We’re hanging out in the city and have met up with some friends.
The Patpong and Soi Cowboy streets have been explored, although it is reputedly tamer than it has been in years. Nothing like having a local friend as a tour guide. Despite the alleged tameness of the area, uniquely untame objectifying experiences can still be found in abundance throughout the city.
We ended up at the Foreign Correspondant’s Club (freelance journalists) to hear our friends play. We met some univeristy instructors from the music program and found ourselves listening to a mixture of jazz piano ’space music’ with violin and flute accompaniments. This was against the backdrop of an aging wood-side paneled and black-and-white photograph framed room that contained a bar encircled by journalists that Hunter S. Thompson must have hand picked out of one of his novels.
And a few evenings later, we wandered through the park and found an evening open air concert under the palm trees with a 15 person group playing traditional Northeastern Thai instruments. The music was wonderful, the evening air was balmy and the fresh pressed orange juice just added to the tropical feel of the evening.
Derrell’s been getting a constant dose of spicy food. He keeps telling the street vendors ‘phet! phet!’ He actually ended up with a ‘phet’ level of spice on one of the take-away noodles. Both of us were uttering ‘phet! phet!’ after about three bites. I ended up trying a triad of solutions, such as brushing my teeth, dragging a napkin over my tongue and chewing gum (which immediately turned into a gooey nuclear resin), and Derrell just sat there swooning with sweat dripping from most everything above the chin and mumbling, ‘phet! Isn’t this great?!’ Well, from here on out, I’m ordering noodles well-before Derrell chirps adjectives at the polite vendors.
We’ve found noodle bowls in all styles, pad thai, woon sens, Vietnamese pho, congee (chinese breakfast rice porridge with all the salty and spicy fixings.. nothing is as good as fish sauce first thing in the morning with bean sprouts and pickled chilis), iced coffees, lychee slushies, sticky rice and fresh pineapple. We’ve so far avoided trying any fried bugs and worms (although we’ve seen plenty of varieties for sale… and actually being sold), and we’ve also avoided the durian fruit (aka, jackfruit.. onion with cheese flavored fruit still sounds challenging). We may cave and give the latter a try, but the fried leggy things… no way. How can anyone eat a deep fried scorpions?
Sort of in a holding pattern this week at a plush hotel with air-conditioning, hot water and quiet rooms. We just got laundry washed yesterday. Every last item that was washable was handed over, so the smell of India has almost departed from our luggage. We haven’t been sightseeing in the city yet. The lazy factor is outweighing our desire to see jaw-dropping historical wats and gold and emerald buddhas. Although, we are starting to come around and think that we should actually get up before 11 AM and join the camera toting crowds for a day. Hmm, maybe tomorrow.. or better yet, the day after… or… noodle bowl in an air-conditioned cafe anyone?
