Bangkok streets during New Year holidays

Sunday, 30 December 2018

Bangkok ranks among the top of the world' s worst traffic cities. Many foreign tourists come to see for their experience that how heavy the traffic could be in the very capital of Thailand and they never get disappointed. Bangkok's streets are usually crowded with various kinds of vehicle from motorcycles to tuk-tuk or tricycle taxis and from cars to buses. Personal cars rule the streets mostly especially during rush hours and that worsens the already bad traffic. The worst areas are mostly in downtown, business areas, as well as the areas with campuses or schools nearby. While some tourists look at the long lines of motors struck on the roads in awe, most Bangkokians think the situation is awful, and it seems worse every day. 

Rajprasong at nigh on regular weekdays, one of the worst traffic areas
in Bangkok, but this intersection and nearby streets will be cleared off for countdown gathering

Yet, there are some moments that Bangkok streets could be paradise for pedestrians or drivers and one of the very rare occasions is in this period, the New Year holidays.

When the end of year 2018 is coming closer, hundreds of thousands of Bangkokians have cleared off their work and rushed out of the city. Some return to their hometown for their family reunions in other provinces, while others take their holidays to some tourist sites outside the capital or in overseas. Only some including I remain in Bangkok and enjoy this rare moment of less crowded metropolitan.  Traveling around in  the city could take much less time than normal. For example, I can take just 10 minutes from my place to Bangkok downtown Siam Square area while it would take me an hour or more on regular days.  Moreover, I can walk around and enjoy more quiet streets with less crowd.  But some may not like the quiet Bangkok, for they may have to rely on instant noodle or ready-to-eat food from convenient stores such as 7 eleven rather than get it freshly cooked from the food stalls usually available around the big city.

Despite its more empty streets,  Bangkok could be very crowded in certain locations that are set for the public celebrations especially public countdown at the midnight of the 31st December.  Those popular spots include Rajprasong intersection, Asiatique on the bank of the Chao Praya River and the latest one this year, IconSiam the newest megastore for shoppers. It is expected that hundreds of thousands of both Thais and foreigners would gather around those places to celebrate and witness the arriving of the new year 2019.  Drinking, dancing, laughing, screaming with joy are appearing for certain.  Surely, it must be fun if you don't think of no voice no energy left later that night.  It's good for experience at least once.  

To have Bangkok streets full of joys must be better than with cars and smog particularly during New Year time.  But since I  had it enough already, so my best countdown spot is likely in bed and with my cats snuggling around.   :)

Your time is important. So is others'time.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

We always think our time is mostly important and it's true. When we have an appointment with someone, as normal persons, we expect to meet that person at the time both sides agreed. And if something unexpected came up, causing us to be late, we would try our best to keep the other side informed as soon as possible.  If you agree with what I said, that could mean you not only think about your own interest but also you care enough about others. Be proud of yourself, you have decent mind and manner.
  
However, some people seem not understand such simple way of thinking and practicing. They get the first half of the idea--time is mostly important but only for their own part. They couldn't grasp the importance of others' time. So this kind of thick skulls are seen very often late or even not show up at the appointments, despite their own ones. Some might make an excuse, while others wouldn't care to make up one.  Some might care for giving an apology, but later  you would experience that their apologies come easily and mean nothing more than a slip of their tongue.

I sometimes have met this kind of people who care little about others although it's not what I ever wish for.  I have to put myself in control to cope with them professionally. Yet, I can't help letting them know that I am not pleased with their tardiness or disappearance especially with no reason, or irrational reasons.

Some seem learned and improved, but not a few seem hopeless for improvement. The latter carry on their self-center-ness, and even a tough-skin like me can do nothing but let it go. I just tell myself that for the sake of  my own mind and peace, let karma do its job to this kind of hopeless persons. 

What would you do if you were in my shoes? 

Happy Boxing Day 
Gigi  :)
  

Food for Life

It's almost 11 pm., yet sleeping is not in my mind; neither is writing something serious.  Maybe food is the easiest topic to talk about. Like most people, I love food. It answers my basic physical need and more. Food also brings joys, and sometimes is used as a means to flee from sadness.  Are you thinking of juicy sweet melon and chocolate like I am? Still, some kinds of food likely upset me and my stomach more if I take them. For example, raw meat or exotic meat like snake and crocodile meat. I would opt for plain water to fill up my empty stomach.
Here are some yummy Thai dishes I love.

Kaeng Liang (mixed vegetable and prawn soup)

Boiling Kaeng Liang

Khao Phad nhaem (Fried rice with egg, tomato and fermented minced pork)

Masman with pork and potato

A-chad taengkwa (Cucumber sweet and sour dip is good with Masman)

Kaeng Buad Fakthong (Pumpkin in sweet coconut milk)

Pad Kaprao Kai (Spicy stirfried chicken with Thai basil)

Khao Niew Piak Lamyai ( sweet sticky rice with longan)

Yam Makhuayao Prik Yuak Kungsod (Eggplant, pepper and prawn salad) 

Kaotom Taohukhai Kung (Boiled rice with egg tofu and prawn)

Fried pork marinated with garlic, cilantro and spring onion)

Stirfried pork liver with red onion, bell pepper and garlic

Those are some of the recent products from my kitchen. Now I guess it's time for  bed. 

Enjoy watching and have a good dream. 

Gigi.

Approaching is the end of Year 2018.

Hello and  ,very soon, Good bye 2018

I just realized that I haven't visited this blog of mine for almost a year!  How come? Several reasons came up: my busy work, my not-so-good health, my broken laptops, and my difficulties to get into my own blog. Yes, I am not kidding especially for the latter.  The problem is I forgot my email and password. I couldn't believe myself either, but too bad it happened. I was mad at myself for not being able to get here.   When I tried (not just one time) it seemed getting worse, for I got more headache. The best solution for me was simply turning away and going to do something else (which is proven not the best idea because eventually I still needed to come back and tried again, and failed again). 

This time I tried and failed again as ever. But it's December 2018 and I have been giving myself up too many times already.  I needed to fight for my own space, my blog, right?

The final fighting began 25 minutes ago after my three times failed in a row. I dug into my desk cabinet which is messy with lots of papers and notes as usual in order to find my old and fat notebook where I love jotting down whatever interested me. Actually, it is kind of a mixture of daily, multipurpose-notebook and script encoders.  Nope, it was not there.  I continued searching and bingo! It was amid a pile of books sitting next to the desk.  I remembered it right away since it has green cover with cat-bite-n-craw marks on the rim. It also has a tiny green ribbon for book marking too. I got it as a free gift from working on some project years ago.

I recalled that I took note of my emails and passwords there  although some of them were changed later.  Flipped through the pages and thank God, they're still there.  My scribble, yet readable.  So my fight came to an end and my wish came true this time in the last month of the year. I deserve happiness and pride ( Just by myself is all right ^^).  

I shall return again very soon before this year end and share with you some update. My cats are yelling at me for their dinner. Thank you for reading about my fighting till the end. You will not be disappointed for my next topic.

Happy December and Happy festive moments!
Gigi