28th Episode of Bangkok days and Nights
Still no photos can be up-loaded to the 'blog' at the moment hopefully it will be fixed soon
Dinner was sobo noodles and dashi with various herbs and spices. The sobo noodles are very tasty and have an interesting effect on one’s ‘regularity’ that is especially appreciated by Sheila.
Adam got home about 2030 and it was not long after dinner before he went to bed, tired out. Sheila and I went to bed soon after but Sheila was still a little restless and did not settle until about 0300, but I think the anti-biotic etc are starting to take effect and reduce the symptoms at least I live in hope insomnia is not something I like to suffer from especially when it is someone else’s.
18th August 2006
I got up quite early and took some cheese down to the dogs on my way to buying a copy of the Bangkok Post. The dogs have a well developed palate and enjoy vintage cheddar more than cheese slices. Adam left for work soon after I got back from the shop and Sheila had a leisurely breakfast, well more like a brunch.
After lunch Sheila and I went to Siam Paragon, a shopping centre to which I thought had I been before especially as that all seem to look alike to me. However even to me it became quickly apparent that I had not been before as it would be the largest brightest shopping centre that I have ever been to. Sheila was like a kid showing off her favourite toy pointing out where Rosalind and herself have lunch quite often. The cosmetics area alone is larger than the whole ground floor of Myer Melbourne.
In one of the areas on one of the second floors are about six car showrooms showing cars like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Bentley, and BMW. Sheila and I preferred the yellow Lamborghini with grey Maserati coming in second. We may go back tomorrow and if we do I will try and remember to take a camera to take a few photographs.
We also went to the baby clothes section to get something for Juan and Paola’s new baby Joachin and a watch for his elder brother Joskua. When we post it we hope that it is more successful in reaching it’s destination in Mexico than the last one we sent. It will be ironic if it does, sent from Australia lost on route sent from Thailand arrives ok.
Thankfully I was only shown part of the Siam Paragon complex, we bought some paperbacks to take with us to Italy and a few vegetables as Sheila wants to make some soup for the weekend.
We took the sky-train back to the nearest station to the apartment and then a taxi. We were very fortunate with the traffic especially given the time of day and it being a Friday.
When we got home we found diner was waiting for us Khun Noy having prepared a soy and herb soup followed by won-ton and lettuce. I weakened and followed up with some raspberry sorbet for which I should have felt a little guilty, but I managed to suppress that obtuse emotion.
Saturday 19th August 2006
We all arose a little tardy Adam had been out for with the chaps from the office and then to Japanese restaurant for dinner and was still a little seedy as in the ‘bottom of a parrot’s cage. Adam and I then went to the gym I did my usual seventy six laps while had a work out with his personal trainer. Sheila decided to stay home a d make some lentil soup for dinner. After the gym we went to a sports-shop down Silom road where Adam was trying to get some new cross-trainers and a particular type of shorts. He failed in that endeavor but succeeded in the most important errand that was getting three pints of ‘Haagen Dazs’ ice cream one Pralines and Cream, one Strawberry Cheesecake and my selection ‘Banoffe’ that is a mixture of banana and toffee.
I also walked down to the video shop in Suanplu to see if they had the original sound track version of ‘The Producers’. No their only copy had been taken for an overnight hire ten days ago and had still not be returned. The shop assistant looked somewhat shocked as I drew my finger across my throat and suggested that they do this to the ‘farang’ who had not returned the DVD.
The lentil soup was very tasty and much enjoyed then we settled down with large bowls of ice-cream and watched a number of ‘National Geographic Air Accident Investigation’ programs. Not a relaxing way to spend the evening when I thought about our flights the following week.
Sunday 20th August 2006
Surprisingly we all got up early but still too late to make mass if we had been that way inclined. Adam and I went to the gym early afternoon Adam with his personal training and me with my pool lapping. All was without incident until I returned to the locker room and found that the tag and key to my locker were missing from the clip attached to the inside of my bathers. I was of course in no doubt where they were i.e. the bottom of the pool. I walked back up t the pool and luckily there were three young lads there wearing swimming goggles and I hailed them “Excuse me chaps I have lost my locker key and tag on the bottom of the pool would you please have a look for them?”
“No problems” they said and within a minute one of them had found the key and tag and returned them to me, much to the chagrin of the others who were enjoying the search as it gave them something useful to do.
After gym Adam and I drove to his office building to park his ca and then walk about a hundred meters or so to the Siam Paragon centre
For those are interested in those sort of places the web site is http://www.thaiwebsites.com/siamparagon.asp.
Adam was keen to pursue his search for cross-trainers and shorts and also have a look at the sports cars that we had mentioned. Still no success with the shoes and shorts but I took the opportunity to take some photos of the cars and the shopping centre generally so that Sheila had further evidence of the civilized shopping not just the shops that I frequent. After the Paragon shopping centre Adam took me to see the views from his office, pick up Sheila from her Pilates Class and then go to Starbucks for coffee. Adam gets a tad frustrated at Starbucks as they ALWAYS have great difficulty in delivering a ‘Low fat cappuccino’ although he has been asking for it every day for over two years.
Dinner was a huge Lebanese banquet that Adam ordered to be delivered and I think even after my most valiant efforts it still provided enough materials for three days lunches.
It was of course finished off by the remaining ice-cream from the night before. We watched a DVD ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ a well made movie, but I think a real horror movie.
The photos follow:
Inside Sian Paragon Shopping Centre
The outside of the office block that contains Adams’s office on the 26th floor
A series of views from Adam’s office, the green bit is the Royal Bangkok Sports Club
This is where the Grandmother of the King was ‘pickled’ after her death
21st August 2006
I went to the supermarket ‘Tops’ at the end of the soi quite early and fed the dogs some Lebanese banquet on the way. They appreciated it very much. In addition to my usual copy of the ‘Bangkok Post’ I was keen to get some wrapping paper, sticky tape and a card so that Sheila would wrap up the parcel for Juan, Paola and their sons Joshuka and Joachin. Sheila was not impressed that I bought a ‘birthday’ card to celebrate the birth of Joachin, but hey he was born recently wasn’t he and that was what we were recognizing his being born i.e. birthday! Anyway Sheila did a good job of wrapping the parcel and I wrote that card as Sheila protested that she would not write in a ‘birthday’ card. I have to say that the range of cards was not huge and the only other card with babies on had the words ‘Have a Happy Heart Day’. I took the parcel to the Suanplu Post Office and my lady friend there was very helpful as usual and sold me a padded post pack and all the stamps etc to send the parcel to Mexico for an all up cost of about 350 baht, that is about 11 dollars Australian and that included registering it for recorded delivery.
On the way back I called into my favorite barber shop for a pre-Italy hair cut. A different young lady escorted me to her chair and was a ‘chatty’ barber. Normally I don’t want to chat I just want a haircut, but she was determined to help increase my Thai vocabulary. I was surprised when she told me that she was a Roman Catholic Christian and went to mass every Sunday. She also said “you go to Church also on Sunday?”
“No the only place I visit on a Sunday morning is both sides of my pillow”, I replied.
She looked at me rather sternly and then bent her head down to near my ear and asked “you want massage?”
“No sorry, just a haircut number one comb”, I spluttered; catholic girls can be the worst so I have been told.
With the offer made and declined that transaction was out of the way and we concentrated on the haircut and my Thai language lessons. Though I don’t think I remembered any of it a few minutes after I left the shop. I answered her question about the English word for ‘tweezers’ while she complied with my request to pluck the hairs out of my ears. She was very nervous about doing it worried that it was hurting me, it would have hurt less if she had pulled them out quickly rather than slowly, but I thought it was to hard to explain.
Sheila and I went to gym in the later afternoon Sheila for a Pilates class and me the pool.
I was the only person in the pool area and I do wish they had some sort of lap counting mechanism as I tend to lose count and then start again from the last number that I clearly remember.
Adam came to the gym later and Sheila and I waited while he finished his regime. Khun Boon Chuay drove us home about 2030 and dinner was a ‘green curry with chicken and rice followed by mango sticky rice. Adam did not eat the curry as he said it was full of coconut cream and he was trying to keep his weight down. Adam also ‘passed’ on the mango sticky rice for similar reasons but Sheila and I felt duty bound to eat as much as we could so that Khun Noy would think that all three of us had eaten it and she would not be upset. Adam had some of the remains of the Lebanese banquet. Rosalind is still in Hobart. Adam and Sheila watched a episode of ‘House’ while I brought the journal up to date.
Dinner was sobo noodles and dashi with various herbs and spices. The sobo noodles are very tasty and have an interesting effect on one’s ‘regularity’ that is especially appreciated by Sheila.
Adam got home about 2030 and it was not long after dinner before he went to bed, tired out. Sheila and I went to bed soon after but Sheila was still a little restless and did not settle until about 0300, but I think the anti-biotic etc are starting to take effect and reduce the symptoms at least I live in hope insomnia is not something I like to suffer from especially when it is someone else’s.
18th August 2006
I got up quite early and took some cheese down to the dogs on my way to buying a copy of the Bangkok Post. The dogs have a well developed palate and enjoy vintage cheddar more than cheese slices. Adam left for work soon after I got back from the shop and Sheila had a leisurely breakfast, well more like a brunch.
After lunch Sheila and I went to Siam Paragon, a shopping centre to which I thought had I been before especially as that all seem to look alike to me. However even to me it became quickly apparent that I had not been before as it would be the largest brightest shopping centre that I have ever been to. Sheila was like a kid showing off her favourite toy pointing out where Rosalind and herself have lunch quite often. The cosmetics area alone is larger than the whole ground floor of Myer Melbourne.
In one of the areas on one of the second floors are about six car showrooms showing cars like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Bentley, and BMW. Sheila and I preferred the yellow Lamborghini with grey Maserati coming in second. We may go back tomorrow and if we do I will try and remember to take a camera to take a few photographs.
We also went to the baby clothes section to get something for Juan and Paola’s new baby Joachin and a watch for his elder brother Joskua. When we post it we hope that it is more successful in reaching it’s destination in Mexico than the last one we sent. It will be ironic if it does, sent from Australia lost on route sent from Thailand arrives ok.
Thankfully I was only shown part of the Siam Paragon complex, we bought some paperbacks to take with us to Italy and a few vegetables as Sheila wants to make some soup for the weekend.
We took the sky-train back to the nearest station to the apartment and then a taxi. We were very fortunate with the traffic especially given the time of day and it being a Friday.
When we got home we found diner was waiting for us Khun Noy having prepared a soy and herb soup followed by won-ton and lettuce. I weakened and followed up with some raspberry sorbet for which I should have felt a little guilty, but I managed to suppress that obtuse emotion.
Saturday 19th August 2006
We all arose a little tardy Adam had been out for with the chaps from the office and then to Japanese restaurant for dinner and was still a little seedy as in the ‘bottom of a parrot’s cage. Adam and I then went to the gym I did my usual seventy six laps while had a work out with his personal trainer. Sheila decided to stay home a d make some lentil soup for dinner. After the gym we went to a sports-shop down Silom road where Adam was trying to get some new cross-trainers and a particular type of shorts. He failed in that endeavor but succeeded in the most important errand that was getting three pints of ‘Haagen Dazs’ ice cream one Pralines and Cream, one Strawberry Cheesecake and my selection ‘Banoffe’ that is a mixture of banana and toffee.
I also walked down to the video shop in Suanplu to see if they had the original sound track version of ‘The Producers’. No their only copy had been taken for an overnight hire ten days ago and had still not be returned. The shop assistant looked somewhat shocked as I drew my finger across my throat and suggested that they do this to the ‘farang’ who had not returned the DVD.
The lentil soup was very tasty and much enjoyed then we settled down with large bowls of ice-cream and watched a number of ‘National Geographic Air Accident Investigation’ programs. Not a relaxing way to spend the evening when I thought about our flights the following week.
Sunday 20th August 2006
Surprisingly we all got up early but still too late to make mass if we had been that way inclined. Adam and I went to the gym early afternoon Adam with his personal training and me with my pool lapping. All was without incident until I returned to the locker room and found that the tag and key to my locker were missing from the clip attached to the inside of my bathers. I was of course in no doubt where they were i.e. the bottom of the pool. I walked back up t the pool and luckily there were three young lads there wearing swimming goggles and I hailed them “Excuse me chaps I have lost my locker key and tag on the bottom of the pool would you please have a look for them?”
“No problems” they said and within a minute one of them had found the key and tag and returned them to me, much to the chagrin of the others who were enjoying the search as it gave them something useful to do.
After gym Adam and I drove to his office building to park his ca and then walk about a hundred meters or so to the Siam Paragon centre
For those are interested in those sort of places the web site is http://www.thaiwebsites.com/siamparagon.asp.
Adam was keen to pursue his search for cross-trainers and shorts and also have a look at the sports cars that we had mentioned. Still no success with the shoes and shorts but I took the opportunity to take some photos of the cars and the shopping centre generally so that Sheila had further evidence of the civilized shopping not just the shops that I frequent. After the Paragon shopping centre Adam took me to see the views from his office, pick up Sheila from her Pilates Class and then go to Starbucks for coffee. Adam gets a tad frustrated at Starbucks as they ALWAYS have great difficulty in delivering a ‘Low fat cappuccino’ although he has been asking for it every day for over two years.
Dinner was a huge Lebanese banquet that Adam ordered to be delivered and I think even after my most valiant efforts it still provided enough materials for three days lunches.
It was of course finished off by the remaining ice-cream from the night before. We watched a DVD ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ a well made movie, but I think a real horror movie.
The photos follow:
Inside Sian Paragon Shopping Centre
The outside of the office block that contains Adams’s office on the 26th floor
A series of views from Adam’s office, the green bit is the Royal Bangkok Sports Club
This is where the Grandmother of the King was ‘pickled’ after her death
21st August 2006
I went to the supermarket ‘Tops’ at the end of the soi quite early and fed the dogs some Lebanese banquet on the way. They appreciated it very much. In addition to my usual copy of the ‘Bangkok Post’ I was keen to get some wrapping paper, sticky tape and a card so that Sheila would wrap up the parcel for Juan, Paola and their sons Joshuka and Joachin. Sheila was not impressed that I bought a ‘birthday’ card to celebrate the birth of Joachin, but hey he was born recently wasn’t he and that was what we were recognizing his being born i.e. birthday! Anyway Sheila did a good job of wrapping the parcel and I wrote that card as Sheila protested that she would not write in a ‘birthday’ card. I have to say that the range of cards was not huge and the only other card with babies on had the words ‘Have a Happy Heart Day’. I took the parcel to the Suanplu Post Office and my lady friend there was very helpful as usual and sold me a padded post pack and all the stamps etc to send the parcel to Mexico for an all up cost of about 350 baht, that is about 11 dollars Australian and that included registering it for recorded delivery.
On the way back I called into my favorite barber shop for a pre-Italy hair cut. A different young lady escorted me to her chair and was a ‘chatty’ barber. Normally I don’t want to chat I just want a haircut, but she was determined to help increase my Thai vocabulary. I was surprised when she told me that she was a Roman Catholic Christian and went to mass every Sunday. She also said “you go to Church also on Sunday?”
“No the only place I visit on a Sunday morning is both sides of my pillow”, I replied.
She looked at me rather sternly and then bent her head down to near my ear and asked “you want massage?”
“No sorry, just a haircut number one comb”, I spluttered; catholic girls can be the worst so I have been told.
With the offer made and declined that transaction was out of the way and we concentrated on the haircut and my Thai language lessons. Though I don’t think I remembered any of it a few minutes after I left the shop. I answered her question about the English word for ‘tweezers’ while she complied with my request to pluck the hairs out of my ears. She was very nervous about doing it worried that it was hurting me, it would have hurt less if she had pulled them out quickly rather than slowly, but I thought it was to hard to explain.
Sheila and I went to gym in the later afternoon Sheila for a Pilates class and me the pool.
I was the only person in the pool area and I do wish they had some sort of lap counting mechanism as I tend to lose count and then start again from the last number that I clearly remember.
Adam came to the gym later and Sheila and I waited while he finished his regime. Khun Boon Chuay drove us home about 2030 and dinner was a ‘green curry with chicken and rice followed by mango sticky rice. Adam did not eat the curry as he said it was full of coconut cream and he was trying to keep his weight down. Adam also ‘passed’ on the mango sticky rice for similar reasons but Sheila and I felt duty bound to eat as much as we could so that Khun Noy would think that all three of us had eaten it and she would not be upset. Adam had some of the remains of the Lebanese banquet. Rosalind is still in Hobart. Adam and Sheila watched a episode of ‘House’ while I brought the journal up to date.
posted by John Lunn at 9:03 AM
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