Ready for Isan

Rain in Bangkok

The rain falls in buckets from the sky. All green hangs down, heavy under the drops, there is no wind. Dogs lie lazily under the roof of the terrace, keep looking out for something interesting to do, if necessary they don't care about the wetness and walk to the place of interest.

On the trunks of the young trees are some iguanas, away from each other but watching each other. An overconfident frog defies the dogs' attention without giving a damn. A single bird starts a song, apparently pleased with itself and its surroundings. So is De Inquisitor, satisfied, despite the rain.

Back home in Isaan after a fifteen day trip. Unexpectedly long because originally it was the intention to solve his 'Isaan fatigue' by going to Bangkok for a week. Eight more days were added.

Ah. Bangkok. How the Inquisitor loves this city. A concrete mastodon with that typical smell: tropical, exotic, topped with a touch of rot without being disturbing. But also fragrant because of the countless food stalls on the street and the countless restaurants with a world cuisine that Europe does not know, give it an extra dimension, known and unknown herbs caress your nose, tickle your taste buds. The heat that lingers between the skyscrapers. The threatening sky with thunderstorms erupting that vaporizes the endless asphalt afterwards. A soup bowl under pressure because the water sprays out of the sewer mouths during such a shower.
And yet this mastodon is a green city, ten square centimeters of land and there is a plant with flowers. Twenty square centimeters of land and there is a bush. Half a square meter and there is a tree. Regardless of whether the roots, leaves or whatever causes problems. Shadow!

Chaotic busy traffic that De Inquisitor navigates through like the best, but hopelessly lost due to no GPS. Moreover, it seems as if the traffic is standing still all the time, but in the end everyone gets to their destination.

Once the car is parked in the hotel car park, De Inquisitor will have to deal with the many taxi drivers who ask you to take you to a gold shop, jeweler or shopping mall. And just like everyone else, De Inquisitor falls for it once in a while, only to immediately buy a new outfit because of the unexpectedly low price.
The taxis are interspersed with tuk-tuks, for forty baht you can get very far if you negotiate a bit. Or via the boats on the canals, enjoy this kind of transport where you never know whether you have taken the right destination. For this reason, De Inquisitor still doesn't have the courage to use the buses.

Chinatown

Never skip a visit: Chinatown. Starting from Yaowarat Road. A congested arterial road, masses of yellow-green and blue-pink taxis, a number of crackling Vespas that cannot be found anywhere in the world, countless smelly rickety buses. A teeming crowd that is constantly disturbed by handcarts pushing men in sleeveless white shirts in the too narrow side alleys. An overwhelming range of goods and products, also a mysterious atmosphere because the owners are mainly Chino-Thai, a more closed community than the real natives.

Happy shopping because dirt cheap, the range in our own shop will increase considerably. The Inquisitor sweats with the many bags in his arms, he considers buying a handcart. Drinking some cola from a plastic bag with ice refreshes you for a while, but after three hours it is enough. The suitcase of the taxi is too small, so tie it with string.
Much nicer than the modern shopping malls there in China Town!

On top of the fascinating nightlife, Bangkok is more than Patpong, soi Cowboi or NaNa Plaza. There are gems of bars, clubs and discotheques here, hidden from Westerners but which the lady knows. Still, we keep alcohol consumption limited to a single night out, we both need a nice terrace, a cocktail, and then don't go to the hotel too late. Rest is the message.

And therefore especially enjoy what Bangkok offers best: Spas. Foot massages in between, a facial massage if desired, a body scrub. A slightly too firm Thai massage. Sauna with aroma massage afterwards. A herbal bath. Pedicure and manicure. Yes, The Inquisitor can enjoy that. Just like the love who only looks strange when De Inquisitor, despite the presence of several men and women, turns up naked in the sauna. That's how he did it all his Belgian life, but here you have to wear a sarong around your waist…

But after a week, the smog has penetrated deep into De Inquisitor's throat, a sign that enough is enough. But both of us don't feel like going home yet, the lady also feels that she is due for a holiday - we slept a lot during the day, for a week we lived more on European time.
So a little sea air can't hurt. Short consultation, as always we arrive at Pattaya. Hua Hin or Cha Aam are too small and limited for us, the sunny islands such as Ko Chang, Koh Kut, ... are too far away. Moreover, the sweetheart's sister lives in Pattaya and De Inquisitor still has many friends there.

Pattaya

For eight days we stay in this hedonistic city. Ugly city too, with a traffic chaos similar to that of Bangkok without the cosmopolitan spirit of the capital. But oh so attractive because of the range of entertainment, restaurants and hidden places within driving distance that De Inquisitor knows.

However, the Inquisitor and wife do not accept the offer of entertainment, a single night out in Walking Street is tradition, for the rest it is family visits and meeting friends. Sometimes a little beach fun in the nearby Baan Saree, stretch out on the sandy beach under the palm trees. The low table covered with crabs, mussels, squid and other sea delicacies.

The evenings are filled with delicious long dinners, the offer is large. However, the Inquisitor is always looking for Western food, hearty German food one day, French culinary delight the next, then a steakhouse with reputation.
And even a visit to two Dutch establishments – De Inquisitor overeats on the buddy herring, meatballs and curry sausages. To choose a Thai restaurant wisely the next day, many different snacks that are easily digestible but oh so tasty.

The drive back is chaotic, The Inquisitor has failed to look at the calendar. It's in the middle of an extra long weekend, Monday and Tuesday are public holidays. For four days?! Then the average Isaaner jumps in his car to pull family out. Tuesday is even a recurring Buddhist holiday, the start of a three-month kind of austere time, so everyone also goes out to visit temples. It is still possible from Pattaya to beyond Korat, then it is misery. Also parades, simply on the major connecting axis from Bangkok to the border with Laos, Vientane. And if De Inquisitor gives up in the evening, an extra night in Udon Thani can be added.

And now back home, Isaan. Wonderfully quiet, slow pace of life. Refreshed mind, a rested body. The two dogs, the two cats meet again – who, without exception, show their satisfaction that we are back. Nice to see all the people again, many of whom, since our car had only driven through the village in the late morning, came spontaneously. They had missed us. They thought we weren't coming back.
Our plan to reopen the shop the next day falls apart, we sit on the terrace of the shop with that constant stream of curious people, signal for the rest of the village to descend.
It seems as if we were gone for a few years: love picks up gossip with the women, The Inquisitor is summoned by the men to tell about his excesses. Really Isan questions too, which seem rather intimate after two weeks of Western mental life: How much did it cost? Lots of beautiful women? Did you go out alone? Have you had another wife? All accompanied by a grin that suggests things that The Inquisitor has not performed at all.

But it's no problem, we're ready for a few months of Isaan again.

Because the grass, which has gradually spread over sixteen hundred square meters, is knee-high. The pond has cloudy water, the filters must be cleaned and the water changed. The water pump is leaking, which must be repaired, together with the tap of the outdoor kitchen.
LinLin, our bitch, is pregnant and has to go to the vet, very un-Isan, judges Mrs. Who also wants to organize a party because De Inquisitor's birthday is coming up soon.

She suggests a 'farang party', we give some free food, in the hope that the guests will buy their own drinks. Just like in Pattaya.
The Inquisitor knows better. He will only offer a carton of Chang and six bottles of lao kao.
And some Winecooler for the ladies.
Otherwise it will be dead.

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