Musical journey (118)

I've always wanted to busk especially when here in Melbourne, the busking culture is strong, pre-COVID of course. Unfortunately I'm too lazy to go through the license-application process so ever since I was aware that my sister started to busk in Singapore, I knew I had to get to one of her sessions.

I'm so glad I had the chance to do that during my Singapore trip earlier this year before I lost my voice due to a cough and overeating of "heaty" food over the Chinese New Year period. I was originally meant to be a "guest star" doing only three songs but I ended up doing about four times that number, including duets with my sister. In addition to the exhilaration I got from performing live in front of an audience, it was also very good family bonding time.

The location where we busked was next to a Chinese New Year market in the heart of Chinatown so there were massive crowds (which I loved because of the attention) and festive music all around (which I disliked as it was distracting). COVID was just getting into the news at that time with no lock-down and it feels really strange now looking back at how un-socially distant people were back then. I had my sister help film me and at times she was chatted up by members of the audience during the recording, so I apologise for the oft-jarring background noise (as well as unsavoury-looking characters in the shot) but it does give you the correct feel of that location that night.

This month's musical post features "囚鸟", a Mandarin song released in 1996 by Hong Kong singer 彭羚 which I like a lot for the melody and hence chosen as one of my busking pieces. It's best to do older songs as more people in the audience can identify with them (especially when the crowd at Chinatown tends to be older). Singing in the original key, my falsetto naturally impressed the crowd and hopefully you guys will also be equally pleased with my performance.

Oh, and happy PRIDE everyone (and congratulations for a successful first-ever digital Pink Dot Singapore)!

Bangkok Ⅱ through Facebook (part 2)

Looks like I spoke too soon. Due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases (25 more only mind you, and they're not directly related to the Black Lives Matter protests which are theoretically illegal due to health reasons), the Victorian government decided to wind back some of the planned easing of restrictions. So from tomorrow, instead of more freedom, social gatherings will be curbed once again but fortunately the re-opening of gyms will not get affected.

Talking about gyms, mine will take bookings at peak hours and impose a 45-minute limit so I have to scrap my gymming-when-it-opens-at-6am idea (as 6am to 9am is the morning peak period). My new plan is to schedule work meetings such that I can start my routine at the off-peak time of 2pm. I'm curious to see how it all pans out tomorrow but I'm so glad I can go back to the gym to lose my lock-down gains (0.5kg to 1kg of weight) and gain back the loss (leanness and definition).

I've also been totally immersed in "The Last of Us: Part II" since yesterday. Having played the first two chapters, I'm so far not impressed as much as the level of anticipation for the R18 game's release (I waited for a few years!). Before I head back to the blood and gore, here's part two (part one is here) of my recent Bangkok trip's itinerary, along with the pictures that bring back so many fond memories.

Day 3 (Part 2)

- Shopping at Mixt Chatuchak

- Catching up with an old Sydney friend (now living back in Malaysia) who's also in Bangkok

- Visiting Babylon Sauna (one of the places I HAVE to go to every trip 😈)

- Catching up with more Sydney friends

- Clubbing with Sydney friend at DJ Station

Day 4

- R & R in hotel
- Shopping and dinner at Amphawan Floating Market 

Day 5

- Shopping at MBK
- Free & easy (wandering in the city, which is something I really love to do)
- Full body oil massage near hotel before heading off to the airport

Look who I bumped into in Bangkok, of all places! Nice to catch up with you again Yujin. It's been way too long!

This message also greets us via highway billboards from the airport to the city. I'm not sure if this is a serious issue in Thailand but don't the authorities know that nothing can trump the laws of demand and supply? Either outlaw it in an enforceable way or keep the status quo I say.

PS: Not only motorcycle cabs are cheap, they weave through notorious Bangkok traffic with absolute ease and will always be my preferred mode of transport when I'm pressed for time.

Pre-DJ Station catch-up with Sydney/Malaysian friends Adrian and Yujin. I wonder when we'll see each other again so let's make the best of tonight!

This is what I'm talking about! Partying without a care! Adrian you missed out! #AllEyesOnMe #CanSeeCanAlsoTouch

Just what the doctor prescribed... A sleep-in followed by a nice hearty (complimentary I might add) hotel buffet breakfast after a late night out. #NoLunchNeeded

And off we go to the Amphawa Floating Market via a 90-min minivan ride!

This floating market is much better than Taling Chan. Too bad there wasn't time to visit the Railway Market as well. Well there's always next trip.

The quirkier bits of the floating market. From top left going clockwise - the only dunking game stall, grilled crocodile skewer, the ugliest cushions shaped like raw seafood, a cafe with nice decor, an uncle blasting his off-key karaoke singing as entertainment for the entire market, and horseshoe crab offered as a delicacy. Fun!

Didn't know we had complimentary breakfast everyday so I'm back with a vengeance this morning on my final day in Bangkok, this time with the view that accompanied the most important meal of the day! And now it's on to some last minute shopping!

Not exactly starstruck because he's far from being a star in my books but here's 陈汉玮 (Chen Hanwei) I chanced upon (on the right) here in Bangkok with a "mate". #LowKeyButHighKey #CouldNotTakeAFrontalShot

PrEP-uptake in Australia has been great due to its inclusion in the PBS but in countries where there's no government subsidy, ads for the wonder drug inevitably have to rely on shoo-in visuals most appealing to gay men like this. That being said, I think we should still have such head-turning billboards plastered all over Australia. #SexSells

PS: It's just like females usually only opt for female masseuses. Of course there are other nuances around this preference for gay males (*wink wink*).

How can I leave Bangkok without having mango with sticky rice? Yums. #FinalAchievementUnlocked #SoGoodButSoBad

No matter how intensively I tried to expend my phone data for the trip, I've barely cracked 1.5Gb and have 13.8Gb left! Anyway I'm boarding now. Bangkok it's been great seeing you again after 5 years and thankfully you weren't humid. See you all back in Singapore!

Bangkok Ⅱ through Facebook (part 1)

With COVID-19 still stubbornly omnipresent, life is not going back to normal anytime soon, not without a vaccine. Of course that includes international travel and many reports are saying that it will not return to its former glory till at least 2023.

I'm not an avid traveller nor have I lots of exotic places in my (very short) bucket list (it does include cruising though, which is such an odd thing to like in this new coronavirus landscape). But once in a while I do like to tour familiar cities that I have fond memories of from my previous visits.

One of these cities is Bangkok and at the start of this year I was there for 5 days when it was still not a pandemic. I was with a not-so-familiar friend which was a big risk as you never know how it'd turn out. My time with him wasn't good at all, in fact it was disastrous and we ended up spending all of our time separately (but still had to share the same hotel room—awkward!). Suffice to say this was a big lesson learnt and from now I'll only be with people I know I'll enjoy travelling with.

This post is not to whinge about how this person ruined my trip but about how much comfort it brought. Bangkok is like a old pal who never really changes and every time I visit, I do the same things and go to the same few spots. My last visit was in November 2014 and I've documented that trip here (parts 1 2 3). Comparing those posts and this new two-part series, how much a creature of habit I am becomes really apparent.

Here's the first half of this Bangkok trip's itinerary (the second half is covered in my next post here):

Day 1

- Lunch at Siam Paragon

- Shopping at Siam Centre, Siam Discovery, MBK, Siam Square One, Centrepoint and Terminal 21

- Dinner and shopping at Talad Neon Night Market

- Shopping at Silom Road Night Market

Day 2

- Lunch and shopping at Platinum Mall
- Shopping at Big-C Supacentre
- Dinner and shopping at Ratchadan Rot Fai Night Market

- Foot massage at Sukhumvit

Day 3 (Part 1)

- Lunch and shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market

They say pictures paint a lot of words so here goes.

And off I go to Bangkok! Spicy food, spicy weather and spicy men, here I come!

Arrived! It's not as hot as I thought but maybe it's still early. Yes yes yes, I'm wearing that thin revealing singlet again.

Checked in! It's quite a nice hotel I must say. 5-star no less. And the view is awesome!

First meal in Bangkok and it has to be quintessentially Thai! Green curry, papaya salad and sticky rice. Can't get any more Thai than this!

It has finally happened - a crossover between PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) and fashion. #Why #Ugly

Anyone seen free bakery cake tasting samples displayed for all like that before? #NoIDontWant

All this food shared between 2 people at SGD24 each. Good value or not?

PS: The name of the massage parlour is "Rapee Massage"

Better than any Pepper Lunch you can find and at a fraction of the cost with quality seafood. Where else but Bangkok? Now on to more shopping at the wholesale mall. #SeafoodPancake

Notwithstanding the weather (and traffic if you're on the roads), Bangkok is a really nice place. Rivers with traditional boats meandering through busy city thoroughfares. The old and new in perfect harmony.

Only in gay party fashion is where you'll find the price of clothes being inversely proportional to the amount of fabric. #TooExpensiveToBuy

Fancy whole BBQ croc, raw salmon displayed in tropical heat, grilled durian or eating a seafood smorgasbord right off the table? Come to Bangkok then!

The scary scene of hoards of tourists from China in tour groups descending on the night market en masse. All local vendors basically learn Mandarin for them yet they are as demanding (bordering on rude) as ever.

Last agenda item of the day. Can you believe this is the first time I'm having a foot massage?

Complimentary snack from the hotel. How sweet. #Macaron #ChocolateSoil

In Thai colours, Chatuchak Market is crazy as always but this time more expensive compared to my last visit. I got what I wanted so it's all good.