30th Episode of Bangkok Days and Nights
Dinner was large fillets of fish in tempura batter with three each of a Thai home made version of ‘chiko’ rolls plus an herbed green salad. It was interesting to watch Khun Noy make the large rolls and cook them in a shallow fry pan turning them every so often with chopsticks. It really was too large a meal again but it is hard to turn it away though I found it difficult to get to sleep.
Sheila also liked the film ‘Capote’ agreeing that the actors performance was excellent though Sheila was not impressed with the persona of Capote thinking that he was a ‘user’.
I have just started a new book ‘the Star’s Tennis balls written by Stephen Fry; having recently completed reading:
‘Adrian Mole the Cappuccino years’ very light relief, but made a change.
‘Scurvy- How a Surgeon, a Mariner and A Gentleman Solved the Greatest Medical Mystery of the Age of Sail’. Written by Stephen R. Brown, not a bad read a little like some of Simon Winchester’s books, but not in the same league.
‘English Passengers’ written by Matthew Kneale and Winner of the 2000 Whitbread Book of the Year. It is rubbish and I did not finish it which is something I rarely do. I have formed the opinion that many times winners of various book awards win for reasons that have nothing to do with readability.
Adam had been to gym, but still was home in time to eat his share of the fish and ‘chiko’ rolls.
We watched an old episode of ‘Redcap’ and British program and then NCIS and Seinfeld.
24th August 2006
I was up at 0815 and ate an early breakfast, but by the time Adam and Sheila got up I was exhausted and went back to bed for a rest.
Sheila had a hair appointment at the Sheraton Hotel and asked me if I wanted to go along and have a walk while she had her hair done and then we would go to another suburb that Rosalind and Sheila liked, to see the shops. “Yes love to!”
Khun Boon Chuay drove us to the Sheraton just before 1300 and I tried to indicate that Sheila would be finished by two ‘o’ clock.
Sheila went to the hair salon and I went for a walk along the main road called Sukhumvit.
As I walked along looking for a coffee shop I came across a beggar lady on the pavement who had no fingers and no legs from the knees down; with the end of one of her stumps covered in flies. She asked for alms, but I am very conscious of the fact that many of these people are exploited by gangs and any money they get is taken by the gangs. However this ‘fact’ does not relieve me of feeling concerned for the lady.
I found a coffee shop and after reading the daily paper, eating a blueberry muffin and drinking a hot chocolate I was determined to do something for the beggar lady.
While looking for her I found a fruit stall and bought a large bunch of bananas some of which were ripe for eating now and the rest green, which ripen over the next day. Luckily I found my lady and was able to give her the bananas for which she seemed pleased. On the way back to the hotel I noticed a small bundle of banknotes fall from a chap’s pocket.
He had no idea that he had dropped them and it took me a few seconds to catch him and return the banknotes. He was Thai and very embarrassed and pleased to get them back and I was happy that it was my ‘merit earning’ day that day.
When I got to the salon Sheila was just coming out and we went to the sixth floor of the parking station to find Khun Boon Chuay. Well the car was there but no Khun Boon Chauy, still it was only 1350 so we thought that he would be back at 1400. The hour came and went and we concluded that Khun Boon Chuay had interpreted two ‘o’ clock as meaning that Sheila would be two hours. Not an unreasonable conclusion given how long Rosalind takes at the hair dressers. However Sheila had the bright idea of looking downstairs for the ‘drivers’ room, a rest room that is often provided by hotels for drivers while they wait for their passengers. I stayed with the car in case Khun Boon Chuay came back another way, but in a couple of minutes they both came up in the lift together.
Our next stop was in an area called Thong Lo and the ‘Villa’ supermarket there on Soi Klang. We told Khun Boon Chuay that we would find our own way back by taxi so that he could get to Adam’s office in time to pick Adam up from work.
The soi Klang is a lot wider and has more trees than many others so is quite a pleasant walk. Sheila is happier walking along there as the shops are a lot more up-market than the stalls in Suanplu. We went into one coffee shop for a drink and something to eat, but the menu did not satisfy Sheila’s desire so after a quick cold drink we wandered some more.
Along the way we crossed the road and went into a bank and drew some money out on our credit card, luckily Sheila had a photocopy of her passport in her lady bag and this transaction was achieved with no problems. We started walking back the way we had come and a little further along Sheila spotted a more up-market restaurant/café called ‘Vanilla’. After Sheila interrogated the menu we had some cold drinks, Sheila a salmon baguette and me a chicken mozzarella Panini. We needed to walk some more after than but soon decided that a taxi was a good idea because if we left it any later we would end up in the Bangkok car-park for a couple of hours. Our judgment was sound and it only took us about twenty minutes to get back to the apartment.
Sheila transferred some money into the credit card account via ‘Netbanking’ to avoid paying interest and then telephoned Rosalind in Melbourne to see how she was.
Sheila then watched the film ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ while we waited for Khun Noy to finish preparing dinner.
Dinner was roast chicken with roast pumpkin and a green salad.
After diner we watched more episodes of ‘Red Cap’ and a quirky British TV murder film called ‘Murder in mind’.
Adam had to work late again as he had a major client from Singapore in town and a few pressing matters to discuss plus some opportunities in Malaysia.
Adam enjoyed his cold roast chicken and salad and then lead us astray by bringing in the ‘Tim Tams’. I had resisted them last night when Sheila opened them, but when the both of them got stuck in my resolve crumbled and so did the ‘Tim Tams’.
We also watched a very interesting National Geographic program about the Mafia.
Adam gave us the tickets for our flights to Singapore, Rome, Malta and back to Bangkok
He has booked us on ‘Business Class’ all the way which is even more fantastic. We started to get excited about the trip as it is less than a week before we were to go.
25th August 2006
Sheila was up very early and had eaten breakfast before I was interested in opening my eyes. The anti-ulcer medication we think has worked a treat, and it has made us wonder just how long Sheila and I have been suffering the effects of it.
Adam had a 0830 meeting in his office with the client from Singapore so he was long gone by the time I surfaced.
Sheila telephoned Rosalind in Melbourne yesterday just to see how she was and the work on re-proofing the roof. Sadly it was raining non-stop and this was preventing the completion of the waterproofing. Ironic I think; Rosalind is now planning to fly back to Bangkok on Tuesday which gives her very little opportunity to recover before we all fly to Italy. Rosalind telephoned this morning to ask Sheila if Sheila would go to the optometrist and pick up Rosalind’s sunglasses that were having the ‘correct’ lens put in.
I went along for the ride as it gets me out and about. Sheila was no sure that the lens was the ones that Rosalind wanted, but it can be fixed after we get back fro Italy, I guess, if they are still wrong. The next stop was back to the Sheraton hotel where Sheila wanted to buy some special hairspray that was only available there. When we arrived at the hair salon Sheila explained what she wanted and the lady at the counter presented Sheila with a pack in exchange for what I thought was great bundles of baht. Sheila said “I don’t think that this is the correct one,” to which the response was “yes yes same same“. Looking somewhat skeptical Sheila retreated to the car and Khun Boon Chuay took us home as we were feeling exhausted by the humidity and traffic.
When we got back to the apartment a quick check on the ‘web’ revealed that she had been correct in her assessment, it was not the correct one, but we just put it down to part of the experience of shopping in Bangkok.
We used the remains of the roast chicken for our lunch and I took the chicken skin down to the dogs on my way to buying the paper and some tomatoes. All four dogs were very keen on the chicken skin and nearly took the ends of my fingers in their excitement.
Dinner was meat balls with a superb tomato sauce and vegetables.
26th August 2006
Another day at the gym for Adam and I, Sheila decided to stay behind and have a facial part of her preparation regime for Italy the rest of the preparation will include nails and waxing during the week. After the gym we returned to the apartment to pick Sheila up and go for lunch to the ‘Vanilla’ café restaurant after which we went to the Emporium shopping complex to continue the search for Adam’s runners and shorts. Again with no success but we did get three pints of ‘Haagen Dazs’ ice cream of the following flavours: Rum and Raisin, for me Pralines and Cream for Adam and vanilla and Toffee for Sheila. Before dinner we had some cheese, semi-dried tomato and Parma ham. Dinner itself was lentil soup that Sheila had made a few days ago accompanied by a French loaf. Adam had some ice-cream but Sheila and I were too full.
27th August 2006
Adam Sheila and I went to the gym; Sheila had wrenched her knee a little at her last Pilates class so came for a swim with me while Adam did his workout and had a haircut.
After gym we went for lunch at ‘The Food Loft’ in the Chitlom Central shopping complex, Adam and I both ate Chinese and Sheila Vietnamese. Adam had another search for the new ‘runners’ and shorts that he was looking for, but it was another fruitless search.
Sheila had a slow look though the ‘Marks and Spencer’ department checking to see if they had new stock. There was no new stock and we went home to see the start of the formula one race held in Turkey.
Sheila prepared dinner which was mashed potatoes with mozzarella and black truffles peas and gourmet sausages from Australia. It was an excellent change from Asian or Middle Eastern. I also had some raspberry sorbet for pudding. Normally I am not a great fan of formula one racing but even I will admit that the race was exciting with the difference between second and third placing being a few thousands of a second. I felt very sorry for Felipe Massa it was his first formula one win and he featured very seldom in the race; it was all focused on Schumacher and Alonso. I think Massa’s mum would be really fed up when she got a video of the race.
After the race it was CSI special night on the television with first CSI LA, then CSI New York followed by CSI Miami. I don’t like them at all normally, but when I start to think of them as belong in the comedy genre I think they are very funny.
It was not a late night but Sheila did not have a restful night at all and I can remember Sheila ‘quietly’ opening the bedroom door and announcing “it’s not raining in Melbourne, I said it’s not raining in Melbourne!” “Ok thanks” I murmured this being sufficient response to allow me to continue my passionate affair with my pillow.
28th August 2006
The rain and continued presence of such has significance in that Rosalind had to wait for the rain to stop before the weatherproofing of the roof of the apartment block in Melbourne could be completed and she could get back on the plane to Bangkok. Sheila was intending to get up and go with Adam into the city so that Khun Boon Chuay could drop her off near the lady bag complex that she favours. However Sheila’s insomnia meant that Adam had long gone to work by the time Sheila had surfaced. I went for a walk down Suanplu to get my daily paper, check on the DVD of ‘The Producers’ and make a 1500 booking for Sheila to get a pre-Italy pedicure. The pre-Italy waxing will be tomorrow. I helped clean out the fridge at lunch time by using up the remaining meatballs and mashed potato. At 1445 I walked Sheila to her pedicure appointment partly to walk off some of my gargantuan lunch and partly to ensure that Sheila got across the intersection ok I walked back to escort her back at 1600. It was raining a little about lunch time and Sheila was suggesting that she get Khun Boon Chuay to drive her. It would be a total of about 250 metres so I was a bit concerned that Sheila was falling into the ‘farang’ lifestyle. Something to be nipped in the bud otherwise I could see me driving Sheila to the post box, to check the mail, at the end of our driveway when we get back home. I must admit that it did stop raining and Sheila did walk both ways without too much protest.
Sheila also liked the film ‘Capote’ agreeing that the actors performance was excellent though Sheila was not impressed with the persona of Capote thinking that he was a ‘user’.
I have just started a new book ‘the Star’s Tennis balls written by Stephen Fry; having recently completed reading:
‘Adrian Mole the Cappuccino years’ very light relief, but made a change.
‘Scurvy- How a Surgeon, a Mariner and A Gentleman Solved the Greatest Medical Mystery of the Age of Sail’. Written by Stephen R. Brown, not a bad read a little like some of Simon Winchester’s books, but not in the same league.
‘English Passengers’ written by Matthew Kneale and Winner of the 2000 Whitbread Book of the Year. It is rubbish and I did not finish it which is something I rarely do. I have formed the opinion that many times winners of various book awards win for reasons that have nothing to do with readability.
Adam had been to gym, but still was home in time to eat his share of the fish and ‘chiko’ rolls.
We watched an old episode of ‘Redcap’ and British program and then NCIS and Seinfeld.
24th August 2006
I was up at 0815 and ate an early breakfast, but by the time Adam and Sheila got up I was exhausted and went back to bed for a rest.
Sheila had a hair appointment at the Sheraton Hotel and asked me if I wanted to go along and have a walk while she had her hair done and then we would go to another suburb that Rosalind and Sheila liked, to see the shops. “Yes love to!”
Khun Boon Chuay drove us to the Sheraton just before 1300 and I tried to indicate that Sheila would be finished by two ‘o’ clock.
Sheila went to the hair salon and I went for a walk along the main road called Sukhumvit.
As I walked along looking for a coffee shop I came across a beggar lady on the pavement who had no fingers and no legs from the knees down; with the end of one of her stumps covered in flies. She asked for alms, but I am very conscious of the fact that many of these people are exploited by gangs and any money they get is taken by the gangs. However this ‘fact’ does not relieve me of feeling concerned for the lady.
I found a coffee shop and after reading the daily paper, eating a blueberry muffin and drinking a hot chocolate I was determined to do something for the beggar lady.
While looking for her I found a fruit stall and bought a large bunch of bananas some of which were ripe for eating now and the rest green, which ripen over the next day. Luckily I found my lady and was able to give her the bananas for which she seemed pleased. On the way back to the hotel I noticed a small bundle of banknotes fall from a chap’s pocket.
He had no idea that he had dropped them and it took me a few seconds to catch him and return the banknotes. He was Thai and very embarrassed and pleased to get them back and I was happy that it was my ‘merit earning’ day that day.
When I got to the salon Sheila was just coming out and we went to the sixth floor of the parking station to find Khun Boon Chuay. Well the car was there but no Khun Boon Chauy, still it was only 1350 so we thought that he would be back at 1400. The hour came and went and we concluded that Khun Boon Chuay had interpreted two ‘o’ clock as meaning that Sheila would be two hours. Not an unreasonable conclusion given how long Rosalind takes at the hair dressers. However Sheila had the bright idea of looking downstairs for the ‘drivers’ room, a rest room that is often provided by hotels for drivers while they wait for their passengers. I stayed with the car in case Khun Boon Chuay came back another way, but in a couple of minutes they both came up in the lift together.
Our next stop was in an area called Thong Lo and the ‘Villa’ supermarket there on Soi Klang. We told Khun Boon Chuay that we would find our own way back by taxi so that he could get to Adam’s office in time to pick Adam up from work.
The soi Klang is a lot wider and has more trees than many others so is quite a pleasant walk. Sheila is happier walking along there as the shops are a lot more up-market than the stalls in Suanplu. We went into one coffee shop for a drink and something to eat, but the menu did not satisfy Sheila’s desire so after a quick cold drink we wandered some more.
Along the way we crossed the road and went into a bank and drew some money out on our credit card, luckily Sheila had a photocopy of her passport in her lady bag and this transaction was achieved with no problems. We started walking back the way we had come and a little further along Sheila spotted a more up-market restaurant/café called ‘Vanilla’. After Sheila interrogated the menu we had some cold drinks, Sheila a salmon baguette and me a chicken mozzarella Panini. We needed to walk some more after than but soon decided that a taxi was a good idea because if we left it any later we would end up in the Bangkok car-park for a couple of hours. Our judgment was sound and it only took us about twenty minutes to get back to the apartment.
Sheila transferred some money into the credit card account via ‘Netbanking’ to avoid paying interest and then telephoned Rosalind in Melbourne to see how she was.
Sheila then watched the film ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ while we waited for Khun Noy to finish preparing dinner.
Dinner was roast chicken with roast pumpkin and a green salad.
After diner we watched more episodes of ‘Red Cap’ and a quirky British TV murder film called ‘Murder in mind’.
Adam had to work late again as he had a major client from Singapore in town and a few pressing matters to discuss plus some opportunities in Malaysia.
Adam enjoyed his cold roast chicken and salad and then lead us astray by bringing in the ‘Tim Tams’. I had resisted them last night when Sheila opened them, but when the both of them got stuck in my resolve crumbled and so did the ‘Tim Tams’.
We also watched a very interesting National Geographic program about the Mafia.
Adam gave us the tickets for our flights to Singapore, Rome, Malta and back to Bangkok
He has booked us on ‘Business Class’ all the way which is even more fantastic. We started to get excited about the trip as it is less than a week before we were to go.
25th August 2006
Sheila was up very early and had eaten breakfast before I was interested in opening my eyes. The anti-ulcer medication we think has worked a treat, and it has made us wonder just how long Sheila and I have been suffering the effects of it.
Adam had a 0830 meeting in his office with the client from Singapore so he was long gone by the time I surfaced.
Sheila telephoned Rosalind in Melbourne yesterday just to see how she was and the work on re-proofing the roof. Sadly it was raining non-stop and this was preventing the completion of the waterproofing. Ironic I think; Rosalind is now planning to fly back to Bangkok on Tuesday which gives her very little opportunity to recover before we all fly to Italy. Rosalind telephoned this morning to ask Sheila if Sheila would go to the optometrist and pick up Rosalind’s sunglasses that were having the ‘correct’ lens put in.
I went along for the ride as it gets me out and about. Sheila was no sure that the lens was the ones that Rosalind wanted, but it can be fixed after we get back fro Italy, I guess, if they are still wrong. The next stop was back to the Sheraton hotel where Sheila wanted to buy some special hairspray that was only available there. When we arrived at the hair salon Sheila explained what she wanted and the lady at the counter presented Sheila with a pack in exchange for what I thought was great bundles of baht. Sheila said “I don’t think that this is the correct one,” to which the response was “yes yes same same“. Looking somewhat skeptical Sheila retreated to the car and Khun Boon Chuay took us home as we were feeling exhausted by the humidity and traffic.
When we got back to the apartment a quick check on the ‘web’ revealed that she had been correct in her assessment, it was not the correct one, but we just put it down to part of the experience of shopping in Bangkok.
We used the remains of the roast chicken for our lunch and I took the chicken skin down to the dogs on my way to buying the paper and some tomatoes. All four dogs were very keen on the chicken skin and nearly took the ends of my fingers in their excitement.
Dinner was meat balls with a superb tomato sauce and vegetables.
26th August 2006
Another day at the gym for Adam and I, Sheila decided to stay behind and have a facial part of her preparation regime for Italy the rest of the preparation will include nails and waxing during the week. After the gym we returned to the apartment to pick Sheila up and go for lunch to the ‘Vanilla’ café restaurant after which we went to the Emporium shopping complex to continue the search for Adam’s runners and shorts. Again with no success but we did get three pints of ‘Haagen Dazs’ ice cream of the following flavours: Rum and Raisin, for me Pralines and Cream for Adam and vanilla and Toffee for Sheila. Before dinner we had some cheese, semi-dried tomato and Parma ham. Dinner itself was lentil soup that Sheila had made a few days ago accompanied by a French loaf. Adam had some ice-cream but Sheila and I were too full.
27th August 2006
Adam Sheila and I went to the gym; Sheila had wrenched her knee a little at her last Pilates class so came for a swim with me while Adam did his workout and had a haircut.
After gym we went for lunch at ‘The Food Loft’ in the Chitlom Central shopping complex, Adam and I both ate Chinese and Sheila Vietnamese. Adam had another search for the new ‘runners’ and shorts that he was looking for, but it was another fruitless search.
Sheila had a slow look though the ‘Marks and Spencer’ department checking to see if they had new stock. There was no new stock and we went home to see the start of the formula one race held in Turkey.
Sheila prepared dinner which was mashed potatoes with mozzarella and black truffles peas and gourmet sausages from Australia. It was an excellent change from Asian or Middle Eastern. I also had some raspberry sorbet for pudding. Normally I am not a great fan of formula one racing but even I will admit that the race was exciting with the difference between second and third placing being a few thousands of a second. I felt very sorry for Felipe Massa it was his first formula one win and he featured very seldom in the race; it was all focused on Schumacher and Alonso. I think Massa’s mum would be really fed up when she got a video of the race.
After the race it was CSI special night on the television with first CSI LA, then CSI New York followed by CSI Miami. I don’t like them at all normally, but when I start to think of them as belong in the comedy genre I think they are very funny.
It was not a late night but Sheila did not have a restful night at all and I can remember Sheila ‘quietly’ opening the bedroom door and announcing “it’s not raining in Melbourne, I said it’s not raining in Melbourne!” “Ok thanks” I murmured this being sufficient response to allow me to continue my passionate affair with my pillow.
28th August 2006
The rain and continued presence of such has significance in that Rosalind had to wait for the rain to stop before the weatherproofing of the roof of the apartment block in Melbourne could be completed and she could get back on the plane to Bangkok. Sheila was intending to get up and go with Adam into the city so that Khun Boon Chuay could drop her off near the lady bag complex that she favours. However Sheila’s insomnia meant that Adam had long gone to work by the time Sheila had surfaced. I went for a walk down Suanplu to get my daily paper, check on the DVD of ‘The Producers’ and make a 1500 booking for Sheila to get a pre-Italy pedicure. The pre-Italy waxing will be tomorrow. I helped clean out the fridge at lunch time by using up the remaining meatballs and mashed potato. At 1445 I walked Sheila to her pedicure appointment partly to walk off some of my gargantuan lunch and partly to ensure that Sheila got across the intersection ok I walked back to escort her back at 1600. It was raining a little about lunch time and Sheila was suggesting that she get Khun Boon Chuay to drive her. It would be a total of about 250 metres so I was a bit concerned that Sheila was falling into the ‘farang’ lifestyle. Something to be nipped in the bud otherwise I could see me driving Sheila to the post box, to check the mail, at the end of our driveway when we get back home. I must admit that it did stop raining and Sheila did walk both ways without too much protest.
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