He’s got a tuk tuk to ride.
by allancarreon on Nov.16, 2016, under Travel & Culture
My only experience with a Bangkok tuk tuk in the past was in 2005, and it was not a good one. Suffice it to say, the guy tried to rip us off. We decided to jump ship (almost literally) and take a cab.
Fast-forward to 2016, and I wanted to ride a tuk tuk again. You know, just to get that awful experience over-ridden, somehow. My bestie, who has been to Thailand way more than me, did say tuk tuks remain somewhat shady, but as long as you know how to handle them (and perhaps act like a local), it should be fine. The funny thing is, they’re more expensive than cabs and Uber, so most of the time we took Uber.
Tasty Thailand: Bangkok
by allancarreon on Nov.15, 2016, under Queer, Travel & Culture
I’ve always loved Thai cuisine, but I’ve never really tasted authentic samples as all I’ve eaten had been in the Philippines. The last time I was in Bangkok, which was a mere one-night transit stay in 2005, I ate at the mall food court lunch, then at a McDonald’s for dinner, then in the hotel for breakfast the next day.
Thus, I owed it to myself to eat lots of Thai food this time. Well, you bet I did!
After having delicious street Pad Thai on Friday night, I had a feeling Saturday would be a treat, and it certainly was.
Kingdoms and Temples, Part 2
by allancarreon on Nov.14, 2016, under Travel & Culture
Continued From:
So my first day in Bangkok continued immediately after my tour of the Grand Palace. Next stop: the famous Wat Pho.
As it turns out, much like the Grand Palace, Wat Pho is not just one temple; it’s a complex of temples and structures, several of which houses various Buddhas. Exploring the place also required some major footwork.
Kingdoms and Temples, Part 1
by allancarreon on Nov.13, 2016, under Travel & Culture
The last time I was in Bangkok was in 2005. I’d stayed only one night, in transit from Mumbai where I’d been on a business trip for three weeks. That single night in Thailand didn’t afford me a lot of time to explore the city, and I only got to really go to Chatuchak as well as the Si Lom Night Market. However, Bangkok felt so magical that I vowed to return.
Well, vows can take some time, so here I am, eleven years later, finally making good on my promise to myself. I honestly don’t know why it took me so much time to get back here – I’ve been to several other international destinations in the last decade – but be that as it may, I now have made it back, and it feels great.
Seriously, I could live in Bangkok forever (well… here, Bogota, or Sofia).
The Dirtier, The Better
by allancarreon on Nov.12, 2016, under Travel & Culture
But of course, it’s not really dirty. Freshly cooked by a street food stall vendor, this authentic Pad Thai is the yummiest I’ve tasted, like, ever. Then again, it is in Bangkok, and as in many cases of cuisine around the world, the streets are the place to be when it comes to absolute gustatory delight.
You can find this one in Surawong near Si Lom. Watch the lady cook!
Age of the Demagogue
by allancarreon on Nov.11, 2016, under Society
The world sees a global power shift. We are now basically run by a circle of bullies and demagogues: just reflect on who the leaders of the UN Security Council are soon to be: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Donald Trump.
Of course, there are still François Hollande and Theresa May, both of whom may still bring in some form of temperance (for one thing, both have supported same-sex marriage in their countries and have more liberal leanings). However, Hollande’s approval ratings in his own country are down. Theresa enjoys more popularity in hers, she recently had some criticism for her “cliched verbiage” in congratulating Trump, a too-safe approach compared to Angela Merkel’s more on-point message to the Orange Man.
Hail The Taxi!
by allancarreon on Nov.10, 2016, under Film & TV
I like horror, if that weren’t obvious enough, and recently I came upon an Indonesian short film that I had watched online a couple of years ago. Admittedly, I predicted the ending, but that’s probably because I read and watch too much horror. Regardless, it’s still freaky and quite well done, even upon re-watching.
See for yourself. Be satisfied.
Good job, ‘Murica.
by allancarreon on Nov.09, 2016, under Society
You just set social progress back by two hundred years, and then you moved global annihilation forward instead.
Whatever happened to Nikki Blonsky?
by allancarreon on Nov.09, 2016, under Film & TV, Music & Theater
Well, if we base it on Wikipedia or IMDB, not much in the last few years.
Too bad. I do think she was perfectly cast (a complete newbie) in the movie adaptation of what is perhaps my favorite musical, Hairspray. She’s since had a few appearances here and there, and I read that she’s also performed on cruise ships, but over-all I guess her career had never really taken off.
She’s a talented singer, though to be fair she’s a so-so actress, and perhaps that’s the reason for her lukewarm career. Then again, she seems trainable; perhaps she could’ve tried Broadway?
In any case, I do hope she’s out there, somewhere, still singing.
Happy birthday, Tracy Turnblad!
American voters, we’re in your hands.
by allancarreon on Nov.08, 2016, under Society
Today, the United States will be electing their new president.
As I previously mentioned, no matter the outcome, the results will be historic: the USA will either elect its first female president, or a third party president (which is honestly unlikely), or its first orange president who is misogynistic, racist, Islamophobic, xenophobic, and a pathological liar of a scumbag who think sexually assaulting women is his right and privilege.
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