View from my bedroom.
Met Por in the lobby this morning. Her role is to provide an orientation to Bangkok in general and to the immediate neighborhood in particular. She is very friendly and speaks excellent English, but I think I flummoxed her by not needing the “standard orientation” – most of her clients are business men and women who will be here for several years and who are bringing their families with them. So, she helps them find houses with big yards and schools for the kids. None of which I need. She showed me how to buy and use a pass for the SkyTrain and how to get on the Metro. There are only two lines for each so it’s not hard to navigate. She also took me to two grocery stores – Villa Market in the Emporium and Tops, which is within walking distance. She also showed me how to get to the Liberty Mutual Group office, which is also within walking distance – if it weren’t so hot and humid that I wouldn’t arrive dripping with sweat. Most likely I will take the SkyTrain one stop and be there relatively dry.
She also showed me some neighborhood restaurants, including Cabbages and Condoms, which I had read about in a guidebook. It was started by a doctor who was concerned about sexual diseases in Bangkok, so he promotes the use of condoms. There is a “gift shop” attached to the restaurant where you can buy products, including clothes, made from condoms. Not attractive clothing, but you have to admire his commitment. May try the restaurant this evening for dinner.
Went back to Tops this afternoon to make a start at buying groceries. A good variety of foodstuffs, but it’s interesting to see the things that are expensive – like wine – versus those that are cheap, like Coke Zero. According to Por, Thais don’t drink a lot of Coke – or any types of sodas, for that matter. She said that many Thais believe that drinking soda will make them fat – which is an interesting view, given how very skinny many of the Thais are. I also bought some Tim Tams – chocolate biscuits that I remember fondly from living in Australia many years ago. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had them.
And my luggage finally arrived! At around 7:00 this evening. It was supposed to arrive around 5:30 but was delayed by Bangkok’s famous traffic jams. But it’s all here – a little wrinkled, but here. Guess I’ll have to figure out how to use the small, European-style washer/dryer all-in-one unit in my apartment. Looks like a dish washer and can probably handle three socks at a time but it’s worth a try.
Tomorrow I hope to take the SkyTrain to the Chatachuk Market – the biggest outdoor market in Bangkok. My plan is to buy some housewares to dress up this apartment without spending a great deal of money.
She also showed me some neighborhood restaurants, including Cabbages and Condoms, which I had read about in a guidebook. It was started by a doctor who was concerned about sexual diseases in Bangkok, so he promotes the use of condoms. There is a “gift shop” attached to the restaurant where you can buy products, including clothes, made from condoms. Not attractive clothing, but you have to admire his commitment. May try the restaurant this evening for dinner.
Went back to Tops this afternoon to make a start at buying groceries. A good variety of foodstuffs, but it’s interesting to see the things that are expensive – like wine – versus those that are cheap, like Coke Zero. According to Por, Thais don’t drink a lot of Coke – or any types of sodas, for that matter. She said that many Thais believe that drinking soda will make them fat – which is an interesting view, given how very skinny many of the Thais are. I also bought some Tim Tams – chocolate biscuits that I remember fondly from living in Australia many years ago. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had them.
And my luggage finally arrived! At around 7:00 this evening. It was supposed to arrive around 5:30 but was delayed by Bangkok’s famous traffic jams. But it’s all here – a little wrinkled, but here. Guess I’ll have to figure out how to use the small, European-style washer/dryer all-in-one unit in my apartment. Looks like a dish washer and can probably handle three socks at a time but it’s worth a try.
Tomorrow I hope to take the SkyTrain to the Chatachuk Market – the biggest outdoor market in Bangkok. My plan is to buy some housewares to dress up this apartment without spending a great deal of money.
(Not sure how this whole blog thing works. Just added some photos that I took with my Blackberry. Not the best camera, but it's a start. But I thought the photos would show up here at the end of my text, not at the start. Live and learn.)
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