Missing pictures I hope
posted by John Lunn at 4:13 AM
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Thursday, June 29, 2006
6th Additional episode, with Bangkok beasties
29th June 2006
Yesterday afternoon and last night Sheila and I had a movie marathon as Adam and Rosalind went out to dinner there was no football on.
The movies included:
‘Sleepless in Seattle’ with a very young looking Tom Hanks, definitely a two ‘hankie’ job that one.
The next starred Angelie Jolie as a FBI special agent where an evil twin was a serial killer. I can’t remember the title of the movie, but I have formed the opinion that she is not good acting apart from acting as Angelie Jolie.
The third was ‘Fallen’ starring Denzil Washington, he is a good actor and is was quite a good movie with him as a New York cop fighting the forces of evil and I don’t mean crooks.
The last was a bond movie starring Timothy Dalton was James Bond, James Bond he is not; enough said! Then it was to bed, but we could not get the balance correct last night between turning the air-conditioning off to be quiet and turning it on to be cool; so last night I did not get any sleep, but what the heck just eat a few more lotus. Adam and Rosalind got home just about midnight, but then chatted until about 0230 so a normal sleep for them.
In the morning I arose, ‘abluted’ earlier than usual and decided to visit the dogs on my way to getting the morning paper. I like the made-up word ‘abluted’, but one of the things that I detest is the current linguistic mangling that is in vogue in Australia at the moment where a positive statement is turned into a negative by the addition of the word ‘not’ at the end. “I so love him not”, “She is so much my best friend not”. STOP IT you must be blind you wankers.
I feel better now having given vent to my feelings on that subject, which was one of the many thoughts that accompanied my insomnia last night.
Back to my morning sojourn, first it was the dogs that I have at last taken some pictures of, and are featured below. They were a bit shy of having their photographs taken, but a little roast pork went a long way to encouraging them; a bit like super models.
SORRY PICTURE INSERT FUNCTION IS NOT WORKING I WILL TRY AND ADD THE LATER
The two ‘fluffy’ ones are my favourites. Rosalind tells me that they are not real Soi dogs, who are the mangy looking ones that look very much like dingos.
When I took the camera back up to the apartment I persuaded Sheila to take a picture of the ‘KITE’ and it’s manufacturer/pilot.
Then Sheila showed me a view from our bedroom, of the apartments opposite where the workers were flat out doing the fit-out of the building. I have heard about lying down on the job, but this was the best example I had seen:
It also made us more conscious of the need to dress before we leave the bathroom, even though our windows are covered in reflective materials, I hope.
On my way to the ‘Tops’ supermarket I noticed a shell and a centipede type ‘insect’ near a gateway. I thought that the shell looked similar to the picture of one in the paper the other day with a caption stating that it was a rare tree snail. I decided that I would pick them up on the way back and take some pictures of them. I also told Khun Noy, after I had disposed of them, that I had found them in the kitchen. Khun Noy was appalled to think that they could have been found in her kitchen. I have not yet owned up to the fact that I wanted to use the kitchen bench to act as a frame for my pictures and the reason I found them was I put them there. Maybe I will own up when she does not have a sharp knife to hand. Then again I might not as Khun Noy is keen on Thai boxing; doing it not watching it. Some of the beasts of Bangkok are on the next pages.
I used a normal sized postcard to indicate the size of the beast, with my spectacle case behind the card.
My other adventure was in ‘Tops’ where I made an application for a shopper discount card. Wow another wild time was had by all; but I do enjoy the process of trying to integrate with the community and it is always pleasant to have a lovely young Thai lady help me complete the application form that has very few English prompts on it, but lots of spaces that have to be filled. The fact that I had not taken my passport with me caused some consternation until I provided my New South Wales driving licence, it had my picture on it and lots of numbers that were slowly transcribed to the form. I was issued with my card and shown how to put it into a machine near the entrance and from a slot underneath appears a docket in English telling me the special buys for the day. Now whenever I purchase anything at the supermarket I can respond with pride to the enquiry “Tops card?” Apparently I can earn discount, and points towards very special gifts like a plastic mixing bowl with flower motifs. When we leave I will give my card to Khun Noy so that she might redeem any points that we will accrue. I don’t want to be stopped at Customs and accused of smuggling Thai artifacts.
MY shopper discount card, in reality it is the size of a normal credit card, but I think it deserves the full-size treatment.
Rosalind went to gym in the morning, then after lunch Sheila and I went to the postbox around the corner to post some cards, and also use my discount shopper card at the supermarket wow what a wild bunch.
While I compiled this Sheila and Rosalind went for a foot massage, and in the evening watch Narnia, if I got the English version. The saga will continue:
Yesterday afternoon and last night Sheila and I had a movie marathon as Adam and Rosalind went out to dinner there was no football on.
The movies included:
‘Sleepless in Seattle’ with a very young looking Tom Hanks, definitely a two ‘hankie’ job that one.
The next starred Angelie Jolie as a FBI special agent where an evil twin was a serial killer. I can’t remember the title of the movie, but I have formed the opinion that she is not good acting apart from acting as Angelie Jolie.
The third was ‘Fallen’ starring Denzil Washington, he is a good actor and is was quite a good movie with him as a New York cop fighting the forces of evil and I don’t mean crooks.
The last was a bond movie starring Timothy Dalton was James Bond, James Bond he is not; enough said! Then it was to bed, but we could not get the balance correct last night between turning the air-conditioning off to be quiet and turning it on to be cool; so last night I did not get any sleep, but what the heck just eat a few more lotus. Adam and Rosalind got home just about midnight, but then chatted until about 0230 so a normal sleep for them.
In the morning I arose, ‘abluted’ earlier than usual and decided to visit the dogs on my way to getting the morning paper. I like the made-up word ‘abluted’, but one of the things that I detest is the current linguistic mangling that is in vogue in Australia at the moment where a positive statement is turned into a negative by the addition of the word ‘not’ at the end. “I so love him not”, “She is so much my best friend not”. STOP IT you must be blind you wankers.
I feel better now having given vent to my feelings on that subject, which was one of the many thoughts that accompanied my insomnia last night.
Back to my morning sojourn, first it was the dogs that I have at last taken some pictures of, and are featured below. They were a bit shy of having their photographs taken, but a little roast pork went a long way to encouraging them; a bit like super models.
SORRY PICTURE INSERT FUNCTION IS NOT WORKING I WILL TRY AND ADD THE LATER
The two ‘fluffy’ ones are my favourites. Rosalind tells me that they are not real Soi dogs, who are the mangy looking ones that look very much like dingos.
When I took the camera back up to the apartment I persuaded Sheila to take a picture of the ‘KITE’ and it’s manufacturer/pilot.
Then Sheila showed me a view from our bedroom, of the apartments opposite where the workers were flat out doing the fit-out of the building. I have heard about lying down on the job, but this was the best example I had seen:
It also made us more conscious of the need to dress before we leave the bathroom, even though our windows are covered in reflective materials, I hope.
On my way to the ‘Tops’ supermarket I noticed a shell and a centipede type ‘insect’ near a gateway. I thought that the shell looked similar to the picture of one in the paper the other day with a caption stating that it was a rare tree snail. I decided that I would pick them up on the way back and take some pictures of them. I also told Khun Noy, after I had disposed of them, that I had found them in the kitchen. Khun Noy was appalled to think that they could have been found in her kitchen. I have not yet owned up to the fact that I wanted to use the kitchen bench to act as a frame for my pictures and the reason I found them was I put them there. Maybe I will own up when she does not have a sharp knife to hand. Then again I might not as Khun Noy is keen on Thai boxing; doing it not watching it. Some of the beasts of Bangkok are on the next pages.
I used a normal sized postcard to indicate the size of the beast, with my spectacle case behind the card.
My other adventure was in ‘Tops’ where I made an application for a shopper discount card. Wow another wild time was had by all; but I do enjoy the process of trying to integrate with the community and it is always pleasant to have a lovely young Thai lady help me complete the application form that has very few English prompts on it, but lots of spaces that have to be filled. The fact that I had not taken my passport with me caused some consternation until I provided my New South Wales driving licence, it had my picture on it and lots of numbers that were slowly transcribed to the form. I was issued with my card and shown how to put it into a machine near the entrance and from a slot underneath appears a docket in English telling me the special buys for the day. Now whenever I purchase anything at the supermarket I can respond with pride to the enquiry “Tops card?” Apparently I can earn discount, and points towards very special gifts like a plastic mixing bowl with flower motifs. When we leave I will give my card to Khun Noy so that she might redeem any points that we will accrue. I don’t want to be stopped at Customs and accused of smuggling Thai artifacts.
MY shopper discount card, in reality it is the size of a normal credit card, but I think it deserves the full-size treatment.
Rosalind went to gym in the morning, then after lunch Sheila and I went to the postbox around the corner to post some cards, and also use my discount shopper card at the supermarket wow what a wild bunch.
While I compiled this Sheila and Rosalind went for a foot massage, and in the evening watch Narnia, if I got the English version. The saga will continue:
posted by John Lunn at 4:05 AM
5 comments
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
5th Episode of Bangkok nights and days
27th July 2006
Today was an ‘easy’ day I went to ‘Tops’, the supermarket at the end of the Soi, bought a tub of Haagen dazs, green tea flavoured ice-cream and the Bangkok Post. Actually I bought two tubs of ice-cream, but when the cashier showed me the total I realized that I only had enough cash for one and I put the other back in the cabinet. This caused a slight melt-down as the check-out lady did not have the authority to process a return, but with help from a duty manager it was resolved with a smile that lacked a little of it’s usual sincerity. I have learned one Thai expression that is used to describe some ‘farangs’, particularly the French, basically it translates as ‘pigeon poo’ but the meaning is ‘little shits’. Interesting that cursing transcends language and cultural boundaries.
We were not booked into any gym or pilates, to my relief, but Sheila was keen that we do a work-out in the gym on the ground-floor, followed by a swim. We did some treadmill and weights before I said enough and I rested while Sheila had a swim.
Dinner was roast pork with various U.G.V.O’s, (Unidentified Green Vegetable Objects) followed by bags of semi-dried fruit. The favourite is semi-dried strawberries. The flavour is so intense it is difficult to stop at half a dozen. Adam picked up another ‘yellow’ dried fruit and asked Sheila what it was; “lemon it’s nice” was the reply.
“It doesn’t have any peel, does it, I hate peel,” enquired Adam.
“No it’s lemon it’s great” was Sheila’s reassuring retort.
That was not nice Sheila it did still have its peel on and it was with some difficulty that Adam swallowed the ‘bitter pill’. The comment from Adam that: “Peel makes me want to throw up” produced only giggles from Sheila, not nice Sheila, and I suspect that revenge will not be sweet or long coming.
Discussion included my observation that I had heard a film critic on the radio in Australia nominate as her ‘best of all times’ film as ‘Fargo’. Adam and Rosalind had a copy and as Sheila and I had not seen it we watched ‘Fargo’ and enjoyed it very much, a bit scary and not one I would say was in my top ten, but worth watching. I especially liked the pregnant lady cop character.
After the film Adam and I watched the Brazil/Ghana football game and I thought that Ghana were a little unfortunate not to score a couple of times, but one always had the feeling that Brazil were cruising and only pushed the accelerator a couple of times to show that they could any time that they wanted. Adam had dropped off to sleep just before the third Brazil goal, and it was the second time that he had missed the last goal scored in a match. Not surprising given the hours that he works.
28th June 2006
Sheila awoke at 0500 asking me if I could hear a cuckoo. “No darling I can not hear a cuckoo.
“I am sure I heard a cuckoo”.
“No sweetheart, you did not hear a cuckoo, and neither did I.”
Sheila got out of bed in response to a different chirping and announced: “that was my mobile phone telling me to put it on the charger, you don’t mind if I put the light on do you?” click.
“No ever-loving of course I don’t mind.”
“That was not the cuckoo, that was a different sound.”
“By the way what time do you think it might be” I enquired?
‘Click’ light back on “about five fifteen why? Sheila responded.
“No real reason, it’s just that I feel a need for about another two and a half hours sleep my little dreamboat.”
“Sorry I will try and get back to sleep, but I feel wide wake now and want to talk.”
“Ah right, now what was it you wanted to talk about?”
I forget the conversation, but I think I must have said the positive and negative responses in the appropriate places until some gentle snoring marked the end of the dialogue.
I had just managed to get back to sleep when I felt my shoulder being shaken accompanied by the urgent enquiry: “did you hear that cuckoo again?”
“No I did not hear that cuckoo again, because I did not hear it the first time either or the second or the third, my sweetheart!”
“Dit doo, dit-doo” as I dropped off to a fitful sleep I heard the bloody cuckoo inside my bedside table.
It was my mobile telephone registering it’s need for a feed via the charger. My large cuckoo was in clear and present danger of being sent onto a swift flight across the balcony to someone else’s nest. But insanity prevailed and I arose and inserted the charging cable with more than a little venom and urgency.
About 0800 Sheila asked “would you like a cup of tea?” “Yes that would be nice,” I responded as my thoughts focused on an undisturbed opportunity to get back to sleep.
“What do you think of the tea, I think I have managed to get the tea making right at last?”
“Yes, great it must have been hard with the different type of tea and water, you have done very well!”
Sheila retreated to the kitchen to chat with Rosalind and Khun Noy while I retreated into my pillow until my normal time for breakfast and ablutions.
Sheila went to a Pilates class, Rosalind to get a new ‘sim’ card while I went to see my mates the Soi dogs and get a Bangkok Post. The dogs were getting more friendly, with two of them letting me ‘scruf’ their heads and ears, though I must admit that a few pieces of roast pork may have exerted a little influence on our relationship. I had also asked Rosalind to tell me the Thai word for ‘sit’. It sounds like ‘nang’, but the dogs did not nang, I am told that Thai is a very ‘tonal’ language so either my tone was incorrect or they have not been trained. Perhaps more roast pork will assist the translation/interpretation.
My usual newsagent was sold out of Bangkok Post so I went to another lady and I thought I had given her a twenty baht coin and a five baht coin for the paper, I was made aware that there is no twenty baht coin and her smile did not appear until it was matched with the appearance of another ten baht coin from my pocket.
On the way home I joined the local DVD library/shop and took out on three day ‘lental’ a copy of ‘Narnia: the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe’, Rosalind, Sheila and Adam have not seen it yet and I am happy to see it again, though I must admit that the real reason I joined is that I am fascinated by setting myself these little communication hurdles. I know little things please little minds and joining a video store “whoopee”. But it keeps me amused, and all the spaces I had to fill in on the form only had Thai captions so I just guessed and the assistant seemed happy with having at least some writing in each box.
Adam and Rosalind went out to dinner with one of Adam’s clients from Singapore. The client’s wife also went so it was good for Rosalind to have another female to talk with rather than just witness the male banter.
Lunch time Khun Noy asked us what we would like for dinner; it is a bit of a hassle having to provide our dinning preferences to the housekeeper, but Sheila rose to the challenge and suggested that we might be able to cope with Thai prawns and salad. It may sound alright having a housekeeper cooking dinner every weeknight, and clear-up, but it can be quite taxing having to provide direction and think about what the next meal should be, though a whole lot better than having to worry about where one’s next meal might come from.
Today was an ‘easy’ day I went to ‘Tops’, the supermarket at the end of the Soi, bought a tub of Haagen dazs, green tea flavoured ice-cream and the Bangkok Post. Actually I bought two tubs of ice-cream, but when the cashier showed me the total I realized that I only had enough cash for one and I put the other back in the cabinet. This caused a slight melt-down as the check-out lady did not have the authority to process a return, but with help from a duty manager it was resolved with a smile that lacked a little of it’s usual sincerity. I have learned one Thai expression that is used to describe some ‘farangs’, particularly the French, basically it translates as ‘pigeon poo’ but the meaning is ‘little shits’. Interesting that cursing transcends language and cultural boundaries.
We were not booked into any gym or pilates, to my relief, but Sheila was keen that we do a work-out in the gym on the ground-floor, followed by a swim. We did some treadmill and weights before I said enough and I rested while Sheila had a swim.
Dinner was roast pork with various U.G.V.O’s, (Unidentified Green Vegetable Objects) followed by bags of semi-dried fruit. The favourite is semi-dried strawberries. The flavour is so intense it is difficult to stop at half a dozen. Adam picked up another ‘yellow’ dried fruit and asked Sheila what it was; “lemon it’s nice” was the reply.
“It doesn’t have any peel, does it, I hate peel,” enquired Adam.
“No it’s lemon it’s great” was Sheila’s reassuring retort.
That was not nice Sheila it did still have its peel on and it was with some difficulty that Adam swallowed the ‘bitter pill’. The comment from Adam that: “Peel makes me want to throw up” produced only giggles from Sheila, not nice Sheila, and I suspect that revenge will not be sweet or long coming.
Discussion included my observation that I had heard a film critic on the radio in Australia nominate as her ‘best of all times’ film as ‘Fargo’. Adam and Rosalind had a copy and as Sheila and I had not seen it we watched ‘Fargo’ and enjoyed it very much, a bit scary and not one I would say was in my top ten, but worth watching. I especially liked the pregnant lady cop character.
After the film Adam and I watched the Brazil/Ghana football game and I thought that Ghana were a little unfortunate not to score a couple of times, but one always had the feeling that Brazil were cruising and only pushed the accelerator a couple of times to show that they could any time that they wanted. Adam had dropped off to sleep just before the third Brazil goal, and it was the second time that he had missed the last goal scored in a match. Not surprising given the hours that he works.
28th June 2006
Sheila awoke at 0500 asking me if I could hear a cuckoo. “No darling I can not hear a cuckoo.
“I am sure I heard a cuckoo”.
“No sweetheart, you did not hear a cuckoo, and neither did I.”
Sheila got out of bed in response to a different chirping and announced: “that was my mobile phone telling me to put it on the charger, you don’t mind if I put the light on do you?” click.
“No ever-loving of course I don’t mind.”
“That was not the cuckoo, that was a different sound.”
“By the way what time do you think it might be” I enquired?
‘Click’ light back on “about five fifteen why? Sheila responded.
“No real reason, it’s just that I feel a need for about another two and a half hours sleep my little dreamboat.”
“Sorry I will try and get back to sleep, but I feel wide wake now and want to talk.”
“Ah right, now what was it you wanted to talk about?”
I forget the conversation, but I think I must have said the positive and negative responses in the appropriate places until some gentle snoring marked the end of the dialogue.
I had just managed to get back to sleep when I felt my shoulder being shaken accompanied by the urgent enquiry: “did you hear that cuckoo again?”
“No I did not hear that cuckoo again, because I did not hear it the first time either or the second or the third, my sweetheart!”
“Dit doo, dit-doo” as I dropped off to a fitful sleep I heard the bloody cuckoo inside my bedside table.
It was my mobile telephone registering it’s need for a feed via the charger. My large cuckoo was in clear and present danger of being sent onto a swift flight across the balcony to someone else’s nest. But insanity prevailed and I arose and inserted the charging cable with more than a little venom and urgency.
About 0800 Sheila asked “would you like a cup of tea?” “Yes that would be nice,” I responded as my thoughts focused on an undisturbed opportunity to get back to sleep.
“What do you think of the tea, I think I have managed to get the tea making right at last?”
“Yes, great it must have been hard with the different type of tea and water, you have done very well!”
Sheila retreated to the kitchen to chat with Rosalind and Khun Noy while I retreated into my pillow until my normal time for breakfast and ablutions.
Sheila went to a Pilates class, Rosalind to get a new ‘sim’ card while I went to see my mates the Soi dogs and get a Bangkok Post. The dogs were getting more friendly, with two of them letting me ‘scruf’ their heads and ears, though I must admit that a few pieces of roast pork may have exerted a little influence on our relationship. I had also asked Rosalind to tell me the Thai word for ‘sit’. It sounds like ‘nang’, but the dogs did not nang, I am told that Thai is a very ‘tonal’ language so either my tone was incorrect or they have not been trained. Perhaps more roast pork will assist the translation/interpretation.
My usual newsagent was sold out of Bangkok Post so I went to another lady and I thought I had given her a twenty baht coin and a five baht coin for the paper, I was made aware that there is no twenty baht coin and her smile did not appear until it was matched with the appearance of another ten baht coin from my pocket.
On the way home I joined the local DVD library/shop and took out on three day ‘lental’ a copy of ‘Narnia: the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe’, Rosalind, Sheila and Adam have not seen it yet and I am happy to see it again, though I must admit that the real reason I joined is that I am fascinated by setting myself these little communication hurdles. I know little things please little minds and joining a video store “whoopee”. But it keeps me amused, and all the spaces I had to fill in on the form only had Thai captions so I just guessed and the assistant seemed happy with having at least some writing in each box.
Adam and Rosalind went out to dinner with one of Adam’s clients from Singapore. The client’s wife also went so it was good for Rosalind to have another female to talk with rather than just witness the male banter.
Lunch time Khun Noy asked us what we would like for dinner; it is a bit of a hassle having to provide our dinning preferences to the housekeeper, but Sheila rose to the challenge and suggested that we might be able to cope with Thai prawns and salad. It may sound alright having a housekeeper cooking dinner every weeknight, and clear-up, but it can be quite taxing having to provide direction and think about what the next meal should be, though a whole lot better than having to worry about where one’s next meal might come from.
posted by John Lunn at 2:17 AM
0 comments
Monday, June 26, 2006
4th additional episode of Bangkok days and nights
22nd/23rd June 2006
Thai things first: dinner was salmon steaks with various salad items and my favourite is fresh basil leaves, they leave such a clean refreshed feeling one one’s palate.
I almost forgot, Alice, Rosalind, and Sheila went for a foot massage after Alice and Rosalind returned from a bit of retail therapy. I had gone walkabout to take the pictures featured earlier.
Adam got home about 2210, I don’t know how he can constantly put in the hours that he does. We discussed the football match that was broadcast in Thailand at 0200, featuring Australia and Croatia, Rosalind and Alice felt they needed to go to bed as Alice had been traveling overnight the night before as her body/mind were still on Australian Easter Standard time.
I was about to try and get some rest before the match when Adam asked if I would like a game of chess. Well three games later, which modesty forbids me to mention the progressive score I announced that I really would have to try and get some sleep. Sheila and I went to bed about 0030, Adam saying that he would stay up and watch some Seinfeld DVDs until the match started when he would wake us. Adam assured us that he would set the alarm on his telephone so ensure that he would be woken in time if he fell asleep in front of the television.
Adam woke us at about 0231, he had fallen asleep and his alarm had been set for post-meridian not ante-meridian, but it was of no real consequence as we had at least got some rest and Australia had just been awarded a penalty that was converted to make it one all.
It was a very exciting match and when the Croatian saved a goal right on the line, Adam’s short lived joy scared the ‘beejabers’ out of Alice and Rosalind. Apparently Alice turned over and went back to sleep, but Rosalind decided that it was better to join in. It did not take more than a couple of minutes to change Rosalind’s demeanor from being a benign ‘sleepy head’ to a rabid fan abusing the referee.
We were on the edge of our seats until the last second and still don’t know what happened to Australia’s last goal as we could only get Thai commentary. But our guess was that the ref had blown full-time just before it was scored.
We were thrilled that Australia was through to the next round and in our post match analysis thought that Australia deserved to beat Croatia, though acknowledging that Croatia did play well in their games even if a couple of their players got ‘red carded’ (appropriately). I expect that at that stage they were ‘going for broke’ but I don’t think that should have been interpreted as breaking an Australia leg if they got the chance.
24th June 2006
Alice and Rosalind went shopping in the afternoon while Sheila and I did forty laps in the ground floor pool, followed by a facial for Sheila and a full body massage for me, which Sheila organised for me, while she was having a facial.
I was shown into a room in which there was a massage table and a very large shower cubicle in the corner. The lady who showed me in pointed to a couple of plastic wrapped items lying on the towels on the massage table, and then after saying a couple of words to me in Thai she left the room. I investigated the packages; one was a plastic shower cap and the other a pair of elasticated paper knickers. Having very short hair, (no 1 comb) I thought the shower cap was superfluous, but thought that perhaps I should don the paper knickers to save us both any embarrassment. I also decided that I would check out the shower before my massage so that I was not going to be another stinking farang. The shower was an interesting contraption with lots of levers and taps and I eventually found the correct combination to provide warm water. The three bottles of potions and lotions in a rack inside the shower stall were another challenge as they were labeled in Thai only. I resolved the dilemma by taking some from the bottle that was most empty believing that if I took the same as the majority of the customers I could not go far wrong. Half way through my shower the lady came back into the room and I said that I had not finished my shower and she retreated for another five minutes.
When she came back in I was lying face down on the massage table, the sort that have a hole into which you press your face enabling you to breath while they ‘beat the crap out of you’. I was then covered with a large towel and she commenced work on my legs and feet. My feet are quite large and I moved my feet outwards to relieve some of the pressure on my toes. My feet were firmly grabbed and turned back so that me feet were straight. I may not speak Thai but I got the message.
The next phase was her pushing down hard on my calf muscles, which meant that as my feet were pointing straight down there should have been no way in which my shins and thighs could be flat into the table. Well she found the way and I was sure that my knee caps were going to break as she used all of her weight to force them down. I was trying frantically to think of the words that meant ‘soft’ ‘soft’. The words that came to my mind sound like ‘bow-bow’ but then I was confused were these words Chinese or Thai and if I said them was there a possibility that ‘bow-bow’ meant harder or something even more unfortunate.
In the end I decided to grit my teeth and bare the pain hoping that she would move on quickly to other parts. Arms, stomach, head and neck followed in succession, but instead of relaxing I was concentrating on slowly moving my toes out to relieve the pressure on my kneecaps, hoping that she would not notice and slap me back into place. I remember some of the soothing music played in the background, but I have to say that overall it was not a relaxing experience this time. When I go next time I am going to ensure that they know that I prefer the Swedish style or ‘soft’ massage rather than the muscle torture of the Thai. I do not subscribe to belief that the relief and relaxation is enhanced when the pain stops; I do not like pain either as a giver or receiver!
We went out to dinner to celebrate Australia’s win over Croatia, progress to the next round, and the win against Italy (oops I hope that I did not put a moz on them).
Adam and Rosalind had made a booking at ‘Lord Jim’s’ restaurant in the Oriental Hotel, that has great cuisine and a breathtaking view over the Chao Praya river. Adam came home form work to pick us up and brought with him one of his Australian Associates from work, called, Jeremy. It was a bit ‘squeezy’ in the car with six of us, and the traffic was about par for Bangkok, when one added in the rain storms it made us about twelve minutes late, but this was no problem. The menu is a multiple dilemma: do I have an appetizer and or an entrée and will this leave room for a dessert and then the options within each course prompt the anguish of: hm that looks great, ah so does that, and that and that, “oh bother does someone have a pin?” After the selections were made a complimentary dish of shredded crab on pomello was provided and I was relieved to see my all time favourite arrive. Two large baskets of various types of very fresh bread rolls, I had an attack of the munchies by this time, and discretely (I think) sampled a range of the bread all were very different and excellent. My entrée was a mixture of fish and herbs of many types, the main involved a rack of lamb beautifully presented with vegetables prepared in very artistic ways. The main course was preceded by champagne sorbet The meal did ‘nod it’s head’ toward ‘nouvelle cuisine’ but we were all well satisfied with our meals and the very elegant wines that Adam had selected. We were of course some of the last patrons to leave as Adam suggested that we ‘repair to the Bamboo Bar’ the place to be spotted late at night at the Oriental Hotel. It was very smoky and crowded and I was relived that they could not find a table for six and I was keen to follow the suggestion that we take a table on the terrace on the banks of the river. It is a site that should appear on anyone’s list of ‘a hundred places to see before you die’. The river traffic is fascinating with many high speed ferries, covered in multi-coloured bright lights criss-crossing the river. Many of them look like huge golden dragons with fiery hi-lights on their scales. The temperature was balmy and we sat and soaked up the atmosphere and the (in our minds at least) elegant conversation. Soaked up, was a portent of things to come as three of the hotel staff rushed towards us urging us to move. I could not appreciate their urgency until a very large drop of water bathed my head. Yes they were correct the rain arrived by the tanker load, but we made it safely to the verandah and took up another table under the eaves of the hotel and proceeded to enjoy the ‘sound and light’ show as a huge thunderstorm performed in front of us. The few other guests on the verandah fled further into the hotel, but we of sterner stock stayed even though the rain was starting to blow in under the verandah and the circulating fans distributed the drops further afield. I perhaps should mention that being gentlemen we had allowed the ladies to take up their seats first and these were on the weather side of the table.
The hotel staff had donned south-westers and boots, and were busily covering the other tables and chairs with tarpaulins while the ‘gentlemen’ looked on with distain. I think it was Rosalind closely followed by Sheila who cried ‘uncle’, stating that the waves were starting to lap over their shoes. Sure enough as I looked under the table waves were lapping across the marble floor and crashing on the wall of the hotel behind us. The gentlemen agreed to safeguard the ladies Italian shoes and we moved to the Bamboo Bar, which had thinned out a lot and we had a large booth at the back. I was very pleased it was at the back as a Jazz group with a very fine American lady singer were taking advantage of the Thai belief that the only way amplifiers and speakers work is if they are cranked up to the max. My head felt like it was an extra amp and echo chamber and I expressed the need to ‘go home and get some sleep’. There is of course that hiatus as one tries to coordinate the departure with the completion of each and everyone’s drink and the one’s who ‘just have another while I wait for the others to finish’. At least the Jazz group did play some quieter numbers and then quit for a while finding that they could not compete with the performance from our end of the bar.
The weather was still deteriorating and Jeremy said that he would get a taxi to his home to save Adam the extra hassle. Amazing is perhaps a trite word, but one that I think is appropriate to describe the trip home. For much of the trip we were driving through flood waters nearly a metre high with the bow wave from the car washing back from shop walls against the side of the car. Rosalind assured us that the Volvo is waterproof and they had done this a number of times. But for me the amazing part was we were not alone, the streets were full of cars and motorbikes all going about their various business seemingly with no concern and as fast as the water resistance would allow them to go. I did spot some motorbikes that had stalled as the level of water caused the electrics to become inundated. I also noticed the ramp down to an underground car park. It had a small wall of sandbags stopping the tide from flowing into the car park and one security car nearby on a chair reading a book. An event like this in Australia would have made front page news for days and the emergency services would have been very apparent. It did not rate a mention in the media next day and was treated by all as nothing remarkable. Still I suppose that practice makes perfect and they get lots of practice. We could learn much about flood management I think, and was is appropriate response. I think it was about 0300 before we got to bed, this world cup football schedule is very punishing I think I should have trained more for stamina.
25th June 2006
After a late rise and later breakfast Adam asked if there was anything that we would like to do. I suggested Lumpini park. Adam said that he was happy to take us and Alice and Rosalind agreed to go as well, but Sheila thought that as it was a hot humid day she would stay at home in the air-conditioning and do some ironing and write some e-mails and postcards. In retrospect a wise decision.
Lumpini park is described by Carl Parkes of Moon travel handbooks as:
‘Bangkok’s oldest park, serves as one of the few green lungs for the congested city. Daytime heat empties the park (which is when we went), but early morning hours are an excellent time to watch the two categories of Lumpini fitness fanatics: traditionalists and modernists. The former, mostly older Thai folk, arrive at sunrise to practice the Chinese art of tai chi. (I don’t think we will actually ever get up in time to see them).
Designed to work the muscles in a slow motion kung fu, the ancient dance is now accompanied by portable stereos playing Chinese dirges or modern disco. Competing with the traditionalists are joggers who pound the pavement on a 2.5 km circuit. Kite flyers, soccer players and bodybuilders fill the park in the afternoon. This oasis is nestled off Rama IV road near Chulalongkorn University.’
I expect that you noticed the mention of kite flyers, this was my main reason for going I wanted to reconnoiter the airfield for the maiden flight of my kite (perhaps).
It is a very pleasant park with many exotic trees, a lake, with paddle boats (shaped like white swans) and a path that winds its way around and through the park. The aspects that interested me the most were first of all watching a game of net takraw, which is played almost exactly like volleyball without hands, and the ball is about six inches in diameter and is a hollow ball made of woven bamboo. The contortions that deliver overhead serves and foot spikes demonstrate an amazing degree of flexibility, dexterity and acrobatic skill. The players in the two teams that we watched were in their forties or fifties; this made me feel tired so we moved on to what fascinated me. These were wild monitors either swimming in the lake or lying on the muddy banks created recently by dredging of the lake. In all I saw six with five of them being at least two metres long. They looked to me exactly like the Komodo Dragons on Flores Island in Indonesia, though I guess a little smaller. But for me it was great to see these wild ‘prehistoric’ creatures in the middle of a city of 15 million people. We wandered around the 2.5 km circuit past the outdoor gym with little Thai ‘pocket rockets’ pumping iron. They were not very tall, but they had so many well developed muscles I am sure that they had ‘muscles on their spit’. It was hot and humid, even Adam and Rosalind commenting on how uncomfortable it was. Everyone was pleased to get back to the air-conditioning of the car.
Adam and Rosalind took us for lunch to one of their favourite lunch spots called ‘Kuppa’.
I will not go all Thai ad explain the meals in detail sufficient to say that I decided to be ‘good’ and have the soup of the day that was tomato and some garlic bread. The waiter who took my order assured me that and order of soup came with garlic bread. I thanked him for his assurance and insisted that I would still like some additional garlic bread. When my soup arrived, it was delicious; it was accompanied by one very small slice of garlic bread. Ha, I have been deceived in the past and now the same deception was being tried again and I was not to be fooled. It was with great relief and satisfaction that I made room on the table, and in my stomach, for the huge basket of additional slices of garlic bread. Ah the joys of experience, hindsight and foresight. It was a good lunch enjoyed by all and on the way home Rosalind did some shopping so that Adam could make a cheesecake for dessert while Rosalind made a mushroom risotto.
It was an excellent dinner, followed by some storm watching and then television watching.
Another late night, first of all a Seinfeld marathon, Adam has many boxes DVDs that contain all of the Seinfeld episodes to date. Prior to this Sheila and I had never watched a Seinfeld program, after about thirty episodes I feel that I know all of the characters very well. After the DVDs we watched the qualifying laps from Saturday’s Montreal formula one GP; followed by the England Ecuador football match and then the entire Montreal GP. The viewing was occasionally interrupted by breaks in the broadcasting as the satellite dish searched for a stronger signal. The cause of the problem was yet another very big thunderstorm with massive displays of sheet lightning.
26th June 2006
I was going to say that it was another day of late rising and late breakfast, but lateness implies a time after what is considered normal, so all I will say is that we rose at the normal time and after breakfast Adam went to work and Sheila asked me if I would change some currency if I was going for my walk. I was happy to do that and checked with Rosalind if there was anything I could get for her while I was out. There being nothing I took some leftover risotto from the fridge for my Soi dog friends.
As I left the entrance to the building one of the dogs came over to see me and had a sniff of the risotto. His big brown eyes looked at me with distain and bemusement. He turned his back and walked away. Another of the dogs came over and nudged some of the risotto to the ground, looked into my eyes and walked away. The security guard from the building opposite picked up a small stick and poking it into the bushes dislodged another of the dogs telling it to come and see me. Some more sniffing and little tasting and then it was expelled onto the ground and the dog wandered away. I looked at the guard and said “it would appear that they do not like farang food”. I am sure that he only understood the word ‘farang’ foreigner, but got the gist of what I was trying to say and just smiled. I will just have to make sure it is meat or chicken next time.
I went to the bank and saw the same lady who had changed some money for me previously and I tried to be very careful about putting the exchanged currency into a safe quarantined part of my wallet with the certificate with the exchange rate etc so that Sheila could do her mandatory checks when I got back.
On the way back I thought that I would buy a Bangkok Post, newspaper. It cost 25 baht, and as I looked for a small denomination note in my usual part of my wallet. I looked in vain for a 500 baht note that had been there when I had left the apartment. “Oh bother”, I said to myself, I wonder where it could be. I convinced myself that I must have mixed it up with the other money I had changed so I decided to retrace my steps to the bank , stand at a counter and re-check how much I had received in the exchange and find my 500 baht note mixed into it. Back in the bank in was nice and cool and I carefully unwrapped my parcel of notes and coins and checked the contents. All of the exchanged notes and coins were accounted for but there was no rogue 500 baht note amongst them. “Goodness me whatever could have happened” I murmured under my breath, well close to that anyway. On a wild impulse I staggered to the lady who had served me and tried to explain that I thought I might have dropped a 500 baht note when I had left the bank earlier. The young lady seemed to know only one English word and that is ‘passport’, but she gestured to an older ‘young’ man to come and talk with me. He listened patiently and then shouted across to another older man at the other side of the bank, as he took out a 500 baht note and gave it to me. I said my ‘thank-you’ and ‘goodbye’ in Thai to all of the staff and most of the customers as I retreated from the bank feeling very pleased and relieved. I bought a paper on the way home and also tried to get an English version of ‘Finding Nemo’ for Rosalind, but the only ones I could get were rental only or in Thai. In this suburb they cater for the Thai people not tourists and that is one of the reasons that I like wandering around in an area where there are not many foreigners like me.
Rosalind took Alice shopping as Alice is returning to Australia in the early morning and wanted to get a couple of bargain watches to take back. Sheila and I went to the gym, Sheila for Pilates machine masochism while I went for a swim.
Sheila is getting great benefit from Pilates her knees and back free from pain and she is feeling much more resilient to the heat humidity and moving around. I saw Adam in the gym as I was getting ready to leave and he suggested that Khun Boon Chuay, his driver take us home and then return to pick Adam up and take him to an appointment with the boys from the office to watch the Australia Italy game.
Khun Noy had prepared dinner for us, it is a dish called Haw mahk (a guess) which is individual portions of salmon mousse in ‘ramekins’ made of banana leaves. It is accompanied by fresh vegetables and is of course another of my ‘all-time‘ favourites. I favour the ‘See-food diet’, what I see is what I eat. Sheila and I waited until 2000 for Rosalind and Alice but could hold out no longer and had just finished our meal when they got back from shopping. Their delays were of course traffic and also a forty five minute campaign in the bar of the Banyan Tree hotel trying to get their bill for a couple of drinks.
The game, our exit from the World Cup football, I will not go through all of our reactions as they have been mimicked by many people many times over since, but we did go through all the gamut of emotions from Ah, Bug, Chr, Dam, Egh through to ZZZ when we finally got to sleep. We surfaced at the normal time and I had a short post-mortem with Adam before he left for work; Rosalind did not surface until late afternoon as she had not got to bed until after midnight, shared Adam’s post match analysis at 0200 and then took Alice to the airport at 0430. Sheila spent the morning reading while I caught up with this journal and helped Khun Noy disassemble and store the spare bed. I will go out later and get a copy of the Bangkok Post again as we enjoyed catching up with some world news.
Thai things first: dinner was salmon steaks with various salad items and my favourite is fresh basil leaves, they leave such a clean refreshed feeling one one’s palate.
I almost forgot, Alice, Rosalind, and Sheila went for a foot massage after Alice and Rosalind returned from a bit of retail therapy. I had gone walkabout to take the pictures featured earlier.
Adam got home about 2210, I don’t know how he can constantly put in the hours that he does. We discussed the football match that was broadcast in Thailand at 0200, featuring Australia and Croatia, Rosalind and Alice felt they needed to go to bed as Alice had been traveling overnight the night before as her body/mind were still on Australian Easter Standard time.
I was about to try and get some rest before the match when Adam asked if I would like a game of chess. Well three games later, which modesty forbids me to mention the progressive score I announced that I really would have to try and get some sleep. Sheila and I went to bed about 0030, Adam saying that he would stay up and watch some Seinfeld DVDs until the match started when he would wake us. Adam assured us that he would set the alarm on his telephone so ensure that he would be woken in time if he fell asleep in front of the television.
Adam woke us at about 0231, he had fallen asleep and his alarm had been set for post-meridian not ante-meridian, but it was of no real consequence as we had at least got some rest and Australia had just been awarded a penalty that was converted to make it one all.
It was a very exciting match and when the Croatian saved a goal right on the line, Adam’s short lived joy scared the ‘beejabers’ out of Alice and Rosalind. Apparently Alice turned over and went back to sleep, but Rosalind decided that it was better to join in. It did not take more than a couple of minutes to change Rosalind’s demeanor from being a benign ‘sleepy head’ to a rabid fan abusing the referee.
We were on the edge of our seats until the last second and still don’t know what happened to Australia’s last goal as we could only get Thai commentary. But our guess was that the ref had blown full-time just before it was scored.
We were thrilled that Australia was through to the next round and in our post match analysis thought that Australia deserved to beat Croatia, though acknowledging that Croatia did play well in their games even if a couple of their players got ‘red carded’ (appropriately). I expect that at that stage they were ‘going for broke’ but I don’t think that should have been interpreted as breaking an Australia leg if they got the chance.
24th June 2006
Alice and Rosalind went shopping in the afternoon while Sheila and I did forty laps in the ground floor pool, followed by a facial for Sheila and a full body massage for me, which Sheila organised for me, while she was having a facial.
I was shown into a room in which there was a massage table and a very large shower cubicle in the corner. The lady who showed me in pointed to a couple of plastic wrapped items lying on the towels on the massage table, and then after saying a couple of words to me in Thai she left the room. I investigated the packages; one was a plastic shower cap and the other a pair of elasticated paper knickers. Having very short hair, (no 1 comb) I thought the shower cap was superfluous, but thought that perhaps I should don the paper knickers to save us both any embarrassment. I also decided that I would check out the shower before my massage so that I was not going to be another stinking farang. The shower was an interesting contraption with lots of levers and taps and I eventually found the correct combination to provide warm water. The three bottles of potions and lotions in a rack inside the shower stall were another challenge as they were labeled in Thai only. I resolved the dilemma by taking some from the bottle that was most empty believing that if I took the same as the majority of the customers I could not go far wrong. Half way through my shower the lady came back into the room and I said that I had not finished my shower and she retreated for another five minutes.
When she came back in I was lying face down on the massage table, the sort that have a hole into which you press your face enabling you to breath while they ‘beat the crap out of you’. I was then covered with a large towel and she commenced work on my legs and feet. My feet are quite large and I moved my feet outwards to relieve some of the pressure on my toes. My feet were firmly grabbed and turned back so that me feet were straight. I may not speak Thai but I got the message.
The next phase was her pushing down hard on my calf muscles, which meant that as my feet were pointing straight down there should have been no way in which my shins and thighs could be flat into the table. Well she found the way and I was sure that my knee caps were going to break as she used all of her weight to force them down. I was trying frantically to think of the words that meant ‘soft’ ‘soft’. The words that came to my mind sound like ‘bow-bow’ but then I was confused were these words Chinese or Thai and if I said them was there a possibility that ‘bow-bow’ meant harder or something even more unfortunate.
In the end I decided to grit my teeth and bare the pain hoping that she would move on quickly to other parts. Arms, stomach, head and neck followed in succession, but instead of relaxing I was concentrating on slowly moving my toes out to relieve the pressure on my kneecaps, hoping that she would not notice and slap me back into place. I remember some of the soothing music played in the background, but I have to say that overall it was not a relaxing experience this time. When I go next time I am going to ensure that they know that I prefer the Swedish style or ‘soft’ massage rather than the muscle torture of the Thai. I do not subscribe to belief that the relief and relaxation is enhanced when the pain stops; I do not like pain either as a giver or receiver!
We went out to dinner to celebrate Australia’s win over Croatia, progress to the next round, and the win against Italy (oops I hope that I did not put a moz on them).
Adam and Rosalind had made a booking at ‘Lord Jim’s’ restaurant in the Oriental Hotel, that has great cuisine and a breathtaking view over the Chao Praya river. Adam came home form work to pick us up and brought with him one of his Australian Associates from work, called, Jeremy. It was a bit ‘squeezy’ in the car with six of us, and the traffic was about par for Bangkok, when one added in the rain storms it made us about twelve minutes late, but this was no problem. The menu is a multiple dilemma: do I have an appetizer and or an entrée and will this leave room for a dessert and then the options within each course prompt the anguish of: hm that looks great, ah so does that, and that and that, “oh bother does someone have a pin?” After the selections were made a complimentary dish of shredded crab on pomello was provided and I was relieved to see my all time favourite arrive. Two large baskets of various types of very fresh bread rolls, I had an attack of the munchies by this time, and discretely (I think) sampled a range of the bread all were very different and excellent. My entrée was a mixture of fish and herbs of many types, the main involved a rack of lamb beautifully presented with vegetables prepared in very artistic ways. The main course was preceded by champagne sorbet The meal did ‘nod it’s head’ toward ‘nouvelle cuisine’ but we were all well satisfied with our meals and the very elegant wines that Adam had selected. We were of course some of the last patrons to leave as Adam suggested that we ‘repair to the Bamboo Bar’ the place to be spotted late at night at the Oriental Hotel. It was very smoky and crowded and I was relived that they could not find a table for six and I was keen to follow the suggestion that we take a table on the terrace on the banks of the river. It is a site that should appear on anyone’s list of ‘a hundred places to see before you die’. The river traffic is fascinating with many high speed ferries, covered in multi-coloured bright lights criss-crossing the river. Many of them look like huge golden dragons with fiery hi-lights on their scales. The temperature was balmy and we sat and soaked up the atmosphere and the (in our minds at least) elegant conversation. Soaked up, was a portent of things to come as three of the hotel staff rushed towards us urging us to move. I could not appreciate their urgency until a very large drop of water bathed my head. Yes they were correct the rain arrived by the tanker load, but we made it safely to the verandah and took up another table under the eaves of the hotel and proceeded to enjoy the ‘sound and light’ show as a huge thunderstorm performed in front of us. The few other guests on the verandah fled further into the hotel, but we of sterner stock stayed even though the rain was starting to blow in under the verandah and the circulating fans distributed the drops further afield. I perhaps should mention that being gentlemen we had allowed the ladies to take up their seats first and these were on the weather side of the table.
The hotel staff had donned south-westers and boots, and were busily covering the other tables and chairs with tarpaulins while the ‘gentlemen’ looked on with distain. I think it was Rosalind closely followed by Sheila who cried ‘uncle’, stating that the waves were starting to lap over their shoes. Sure enough as I looked under the table waves were lapping across the marble floor and crashing on the wall of the hotel behind us. The gentlemen agreed to safeguard the ladies Italian shoes and we moved to the Bamboo Bar, which had thinned out a lot and we had a large booth at the back. I was very pleased it was at the back as a Jazz group with a very fine American lady singer were taking advantage of the Thai belief that the only way amplifiers and speakers work is if they are cranked up to the max. My head felt like it was an extra amp and echo chamber and I expressed the need to ‘go home and get some sleep’. There is of course that hiatus as one tries to coordinate the departure with the completion of each and everyone’s drink and the one’s who ‘just have another while I wait for the others to finish’. At least the Jazz group did play some quieter numbers and then quit for a while finding that they could not compete with the performance from our end of the bar.
The weather was still deteriorating and Jeremy said that he would get a taxi to his home to save Adam the extra hassle. Amazing is perhaps a trite word, but one that I think is appropriate to describe the trip home. For much of the trip we were driving through flood waters nearly a metre high with the bow wave from the car washing back from shop walls against the side of the car. Rosalind assured us that the Volvo is waterproof and they had done this a number of times. But for me the amazing part was we were not alone, the streets were full of cars and motorbikes all going about their various business seemingly with no concern and as fast as the water resistance would allow them to go. I did spot some motorbikes that had stalled as the level of water caused the electrics to become inundated. I also noticed the ramp down to an underground car park. It had a small wall of sandbags stopping the tide from flowing into the car park and one security car nearby on a chair reading a book. An event like this in Australia would have made front page news for days and the emergency services would have been very apparent. It did not rate a mention in the media next day and was treated by all as nothing remarkable. Still I suppose that practice makes perfect and they get lots of practice. We could learn much about flood management I think, and was is appropriate response. I think it was about 0300 before we got to bed, this world cup football schedule is very punishing I think I should have trained more for stamina.
25th June 2006
After a late rise and later breakfast Adam asked if there was anything that we would like to do. I suggested Lumpini park. Adam said that he was happy to take us and Alice and Rosalind agreed to go as well, but Sheila thought that as it was a hot humid day she would stay at home in the air-conditioning and do some ironing and write some e-mails and postcards. In retrospect a wise decision.
Lumpini park is described by Carl Parkes of Moon travel handbooks as:
‘Bangkok’s oldest park, serves as one of the few green lungs for the congested city. Daytime heat empties the park (which is when we went), but early morning hours are an excellent time to watch the two categories of Lumpini fitness fanatics: traditionalists and modernists. The former, mostly older Thai folk, arrive at sunrise to practice the Chinese art of tai chi. (I don’t think we will actually ever get up in time to see them).
Designed to work the muscles in a slow motion kung fu, the ancient dance is now accompanied by portable stereos playing Chinese dirges or modern disco. Competing with the traditionalists are joggers who pound the pavement on a 2.5 km circuit. Kite flyers, soccer players and bodybuilders fill the park in the afternoon. This oasis is nestled off Rama IV road near Chulalongkorn University.’
I expect that you noticed the mention of kite flyers, this was my main reason for going I wanted to reconnoiter the airfield for the maiden flight of my kite (perhaps).
It is a very pleasant park with many exotic trees, a lake, with paddle boats (shaped like white swans) and a path that winds its way around and through the park. The aspects that interested me the most were first of all watching a game of net takraw, which is played almost exactly like volleyball without hands, and the ball is about six inches in diameter and is a hollow ball made of woven bamboo. The contortions that deliver overhead serves and foot spikes demonstrate an amazing degree of flexibility, dexterity and acrobatic skill. The players in the two teams that we watched were in their forties or fifties; this made me feel tired so we moved on to what fascinated me. These were wild monitors either swimming in the lake or lying on the muddy banks created recently by dredging of the lake. In all I saw six with five of them being at least two metres long. They looked to me exactly like the Komodo Dragons on Flores Island in Indonesia, though I guess a little smaller. But for me it was great to see these wild ‘prehistoric’ creatures in the middle of a city of 15 million people. We wandered around the 2.5 km circuit past the outdoor gym with little Thai ‘pocket rockets’ pumping iron. They were not very tall, but they had so many well developed muscles I am sure that they had ‘muscles on their spit’. It was hot and humid, even Adam and Rosalind commenting on how uncomfortable it was. Everyone was pleased to get back to the air-conditioning of the car.
Adam and Rosalind took us for lunch to one of their favourite lunch spots called ‘Kuppa’.
I will not go all Thai ad explain the meals in detail sufficient to say that I decided to be ‘good’ and have the soup of the day that was tomato and some garlic bread. The waiter who took my order assured me that and order of soup came with garlic bread. I thanked him for his assurance and insisted that I would still like some additional garlic bread. When my soup arrived, it was delicious; it was accompanied by one very small slice of garlic bread. Ha, I have been deceived in the past and now the same deception was being tried again and I was not to be fooled. It was with great relief and satisfaction that I made room on the table, and in my stomach, for the huge basket of additional slices of garlic bread. Ah the joys of experience, hindsight and foresight. It was a good lunch enjoyed by all and on the way home Rosalind did some shopping so that Adam could make a cheesecake for dessert while Rosalind made a mushroom risotto.
It was an excellent dinner, followed by some storm watching and then television watching.
Another late night, first of all a Seinfeld marathon, Adam has many boxes DVDs that contain all of the Seinfeld episodes to date. Prior to this Sheila and I had never watched a Seinfeld program, after about thirty episodes I feel that I know all of the characters very well. After the DVDs we watched the qualifying laps from Saturday’s Montreal formula one GP; followed by the England Ecuador football match and then the entire Montreal GP. The viewing was occasionally interrupted by breaks in the broadcasting as the satellite dish searched for a stronger signal. The cause of the problem was yet another very big thunderstorm with massive displays of sheet lightning.
26th June 2006
I was going to say that it was another day of late rising and late breakfast, but lateness implies a time after what is considered normal, so all I will say is that we rose at the normal time and after breakfast Adam went to work and Sheila asked me if I would change some currency if I was going for my walk. I was happy to do that and checked with Rosalind if there was anything I could get for her while I was out. There being nothing I took some leftover risotto from the fridge for my Soi dog friends.
As I left the entrance to the building one of the dogs came over to see me and had a sniff of the risotto. His big brown eyes looked at me with distain and bemusement. He turned his back and walked away. Another of the dogs came over and nudged some of the risotto to the ground, looked into my eyes and walked away. The security guard from the building opposite picked up a small stick and poking it into the bushes dislodged another of the dogs telling it to come and see me. Some more sniffing and little tasting and then it was expelled onto the ground and the dog wandered away. I looked at the guard and said “it would appear that they do not like farang food”. I am sure that he only understood the word ‘farang’ foreigner, but got the gist of what I was trying to say and just smiled. I will just have to make sure it is meat or chicken next time.
I went to the bank and saw the same lady who had changed some money for me previously and I tried to be very careful about putting the exchanged currency into a safe quarantined part of my wallet with the certificate with the exchange rate etc so that Sheila could do her mandatory checks when I got back.
On the way back I thought that I would buy a Bangkok Post, newspaper. It cost 25 baht, and as I looked for a small denomination note in my usual part of my wallet. I looked in vain for a 500 baht note that had been there when I had left the apartment. “Oh bother”, I said to myself, I wonder where it could be. I convinced myself that I must have mixed it up with the other money I had changed so I decided to retrace my steps to the bank , stand at a counter and re-check how much I had received in the exchange and find my 500 baht note mixed into it. Back in the bank in was nice and cool and I carefully unwrapped my parcel of notes and coins and checked the contents. All of the exchanged notes and coins were accounted for but there was no rogue 500 baht note amongst them. “Goodness me whatever could have happened” I murmured under my breath, well close to that anyway. On a wild impulse I staggered to the lady who had served me and tried to explain that I thought I might have dropped a 500 baht note when I had left the bank earlier. The young lady seemed to know only one English word and that is ‘passport’, but she gestured to an older ‘young’ man to come and talk with me. He listened patiently and then shouted across to another older man at the other side of the bank, as he took out a 500 baht note and gave it to me. I said my ‘thank-you’ and ‘goodbye’ in Thai to all of the staff and most of the customers as I retreated from the bank feeling very pleased and relieved. I bought a paper on the way home and also tried to get an English version of ‘Finding Nemo’ for Rosalind, but the only ones I could get were rental only or in Thai. In this suburb they cater for the Thai people not tourists and that is one of the reasons that I like wandering around in an area where there are not many foreigners like me.
Rosalind took Alice shopping as Alice is returning to Australia in the early morning and wanted to get a couple of bargain watches to take back. Sheila and I went to the gym, Sheila for Pilates machine masochism while I went for a swim.
Sheila is getting great benefit from Pilates her knees and back free from pain and she is feeling much more resilient to the heat humidity and moving around. I saw Adam in the gym as I was getting ready to leave and he suggested that Khun Boon Chuay, his driver take us home and then return to pick Adam up and take him to an appointment with the boys from the office to watch the Australia Italy game.
Khun Noy had prepared dinner for us, it is a dish called Haw mahk (a guess) which is individual portions of salmon mousse in ‘ramekins’ made of banana leaves. It is accompanied by fresh vegetables and is of course another of my ‘all-time‘ favourites. I favour the ‘See-food diet’, what I see is what I eat. Sheila and I waited until 2000 for Rosalind and Alice but could hold out no longer and had just finished our meal when they got back from shopping. Their delays were of course traffic and also a forty five minute campaign in the bar of the Banyan Tree hotel trying to get their bill for a couple of drinks.
The game, our exit from the World Cup football, I will not go through all of our reactions as they have been mimicked by many people many times over since, but we did go through all the gamut of emotions from Ah, Bug, Chr, Dam, Egh through to ZZZ when we finally got to sleep. We surfaced at the normal time and I had a short post-mortem with Adam before he left for work; Rosalind did not surface until late afternoon as she had not got to bed until after midnight, shared Adam’s post match analysis at 0200 and then took Alice to the airport at 0430. Sheila spent the morning reading while I caught up with this journal and helped Khun Noy disassemble and store the spare bed. I will go out later and get a copy of the Bangkok Post again as we enjoyed catching up with some world news.
posted by John Lunn at 11:27 PM
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Thursday, June 22, 2006
3rd Additional episode of Bangkok days and nights
I am sorry that there has been a period of 'blog-interuptus', Sheila is feeling a lot better now, but being a very generous spouse I was the 'lucky' recipient of her bug I think.
Therefore I did not make any notes for events of the last three days so I will try and trwal though my memory.
Monday night was dinner featuring a Vietnamese favourite of mine Pho Ga (I think); basicaly it is a large bowl of chicken noodle soup with many aded herbs, Tuesday night was a Chinese banquet based on (tempura) battered prawns and various vegetables, many of which I can not identify, that the ladies tell me they will do me good as they are dark green. Hm I think it is dodgy logic but the best thing to do is 'just eat one's greens'. Last night was a Thai dinner of roasted chicken legs with again many greens that look suspiciously like school cabbage to me. But as I was feeling a bit crook I got away with having little on my plate. I did receive some sympathy when I had to DECLINE a caramel Tim Tam, this would be one of the ultimate measures of 'illness'. I think that I am becoming absorbed into the Thai culture, a little, as I a told that it is very Thai to talk about one's last meal during the current meal followed, by talking about the next meal.
I did manage to do a couple of other things that included:
trying to make betre friends with the pack of Soi dogs. I offerred them a small piece of bread. They had a cautious sniff, then walked away. The guards on the gates of the apartments, indicated, during their laughter, that the Soi dogs do not like (farrang) foreign food. Rosalind also told me that Thai people do not like bread either.
Today I sneaked a small piece of the Thai roast chicken leg from the fridge and went to see the dogs in their kennel. They may not like bread, but the Thai chicken was accepted with alacrity.
We have also been watching more football, but I think we will ease back onto the games that have some interest for us. Though I do not think we will get up at 0200 local time for the Australia/Croatia match. Sheila went for a 'personal trainer' session at the gym yesterday and she is doing very well.
Rosalind was up at 0515 to go to the airport with Boon Chuay to pick up Alice, her sister. I think I rolled over at that time and turned the air-conditioner back on.
As the old saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words so I have taken a few pictures this morning of my usual walk so you can better 'feel' of our normal day in Bangkok.
The second last picture is of a house behind Adam and Rosalind's apartment so one can se the eclectic mixture of architecture.
The last picture is the gateway to their partment.
I am having a few problems trying to get the pictures up-loaded and where I want them to be. So I will just say that there are a series of pictures of the small road where the apartment is, a 'local' alfresco restaurant on the corner, the local supermarket etc and I hope the rest are all self explanatory.
posted by John Lunn at 12:14 AM
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Sunday, June 18, 2006
Second update of nights and days in Bangkok
Friday continued:
You will be pleased to see that my glasses have arrived and you will not have to suffer so many spelling, and other errors.
Sheila was feeling a little ill today so after some Chinese medicine from Khun Noy Sheila went to bed. I am not sure if it is the flu or Khun Noy’s medicine. I went to the supermarket to get Sheila a lady’s razor and also some more recognizable medicine. I also took the opportunity to buy some croissants and Danish pastries that I also think are therapeutic, though Sheila is not convinced, so I think Rosalind and I will have to eat them all. Rosalind was also working on the chapters that she is providing for the next ‘Bangkok Guide’ an excellent publication that she helped edit last year.
For dinner Rosalind prepared roast pork with pumpkin and green beans, (aloi mahk’) very delicious; it has been a long time since we had roast pork and Sheila’s tip about brushing the pork with vinegar ensured that the ‘crackling’ was very crunchy and enjoyed greatly.
Just prior to dinner Rosalind asked if I would like a pre-dinner drink of any sort, I thought that a medicinal whisky was appropriate and when it was the Johnnie Walker Blue Label version it was very therapeutic. In fact I savored my whisky, through dinner and half way through the night. Adam did not get home from work until 2200 and was exhausted, particularly after the early morning with some clients the night before. We stayed up to watch the football and we thought that the Ivory Coast was robbed in their game with Holland as the goal from Van Nistleroy was clearly from an off-side position. It seems grossly unfair that the Ivory Coast will probably be eliminated as a result of a gross refereeing error.
Saturday 17th June 2006
Sheila is feeling worse and did not get up until 1606 which is very unusual for Sheila, but Sheila remains convinced that it is just a flu like bug and that her system will prevail in the end.
To enable Sheila to sleep undisturbed I got up early and went to the supermarket to get a supply of toilet rolls, potatoes and herbs for a ‘metze’ dish I wanted to make. The recipe called for fresh mint and a bought a packet of what looked like mint to me, it turned out to be something called sweet vine. But I figured that if it looked a bit like mint and it was sold as fresh produce then it would do as a substitute.
On the way I made ‘friends’ with the Soi dogs nearby, these are sort of stray dogs that are kenneled in the laneway as and added security measure. The dogs sort of guard the property that they are near and this pack always bark up a storm when ever anyone goes near during the day. As I was quite early they had not been released from their kennel and were I think a little scared of me as they had no-where to run to and I had ‘bearded them in their den’. Rosalind expressed some concerns with my fondness for the dogs, telling me that many of the dogs have rabies and the treatment is not very nice. To date I have only been bitten once, many years ago, ‘touch wood’ that remains the case.
Rosalind’s cook top had been taken away for replacement as the glass top is cracked. The promise was that the new one will be fitted on Monday, but Rosalind is a little suspicious of this promise. This meant that my cooking had to be a little creative, to say the least. The boiled potatoes was the first hurdle and this was cleared by putting potato cubes in a bowl with a little water and covering with ‘glad wrap’ before micro-waving for six minutes. That worked ok, though I did get a couple of steam burns on my fingers as I removed the glad wrap too soon, to test the firmness of the potato. Basically the recipe is a mixture of mashed up pumpkin, from the night before, with mashed potato, chick-peas, herbs, spices and flour mixed together, made into patties and then cooked. As they appeared to cook ok, with Adam and Rosalind at the gym and Sheila ‘hors de combat’ I thought that I should make some scones for afternoon tea. Well the recipe was called ‘lemonade scones’. There was no lemonade so I thought that soda water would be an appropriate substitute.
The canisters of flour are not marked so I had a 50% chance of picking the self-raising flour, ever the eternal optimist I ploughed on. I ran out of one type of flour so I topped up the mixture with the other type until it stopped sticking to my hands like thick ‘clag’. I remembered Sheila mentioning some time that scones need to be thick and not worked too much. To cut a long and sad story short in the kitchen are a plate of twelve bits of ‘damper’, I assured Sheila that they will be fine when eaten with jam and cream. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating and might depend on how hungry Adam and Rosalind are after gym.
Well the verdict on the ‘scones’ was mixed to say the least, about fifty-fifty; I assured everyone that I would eat them and they assured that they would not.
The potato and pumpkin ‘kibblers’ were appreciated by all, though I suspect that they will not be appreciated as much as I continue to serve them up as ‘nibbles’ until they are all finished; ‘waste not want not’. Dinner was a Lebanese banquet, that was of course too much of to many courses, though it does provide the makings for lunch for a few days after. The world cup football matches seemed to be a couple of ‘lack lustre’ affairs, but we are keenly anticipating the Australia Brazil game with Adam feverishly working out the implications of the various results scenarios.
Sunday 19th June 2006
Sheila is still not feeling well, with a very sore throat and congested chest. Kuhn Noy had purchased some anti-biotics at the local pharmacy. They are broad spectrum anti-biotics each tablet containing 625 mg of amoxicillin. We are amazed that one is able to buy these on demand over the counter with no prescription. It does not bode well for the efficacy of these drugs in a few years time as their abuse leads to the development of resistant infections. So Sheila is trying to do her bit by holding back from taking any anti-biotics, saying that she would rather use her own immune system and strengthen that. Sheila stayed in bed until about lunch-time, feeling a little better Sheila was able to get up and get dressed and sit and read while Rosalind, Adam and I went to the gym. I was only going for a swim; it was pouring with rain, but I was not worried about getting wet.
When we enter the club there is always a phalanx of young ladies behind the reception desk whose greeting of “Sawasdee” is always accompanied by the broadest smiles. In exchange for our membership cards they provide each of us with a tagged locker key with a plastic clip to fasten it to ones swimming costume or gym gear. I did not have my glasses with me so could not read my locker number so Adam read the number for me and I thought no more about it. When I got changed and clipped my tag to my swimming costume the tag came off the chain and rather than run the risk of losing it to the bottom of the pool I unlocked my locker again and put the tag inside (with the number on). I proceeded up-stairs to the roof-top pool, while Rosalind did a Pilates class and Adam went running on a treadmill. The wind was howling around the pool and the rain coming down in buckets, but I was keen to have some exercise and start my laps. There was a bit of thunder and lightning, so after a couple of laps I decided to take my wedding ring and copper bracelet off to make me less of a target for a lightning strike. I had completed ten laps (20 metre pool) when a lightning strike followed immediately by a huge thunderclap caused me to think that discretion was the better part of valor for a few minutes at least.
I did some stretching exercises in a small covered pavilion, poolside, for a few minutes and when I had not heard a close thunderclap for a minute I judged that it was ok to go back into the water. I completed about fifty laps then thought it was time to rendezvous with Adam and Rosalind. I had a long leisurely shower and went back into the changing rooms to get dressed. I put my key in the lock, the door opened and the cupboard was bare. All of my clothes, wallet watch etc were missing. Ah catastrophe!
Luckily I had the two small towels that we are provided with when we enter the changing area. I wrapped the bigger towel around my lower body, went up the stairs to the reception area where my near nakedness caused some concern, and I explained that all of my clothes, wallet, watch etc had been taken from my locker. My normal phlegmatic demeanor had a slight edge of panic to it. “Could I please have your locker number sir?” This I thought was a needless waste of time as a miscreant was decamping with all my gear as we spoke and as I pointed out I had left the broken tag in the locker and that had been taken also. Obviously the thief had been smart enough to take that back to reception to retrieve my membership card and make good his escape.
“Eighty- three, but as I said I had left the tag inside”.
As I provided the number of my locker one of the beautiful young ladies searched through the draw of member’s cards that had been provided in exchange for keys.
“So sorry sir, your locker number eighty one.”
Not as half sorry and stupid as I felt, I wrapped the towel tighter around me and retreated to the locker room. Yes my key did fit lock number eighty-one and all of my gear had been ‘replaced’ while I was at the front desk. In my defence I will say that all the odd numbers are in a row above the even numbers so eighty one is next to eighty three and I was able to open eighty three with my key as it had not been locked. Ah the traps that oriental health clubs can pose for unwary sailors.
I went to the ‘juice bar’ and had a soy-milk banana smoothie with Rosalind while we waited for Adam to finish his workout and get changed. When Adam arrived he had a quick drink then proposed that we visit a ‘Hagan-daz’ ice cream shop on the way home to get some suitable dessert for the evening while we watch more football. Despite Rosalind’s great knowledge of Bangkok he did not know that there was an ice-cream shop at the location Adam mentioned. Sure enough Adam’s radar is spot on and while he was illegally parked on a busy road Rosalind and I bought three litres of ice-cream packed with dry-ice to keep it cool on the way home. The flavours were two litres of ‘praline and cream’ and one of ‘tirramasu’. Adam wrinkled his nose up when Rosalind mentioned that part of the selection was ‘tirramasu’ in response to my request. I was pleased that my selection was not favoured by Adam. Gluttony is sometimes a cross that I have to bear.
The main course was four different types of pizza accompanied by a couple of beers as we settled down for the football. I forget who were playing in the first game as our excitement built for the Australia Brazil game. We were thrilled with the first half and thought that Australia more than held their own. The first Brazilian goal deflated our exuberant mood and the second did not help though we talked through all of the positive aspects and the implications of the Australia Croatia game. Ah now I remember it was the Japan Croatia game and a nil al draw which was a good result for us.
Rosalind told us that her sister Alice would be arriving during the week for a short visit.
Monday 19th June 2006
It was another early morning for us and at breakfast Rosalind and Adam said that they did not get to sleep until 0530, Sheila said that it was 0600 before she got to sleep. I was better able to subdue my ‘hype’ after the game and enjoyed a much longer repose.The new stove top arrived before lunch and it took a few hours f
You will be pleased to see that my glasses have arrived and you will not have to suffer so many spelling, and other errors.
Sheila was feeling a little ill today so after some Chinese medicine from Khun Noy Sheila went to bed. I am not sure if it is the flu or Khun Noy’s medicine. I went to the supermarket to get Sheila a lady’s razor and also some more recognizable medicine. I also took the opportunity to buy some croissants and Danish pastries that I also think are therapeutic, though Sheila is not convinced, so I think Rosalind and I will have to eat them all. Rosalind was also working on the chapters that she is providing for the next ‘Bangkok Guide’ an excellent publication that she helped edit last year.
For dinner Rosalind prepared roast pork with pumpkin and green beans, (aloi mahk’) very delicious; it has been a long time since we had roast pork and Sheila’s tip about brushing the pork with vinegar ensured that the ‘crackling’ was very crunchy and enjoyed greatly.
Just prior to dinner Rosalind asked if I would like a pre-dinner drink of any sort, I thought that a medicinal whisky was appropriate and when it was the Johnnie Walker Blue Label version it was very therapeutic. In fact I savored my whisky, through dinner and half way through the night. Adam did not get home from work until 2200 and was exhausted, particularly after the early morning with some clients the night before. We stayed up to watch the football and we thought that the Ivory Coast was robbed in their game with Holland as the goal from Van Nistleroy was clearly from an off-side position. It seems grossly unfair that the Ivory Coast will probably be eliminated as a result of a gross refereeing error.
Saturday 17th June 2006
Sheila is feeling worse and did not get up until 1606 which is very unusual for Sheila, but Sheila remains convinced that it is just a flu like bug and that her system will prevail in the end.
To enable Sheila to sleep undisturbed I got up early and went to the supermarket to get a supply of toilet rolls, potatoes and herbs for a ‘metze’ dish I wanted to make. The recipe called for fresh mint and a bought a packet of what looked like mint to me, it turned out to be something called sweet vine. But I figured that if it looked a bit like mint and it was sold as fresh produce then it would do as a substitute.
On the way I made ‘friends’ with the Soi dogs nearby, these are sort of stray dogs that are kenneled in the laneway as and added security measure. The dogs sort of guard the property that they are near and this pack always bark up a storm when ever anyone goes near during the day. As I was quite early they had not been released from their kennel and were I think a little scared of me as they had no-where to run to and I had ‘bearded them in their den’. Rosalind expressed some concerns with my fondness for the dogs, telling me that many of the dogs have rabies and the treatment is not very nice. To date I have only been bitten once, many years ago, ‘touch wood’ that remains the case.
Rosalind’s cook top had been taken away for replacement as the glass top is cracked. The promise was that the new one will be fitted on Monday, but Rosalind is a little suspicious of this promise. This meant that my cooking had to be a little creative, to say the least. The boiled potatoes was the first hurdle and this was cleared by putting potato cubes in a bowl with a little water and covering with ‘glad wrap’ before micro-waving for six minutes. That worked ok, though I did get a couple of steam burns on my fingers as I removed the glad wrap too soon, to test the firmness of the potato. Basically the recipe is a mixture of mashed up pumpkin, from the night before, with mashed potato, chick-peas, herbs, spices and flour mixed together, made into patties and then cooked. As they appeared to cook ok, with Adam and Rosalind at the gym and Sheila ‘hors de combat’ I thought that I should make some scones for afternoon tea. Well the recipe was called ‘lemonade scones’. There was no lemonade so I thought that soda water would be an appropriate substitute.
The canisters of flour are not marked so I had a 50% chance of picking the self-raising flour, ever the eternal optimist I ploughed on. I ran out of one type of flour so I topped up the mixture with the other type until it stopped sticking to my hands like thick ‘clag’. I remembered Sheila mentioning some time that scones need to be thick and not worked too much. To cut a long and sad story short in the kitchen are a plate of twelve bits of ‘damper’, I assured Sheila that they will be fine when eaten with jam and cream. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating and might depend on how hungry Adam and Rosalind are after gym.
Well the verdict on the ‘scones’ was mixed to say the least, about fifty-fifty; I assured everyone that I would eat them and they assured that they would not.
The potato and pumpkin ‘kibblers’ were appreciated by all, though I suspect that they will not be appreciated as much as I continue to serve them up as ‘nibbles’ until they are all finished; ‘waste not want not’. Dinner was a Lebanese banquet, that was of course too much of to many courses, though it does provide the makings for lunch for a few days after. The world cup football matches seemed to be a couple of ‘lack lustre’ affairs, but we are keenly anticipating the Australia Brazil game with Adam feverishly working out the implications of the various results scenarios.
Sunday 19th June 2006
Sheila is still not feeling well, with a very sore throat and congested chest. Kuhn Noy had purchased some anti-biotics at the local pharmacy. They are broad spectrum anti-biotics each tablet containing 625 mg of amoxicillin. We are amazed that one is able to buy these on demand over the counter with no prescription. It does not bode well for the efficacy of these drugs in a few years time as their abuse leads to the development of resistant infections. So Sheila is trying to do her bit by holding back from taking any anti-biotics, saying that she would rather use her own immune system and strengthen that. Sheila stayed in bed until about lunch-time, feeling a little better Sheila was able to get up and get dressed and sit and read while Rosalind, Adam and I went to the gym. I was only going for a swim; it was pouring with rain, but I was not worried about getting wet.
When we enter the club there is always a phalanx of young ladies behind the reception desk whose greeting of “Sawasdee” is always accompanied by the broadest smiles. In exchange for our membership cards they provide each of us with a tagged locker key with a plastic clip to fasten it to ones swimming costume or gym gear. I did not have my glasses with me so could not read my locker number so Adam read the number for me and I thought no more about it. When I got changed and clipped my tag to my swimming costume the tag came off the chain and rather than run the risk of losing it to the bottom of the pool I unlocked my locker again and put the tag inside (with the number on). I proceeded up-stairs to the roof-top pool, while Rosalind did a Pilates class and Adam went running on a treadmill. The wind was howling around the pool and the rain coming down in buckets, but I was keen to have some exercise and start my laps. There was a bit of thunder and lightning, so after a couple of laps I decided to take my wedding ring and copper bracelet off to make me less of a target for a lightning strike. I had completed ten laps (20 metre pool) when a lightning strike followed immediately by a huge thunderclap caused me to think that discretion was the better part of valor for a few minutes at least.
I did some stretching exercises in a small covered pavilion, poolside, for a few minutes and when I had not heard a close thunderclap for a minute I judged that it was ok to go back into the water. I completed about fifty laps then thought it was time to rendezvous with Adam and Rosalind. I had a long leisurely shower and went back into the changing rooms to get dressed. I put my key in the lock, the door opened and the cupboard was bare. All of my clothes, wallet watch etc were missing. Ah catastrophe!
Luckily I had the two small towels that we are provided with when we enter the changing area. I wrapped the bigger towel around my lower body, went up the stairs to the reception area where my near nakedness caused some concern, and I explained that all of my clothes, wallet, watch etc had been taken from my locker. My normal phlegmatic demeanor had a slight edge of panic to it. “Could I please have your locker number sir?” This I thought was a needless waste of time as a miscreant was decamping with all my gear as we spoke and as I pointed out I had left the broken tag in the locker and that had been taken also. Obviously the thief had been smart enough to take that back to reception to retrieve my membership card and make good his escape.
“Eighty- three, but as I said I had left the tag inside”.
As I provided the number of my locker one of the beautiful young ladies searched through the draw of member’s cards that had been provided in exchange for keys.
“So sorry sir, your locker number eighty one.”
Not as half sorry and stupid as I felt, I wrapped the towel tighter around me and retreated to the locker room. Yes my key did fit lock number eighty-one and all of my gear had been ‘replaced’ while I was at the front desk. In my defence I will say that all the odd numbers are in a row above the even numbers so eighty one is next to eighty three and I was able to open eighty three with my key as it had not been locked. Ah the traps that oriental health clubs can pose for unwary sailors.
I went to the ‘juice bar’ and had a soy-milk banana smoothie with Rosalind while we waited for Adam to finish his workout and get changed. When Adam arrived he had a quick drink then proposed that we visit a ‘Hagan-daz’ ice cream shop on the way home to get some suitable dessert for the evening while we watch more football. Despite Rosalind’s great knowledge of Bangkok he did not know that there was an ice-cream shop at the location Adam mentioned. Sure enough Adam’s radar is spot on and while he was illegally parked on a busy road Rosalind and I bought three litres of ice-cream packed with dry-ice to keep it cool on the way home. The flavours were two litres of ‘praline and cream’ and one of ‘tirramasu’. Adam wrinkled his nose up when Rosalind mentioned that part of the selection was ‘tirramasu’ in response to my request. I was pleased that my selection was not favoured by Adam. Gluttony is sometimes a cross that I have to bear.
The main course was four different types of pizza accompanied by a couple of beers as we settled down for the football. I forget who were playing in the first game as our excitement built for the Australia Brazil game. We were thrilled with the first half and thought that Australia more than held their own. The first Brazilian goal deflated our exuberant mood and the second did not help though we talked through all of the positive aspects and the implications of the Australia Croatia game. Ah now I remember it was the Japan Croatia game and a nil al draw which was a good result for us.
Rosalind told us that her sister Alice would be arriving during the week for a short visit.
Monday 19th June 2006
It was another early morning for us and at breakfast Rosalind and Adam said that they did not get to sleep until 0530, Sheila said that it was 0600 before she got to sleep. I was better able to subdue my ‘hype’ after the game and enjoyed a much longer repose.The new stove top arrived before lunch and it took a few hours f
posted by John Lunn at 10:51 PM
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Thursday, June 15, 2006
1st Additional episode of Bangkok days/nights
Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th and morning of Friday 16th June 2006
On Wednesday Rosalind and Sheila went to Pilates again, after which Rosalind had a doctors appointment, so Sheila came home by herself in a taxi. Sheila was a little anxious when she got home as the taxi driver had taken a different route, to avoid congestion, and as Sheila did not recognize the route and could not converse with him, Sheila had visions of being kidnapped and sold into white slavery in the Klong Toey slums, one of the more dubious districts.
Meanwhile I had been getting some exercise by walking to the local 'Tops' supermarket getting two nine litre bottles of water each time and also some nail clippers for Sheila and a ball of string for my kite. (Still not enough wind) Normally Rosalind and Adam get six large 20 litre bottles of water delivered every Tuesday, but the King's anniversary celebrations have caused disruption to many things including water delivery. Rosalind worked out that their apartment functions on about nine litres of bottled water a day. I thought that this wa a lot of bttled water for four people until I realised that all the vegetables for cooking are washed in bottled water prior to preparation and bottled water is used to fill the kettle for tea etc. I am enjoying my little excursions to the supermarket and the simple forays into communicating what I am wanting to buy.
Thursday
Sheila and I went to a shopping centre called Central, that is just like a modern shopping centre anywher in the world, and I tailed behind while Sheila enjoyed looking at everything on every floor, well that is my version of events and I am sticking to it. We had a coffee, muffin and almond croissant then caught the skytrain to get home. we had to change once to a different line and then make sure that we exited at the right side to hail a taxi going in the direction we wanted. It is important to hail a taxi heading in the direction you are wating to go as it can be very complicated turning around in Bangkok.
More, yet more Pilates for Rosalind and Sheila, especially Roalind as she had booked a private lesson withe her instructor followed by another one that Sheila was to join. After her previous concerns about the taxi Sheila pursuaded me to accompnay her and I decided to go for a swim while they 'enjoyed' the Pilates racks.
When we walked to to end of the Soi (road) we hailed a taxi and Sheila gave the driver instructions in beautiful accented Thai. Sheila had practised her Thai with Rosalind and Khun Noy and both told Sheila they they could clearly understand her instructions to ge us to the Ascot hotel. As a back-up Sheila had theThai words written in English so that she would not forget any. Well the pronounciation was clear and complete, but the taxi driver did not have a clue as to where we wanted to go. Sheila was very patient and read the instructions again slowly and clearly, again with no success. I decided to have a go and blurred a couple of words together in a mumble and the taxi drive knew exactly where we wanted to go. I think it would be like anyone speaking 'Queen's English', to a London Cockney taxi driver, he would probably be the same an respond with something like "what they bleedin ell youse going on about luv". I suspect that we were treated to the Thai equivalent until I spoke with a more colloquial accent.
We settled back for the short trip to the gym and felt quite relaxed as we entered Sathorn Rd, a major road on which the Ascot hotel is sited. Our relaxed frame of mind was shortlived as when we came to a major intersection it became apparent that all four lanes each side of the dual carriageway were gridlocked and no-one was going anywhere soon. We glanced at each other glanced at our watches and expressed the opinion that we thought we were quite close to the hotel and it might be quicker to walk. We demurred for a few more minutes and then I convinced Sheila that if she wanted to get to the class on time we should walk. With somereluctance Sheila agreed. As we negotiated the in-side lane and mounted the pavement, the traffic started to move and our taxi dissappeared in search of his next fare. "Ah well, it's not far" I said more from optimisim than certainty. My natural bouyancy was soon deflated as Sheila pointed out tha to get across the next major intrsection we had to climb steep stairs up and down to a pedestrian overpass. Silly me had I not considered how Sheila suffers with her feet in the warm humid weather. However so after we descended from the overpass we found the hotel and few metres further on and Sheila was able to make her class on time, Rosalind was waiting for us in the foyer. I caught up with Adam in the changing rooms as he had been for a workout and was on his way to dinner with a couple of clients.
Friday 16th June
Adam had got home from dinner, with his clients, about 0300 as like me that also had been watching the football and England being vey luck to win their game against Trinidad and Tobago. It was nil all until four minutes from full-time and then England scored one with another three minutes into extra time. Adam felt the need to dscuss the game wth Rosalind until 0500 so we were all even more tardy getting up, though Adam left for work at 0930, I don't know how he does it.
Next episode next time
On Wednesday Rosalind and Sheila went to Pilates again, after which Rosalind had a doctors appointment, so Sheila came home by herself in a taxi. Sheila was a little anxious when she got home as the taxi driver had taken a different route, to avoid congestion, and as Sheila did not recognize the route and could not converse with him, Sheila had visions of being kidnapped and sold into white slavery in the Klong Toey slums, one of the more dubious districts.
Meanwhile I had been getting some exercise by walking to the local 'Tops' supermarket getting two nine litre bottles of water each time and also some nail clippers for Sheila and a ball of string for my kite. (Still not enough wind) Normally Rosalind and Adam get six large 20 litre bottles of water delivered every Tuesday, but the King's anniversary celebrations have caused disruption to many things including water delivery. Rosalind worked out that their apartment functions on about nine litres of bottled water a day. I thought that this wa a lot of bttled water for four people until I realised that all the vegetables for cooking are washed in bottled water prior to preparation and bottled water is used to fill the kettle for tea etc. I am enjoying my little excursions to the supermarket and the simple forays into communicating what I am wanting to buy.
Thursday
Sheila and I went to a shopping centre called Central, that is just like a modern shopping centre anywher in the world, and I tailed behind while Sheila enjoyed looking at everything on every floor, well that is my version of events and I am sticking to it. We had a coffee, muffin and almond croissant then caught the skytrain to get home. we had to change once to a different line and then make sure that we exited at the right side to hail a taxi going in the direction we wanted. It is important to hail a taxi heading in the direction you are wating to go as it can be very complicated turning around in Bangkok.
More, yet more Pilates for Rosalind and Sheila, especially Roalind as she had booked a private lesson withe her instructor followed by another one that Sheila was to join. After her previous concerns about the taxi Sheila pursuaded me to accompnay her and I decided to go for a swim while they 'enjoyed' the Pilates racks.
When we walked to to end of the Soi (road) we hailed a taxi and Sheila gave the driver instructions in beautiful accented Thai. Sheila had practised her Thai with Rosalind and Khun Noy and both told Sheila they they could clearly understand her instructions to ge us to the Ascot hotel. As a back-up Sheila had theThai words written in English so that she would not forget any. Well the pronounciation was clear and complete, but the taxi driver did not have a clue as to where we wanted to go. Sheila was very patient and read the instructions again slowly and clearly, again with no success. I decided to have a go and blurred a couple of words together in a mumble and the taxi drive knew exactly where we wanted to go. I think it would be like anyone speaking 'Queen's English', to a London Cockney taxi driver, he would probably be the same an respond with something like "what they bleedin ell youse going on about luv". I suspect that we were treated to the Thai equivalent until I spoke with a more colloquial accent.
We settled back for the short trip to the gym and felt quite relaxed as we entered Sathorn Rd, a major road on which the Ascot hotel is sited. Our relaxed frame of mind was shortlived as when we came to a major intersection it became apparent that all four lanes each side of the dual carriageway were gridlocked and no-one was going anywhere soon. We glanced at each other glanced at our watches and expressed the opinion that we thought we were quite close to the hotel and it might be quicker to walk. We demurred for a few more minutes and then I convinced Sheila that if she wanted to get to the class on time we should walk. With somereluctance Sheila agreed. As we negotiated the in-side lane and mounted the pavement, the traffic started to move and our taxi dissappeared in search of his next fare. "Ah well, it's not far" I said more from optimisim than certainty. My natural bouyancy was soon deflated as Sheila pointed out tha to get across the next major intrsection we had to climb steep stairs up and down to a pedestrian overpass. Silly me had I not considered how Sheila suffers with her feet in the warm humid weather. However so after we descended from the overpass we found the hotel and few metres further on and Sheila was able to make her class on time, Rosalind was waiting for us in the foyer. I caught up with Adam in the changing rooms as he had been for a workout and was on his way to dinner with a couple of clients.
Friday 16th June
Adam had got home from dinner, with his clients, about 0300 as like me that also had been watching the football and England being vey luck to win their game against Trinidad and Tobago. It was nil all until four minutes from full-time and then England scored one with another three minutes into extra time. Adam felt the need to dscuss the game wth Rosalind until 0500 so we were all even more tardy getting up, though Adam left for work at 0930, I don't know how he does it.
Next episode next time
posted by John Lunn at 11:38 PM
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Tuesday, June 13, 2006
One Night in Bangkok
Well quite a few nights actually, as for reasons of my health we escape the Bathurst, New South Wales, winter. I will start, from the begining a very good place to start, according to Maria Von Trapp.
6th June 2006
We set the alarm for 0430, of course I was awake at 0001 and then 0400, so that I would not miss the alarm. But as we had gone to bed at 2130 the night before it was not a problem. Sheila was showered, hair dried by 0500 and I was alot more casual about my preparations and did not finish my ablutons until 0542, when we drove up the road to pick-up Eric Andrews who went with us to Bathurst airport. Eric was driving our car back to our home and will be giving it a drive occasionally to keep the battery charged. Our dog Chloe was left the night before with our next door neighbour Bette Paterson who will no doubt spoil Chloe, but they will be good company for each other.
The last trip away, was when I got to bathurst airport and found that I had left my wallet at home and it was a frantic trip to recover my wallet and catch the flight to Sydney. This time when got to Bathurst airport, I had my wallet but discovered I had left my spectacles behind on our bedside table. I was quite relaxed about this an announced that I would purchase a pair of magnifying/reading glasses from a pharmacy at Sydney airport.
As we were saying our goodbyes to Eric, Sheila remembered a jug of milk that she had left in the fridge and I had left a few slices of bread in the fridge as well. Eric told us not to worry as he would throw the milk and bread out when he took our car back.
I believe that we will always forget to do something or leave something behind that we wanted to take; the secret is to try and make it something that is not vital like passports, tickets, wallets etc.
It was raining as we took off and quite cool at about 2 degrees centigrade. It was also raining in Sydneyt when we landed about forty minutes later, but a bit warmer. When we checked our luggage in at Bathurst I was told that my cabin bag was to large for inside the plane ( the flying pencil again) and that I would be given my cabin bag from the luggae hold when we landed in Sydney. After we landed it was still raining and I sheltered under the wing while I waited to get my cabin bag from the luggage hold at the back of the plane. The rest of the passengers including Sheila, got onto the bus to take them to the terminal. The bus took off while I was still retrieving my cabin bag. Thankfully enough people, including Sheila (I think) shouted at the driver causing him to stop and give me chance to board the bus.
It is just a two minute ride to the terminal and this was accomplished with no further problems.
Sheila had 'booked-in' via the internet so we felt a little superior going to the front of the special queue for a specific internet/telephone counter. I tried to negotiate seat changes to the 'exit line over the wing' for the extra leg room, but with no success as they were already allocated. (Oh yes just like the Ashes cricket tickets. Still I was somewhat mollified when we were told that it was not a busy flight, and we would have a spare seat next to the window, in our row of three seats.
I bought reading spectactles with no problem and Sheila bought three bottles of wine for Adam and Rosalind and the ubiquotus women's magazines.
The flight to Singapore, with Singapore airlines, seemed much easier than previous flights and we were provided with great meals and many drinks (non-alcoholic so we did not dehydrate).
On the Sydney to Singapore fligt I watched 'Memoirs of a Geisha' which was ok, 'Nanny Macphee, for the second time, it is great; Narnia also very good and King Kong which is bad, bad bad. It was so bad I kept watching thinking that they must get better, no they didn't; it is a stinker not worth going even if you get a free ticket.
The two hour wait in Singapore airport gave us chance to stretch our legs and the 100 minute flight to Bangkok was also very smooth and gave me the oportunity for another great meal and the chance to watch the movie 'Failure to launch'; I thought it was better than I feared it would be.
In Bangkok we got through immigration and customs in about five minutes and picked up our luggage in about ten minutes and were at the designated meeting place in the arrival hall at 2110. Adam and Rosalind arrived at about 2123, very apologetic, telling us that the traffic was bad. Traffic in Bangkok bad, who would expect that? Of course the trip to their apartment provided plenty of evidence, though Adam does his great impression of an Italian, GP driver which makes it very EXCITING.
We had a chat, a couple of gin and tonics and went to bed and slept like logs.
7th June 2006
I awoke at 0700 local time and after a quick visit to the loo went back to slep determied not to get up too soon. Sheila got up about 0845 and brought me a cup of tea, in bed, while I had a little chat with Adam before he left for work.
After a leisurely breakfast and lunch Rosalind and Sheila went shopping while I went for a little walk to get acclimitised and pick up some forms from the Immigration Bureau to extend our visas beyond the sixty days on our current visas.
In the afternoon I spent some time on the computer doing some research into 'democracy'. I am enjoying that very much. Meanwhile Sheila and Rosalind prepared some dinner as the housekeeper Khun Noy is away for a few days holiday witnessing the ceremonies for her brother becoming a monk. I also sent an e-mail asking Eric Andrews to post my spectacles to me, as these magnifying ones are not quite as good, (I know Sheila and Rosalind told me a number of times).
The dinner was superb, although we did not eat until 2100 as Adam was late because of the traffic again and he also went via the gym for a workout.
After dinner Adam showed me a flight simmulator program from Microsoft. It is excellent, sadly I crashed evertime, but maybe I will get beter over time and with more practice.
8th June 2006
My feet/heels are blistered from wearing my new boatshoes on my walk yesterday. The idea was to 'break' my shoes in; the shoes won so I have resolved to not walk much today. However Rosalind and Sheila went to the gym, so I went along as well to complete the club membership of the Cascade Health Club at the Ascot hotel, which Adam had kindly provided for us while we are here.
We went through the whole 'joining process' that is very complicated (very Thai), but it is all done with many smiles; so long as one does not let time pressures or logic impact on yu it is ok. Sheila and I went fora swim in the rooftop pool while Rosalidn did a gym work out. Sheila felt a little disoriented and stopped after thirty laps and I completed about forty laps, just a slow breastroke. We had lentil soup, bread and cheese for dinner, whichg was more than enough. Adam ahd to go out to dinner with a couple of chaps from work. We had an early night but for Adam it was a 0200 morning.
9thJune 2006
I think that this day is the actual 60th anniversary of the King's accession to the throne and rightly it is a very big deal in Thailand.
Rosalind went to the gym for a Pilates class while Sheila and i walked to the end of the road to a small supermarket called 'Tops'; where Sheila bought the various ingredients for a chicken curry that she made for the evening meal (Khun Noy is still away).
As we were walking back we got to the corner of their road, just in time to see Rosalind being driven past by Khun Boon Chauy, their driver. We waned, but were not noticed ( we were assured later) so we walked quickly down the raod, with the shopping, as we had the only key to the apartment. We just arrived at the ground flor as Rosalind came back down in the lift to look for us.
Sheila made the chicken curry while I did some more flying lessons on the computer. We were meeting Adam at the Cascade Club restaurant for dinner and Rosalind was keen to let the driver Khun Boon Chauy go home to his family for the weekend so Rosalind drove us to the hotel. As soon as we got out of their road, the traffic was banked up and not moving anywhere. Rosalind ducked and dived through the traffic but still we did not make much progress for about twenty minutes. As we started to move it became apparent that the cause was a shrine set up along side the road near the Suan Plu Post Office, hundreds of Thai people were paying homage to their King and the roads were filled with people so no traffic was going anywhere. Most of the people had bright lemon coloured Tee shirts to clebrate their Kings anniversary as yellow is the Royal colour.
We got to the hotel at 2000 and had a drink at the bar while we waited for Adam, a neat Johnnie Walker, Black label I found very theraputic.
The restaurant was almost deserted, with only one other couple dinning. But the food and service are excellent and we all enjoyed our meals very much.
On a large TV on the other side of the bar we could see that the Soccer World Cup had started and Germany were playing Costa Rica. We saw the first two goals, one each and then Adam drove us home quickly so that we could watch the rest of the game. Adam and I stayed up to watch the end match that germany won 4 goals to two.
10th June 2006
Quite an early rise and Khun Noy is back for the day before she has another couple of days away. At breakfast we discussed our various plans for the day. Adam had to work in the afternoon. Rosalind and Sheila were shopping in the morning and then I went with Rosalind to the gym in the afternoon, Rosalind having a massage while I went to a short swim. Sheila stayed home and had a rest.
The chicken curry was on the menu that nigt and was a great success.
The 11th 12th and 13th can be summed up as more exercise more shopping and:
Sheila, Rosalind and I did a Pilates class using a Pilates machine that looks very much like a medieval torture rack with ropes and springs and things. It also operates like a torture device as well, I don't think I will be doing that class again, I think I will stick with the swimming. We had thought about going down to the river to watch the Royal barges etc, but thought it would be a bit congested as the King is thought of as a incarnation of Vishnu, and is much loved and revered by his people. Apparently the people started to arrive at the Chao Praya river at 0400 and at 1000 they closed all roads to the river as it was too congested. Sheila and Rosalind had gone shopping and one of the major flyover roads in the centre of Bangkok was closed as the King was going be driven below it at some time, and none of his subjects should be in a higher position than their King; so the road is closed until he has been driven past. The traffic was chaotic. We saw a lot of the Royal barge etc on the television, in fact all of the television stations in Thailand have been broadcasting exactly the same programs for the last few days, featuring the life history of the King and people arriving and leaving the various ceremonies. This is a bit over the top as the broadcast of the soccer matches is a bit haphazard to say the least. They are scheduled at 8 pm and 11 pm, but most nights the 8 pm matches just don;t get shown and we see more of the life history of the King. We did see the last 25 mins of the Australia Japan match and we were very noisy especially in the last ten minutes. The Royal barge etc in the setting of the temples and Royal palace in the background is spectacular. I expect that I am causing some amusement to the Thai people with my attempts at speaking Thai, but I did have a chuckle at a sign on the fence of a University that is just around the corner from us, that I have attached. I guess that the given name of Sir Christopher Patten was too long for the sign, but the abbreviation speaks of his elevation far beyond the peerage.
By the way I had some fun buying the materials to make a box kite from a plastic garbage bag and bits of stick etc. When I went into the small supermarket near-by asking for a large plastic garbage bag only produced puzzled looks. Until I was passed to a young lady behind a cooked food counter who gave me a pad and pencil indicating I should write down what I wanted. Being conscious of my writing ability I thought that she was a trifle optimistic. This proved to be the case and I got more puzzled looks. I then drew a picture of a dustbin with a large floppy bag inside and an arrow to the bag. Ah the wonders of the game Pictionary, large plastic garbage bag no problem. I could not buy any sticks anywhere so ended up down a few dodgy laneways until I found a little lady selling plastic pipes of various sizes, that I thought I could adapt for my plans. Well the kite is made and I am pleased with the result, but I have not yet tried to fly it, that will be the testing time and I will let you know how I go.
On the morning of the 14th Adam left for work early Sheila and Rosalind are at the gym and shopping and I was starting this blog from the begining to try and bring it up to date and make it easier. I will keep you posted
posted by John Lunn at 10:06 PM
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Previous Posts
- Some short stories
- Next Generation
- Last of Maltese Knights and Bangkok Days
- The Silent City of Mdina
- First day exploring Malta
- Sorry for the delay
- Last day in Positano
- Rubber duckie to Amalfi
- The Greek Temples at Paestum
- Fortunata cooks dinner
Archives
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