Bangkok and the 'Reds'

I am expecting friends from Hong Kong this weekend. I am supposed to tour them around downtown Bangkok, the wats, the klongs, and the what-have-yous. This Saturday's big 'Red' rally (Thailand's UDD political group) may put a big dent on our plans especially since one of the targeted areas is Samut Prakarn, that's where my place is. Will we have to brush shoulders with the 'Reds' this Saturday and Sunday just so we can go around Bangkok? There are a lot of areas to visit though, those that are away from the targeted rally areas but as of now, I am quite tired to think of options - and I am getting tired of the 'Reds'. I understand though that holding these rallies is still within their constitutional rights especially since they were able to hold 'peaceful' rallies recently. What I really wanna say is, "Can we PLEASE get on with it? Move on?!?!"

Bangkok Traffic

Today was Professional Development Day for us at the international school that I am currently teaching.  This means a work-day for us teachers while it's a no-school day for our students.  After a fulfilling day working on the Understanding by Design model in preparing our units for our Atlas-Rubicon Curriculum Maps, Christine, Nailah, Pearl, and I decided to go to Tacos and Salsa, an authentic Mexican restaurant along Sukhumvit Road just a little past Phrom Phong BTS Station for some nachos and enchilladas.  We left school at 2:15 so ready for a well-deserved respite (and much more for the weekend ahead).  Little did we know that we will be stuck in traffic for almost 4 hours along Sukhumvit Road approximately two BTS Sky Train stations from our destination.  It was the longest stuck-in-traffic experience I've ever had and I know that it is also true with my friends.  We cannot just abandon Christine, she brought her car, and go to the nearest BTS Sky Train station and solve our dilemma.  So we made good of our situation and told jokes, people-watched, talked about stuff (and some people-yeah) at work, listened to Christine's soundtrack for at least 6 times during the entire experience, and me clicking away with my camera (it's a good thing I brought my DSLR today, too!).  Oh, all these amidst Pearl's sneezing! :)  She finally dozed off for a few minutes after Christine gave her some of her medicine for allergies (which Nailah told her later, "Never take someone else's medicine because you are bound to fall asleep!"  LOL!)

I know our patience were tested during this entire ordeal but we kept our cool.  I myself can say that looking back, those hours in traffic weren't wasted.  I had takeaways like the memory of the entire experience and I got to spend time for my friends - time which all four of us never thought we'll be asked to give in that way. :)   

It was a good experience overall.  And of course, the nachos, enchilladas, and good company were worth the almost 4-hour wait.

What follows are some of the many photos that I took during the ordeal.

Nailah and Christine

Pearl

the story of our lives for a time:  0 kph

corner Sukhumvit Soi 28 - where we were stuck the longest

vendor plying Soi 28

a monk "blending" to city living

all four of us are

Baby Bugs was with us the whole time

my Baby Bugs adorned seatbelt (which I never got to use that afternoon)

that's us in the white Honda

same-same

her ride was stuck in traffic too, that's for sure

his' too :)

and almost four hours after, we were almost there! :)

Symbols and Foreign Letters

fabric softener (pink) and dishwashing liquid (yellow)

I mistakenly opened a pack of dishwashing liquid taking it for a fabric softener. It's a good thing that I realized my mistake while mixing it with water: it formed so much bubbles and the smell wasn't quite right - you know what I mean. Confused, I looked at the pack closely and realized that it's dishwashing liquid - the symbol on the pack says so! Oh, if only I know how to read Thai. It's a good thing though that I wasn't THAT excited to put my washed clothes right in, it would have been additional load (not that my clothes mind the second washing).

(Originally posted on 19 December 2008)