City of Angels
...not Los Angeles, but Bangkok, Thailand. Yep, that's the name. I checked in at the Sheraton on the River and got setup with a nice riverview suite. The hotel was a little out of the way and taxis (or Tuk Tuk two-stroke carts) were the only way to get around. The metered taxis were not bad, averaging $2 for a ride anywhere, and $2 back. Going back you had to make sure that the driver used his meter or else he would try and stick you for $4. Bastids! I had a couple of nights to myself so I decided to head out for dinner. I went to a place called "Cabbages and Condoms" that is owned by the former Thai minister of health. It uses proceeds to spread health awareness and programs around the Kingdom. Plus, it darned good Thai food! It's right around the corner from the *other* Sheraton, so it was easy getting there and back. I ordered a couple of dishes and asked for them to make it very mild. They said "sure" and what came back was pretty spicy. Over the last five years or so I have developed a problem eating spicy food. I used to be able to smal down the Flint's BBQ "Hot" (when it really was HOT) and even chew and swallow the "chips". No longer. Now, if I eat too much spicy food I get flu-like symptoms. Poor me! Anyway, I am getting better at knowing when to say when. I had a little dinner and headed back to the Sheraton. Bangkok nightlife is not for me and the hotel I was at is a welcome sanctuary from Bangkok's seedier side.
The next day I decided to go for a walk. And walk I did, from my hotel to the MBK shopping plaze (near the National Stadium), then over to Lumpihi Park, then back to the hotel. The total may have been 10K I am thinking. All this in the hot Bangkok weather. I am not good at some things, but I can walk in hot weather. Must be the camel in me. Lumpihi Park is a great place to get away from the noise and crowding of Bangkok. People just come there to chill. I camped out next to the little lake and there were people simply relaxing, like the people next to me.
Another group of people smiled and waved to me and tried talking to me in Thai. I am sure they were inviting me for something. Unfortunately, the grandfather was signaling to me in what can only be described as the international hand-motion for male self-abuse. Being 99% certain that he meant something else was not enough, as the lingering 1% sent me off to my own little corner of the park. After the long walk home I was exhausted and had dinner at the hotel, never realizing the fabulous food that was just a short walk away...
The next morning I made some calls and met up with some friends I know in Bangkok, and their relatives who were visiting from Singapore (who I knew better, actually). We had lunch at the Emporium shopping mall which was unspectacular save for the coconut sorbet dessert which was like nothing I have ever had. Young coconut, sweetened coconut milk, ice. It's flat out the best thing in the world....except sticky rice and mango, that is. They were off the the airport and gave me a ride there so I could wait to pick up my friend Megan.
About an hour after her plane touched down, she rolled out the main gate and we got our Limo (not really a Limo, just a car that isn't all beat up and a driver who won't try to take you to 20 places before he takes you to your hotel) and headed to the Sheraton. Megan's probably the only person I know that likes to eat as much as I do. Well, there's another friend from SF who probably beats me also, but I come in a solid 3rd. We sign up for a tour and see few sights:
The solid-gold buddah. Yeah, solid gold, and I don't mean that he's dancing with Denny Terio. The story is that the statue was covered with plaster so that invading Burmese wouldn't steal it. Over time people forgot that it was gold underneath until someone accidentally cracked off a piece of plaster and they saw the gold shine through. Anyway, this thing weighs 11,000 pounds. Buddhism has some cool stuff. Show me an 11,000 pound 24 Karat Jesus, right? Shaddap!
We also saw the reclining Buddah, and the marble temple. Finally, we took a tour of the Royal Palace grounds (the public part) and sae the famous Emerald Buddah. He's actually Jade, but who knew? You can see he's got on his winter coat. The King changes his clothes three times a year. Now, at the palace, they used to have an area reserved for concubines. And oh, there were many, and *only* the concubines and the King himself were ever allowed into that area. The current King has one wife and no concubines so that tradition looks to have been quashed. Meanwhile, there is still a guard there by the door who doesn't let dirty scumbags in to take a peek.
A little research reveals that Bangkok has a nice Chinatown area and we decide to hear there for dinner. Missing food pics? Hang on!
The next day I decided to go for a walk. And walk I did, from my hotel to the MBK shopping plaze (near the National Stadium), then over to Lumpihi Park, then back to the hotel. The total may have been 10K I am thinking. All this in the hot Bangkok weather. I am not good at some things, but I can walk in hot weather. Must be the camel in me. Lumpihi Park is a great place to get away from the noise and crowding of Bangkok. People just come there to chill. I camped out next to the little lake and there were people simply relaxing, like the people next to me.
Another group of people smiled and waved to me and tried talking to me in Thai. I am sure they were inviting me for something. Unfortunately, the grandfather was signaling to me in what can only be described as the international hand-motion for male self-abuse. Being 99% certain that he meant something else was not enough, as the lingering 1% sent me off to my own little corner of the park. After the long walk home I was exhausted and had dinner at the hotel, never realizing the fabulous food that was just a short walk away...
The next morning I made some calls and met up with some friends I know in Bangkok, and their relatives who were visiting from Singapore (who I knew better, actually). We had lunch at the Emporium shopping mall which was unspectacular save for the coconut sorbet dessert which was like nothing I have ever had. Young coconut, sweetened coconut milk, ice. It's flat out the best thing in the world....except sticky rice and mango, that is. They were off the the airport and gave me a ride there so I could wait to pick up my friend Megan.
About an hour after her plane touched down, she rolled out the main gate and we got our Limo (not really a Limo, just a car that isn't all beat up and a driver who won't try to take you to 20 places before he takes you to your hotel) and headed to the Sheraton. Megan's probably the only person I know that likes to eat as much as I do. Well, there's another friend from SF who probably beats me also, but I come in a solid 3rd. We sign up for a tour and see few sights:
The solid-gold buddah. Yeah, solid gold, and I don't mean that he's dancing with Denny Terio. The story is that the statue was covered with plaster so that invading Burmese wouldn't steal it. Over time people forgot that it was gold underneath until someone accidentally cracked off a piece of plaster and they saw the gold shine through. Anyway, this thing weighs 11,000 pounds. Buddhism has some cool stuff. Show me an 11,000 pound 24 Karat Jesus, right? Shaddap!
We also saw the reclining Buddah, and the marble temple. Finally, we took a tour of the Royal Palace grounds (the public part) and sae the famous Emerald Buddah. He's actually Jade, but who knew? You can see he's got on his winter coat. The King changes his clothes three times a year. Now, at the palace, they used to have an area reserved for concubines. And oh, there were many, and *only* the concubines and the King himself were ever allowed into that area. The current King has one wife and no concubines so that tradition looks to have been quashed. Meanwhile, there is still a guard there by the door who doesn't let dirty scumbags in to take a peek.
A little research reveals that Bangkok has a nice Chinatown area and we decide to hear there for dinner. Missing food pics? Hang on!
posted by Free Buffet at 11:36 PM
3 Comments:
you are a brave man, sergé. not sure if i could eat in a restaurant that had the word 'condom' in its name.
i'm jealous of all your good food consumption!!!!
alex
heheheh.
you DO realise what they give you instead of an after-dinner mint, don't you???
-serge
lube?? lol
alex
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