A Dispatch From The Front Line
I just returned from four nights in Bangkok. And as you are good enough to pass on all of your titbits I thought I'd jot down a few of my own.
The beginning of November is genuinely accepted as being the start of the high season.
When the up country girls lay down their hoes and depart from the rice terraces for the big smoke of Bangkok, where a different sort of cash crop has to be harvested.
This annual migration is as predictable as the wildebeest crossing the Serengeti River, and commences with the first sightings of the silver birds winging their way east.
It has been a good while since I was last up there, so it was interesting to note a few changes.
Actually arrived in Sukhumvit at 4.30 AM, from the over night super VIP bus from Phuket.
Too early to check in, so off I trekked from Soi 11 to Soi 3 for an early bird breakfast at Foodland.
The best and only way to describe that journey was a zoo, unbelievable that even a Hollywood movie set could not top. Thinking of walking into the Star Wars bar and then some. Seeing was unfortunately believing, whilst at the same time I
was really having trouble trying to come to terms how all these shenanigans were being permitted on such an international venue.
Checked out the Hillary Bar at 7.00PM on Soi 11, which I think you mentioned but was deserted at that hour, but walking on came across that new pizza establishment. Had a four season's, yes you were right it came with a generous choice
of toppings, but for some reason I still feel that pizza's are generally over priced in Thailand, say in comparison with some bar restaurants.
Which leads me onto Bus Stop, had already made up my mind to have their excellent oxtail again, but on the board going in was their special roast of lamb. So I had it, not a plate but a platter, very generous portion of the sliced lamb itself,
a selection of six vegetables al-denty, genuine bottle of mint sauce, but the best bit was the price – 235 Baht ! What a steal, one of the best meals I've had out in Bangkok.
Finally to finish my gastronomic tour also checked out Cafe de Paris in Patpong.
No Maitre D' present, the onion soup I've had a lot better, Confit de Canard was good but too much cream in the spinach, fried saut? Potatoes cooked with too much garlic, the creme caramel was good, however the house red wine needed
the cubes of ice before I found it acceptable.
But for the price in that area it is a bit of an oasis, but when the threading of the bottom of the waitresses shirts is wearing thin, you certainly know that this establishment is running things on a shoestring / very close to the bone.
If you haven't tried it yourself do, small but affable, I had always mistakenly thought that it was an arm and a leg type of venue.
Progressed onto the Kings and Queens group of bars, not up to previous standards, in fact the girls at Rainbow 1 and 3 were better looking this time around. But colas were only 90 Baht, one gave me the change, the second had to be requested,
and finally King's Corner declared that it was a compulsory tip !
Rainbow 2 has 150 girls on its books, taking into account a change in personnel that would take you at least six months to do a consumers report on this bar alone. If that sounds like a sentence looking at those girls would quickly confirm
it.
Mandarin was a different atmosphere altogether, three floors for the price of one cola.
Spent quite a bit of time in the German Beer Garden, very dark and dingy during the day time, creating an oppressive atmosphere from the previous setting. In the past there were often a few groups of girls that were clearly in the Premier
Division, a cut well and truly above the others, I don't know where they are now but for sure it's not the GBR or the Thermae Coffee Shop for that matter.
The latter is not only full of Japanese, but the Thai girls there have even gone to the trouble of dressing up in a Japanese fashion to appeal to them. Maybe this is direct evidence that the really beautiful girls these days are being taken
on line first, even before they had a thought of appearing in person.
It's been twelve years since I last exchanged bodily fluids with any of these girls up there, and in the event I was single again and someone even offered me one of these girls on the house / free I still honestly doubt if I would take
her.
Sounds old fashioned, but with age I have grown to regard my bed as some kind of personal sanctuary, and to wake up in the morning and have a complete stranger sharing it just no longer appeals.
Can you put a price on a hug, yes it's has got to be reciprocal.
Stickman's thoughts:
Sounds like you had a nice time.
