Tuesday, October 30, 2007: More BTS Building
Sorry but this construction fascinates me. Also I am amazed at the speed at which things go up here. Back in the world the changes I've seen here in seven years would have taken thirty years.
Sunday, October 28, 2007: Sunday Out
Sandy went off with Otto to some sort of Thai Book Fair which I was not interested in attending. I did have to buy some Marks & Spencers Extra Strong teabags to insure my dentist has something to do at my next cleaning appointment so I headed out after she's left to meet Otto. It was a beautiful day out and the rains seem pretty much behind us for this year.
The BTS. Faster and cheaper than a taxi, safer than a motorcycle...
Central Chitlom
Compaq has been running a big marketing campaign around town for the last few weeks consisting of strategically placed red plastic stick men on the BTS and in various shopping malls. All very good except the giant fellow they planted on the roof of the Siam Center parking garage looks like he's taking a nice big dump. I first noticed this when we were out with Zaw a few weeks back. I managed to get a better photo of today from the Siam BTS Station.
My original shot of Mr. Big Dump
"honey... can you bring me some bog roll?"
Saturday, October 27, 2007: Paragon 'o' ween
Sandy went over to Siam Discovery this afternoon to meet up with Joe the Artist. I joined them later. On my way over I had a surprise. I have been climbing up the same set of stairs to the walk-over since 2001 so it was a shock to arrive at them today and find them GONE... I had to walk further down to near the National Stadium BTS and detour back. I took a few shots at the work being done.
I met up with Sandy and Joe at the Starbucks in Siam Discovery. Afterwards Sandy and I went to the Paragon. There was a Halloween related zone set up with a stage behind which was a walk through "Haunted House" and lots of Halloween related products to purchase. The staff of course were all costumed up.
The Great Pumpkin...
I went through the rather humble Haunted House. Sandy didn't want to go in.
I have to say after walking through both Tuol Sleng Prison and the Killing Fields where the bones are real it was sort of strange to see fake skulls and so forth.
One of many my former teachers...
The "Crypt" inside the darkness of the Haunted House...
More spooky stuff
The Haunted House had the standard display of bones and so forth as well as the traditional person jumping out of the shadows to scare you business. I was ready with my camera so I think the flash the ghoul got was more unnerving for him than his jumping out was for me.
Blinding the Ghoul!
Friday, October 26, 2007: Friday Morning Train Tracks
Friday moring train tracks...
The construction of the new BTS line that will run out to the New Airport moves further along.
Sunday, October 21, 2007: To Pet's
I'll have some Eco-Water please...
Today the power was shut off from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm. There was a notice up about this so Sandy and made plans not to be around when it happened. We got up early and went over to Pet's house with Ying.
It was a pretty quiet day. We ate a bit and just hung out. Eventually everyone went to the floating market but I didn't bother. i had the XioSynth with me and spent the time programming some new sounds into it.
A tasty snack...
I love this art...
Pet fell last week and cut his arm open. This was a bit of a panic for Sandy's family but Pet seems rather proud of his 7 stitches. I also think he enjoyed the attention when Ying (being a nurse) changed his band-aid.
Pet's stitches...
Pluk wanted to go to MK to eat (Pluk ALWAYS wants to go to MK to eat) so we ended up doing that for lunch. Afterwards we wandered around this market area that is near the little mall the MK is in. So much stuff but certainly nothing that would fit me.
Afterwards Sandy, Ying and I took a taxi back to ours.
Saturday, October 20, 2007: Saturday Out
I had planned to get a hair cut today but then never did. I ended up walking over to Tui Music in the building next to the Coco Walk. It's the place where I bought the little Korg back in 2002 and somewhere I've rarely visited since they tore down the old IT center behind it. Anyways the owner, Tui is now making his own pedals. These are for the most part overdrive or tube simulators. The do boost quite well too. The idea being that they warm up the sound of digital effects processors the same way I run all my non-analog keyboards through the Electro Harmonix LPB 2ube tube preamp. I am curious if Tui can build something more bizarre like a ring modulator.
Some of Tui Music's pedals
After I'd hung out at Tui Music for a bit I headed off to Siam Paragon. There has been a sale on at the Music Store there this month and I decided to pick up the new Zoom G1 pedal. It was on sale for only 2600 baht which is about what we spend at Starbucks over the course of a month so I went and got it. It's small enough to bring to Canada with me and it has a lot of effect considering the price and the size.
Sandy met me at Starbucks later on. Eventually we were joined by Zaw. Afterwards we went for Sushi at Fuji in Siam Discovery. After we'd eaten we went to O'Reilly's pub over at Silom. Ying joined us there. Since I've finished my malaria parasite killing drugs I had my first Guinness in many a year.
My first Guinness in some time...
I also had some awful nachos. Zaw warned me but I didn't believe him.
I wonder how manyThai's think this is Hilter rather than Charlie Chaplin...
My favorite drink...
I only had one. I can't say I really enjoyed the feeling of its effects. Perhaps it has been too long.
Friday, October 19, 2007: Glorietta Bombing
Friday morning sunrise...
The Abu Sayyuf has set a bomb off at the Glorietta 2 Mall in Makati killing at least 9 people. There are about 100 wounded and the mall is badly damaged. I of course lived down the road from Glorietta 2 in 2000 and part of 2001. It was bombed in 2000 as well killing one and injuring many others.
The reports on this latest bombing indicate that the explosives were "military" in nature. I'm not sure if this is an attempt to suggest the Army was was behind it but it strikes me as a dangerous sign if the Abu Sayyuf has abandoned trying to make its own explosives. This might indicate a shift away from homebrew explosives elsewhere as they have proved unreliable in several attempted attacks over the last few years.
Anyone who thinks "terrorists" are something George Bush made up should have lived in with us in the Philippines in 2000.
PHILIPPINE police confirmed today that military-grade explosives caused a deadly blast in a Manila shopping mall and that they were reviewing security camera footage to look for suspects.
The Glorietta mall blast at lunchtime yesterday killed nine and wounded 113.
Police said the bomb was left near a cellphone repair shop in Glorietta, a sprawling three-storey complex of department stores, restaurants and cinemas.
Sunday, October 14, 2007: Sandy Returns
I woke up early and spent the much of the morning messing with one of my old keyboards; the Roland Saturn 09 which a analog "organ" from the early 1980s. I haven't actually used it size we moved here and it has been sealed in bubble wrap inside a carboard box since last september. I pulled it out and gave it a try to see what condition it currently is in.
Amazingly the thing is still in tune however two of the three tone generators have died out due to a short or something. I will have to drag it over to the music shop in Pantip and see if the repair guy can do anything. It is a lovely little machine and is otherwise in great shape. It would be a shame if the problem couldn't be fixed.
I made pasta for lunch at which time it started to cloud over as a storm rolled in. The storm broke at around 3:00 pm at which time I decided to take a nap. I was woken up at around 4:30 when Sandy arrived back early from Khorat. She wasn't going to come back until next week but her Sister decided to drive back today so she came back. Her Birthday gift was a success.
Saturday, October 13, 2007: Saturday Paragon
I short of lazed about all day. With Sandy gone I've been practicing guitar a lot more than usual.
Welcome to Siam Paragon...
This afternoon I went over to the Paragon and had lunch at The Other Hound Cafe. Afterwards I met up with Bonhomme at Starbucks and we hung out there for a while. We wandered about the area eventually heading towards Siam Discovery where we had Sushi at Fuji for dinner then we made our way over to MBK via Siam Discovery. We eventually made our way back to Siam Paragon and the BTS.
Sandy's Birthday is tomorrow. I got her a new 8 Gig iPod Nano so I spend the evneing loading up music on it so I can give it to her when she returns.
Friday, October 12, 2007: Big Rain
I have to say I don't sleep well when Sandy is away.
The run today was difficult. It was one of those work outs where I am amazed I actually complete it. I've been taking new anti-malarias that kill the parasite and will hopefully rid me of this once and for all. The side affects have been a degree of light headedness though. I think this may be partly to blame for the difficulties I had today. Breakfast was outstanding.
Tonight was odd. I watched the DVD of "Mulholland Drive" that Bonhomme had leant me on Thursday. I normally enjoy David Lynch however I have to say I found this movie to be a disappointment. Perhaps I am getting old. I clearly remember that Saturday morning when cartoons suddenly seemed uninteresting. Perhaps this is similar. Or perhaps I'd just rather watch something that will make me laugh like "Old School" or "Road Trip".
I had intended to go to bed after I'd managed to finish watching Mulholland Drive but a massive storm rolled in and i stayed up watching it and tried to get photos of lightening.
The rain rolls in...
A big rain...
My only successful "lightening" shot. Unfortunately with the amount of rain coming down the result is less than lightening-like.
And then tweny minutes later all is clear...
Thursday, October 11, 2007: The Sun Comes Out
It was sun came out this afternoon. Rainy season has dragged on too long this year. But then I probably say that every year.
Bonhomme and I went to Bourbon Street for food this evening. It has been a while. It was outstanding as always.
I got back to mine at around 7:30 pm or so. I saw until 8:30 pm then fed the fish. It is rather quiet around here.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007: Stormy Night
Sandy has gone off to Khorat (Rock) City with her family for a week. She will be up there for her Birthday. She also began the yearly Chinese Buddhist vegetarian thing that marks the passing of September in my mind. Seasons as I'm used to the true north don't exist here as it is either hot and sunny or hot and wet I have to use other things to remind me of where I am in the year. This is one of those things. Other markers include the laying of new side walks and the same side walks falling apart six months later.
Tonight there was a big rain storm. I didn't get any worthy lightening shots but I took many photos of the Blade Runner-like conditions.
Monday, October 8, 2007: Fish Report
Mr. Crab lost a claw. Sandy was rather concerned at this discovery but it seems to me that crabs grow things like claws back. Sven the bottom feeder continues to grow in size. If he continues at his current rate he will become too large for the tank and will have to go to the khlong.
Friday, October 5, 2007: Unfortunate Beef
Normally during the tail end of rainy season it will be clear in the morning and cloud up by noon. Today however I woke up to this uninviting sight.
When I headed out it was just beginning to rain on us.
Construction on the new BTS line to the new Airport is beginning to actually look like something more than muddy holes in the ground.
Tonight Sandy and I took a walk over the Esan shop near the malfunctioning fountains. Tonight they were all functioning properly for some reason.
We ordered our usual which for me is sticky rice and grilled strips of beef. The beef that was brought however was 85% fat and not to my farang tastes. Sandy got the staff over and sent it back requesting a new plate. Sandy got her food and after a while the same plate of fatty beef was brought back to us. Sandy got the waiter over and sent it back again. Ten minutes later they brought back the same plate of meat (or fat) except with two tiny pieces of barely cooked beef added to it. Sandy sent it back again and ten minutes later we received the same plate AGAIN only it was grilled almost to the point of being burned. By this point I gave up and set the unacceptable beef aside.
Eventually Sandy rounded up the owner and told him our tale at which time the unacceptable beef was removed and a short time later I was brought a proper plate of meat.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007: Riverman
One of my favorite David Slyvian songs performed live with Robert Fripp.
Monday, October 1, 2007: Update On Bomb
Bomb explodes outside army headquarters in Bangkok injuring 2 police officers
A bomb exploded outside army headquarters in the Thai capital Sunday night, injuring two police officers, authorities said.
The officers had been alerted that someone planted a suspicious package in a telephone booth near the army compound, police Col. Saranyu Prathumraj said. As the officers were attempting to defuse the device, it went off and injured them, Saranyu said.
No one claimed responsibility for the bomb which exploded a day before Gen. Anupong Paochinda was set to replace outgoing army chief and coup leader Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin.
While the motive remained unclear, Thailand has been rocked by both political instability following a military coup in September 2006 which ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and a bloody Muslim insurgency in its southernmost provinces.
Nine bombs exploded in the Thai capital on New Year's Eve, killing three people and wounding more than 40. Authorities have yet to unravel the motives behind the attacks or arrest the perpetrators but it is generally believed that politics rather than the insurgency were responsible for the bombings.
The military-installed government also has said that followers of the exiled ex-prime minister are trying to create an atmosphere of instability in the country which could facilitate his return to power.
