Never say night

Once upon a time there was an English bloke named…of course…John. And like most English blokes in Thailand for the long term, he had a Thai girlfriend. He breathed alcohol, drank smoke, and showed us the way to several little sweet hang out spots. "Katmandi" is a good place to be. (The sign out side says, "Great Food Good Song") A Thai named Paul plays guitar and sings American and Thai hits every night, and after a few rounds the whole bar is singing with him. It's quickly becoming a favorite hangout of the gang, and there's been at least one night where we invited the rest of the international students--that usually quiet little pub was so packed it was bursting at the seams. I've spent a few nights sitting at a table piled with Singha bottles, talking philosophy, pondering celestial physics, and musing on the human mind. Now if only I could wash the stench of second-hand smoke out of my clothes...

Then there's The Shamrock on Khoasan Rd... Khoasan Rd is >the< hangout for backpackers and farangs (foreigners) in Bangkok. It's trashy, debauched, and I love every last slimy stone on that street. It's so...international... Stop any random person on the street and strike up a conversation, they're from all over the world... Street vendors sell everything from your grandma to the kitchen sink. [This includes: food (of course), used books, cocktails, hair braiding/dredding, trendy clothing, and the usual knick-knacks.] If you want to get a feel for Khaosan Rd, watch "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio, but be warned, it's full of cheesy lines and macabre scenes...but it does give a good feel for the utter insanity found in parts of Thailand...although I can't say I've found any fields of marijuana or Thai drug guerrillas with guns...

Ummm...back to the point...the Shamrock is...bloody fantastic...that's what it is. An Irish pub with a Thai band that does smashing covers of American songs....good times...good times...