We returned to Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon after more than two weeks away during the civil unrest. It is good to be home. There was an immaculate reception. The flat was spotless, the fridge well stocked, and no evidence of our hasty departure two Sunday's previously. In the intervening period I had spoken to our maid a couple of times and established that she was fine and that the road had reopened and she had been able to come in and tidy up the few loose ends.
Since then I have been out and met with various people and talked of their reactions and feelings about the recent disturbances. Things are not business as usual, and there is a nervousness and uneasy calm, as people wait to see if there will be any resumption in hostilities. Business is down, and people are worried about their jobs. I am taking a more positive view and living life as normally as I can. But we have decided we will make an emergency back up plan to be implemented in a worst case scenario.
Whilst away I bid unsuccessfully for this watercolour by Edward Seago (1910-1974) Rue de la Hughette, Paris, (above). I was deliberately not agressive in my limit, because although I like Seago's work tremendously, I was not prepared to pay the premiums he is attracting. Seago painted Hong Kong harbour from just above the house in which we stayed whilst in Hong Kong, and our host has several Seagos on the walls of his office, bought by his company in the 1960s. The auction was the more thrilling as we watched it online from a spit away from where the artist had once painted.
Architect's drawing of the house where we stayed in Hong Kong c.1943
Two nights ago I played a similarly lukewarm hand for a portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn, and my bid was well and truly eclipsed. It would have been nice if that could have returned, (from New York) to its native Scotland - back where it belongs.
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