A Small World

Funny how things happen. Some of my best memories in Bangkok were with a friend I met years ago named Bank. I'd always look him up when I came here and with him I did fun things like go to the movies, go bowling, etc. I always felt like I had moved beyond being a tourist and was having a more authentic Thai experience - well as much as a foreigner who did not speak any Thai could have.

Today after breakfast, I headed down Soi 3 to Silom Road. I was going to walk to Silom Center to see if the supermarket there had dried galangal and kaffir lime (part of my quest to bring back ingredients for Thai cooking).

As I was walking down the street two Thai guys approached me. One of them smiled, and said hello and punched me lightly on the shoulder as they passed. I thought they were two hustlers or something flirting with me. But as they passed, a flash of recognition hit me. I turned around and said, "hey!" It was Bank!

What are the odds that I would run into him like that on this little soi running from my hotel? The odds are even less given the fact that he is now living in Hong Kong with his Norwegian boyfriend and has been there for 5 years. No wonder it's been so long since I've seen him around. He is here to renew his passport.

Anyway, he was with a friend going to get something to eat, so we made plans to meet up tomorrow for lunch. He and his boyfriend will be in San Francisco next month and I look forward to showing him around a bit.

I didn't have any luck with my shopping excursion, so after lunch, I came back and rested.

Yesterday I met an interesting Thai guy and we made plans to meet tonight for dinner. He speaks fair English (sometimes I have a hard time with his pronunciation) - he is close to my age (but looks much younger) and I found out today he is a police officer. He's also gay, which is why he approached me when he saw me :)

Anyway, tonight we met and he drove me in his car (!) to an outdoor restaurant where we could have I-san food. I-san is a region in Northeast Thailand near Laos. Culturally, I think they are very close to Laos, and the food is often compared to Lao food (by Thais). It is known for being very spicy. Some of my favorite Thai dishes are from I-san.

As we were driving there, Ken (that's his name) asked me if I knew I-san food. I mentioned a few things I knew - Yam Nuea (a beef salad I love) and Laab Gai (minced chicken with shallots, coriander and mint that is served with cabbage and other raw vegetables). He also named Som Tam (green papaya salad). When I said I liked that, he said, "so we have our menu".

We arrived at this place which is not too far from my hotel, but not a place I would have gone on my own. I was the only foreigner there at first (one other white guy arrived later with a Thai woman). Ken ordered and instead of the chicken laab, he got a roasted chicken (half).

The food was delicious. The chicken had been grilled to perfection with the outside crispy and the inside tender and moist. It had been stuffed with herbs and had a delicious smoky flavor to it. It came with two chili sauces, one sweet and hot, and the other sour and hot (but neither too hot). We also got the beef salad and papaya salad. The total for all of that came to 190 baht - less than $6.00.

Ken was really worried I wouldn't like the place, but I loved it. I got to observe Thais in a more natural setting. There were groups of co-workers drinking and eating together as well as some families. A woman walked around selling lottery tickets and a little girl had some cookies she tried desperately to sell (she came to our table twice). Soon a guy honking a horn came up on a bicycle and sat there for a bit selling desserts. It was nice to be away from the tourist trail and all that comes with that (inflated prices, aggressive taxi drivers, etc.)

From there Ken told me he was taking me to a different place. I had no idea where we were going. We crossed the bridge and went from Bangkok to Thonburi, on the other side of the river. I've always seen it from the boats on the river, but have never been there. It was like an older version of Bangkok and a little more low-key. We went to a new apartment building and Ken took me to the 33rd floor to show me a new apartment he had just bought. From his balcony we could see a beautiful view of the river, the Oriental Hotel and further down Wat Arun (the temple of the dawn). It was a really lovely experience. He is not living there because he said it is too far for him to commute (he lives near my hotel). In Bangkok it can take forever to move just a few blocks in rush hour traffic. He said he wants to rent it out. I thought it would be a perfect place for someone in Bangkok for a short time. I myself was looking for a furnished vacation apartment (though I don't know if I'd want to be in Thonburi, not speaking any Thai). I told Ken I would help him post an ad on Craigslist.

I'm so happy that I ran into Bank and will see him tomorrow and that I have a new friend in Bangkok who is willing to show me around and allow me to have a little bit more of an authentic experience. It's times like these, when I get to see the real Thailand, that I really think I could live here long term. If nothing else, I would be assured to always have wonderful, cheap food available any time of day or night!