Lately I’ve been enjoy
ing various posts in the blogosphere about the arrival of spring, and I feel like I’m missing out, since I live in the tropics.
All those lovely photos of crocus buds and cherry blossoms online remind me that I’ve been meaning to write about Thailand’s seasons. Yes, it’s easy to forget that Thailand actually experiences a change in seasons, since it’s generally hot year round. But after living here for a while, you realize that seasons do exist, however subtle the distinctions.
Officially, Thailand experiences the “cool” season, from around November to February, the “hot” season from March to June, and from July to October, the rainy season. Unofficially, the seasons, at least in Bangkok, go more like this: hot, hot and wet, and really freakin’ hot.
For the first few years, this is all I really noticed, the cycle of heat so pervasive, I forgot what it felt like to wear a sweater, forgot the smell of fallen leaves, and the feel of a crisp autumn air (can you tell what my favorite season is?).
Then somewhere along the way, I started paying attention. I learned there was a time of year when the mangoes grew ripe on the tree. There was a time when the locusts in the palms would sing, a time when the mosquitoes proliferated, and a time when the golden shower tree (yes, that’s the name) bloomed.
Time and again I vowed to start tracking more of these happenings in nature. I vowed to pay better attention and gather more signs that change, the cycle of the seasons, happened even amidst the heat and traffic and chaos of Bangkok.
But as often happens, life got in the way over these years. Sometimes I paid attention, sometimes I did not. I still can’t tell you when exactly the bougainvillea bloom or when the teak trees lose their leaves. I can’t say for sure when durian season starts or when tamarind season ends.
But I paid attention when I remembered to and all the photos of crocus buds and cherry blossoms in other parts of the world remind me to start trying again.
Each spring, a new beginning awaits for many of us. But a new beginning can occur at any time, whenever we remember to pay attention, whenever we remember that everywhere—no matter where we live—the world turns and the cycle begins anew.
What signs of the seasons have you noticed in your neighborhood?
Ah, thanks for the kind mention! I have such fond memories of the flowers and plants in Thailand – although I remember their smells much more vividly than their appearance, strangely enough. When we lived in Arizona, we really only had two seasons – hot, and hotter, but the one thing I loved was when the citrus trees would bloom in January – nothing like the smell of orange blossoms!
Ms Caroline, what were some of your favorite plants in Thailand? I love the smell of the frangipani blossoms. Orange blossoms sound delightful, too!
Hi Heather – I have a similar problem here in Australia in that everyone else is moving into spring as we move into the fall. When I first arrived here, I tried top identify those tell-tale signs of autumn often found in the northern hemisphere but found it to be quite topsy turvy here. Our shrubs start to flower in autumn and it’s not unusual to see a garden full of new flowers in the winter. The key for me is to look for the deciduous trees that shed their leaves about now. When I see that happening in full flow, I know we’re well on our way into the colder months!
Hi Russell, I’m sure it’s challenging to readjust your thinking. And not everything happens like clockwork with the seasons, it varies from year to year, so you have to learn to look for the signs. Which season in Australia do you like best?