Today's song is: A medley of folk and country music .. mellow listening
and you can gaze at the pretty Thai girl for hours :-)
Another great journalist has retired. Peter Mansbridge puts the current crop of journalists to shame. He was the Canadian equivalent of Walter Cronkite.
Of all the wannabees at CNN, only Amanpour comes close.
It is another Saturday night in Bangkok but it is Thavorn's turn for a night out so I am encouraging her to get out and have some fun. That usually involves a visit to Queen's Park on Soi 22, to vist friends and play some pool.
Shaun has headed off to Phuket to meet up with his gf for a couple of weeks. I think Jaidan will miss him as they seemed to have fun playing. Hugs all around to say goodbye.
Thavorn made some very yummy Thai treats for lunch. Minced pork, onions, salary, garlic, carrot, and a soft shell.
In the background is Jaidan's Lego train track that he enjoys playing with.
Today is Wednesday, middle of the week, time for a night out. It is also Shaun's last Wednesday in Bangkok so off to Nana we go. Why Nana? Why not? Nana is constantly reinventing itself, with bars coming and going and I have not been there in about 3 weeks.
Selfie from Hillary 4, Soi Nana
Bangkok seems quite quiet these days as it is low season. Thavorn and I stopped by Hillary 4, on Soi 4, yesterday afternoon. We like to sit and watch the flow of traffic and that is my basis for deciding Bangkok is quiet. We sipped a couple of beers and then walked back to Soi 22 as it was time to pick Jaidan up from school.
Jaidan seems to enjoy school and his early childhood educators say he is playing better with the other children. That was our goal of placing Jaidan into nursery school. We moved Jaidan off of formula into milk boxes on the school's suggestion. So far so good.
I am getting into the mood for my yearly visit to Canada. It is always good to see my sisters and my adult children. It also seems like there will be a fair amount of work for me to do with our business. I am also cat sitting for my sister Elaine while she is in England and Italy.
On Thursday night Shaun is baby sitting Jaidan while Thavorn, Her friend Poi, and myself are heading off to Hillary 2 on Soi Nana for some music and dance. Once you get over 2 people, it is usually cheaper to order a bottle.
I have decided that I will now train in my apartment using simple equipment that does not cost a lot of money. I am doing this for a variety of reasons but mostly because of recent research on getting and staying fit. It also fits in with my work environment in that I can take breaks from programming and do my exercises without leaving the apartment.
Throw in some planks for a minute at a time and your core will be very strong.
Theory states that a very high intensity exercise for a minute at a time gives you the same benefit as a 20 minute run. That's a very brief summary of the research and I encourage to read the above research.
So far I have discovered that it is easy to get breathing much heavier than I do in my 20 minute run. I have also discovered that 30 push ups at a fast rate does the same and is harder than lifting 300 kgs 10 times. My muscles are much more sore afterwards as well. The roller thingy is a creation from hell, but it makes your core very strong.
I will let you know how I progress but so far I am pleased with the results and it is way better than shelling out $1,000 a year for a gym membership!
1. Set of 30 situps
2. Set of 30 pushups
3. Set of rollies (12 reps, but hoping to increase soon :-)
Thailand encourages tourism by having a 30 day visa on arrival. What that means is you arrive at the airport , show your passport, get a piece of paper stapled inside it that states you must leave by this date. In 2016 a total of 32,588,303 tourists arrived during the year, which showed an increase of 2,665,118 tourists (8.91%) when compared with the previous year.
'Canada welcomed its second-highest number of visitors in 2016 and its highest amount than any year since 2002, according to new data released by Destination Canada. The 19,979,334 international visitors in 2016 were 10% more than in 2015 with increases across the board in Canada’s top tourism markets. The number of overseas visitors increased 16% to 6,079,520 while the number of U.S. visitors increased by 10% to 13,899,814. Outside of the U.S., the next largest source of visitors to Canada was the U.K., where 833,329 people came to Canada, or 17% more than in 2015.'
Most of Canada's tourism comes from the states where they simply drive across the border for the weekend or perhaps a week. Given the sorry state of the Canadian $ in relation to the US $ the increase should elicit a 'duh'. Almost all of the tourism comes from countries that don't require a visa.
The emerging markets in Asia and the S.E. Asia require visa and if you ever applied for a TRV or visitor's visa you would understand why it is such a turn off for anyone wanting to visit Canada.
IMHO, Canada is a much more beautiful and scenic country than Thailand. Seen one pristine beach or Buddhist temple, seen them all. Canadian airports suck compared to S.E. Asia with the exception of Vancouver airport which was upgraded for the winter Olympics.
The question that comes to mind is why does Canada throw road blocks (TRV's) to more tourism arrivals from the emerging markets? It appears to me, that the government bureaucrats are paranoid that the country will fill up with Asians who will over stay and claim refugee status. It begs the question why Thailand is not plagued by tourists overstaying their visa.
In actual fact Thailand does have a problem, but it pails in contrast to Canada's. Thailand is not a nanny state that provides free legal aid and welfare to people claiming refugee status. You are on your own, sink or swim. The people who overstay usually result to criminal activity to support themselves and they get rounded up and kicked out of the country or thrown in Thai jails which unlike Canadian prisons do not come equipped with color TVs, air conditioning, gyms, and free education.
A bigger problem Canada has is that they do not track when a visitor leaves, only when they enter, unlike most countries in the world. We don't even have a national ID card so it is hard to tell who belongs and who does not. If Canada had not wasted billions on the defunct long gun registry we could have implemented a better tracking system for visa arrivals.
Why do I care? I see the purchasing power of my Canadian $ tanking while traditional industries like the oil industry falter. The best natural resource we have is nature and it is always renewable with each passing season. Instead of tapping into the emerging tourism markets of Asia Canada brags about the increase from countries like the US and England. Perhaps the hidden rule is no brown or yellow tourists needed.
Where does Canada stand in the world with a 75 cent dollar? We are the tourism bargain of the western world, but at the same time we are held hostage inside Canada because of the 75 cent dollar makes it too expensive to visit abroad.
We should be proud to be the 'Giant Tiger' of the tourism world.
Four posts ago I talked about Thavorn's friend who appeared to have won the Farang lottery and scored herself a 60 year old, working in Bangkok who suggested he 'look after her' to the tune of 70,000 baht a month. He gave 70K and then bought her a new iPhone 7 for 35K.
I mentioned this to my 4 drinking buddies and we thought this was all too strange. It turns out that perhaps it is/was as Thavorn's friend has not heard from said farang for over a week now. The lottery appears to have run out. I suspect the farang decided to secure his investment by having Thavorn's friend followed and found out that she kept seeing her Thai boyfriend. Not all that unusual in the City of Angels.
I was out last night and arrived home about 2 am and I think we gave Harvey a great last night out in Bangkok. He flies out early Saturday morning and has a direct flight from Bangkok to London. Nine hours and back home, not too bad. He should be back in 2 or 3 months.
My fitness gym closed down unexpectedly and I am still in the search for a new gym to wok out in. Last night I bumped into a gym buddy and he too is still in the hunt for something affordable and close by. There are some but they are very pricey
I can't really recommend Crazy House these days. A couple of reasons. The girls are running a scam when they ask for a lady drink. Instead of asking for a whisky cola, they ask for a whisky and cola and that is actually 2 drinks and you are charge 330 baht which is the most expensive lady drink I know of in Bangkok. Chocolate, a long time friend (ex friend now) even pulled the scam on me. Chocolate had relocated to Phuket to have her baby (Thai boyfriend) but is now back at Crazy House because her earning potential is much greater than her Thai boyfriend who is looking after the child. Same Chocolate, but chubbier and with an ugly vertical c-section scar. I also noticed that the door person was asking for a cover charge on the Chinese tourists who wanted entry to Crazy House. All in all, a bad experience.
My buddy Shaun arrives on Monday and we will working on his programming skills by creating a draw poker game. However, when in Bangkok, It is important to leave your heart back in your room when you head out for a night in the City of Angels. Better to leave your brain in charge, rather than anything south of your head. :-)
I thought I would try a new look with the beard .. goatee and mini sideburns.
Inspired by :
I know, no comparison, but time will catch up with him ..
I just finished watching the Netflix series Spartacus. Thavorn got hooked on it as well. The next season of Marco Polo should be available soon, but in the meantime I am searching for something to occupy my times. I hear House of cards is good, but probably does not hold a candle to Trump vs the Dems :-)
Tonight is Harvey's last night out in Bangkok so we are off to the Kiwi Pub on Soi 8 for happy hour and then we will gravitate towards Cowboy. Phai, GF will accompany us so we will have to be good boys, at least Harvey. Harvey is an Englishman from South London but we expats never discriminate
.Harvey flies out early Saturday morning and my buddy Shaun from Malaysia flies in Monday. Shaun is here to partake of the night life and being the eager grasshopper that he is, wants to learn how to program in Javascript, CSS, and HTML5 and the foot of a master. make or break, should be good fun. May have to stock up on vodka and red Bull and pull some late nighters to pull him up to speed.
My Canadian buddy John also flies out Saturday morning to Canada to visit friends and family. I am scheduled out on August 7, returning on September 8th. Summer vacation takes on a whole different meaning for expats.
A good friend back in Canada passed me this link on the 'Expat's Guide to Arriving Back in Canada' from the Globe and mail. So true :-)
The Aussies had it right, at least Crocodile Dundee, when they go out on a walkabout to discover whatever. I guess our western world would consider a 'gap' year would be something similar, a time of discovery.
I indulge in walkabouts daily. Jaidan and I take a motorbike taxi to his school, but I always walk back. Thavorn and I choose to walk whenever possible, despite the 35 degree heat. We enjoy chatting with the Thai people along the way. They are often bored and like the chance to indulge in a little small talk.
As I head out of the lane I live on I encounter the lady who cooks with the spice that always makes me sneeze. A smile and swadee cup and then I say hello to the lady who runs the vegetable stand, and then after a wave to the motorcycle taxi drivers. I turn turn the corner onto Soi 22 and pass by the two mom and pop stores that sell everything a Thai person needs on a daily basis. This could be a beer or a package of charcoal, or a pack of cigarettes. I always say hello to an older man who reminds me of my Dad. He operates a shuttle truck, ferrying students to and from their school. The rest of the time he sits and watches life pass by.
I continue up the Soi and my next hello is the strange lady who runs a BBQ chicken cart and entertains various farangs who seem to enjoy her food and company. Every now and again she disappears for a weekend with one of them. She works very hard and seldom misses a day.
I continue up the Soi and say hello to a security guard who always wants to practice a new English phrase he has learned. I then pass the first massage shop and have to explain where I am going and where Jaidan is. I then start to approach the more upscale part of Soi 22 and say hello to the young man that stands outside the Indian restaurant for 15 hours a day. He no longer asks me if I want some Indian food but he always has a cheerful smile for me. Maybe one day I will indulge and go inside and eat.
Next up are a few carts where I say hello to the families running them and then I approach Queens Park Plaza and pass by a young couple who seem to run the best food cart. They also put in 15 hour days and are always smiling. I pass Rumors Bar (24 hour bar), exchanging swadees and then I wave hello to the ladies working a legit massage shop and proceed down the Soi past 2 more massage shops, sometimes stopping to chat with the ladies but mostly just exchanging pleasantries.
Last up on my Soi 22 walk are about 5 beer bars on my left and I smile and chat with some of the ladies. As I enter onto Sukhumvit, it is more of the same.
If I was to take a motorcycle taxi, or even ride a bicycle I would miss out on all that interaction. You definitely get a feel for the vibe of the street that changes from season to season but is remarkably constant from day to day. Walking is definitely the best method to learn about a city, a country, and the people who make up the country.
I see so many tourists who seem afraid to interact with the locals. I used to be one, so I understand, but you really have to interact. Go for a walk and begin the journey.
Every weekday morning I walk up the street with Jaidan to get on a motorcycle taxi to take us to his nursery school. We could walk but then Jaidan would be hot and sweaty to stat off his day. So after propping and high-five the motorcycle taxi drivers waiting for fares, we climb aboard the first in line, without helmets with Jaidan sandwiched between the driver and me. This is quite commonplace and I would even go as far to say the norm in Bangkok.
We pull out into Soi 22 which is usually quite busy. Of course there is no traffic light, stop sign, or yield sign. We play you go, I go and eventually repeat the procedure a few more time before arriving at our destination.
Back in Canada I would be considered a very irresponsible parent. However, when in Rome .. Bangkok seems to make the unworkable work. Can you imagine a city of 10 million people without any stops signs? The traffic lights are unusual as well. The wait time between red and green is often 5 minutes. Back in Canada, it is about 30 seconds. I can only guess the long wait is to decrease the number of drivers that scoot through illegally on the change from yellow to red. There are traffic cops but they only work in blitzes with a team of about 10 officers. I see a blitz about once a month.
I have witnessed one motorcycle accident in 5 years and I can't recall seeing any car accidents in the city. The traffic congestion tends to keep the speed down, except for the kamikaze young Thai males running their 125 motorbikes flat out while smoking and texting at the same time.
However, out on the rural highways it is traffic accident carnage as usual.
Today's song is: Sunday Morning .. Cash and Kristofferson
A good friend of Thavorn's has just won the lottery .. Maybe?
She works as a GoGo dancer (not particularly good at it) in a bar on Cowboy. She has just hit 30 years of age so she is getting on. She is pretty when made up, but I would rate her as a 7 out of 10 on looks and body.
She met an older farang (she normally does not like older farangs but it is low season) a week ago ago and he bar fined her a couple of times and then stated he would like to 'look after her'. He inquired how much she makes in the bar and like most bar girls she lied and said 70,000 baht a month. I doubt she clears 30 K during high season. He said he would give her 70,000 baht a month for income if she would quit the bar and be exclusive with him. All within one week, and today he bought her a new iPhone, and like most Thai girls she picked the most expensive red model that sells for 35K baht here in Bangkok.
Warning, warning, warning bells are going off in my head. I have 7 years of Thai relationship experience but I decide to head out for a few drinks with my expat friends. They included an Englishman with 12 years, an American with 8 years, a fellow Canadian with 8 years, and my buddy Jimmy, a Singaporean, with over 30 years experience. We all have Thai wives except for the Englishman. We all agreed that the farang on the end of the line (or maybe holding the reel) is either the dumbest farang on the planet or has other motives in place.
It turns out this farang is 60 years of age, and Englishman, who has been in Thailand for 10 years and works in some kind of law firm. Thavorn has met him and says he seems okay, but then again, what do Thai women really know about farangs and their weird ways?
Now, this scenario would make sense if the guy was a nooby and besotted with his first Thai GFE. But unless he is celibate, how would you last in Bangkok without dipping into the bar girl marketplace? The girl has about 8 years experience in the bar industry and I am sure she knows how to jerk a chain, and from what I understand bare backs if the price is right. Now bare backing (no condom) is a recipe for disaster unless the relationship is exclusive, which it seldom is with a bar girl. Exclusivity at 70K baht a month is pricey and man was really not meant to be monagomous especially when living in the candy land that Bangkok is.
W eider still at 70K a month she should be living in his condo, cooking, cleaning, and washing as well as providing sex. However, it appears that she will keep her 7K baht a month apartment (why would a lady making 70K baht a month live in a 7K baht a month apartment?) so he really can't keep tabs on her. She also has a propensity for young Thai boys in their teens.
This is not going to end well unless the Englishman is batty in the head, but then, how does he keep a job?
