Tuk tuk? Where you go, Krub?

So it turns out, Thailand being a Buddhist country, they have a unique relationship to alcohol and other forms of excess.  Clearly, they tolerate it - vice, drinking and all sorts.  One thing they don't do, however, is open a Thai run bar before 5:30 PM, or 17:30 as they say here.  And I badly wanted a drink after a full morning and a light lunch.  I wanted my time to sit in the semi dark, air conditioned coziness of a fine drinking establishment and write, and catch up with my fucking self.


I consciously booked an extra day on this trip.  Yes, I probably could have squeezed some additional meetings in, but I got the moneymakers done.  Significant money makers, although it will take some time to really make things happen.  As it turned out I had a 6:30 AM working breakfast meeting that went for nearly two hours in the Thai manner, followed by a workout, followed by a quick shower and trip to an oddball museum/aristocratic residence, because one should always do something cultural. Like legitimately cultural.  Soi Cowboy not being on the list of approved activities.  Not that I swing that way anyway, but had I not lived in San Francisco for 10 years perhaps I would have found ladyboys intriguing.  Not so much these days.  Plus it was still morning and the museum was open and sparsely attended.

And speaking of ladyboys, may I just say that Australian rules football . . .
Lady bruisers?

Oh I should mention I am in an Irish Pub in the Soi Convent neighborhood.  Aussie rules is on the telly.

Back to the melody

So I really wanted a casual bar to hole up in for the afternoon, and the main drag Thai mall/hotel area I am staying in didn't see fit to provide one until 5:30/17:30.  But thank god for Yelp and Google+.  I might have had to ask somebody otherwise.  I found the expat neighborhood (the aforementioned Soi Convent) and reviews, and Irish bars that open at noon.  Saints be praised. Not that I was drinking at noon, mind you, but I could not stand another goddamn Asian mall food court for three to four more hours.

I feel a bout of honesty coming on.  I might be in line for another post.