2009 June 19 | The Train is Leaving

Culture Shock

Bangkok, thailand June 19th, 2009

Continuation from:-
Hour Past Midnight
Along Chao Phraya
The Grand Palace, Bangkok
Majestic Wat Pho

27th February 2009
===============

After a tiring day to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, we were bear hungry and our aching feet were desperate for some idle time. Relieved that we were once again within the comfort of our air-conditioned hotel, we rested and clean up a bit before heading out for food. It was too early for dinner but never mind that, our stomachs were desperately calling for help, the whole orchestral symphony at work with a string or two broken.

Peculiarly, there are many restaurants around the Silom vicinity (near our hotel), but none of them offers Thai food. There’s an Irish bar, a bunch of western fast food chain and plenty of Italian restaurants offering the common “most delicious Italian and Thai fusion pasta”. But we couldn’t find an authentic Thai restaurant anywhere within walking distance. Peculiar indeed. I was beginning to wonder if we were in Thailand.

Clockwise from top-right: Watergrass,Garlic & Lemon Snapper, Seafood Tom Yum, Oyster Omelete

In despair we stumbled across a smallish restaurant called Sor-Hathai Seafood Restaurant set in the narrow alley which we hoped and later confirmed after having a glimpse at their menu, serves Thai food. What luck! The food was absolutely scrumptious too - evident enough from the supremely polished plates on our table. Yes, what luck, what luck!

Read more about Sor-Hathai Seafood Restaurant *HERE*.

Stepping out into the streets of Bangkok on a Friday evening is somewhat of a culture shock. Yes, even in Malaysia we would see party of merry people getting drunk and having fun, clubbing or to the pubs or whatever youngsters do to celebrate the beginning of a workless weekend. But in Bangkok it’s a whole category all together. It’s not a party of people anymore, it’s more like mobs of people armed with paper bags, mostly students or workers spotting students costumes attacking the malls and rows of shows nearby exercising their consumers right!

We headed out to Siam Paragon to see what was happening there. And what a frenzy it was! As it got darker, the more people roam the streets particularly where there are malls or boutiques. As if there is a none-written rule that being at home on a Friday night are only for losers. Students in particular still in uniform but obviously in a weekend mood, had thick make-up on and hair-sprayed hairdo (most student looks suspiciously good as if they just ran away from a sitcom photoshoot) ready for a enjoyable night out.

Sexy Thai uni Uniform, taken from http://www.malaysiaminilover.com/

One thing that i absolutely adore in Bangkok is their students’ uniform. It’s really very sexy - white shirt top and knee-lenght or short skirt. Very much like a uniform for stewardess or female pilot. However, some of the girls i saw wearing the uniform was obviously way passed the student age category but hey, it’s looks good and who says only students gets to wear sexy uniform right?

Many types of uniform, taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianfuller/

Sis bought a pair (top and skirt) for under RM40 at Siam Square the next day which she diligently wears to work now. LOL

As it happens there was something like a Thai fair going on outside Siam Paragon so getting around that area was a pain. Everywhere i turned i bump into somebody. I had an eerie visioin of getting elbow punched in the stomach by a guy with a big torso and a larger bicep. Fortunately that vision did not come true else the trip would had been cut short.

In addition to the fun fare, there was a mini concert right under the bridge towards Siam Square. With youngsters perched on the bridge anticipating the start of the show, getting to the opposite road through the bridge was next to impossible. Luckily, we Malaysians are used to squeezing our way through sardine packed crowd, our rail and commuter transit is the perfect training ground if you asked me.