Siam Complex and Swensen's Ice Cream

I'm running out of things to talk about and take pictures, that I didn't already cover in my last blog of 08. I suspect for those who are reading this as insight into Bangkok, new items will start to dwindle. For those who read this blog to keep up with what I'm doing - I'll continue to post and it will be of value to you for your investment in reading.

Today (Saturday) I rode the BTS (Skytrain) a few stops up the line to Siam Complex. This is a complex of shops, IMAX, Aquarium, and food. Because it sits right next to the large BTS interchange I could not get a good shot of the main entrance to one of the buildings - Siam Paragon - but you get an idea of the upscale quality of the area. For my KC readers, think of Crown Center than multiply by 5. That will give you an idea of the size of this place.

It has a very large outdoor staging area for gatherings. I liked the decorations running the length of this one particular walkway. The decorations I assume are left over from the the Chinese New Year. Note the right side of the picture. That is how close the Sky Train is to the complex. Siam station in an interchange of two lines that run in Bangkok. To keep the width of the stations all the same the line run one on top of the other at Siam Station. The system is quite amazing including its ticketing access control systems. But more important, it is always impeccably clean. Maybe if I have my camera with me and have the nerve, I'll take a photo of how they keep the Skytrain immaculate. They do so by hand, rubber gloves, pail and towels. They do this on the steps, side rails, handrails, everything. And I'm talking the entire complex of each station which is more than just a station. Each is its own shopping mall. They keep the BTS clean the same way we clean our kitchens. Amazing Thailand.

This blog entry has 'Swensen's Ice Cream" in the title. After 3 weeks of eating basically one meal a day and that also being Thai food, and having only 30 TV channels available in my apartment - 18 of which are in English, and Internet connection that is better than Dial-up, but not quite what I'm used to at home and consider I'm working off a laptop rather than my flat-panel monitor at home, I realized something was missing in my life. Ice Cream. Did I list enough excuses to gain your sympathy? I really only needed one myself. So off I go to the Emporium which is right across the street from my apartment complex. It has an indoor Grocery Store - smaller than the new Cosentino's at the Light District, but it sells "American Comfort Food". It is higher priced than Villa Market which requires walking up the 16+16+15 steps. Desperate measures for desperate times. I searched a bit and then I saw her. A 450g container of Swensen's Rocky Road. She had my name on her. I'd say she called out my name but then the wife would read this and end up calling my company saying I'm having another TGA episode and must seek immediate medical attention.

450g I don't disturb myself with doing conversions. That's the joy of wanting to loose some weight and living in a country that is on the metric system. Everything seems smaller. "Gram" sounds like something from Chemistry class...something small. The very word seems "light". I eat ice cream out of the coffee cup. One and half cups later while watching CNN News in English (not British but American), my little 450gram "Precious" and I were quite comforted to be together.