BREAKFASTS AT SOI PRADIT

For four mornings, The Resistance Banker is a homeless man at the Neilson Hays Library bus stop along Thanon Surawong.

He looks like Ho Chi Minh but bigger and I wonder where he'll stay when the rains come.

Bearded men in prayer robes walk while counting their misbahas as I start the day with Thai coffee: instant and sweet from street corner coffee carts for 20 baht or brewed with less sugar from a sophisticated coffee press near a mosque for 45 baht.

Two brothers prepare their rice cakes in their usual place, a fat lady string flower garlands, commuters wait for the bus while I nurse my coffee at a bench in front of a 7-11 store before picking up my crispy fried pork and sticky rice: wrapped together in paper for 20 baht or separately in plastic packs for 45 baht.  

A friendly elder lady with a stall in front of the Soi Prachum Market always ask for my empty coffee cup to throw in her trash bag so I buy my daily fresh orange juice from her.

My daily breakfasts at Soi Pradit tell different stories but I will always remember the stray cats who sleep in the pavement, the piquant aroma of burning meat and spices, and the rushing biker who almost collided with me.    

On the other hand, lunches at the Pullman Hotel G, the United Nations Conference Center and at the Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant were major disappointments that were compensated with dinners of fried spring rolls and chicken pops at the Heaven Rooftop Bar and Lounge in Silom, grilled fish and beef in Thewet, and baked pork ribs and curry crab at the Michelin-listed Somboon Seafood.

It was Barbra Streisand who sang:

Life is a moment in space // When the dream is gone // It's a lonelier place [Red Planet-Surawong's hotel room is indeed lonely and staying there alone for 5 nights is lonelier] 

I kiss the morning goodbye // But down inside you know // We never know why [I know because I'm pretty sure I will be back in Bangkok soon, perhaps at the familiar environs of Chatrium Residence Sathon]

The road is narrow and long // When eyes meet eyes // And the feeling is strong [Not narrow enough from Somboon Seafood-Surawong to the Neilson Hays Library]

I turn away from the wall // I stumble and fall [I turned to the wall to spit the blood from my mouth and wipe it from my nose after tripping along Maha Seth Road]

But I give you it all [It was actually the amazing ladies of the Bangkok Folk Museum who gave me first aid and offered to take me to the hospital which I politely declined]

Then Google Map brought me to the wrong street art and the Lalai Sap Market was closed for the weekend.

That is how I ended up having a late lunch of spicy liver salad and sausage at Larp 3, thus how I found myself venturing into the Patpong Night Market for a so-so dinner of barbecued pork and beef, and enough reason to decide that a Day 5 breakfast at Soi Pradit is not preferable on a Sunday when I will be flying to Vientiane...