Bangkok 2015

I actually like the Scoot slogan - "Get Outta Here!" I do not really need lots of holidays, I just need more rest I suppose and my idea of a holiday remains one where I will go to a lovely sun kissed beach resort, where time will stand still, be a beach comber, drinking beer, sipping rum and well maybe find time to write a book and forget about this mundane world.

But can one really laze around a city with plenty to eat, shop, drink and be merry? I have just found out about it. Mind you, I visited the capital of the Land of a Thousand Smiles in June and it took courage to do it as their morning temperature at the time was the same as ours in the afternoon. Well at least the van we were in was cooled from the outside heat. Such stickers seem popular.

We were hungry by the time and I haven't been to Coca for such a long time and decided to check them out. Maybe, there have been all kinds of steamboats around these days but I do not find Coca as good as they once were. In the last few years, I was doing more MK than Coca. Still I like them for old time's sake.

Was at Central and found some interesting stuffs.

Love these bikes here which were built like choppers.

Each costs in the region of Baht 28,000. A nice novelty but I am not sure if it is practical.

Time to check in to my favourite hotel. A place of such massive convenience at Siam Square.

Only disappointed that there was no longer that Singha promotion for 100 Baht a pint. Hoegaarden came at twice the price.

If I were to write a book, this would be the book cover or close to it. It has been my trademark. Rilek one korner, brudder.

Maybe I should walk away from it all, travel and write. Find a new adventure. Life is too short to be doing the same thing for a very long time.

Well, what did I say about eat, shop, drink. Before I could say Sawasdee Krup, it was dinner time. Mango is a lovely fruit for its special fragrance.

Ban Khun Mae is still tops. The place was packed. Even tripadvisor said so in agreement.

I have been to many places with such old decor in different countries and they are interesting.

For those of you who know only about your mobile device, check this out.

SG is facing labour problems but here even in Bangkok, they could put a musician for live entertainment while you eat. We are so safe or so short of labour that we have even resorted to cardboard policeman to deter theft in shopping malls.

I love the way the Thais do their vegetables, It is the same taste unlike different style of Chinese cooking but it is always good. But I am always curious why they have always put a fish in a fish-shaped dish when serving. By the way, the seabass is prepared in a typical soupy gravy that is almost like tom yum.

Papaya and mango salad with tasty ''hae bee'' made good appetisers.

Don't forget the great prawn ball here - a must try.

Time to hit the well-stocked super market. Even for oysters, here is the United Nations of Oysters!

Relax - yes! That is the word. Not sure if humans really know how to relax. Well, I know some people who do. They are actually too relax. So relax until they are almost into reverse evolution. You know they slouch into such comfy mode, turned into a blob, crawl or bobble to the sea, become a fish, a molecule and puff! Disappeared! Kaput!

Day 2 - Breakfast included but despite the good and nice spread there was little time. More like there is little space. I missed the talked about ''wanton noodle'' the last time. I have to rate it. Others' taste buds differs, some are not even reliable.

Some shopping malls were putting up really big games events.

Happening! Race games.

A river runs through it near Platinum.

Soon, as you walk along Pratunam, after a goldsmith shop near Pratunam wholesale centre, you will see a snaking queue. There are different people telling you about different wanton noodle stalls but I was told there is really only one and this is the real McCoy. You know the story about our own Katong Laksa?

In another country, I like to keep a low profile but I saw this man pointing here and there. Must be some big shot. Or may be he works for the stall to make the queue longer? Haha.

The guys who cook and prepare your wanton noodles are like the cool kids. If you change the background a bit, they looked like DJs manning their music console spinning your favourite tracks, especially the guy in a beanie with the Thai flag and mercury sunglasses, moustache and all.

You can see the ''char siew'' were really burnt.

Everyone who came all the way here for wanton noodle must also have this.

Like our ''kway chap''. Innards like ''tua tng'', ''ter kah'' (pig trotters).

Fortunately, it was air-conditioned but it was packed to the brim. The queue seemed long but they were quick with the orders and the deliveries. I think there are many Singaporeans there.

I was told they have actually placed a sign of a tortoise with an X across the tortoise meaning no slow eating but had forgotten to look for it.

I must say this plate is really good. The trotters were soft, tender and well-seasoned like marinated for three days and three nights. However, I have never gotten used to their ''kiam chye'' which has a taste that I didn't like.

My report card for the (1) wanton - normal size, good but not great. Ditto the soup.

The char siew were a few and in thin slices. Well burnt but dry and not the sweet tasting, caramel dripping type back home.

The noodle was truly good. It is of quality cooked at the right temperature to have that crunchy not clumpy texture. I feel that the noodle were laced with lots of pork lard such that you could just eat the noodles plain in the way it was served. It is tasty enough. You could actually see the bits and pieces of crispy lard.

If you have to add some chilli it is just the same chilli that you used for your trotters and kway chap platter. Witnessed how the plates were cleaned up? Why? Because if you have to queue and wait then I would advise you to have two simply due to the fact that the plate may look big but the serving is very small.

Each plate of noodle was like two to three mouthful depending how big your mouth is. Worse if you measure by the stomach.

My verdict: It is good wanton noodle but it is not great. The queue and service was fast so no problem. It is air-conditioned. Mai pen rai. If I have to say wait for half an hour or more. I won't.

I think if you are much younger than me and have never tasted authentic, ass-kicking wanton noodles of the old days gone by then you may think this is great wanton noodles. It is good but social media made it great.

At Pratunam, I saw these outfits and was thinking if I should get one for myself and some friends in case some disrespectful people forgot our ranks. Haha.

But actually we do not care about ranks. We are more comfortable in these. Casual.

In Bangkok, you can just be passing by or through a place like Siam Square and you can stuck for hours and do a fair share of shopping before you get to your targeted destination.