A Rustic Thailand

Cable TV is supposed to bring the world to your living room without having to step out and spend expensive dollars to see the world. This purpose was achieved when I watched The Lonely Planet on Thailand but what cable TV couldn’t give me was the experience of being in Thailand itself. The air was humid with a laidback and rustic traditional lifestyle which is so different from Malaysia. People were still travelling around in “tuk-tuk” which is a different version of the trishaw and instead of a bicycle, it is motorcycle attached to a cart, which is used to move cart passengers around.

Culture and Lifestyle

The whole city is an oxymoron of cultures and lifestyle. The contrast is slightly unnerving to my pampered senses. Suddenly, I felt ashamed of my “taken for granted” lifestyle which I complained every now and then. People were so poor that little girls as young as my youngest sister were trying to sell themselves to white foreigners to earn that little bit of cash. Competition was so tough among the girls that prices to “buy” one of these girls became very low. Even pregnant women were trying to make a sale. I had to walk past these women who operate at roadside bars every night and it saddens me to see that tourists are actually encouraging this flesh trade. The bars are perpetually flocked with tourists. A very pathetic sight as tourists from developed country is using money for cheap thrills with these destitute women. The older ones show signs of weariness from engaging in this trade on long term basis while the younger ones have to grit their mouths and endure the weird and sadist requests from these tourists. This is only a close-up view of the culture.

In the background, high-rise buildings such as the biggest mall in South East Asia and posh buildings cater for the rich and elite. The malls have brands that even Singapore malls do not carry. One of the malls actually has retailers selling Ferraris, BMWs, Lamborghinis and Porsche. In this mall, people were dressed to the nines and carrying expensive bags while the people on the streets are still very much rooted in tradition and fashion is a luxury that cannot be afforded by the street people.

It was weird to see “tuk-tuks” amidst Toyota Vios and expensive Mercs. The road system is so undeveloped that traffic jams is a world-understood situation in Bangkok. Trying to negotiate the traffic is virtually impossible. To move that few meters take hours, people resorted to walking to save time. Pavements are cracked, tiles missing from the pavement, uneven pavements – these are just part of life in Bangkok.

Despite the prevalence of the poverty, people were comfortable with their lifestyle. The level of complacency amidst the community surprises me. Malls could display their wares without fears of petty thefts. Petty theft crimes is not a societal problem as compared to Malaysia. What makes the people behave this way? Malaysia has better educated people and higher income society yet the crime rate is higher. Theft is usually a crime of destitution yet Thais hold more pride and dignity than resorting to this.

Food

Local fare dots the street as women try to sell their produce to passer-bys. Fried insects, duck mee, beef noodles and pok-pok salad are commonly seen. I had wanted to try some of these foods but the hygiene level killed my appetite. Food sellers used bare hands to handle food and I doubt they clean their hands each time they handle something apart from food. Squatting by the roadside, putting the bare hands into baskets to pull out a handful of mee and washing the used bowls in basins of used water don’t appeal to my normally hygienic self. My stomach churned at the sight of the clogged drains by these vendors. I ended up not trying any street food.

Shopping

Having visited almost every mall in Bangkok, I could safely agree that shopping for variety in high-brands is a must for elites. I loved the white, clean and spacious design of the malls – conducive to my already ‘finely-tuned’ shopping instincts. However, I was not in Bangkok to shop for high-end brands, I was there for the al-cheapo produce. Having battled sweaty people on the streets and balancing on the uneven pavements, I finally had my chance to visit MBK and Patpong for these al-cheopo stuff. Sadly, the regular influx of tourists has already acclimatised the locals to the bargaining skills of these tourists. Thus, inflated prices make shopping a bit pricy. Much bargaining to bring down the price does not justify the effort taken purchase the item. Moroever, due to the limited time frame to shop, I couldn’t shop much.

Thailand, I will be back but for the cultural aspect. Looks like shopping for me will be in countries such as the Americas, Europe, Australia and not this cultural-rich country.

Christmas Dinner 2006 @ Sheesh Mahal

After watching A Night At The Museum, I have to declare that the movie is funny in a Ben Stiller way. Expected yet he makes you feel that it is unexpected. Who would have guess that wax statutes would have hearts of gold. Anyway, after the movie, we (me, Lian Khin, Mel, Daphnie, Mike and Joel) decided to take our Christmas Dinner at a Pakistani Restaurant, "Sheesh Mahal" which was Sheesh! This is not that mahal after all.

We had Palak Paneer (killer minced spinach with cottage cheese), Beef Vindaloo, Lamb Masala (I think), Almond Kulfi (ice-cream with spices), Gulab Jamon (which was too sweet for my taste - Mel loved this sweet dessert).

Jo - being his first time at a Pakistani food was kinda hesistant when food was served yet he plucked up the courage to take the first plunge (must be out of curiousity) and fell in love with the Palak Paneer immediately. It was funny to see Lian Khin and Joel enjoying the food. Must say it was a good and fun Christmas dinner. Jo was so "in" to his food that he pushed his glass and drink to my side (talk about liking the food - he ate so much that he couldn't stand straight).

Christmas Dinner on 23 Dec

That's Baby Marcus whom I have been trying and trying to seduce the whole night but unfortunately, he prefers the "hamster" aka Jerrica to me lor.


Happily, I wore a party dress to Elinor's house for a Christmas dinner, after work. Didn't expect to be one of the few rare cases who wore a party dress coz everyone was in work wear or casuals. Belot lah!

Worse case, this was a couple Christmas Dinner which made me feel VERY ODD coz I am the only one who didn't have a partner. Though I came with Shi Han - that doesn't count because he has a girlfriend. So malu-fying.

Anyway, had a fun time laughing at Mama Jo's animated jokes and stories. I tried to carry Mama Jo's son, Marcus SO MANY TIMES and the kid just keeps on rejecting me! It's like I have this word "STAY AWAY FROM THIS CRAZY WOMAN" on my forehead!

Kuih Lapis

Layer One ~ On The Outside

name : Charmaine Loo Hoey Theen
birth date : 10 Nov 1979
current status : Single, Available BUT NOT DESPERATE
eye colour : Brownish but not that dark (I love my eye colour)
hair colour : Brownish black with blonde highlights (though the blondie part is fading out)
righty or lefty : Lefty rules!
zodiac sign : Scorpio (the most mysterious of all though I think its not mysterious but just that people don't understand me)

Layer Two ~ On The Inside

your heritage : Chinese Nyonya (I don't practice any Nyonya traditions)
your fears : Deadly afraid of butterflies
your weaknesses : Ferrero Rocher (very difficult to say NO to this lovely round babies)
Incompetence (this irritates me to the max)
"Peng", "Leng" and "Cheng" shopping
SALE
Beautiful shoes & handbags
your perfect pizza: Loads of cheese, bacon, pineapple, pepperoni and mushrooms!

Layer Three ~ Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

your first thoughts waking up : I need to jog or do my crunches
your bedtime : Usually 12 to 1am
your most missed memory : Being with my family

Layer Four ~ Your Pick

pepsi or coke : Coke (it is more gassy, less sweeter and superbly addictive)
single or group dates : Group (more fun)
adidas or nike : 3 stripes anytime (funkier design and definitely much more variety)
lipton or nestea : Nestea with peach/lime/honey/lemon (make it ICE COLD)
chocolate or vanilla : Vanilla (with orange - yum yum)
cappuccino or coffee : Cappuccino please...make if foamy hot and loads of choc powder

Layer Five

do you smoke : No
curse : Yes but seldom nowadays (intending to be more God-like)
take a shower : Duh! Who doesn't? We don't live in the Artics
have a crush : Can Hugh Jackman be a candidate?
think you've been in love: Yes, I still am very much in love with God
go to school : Yes
want to get married : Yes if God decides to send me Mr Right. Till then, I love my current life
believe in yourself : I think people who know me will know the answer
think you're a health freak: More like a vain freak

Layer Six ~ In The Past Month

drank alcohol : Yes, Christmas' eve
been on stage : Biasalah
eaten sushi : Don't really fancy this
dyed your hair : Highlights, dye, perm, rebonding - you name it, I've done it

Layer Seven ~ Have You Ever...?

played a stripping game : Maybe when I'm married (hehe)
changed who you were to fit in : Not really. Only if it is bad habits

Layer Eight

age you're hoping to get married : 30

Layer Nine ~ In A Guy

best eye colour : Any colour as long as its mesmerising and definitely, puppy dog eyes
best hair colour : As long as it looks good on the guy
short or long hair: Short (unless that guy looks like Legolas)

Layer Ten ~ What Were You Doing?

1 minute ago : Typing this blog
1 hour ago : Having lunch at KFC with Ah-Chear
4.5 hours ago : Work
1 month ago : Barely alive from all the work
1 year ago : Working?

Layer Eleven ~ Finish The Sentence

i love : to SHOP
i feel : a little tired from lack of sleep and wish my media monitoring will end
i hate : newspaper now
i hide : any fatty bits bulging out from my body
i miss : MY WARM BED
i need : rest

Layer Twelve ~ Tag 5 people

Joshua, Grace, Gloria, Mel and Fibi

Christmas Eve's 2nd Round @ Fibi's

Touch down after running around Sexy Lai's house and Subang Parade to grab Mel's white blouse for Christmas' choir performance.

Got stuck to the TV to watch some bikini-clad assassins in a complicated story line of incest (this is a Hollywood movie and not some Chinese drama). Took loads of photos in the short 45 min of being there. Drank a can of coke only coz still too full from the earlier session of eating yummy crispy mushrooms, spaghetti meatballs, snowfish, roasted lamb and red wine at Auntie Yin's place.

Going to Thailand

I'm excited! I'm going go to Bangkok, Thailand for a 3D/2N business trip. Usually, business trips are boring but this one is superbly cool! I get 2D of free and easy shopping and only 1D of actually shopping research. My hours may be long and tiring in this line BUT I get to work in a shopping mall and what do I do? SHOP!!! Such a perfect job and ideal for me.

I haven't even researched where to shop when in Bangkok. Hopefully, my colleagues are shopaholics coz I have no idea where to shop there.

TEEN TITANS

Having lunch at the first Tony Roma's in Malaysia and the BBQ Chicken is superb! I wanted second helpings but was on an eternal diet to ensure that I do not bloat. Been binging a lot recently. Must be the hormones.

TEEN TITANS GO! I walked into the office happily wearing the new Crocs that Mak gave and someone had to comment, "Hei! You look like one of the Teen Titans character with those shoes". Probably, my colleagues are not used to seeing a more dressed-down me.

If you can't see our eyes - that's understandable because this was taken at 1.50am during the rehearsal. Poor Cyborg, he can't sit because his pampers will break if he sits.