were running once more, we made use of these, and arrived at Lumpini Park about 1030am.
A large group of people had already started scrubbing, sweeping and collecting refuse, so Mika and I jumped right in and took our place among them.
Most of the people in attendance were Thai, but along with us, there were a few foreigners. The "locals" were so happy to see us, always stopping to say thank you. So genuine, with that famous Thai smile. Work stop and started as numerous requests for photos and questions of where we were from and why we wanted to help. Local TV camera crews and journalist were fascinated by our presence. A Dutch lady spoke with us for some time and ask if it would be OK to take a few photos of us for a Dutch magazine she was writing for. No problems. She promised to email them to us.
Is was so hot. I mean supper hot, like a sauna! The perspiration soaked our shirts and dropped from our foreheads like rain. To stave off dehydration, water needed to be consumed at a rate I didn't think was possible. We had to find some shade.
Free food and drinks were handed out to all workers. We found our shade, sat and ate and drunk. A well earned rest before getting back to it.
Next job on the agenda, road scrubbing. Armed with brushes, off we went and joined in. Bit of fun splashing around and literally rubbing shoulders with the other workers. (see photo)
During our scrubbing of the road, a foreign reporter ask us for an interview. Both Mika and I had our turns to answer all sorts questions. We never did find out where the video of this would end up, but still an adventure for us.
Eventually, the heat just became too much for us. Not use to it I suppose. Passing our scrubbing brushes to the next willing helpers, we left.
I cannot express the feelings I had while helping get Bangkok back to the way we remember. The friendliness shown to Mika and myself today is something I will not forget for a long time.
On our trip back home on the BTS, we passed through several areas of devastation. The ZEN department store, Central World and the Siam Cinema. All burned to various degrees, but this vision was a scar on what was such a wonderful day.
Photo from @BKKShannon on twitter.
Cool! Hope mika had fun!
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