Dental Clinic

I went to a small dental clinic where I had gotten a crown made and put in for around $150 three years ago.  The young dentist went to dental school in the Philippines and he's a third-generation dentist.  His grandfather was a dentist in China and then moved to Bangkok and opened a private practice.  Then, his father took it over, and now it's his turn.  Yesterday, I got an appointment just by walking in.  I got my teeth cleaned.  I guess they were having a slow day!  The dentist himself, although he had an assistant by his side, did all the cleaning himself.  He also gave me some advice on some problems.  It was just unusual having the dentist do the cleaning.  If anyone should be able to clean teeth, it should first be the dentist, I guess!  plus, like i said he was not busy with other customers.  at clinics at hospitals in Bangkok, i recall having a hygienist do the cleaning and the dentist would come in to evaluate...the way uncle jim did and that most American dentists operate.  Anyway, for about an hour, and what seemed like 5-step process, it cost me $25 to have my teeth cleaned.  i attached a photo of the clinic.  as far i know, the equipment and technology were very good.  he seemed very professional.  And, in this business part of town, I could walk out his door and go to another dentist two doors down!  And there was a huge dental clinic across the street.  i asked him about the competition and that's when he told me his family story.  he said his business is good because he inherited customers from his dad's practice.  this small clinic has three chairs!

2009 e-mail

Seeing Old Friends

After we left Thailand for the States, we would start making trips back over to Bangkok every couple of years to see my wife's family and our friends.  Some of my friends were former colleagues at the school where I taught.  For years I kept in touch with several of them.  I'd always reach out to let them know that I'd be in town, and we'd make plans to get together.  We'd meet up at malls - usually at Starbucks at Siam Paragon, Central World or the Emporium.  Sometimes we'd meet at restaurants or entertaining parts of town, like Soi Nana or the Arab Quarter.  Once, I remember meeting a friend at the Wine Pub on Soi Raagnam.  He told me that Wednesday was 200 baht Fish & Chips night.  We went for it!

Wine Pub at Pullman Bangkok King Power (hotel)

Pullman Bangkok King Power 

(official website)

Experience a sweet attack as you savor new-world flavors from the cellars of Wine Pub.  This is an award-winning bar that masters the perfect formula for a fine dining treat. The wine bar develops an energetic ambiance that brims with young blood eager for a taste of the most popular appetizer, deep-fried oysters. With cozy interiors and more than 100 select labels, Wine Pub offers the most flamboyant combination – a mouthwatering spread of cheese cutlets and South African Chardonnay. This is all served in a French bistro type environment.  - source

Wine Pub has since gone through a name change and overall make-over.  It's now Glen Bar.

Central World Surprise

Central World is one of the many mega-malls in Bangkok.  When I say mega, I mean MEGA!  On this day, we went inside to meet up with our Japanese friend, Kyoko.  We were going to sit down and have a coffee at Starbucks.  But first we needed to surprise Kyoko!  Click here to see how that transpired.

Meal w/ Jeab

I used to do a much better job keeping up with my former Thai students turned friends.  This lady, Jeab, met me on one of my return visits to Bangkok.  She invited me to join her and her friends to play badminton.  Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite areas for street food in the city - the corner of Ratchadamri and Phetchburi Rds in Pratunam.  There are food stalls and restaurants (shop house types) that remain very busy - pretty much all day long, but especially at night.  Khao Man Gai (chicken rice), Moo Satay (grilled pork) and Khao Niaow Ma Muang (mango with sticky rice) were specialties.  And although I found a food stall I really liked the best, one of the shop house restaurants nearby was very famous in Bangkok.  You can see photos of it here.  Just click and scroll.

Khao Man Gai

The soup that came with it was always very good.  The sauce was a type of sweet soy sauce that you'd pour over the chicken and rice.  I would request the sweet and slightly spicy sauce instead.  Also, your chicken and rice dish could be made extra special by adding chicken livers.  I would do that!  And to drink?!  After a hot, sweaty day, an ice cold Coca-Cola always served me right.

Kade & Friends

One thing admire about Kade is the fact she has so many friends.  And whenever we go back to Bangkok, she's meeting one for lunch or having dinner with former classmates, even ones going back to middle school.  Quite remarkable.

Food Court Eats

I got this delicious meal at a food court in Central Pinklao mall.  Truly, you could visit Bangkok for an entire month, choose one mall food court (of hundreds), eat two meals a day, and you would return back to your home country thinking it was some of the best food of your life.

Quick and Easy

I thought this was a nice photo.  I took it in 2009, on a trip to Bangkok.  You have the coconuts, sliced mangoes and orange juice.  Out of the photo, over to the left, is some kind of food stall.  The scene captures how creative Thais are with space, and reflects how eating is more about taste, convenience and price.  It's also a fast eating experience as well.  You can go to nice, air-conditioned restaurants in Bangkok, but there's a lot that are this style, too.

more images from the same area

Along Sukhumvit Rd - Bangkok

unique architecture and international brands

Bangkok Walking

I love walking around Bangkok.  So much to see! 

Bangkok Perks

I had this brunch once in Bangkok.  I was meeting a German lady I had befriended years before, and she treated me.  The JW Marriott is on the same soi (small lane) as The Atlanta Hotel, where I stayed several nights in 2000.  When I stayed there, I would often walk down to the Marriott, and hang out on a comfy sofa or chair in their lobby.  I would order a fruit shake - often, coconut or cantaloupe - and a snack mix.  I would always grab their free New York Times, and then read as much as could.  But the greatest treat was flirting with the female staff, who were dressed impeccably, spoke pretty good English and seemed very happy to wait on me.  I would stay usually for an hour at least.  I discovered, when I was an expat living in Bangkok, the savviest expats were those who knew which hotel lobbies were best for resting during a long lull between classes (if you were an ESL teacher), or ideal for kicking back and reading a newspaper or talking politics with a friend, or simply walking in to use a super clean, very plush restroom without having to be a guest.  I very quickly became savvy - let's put it that way.  Probably helps to be a white male (or somebody who clearly looks like a tourist).  It also is a plus to walk with confidence, and with a purpose.  What's worse case scenario?  "Are you guest?"  "No, but I just want to use the lobby restroom."  "Sorry, it's only for guests."  "Okay. No problem."  How many times do you think that happened?  Zero.  And I have been in the lobbies of most of the big name hotels in Bangkok!

JW Marriott Lobby

Reminders of Home

If you are from the USA, see if any products in a typical Thailand convenience store remind you of home.

Thai Tea

A refreshing drink in Thailand is Cha Yen Sai Nom (Iced Tea w/ Milk).  You can get it at street kiosks, in malls, at restaurants, as a fountain drink in convenience stores.  It's everywhere - as are numerous other tea and coffee products, cold and hot.

Stripping it Down

When you strip it all down, when you're traveling, something simple as tasting an exotic fruit can make you as happy as anything.  For some reason, the rest of the time, we like to complicate things.

Ones I enjoy in Thailand:  papaya, mango, rambutan, longan, coconuts, durian, custard apple, sapodilla, jackfruit, pomelo, pineapple, guava, langsat, lychee

Yanhee Hospital - Bangkok

 

airport

We flew Korean Air to Bangkok in 2009.  It was a hastily-planned trip to see  Kade's sister, who had been admitted into Yanhee Hospital due to a Lupus flare-up.  I took these three photos from an upper floor viewing area/garden - a spot for families to get some sunshine and de-stress a bit.

And a bit on into the trip, after Kade's sister had been released from the hospital, one of Kade's friends drove us past the hospital on evening.

Day with Rose

We met up with one of Kade's good friends at the office where she worked.  Afterwards, we rode back with her to her home, and then later had a fabulous dinner alongside a pretty lake.