World's Largest Cucumber?

From the inside of a telephone booth, I surreptitiously photographed a woman slicing what was quite possibly the world’s largest cucumber. (I hid because I didn’t want to alarm her, being that she was holding a knife and didn’t look like the forgiving type.) The cucumber was roughly the size of a football. Maybe it is some other vegetable that I am unaware of (and correct me if I’m wrong about this vegetable), but it sure looked like a cucumber. (Photo coming soon!)

What is also interesting to me is the pervasive presence of 7-11 convenience stores in Bangkok. In the downtown area, they appear at every corner and like their U.S. cousins, are open 24 hours. I wonder if all of the convenience food stores and fast food restaurants will affect the Thais’ health in the near future? They all seem to love Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and KFC, not to mention all the chips and candy from 7-11. Did you know that stores and restaurants here ALWAYS give you a colorful drinking straw with every beverage you buy, even cans of beer?

Yesterday was a very good day. First, I was scheduled to meet Hyunjoo, Yoko, Lifang, Masahiro and Tee for a walk at Lumphini Park at 7:00 AM. Only Tee and I showed up, but this probably had something to do with the big party we all attended Saturday night, because only Tee and I drank orange juice and chocolate milk all night. While on our walk, I saw a lady nonchalantly pedaling her bike through the park with a steaming hot bowl of noodles in one hand. Didn’t see her eating them, though.

Speaking of noodles, Lumphini Park has an outdoor food vendor and picnic area where joggers, yogis and tai-chi practitioners can get a delicious, cheap breakfast after their workouts. Tee and I had bowls of noodles for just 30 baht (US$ .75) and I had a really tasty “green jelly” drink, which was sweet (and green) and full of little squashy bits of something.

At 10:00 AM, we met Hyunjoo at the Nana sky train station to walk to “Crepes & Co” for a delightful 5-course brunch in true French style. The restaurant is an expat secret, nestled in a lush verdant little section one low-key soi, its cool porch shaded by tall palms, fruit trees and overhanging tropical plants and enclosed within tall garden walls. Inside, it was decorated in dark wood and rattan, with crisp navy tablecloths and billowing canvas on the ceiling. The wait staff wore white and black striped shirts with little red scarves, similar to the get-ups of Parisian mimes, except that they’re Thai. We had coffee, café au lait, tomato and orange juice; croissants, toast, and baguettes with several kinds of butter and preserves; bananas and cornflakes; French toast; two types of omelettes; more toast; and finally, banana and chocolate pancake; and maple and cream pancake. To finish, we received another round of hot beverages.

I wanted to go to sleep after such an amazing meal, but it was only 12:30 in the afternoon, so I instead went to the movies. I saw Cherm, a Thai movie in English subtitles, which was excellent. I was very impressed at how very artistic it was, and how somehow even the raw and disturbing scenes were beautiful in their own way. It was a very sad but redeeming love story about a shy, old-fashioned taxi driver with a mysterious past who meets a commercial sex worker and how they change each other’s lives. The movie also gave me a lot of insight into Bangkok’s gritty urban culture.

The evening brought a real monsoon-style thunderstorm, perfect for lying in bed all evening reading my Jane Austen novel.

Today I learned to say Kapao Pak Sai Gai (pronounced Kah-POW PAHK SIGH GUY) and means Stir-Fried Vegetables with Chicken.

As you may know, the famous Miss Universe pageant is in Bangkok this year. The newspapers lately have included editorials ranting about scantily-clad contestants posing for photos in front of Buddhist temples and shrines. I haven’t seen them around town, but I’ve heard that they’re everywhere, partying it up in their bikinis. Miss Thailand has already won the traditional dress portion of the competition, while Miss Philippines leads the way in the popularity contest. I’ll try to keep you up to date”¦