Five Days in Thailand: “Run Dog Run”

"People disagreeing on all just about everything, yeah,
Makes you stop and all wonder why.
Why only yesterday I saw somebody on the street
Who just couldn't help but cry.
Oh, this ol' river keeps on rollin', though,
No matter what gets in the way and which way the wind does blow,
And as long as it does I'll just sit here
And watch the river flow."

Bob Dylan might have been thinking about me wading across Bangkok's Sukhumvit Soi 33 when he penned this song.


High Water & Haute Cuisine

I arrived back in Bangkok on Monday afternoon. Once I thawed out my paws from my chilly sojourn to Macau it was time to hit the town and have a little fun. My friend, Pha lek, wanted to go out and hear some music and I was eager to please…

Of course, as this is Thailand, we had to eat first…so we had the taxi take us to a nice 'thai country cookin' restaurant in the heart of the tourist district (Siam Center). After a meal of baked crab meat with glass noodles and chilies, steamed chicken salad with fresh chili sauce, and saute’ baby spinach with garlic and chili peppers, it was time to check out the club in the basement of the Novotel…retro black lights, big plasma screens, and the ubiquitous 50-Cent videos made for a faux ambiance…

Well, despite all the chilies, this old dog did not last too long in the dark, smoky confines of “hip hop” central, but it was an interesting departure, nonetheless. Who were all those curvy “farang” women dressed up for…Hugh Hefner, Larry Flynt, the Arabs? Grrrrrrrrr….Monday was an early night for the old travelin' dog…back to the baan.




Tuesday brought a new day…beautiful weather, not a care, (or a hair), in the world, and two friends from the old Idaho dog patch to meet for an ice coffee....Thai style of course! After sipping coffee yen and talking story for awhile, it was time for a Thai massage and a nap to rest up for dinner...or rather, a late supper...

Never to be forgotten for a long time was that late supper at Sirocco...a monument of a food stall situated aside the shining Dome on the 64th floor of the State Tower.

Dog be steppin’ out…truly an amazing view, incredible Mediterranean food, and the smiling company of the lovely Pha…it felt like a visit to the top of the world, the lofty realm of the cuisine gods…or, at the very least, the trendy/spendy, well-groomed restaurant spirits. Ah, the luck of the (half-) Irish…a Leprechaun in Thailand, imagine that!




Wednesday started with a flash flood in Bangkok. I got a good soaking and shaking on my way out for last minute errands. Thank Buddha for motorbike taxis or I would have drown in a sea of slime. Later in the morning, after the sun came out, it was a taxi to the airport and and a long flight delay at the futuristic Suvarnabhumi Airport …just like being stuck in the doghouse…21st Century jet set style! Along the way, I did meet a nice peroxide blonde poodle at the drug store…and free wi-fi at Starbuck's!

Arrived at my destination, Krabi town at about 9pm…checked in at the Greenery Hotel, (Al Gore is an investor), and it was off for a good rub by my #1 favorite Wat Po massage person, (and close friend), Ausa, at First Lady Massage… by midnight this dog was sawing logs on the table…what 2.5-hr. delay, what flood?

We dined al fresco street side Khao Phat with Tuna at 1am. Walking back to the hotel through the back streets of Krabi I could only conclude that the rats in Thailand become very big after midnight!!! Almost as big as the dogs! No rats in the Crazy Club, though, or guns or flip-flops it seems?




Thursday, I was feeling frisky after a morning walk about Krabi, a few cappuccinos,and making a couple of new friends...my shiny rental truck was delivered to me at the Hotel at high noon…out the door I went…zoom, zoom…off to Trang town to catch up a bit and to share a delightful evening meal with the charming and witty Ms. Kob.

Of course, that meant sampling some of the local delicacies at Kob's favorite neighborhood restaurant, Lay Trang. I especially like the fresh Khung (shrimp) and Pla Muk (squid) bakeded with coconut cream in cabbage leaves and hot chilies (...of course).

Before dinner Kob and Ning showed me some of their latest bead/shell jewelry designs at their shop Tha Trang Collection…maybe I need a new collar for the beach? A few skulls for hanging out under the coconut palms? Huh, huh???


Friday, after a bit of grocery shopping at the huge Tesco/Lotus hypermart, and sharing my latest digi-photos with Kob and Ning at the shop, I was off to the final destination...my southern home...the tropical island of Koh Lanta.


Hot 'Lanta

It had been six weeks since I left Thailand for my trip to America and I was very happy to once again, catch the two ferries out to the island. The journey to Koh Lanta is a step back in time... and of course, I was reunited with the very sweet, kind and loving, my travel partner and muse, Duangjan.

Duang's been working as a massage therapist on the beach while I was back in America for the holidays taking care of biz. Always nice to arrive home to a big hug and kiss...ooowwwhoooo!

Now it's time for this old dog to slow it down a bit, reflect on my good fortune, and make a few tracks in the sand...

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