When last I wrote on this topic, the Bangkok afternoon was just beginning to slide by. Here's where I wished I'd got out of the freakin' apartment in the "cooler" part of the day and headed out to explore a new neighbourhood. I'm looking for an area to live in. Secondarily, I'd just like to know a bit more about the massive city. I'm looking outward from the core. Or at least one core, that of the tourist hordes, namely Sukhumvit Road. I figure that the camera in my hands would tip the balance for: Go? Or no go? It's the hottest part of the day now in a long hot day in Bangkok. Temps probably 34 to 36C. No go!
7. Messages abound. Where to go? Bull’s Head on soi 33/1, Londoner at 33 and Sukhumvit, or diversion to Soi 8 bar on (guess where?) soi 8 and Sukhumvit, or early start at Washington Square’s Silver Dollar. Nice quiet patio. That’s a good start, covering 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
8. I could at least get some banking done. Check the on-hand cash and travellers' cheque reserves. Okay, leave that alone. Let's go to the ATM. An aside: Did you know that in Thailand I can send money via any ATM, of any bank, to anyone at any other bank? That's just too cool. And I can check off the SMS message and the receiver will get the cash and SMS almost instantly. Way cool! You can't do this in Canada . . . oh, oh, rant coming . . . uh, phew! Another time.
9. Argh! Haven't eaten much yet. Let's see. There's all-day brekkie at Silver Dollar for 110 baht when on special. But my fave beckons, The Corner Place at soi 23 (see image above) and soi Cowboy. Also my friends call it Tiger's Bar, after the name of the Chinese-Thai owner. Cool dude. Good food, with actual vegetables in the fried noodles or rice, not those wispy green smidgens you usually get in a roadside stand. I went there more and more often, as I felt I really needed to get more veg down and Corner Place does the trick. 40 or 50 baht, depending on meat. A soda (really!) and juice. A 110 baht all in. And some nice eye candy, to boot. Other food places in my stroll include an open kitchen a scuff and twist down soi 14, Hare and Hound on Washington Square and soi 38 for just about anything Thai or Japanese. If I'm really pulling out all the stops, there's the Londoner, with its vastly overpriced but very good food. But, that's for later.
10. It's out of soi Cowboy and maybe a trudge back to and deep down soi 22, where I was staying. It's a slog. Crossing 10-lane wide Asok is an exercise in sweat, (maybe) blood and tears. So it's underground via the MRT Sukhumvit entrance and to the other side of Asok, fresher if not drier.
11. The challenge is to pass by the Washington Square entrance bars but today I make it past them and all the massage parlours along 22. The girls don't even ask me anymore, since they've seen me go by many times and not stop in. But see my Italian friend Franki again at the little Thai coffee stop down 22 at soi Sai Nam Thip. 20 baht. I can hear the hot little two-stroke motorcycle coming and sure enough, it's the same nutsoid flying up toward Suk, no helmet, no gloves, no nothing except testosterone. Occasional wheelies are performed. We're all betting we don't see him next vacation season.
12. Time to go home and have a shower and nap. It's 2-for-1 pints at the Londoner till 7 p.m. But I'll be late and SMS a few friends to put in an order. Aha, Chuck's there already.13. My serviced apartment cost 11,000 baht ($350) a month. That gets me about 30 square metres of square space: big bed, kitchen table, sink, work table, mid-size fridge, large closet, multiple lights, free internet, sizeable balcony and two changes of linen a week and one cleanup. Not bad. Nap time.
Guess that's enough for this time. Don't want to bore you with so many words. Tune in next time when the night life gets in gear.
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