Monday, December 21, 2009

Bangkok: Day 3 - Can You Stomach This?

This is my series on my holiday vacation in Bangkok. Here are the other posts:
Day 1 and Day 2

Day 3 began lazily... literally. My sisters and I were in bed until 10AM. Though I woke up at 7:30AM (force of habit: 4 hours of sleep is plenty), I stayed in bed for an additional two hours, on office IM with Kyx and checking office email (eeewww!).

When the household began to stir, I went to work making two kinds of fried rice (oyster sauce and adobo), frying hotdogs and making sunny side-ups while sipping Betagen (Yakult but way better!) in front of the stove. Sissy took over my IM, chatting with Kyx.

After a particularly heavy brunch (made heavier with some spicy dumplings to be dipped in a black-vinegar like concoction), the family members all took our own individual naps (I didn't... I just wrote a few notes, took stock of my shopping expenses and packed away the stuff I bought from the day before) while Bro and Wifey opted for some QTT.

Three hours later, we were taking our baths (The Three Little Pigs always bathe together... hehehe) and trading sneakers to go walking/running/jogging at Lumpini Park. The park reminds me of Burnham in Baguio. Burnham on steroids. It has two (?) lagoons, vast running paths and a multitude of people. It had at least three areas for aerobics or yoga or whatnot... and at least two playgrounds.

The family and I got there late; it was almost evening when we started walking (and Bro started running with Wifey and Sis). Not much photo opportunities so we vowed to come back when the sun was higher in the sky and our cameras didn't need a flash to get our faces on memory. Harhar...

So we walked along Silom again, stopping to look at some shoes on the sidewalk (killer heels ala-Blair for only 140 THB!), some funky shirts (caricature of a sad groom and happy bride with "GAME OVER" written below), and some mango with sticky rice. Mango with sticky rice!!! Aaaarrgghhh... I bought two orders (80THB each) with a fist-size ball of sticky rice and one whole mango each.

We hurried along to have steaming bowls of kwai chap... fresh rice sheet noodles and various animal parts that never see the sunlight in a meaty and satisfying broth. For only 45 THB, this was good chow. A big serving too, as I barely finished mine.

Patpong was part of the plan, but it was still too early (8pm) and we wanted to wait for Bradir on the 23rd so we postponed our... adult education for another day. So on we walked, stopping by 7-11 for a bottle of yummy soy milk and a few bottles of freshly-squeezed dalandan juice.

Back home, we talked more about our childhood - mostly gross, embarrassing stuff like who pooped in whose jeans (not me!), who got lost in the department store (me!), and other childhood antics. I missed these guys... and am glad I'm here.

So back to the mango with sticky rice... it was gone in five minutes. Sweet, juicy slices of mango chased down with rice topped with viscous gata... heaven in a mouthful.

Now excuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin... That vendor will see more of me every night!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Bangkok: Day 1 and Day 2 - Sleep is Futile

After a 30 minute delay, three gate changes and a lot of cranky passengers, I finally got on the plane for the 3 hour, 25 minute flight to see my family. I picked the wrong flight to get on, apparently, as I got here almost 1am BKK time (2am Manila). Next time, I'll pick an earlier flight.

Methinks, coming here to see my family over the long vacation is exactly what I need in this crazy period in my usually uneventful life. Though I put my personal phone on roaming, I am receiving only text messages. The calls cost too much so I diverted all my incoming calls to my office number, which is turned off BTW. The text messages I've been receiving have been... inspirational so far.

Day 1: Dinner at 2am, sister bonding till 5am. I can't believe how much I missed my mom's adobo and ginisang munggo. I missed my dad's corny jokes and my sisters' chatter. Coming home to the smell of home cooking and seeing my mom's happy face wiped away all the chaos from NAIA and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Bro and Wifey arrived on an earlier flight but they waited for me (with my Dad) before we all came home. We ate dinner discussing our favorite food, our strange eating habits and the difference between international airports in the countries we've visited.

After dinner, we all stayed in the living room and chatted for a few more minutes. Then my mom and dad turned in. Bro and Wifey retreated to their room. The sisters and I camped out in the living room and chatted our heads off until 5am. Bliss!

Day 2: Woke up at 7:30am GMT+7 ... and the house was quiet. Nobody woke up until after 10am. I can't speak for Bro and Wifey, though. They may have opted for a little... loving time. Hahaha... So after a quick breakfast of sliced dragonfruit (sweet and grainy... unlike the waterlogged mess I get in Tagaytay), we were off to go SHOPPING! But before that, we stopped by a carinderia along Convent Road for some yummies! Among all the stuff we had, my favorite was definitely the som tam... the dressing is SO good... I even dipped raw cabbage and fresh mint into it for snacking. I think I ate a farmload of raw veggies yesterday.

So...shopping. Shopping! I went crazy, methinks. Although I bought a few pieces for my mom, I still think I ended up spending almost 7K THB (about 9K php) on that one shopping trip. Can you blame me? SIX floors of shopping madness! And that's only the beginning. I haven't even gotten started on bags and shoes yet!

My dad's condo is right smack in the middle of the CBD, so all around us are office buildings, right-hand drive vehicles, traffic in reverse (North-bound comes from the right side, South-bound comes from the left... it's disconcerting, I tell you!).... and food carts. Food everywhere! If we hadn't eaten lunch before shopping, am sure I would have bought something off every vendor I saw on the street.

Som tam stalls shared space with those amazingly good puto-like cakes that smell like pancakes and pandan (1 THB each... I couldn't stop munching on them). Beautiful fresh strawberries (20 THB, 100 grams... sweeter than a Baguio strawberry but crunchy), glistening emerald honeydew and brilliant papaya reposed on ice, fried tofu and a lot of other stuff - they may have made their way into my gullet!

Tomorrow, I vow to to brave getting lost (my crappy sense of direction is legendary), getting misinterpreted by the locals ("hoy" in Thai is... THAT part of the female anatomy), indigestion and being run over by cars and buses speeding in from the wrong side of the road... I will walk around the neighborhood. After all, there's a Starbucks a few blocks from home. Gotta go get my tumblers and mugs! Harharhar...

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Today is 8 November 2009

Today I realized that I was waiting in vain.

F*ck it. I will wait no more.


"Actions speak louder than words", you said. I hear the message. Loud and clear.

Thank you very much. It was fun while it lasted.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

The 30-day Mark...

So it has been thirty days since... 1) Ondoy hit the Philippines and washed away A LOT of stuff; 2) a nameless storm hit and washed away 3 years+ of... stuff.

ANYWAY, now is not the time to mope. Now is a time to celebrate because my Pisay roommate of three years is now... MARRIED! Congratulations, Mrs. Abigail Pascual-Olayres. Like I said in my speech, I am SO happy for you... obvious naman sa dami ng all-caps na ginamit ko diba?

Pictures not yet uploaded, too tired to do so. Rey, share your pics!

♥ ♥ ♥

Today, 25 October 2009:

I have been smoke-free for 85 days...and I still don't miss it.

I missed the 3K Run for Life this morning. For the life of me, sleep and comfort felt more important than a marathon I have been wanting to run for months now.

I saw a Pisay friend walk down the aisle and marry her sweetheart of 9 (?) years. Aaaawww...

I still am not in a hurry to get married, though... much less enter another serious relationship yet again. I'd rather live vicariously in that aspect for the time being, thank you very much!

I met up with my other Pisay friends and it made me realize how much this job is really disconnecting me from the world I once inhabited. It makes me wonder: is it still worth it?

I have been thinking since last night:
There is always a FIRST time for everything... and I have been wanting to ask "so when was the last time YOU did something for the first time?"

♥ ♥ ♥

So there's this talk of another big storm hitting the country in a week's time. God have mercy on us all...

Before I hit the sack, I would just like to say: Actions speak louder than words. If your actions can vouch for you, don't bother with words. They most often complicate things.

Harharhar...

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Simply Happy

On Thursday, 17 September 2009:

I have been smoke-free for 53 days... and I don't miss it at all!

I have been alcohol-free for 15 days... but I miss it. =(

I have run a total of 10km in the past week.

I have spent a total of 3,200 pesos on clothes in the past week. *gasp*

I climbed the inclined wall twice in less than 3 minutes at each attempt. Whee!

Kuya Manny was our guy at the wall.

Alvin traversed 9-10-11 successfully, yey! Neither Japes nor I did. =(

Japes forgot to drop me off at Sucat... and we ended up having to turn back on the way to his house. *lol* I-take home daw ba?

@>-;-----

On this day, 19 September 2009:

I am happy. Simply happy. Happily simple. =) More energy, mas happy!

@>-;-----

Taking Nikka to walk in Boni High Street. It's kinda cloudy and rain is threatening BUT we're forging on. Kowiz will drive. Ayoko mag-drive. Kailangang hawakan ang asong malikot!

Ciao for now!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Oh Emme Gee!

Hindi ko kinaya!

I just read this on Pepper Lunch's Philippines site. One location closer to work and soon, another location close to home. Lovette! YG's, you know where we'll be eating on my birthday! (Fish and Co is reserved for Jen's bash so it's not Fish and Co, Dada!)

Temperature in Seoul today is 19C... Autumn is coming! I wish I was in Seoul right about now...

On other OMG-worthy news... I posted the Laiya pics on Facebook. Just check it out. It's friends-only though. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

On This Day - 6 September 2009

I have been smoke-free for 35 days.

I have run a total of 30km in the past month.

I have consumed more chocolate-covered cereal in one sitting than any normal homo sapiens should consume in one week.

I realized that things happen... not necessarily for a reason.

That doesn't change the fact that I still have the need to ask "Why?" without necessarily having the need to hear the answer.

Still... why?