Meeting an Old High School Friend

My day tour for this morning had been canceled before I left for Bangkok “due to political unrest.” It was the Bangkok Tuk Tuk Small Groupd Adventure Tour, but this tour didn’t pick up people from their hotel. Rather, you had to make your way to another hotel and the tour operator probably didn’t want to subject people to the congested traffic due to the protests. It would have been a fun tour.

So, considering that I was picked up at 6:15 a.m. yesterday for an all–day tour and would be picked up at 6:10 a.m. the next day for another all–day tour plus being somewhat jet–lagged, I didn’t look for another morning tour and slept–in instead. I was to meet an old high school friend at a hotel in Bangkok later that day. He was coming up from Pattaya, a beach town about two hours from Bangkok. I knew that he lived near Bangkok from Facebook and sent him a message asking him out to dinner in Bangkok. He accepted.

I got tired of being in my hotel and I was concerned about the Bangkok congestion so I left my hotel early for the afternoon meeting. It turned out to be a short, uncongested–traffic taxi ride so I got the the meeting place––a hotel––early. The taxi fare––under 100 baht (under $3.00). My taxi driver was confused as to why I wanted to be dropped off where I asked to be. Going shopping?

I could quickly could see why he asked. The hotel was across from a bar where young Thai girls hung out.

On Sol Sukhumvit 4

And across from a tattoo parlor.

On Soi Sukhumvit 4

These old bald–headed white guys are just lucky I didn’t get a better photo of them to put on the internet. I saw money change hands. So if anyone asks if I saw anything of the sex trade that Thailand has a reputation for, I would now have to answer yes.

Okay, John, you have some explaining to do as to why we are meeting here!

I didn’t think it was discreet to stand out on the sidewalk taking photos so I retreated to the hotel’s lounge and read the Nation, an English–language Bangkok newspaper, to figure out what was going on with the political situation in Bangkok. I had been reading it on–line but the print edition was better to read. I was very impressed with both the news writing and also the opinion pieces. I was just starting on the Bangkok Post, when John and Au, his Thai girlfriend, located me.

John and Au

John and I graduated high school the same year in a small town on Long Island, NY. He wrote in my yearbook: “To Peggy, Good luck to the girl with the cool car, take care and be good. May riches and happiness be yours. Good luck, Johnny.” Nothing about––see you for the next time in 52 years in Bangkok! That is how long its been. I would have scanned his yearbook photo but he wrote all over it. I had forgotten all about my “cool car” until I read his inscription––a white Merc convertible that I  had only for the year before I went off to college.

Photo: John and his Thai girlfriend Au. To explain this exotic meeting place. It is an expat hotel and he has been coming here for the last 25 years, for R&R time when he was working in Saudi Arabia and now stays here anytime he comes to Bangkok. Everyone knows him at the hotel and he likes to say hello to them. He said the neighborhood has changed throughout the years. He liked Thailand from visiting here and made it his retirement home.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

After spending much time talking, it was time to head to dinner. We walked along Soi Sukhumvit 4.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

Au led the way. John tried to keep up with her. I tried to keep up with John. Au walked very fast so not much time to take many photos.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

The food vendors put out quite a spread. Fried chicken legs are being offered. We had them, very good, at most of our tour buffets.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

All kinds of tropical fruit for sale.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

A good deal. 80 baht equals about $2.40 U.S.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

Some out–of–the–ordinary characters hang out on Soi Sukhumvit 4. I didn’t catch a photo of the very tall man wearing a very tall black hat. Au is on the right,  waiting for us to catch up.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

I was taken in by this advertisement––looked like a good place to eat––until I saw that it was a Burger King ad. I looked up Burger King: It started out as Insta–Burger in 1953 and in Florida and didn’t become Burger King until 1954. Good fake advertising.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

Another enterprising vendor.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

If Burger King is here, you can bet there is also a McDonald’s close by.

Walking Along Soi Sukhumvit 4

Some electrical wire art.

At the Gulliver Bar & Restaurant

In an alley off the main street, we ate at the very attractive Gullivar Bar & Restaurant. John and I had steaks, french fries, and vanilla ice cream. Very good. Au had a Thai dish. John and I talked about people we both knew and he told me about his life after leaving our small town on Long Island to his retirement in Bangkok, including not only working in Saudi Arabia but also in Algeria. Very interesting. Photo: Au and John.

At the Gulliver Bar & Restaurant

We both drank Tiger beer. There is a hotel attached to the restaurant that advertises itself as a business, expat, and tourist hotel. The whole Sukhumvit area is described as trendy and also as a big expat one, with Indian, Japanese, Muslim, etc., enclaves. Gulliver’s is a great people–watching spot as we saw Muslim women, a man in Saudi Arabia attire, people wearing Indian dress, Western tourists, etc., walking by.

At the Gulliver Bar & Restaurant

John toasting with his Tiger beer.

Back to Hotel via Tut Tut

John had asked at the hotel how hard it would be to get me back to my hotel by taxi. They said forget it. You’ll never get through because of the protests. So we took a very fast tut tut that could weave in and out of traffic all the way back. Great visit with John and Au!