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"The Rounds" Friday, July 5, 2002
Mekhong Kurt * * * * * * * * * * Been awhile since I sat down to write this column, what all with my Sister coming out for her first-ever Grand Asian Experience. She's still here, and we're off to Hongkong next Monday, where we'll stay overnight before departing for Beijing. After 4 nights there, we'll return to Hongkong for 2 more nights, then she's off for America from there. It has been a wonderful visit so far, especially since I haven't visited America in exactly 3 years. We met in Hongkong, then immediately departed for Macau. I surprised Sis with tickets for the helicopter ferry between the 2 former colonies (Macau was the first European colony in Asia, esptablished by the then-mighty sea power of Portugal). She had never ridden a helicopter, and in a phone conversation modes of transport came up, which gave me the idea of taking her on a variety of them. So far, she's ridden the helicopter, the jetfoil, and just yesterday took in the entire length of Bangkok's simply fabulous Skytrain. In Beijing she'll get to ride a subway. Then there's the fact she'll fly from Hongkong to Beijing and back -- *maybe* on a mainland Chinese aircraft -- which can be a whole, um, "new and interesting" experience. For instance, during my very first ride on the former Chinese national flag-carrier CAAC way back in 1985, the stewardess got my attention when she began "serving" the meal of sandwiches: her chosen serving method was to walk a little way up the aisle with a cardboard crate of sandwiches cradled in one arm, then to stop and with her free hand toss sandwiches to us. Then she would walk 5-6 rows further up, and repeat the process with the next batch of passengers! More about Sis' G.A.E. ["Grand Asian Experience"] a bit further down . . . * * * * * * * * * * But first to turn to things of local interest. When we rode the Skytrain out to the Mon Chit Station yesterday afternoon, one thing I had in mind was to at least point out Chatuchak Market, and perhaps to make a quick visit if even a few stalls were open. I haven't the foggiest notion what's going on at the market, but you can imagine my surprise when I walked to the side of the Skytrain platform to point out the famous market -- only to see the entire site was razed to the ground. I asked around last night to see if anyone could tell me if it's the usual procedure to tear the place down every week then throw the shops back up the following weekend, but none of my friends and acquaintances I asked knew, although all expressed surprise at my story. If anyone reading this knows what's happening, please drop me a line at MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com. * * * * * * * * * * Though it's late to be getting out the word, the U.S. 4th of July Independence Celebration is being held 2:00 P.M.-8:00P.M. this Saturday, July 6, 2002 at the Tobacco Monopoly, which is most easily accessed from it's entrance at the very end of Sukhumvit Soi 4. As I understand it, there will be shuttle buses from Sukhumvit Soi 19 (by the Asoke Skytrain Station). In any case, it's an easy enough matter to reach the site. Good, cheap food, entertainment, and a closing fireworks display. All welcome, including people of other nationalities. Admission tickets are 100 baht each. Drop by! * * * * * * * * * * Don't forget that I've added a place for you to sign up to be notified via e-mail whenever we add something to the site -- that way, you don't even have to visit the Updates Page to see if there's anything new -- we'll let you know by e-mail. If you want to sign up, just go to the sign-up page. * * * * * * * * * * Cowboy Jon has visited West Books several times over the past 2 weeks or so, and reports that the shop has a huge collection of used books and magazines. We're working on a website for the owner now, and hope to have that up by sometime next week. The shop is located on Sukhumvit Soi 22, directly opposite Liberty Place Apartments. Open 10:00 A.M.-8:00 P.m. [1000-2000] daily, including Sundays, it's well worth a visit. You can also trade in your old books at the rate of 4-to-1. Prices range from 89 baht to 109 baht, for the most part, so you can resupply yourself with reading materials inexpensively. Drop by and tell Peter, the owner, you read about his shop and soon-to-be website here! * * * * * * * * * * The World Cup has come and gone, and boy oh boy, was this year's series chock-full of surprises. That Brazil won the coveted prize came as no surprise, really, though of course the opposing England certainly is a star in the football firmament. Congratulations to the Brazilians are certainly in order. Of course, being an American -- well, a Texan, which counts as a separate nationality in some folks' minds! -- I was both impressed and startled at just how well the Yank team ended up doing. True, they didn't rank against the top teams in the end, but I reckon they had every right to return home with their heads held high. Arguably the biggest surprise -- downright shock, in fact -- came early in the World Cup, when France was eliminated. Though I don't follow football that closely (nor any other sport, for that matter), even I know that France is traditionally a strong team, so I was doubly surprised to read in the paper that the French team went home with the worst record of any former World Cup winner in the entire 72-year history of the match. Passions ran high around here, which was *no* surprise -- it always amazes me just how much enthusiasm, joy, and anguish can be aroused by what is, after all, a *sport.* A big-money, sport, true -- but still, a sport. A tip of the hat is in order for a group of Swedes who came into New Square One Pub in Washington Square to watch their team play. When the Swedish side left the field defeated, one of the Swedes stood up, rang the bell, and cheered the house -- and the winners. A truly good sport was the lad. * * * * * * * * * * Last month's local elections came and went uneventfully, and some places actually were open. A number around here never even got a verbal notice to close -- much less a *formal* one. * * * * * * * * * * If anyone reading this has a website and would like to place a link there for BangkokAtoZ.com, you can just copy-and-paste the banner below into your site; it's a live link to this site's homepage --
-- or, if you prefer a simple text link, use this hyperlink: BangkokAtoZ.com. I'll appreciate an e-mail telling me the URL of where you placed it. If you want me to put a link on BangkokAtoZ.com for your site, do tell me where you have placed our link, and I'll give you a link in a comparable position, of the same nature (i.e., banner-for-banner, text-for-text). * * * * * * * * * * Saw an interesting story in one of the local morning papers today, one mentioning that the Constitutional Court has ruled that the selection of Khun Siran, the head of the Election Commission who himself was barred from an election early last year when the then-Election Commission ruled he had violated the law, was unconstitutional. However, Khun Siran refuses to leave, and I understand that now the Constitutional Court is "reviewing the rules." A-MAZ-ing Thailand, indeed! * * * * * * * * * * The bar I mentioned that's up for sale remains unsold; direct any serious enquiries to me at MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com. It's worth adding that the landlord of the venue is finally doing something to actually promote it, so this could be an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in going into a nice enclosed, air-conditioned bar-restaurant. Drop me a line. * * * * * * * * * * I'm still looking for contributions to our "Traveler's Tales" section, and welcome any submissions. Just send me a synopsis [*only*] at my e-mail address above. Even if you're not a writer, just about *everyone* has stories to tell -- they just often don't realize it. I know when I taught first- and second-year university nonfiction writing this was the case with most of my students, the majority of whom, with a little coaching (and coaxing!) came to realize they did inedded have something to say -- and that it was worth reading. So don't be shy -- this is YOUR chance to share your tales! (Preferably not TALL ones, though!) * * * * * * * * * * I said I was going to say more about my Sister's Grand Asian Experience, but I think I'll wait until I can get the pictures worked up to go with it. I've written about Macau as a great place to visit OR live -- I did live there 1990-94, and don't at all dread the notion of ending my earthly days there, if that's the way the chips fall. If you've never been there, it really is worth a several-day visit -- not just one of those wretched half-day runs from Hongkong that leaves you only two hours or so to "see" the city. * * * * * * * * * * Until next time -- Mekhong Kurt
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Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 by Kurt T. Francis, except as noted otherwise. Materials by Christopher G. Moore, Dean Barrett, Richard K. Diran, Sonia Pressman Fuentes, and Hardy Stockmann are copyrighted © by those respective authors. All rights reserved. Please see the Copyright Notice for further information. Click here for our Privacy Statement Please direct all inquiries to mekhongkurt at bangkokatoz.com |
