Tenth installment of Bangkok days and Nights

06th July
Dinner last evening was very large pieces of grilled halibut, for each of us, seasoned with various herbs and accompanied by more unidentified foreign organic stuff that is dark green. Rosalind and Sheila assured me that it was similar to broccolini, though why they think that this is of some comfort to me I have no idea, but I was a good boy and ate my greens.
While we waited for Adam to get home via the gym and the car-parks that sometimes serve as roads, Sheila and I watched a DVD, ‘Lady Killers’ starring Tom Hanks. I can understand the Americans doing cover versions of previously successful films, but I wish they were able to make better ones. The only improvement I guess was that it was in colour. I am a bit concerned that I seem to recall the original version set in London, starring Alec Guinness and Bernard Breslaw. I have comforted by the thought that perhaps I am remembering a broadcast of it a couple of years ago on the ABC television, on a Sunday afternoon.
We did not stay up for the semi-final, but were thrilled to see the result with a France vs Italy final as we hoped.
This morning I was again a little slow to arise from my slumbers, and by the time I had surfaced Adam had gone to work, Sheila had made some lentil soup and Rosalind was preparing to go to the gym for a session with her personal trainer.
My plan was to revisit Lumpini Park to get some pictures of the large monitors. I also had to return the VCD of ‘Shall we dance’, which Khun Noy had watched the previous night and enjoyed very much, I think.
Rosalind was being driven to the gym by Khun Boon Chuay and the dropped me off on Soi Suanplu just opposite my video store. I left the VCD and resisted the temptation to hire anymore as I was on a mission. It was very quick and easy to hail a taxi in Suanplu, and “Lumpini Park” produced a smile and nod of the head.
Again I felt confident as I recognised various buildings that I associate with the environs of the park.
“Lumpini Park dah dah dah” said the driver. I can’t recall the words which is a pity because I think he was asking which gate I wanted.
“Lumpini Park, chi krup” I responded meaning ‘Lumpini Park, yes’.
As we turned a corner and drove along side the park the driver kept restating the same phrase and I kept repeating mine. The driver shrugged his shoulders and kept driving. We passed a couple of entrances before I was able to get him to stop. I gave him 100 baht about 3A$ about double the fare on the meter, but I was pleased to have got out next to the park even if it was not an entrance I thought I needed.
I did not recognise any of the park from when I had been with Adam, Alice and Rosalind, but I figured that if I kept walking I should be able to pick up my bearings and return to the place where we had seen the monitors. I imagined that I was David Attenborough on his expedition to the Island of Flores in search of the Komodo dragon. I don’t expect that his driver dropped him at the wrong end of the island.
It was warm and humid and I started to hack my way through the jungle, I toyed with the idea that perhaps I should ask for directions from the natives, but I was not sure if they were still man eaters or not. “Ah the heat, the lack of water and food or a European word that would provide some reassurance in the middle of this wilderness in downtown Bangkok.”
At last I stumbled through the mangrove infested bitumen and saw the outdoor gym that I had noticed previously. “I had my bearing at last Livingston”, I knew that if I kept going I should end up near the dragon’s lair. I passed more and more native temples featuring exotic architecture: ‘The Senior Citizens Club’ and the ‘Young Persons Centre’, I was definitely on the correct track, but would I be able to withstand the privations.
I was tempted to stop and buy some ice-cream, but I am a little suspicious of the water source that might be used to make the ice.
I crossed a little bridge, by which an old lady sells bags of breadcrumbs to people wanting to feed the fish or pigeons. I was also tempted to but a bag of bread but thought that I might have upset someone if I started to eat it, so I suppressed my starvation and struggled on.
I became excited as I spotted large areas of fresh mud on the banks of the ‘Limpopo River’, sorry Lumpini lake. The lake is being dredged and the silt deposited on the banks of the lake, this is I think a favourite basking area for the monitors.
My hunch was correct and I spotted my first monitor even though it was a juvenile one and only measuring about one metre long.
The first monitor for the day, just on the shore of the lake
The rest of the pictures of the ‘dragons’ are self-explanatory, so just enjoy.



That is it’s tongue hanging out of it’s mouth.

These two close-up pictures are so you can see the texture.




I though they might have hurt their legs, but as soon as they moved they are utilised ok.

My favourite picture of them is on the next page.
I thought that I had exhausted all the possible angles and started to wend my way out of the park, taking a few general shops illustrating the flora and the location of the park relative to the central business district.


The ‘small’ building in the centre of the picture above is the Banyan Tree Hotel building in which Adam’s office was previously located.



One of the gates to the park near Rama IV road.
Just before I left the park I was approached by an elderly Thai lady, who was crying her eyes out. We could not communicate but her need was obvious and she seemed pleased with the 20 baht note that I gave her.
On the way back home I jumped into a taxi that stopped near me, and as I waited for him to draw out into the traffic he backed into a parking space. The driver managed to communicate very well even though he spoke no English, that it was his lunch break.
I quickly decamped and hailed another taxi giving him the destination that I wanted “Soi Sii (number four) Soi Nanglinchi.”
No problems and as we drove down Soi Suanplu I remembered that I had not bought my paper for the day so I asked him to stop in Soi Suanplu, where I bought my paper from one of my usual ladies and wandered home via the market, picking up another hand of bananas for 20 baht, 80 Australian cents.
On the way down Soi Nanglinchi, walking behind some young girls from the university I heard a voice “John, John”, I glanced around and spotted Rosalind had asked Khun boon Chuay to draw up to the curb opposite and Rosalind was haling me asking if I wanted a lift back to the apartment.. I indicated that I was happy to walk as it was only about another five minutes, and it could take me that long to cross the road. I was pleased that I had decided to walk as when I returned to the entrance to the apartment all of the dogs came up to me and enjoyed their heads being scruffed.
I forgot to include the picture I took down a little Soi that I always walk down on my way home. The picture shows some ‘normal’ homes, each of the two storeys is inhabited by different families with the ground floor also housing a factory or shop.


Sheila cancelled her appointment for Pilates this evening as her feet are a little sore, I think they are sore from standing making soup. I am relieved as I did not fancy going to the gym at 1900 and either swimming or walking on the treadmill.
The treadmills, bikes etc here all have their own television sets and one can select any channel to watch while one exercises and headphones mean that you do not disturb other gym users.