General Business

Saw this chap during a very enjoyable day around Chatuchak market with M and the Missus. No reason for posting it, I just like the photo.They really go for the western thing here, no idea why. The stetson is, in my opinion, one of the US's better exports. Along with pool, burgers and Specialized (with a z) bikes. Oh, and blues.

Our day in "JJ" (jatujak) was finished off nicely when we discovered a bar on the edge of the market that plays really good music. I noted down two tracks, after asking the (French) DJ what they were called, and when I track them down I will post them here of course, for your listening pleasure. A very enjoyable end to a day of haggling. Next time I visit I'll make sure it's late afternoon...

I also liked this sign on the lifts in Supalai Park:What, faulty wiring?

Found an excellent jazz music venue in Silom this weekend, and sat with Lyn for an hour watching and listening to a very good four piece band. Poor Lyn is still a bit jet-lagged so she nodded off while I tapped my feet and nodded my head knowledgeably (and probably completely out of time). I actually applauded their last number half way through during a long pause. Embarrassing, especially when the drummer looked round at me and laughed. Solidarity? Nah. Anyway for people coming to Bangkok, the place is called Niu Bar. I might take the missus back there when she's able to stay awake for more than 30 mins at a stretch, and have a meal.

Speaking of the incredible sleeping woman, she's currently snoozing by the pool. This is quite a trick since direct sunlight is in a narrow stripe caused by the gap between buildings one and two between 11am and 2pm. Constant exposure is not possible without moving two feet to the left every twenty minutes or so, and even then you'd have to sit in the paddling pool between 12.30 and 12.45. No joke, they actually built the pool in the shade of the building it belongs to. Corking.

More soon, be good.

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more.

Normal practice, when stepping in wet concrete, is to hastily backtrack and check if anyone noticed, then get away quickly. At least that's how I see it. Apparently here, you just keep walking till you get where you're going, hardly even noticing you've ruined some poor council worker's pride and joy (not to mention a perfectly good pair of flip flops). I wonder what bob the builder thought when he returned to check his handiwork.
While we're on culture shock, I went to a Thai wedding this week. Very different to a western-style one in some ways, yet similar in other ways. It was obviously something that took a lot of preparation and cost a lot of money that's for sure. Here are the happy couple (Nin and Yui) with all the lovely ladies from our office..
There was no ceremony as such, or at least we didn't get to see one. Apparently they just have a formal signing of the marriage certificate and that happened earlier in the day. There was a very extensive Chinese banquet (Yui is Chinese) followed by a video which was projected onto a giant screen at the end of the hall. The video was a montage of photos of the couple, and a cartoon which described how they met and how their relationship developed. There was also a joint pre-recorded speech by the bride and groom. After the video, the Bride's father made a short speech on stage and the master of ceremonies interviewed the happy couple. That was it. An enjoyable and very interesting evening.

Wifey and Maureen are on the plane as we speak, coming here to cheer me up. I have fizzy wine and cheese in the fridge to make them feel at home. It'll be nice to have company and to show off the swanky new apartment. Still no internet but I do have the telly working. We're off to Koh Chang next Friday for four nights, can't wait.

Be good

Holy War

This is interesting:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8468981.stm

As I read it I got more worried. By the end I could hardly read it because I was shaking my head in disbelief, especially at the blurb from the Trijicon spokesman. I found myself hoping that the company suffers loss of orders as a reaction. Maybe bankruptcy. After that maybe a liberal dose of hanging, drawing and quartering.

It's a sick world. Sick sick sick.

Moving, new apartment

I moved. it was gud. photo.(Everything I own fits into one pickup truck)

Only one small disaster - on putting everything away in the new place I noticed a 50% reduction in the number of bolster pillows. Shame. I remember putting it on the truck though. There is now a pristine white bolster in the road somewhere between Sukhumvit and Chatuchak.

Speaking of the new gaff, here's video. Sound is awful, you'll have to turn it up to hear my highly amusing commentary. I hated listening to my own voice - I sound like a pompous git desperately trying not to sound like I come from Liverpool...

I have no telly signal or broadband in the new place yet (henceforward known as Supalai Park, because that's where it is) so I'm sat in the old one using up the last of my batteries. I hope you're grateful. Normal service will be resumed in a week or so hopefully. I hope wifey doesn't have to sit around with no telly, she'll kill me.

Met Pete and Tracy

I met up with perennial asia-hoppers Peter and Tracy last night. Had a great time talking, eating, and drinking with them. Their annual trek around SE Asia has been quite eventful it seems. Made me want to take a month off myself. Here they are at Nana BTS station:


Speaking of adventures, I saw a little item on Guardian online about "Festival in the Desert", which is a music festival that happens in deepest Saharan Mali. Apparently it isn't easy to get to but from the little clips of video it looks like a great experience. Might try to get wifey interested, although it's hard to sell living in a tent with no electricity, plumbing etc, just to listen to some music in the company of 300 Touaregs on camels. However, she's a game bird and you never know. A link to the Guardian article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/video/2008/jan/17/desert2008

Speaking of wifey, she arrives in 7 days and I haven't even moved into the new apartment yet. Things are getting a bit compressed. Better get packing. Now's the time when I wish I'd kept all the boxes from the stuff I've bought since getting here. In fact I did keep a lot, but yesterday upon getting them out of the storeroom they disintegrated into brown grit. Some kind of mould, or a bug, seems to have enjoyed munching the cardboard. Oh well, looks like it's plastic bags and damaged goods.

I've booked a trip to Koh Chang at the end of this month and I can't wait. Four nights in a posh "Oriental Suite" with nothing to do but eat and drink. And read. And swim, hike, ride bikes, surf, use the gym.. blimey, I'll be glad when it's over.

If you can't fight, wear a big hat.

..or...

If you're going to tell lies, tell big ones.

I laughed at this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/coventry_warwickshire/8454415.stm

The guy's got a barn door's worth of medals on his chest. He's 61 and therefore missed his chance vis-a-vis the second world war by the best part of a fair bit, but apparently had medals from said conflict. Like most blokes, I've gone to some lengths to convince my missus I'm hard as nails and dead brave, but this chap went a bit far, apparently to impress his new his 37-year-old wife. Wonder if she's still cooking his tea for when he gets home from community service every night?

Posthumous thanks to my Dad (who really was in the war) for the title to this blog.

Be good, and be honest.

End of an Era

Last few days in the Sukhumvit apartment. Shall I have a big fat party and trash the place? You're all invited. Actually I've found myself looking around the place with some fondness this last week. I am prone to nostalgia and revel in it at the slightest excuse.

In other news, daughter Alex has reappeared from the frozen wastes of Europe with tales of derring-do for us all. I must admit I was slightly worried, considering the weather that's been happening "Over there". I also admit to a big slice of jealousy because it's ages since I've been skiing and I love doing it, even if I do only go on blue runs. I'm crap and I like it, so there. Which reminds me, I used the word "Skiing" in a message to Alex today - she'll be most insulted, being far too trendy to strap on two planks when one will do. "Boarding" would have been the correct word. (Sorry love)

More nonsense when I've settled in. That has to be quick because Lady Park-Railings arrives in ten days and she'll want to inspect the new lodgings thouroughly. Anyway, later taters.

"You want go-fiss misturr?"

I was making my way home today in the pissing down rain, thinking it was nice weather for goldfish. Next thing this chap appeared....

(Yes they are fish on a stick)

Needless to say I didn'y buy one. It's so typically Thai, to go round the streets expecting people to say "just what I came out for - a half-dead guppy". I wonder if he sold any. The fish would have fared better if I'd bought the whole pole and released them into the overflowing gutter. I hope wifey doesn't get too upset on reading this, she hates cruelty to fish, except when it's battered and fried.

In other news, I missed off an acecdote from our xmas season. We went to New-Years-Day dinner at Suzi's (lyn's sister - hello S) and had a good bodhran session after dinner(Which was delicious thanks). Three drums present - what a lovely noise. Next time Steve, don't forget yours, and we'll give the neighbours something to complain about. No pictures of the event, let alone video. Never mind.

Be good.

Five Flipping Hours in Freezing Frankfurt

Been here three hours already, still two `till the gate opens. Ah well, where else would I be? Don´t answer that.
Look out for a catch-up blog (titled "Catch-up" - yes I can do obvious), in which I will post some photos and video harvested from my spare phone, also whatever I can remember from the Christmas festivities will be described. The stuff from the old phone is very grainy but I promised myself I would try to show the excitement of my first day in Bangladesh. Maybe I`ll set it to music, dunno yet. Speaking of music, thanks to steve I have two long Capercaille albums to peruse, on top of my three African albums from a pre-christmas shopping spree. Must be something on there that`s suitable for a seaplane landing..
Right. bored with typing on this silly steel keyboard, time to wander around some more, listen to people talking in squares and triangles. Maybe another coffee. Nah, I want to sleep on this flight.
Be good, and remember your resolutions.