brappy!

My classmate caused a big brouhaha at the movies last week while refusing to stand in respect to His Majesty King Bhumibol Rama IX during the Royal Anthem. A Thai man threatened to have him sent to jail and my tacky classmate started swearing. It was a nasty situation.

He sent an apology about a week later, saying that he didn't want to participate in the "cerimony". I haven't replied to that - I think anyone who dislikes ceremonies will have a really awful time living in a Buddhist country.

Posted by arion at 11:30 AM | Permalink

Shed roof, originally uploaded by brappy★.

I like the subtle, gentle curves of Hualumphong station's roof in Krungthep (Bangkok).

Posted by arion at 11:28 AM | Permalink

Just arrived, originally uploaded by brappy★.

A train has just arrived at Hualumphong Station in Bangkok.

Posted by arion at 12:20 AM | Permalink

Dog in the BTS, originally uploaded by brappy★.

This is a very hilarious city.

Posted by arion at 11:20 AM | Permalink

Walking home, 5.23 p.m. today, originally uploaded by brappy★.

I was walking home and a taxi driver waved at me while I was taking pictures. As I got closer to him, he wanted me to take his snoozing buddy's photo. So, I oblige - I guess he didn't figure that I got him in the frame, too!

I think the one on the right is the one who wanted to buy my iPod shuffle and headphones for 300 baht ($9.41USD) last week, and then counted out 120 baht to "pay" for it. Not the funniest joke...

Posted by arion at 09:00 PM | Permalink

Chippy, originally uploaded by brappy★.

I like the band-aid. Nice touch.

Posted by arion at 09:57 PM | Permalink

Not moving, originally uploaded by brappy★.

I sat and had lunch and watched these cars and taxis move very, very slowly. It took about 10 minutes to go 100 meters.

Both times I've been to Krungthep Mahanakon, aka Bangkok, I've had very bad luck with the pink taxis. Maybe it's just me, but I try to avoid them whenever I can.

Posted by arion at 02:37 PM | Permalink

"Go away!", originally uploaded by brappy★.

Crabby stray cat along Sukhumvit Road.

Posted by arion at 07:28 PM | Permalink

Fancy Hotel, originally uploaded by brappy★.

Another faux-cross processing shot, fauxpro... of a hotel along Sukhumvit Road here in Bangkok.

Posted by arion at 11:46 AM | Permalink

Power cut, originally uploaded by brappy★.

I got this notice at my hotel when I came back to my room this afternoon. Is this a rolling blackout? Just this soi? The whole neighborhood? Will the Skytrain work? Tomorrow should be an interesting day. I'm going to get up early so I can have a hot breakfast!

Posted by arion at 06:57 PM | Permalink

Hot side hot; cool side cold!, originally uploaded by brappy★.

Thais are excellent at staying on the cool side of a boat, reminding me of this ad.

Posted by arion at 12:00 PM | Permalink

Atlanta Hotel Lobby, originally uploaded by brappy★.

This is one of the cats I hang out with most evenings and some early mornings, as I sit in the Atlanta Hotel lobby using my computer. The staff enjoys picking up and carrying them around. It's cute!

Posted by arion at 08:28 AM | Permalink

Curves, originally uploaded by brappy★.

It's been raining every afternoon in Bangkok, it seems. It's kind of nice, in a way. All of the dirt from the city is washed away, leaving a slightly changed landscape.

The rain also lowers the temperature and when the storm ends, it is very comfortable outside.

Last night, I took a walk and shot some nice photos of foreigners behaving badly on a nearby soi. It was kind of funny. I'll post the results soon.

Posted by arion at 06:31 PM | Permalink

Soi 2, originally uploaded by brappy★.

This was about where I was hit by a truck earlier tonight. Some old german speaking dude was distracted by the prostitute he had in his truck and he started driving and as I dashed out of the way (in the rain) he tapped me. I nearly fell down. My reaction was to yell at him in Mandarin... as if that was helpful. He apologized, but I was unnerved. I went back to my hotel and took a break. I'm ok - no pain, no "internal injuries" (he was going less than 5 mph)... just upset.

Posted by arion at 10:25 PM | Permalink

Jim Thompson House, originally uploaded by brappy★.

Flowers outside the Jim Thompson House Museum, which I highly recommend visiting.

Posted by arion at 08:16 AM | Permalink

Nana Station, originally uploaded by brappy★.

Where else in the City of Angels [1] could you find such a couple? According to my guidebook, this is the "quintessential Nana couple (an overweight, older farang man with a young Thai girl)". This guy wasn't overweight, but he sure was smitten.

I watched them in the Skytrain. He had that look in his eyes that said "adoration". I didn't get a good look at the woman's face, but I have a feeling that it's not 100% mutual.

I'm still pretty jetlagged and the heat isn't helping. I was bored this afternoon and went to a movie. I ended up getting tickets in the super VIP cinema and saw about 3/4 of What Happens in Vegas. I kept having to get up to pee, because I had been dehydrated earlier... so after the third time in an hour that I went to go to the bathroom, I gave up on the movie - I could see the end coming a mile away.

My internet access is a bit hokey, so I won't be posting much for the next couple of days. As always, you can follow me on twitter.


[1] Bangkok's Thai name, translated, is "City of Angels", a full explanation is here.

Posted by arion at 07:45 PM | Permalink

CI 21 Dinner, originally uploaded by brappy★.

I'm off to Bangkok this afternoon, so I thought I'd throw out this photo of my dinner on my flight to Taipei.

Pork, rice, vegetables, spice cake, a dinky glass of red wine [1] and some fruit. My special meal request was lost, so I got the regular meal. It wasn't very good.


[1] Sometimes in Coach, you need to be slightly intoxicated.

Posted by arion at 10:47 AM | Permalink

"Your Destination Does Not Exist", originally uploaded by brappy★.

The King Dome was imploded in 2000, and the building will be paid for in 2012. So the question remains, where the heck was this bus going?

Posted by arion at 12:19 PM | Permalink

Peeking Model, originally uploaded by brappy★.

Looking out the window of an art gallery.

Posted by arion at 08:32 AM | Permalink

Working, originally uploaded by brappy★.

Working on plowing a field. I took this from a seaplane trip my mom and I went on last week.

Posted by arion at 01:00 PM | Permalink