|
Senso posted:I'm the only Saigon goon. I just woke up with a terrible hangover and drew this: Basically where he wrote Go2, is the Tourist strip and De Tham Street. Avoid it. However the rest of Binh Thanh is quite nice.
|
#
?
May 24, 2013 02:45
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 11:51 |
|
|
Yeah, I should have labelled that "Red Light/Here Be Sex Tourists".
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2013 03:39
|
|
|
This thread needs more pictures. Flying over central Java  IMG_5752 by spf3million, on Flickr
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2013 04:21
|
|
|
What's the best way to get from Sukothai to Ayutthaya in Thailand this June?
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2013 07:29
|
|
|
Chippay posted:What's the best way to get from Sukothai to Ayutthaya in Thailand this June? Ayutthaya is practically a suburb of Bangkok these days, only 45 minutes in a car, which is why lots of people do it out of Bangkok.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2013 07:39
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:Bus for best mix of cost-efficiency and speed, probably about 250 Baht. For top speed, fly from Sukothai on Bangkok Airways to Suvarnabhumi and catch a taxi direct to Sukothai from the airport, for a total of probably about 3,500 Baht. Train is fun and scenic and will take you directly to Ayutthaya, but it leaves from Pitsanulok and takes quite a while - maybe 10 hours? I'm not sure, I've never done it. Is there a site like thailandtrainticket.com for Thai buses? Ideally I would like something like an overnight bus, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or even possible.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2013 07:42
|
|
|
Chippay posted:Is there a site like thailandtrainticket.com for Thai buses? Ideally I would like something like an overnight bus, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or even possible. I have to admit, that train ticket site is pretty good (for Thailand). A friend used it once and says it works perfectly.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2013 07:46
|
|
|
I've had 7 gins and it turns out batam is okay Hope this helps
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 06:33
|
|
|
Yeah, I looked up the wikitravel description. I don't think we need to wish you luck when you're going somewhere exotic and nice, heh.
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 06:46
|
|
|
So it turns out visiting Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum on a free day is not such a hot idea when everybody gets the same idea. Place was cool, though. And I could get used to the idea of Pho for breakfast, everyday. 
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 10:02
|
|
|
Two years here and I still cannot get used to pho for breakfast. I much prefer a banh mi trung. 
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 10:27
|
|
|
I've grown to love khao tom or pho for breakfast mostly because Thai people are so God-awful at real breakfast.
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 11:33
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:Yeah, I looked up the wikitravel description. I don't think we need to wish you luck when you're going somewhere exotic and nice, heh. I'm not even wearing pants
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 11:35
|
|
|
kru posted:I'm not even wearing pants
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 12:27
|
|
|
kru posted:I've had 7 gins and it turns out batam is okay
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 12:57
|
|
|
Bun cha is the poo poo. Now I'm off to sleep off this food coma.
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 13:54
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:I've grown to love khao tom or pho for breakfast mostly because Thai people are so God-awful at real breakfast. Cup Jok for lyfe. Also when I went back 7-11 didn't sell those little square taro buns any more. 
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 18:08
|
|
|
Chippay posted:What's the best way to get from Sukothai to Ayutthaya in Thailand this June? Like reindeer Said, its easy by bus. It's not a long enough trip to dó it overnight tho (5-6 hours including a lunch stop). I just did it like two weeks ago, and it was easy. But!! The bus from sukhothai Will drop you on the freeway about 100-150 Baht in a tuktuk away from the center of town, as the bus you re taking is the Bangkok bus and they just drop you off on their Way there. Just cross the freeway via the footbridge towards the Big (Robinson?) mall and head up the street in the same direction to find a tuktuk or a bus. However, if I was doing the trip again, i'd probably pass on ayuttaya as sukhothai was enough for us. If you dó go there and you're in a bit of a hurry, you Can hire a outboard motorboat to take you to see like 3-5 of the main ruins. Its maybe a little quick, but the boattrip was lovely. Go early in the morning, as it's less hot and hardly any tourists or people. And please rent a bike for the sukhothai ruins, it's cheap and so much more fun than walking. The place we stayed at in ayuttaya was Called something like 'The old palace' and i'd recommend it, rooms are alright but the food is great! Plus, they are very helpful with transport and tours etc. When are you going? Sukhothai is a weird City, i'd spend no more than two nights there (one for the trip there and one to see the ruins and leave, if possible). ( edit: just checked, it's Called the old palace resort) We're on the last leg of our Thailand trip and going Home late tomorrow Night, but we are having some problems enjoying ourselves in Bangkok. Tonight we ate at Gold Bay Leaves and it was very, very good, tho someone ought to buy that chef a new hat, he deserves it What should we dó for our last Day? We've seen malls, markets, Streets, canals and temples and museums and to be honest, we haven't really enjoyed it. Food has been our highlight in the City so far, but thats about it. The palace in particular was both underwhelming and so packed and hot, it was just a really horrorific experience. Its like a place you'd only go, so no one could call you out for being a sex tourist. We're thinking about something like a stroll in a park, a good meal and Maybe a movie at the scala Cinema or something. Any and all ideas are welcome and very much appreciated! prinneh fucked around with this message at 18:20 on May 26, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 18:08
|
|
|
You nailed exactly why I've never been to the grand palace. loving nightmare over there. I'm glad to hear Gold Bay Leaves worked out. The guy deserves the business, he runs such a tight ship. As for what to do tomorrow (today, now, I suppose), if you want to do indoor luxury, yeah, sounds like a plan. Spend the day indoors in the shopping malls and what have you, then around sunset head over to Vertigo for a few drinks (dress up a bit - long pants [a loving travesty], closed toe shoes, etc) for sunset and a great view, then grab a moto or taxi - or just walk - to Lumpini MRT and take the MRT about 15-20 minutes to Thailand Cultural Center. Get out there and have dinner and watch the show at Siam Niramit. When you're done, hop out to the MRT again and take it about 10-15 more minutes Northwest to Bang Sue MRT, the terminal station (FOR NOW!). At Bang sue, take the long walk to Exit 1 and when you pop up above ground you'll be across the street from the other MRT exit and the main railway station. From Exit 1, plod down a few steps to street level and then do a 180 heading back behind Exit 1, directly away from the other MRT station and the rail station about 50m, until you see this place that's called Bella Casa. Eat a late second dinner and then head back across the street to the main MRT and rail station where, about 10m past the MRT Exit 2, you'll see the Railway Station Bar made up of stools and tables in the parking lot. It's open until 01:00, I think. Have a few drinks with the local mixture of SCG employees, largely harmless moto gang kids and hiso slummers. Then, when you're done, make sure to catch the last train home by midnight and, voila, you've had a totally random, but very Bangkok evening. For slightly less accessible but much more authentic local color with great food (and zero English, but don't worry), substitute Makham Restaurant for Bella Casa, which you can reach just past the far northern end of the last platform of Bang Sue Railway station (here). It's about a 3-4 minute walk from Exit 2 at Bang Sue MRT and I love the place. You can actually spot it most easily by just walking North on the rail bed from the station. That's how I found it, during a run years ago. Bella Casa is just easier to find and more tourist friendly (also good food). If you go and there's no English, order a beer and for food just try saying, "Ao arai-go-dai aroi" and see what happens, heh. Might work. I know I've said it here before, but when I first came here I hated Bangkok. when I came back at the end of my trip I made a group of friends at KSR and it was more fun, but I still found the city loud, smelly, chaotic and just largely a characterless hassle. It wasn't until I moved here and stayed for about a month that it began to grow on me and now, of course, I love it and call it home (sort of - I live in Nonthaburi on the river, but it's like a suburb). So, if it helps, I love the place now but completely understand why some people don't. It's not until you're here long enough to get to know all its little nooks and crannies that it begins to take on some value in my opinion. Hell, some people never like it. Those people mostly live in Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Phuket or Pattaya and we look down on them because that's the done thing! ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 00:05 on May 27, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 26, 2013 23:47
|
|
|
Com tam is my favorite Vietnamese breakfast. I never found a good place in Saigon to have it for breakfast, but in the provincial cities I'd get up at 6am, and every nice place in town would be packed like it were Friday at dinner. Tan Dinh Market in District 3 has a good one that I used to eat for dinner a good bit, but it's less elaborate and less substantial than the breakfast sets you get elsewhere. But yeah, Thai breakfast is the pits. The desserts are pretty bad, too.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 03:15
|
|
|
Smeef posted:But yeah, Thai breakfast is the pits. The desserts are pretty bad, too.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 03:53
|
|
|
Thanks for the help, guys. I think I'll probably take the train from Phitsanulok to Ayyuthaya overnight and save myself the hassle of the bus ride.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 04:18
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:Here, have some shaved ice with beans in it. I like this stuff!  Then again, you said the Thai equivalent of the cow up the mountain BBQ is terrible and I love that over here, so I guess Cambodia is just bizarro Thailand.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 04:37
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:You say that as if adding rice jelly or pouring condensed milk over everything in existence doesn't make for a good dessert. Here, have some shaved ice with beans in it. Oh, not in the mood? Okay, here's a piece of grilled toast with sugar and butter on top. This country rocks at food as long as that food is not breakfast, baked goods, dessert or anything involving bread, beef, cheese and tomatoes (i.e. the four major American food groups). Come to my neighborhood in Queens and I'll let you observe a room full of FOB Thais try to figure out how to use an oven for the first time in their lives. Give them a bag of Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix, yell JUST PLEASE DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE BAG EXACTLY LIKE IT SAYS over and over and in maybe two hours they will have produced some abominable burnt round objects that they are very excited about.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 06:01
|
|
|
Tytan posted:I like this stuff! Sheep-Goats posted:Come to my neighborhood in Queens and I'll let you observe a room full of FOB Thais try to figure out how to use an oven for the first time in their lives. Give them a bag of Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix, yell JUST PLEASE DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE BAG EXACTLY LIKE IT SAYS over and over and in maybe two hours they will have produced some abominable burnt round objects that they are very excited about. \/\/\/ That's pretty much what we do here. You're in good hands. Drop a PM if you end up coming, I'll hire some local Yuan to follow you around all day bothering you to ride in his cyclo so you'll feel like you're at home. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 07:54 on May 27, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 06:27
|
|
|
So I might go to BKK (first time!) on the June 15-16 weekend. Mostly to do some shopping (no Uniqlo in Saigon) and get drunk. VVV Hmm yeah, that salt-pepper-lime mix is so good with everything. Senso fucked around with this message at 11:25 on May 27, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 07:46
|
|
|
Smeef's top 3 Southeast Asian condiments in no particular order: 1. Thai nam manao lime sauce 2. Vietnamese salt-pepper with lime sauce (can't remember the name) 3. Vietnamese nuoc mam fish sauce with chiles
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 11:19
|
|
|
The Cambodians do this salt-pepper lime thing too. Haven't seen it here, though. I prefer the tamarind based nam jim jao here as well as nam jim seafood. The lime-based version's fine too, just a matter of taste. Hell, when you look at the range of sauces available it's staggering - especially if you include various nam prik variations in there and the sauces that go on Muslim-inspired foods too. You could probably rattle off 10 just off the top of your head if you thought about it - and that's not counting the bullshit stuff like Heinz-inspired chili sauce, heh. For Vietnamese food, I don't know the distinction, but the red chili sauce that you mix with the sweet (plum?) sauce is excellent in my opinion. Still, give me a spicy, pungent nam jim jao made fresh with cilantro in it and dip some top quality grilled beef in there. That's perfect.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 12:04
|
|
|
Smeef posted:Smeef's top 3 Southeast Asian condiments in no particular order:
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 15:18
|
|
|
I know I've had this discussion with Tytan and someone else over dinner, but isn't the continuum down here Nam Prik / Prohok / Sambal ? Like they're basically all variations on the same concept. I don't recall something similar in the Philippines or in Vietnam, but I'm guessing at least South Vietnam has something along these lines that I just never noticed. EDIT: The other forgotten war. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 16:39 on May 27, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 16:14
|
|
|
ReindeerF posted:I know I've had this discussion with Tytan and someone else over dinner, but isn't the continuum down here Nam Prik / Prohok / Sambal ? Like they're basically all variations on the same concept. I don't recall something similar in the Philippines or in Vietnam, but I'm guessing at least South Vietnam has something along these lines that I just never noticed. Nearest thing in Filipino cuisine I can think of is bagoong, except it's just the fermented shrimp/fish.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 17:41
|
|
|
toasterwarrior posted:Nearest thing in Filipino cuisine I can think of is bagoong, except it's just the fermented shrimp/fish. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 18:08 on May 27, 2013 |
|
#
?
May 27, 2013 18:01
|
|
|
I think I have fallen in love with Cambodia. How much to buy a bar?!
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2013 14:27
|
|
|
duckmaster posted:I think I have fallen in love with Cambodia. How much to buy a bar?! I think you can pretty realistically get a bar in the $10K range - or less, depending on what it is. I heard a number of bar sale conversations during my long stays there and the larger ones would go for $50K and such, but you can open some shithole in Golden Sorya for probably a couple grand a month, heh. Tytan, I smell a topic for you, heh.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2013 14:48
|
|
|
duckmaster posted:I think I have fallen in love with Cambodia. How much to buy a bar?! Propping them up tends to be a lot more fun than running one. Although both can be kinda dangerous. Just a reminder that Dengue Fever are playing at the FCC in Phnom Penh this Friday, and in Saigon next week. Definitely worth going to see if anyone gets the chance!
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2013 16:40
|
|
|
At Noi Bai airport, waiting for my flight back to Manila. Halong Bay was nice, but pretty similar to Coron in Palawan island. Had fun exploring the Old Quarter and had a very interesting look at the North perspective on the Vietnam War in their History Museum. And I will never complain about motorcycle riders in the Philippines again.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2013 17:15
|
|
|
Are there any left-luggage facilities on Koh Tao in Thailand?
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2013 18:52
|
|
|
Chippay posted:Are there any left-luggage facilities on Koh Tao in Thailand?
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2013 10:04
|
|
|
So I'm going to Taipei for a few days drinking will I need to wear pants and if so how do I do this
|
|
#
?
May 30, 2013 05:54
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 11:51 |
|
|
kru posted:So I'm going to Taipei for a few days drinking will I need to wear pants and if so how do I do this One leg at a time.
|
|
#
?
May 30, 2013 06:01
|
|