If Food Be The Food of Love…

The love language of Singaporeans is food. Well, more than the love language; the very center of a Singaporean’s life is food. And by this i mean a concern about food beyond what is necessary for survival.

Want to celebrate something? Go out for a good meal. Want to comfort someone? Go out for a good meal. Want to mark a special occasion? Food. Want to start a fight? Claim you know where the best char kway teow/laksa/chilli crab/chicken rice is to be found.

So according to the diary, the next few weeks are set to pass in a blur of being brought out for makan or being cooked meals. It’s very nice of everyone to do this, though with upwards of 3 farewell meals on some days, I fear I will be made to pay for two seats when I finally roll up the plane, dragging my enlarged liver behind me.

One day last weekend, we ate our way through Katong, also introducing a Japanese girl to the delights of Nonya cuisine. It was difficult to tell if she enjoyed it since her eyes glazed over halfway through the trek, as yet more dishes were placed before her by her expectant hosts.

First up, Katong laksa (with an account of the feud between laksa stalls), then on to kueh and Nonya dumpling snacks at Kim Choo Kueh Chang (facebook. 109A/111 East Coast Road),

then went in to sit next door in its restaurant for a lunch of chap chye, sambal prawns, ayam buah keluak, and babi assam.

After, we strolled past the very tempting soon kueh at Yong’s Teochew Kueh (150 East Coast Road), en route to

the venerable Chin Mee Chin Confectionery (204 East Coast Road) in the shadow of the Holy Family Church. The auntie seemed to have given up her previous grumbling against shutterbugs (probably after the last decade of happy clickers) and cheerfully concentrated on forgetting our drink orders instead. From the open kitchen wafted the smell of fresh cream puffs and the aroma of bread buns toasted on charcoal fires. The cupcakes and cream puffs catered to old skool tastes – harder and drier than the Japanese stuff we get now but tasty in their own way.

Then, drove over to PeraMakan (facebook. Keppel Club, 10 Bukit Chermin Road), slightly late after dropping off the troops at the Peranakan Museum (where the poor Japanese girl was relieved not to find another restaurant waiting), for a second Peranakan meal. Love the stuff. Ayam buah keluak (rather different recipe cf Kim Choo), Penang Nyonya pork ribs, chap chye, apom balik, chendol (do not adjust your screens, the luminous green is real), and durian pengat (the mousse tastes far better than it looks).

I dislike farewells (and in fact, just woke from a nightmare (literal) about one) because the attention is immensely off-putting. But these ones were very helpful for all at the table because the spotlight was on God and how he brought each one of us to know him. These weren’t success stories about how healing sicknesses, or finding spouses, or getting that ideal job; they were how God worked in different circumstances to reveal his majesty to us. The competitive ambitious one was told that looks, money, and brains weren’t good enough if there was no God, and so was determined to find out what was lacking and was then attracted by the truth of it all; the blur one was dodgified by an early experience with a Christian cult group and eschewed all contact with Christian things but decided on a whim to go for a talk one day and was struck by a message from Scripture that God as creator of the world wanted to have a relationship with us humans; the somewhat flighty one was attracted first by an attractive teacher and wanted to find out more about the teacher’s faith; the annoyingly intense one just wanted to get to the bottom of things – the meaning of life and the reason for our existence, but it wasn’t persistence that paid off – rather this truth came along and tapped her on the shoulder when she was looking the other way.

And this is the promise:

that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Yet Con Restaurant on Purvis Street, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”, and Living God’s Way

It seems to me that hardly anything about Yet Con (“since 1940”. 25 Purvis Street) has changed over the decades. The signboard, the wording on the flanking pillars and that particular font on the aluminium-framed glass doors, the position of the man chopping succulent chickens on an old wooden block, to your left as you enter,

then the white-haired man who oversees the whole operation of the restaurant with an eagle-eye from behind his cashiers’ desk (complete with retro orange pay phone, ancient safe, and abacus at the ready), shouting instructions in Hainanese, and as new orders are made, writing hieroglyphics on pieces of paper neatly lined up and held in placed with binder clips. He does not seem to have aged a day since the 1980s, in his immaculately-pressed white short-sleeved shirts.

Adding to the atmosphere of nostalgia, discarded eggs shells on the linoleum floor, and the garlicky kick of the chilli sauce, and the depth of flavour of the soup that isn’t just all about the Aijinomoto.

The main draw for me – the pork chop: deep-fried then drenched in tomato-based sauce (possibly with the addition of some Lea & Perrins?). Best eaten with chicken rice.

Woah, this is the first time I’ve seen a menu.

The next day, Jiro Dreams of Sushi opened in Singapore. 83 minutes of the whole cinema collectively sucking in their breath (and drool) as sushi after sushi was precisely made and placed on a black enamel platter, the fish coming to rest on top of the rice with brushed sauce dripping from it in slow motion.

Jiro Ono, the subject of David Gelb’s film, started Sukiyabashi Jiro – a ten-seater, sushi-only (as in, “no appetisers; sushi only”) restaurant in the Ginza shopping district of Tokyo. It has been awarded three Michelin stars several times over. The secret of Jiro’s success was that there were no secrets. Sure, the seaweed had to be toasted over charcoal, and the rice was special and had to be subject to a certain amount of pressure and kept at a certain temperature, and the fish was obtained from the best dealers at Tsukiji market (the tuna for example was obtained from a tuna merchant who only sold tuna and was an expert in the fish), and the octopus was massaged for 40-50 minutes (up from 30 minutes) to make it soft, and the fish had to be aged and then sliced in a certain manner at a certain thickness etc.

It was merely repeating the same tasks over and over again every day (with breaks on national holidays) and trying to make sushi more delicious the next day that enabled him to reach such a high standard. The raving Japanese food critic featured in the movie said that he had never had a bad experience with Jiro. He could go expecting that every time, it would be consistently perfect.

Would Jiro’s two sons live up to his high standards? The director cunningly attempts to create this tension/suspense by interviewing various parties, who shake their heads gently or try to be politely optimistic. Then there was a little surprise at the end concerning the authorship of the sushi placed before the Michelin inspectors…

As Christians, our passion and obsession is pleasing God, and God’s standards are higher than that of any Michelin inspector or self-driven perfectionist. If we had no hope of changing from our old anti-God ways, then our lives would be pointless tragedies. Thankfully, this is not the case.

We were working on Chapter 3 of Matthias Media‘s Back To Basics in preparation for someone’s baptism.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, ¹⁴  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2)

The same grace of God that brought us salvation also trains us to live God’s way, because this was the purpose of Jesus’ death in our place. Therefore we are not left bereft and without divine help. Yet, this does not mean we sit around and not do anything – because if we are really passionate about pleasing Him, then we would be even more obsessed about godliness than Jiro is about sushi.

A Saturday at Carpenter & Cook, Old Holland Road, Orchard Towers, and Singapore International Acoustic Guitar Festival

Spent Saturday morning baking for breakfast. Then legged it to Carpenter & Cook (19 Lorong Kilat, facebook, The Business Times article), where we were to check out the subject of blogdom and Twitterverse raves.

A vintage-chic home decor blog post in the flesh! British flag bunting! The retro factor was no token – there weren’t just old Singer factory chairs and tables made from old sewing machine ones, or random old cash registers and Underwood typewriters and weighing scales, but also tea towels!, lovely old plates and cups and glasses and cutlery you could use there and then purchase for home! Are those chairs made from old church pews? Even one wall was plastered with retro wallpaper. It was the experience of being immersed in an eclectic antique shop without the dust. (The Singer sewing machine table and my legs had a bit of a fight though with the knees taking most of the hits.) Yes, the old telephone does actually work. And yes, almost everything is for sale. Retro stock was shipped over from London in a container or sourced locally.

The better thing about the cafe was that so much of the food (even the jams – pineapple & rosemary, blackcurrant & pinot noir) was made in-house by Shenn Sim. This meant variety throughout the week, the ability to tweak recipes in response to feedback, and freshly baked goodness. The two separate groups of people i met prior to arrival highly recommended the passionfruit meringue tart – it was indeed refreshingly satisfying. The quiche wasn’t warmed up but still tasty. Someone gave the thumbs-up for the Valrhona sea salt caramel tart. The pear frangipane didn’t really stand a chance in this company.

The scones were alright (we generally prefer cream scone recipes): no clotted cream to accompany them, liked the unique taste of pineapple & rosemary jam but the sweet kick of the blackcurrant & pinot noir was something else. Coffee from Liberty Coffee beans off an old Elektra machine.

After, a bit of fresh air and sunshine trying out the new boomerang someone got me in Perth, in that lovely big field along Old Holland Road, attempting not to knock pretty RC planes out of the air.

Then dinner at Jane Thai at the somewhat dodgy Orchard Towers before Thomas Leeb and his percussion-hacked guitar took to the stage at the RELC Auditorium.

In line with the week’s discussion about supporting missionaries, headed up North in the early morning to speak with a family there. Which leaves the next few hours for clearing China work.

Many miles to go before i sleep. Chuffed.

The Value of Lo-fi Analogue Vintage Pre-loved Re-purposed Specialty Bespoke Handmade Stuff

Much like the lo-fi photography movement that celebrates imperfect pictures full of light streaks and the gunk from dirty lenses, or the artisan food (bread-making, cake-baking) and beverage (micro/home-brewery, Third Wave coffee) trend, printing too has been going specialty/analogue with the rise of the craft or hobbyist letterpress. The cottage vs mass production thumb-on-the-nose at the Industrial Revolution, ironically inspired by the wedding invites featured on the decidedly mainstream Martha Stewart.

To the layperson, this seemed to be the sequence of events: in 2006, the year Jim Lahey’s No Knead Bread recipe arguably started to spawn the artisanal bread renaissance and attendant micro-bakeries, there arrived, opposite Thian Hock Kheng Temple on Telok Ayer Street, Kenny and Karen and Books Actually (now at Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru Estate).

They sold second-hand (and new) books for what seemed an exorbitant amount for those of us who still trawled Bras Basah Complex and lo-fi hand-printed and/or hand-stitched ephemera (postcards, bookmarks, journals, cahiers) that would eventually be parked under the “Birds & Co.” label. The price tag signalled to customers that this was not a thrift shop and at the same time elevated old stuff to objects of desire. The unique quirkiness of the space was enhanced by a series of plastic green soldiers along the stairway to the shop on the second storey, a dunce cap on an olive chair in the corner outside the shop, and retro decor within (including not-for-sale old Polaroid cameras).

Hundredth monkey theory validity aside, a Lomography shop set up before or about the same time on Smith Street before wearing large plastic frames was in fashion.

Then The Little Drom Store, Cat Socrates, and vintage rag and bric-a-brac shops (that somehow also encompass the tchotchke, handmade independent labels etc that inevitably accompany granny’s clothes):

• C K Collection (not Calvin Klein. 586 Serangoon Road),
• David Antiques (215 Rangoon Road),
• Deja Vu Vintage,
• Dulcetfig (facebook),
• Dinky Di’s (Golden Landmark Shopping Complex),
• Dust Bunny Vintage,
• Five Stones Vintage,
  
  
  
  
• Flea & Trees (facebook),
• Granny’s Day Out,
  
  
  
• Nana & Bird,

• Oakham Market,
• Past Image (#03-08 Excelsior Shopping Centre),
• The Attic Lifestyle Shop (04-146A Far East Plaza),
• The Heritage Shop (93 Jalan Sultan),
• Trippies (42 Bussorah Street),
• Salvation Army Thrift Store(s),
• Stevie’s General Store.

And now, demand has been such that shops (not along Sungei Road) sell vintage / rehabilitated / re-purposed / restored / pre-loved stuff for stiff prices that might shock a person of that certain era. Well it’s a “free economy”, so furniture that you could once get from garage sales or next to the trash can now be acquired in sanitised settings. Though they may not be considered collectibles or antiques (but when do objects make it over that threshold?), retro (including mid-century which may be considered distinct from specifically Singaporean retro) lust can be assuaged at:

• A Thousand Tales,
• Asher’s Vintage Market (facebook),
• Barossa Furnishings,
• Changi Junk Store (facebook),
• Forår: for wood and vintage,
• Hock Siong & Co. (facebook),
• Jennifer’s Vintage and Antique (facebook),
• Journey East (Tan Boon Liat),
• Junkie’s Corner (94 Jalan Senang),
• Koda‘s Commune,
• Belle and Cheu’s Like That One, Long-longtime Store (facebook),
• Lorgan’s The Retro Store (facebook),
• Mad About Vintage,
• Oddyssey – odds and whatnots (facebook),
• ReStore,
• Room of Woods (facebook),
• Rumah Kita (facebook),
• Second Charm,
• Soon Soon Hong Huat (by Booksactually),
• Tong Mern Sern Antiques Arts & Crafts (acerbic neighbour of The Plain cafe),
• Viewpoint Trading.

If replicas are the barometer of popular taste then it would should be of note that the furniture reproduction business is also booming (though mostly for mid-century -> Modern or vague approximations): Comfort Furniture, Gnee Hong, Lorgan’s The Retro Store, Lush-Lush.

Similarly, if wedding accoutrements are any indication, the healthy rental rates for kombis and old VW beetles should attest to the vintage trend: Kombi Rocks (facebook), Ray’s Vintage Rental, as should recommendations for bespoke invitation cards (see also Ri Stationers, Box In Blue).

So now the letterpress gets its 15 minutes with great excitement being generated about its process and the tactile enjoyment it provides (for more, see Briar Press). Excellent for stationery fetishists:

• Kin Yiap Press – for more commercial design printing,
• Paper Tiger Press – “purveyor of luxuriously tactile paper goods”, “evoking a bygone era of sophisticated correspondence”, “it’s got real soul, but it also isn’t exact”, “subtly unique”,
• PapyPress – 1950s Heidelberg Windmill, “letterpressed print speaks to a bygone era when printing required great skills and the printer regarded as an artist. The result is an art piece that aroused romantic and oftentimes sensual feelings in the beholder”,
• The Gentlemen Press – run by two ladies,
• Perched On A Tree Letterpress (facebook) – when they finally get a space to call their own,
  
• possibly a Bureau Press at The Bureau?

If all else fails, there’s always Jonathan Wright stuff at Strangelets, a design shop next to BooksActually along Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru Estate.

We were talking about the occurrence of this sort of thing at last week’s somewhat secret supper club, “supper clubs” being unique to urban locations where alienated individuals crave some way of connecting with fellow humans. In the same way, the retro zeitgeist seems to have been propelled by city dwellers so desperate for human warmth that they would pay a premium for anything “artisan”, “bespoke” or “handmade” regardless of actual quality (ah, but who determines quality?).

So what is valuable and what isn’t? If one man’s junk is another man’s prized antique, who is right about such attribution of value? Who is to say that the old couple who have hoarded decades-worth of newspapers in their flat have psychological issues? The fruitfly-lifecycle of these trends tell us this much: some fools sell and some fools buy, but the wise man invests in things with objective value. The Eternal One who is in control of the history and future of humankind tells us as much:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:21-27)

St. James Power Station Food Republic Beer Garden and Exodus

Open until 5am or 6am (depending on the day of the week), the Food Republic Beer Garden at St. James Power Station provides the oily hawker food clubbers might crave to line their alcohol-irritated tummies before stumbling home at dawn. The former carpark is another exercise in simulacra by the Breadtalk Group whose shops and food courts are all drapped with the now-popular retro accoutrements, though tourists and Singapore kids raised on iDevices may not get all the references.

The food wasn’t half bad – more decent than the Food Republic in Vivocity and cheaper:

Lok-lok;

Boon Tat Street BBQ Seafood;

wok n’ roll: char kway teow, fried java mee, fried carrot cake, fried mee tai mak, crab meat mee tai mak;

Ngoh Hiang Prawn Crackers;

Geylang Lorong 9 Fresh Frog Porridge;

Old Days Minced Pork Noodles;

Balestier Bak Kut Teh;

Satay Power;

Thye Chuan Fried Hokkien Noodles, Fried Oyster Omelette

What You Do Prata: prata, kampong fried rice, murtabak, maggi mee goreng, soup kambing, teh tarik, teh halia;

Chinatown Tan’s Kueh Tu Tu Coconut Cake;

Auntie Jessie Rojak;

Street Bar.

Live music.

Similarly, as we started in on Exodus, it was clear that the narrative could be grossly misinterpreted if not read in the context of what had already happened in Genesis.

Exodus 1:1-7
Q: Why were the sons of Israel (Jacob) in Egypt?
Because there was famine in the land they were living in, and Joseph their brother whom they had enviously sold off, had, in God’s plan, been sent to Egypt before them so that he would have the opportunity to keep them alive (Genesis 50:20).

Q: Before he died, what did Joseph make his brothers swear?
That they would carry his bones from Egypt when God visited them (Genesis 50:25). This would have made no sense to them then since there was no reason then to leave a land that had food while the land around was in famine. But this demonstrated Joseph’s faith that God would keep his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob some time in the future.

Q: The author of Exodus compares the number of people who came to Egypt with Jacob with the number in the next generation. What is the significance of that? (Which promise of God does this fulfil?)

Genesis 12:1-2, 7 – what does God promise Abraham?
Genesis 26:3-4 – what does God promise Isaac (Abraham’s son)?
Genesis 28:3-4 – what does God promise Jacob (Abraham’s grandson)?

Exodus 1:8-22
Q: What were the Egyptians afraid of?
There are too many people of Israel and if war breaks out, they might join the enemies of the Egyptians and fight against them, and escape from Egypt (Exodus 1:10)

Q: So what the Egyptians do to the people of Israel?
They dealt shrewdly with them (Exodus 1:10), enslaved them and put them to hard labour (Exodus 1:11,13-14), commanded Hebrew midwives to kill male children (Exodus 1:15).

Q: But were the Egyptian birth control policies effective?
No, the more the people of Israel were oppressed, the more they multiplied, the more they spread abroad (Exodus 1:12). Multiplied and grew very strong (Exodus 1:20).

Q: In light of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, what is so significant about this?
God is fulfilling his promises to them, despite human opposition in the form of Pharaoh and his oppressive foreign slave policies.

Q: But what else has yet to be fulfilled?
Land, blessing.

Exodus 2
Q: What was so special about Moses’ existence?

Q: What would you have expected to be God’s plan when Moses was inserted into the Egyptian royal household?

Q: What happened to Moses instead?

Q: What are we meant to think of this?
Always useful to look to New Testament for interpretation. Hebrews 11:24-25

Exodus 3
Q: Fast forward a bit. Moses encounters a burning bush at Mount Horeb. How does God introduce himself to Moses?
“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6).

[A historical event. It would be a nonsense to allegorise this and ask “what is your burning bush experience?”]

Q: Why does God name those three ancestors specifically?
Because Moses is meant to recall the promises God gave to them – people, land, blessings.

Q: What does he intend to do about his people the descendants of Jacob?
Save them from the affliction of Egypt, bring them to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (Exodus 3:17) ie. start fulfilling the rest of his promises.

Exodus 3 – 4
Q: What does God reveal about himself?

Q: Who will do the saving?

Q: How was Moses himself saved?

Moses is not the hero here (as some Sunday school teachers might have us believe); God is.

Exodus 5
Q: What does Pharaoh think about God?

Q: How is his ignorance of God demonstrated in how he now treats the people of Israel?

Q: What do the people of Israel think about God?

Q: What does Moses think about God?

Exodus 6
Q: How will God reveal his own character so that the people of Israel and Moses will know him?

By what he is about to do – to fulfil his promises (trustworthy, does what he says he will do), caring, merciful despite rejection by his people and Moses, awesomely powerful.

Studying in Coffee Shops and Cafes

Exams are looming but it’s been difficult to carve out much time to get some studying done. So i’ve tried to drop off at coffee joints in-between meeting people to cram while refuelling the tank(s). For the price of coffee and/or non-liquid sustenance, you get air-conditioning, a chair and a table, free wifi, and maybe even complimentary drinkable water.

Loads of students study at cafes in Singapore. While nursing a cup of coffee for hours might give the right to these amenities, chope-ing seats with bags and papers to secure them in your absence would definitely be unfair to both the proprietor and the potential customer. And, in any case, it might be better to put coins in the parking meter if hogging a seat for more than a reasonable period of time. (Haven’t given much thought to this since my time in each cafe is necessarily limited by the next appointment and visits usually occur during lull periods.)

For now, etiquette for studying in coffee shops and cafes would probably include:

• first determining whether the proprietor of the place has factored into their financial projections people hogging seats for prolonged periods of time to make use of power sockets or free wifi to study or work. Remember that this is a food/drink outlet not a library. The Book Cafe, for instance, actively encourages lounging around so you can do so with a good conscience;
• purchasing food and/or drink at the location. Especially if it is a small independent place, do buy more than the minimum;
• since you will be there for a long time, sit at the smallest seat instead of spreading out over 4 seats, so as to leave space for other customers;
• certainly do not secure your space with books or bags while going off to get your food at some other establishment!;
• be considerate – be polite to the waitstaff (even if they ask you not to study there after you’ve just made yourself comfortable), clean up after yourself (especially if you’ve been doing some messy artwork), tip and tweet if you think the service was good, don’t pollute the air with noise (either from laptop speakers or long phone conversations), don’t trail wires where people might trip on them (and, in this day and age, sue you or the poor proprietor), don’t hog the free wifi with huge downloads;
• if you’ve been there for some time and the lunch/tea/dinner crowd has come in, it’s time for a break. Leave and let better peak period customers take your place.

Most people have no qualms about camping at chain stores like Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Helpfully near the Buona Vista MRT station is Starbucks Rochester Park (facebook) at 37 Rochester Drive. As Bryant Simon notes in Everything But The Coffee, the comforting homogeneity of Starbucks outlets all over the world means you can expect a safe environment, clean tables and toilets, and the impression that you’re making a difference in the world by purchasing expensive java.

Jimmy Monkey Cafe & Bar (facebook), One-North Residences, was fairly quiet on a Saturday afternoon. Managed to have breakfast at 3pm and a bit of a read while waiting for a friend to get the kids napping. The coffee was decent but not as nuanced and dangerous as when Michael Ryan pulled it.

The staff at Toby’s Estate Coffee Singapore (facebook), 8 Rodyk Street, said there was no problem at all using the wall sockets to juice up laptops and mobile devices. The Rodyk Street blend in milk was of usual good standard.

Selfish Gene Cafe (facebook) at 40 Craig Road was quite empty as well. There was only one shot of espresso in the flat white so it was rather milky and the foam wasn’t quite micro, but it doesn’t claim to be a specialty coffee joint any way so might return to try the food.

Just a few roads away, you’d be hogging the very limited table space if you tried to camp out at Oriole Coffee Roasters (facebook), Jiak Chuan Road. But boy, was their new Yellowbird blend something special – the aftertaste of pomelo was very prominent. A friendly barista confirmed this and explained that even after they calibrate the beans in the morning, they have to keep adjusting as the beans change throughout the day. There wasn’t much piped tobacco on the palate that day. Was happy to spot a copy of Scott Rao’s Everything But The Espresso that i’ve been hunting for for ages and a bag of single origin Ethiopian Sidama (not Sidamo?).

ReStore Living Cafe (facebook) at 124 Tanjong Pagar Road offered very decent coffee in mugs, waffles on vintage plates, and eye-candy vintage furniture. It was quiet when i went.

Yesterday, multi-tasking took a different angle. We managed to get in a quick look at 1 Samuel during a lull in the Chinese New Year celebrations at the pastor’s house. Since it was a spacious enough bungalow, we scored a place in his air-conditioned study (nice to observe from his work space that he’s someone who works very hard at understanding God’s word, is serious about sin, and is disciplined about making the best use of his time):

1 Samuel 1 – 1 Samuel 2:10
Q: What do we know about the conception of Samuel? Who gave Hannah the baby?
Miraculous (she was barren). God.

Q: What is Hannah’s reaction to Samuel’s arrival?
She acknowledges that this comes from God. Praises God not just for answering her prayers for a child, but that he is LORD over all things in the world because he created the whole world – he judges his enemies, he gives life to the dead, he protects his people.

1 Samuel 2:11 – 25
Q: Who was Eli?
priest
Ithamar, son of Aaron, who was made a priest of the Lord at Mount Sinai along with his father and brothers (Ex. 28:1; cf. 1 Chron. 24:3). Eli was a descendant of this house, according to 1 Chron. 24:3, where it is stated that his great-great-great-grandson Ahimelech was “of the sons of Ithamar.”

Q: What was his role as priest?
mediate between God and man. Because of man’s sin, the holy God would no longer deal directly with man.

Q: Why does the Bible call Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, “worthless men”?
1 Samuel 2:12 – they did not know the LORD (not ignorance but lack of relationship)
1 Samuel 2:13-17 – commandeered people’s sacrifices even before they could make the sacrifices
The priests were to be supported by portions of the sacrifices of the people. In various parts of the Mosaic law the portion to be given to the priests is specified for various sacrifices, e.g., Deut. 18:3 (shoulder, cheeks, and stomach) and Lev. 7:31–32 (breast and right thigh).
1 Samuel 2:22 – slept with women serving at the entrance of the tent of meeting

1 Samuel 2:26 – 3:21
Q: How did God respond?
Punishes Eli’s family:”the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.”

Q: What sign would God give that all he had said will surely happen?
Both of Hophni and Phinehas shall die on the same day.

Q: Why does God respond in this manner?
Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Eli knew about the iniquity, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them -> so Eli himself despised God.

Q: What does this tell us about God?

1 Samuel 4:2 – 10
Q: What do we know about the Ark of God?
“The ark of the covenant had been “in the temple of the Lord” in Shiloh (3:3). (On the details of the ark, cf. Ex. 25:10–22; 37:1–9; and illustration.) Moses was commanded by the Lord to put the tablets of the covenant, or the “testimony,” into the ark (Ex. 25:16; Deut. 10:5; cf. 1 Kings 8:9). Cherubim often appear in the iconography of the ancient Near East as hybrid figures, with animal and human characteristics. enthroned. The ark was the visible sign of the holy presence of the Lord, whose real throne is on high, above the heavens. But it was more than just a sign, for the ark was also the focal point of God’s actual presence among his people (Ex. 25:22 says, “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you …”; cf. Num. 7:89; also Ex. 29:42–43; 30:6, 36; 37:1–9; 40:34–38; Lev. 16:2; Num. 17:4). The conception of the ark as a visible sign of the Lord’s presence gave a military importance to the ark (as can be seen in Num. 10:33–36 and Joshua 3–4; 6); it functioned as a battle safeguard and showed that the Lord was present and fighting for Israel.” (ESV Study Bible)

Q: What did the elders of Israel think the Ark of God would do for them?
“Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”

Q: Why was this a really bad idea?
The Lord is against you and you think by bringing his ark along you can force him to fight for you? Are you kidding me? The Lord is far more than his ark – it is only a sign of his presence. And he will not be forced into doing anything. And obviously the ark isn’t a magic object.

1 Samuel 4:12 – 22
Q: What do the deaths of Hophni and Phinehas mean?
God’s punishment on Eli’s house has begun, as he promised.

Q: What does the capture of the ark mean?
God is no longer with Israel, as he said he would not be if they disobeyed him.

Q: What does this tell us about God?

1 Samuel 5:1 – 7:2
Q: How do the Philistines and their gods fare with the Ark of the Lord amongst them?
The writer of 1 Samuel was really taking the mickey.

Q: What does this tell us about their gods?

Q: How do the Israelites fare with the Ark of the Lord amongst them?

Q: What does this tell us about God?

1 Samuel 7:3 – 15
Q: How do the people respond?

Q: What is God’s reaction?

1 Samuel 8
Q: But what happens when Samuel gets old?

Q: Why do the people want a king?

Q: What is wrong with this?

1 Samuel 9 – 11
Q: Who chooses Saul as king?

Q: Who determines Saul’s duties as king?

1 Samuel 12
Q: What are Samuel’s parting words?

Q: Why are they appropriate at this point?

1 Samuel 13
Q: Unfortunately, after 3 short years, Saul fouls up. What does he do wrong?

Q: Why is this so serious?

Q: What was his excuse?

Q: What was God’s reaction?

Q: What does this tell us about God?

1 Samuel 15
Q: Saul never learns. What does he do wrong now?

Q: Why was his excuse?

Q: In what way was this similar to what Adam and Eve did?

Q: What was God’s reaction to Saul’s presumption?

Q: What does this tell us about God?

Resorts World Sentosa Malaysian Food Street and Genesis 12-50

Resorts World Sentosa was quite right to site the Malaysian Food Street right next to Universal Studios Singapore – a gathering of simulacra (surely in honour of Jean Baudrillard!).

Advertised as a selection of famous street fare from various parts of Peninsula Malaysia, the space was designed to invoke a roadside meal experience (complete with zebra crossings, double yellow lines, post boxes, Flying Pigeon bicycles), except with air-conditioning, good exhaust fans, and eager beaver cleaners, and minus rats, cockroaches, and sudden rain storms. There is always something attractive about the hyperreal, though most would recognise the food as a less tasty imitation of the real. Perhaps the real hawkers didn’t pass on all their secrets to the RWS staff, or maybe something was lost in translation.

Photos of dishes and their prices, and write-ups and opening hours of the stalls (from the RWS page):

Petaling Jaya Dim Sum & Drinks
Operating Hours:
Mon – Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 9am – 12am
Sun: 9am – 10pm

Fung Wong Confectionery, Kuala Lumpur
“Started as a home-based pastry business more than 100 years ago, Fung Wong Confectionery is today a famous brand name in Kuala Lumpur with rich tradition and homemade recipes behind the freshly baked and great tasting pastries, such as the crispy Char Siew Siew Bao and fragrant egg tarts.”
Operating Hours: 11am – 10pm daily

KL Jalan Alor Hokkien Mee, Kuala Lumpur
“With a recipe perfected over 30 years, KL Jalan Alor Hokkien Mee is renowned for its dark sauce that infuses the noodles with a fragrant aroma and paired with the freshest ingredients, making it one of Kuala Lumpur’s signature dishes.”
Operating Hours:
Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
Closed on Wed

Klang Bak Kut Teh, Klang
“Bak Kut Teh, the aromatic herbal broth of pork ribs, is widely regarded to have originated from Klang. Served together with steamed rice and a generous cut of pork ribs, this hearty and flavoursome dish is an all-time favourite.” Friend said that the rice was cold and the soup was lukewarm and rather bland.
Operating Hours
Tue – Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Closed on Mon

KL Wanton Mee, Kuala Lumpur
“Unlike Singapore’s Wanton Mee, the Kuala Lumpur version has its noodles drenched in a rich dark soy sauce mix, coupled with a good serving of tender Char Siew, green vegetables and tasty minced pork wantons that complete this wholesome favourite.”
Operating Hours:
Mon, Tues, Fri – Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Closed on Wed & Thu

Penang Cuttlefish Kang Kong, Penang
“Penang Cuttlefish Kang Kong boasts chewy sliced cuttlefish and fresh green kang kong drizzled with traditional sweet sauce. With a sprinkle of fragrant sesame and crushed peanuts, this unique Malaysian dish promises a delightful gastronomic experience.”
Operating Hours:
Mon, Tues, Fri – Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Closed on Wed & Thu

Penang Hai Beng Hainan Lor Mee, Penang
“Established in 1984, Hai Beng Hainan Lor Mee is famous for its use of fresh stock that becomes a full-bodied dark coloured sauce after being cooked for a gruelling 9 hours. This savoury and well-balanced Lor Mee comes with fried shallots, soya braised sliced pork belly and a special homemade sauce of garlic and vinegar.”
Operating Hours:
Mon – Wed: 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Closed on Thu

Ampang Yong Tau Foo, Ampang
“With its delicious fried tofu, bitter gourd and many more thickly sliced vegetables stuffed generously with fresh Parang fish paste, Yong Tau Foo is a signature dish of Ampang located within Kuala Lumpur. Complete the meal with a bowl of piping hot and flavoursome yam rice.”
Operating Hours
Mon & Thu: 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sun: 11am – 10pm
Closed on Tue & Wed

Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice, Kuala Lumpur
“To ensure that the entire claypot chicken rice is thoroughly cooked and to keep its distinct traditional taste, Heun Kee uses a unique heated charcoal cover and each generously filled claypot is carefully tended over a charcoal flame for its past 25 years in business. Relish this delectable dish that contains a mix of three different kinds of rice for a soft fluffy texture, and the delicious salted fish soaked in fragrant sesame oil with a hint of Chinese wine.” The wait for this last night was 1.5 hours.
Operating Hours:
Mon, Wed – Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Closed on Tues

Kampung Nasi Lemak (Halal)
“Nasi Lemak, one of Malaysia’s national bestsellers, has won many over with its simple yet delicious flavour. The mainstays of this humble halal dish include moist coconut-flavoured rice, traditional sambal chilli ikan bilis, served together with tender chicken or beef chunks.”
Operating Hours:
Wed & Thu: 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sun: 9am – 6pm
Closed on Mon & Tue

Penang Lim Brothers’ Char Koay Teow, Penang
“With over 50 years of experience in cooking up Penang’s famous Char Koay Teow, the Lim Brothers are synonymous with this tasty and well-loved dish of fragrant noodles skilfully fried in soya sauce that needs no introduction.”
Operating Hours:
Tue, Wed, Thu & Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
Closed on Mon

Penang Ah Long Lor Bak, Penang
“Don’t miss the crisp goodness of deep fried Lor Bak – tender meat marinated with authentic five-spice powder from Penang and rolled in soya bean sheets, a dish that commands a loyal following in Penang and now available in Singapore. Be spoilt for choice with other homemade selections such as fried yam in batter and crispy prawn crackers.”
Operating Hours
Mon & Thu: 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sun: 11am – 10pm
Closed on Tue & Wed

Penang Ah Mei Hokkien Prawn Mee, Penang
“The secret to the delightfully flavourful Ah Mei Hokkien Prawn Mee lies in the use of fried fresh prawn shells and homemade chilli mix to prepare the broth. Visit this stall for the rich authentic taste of Hokkien Prawn Mee that has been perfected with over 26 years of improvisation.”
Operating Hours:
Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 12am
Closed on Tue

Malacca Chicken Rice Ball, Malacca
“One of Malacca’s signature dishes, the fragrant, bite-sized Chicken Rice Balls is a must-have with juicy, tender steamed chicken. Pair this mouthwatering dish with the flavourful garlic chilli sauce that has a special hint of tangy calamansi and lime for a perfect meal.”
Operating Hours:
Tue & Wed: 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sun: 11am – 10pm
Closed on Mon & Thu

“Be sure to end your meal on a sweet note with the famous Penang Cendol – freshly made green cendol jelly and red beans on shaved ice, drizzled with fragrant coconut milk and dark brown sugar. Don’t forget to slurp up the other tasty and popular traditional desserts like ice kacang, black glutinous rice and sweet potato soup.”
Operating Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

We were undertaking a journey in quite a different land the other day, with no simulacra involved:

Genesis 12
Q: Who was Abram worshipping when God called him?
possibly other gods! see Joshua 24:2

Genesis 12, Genesis 15
Q: What were God’s promises to Abram?
*people
– I will make of you a great nation,
– This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look towards heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

*blessing
and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

*land
Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.”

Q: What did Abe do to deserve them?
nothing

What seemed to stand in the way of the fulfilment of promises?
Abram’s lies lead Sarai to be taken by the Pharaoh.
Abram is childless.
There are Canaanites on the land.

Genesis 15 – 20
Q: Did Abram believe God? In what ways did Abe show his trust that God could/would fulfil his promises?

Q: Yet, in what ways did Abe demonstrate his distrust that God could/would fulfil his promises?

Q: How did God respond each time Abram demonstrate his distrust?

Q: What does this tell us about God?

Q: What purpose did God have in fulfilling his promise to make Abraham a great nation?
Genesis 18:18-19

Genesis 21
Q: Coming hot on the heels of distrust of Genesis 20, what does Genesis 21 show about God?

Q: On which of Abraham’s offspring would God’s promises rest? Why?
Isaac. Because God decided so. The son who was given by God, not the son made by Abraham. Genesis 17:17-19, 21:12.

Genesis 22
Q: So Abraham and Sarah were pleased to announce the birth of their first born. Mother and baby were healthy. All seemed on track for a short while until Genesis 22. What does God ask Abraham to do?

Q: How might this hinder the fulfilment of the people promise?

Q: Why then did God ask this of Abraham?
Sacrifice son. Test if Abraham feared God or feared losing his son (22:1, 22:12, 22:18)

Q: Why did Abraham obey God? What exactly did he have faith in?
Hebrews 11:17-19

Genesis 24
Q: So Isaac grows up without being a burnt offering. They lived amongst the Canaanites, having left the Sin-worshipping Ur of the Chaldeans. Why did Abraham insist on his servant getting Isaac a wife from his own people but not allow the servant to bring Isaac back?
Genesis 24:7

Q: So Isaac gets Rebekah. But what hindered the fulfilment of the people promise?
Genesis 25:21 – Rebekah was barren for 20 years.

Q: Who did they depend on to clear roadblock to fulfilment of the people promise?
God

Q: Rebekah conceived and had only two sons. On which son did the promises rest? Why?
Jacob (He who cheats)(27:27-29, 28:3-5). Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew (25:29-34). Jacob tricked Isaac (Genesis 27). Notwithstanding the foregoing, God chose Jacob before he was born or had done anything to deserve it (25:23, Romans 9:10-13).

Genesis 29-30
Q: So we look at Jacob’s line. How did God’s people promise work out in Jacob’s life?
Due to trickery by Laban, Jacob gets two wives for double the price. A progeny competition results in twelve sons (cf 35:22-26).

Genesis 35
Q: Jacob & Co. certainly didn’t see much further than their current circumstances. Who were they worshipping when the LORD came to Jacob?
35:2.

Q: In light of this, what was so surprising about what God said when he met Jacob?
35:9-15. Reiteration yet expansion of promises to Abraham, esp kings.

Q: What was the assurance/basis for the promise?
35:11.

Q: What does this tell us about God?

Genesis 37
Q: What happened with Jacob (nka Israel)’s youngest son?

Q: One would have thought that the promises would continue through Joseph’s line but instead, Matthew 1 tells us that Jesus was of Judah’s line, emphasising the incident with Tamar. What part did Judah play in Joseph’s captivity?
37:1-28.

Q: What do we know about him? How about the Tamar incident?
Genesis 38. Ee-yur.

Genesis 38-45, 50
Q: Meanwhile, how was God working out his people promise through Joseph?
45:5-8, 50:19-21. God sent Joseph to preserve the people so that there would be many survivors through the famine. What they meant for evil, God meant for good.

So Israel & Co. moved to Egypt.

Exodus 1
Q: What glorious sight greets us in Exodus 1:1-7?
The people promise certainly looks closer to fulfilment.

But the land filled with Abe’s people was Egypt and not their own land. Jingoism, xenophobia, oppression and genocide followed.

Akan datang!

Bangkok Bits

The opportunity to be transported (mechanically) from one place to another in a buffet of different ways was one of the highlights of Bangkok. If you don’t want to be stuck in its infamous traffic jams, there are more fascinating ways of getting to your destination and seeing the city of angels.

Airport Rail Link
The new-ish Airport Rail Link (“ARL”) from Suvarnabhumi Airport (the announcer pronounced this Sue-wanna-pooom”) to Makkasan Station (for a 10 minute walk to Phetchaburi MRT Station) or to Phya Thai (for a 3 minute walk to Phya Thai BTS Station) gets you to the city in about half an hour (including waiting time). For THB 35 – 45 (S$1.40 – S$1.80), you can look out a window and gawk at old houses on stilts over waterways, cows in padi fields, ponds dotted with pink lotus bloom, and in contrast, the uniform gated communities, before this gives way to the shiny commercial buildings of the city centre.

Taxis
Ok, these multi-coloured vehicles are actually active contributors to the traffic jams, but the glowing red “vacant” signs are welcome beacons of light when caught in an unexpected heavy downpour in monsoon season in a dodgy part of town.

It’d be fun to start a collection of the dashboard kitsch, amulets hanging from rearview mirrors and tattoo-like designs on the ceilings of Bangkok cabs.

Common scams include refusing to use the meter and instead demanding a fixed fee once you’re in the cab and on your way, bringing you to a different destination, “oh I have no change” especially when travelling to and from the airport when you yourself are unlikely to have small denominations. Some avoid the hassle of active scamming by modifying the meter so that it runs much faster than normal but there’s nothing you can do about that.

One shouldn’t assume that every taxi driver is out to scam though – many may not know the nook of every soi in Bangkok or may genuinely not understand what you are saying so a map on hand and the address written in Thai would help them serve you better; sometimes, they know traffic in a certain area will be bad and so decline to take you there; they may actually not have any change, having just started their shift; also, if they’ve had to cough up at the tollbooth, they’ll pass the cost to you.

Passengers and drivers usually just round up the fare to the nearest 5 or 10 baht. Taxis from the airport cost an additional THB50 service charge on top of the metered fare.

Tuktuk
Good for photo ops, not much good in wet weather and when a sitting behind a black exhaust-spewing truck in heavy traffic. No meters so agree on the price with the driver beforehand.

Motorcycle Taxi (“Motocy”)
The orange-vests and their (t)rusty steeds very useful in heavy traffic – they go against traffic, ride on pavements, weave in and out between vehicles and basically put both your lives in danger to whisk you to your destination in double-quick time. The risk is yours.

I use motos for longs distances, days on end in Vietnam and Cambodia but in Bangkok, i manage my risk by employing them mainly for short trips. Also, Thai law requires the pillion rider to wear a helmet which is a stinky affair.

See:
CNNgo on Motorcycle Taxis in Bangkok
Motorcycle Taxis in Bangkok on Travelfish

BTS and MRT Trains
The BTS Skytrain and underground MRT train enable you to get around in air-conditioned comfort without waiting in traffic. They service most of the touristy places except Khao San. The Skytrain and MRT use separate magnetic fare cards. There are one day passes for unlimited travel within that day but since I was in Bangkok over two weekends, the stored value cards were most useful to avoid having to queue for a single journey ticket each time.

Air-conditioned and Normal Buses
Buses are great for getting a feel of the city. The air-conditioned buses are larger and you enter through the rear door, while the normal ones are non-airconditioned and have drivers who aspire to F1 careers while balancing babies on their laps. Bangkok Mass Transit Authority has a list of suggested buses for places of interest. Transit Bangkok also has a useful route planner.

Chao Phraya Boats
Choose between the Chao Phraya Express Boats and Chao Phraya Tourist Boat. For the express boats, get your tickets onshore or just rock up to a boat, hop on and wait for the ticket collector to come round. Fun for sunrise/sunset rides. Try to work out the boathand’s special whistle signals.

Khlong Saen Saep Boats
This is the smell of authenticity. Vestige of Venice of the Orient khlong boats operate along the Saen Saep canal – flag down at one of the khlong boat piers and hop on to get to Pratunam, Thong Lo etc while getting a glimpse of old houses on route. Buy tickets on board from the motorcycle-helmeted ticket collector making his precarious trip up and down the port and starboard of the boat. Passengers usually help to raise the makeshift screen to avoid a fine spray of eau de pollution.

This was the most sanuk mode of transportation, sanuk-ness helped along by my failing to fall into or otherwise lose anything in the stinker.

There seems to be something for everyone in Bangkok, which is probably why so many come for a holiday and never leave. If it is the destination rather than the journey that is the draw:

For the chattering Luxe guide class – “hi-so” (high society) in uniquely Thai vernacular and wannabes:

Shops
Mostly for luxury designer goods and to be treated you think like a tai-tai should.
Gaysorn Plaza
Siam Paragon – newer, with gourmet market but crowded with gawkers
Emporium – one of the first malls for the upmarket crowd
Erawan Bangkok – usually taken together with afternoon tea at Erawan Tea Room
Central Chidlom – older but with gourmet market selling organic products
Chidlom and Thonglor areas
Jim Thompson and the Jim Thompson factory outlet in Surawong – because even hi-sos like a bargain.

Restaurants, Cafes, Bars
Best Bangkok High-End Thai Restaurants
Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin – deconstructed “authentic Thai food with a modern flair”
nahm
Bo.lan
Sirocco – go for the view or Sky Bar
Nara Thai Cuisine

Jim Thompson Restaurant
Baan Glom Gig – 25 Ruamrudee soi 1, Bangkok 10330
Agalico Tea Room
Greyhound Cafe
Bed Supperclub

Accommodation
The Oriental – oldie
Metropolitan Bangkok

Siam Kempinski – right next to Siam Paragon
The Sukothai
Banyan Tree Bangkok

For the more modern Monocle-flipping design-conscious

Shops
Made in Thailand
Thonglor Ekkamai
Thailand Creative and Design Centre

Restaurants
Soul Food Mahanakorn
Taling Pling – 60 Thanon Pan Silom off Th Silom. “You know you’ve picked well when Thai families outnumber expats. And you get a stylish setting, pretty enough for Bangkok gays. A few menu standouts include yam plaa salid taling pling (a fried fish salad with the namesake sour vegetable), chicken wrapped in pandanus leaves and phàk dam lung (stir-fried gourd leaves).”

Accommodation
WOW Bangkok
Siam @ Siam Design Hotel
Ma Du Zi
Shanghai Mansion
Tenface Bangkok
Sleep At Seven
Loy La Long Hotel
Luxx
Luxx XL
or just google “luxurious boutique hotel with character”. 😉

Attempts to spruce up budget space






Lub D, Siam Square – fantastic location literally next to National Stadium BTS and so walking distance to MBK, Siam Square, Siam Paragon. Knowledgeable receptionists who are very enthusiastic in the morning and are still willing to problem solve in the evening. Computer terminals for internet access, laundry and dryer facilities.

Baan Waree
Chic 39 Bed and Breakfast

Room@Bangkok – about a 10 minute walk from Asok BTS or Suhkimvit MRT. Stairs to the rooms are steep and narrow. The nice receptionist offered to carry my pack but i declined, seeing his slim build and wedges. Breakfast in your room or on the roof.

For retro vintage hipsters:

Shops
Bangkok’s Best Vintage Shops
Nightingale Olympic
Baan Ekkamai

Siam TLR Classic and Lomo Camera – a small cramped unit on the 11th floor has cupboards ladden with Lomos, Olympus Trip 35s, Yahsica 635s, Leicas etc. Bring a photo ID along to exchange for a pass at Mercury Tower, then go to the reception on 11/F and ask for “Siam TLR”.

Talad Rod Fai – the train market in a disused railway venue. Kampaeng Phet MRT Station. Get out at Exit 1, turn right and walk against traffic along Kampaeng Phet Road.
Ratchada Saturday Night Market – Ratchada-Ladprao intersection, Ratchadapisek Rd., between MRT Ladprao and MRT Ratchadapisek. Open Sat 6pm-midnight
Klong Thom Saturday Night Market – bounded by Sieuh Pah, Worachak, Charoen Krung and Luang Roads. Saturday nights to early hours of Sunday
Vintage denim at MBK
Chatuchak Market – Rotsaniyom (รสนิยม) etc

Restaurants
Classic Kitchens – twenty restaurants your grandparents dined. You should too.
5 forgotten classic Thai dishes and where to rediscover them

Restaurant at The Atlanta – signs say that the restaurant is only for hotel guests and reserve all rights not to allow you to enter, especially if you look like a sex tourist.

Nokban Cafe, Talad Rod Fai – everything is retro here, from the furniture and crockery to the menu. The bottles on tables contain complimentary alphabet biscuits.

Accommodation
The Eugenia
Chakrabongse Villas – “built in 1908 by HRH Prince Chakrabongse, Chakrabongse House was originally used when he attended royal ceremonies in the Grand Palace and also for picnics and excursions on the river.”
Old Bangkok Inn
The Asadang
The Bhuthorn
Resort Bang Phlat
Phranakorn Nornlen – “family-friendly vintage guesthouse”

The Atlanta Hotel, Bangkok – an institution that recalls the glory days while nagging you like your grandma
Baan Dinso

Authenticity-seeking budget-eers

Shops
Phamai Baan Krau – Jim Thompson’s old silk weavers. 837 Soi Phayanak, off Petchaburi Road. After Jim Thompson’s place, turn left and wander along the khlong until you get to an eatery. Cross the bridge over the khlong and turn left. You will hear the looms along a very narrow soi.

Ban Baat (monk’s bowl village) – “Ban Baat is the only remaining village of three established in Bangkok by Rama I for the purpose of handcrafting bàht (monk’s bowls), the ceremonial bowls used to collect alms from the faithful each morning. As cheaper factory-made bowls are now the norm, the artisanal tradition has shrunk to about half a dozen families. You can usually observe the process of hammering the bowls together from eight separate pieces of steel, said to represent Buddhism’s Eightfold Path. The joints are then fused with melted copper wire, and the bowl is beaten, polished and (usually) coated with several layers of black lacquer. A typical bàht-smith’s output is one large bowl per day; more for smaller bowls.” Th Boriphat Soi Ban Baat. Get off the Khlong Boat at Tha Phan Fah.

Bamrung Muang – “Thanon Bamrung Muang is famous as the best place in Thailand to buy Buddhist paraphernalia, or sanghapan, and is well worth a browse even for tourists. The road is lined with shops selling everything a good Buddhist might need, from household offertory tables to temple umbrellas and cellophane-wrapped Buddha images up to two metres high. They also sell special alms packs for donating to monks, which typically come in saffron-coloured plastic buckets (used by monks for washing their robes, or themselves), and include such necessities as soap, toothpaste, soap powder, toilet roll, candles and incense.”

Eating places
Eating Thai Food Guide
Bangkok Glutton
40 Bangkok Foods We Can’t Live Without
Bangkok’s 15 Best Street Food
Hunting for Bangkok’s Dining Greats
Bangkok’s Best Street Food Neighbourhoods
Victory Monument’s Top Street Food
The Street Food Eating Tour of Ratchatewi
Ten of Bangkok’s best street food stores
Kai Thawt Jay Kii (Soi Polo Fried Chicken) – 137/1-3 Soi Polo, Th Withayu. “This Cinderella of a former street stall has become virtually synonymous with fried chicken. Although the sôm đam, sticky rice and lâhp (spicy ‘salad’ of minced meat) give the impression of an Isan eatery, the restaurant’s namesake deep-fried bird is more southern in origin. Regardless, smothered in a thick layer of crispy deep-fried garlic, it is none other than a truly Bangkok experience.”

Is Sae Coffee Shop

Taling Chan Floating Market (ตลาดน้ำตลิ่งชัน). Not as touristy as Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and, though set-up only recently, is patronised by locals so feels “more authentic”. Vendors are local farmers who take their produce there on weekends. On the Chak Phra canal. Take Bus 79 there. It will stop just before the banana sellers in the photo above.

Mass conspicuous consumption crowd

Shop
MBK
Central World
Platinum Fashion Mall (some people call it “Pratunam Mall” because that’s where it’s located)
Pantip Plaza – IT goods

Chatuchak Weekend Market (JJ Market) – thousands of stalls selling almost everything you can think of. Take the free tram around the outer fringe of the market to familiarise yourself with the place.
Patpong Night Market – fake branded bags, fake boobs, pirated music and videos

Eat

Somboon Seafood – mmm curry crab. Cab drivers are known to take tourists to restaurants posing as Somboon Seafood, so make sure you get your tummy to the right one!
MBK Food Court

Accommodation
Any number of hotels packaged with flights.

Though if there are 10 of you and one of you has staff discount at serviced apartments, a 3-bedroom affair with living area and kitchen is very useful indeed.

For hypochrondriacs:
“Museum of Thai Pharmacy (พิพิธภัณฑ์เภสัชกรรมไทย), 40 Sukhumvit Soi 38 (BTS Thong Lo), ☎ +66 2 391-6243. M-F 10:00-16:00. The museum is on the third floor of the Pharmaceutical Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage Building. It was established to publicise about traditional Thai medicine from past to present, so that later generations would learn and treasure it. The exhibition features various topics, such as the birth of pharmacy, the evolution of oriental pharmacy and basic wisdom, the evolution of western Thai pharmacy and the evolution of herbs and natural products. Make contact in advance if you are visiting with a group. Free.”

Pharmacies
If you’ve got a chronic illness that requires expensive medication but don’t have your expenses covered by your workplace or if you’re taking The Pill to maintain that flawless complexion, Bangkok’s non-research-based pharmaceutical industry welcomes you. Other than ubiquitous Boots and Fascino, there’s also:
South East Pharmacy – reputedly the cheapest in Bangkok. 207-9 Soi 15, Sukhumvit Road. Tel: 02 252-824.
Bangkok Drugstore – Sala Daeng. You can check their prices online.

Worth asking the store pharmacist about the generic drug in place of the trademarked one.

Bangkok is also a hotbed for cosmetic surgery and the more drastic sex-change stuff.

From Singapore to Bangkok
Jetstar and Air Asia leave from Changi Airport Terminal 1 – this gives them a one-up over Tiger Airways which uses the out-of-the-way Changi Budget Terminal.

Jetstar 3K515 – S$86.95
Taxes and surcharges – S$28.00
Decline to select seat – save S$4
Pay by credit card – add S$8 (no savings here unless you have a Jetstar Mastercard)
Total – S$122.95

If you decline to pay more to select your choice seat, you can check-in online. For international flights, web check-in is available between 48 hours and 2 hours before your flight’s scheduled departure. You can change your assigned seat then. Check out seatguru to make an informed decision for seating on the A320.

Jetstar’s basic Starter Fares permit the carrying of one main item of carry-on baggage and one other small item, with a total combined weight of up to 10kg. The dimensions of main item must not exceed 56cm (width) + 36cm (height) + 23cm (depth). No checked bag allowance unless you pay for it. I found this perfectly adequate for a 10-day trip.

You have to pay for refreshments onboard (S$8.00 for microwaved “Japanese curry rice”) and you’ll have to bring your own inflight entertainment. No problem if you, like me, start snoring before the plane has left the runway.

Bangkok to Singapore
Because of the way Jetstar’s accounting system was set up, there were savings to be had by purchasing this leg separately instead of a return trip from Singapore.
Adult THB2,549.00
Taxes and surcharges THB950.00
(No extra charge for paying by credit card)
Total – THB3,499.00 (S$140.96)

Can’t live without the internet at your fingertips? Need to make frequent calls and send smses? Get a prepaid SIM from DTAC or True – they have special micro-SIMs for your iPhones.