tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126678472011-12-31T11:03:52.774+01:00cui4 = jade . shi1 = poetry .Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.comBlogger2571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-56432997570062728652011-12-31T10:31:00.007+01:002011-12-31T11:03:53.212+01:00

It has been a momentous year, 2011. And literally too. Life with an infant is nothing if not about the moment-to-moment changes of mood, emotional development, mobility, cognitive ability... and for the baby too.I have some friends who are pregnant and who ask me what being a mother is like. I usually respond that it's all-encompassing, with highs and lows. Truth be told, as enriching as it is,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-4683045113773530072011-08-11T20:31:00.004+02:002011-08-11T20:35:59.652+02:00

Max has just turned 8 months, and clichéd as it is, I can't believe how time has flown. And how my daily life is so different now. Days begin before dawn, when Max makes "I'm hungry" noises and I shuffle my way blindly into his room to feed him. Then back into the cot he goes, and I head back to fitful sleep, not unlike the days when I woke up, glanced at the clock and thought "Ok, one more

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-7047362336237093932011-07-12T20:57:00.006+02:002011-07-12T21:50:02.202+02:00

Naturally, when the phrase 'Hungarian food' comes up, the dish that follows, without fail, is goulash. Which, in fact, is pörkölt (stew), because goulash or gulyás (pronounced gu-yash) is actually soup.So when I got a little restaurant's weekly lunch menu popped into my mailbox, I thought I'd share for anyone who's curious about what typical Hungarian lunches look like.(Side note: Hungarian has

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-55094099916260493402011-06-04T11:14:00.007+02:002011-06-04T20:05:01.840+02:00

I've just discovered that my thumb and index finger can do a neat trick - come together and pinch things in a stranglehold that my silly parents struggle to pry open with yelps, whether it's their hair, glasses or skin. That's for making me take baths all the time!That mysterious cascade of tinkly sounds that used to scare the shit out of me - I get it now - I can actually see the infernal thing

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-47525849375206718362011-04-16T19:08:00.007+02:002011-04-25T20:43:04.874+02:00

Since Max was born, I've been reading a lot of mummy blogs. And that phrase "mothering in the trenches" always amuses me. I relate to its visceral allusion, but can't help but picture helmeted women with bare breasts swinging down a dirt corridor with a baby in one arm and bayonet in the other.So what has life been as a mother? Well, I wasn't expecting some of my less appealing qualities to be

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-19959362119398478142010-12-20T15:58:00.004+01:002011-04-25T20:43:58.423+02:00

Well, my little bun is here! Or piglet, I should say, since his sound effect of choice is snorts of hunger. He was born early, surprising everyone, and I will spare you the details of my ordeal in the maternity ward, except to say it's cruel and unusual punishment to leave a new mother post C-section with a baby and absolutely no help or guidance as to what to do. Oh, if I could do it all again..

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-88118388342439251102010-10-02T10:27:00.007+02:002011-04-25T20:44:32.108+02:00

Life has taken a bit of a turn since the spring. After our trip to Provence, I discovered that I'd come away not only with memories of lovely landscapes and food, but a rather more permanent souvenir of the time - a baby.Well he's not quite a baby yet. A bun in the oven, as it were. I'm about 27 weeks pregnant now, which translates into almost 7 months, though it's not technically 7 months

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-10310127722412058882010-04-11T16:29:00.020+02:002010-04-11T17:39:46.525+02:00

(And some other places)We rented a car at Geneva airport, checked that the buttons were where they were supposed to be, and then set off for L'Ardeche and its gorges.Motion sickness notwithstanding, the view from the next bend on the road was more impressive than the last. Also impressive were the canoeists braving the bracing waters.Then Provence, where we basically stopped when we felt like it,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-17502116887087180942010-03-27T15:07:00.005+01:002010-03-27T15:24:15.818+01:00

1. Schiffbau is a great venue, not least because they don't care if you waltz in with a can of beer in your hand.2. If you bring your beer bottle back to the bar, you get a franc off your next beer.3. Losing your ticket for the coat check is not a big deal. Just point at the coat you want. I didn't see any Burberry so I settled for mine.4. Never attempt to take public transport without getting a

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-38204550354722888002010-03-21T19:35:00.008+01:002010-03-21T20:40:08.896+01:00

Sundays are sacred here, so apart from at the train station and some restaurants and cafes, everything is closed. I'm staying quite near the funicular that takes you to perhaps the highest point in Zurich and had noticed it before when I went to Migros (now that's what I call a tourist highlight), so I decided to check it out today, in the slight drizzle.On the way up, I shared the little car

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-45260724980694910212010-02-28T19:27:00.002+01:002010-02-28T19:41:59.141+01:00

Yes, it does exist.Today, to celebrate the last day of Chinese New Year, I met a bunch of Malaysians at Wang Étterem, in Zugló (the 14th district) for lunch that consisted of 16 dishes.The pancake for the Peking duck was a bit too doughy, and the Hainanese chicken a bit on the dry side, but overall, this was a Chinese lunch like I've never had before in Budapest. There was fresh steamed fish,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-79656413375002095222009-12-07T18:44:00.009+01:002009-12-07T22:12:49.372+01:00

It was a bit of a special weekend. Friday I put together a surprise birthday do which went off without a hitch. I was such a nervous wreck about it though (Will someone accidentally let slip? Will I drop the cake? Will the bar give me plates? Will everyone be there on time?) that I don't think I could manage the drama of a bigger production than this simple get-together.Sunday I went to the zoo

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-20902339373413854682009-12-02T15:27:00.006+01:002009-12-02T18:38:15.301+01:00

Because Neil asked.So my list defies a lot of conventions in best-of-decade lists inundating the websphere. First of all, it's not necessarily music released in the last decade. It's also over a period of 11 years rather than 10, because 1999 is the year I finished university and started working and living abroad. My main criteria for picking these albums is either that it was the starting point

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-55417555594048876312009-10-19T16:09:00.010+02:002009-10-19T18:59:11.360+02:00

The Girlfriend Experience - High-class call girl, Steven Soderbergh, New York City - I had to watch this. The art direction was more interesting than the acting and subject matter; the city was all white fall days and dim lighting.Every Little Step - The making of the Chorus Line revival on Broadway in 2006, following the auditions from start to finish. Dancers are a hardy lot, both in terms of

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-61681750979460930162009-09-20T11:55:00.003+02:002009-09-20T12:25:43.674+02:00

Friday was probably one of the last nights at our local since the nights are getting distinctly chillier. It's a little fenced-off park with a pond in the middle, with gravel all round, and cane furniture with plump red pillows. It's one of the few places in which I feel a part of the neighbourhood; I recognise people from my building as well as other residents of the 13th district. Since it's a

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-5751042428065922402009-07-18T16:00:00.014+02:002011-04-25T20:47:19.641+02:00

I had such a whirlwind month of happenings in NYC that I can barely remember all the places I passed or stopped at. So here's a list of highlights:Food:The Stanton Social - Brunch as tapas, the most memorable being doughnuts with a caramelish dip. The service was impeccable; the waitress made every decision we made seem like an achievement to be proud of.Nyonya - Absolutely packed Malaysian place

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-1037132122429736582009-05-30T22:11:00.014+02:002009-05-30T23:22:15.120+02:00

I was in Barcelona this past week for a 30th birthday. It was wonderful for many reasons, not least of which was the company, the food, and the weather.Despite just being up the road from Sagrada Familia, our apartment was in quite a residential area - flanked by sandy parks with ping pong tables, with plenty of Pakistani shopkeepers from Lahore and a fantastic bakery called La Boulangerie and

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-751833883928509552009-05-08T21:36:00.008+02:002009-05-08T22:28:11.875+02:00

I applied for my PR in Hungary in January and was told I'd have to wait 120 days. So when May rolled around I began to wonder - has my application gone missing?Apparently not, because yesterday I found out that I've been summoned for an interview. They don't interview everyone, so I guess I'm just exotic enough to be lucky - not many Malaysians applying for Hungarian PR!The worst case scenario is

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-80595034290027188562009-04-30T22:48:00.003+02:002009-04-30T23:16:30.812+02:00

So often we complain about the sprint from winter to summer, with nary a week of crisp days. Well this year, April has turned out to be exactly as it should be, with a day or two of evening tempests and the rest of it bracing and blazing by turns.Since winter broke, I have drunk nothing but hosszú lépés - one part white wine, 2 parts soda water. Rehydrating while dehydrating is the original quip

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-43236136406370751672009-03-21T10:16:00.003+01:002009-03-21T10:28:43.210+01:00

Nothing like waking up to a blazing blue sky. By an astounding stroke of luck, it also happens to be the official beginning of spring today. If I were more motivated I'd get my hiking boots on and go to the Buda hills for a bit of a skip through the woods.Some questions for you on this beautiful spring day:1. What is the logical reasoning behind having to pay a fee when you're DEPOSITING cash

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-31092991117267985662009-03-07T02:06:00.008+01:002009-03-07T03:27:49.199+01:00

I can't believe I complained about construction in Budapest. I have been subject to 24/7 (literally) of pounding from the 20-storey building going up opposite my room. So worst night of sleep: drifting in and out, being woken up by another burst of machinery or explosion of sound from my iPod (which I plugged in to drown out the construction).In the morning, I was taking my usual route when a

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-29688906312768998602009-02-17T15:05:00.009+01:002009-02-17T17:57:12.291+01:00

It's familiar in many ways, though I haven't been here before. The food stalls with variations of noodles, meat and soup. The business of exchanges and transactions with few greetings and little fuss. The dust, tangle of wires, teeth and body odour remind me of China. So does the blankness of faces suddenly replaced by flares of fury when something disturbs the ordered chaos.One thing, though,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-40537162305791375622009-01-31T08:59:00.002+01:002009-01-31T09:14:09.216+01:00

For the last couple of weeks, one of our neighbours upstairs has been renovating their flat.Let me tell you the joys of experiencing someone else's renovation.During the week, you are treated to the constant mute thuds of hammering, punctuated by some staccato chiselling around 7am. It's not very loud, you can still be in a state of half-sleep, but one which is akin to the feeling of having a 1 1

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-32557462046398915772009-01-10T16:43:00.003+01:002009-01-10T17:45:50.852+01:00

It's very cold in Budapest - in unchanging negative Celcius territory. I say this despite minimal physical experience of it, since I've spent most of the past week indoors reading and listening to music. I reckon it's wonderfully appropriate winter behaviour to bundle away in thick socks, bulky cardi and cook more than once a week.I did leave hibernation in a big way to go for a check-up. Coming

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-542383384756645252009-01-02T11:39:00.016+01:002011-04-25T20:49:01.896+02:00

Delightful happenings:- the Christmas sermon at Southwark cathedral - there I was expecting a run-of-the-mill Jesus-was-born-to-save-us-from-our-sins sermon and instead got a denunciation of the pope's denunciation of homosexuality, plus a meditation on secularism and Christianity that was thoughtful and engaging.- being undercharged at Paul's for a scrumptious raspberry tart.- getting 8p for

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-47946755063457944262008-12-10T09:46:00.016+01:002011-04-25T20:49:52.529+02:00

On a whim, we decided to spend a weekend in Rome. It made the wait to Christmas much shorter, and was a chance to experience some warmer weather. Foolishly, we thought we'd be able to whip through the city quite easily, forgetting two important things:1. Rome's sights cannot be whipped through2. It's not humanly possible to walk that much in 2 daysFirst, the Coliseum. While pondering the massive

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-41185074739059340542008-11-22T18:25:00.007+01:002008-11-22T19:58:37.252+01:00

So it seems that I may have to eat my words (ha-ha) since things on the restaurant front have gone quite well this week.Based on the strength of this review, I decided to organise a reconnaissance party to Olimpia Vendéglő. The main thing that caught my eye in the review was the fact that the menu changes daily, and that all you have to do is pick between 3 to 6 courses. No agonising over menus,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-11450855327681816562008-11-16T16:41:00.002+01:002008-11-16T17:12:11.438+01:00

Lately I've been feeling grouchy about being in Budapest. The food, the service, the ever pervasive dourness.But this weekend was good. Saturday I explored some boutiques with sleek to retro designs, the best of which was Retrock Deluxe near Károlyi Kert. Then, in a mission to find red glass, we wandered around different art galleries/souvenir shops, marvelling at glass penguins and laughing at

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-16439524889924706322008-10-27T20:59:00.010+01:002008-10-27T21:36:13.973+01:00

In the cab on the way to the city, I watched the night lights, billboards, shops, and concrete apartment blocks, and looked for anything that might distinguish Warsaw from Budapest, or indeed any other city in the world. And then a pagoda came into view - the Palace of Culture - apparently a landmark that Warsaw citizens reluctantly accept because it was built by the Russians. In this building:

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-83017071903760111462008-10-12T20:47:00.005+02:002008-10-12T21:10:21.772+02:00

Earlier last week, I was at Instant, a new kert on Nagymező which is a smaller cleaned-up version of Szimpla; it was busy on a Tuesday and I dread to think how packed it must be at the weekend. While getting drinks, I bumped into two people: an ex-student who has given up teaching for strip bar managing, and the regular barman at Pótkulcs. To the latter, I said "You're the Pótkulcs guy!" to which

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-80142349921570025842008-09-27T18:16:00.003+02:002008-09-27T22:08:50.317+02:00

State of blinds: Fixed and therefore it's impossible to get up in the mornings (though wonderful at the weekend).Breakfast: Buttered toast, soft-boiled eggs with pepper and ketchup, tea and a book - think this may be my favourite breakfast EVER.Coffee: Gerlóczy - they have the best coffee, a nice ambience, and for those of you wanting to get away from cookie cutter hotels, rooms above

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-33340547379210336342008-09-20T20:08:00.003+02:002008-09-20T20:30:36.279+02:00

Just when I thought I'd spend the whole day hugging my hot water bottle, I found myself heading to Oktober 6 utca where the latest hummus place (with meat) has just opened. After a mountain of food and some guava juice for good measure, we headed to Ludwig Museum for some afternoon culture.It took quite a bit of manoeuvring public transport wise to get there, firstly because of the Metro 4/

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-29309521057292414412008-09-16T19:48:00.002+02:002008-09-16T20:13:15.910+02:00

skirts, light dresses, strapsfolded and sent behind, forvarious shades of dark

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-72723173801323321882008-09-08T15:34:00.002+02:002008-09-08T15:54:06.526+02:00

Since I've got back I haven't felt the urge to eat anything Hungarian. I've been so disconsolate about the eating situation I'm even cooking (read: assembling food at home) more, rather than disappoint myself with the eating scene.But on Friday, I decided to snap out of it and went to Bangkok House, a Thai restaurant that I've heard some good reports about.The decor is kitsch or vibrant,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-80390620953806079522008-08-30T10:28:00.013+02:002011-04-25T20:51:44.255+02:00

The thought of getting on a plane in a few hours is frankly depressing. It's been a thoroughly whirlwind month, beginning with a birthday dinner that lead on to a string of other birthday dinners and drinks. And pre- and post-birthday dinners and drinks. Basically, we ate, punctuated by less significant goings on. And there were a lot of pictures. I mean TONS.We had a brief sojourn from the

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-27350753119008054192008-08-15T12:40:00.017+02:002011-04-25T20:54:54.132+02:00

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-62010648436444242322008-07-29T19:05:00.002+02:002008-07-29T19:32:27.749+02:00

Every year I rub my hands with glee waiting for the opportunity to renew my residence permit again, to relive that delightful exercise in bureaucratic pointlessness. Let me elucidate:A team of 2-3 people spend hours queuing for this or that piece of paper with this or that stamp and signature, only to usually discover that this year, that extra piece of paper is (not) needed. This flurry of

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-66271673133224160182008-07-21T16:56:00.010+02:002011-04-25T20:56:33.985+02:00

Why can't I live in Paris?Walking through the city at dusk past the river, so close by, and the multitude of different faces, past the endless lovely buildings and streets, you can't help but think this.That is, until you sit through the traffic jams on the peripherique and listen to people's rent/space stories of suffering. I've decided that if I ever live there, it'll have to be nothing less

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-16713979752013173052008-07-14T21:44:00.006+02:002011-04-25T20:57:34.891+02:00

With all the rain in the last week, I wondered if the weather would hold up for the big day. Not only did it hold up, it was absolutely scorching.The church ceremony was barely audible but brief, and we enjoyed the respite from the sun in the dim interior of Matthias. Then it was onto the reception, at the back of the museum at the very end of the castle, in a courtyard I'd never been to before.

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-86009090393397043242008-07-10T17:19:00.002+02:002008-07-10T17:37:17.778+02:00

This morning, like every morning, I made my way across the Nyugati underpass to catch the tram to work. As usual, I could hear a violinist busking amidst the commuters. The music he was playing, however, was more vibrant than usual, perking me out of my iPod stupor.I glanced around to pick him out from the crowd, and found him with an old lady perched on a stool in front of him. In a flowy dress,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-15016783911536620652008-07-05T11:49:00.003+02:002008-07-05T23:19:26.441+02:00

As usual, I was running late. Why is it that every time I go to a concert I seem to be booking it in shoes that are hard to run in?Fortunately, not only did we make it (huffing and puffing as the lights dimmed), but we got better seats than we'd paid for, presumably because they hadn't sold enough tickets in the gods - yay!I was seated next to a man with a prosperous belly in T-shirt and shorts

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-52349274527741946072008-06-22T11:53:00.002+02:002008-06-22T12:02:22.341+02:00

Yesterday, on my way to a lark in the park, there was a sudden swoop of cyclists, which is normal enough, except these were cyclists clad in bathing suits. Pedalling furiously on bikes that were double their size, wearing helmets too big for their heads, their knobby elbows sticking out. All girls.I wondered if there were any paedophiles watching the proceedings.I also wondered how little girls

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-43023898947653530512008-06-15T21:39:00.002+02:002011-04-25T20:58:19.508+02:00

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-86262914437569971422008-06-10T22:22:00.004+02:002008-06-10T22:34:58.431+02:00

There's a square next to Trafó where a combination of homeless people and Trafó patrons hang out. In the middle is a sort-of fountain surrounded by wooden chairs, bolted down; it's an almost pretty corner. Tonight I noticed a screen hung up on the side, showing the performance art show going on inside (a bunch of people in weird spongy costumes bouncing on the projection on a ginormous woman's

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-34739162541168879632008-06-06T09:17:00.004+02:002008-06-06T09:32:42.732+02:00

Last night a friend and I happily walked along to our favourite vegetarian place near Ferenciek terre. We remembered good tofu curry last time and in my mind, I was already tucking into it. We walked down the stairs, and at first sight, the waiters seemed unfamiliar, with unVegetariumlike spiky hair.He was onto us though, saying "You know it's not Vegetarium?" to which, aghast, we asked where

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-68392557121960453382008-05-26T19:12:00.005+02:002008-05-27T22:22:51.714+02:00

Earlier this year I was contemplating leaving Budapest. Four, going on five years, stagnating interest in the language and culture, no intention to settle here - why stay?First is work. Second is my flat.I laugh a lot at work. A few of us start earlier than the rest, and take advantage of the relative quiet of the open plan office to sing, swear loudly and make fun of each other's muppetry. I

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-68166621755933794042008-05-17T15:24:00.006+02:002008-05-17T15:44:23.102+02:00

A jam-packed weekend, with some visitors. Latest tourist discovery: a Caesar salad and small glass of beer at Sissi restaurant by the castle is 3,500 forints. Ouch.Took the train down to Balatongyörök, near Keszthely, where we stayed in an old Communist children's camp, complete with a spooky indoor stage and ampitheatre leading up to where gulyás was cooking for hours in a bogrács. We ate on the

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-56011419147947362672008-05-03T10:36:00.011+02:002011-04-25T21:00:11.991+02:00

Now THAT'S what I call a poutWatching Johnny CashKoop at A38 - great concert!Partly my crap photography, but yes, I'd had a tad.

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-55761183334478190062008-04-26T18:48:00.004+02:002008-04-26T19:07:09.441+02:00

When public holidays in Hungary fall on Tuesdays or Thursdays, the custom is to make the day bridging the weekend an off-day too. This day has to be 'replaced' on a Saturday, considered a full working day. In effect, this means you work a 6-day week, and in return, get a 4-day weekend. Ideal, on the face of it, except for the morning on said Saturday i.e. today.Still, I had it better than some,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-60710812901267185062008-04-20T21:36:00.002+02:002008-04-20T21:48:50.061+02:00

Nothing like a visitor to give you some new experiences in Budapest.First of all, a cafe latte in Gerbeaud is 750 forints (highway robbery). Service is far from swift, and then they add a 15% tax to the bill (the cheek!). But sitting on Vorosmarty ter on an awesome spring day like today, with the smell of freshly-made waffle cones undulating towards you from the ice cream stand while listening to

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-21680539845907445522008-04-13T12:38:00.004+02:002008-04-13T12:43:56.496+02:00

One by The Cox family, singing "I'm Weary Let Me Rest" from O Brother, Where Are Thou?And the other is somewhat different but equally compelling. Hard to play on Guitar Hero though:

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-57320850351688191992008-04-11T09:06:00.007+02:002011-04-25T21:01:00.361+02:00

It is beeeeautiful outside. Days like these I'm so glad I don't live in a tropical country.Other highs:Yesterday at Kaiser's supermarket the cashier asked to see my ID to prove I was over 18 for the bottle of wine I was buying.Jhumpa Lahiri's new book Unaccustomed Earth is out. Am going to two bookstores in a bit to see if I can get it.Recorded a Rod Stewart (or rather Van Morrison) song - never

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-59714286674643004622008-03-30T20:48:00.012+02:002011-04-25T21:01:59.528+02:00

We landed to a hazy Istanbul, with a layer of yellow mist floating over the city. But that night, our hosts took us to dinner at Ortaköy, right by one of the bridges connecting Europe to Asia, and we had spicy tomato and aubergine pastes, grilled fish, and quince with cream with a view of its mosque.Their flat is in a curious location in Nişantaşı. Come out of the building one way and you pass Jo

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-87147482464884784462008-03-26T18:24:00.006+01:002008-03-30T20:48:27.781+02:00

This afternoon we sat on the lower part of Galata bridge smoking nargileh and drinking tea. We watched the lines from the fishermen above constantly being flung out and reeled up with tiny fish, sometimes three, while basking in the spring sunshine. I wonder why the seagulls haven't clued in and just swoop the fish off the flimsy lines.In this city, people smile, tomatoes taste like tomatoes, and

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-47000126236952619282008-03-09T12:13:00.004+01:002008-03-09T15:43:11.253+01:00

If ever there was a more apathetic citizen and voter, it was me.I barely paid attention to when elections were, and since I've been away for all of them, I cared even less. Malaysia used to be the sort of place where people on the street rarely talked about anything to do with politics, so little of a difference did most people think they could make.This year, though, I registered to vote at the

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-85622998293578388512008-03-06T17:46:00.003+01:002008-03-06T17:52:52.691+01:00

... you have a tip added to your bill just because you're a foreigner.... you are given the imported (and twice as expensive) mineral water when you don't specify.... waiters act like their deigning to bring food to your table is an act of generosity that you obviously aren't worthy of.... cashiers don't look you in the eye, much less utter a word throughout the entire transaction.... people

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-20103335807288337472008-02-23T14:47:00.004+01:002008-02-23T14:55:28.734+01:00

You have not read wrong.On Bajcsy Zsilinszky, right next to Toldi cinema is a place that sells what look like freshly-made bagels. With cream cheese, if you want. What's weird is that the garish colours in the windows shout "Tacky cheap beer joint!" rather than "Bagels in Budapest!"Thanks for pic, Bagel Grove

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-4859121168586695702008-02-17T17:06:00.005+01:002011-04-25T21:02:44.289+02:00

I often feel the beginning of the year is playing catch-up with all the end-of-the-year lists for music, and it's only in the last couple of weeks that I've emerged from that to rummage about in a more carefree way.Via multiple clicks, I stumbled upon Adele, one of the many young female sensations coming out of Britain. The album is nothing to shout about, but this tune is pleasingly unexpected:

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-80943344060131877222008-02-08T10:18:00.000+01:002008-02-08T15:41:17.004+01:00

On Tuesday, we went to A La Galette to make the most of pancake day (since we're obviously giving up indulgences till Easter). The last time I had crepes was in Brittany, where they originate, so this place had a lot to live up to. And though they didn't have the same note-perfect buttery, moist yet crispy combination, it didn't disappoint.I got a savoury crepe with ham, cheese, a fried egg,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-25739041252574310612008-01-29T21:35:00.000+01:002008-01-29T22:00:52.588+01:00

A couple of weeks ago, as I was leaving the basement ex-discount supermarket GRoby in Buda(how does a discount place suddenly go posh?), I noticed an elderly bag lady struggling with her shopping bag. So I offered to help, and she let me. When we got to the top of the steps, she asked if I was going to the tram stop, I said yes, and of course I'd help carry her bag there too.On the way there,

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-66327840258447153872008-01-15T21:28:00.000+01:002008-01-15T22:13:11.967+01:00

Sales in London. In Budapest or KL, all the sales stuff is squashed in the back in two shameful racks. In London, they are front and centre. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find any regular-priced merchandise. I bought shoes, 100ml Muji bottles and Yorkshire tea.Dim sum at Yauatcha, a trendy aquarium-like restaurant in Soho. The non-Asian waitress that attended to us pronounced all the dishes

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-29288373362226963082008-01-04T23:07:00.002+01:002011-04-25T21:04:51.140+02:00

Clapboard houses everywhereChristmas in MadlaFenalår (cured leg of lamb) with flat bread and sour creamLefse, gome, wafers and wineHarfsfjordMyraViking throwdownSola beach

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-59834207079445394562008-01-01T17:18:00.000+01:002008-01-01T17:48:16.262+01:00

Someone during the holidays was talking about music that reminded them of their youth, and said that it tends not to be your favourite bands or albums, because you bring those with you through the years - it's the stuff in the background. Which might explain why I have such an affinity towards Phil Collins. Alright, I'll admit I'm a total sucker for Against All Odds.Christmas and New Year's has

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-31683765619617146842007-12-22T22:46:00.000+01:002007-12-22T23:02:23.750+01:00

Well, my iPod mini was breathing its last clicks so it's lucky that it's Christmas. I've taken advantage of the cash carte blanche given to me by various people to gift myself something suitably sexy - an iPod touch. It's lovely and I find myself stroking it constantly (though this does leave quite a few fingerprints - must not eat chocolate biccies and then smear all over the screen).Three weeks

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-68916174211872408422007-12-16T20:40:00.000+01:002007-12-18T21:47:13.252+01:00

lelkesje me cassenincsentrong paiimputeje n'ai que deux piedsbap mi sairáérszquand les poules auront des dents

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-38199200582559237372007-12-02T15:05:00.000+01:002007-12-02T15:09:05.351+01:00

These two bands have a lot in common. They're both takes on traditional folk rhythms and melodies. They're both theatrical onstage. They get the crowd going. And I saw them within a week of each other. Fusion folk galore!With Gogol Bordello, the crowd was jumping like jack in the boxes from the second the first note was sounded. The frontman combined Central European moustachio with skin-tight

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-24587389544972896592007-11-29T14:33:00.000+01:002007-11-29T14:48:00.853+01:00

Some famous chefs were asked this question:"If you were to die tomorrow, what single dish, what one mouthful of food from anywhere in the world or anytime in your life, would you choose as your last?"The answers are in a book featured in this article, and got me thinking about what my ideal last supper would be.Surprisingly, I think it's yaw zha guai slathered in kaya, with sweet hot Milo to wash

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-3491035070838334362007-11-26T22:14:00.000+01:002007-11-26T22:17:41.553+01:00

As I walked through the Nyugati underpass on my way home tonight, I noticed the corridors were unusually empty. No passed-out guy with soiled pants against the wall. No old lady with the crumpled face and plastic bags around her. No crumbs and trails of liquid. A scrap of stained cardboard was the only vestige left. No smell either.I don’t think they were rounded up Beijing-style, but it did seem

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-10318220275392569502007-11-18T12:29:00.000+01:002007-11-18T13:14:16.900+01:00

I saw the tram coming as I approached the main road and flew past the red lights to hop in before the doors closed. Caught my breath and spied an empty seat to plop myself down on. The teenage boys who had got in behind me took the three seats in front of me. The one in front of me with spiky hair gestured to one of the others, with straight silky hair and a milky complexion, to swap places with

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-82487622447618052422007-11-15T22:03:00.001+01:002011-04-25T21:05:49.966+02:00

- Latch songs: Ordinary People by John Legend, In Metal by Low and Polly Come Home by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.- My boyfriend has been abducted by a Spectre.- I had the mightiest hangover of my life last weekend because of absinthe. Am treading very carefully this weekend.- Reading (trying to) Chroniques birmanes by Guy Delisle- I have a fringe.

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-34826443883371600962007-11-04T21:50:00.001+01:002011-04-25T21:06:32.716+02:00

Our first stop was Cluj-Napoca. Or actually, it was Restaurant Vegas somewhere along the way, where one in our party was brave enough to try the Mamaliga sour cream/cheese soup of mushy polenta. A hit, naturally. We met up with a friend who has a gallery where we had some lovely Vancluse surrounded by beautiful furnishings, and then had pizza delivered to Music Pub, a cellar pub that is a

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-45326583615884765982007-10-23T12:49:00.000+02:002007-10-23T12:57:45.096+02:00

Another commemoration of a failed uprising, another round of skinheads descending on the parks and boulevards of Budapest.I had forgotten about the usual appearance of barricades and riot police for October 23rd or March 15th (having only thought of the fact that I would be enjoying a four-day weekend) until I walked across Szabadság tér yesterday. Lots of shaven heads and hunched shoulders

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-34889796519756608712007-10-16T20:03:00.000+02:002007-10-16T20:13:19.080+02:00

Or is it winter duck bargain?Tonight I was almost foaming at the mouth craving a chunk of meat. None of that half-assed bits of chopped up matter drenched in sauce, whether that sauce is soya sauce, Madras curry or paprikas. I wanted MEAT.And got it, at Pozsonyi Kisvendéglő (new phone number 787 4877), which is around the corner, always full, and has a dish of roast duck, red cabbage and potatoes

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-6529541985008193132007-10-11T18:58:00.000+02:002007-10-11T19:19:49.449+02:00

A rather My Little Pony-esque name for Radiohead's latest album, but not any less anticipated because of it. Got it last night but have been feeling a bit poo so I decided to postpone listening to it till this morning on my commute into work.Some tunes I've heard before, either from their concert at Sziget(scroll down) or YouTube, and I'd agree with reviews I've read that this album is more

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-22369550852024696492007-10-01T16:42:00.000+02:002007-10-01T17:14:59.289+02:00

Etyek is a little town not far from Budapest (about 90 minutes worth of public transport from Nyugati, via Etele ter) which has two festivals a year. The one in May is more focused on wine, and this one I went to on Saturday was more for arts and crafts. Not that there was a dearth of wine.I sampled some lovely whites and spent the rest of the time chatting and eating. The roast piglet on the top

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-62504365846796037602007-09-20T18:29:00.000+02:002007-09-20T18:39:42.383+02:00

The ones who, when you bump into them accidentally on the tram and apologise, say "No worries" or in Hungary "Semmi baj" and move on with their day.And then there are the ones who roll their eyes sullenly, tutting silently at your incompetence as a human being because they are clearly Better than you.Are they just having a bad day (Christ it's only the beginning of it in the morning)? Are they

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-36219932890267347732007-09-15T19:06:00.000+02:002007-09-15T19:26:20.066+02:00

From a distance, that is.When you get invited to an ambassador's house where free premium champagne is served, along with trays of seafood skewered in darling plastic forks, you'd have to be insane to say no. The presence of a head of state is entirely incidental to the degustatory proceedings.It was a lovely afternoon to be basking in the sun or seeking relief in the shade of a garden in Buda.

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-37149213837664407202007-09-11T22:47:00.000+02:002007-09-11T23:19:41.775+02:00

Autumn in Budapest can be beautiful. There are grey mornings and rains at lunchtime, but also light blue skies and nights with a chill that is a relief to walk in after the harshness of this summer. It feels early, though, for the onset of fall. I'm still walking around sock-less, and my 2-metre ladder cum clothes rack still has shorts and skirts under the corduroys and turtlenecks I've been

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-33859516725549582042007-09-01T17:23:00.002+02:002011-04-25T21:07:48.948+02:00

I have a friend visiting at the moment who spent two years in Morocco and now has been in Poland for another two. Hard to believe I've been here in all that time; it's the longest I've stayed anywhere since university.Helter Skelter is a damned good song.In certain chic Parisian apartments, the top floors are made up of hole-in-the-wall apartments called chambres des bonnes, for the maids of the

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-50067306730254855422007-08-27T23:03:00.002+02:002011-04-25T21:10:51.059+02:00

Pont Aven, where Gauguin and other Impressionists painted.Lovely buttery galettes with fizzy cidreA real zipper on the red raincoatThe home of a Breton feminist writer, with a little dinghy tied to the sideDolean, BretagneThe Hives at Rock en Seine. Same pseudo-preacher boomings to the audience as in Sziget 2005. Top performances: Arcade Fire, Mogwai, 2 Many DJs, The Shins. Arcade Fire really

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-29521227245384741102007-08-15T12:49:00.003+02:002011-04-25T21:12:11.460+02:00

So in the end I skipped The Killers, which I feel vaguely regretful about because I read all these reviews about how they put up great shows. But just vaguely.Best show? Laurent Garnier, hands down. A live set with a keyboardist and two brass players covering rock, drum and bass, ambient sounds and hard techno. I was skeptical about how this would play at 6pm, but it worked well with the setting

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-81246702571500765012007-08-10T09:53:00.001+02:002011-04-25T21:13:17.970+02:00

Best part of having friends to visit:- them meeting each other and complimenting me on my fabulous taste in friends- huge long breakfasts involving multiple languages and inappropriate stories- showing them my favourite spots, including Kerepesi, Szabadsag ter, Kadar, Gerloczy, Szechenyi, Frici, and the kerts of course.- getting all their leftover currency at the end of their tripsWorst part of

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-43802119051096914972007-08-09T09:29:00.001+02:002011-04-25T21:14:37.232+02:00

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-76582432585829133232007-08-05T18:34:00.001+02:002011-04-25T21:17:28.065+02:00

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-49730788747207998472007-07-30T15:36:00.000+02:002007-07-31T11:00:35.680+02:00

There are plenty of nice-looking restaurants on Andrassy, but Klassz catches your eye first because the wallpaper is more Laura Ashley living room than restaurant, and then because you can barely make out the sign (written not very classily, it must be said, on the windows). It also doesn't have a phone, and (or because) they don't accept reservations. I don't really know what to make of that -

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-10904624566704082432007-07-19T16:20:00.000+02:002007-07-19T16:35:53.118+02:00

We win. It's 43 degrees. Not humid, true, but you could fry an egg on the pavements.It's worse on the tram. Apparently some idiots in the government voted not to put in air conditioning in the hand-me-down trams from Switzerland that have been running for about a year now, the reason being that the tram stops every minute or so, at which point the air gushing in through the doors provides

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-28971158637897316482007-07-15T18:14:00.000+02:002007-07-21T19:31:49.737+02:00

Friday evening, I went along to a Bastille day garden party at the French ambassador's residence. The queue to shake hands with the ambassador looked like a half hour wait, and I was quite thirsty for champagne, so I was relieved to find myself shepherded past the plebs (and, alas, the opportunity to shake hands with the ambassador) and down the steps to the garden with a brass band in full swing

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-44458141197854015062007-07-11T16:40:00.000+02:002007-07-11T17:22:03.010+02:00

It's such a pleasure to leave work in the summer. Not only is it still light, there are 5 hours left before dusk. Today, the weather is perfect - cool but sunny, with the passing shades of storm clouds.On the way to the tram stop, I passed the grouchy greengrocer lady. She was exasperating this morning. I bought something totalling 369 Fts and she sighed when I gave her a 500 Ft note. And then

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-3434250131677754862007-07-08T21:52:00.000+02:002007-07-08T22:38:52.335+02:00

Along with the longer days, outdoor bars and holidays, summers are also all about weddings. Saturday opened bright, blue and gusty, and I went from taking my time over lunch at Iguana (flowers spraying onto my club sandwich because of the wind) to running to the registry office at Oktogon.The best moment of any wedding is the first glimpse of the bride and watching the groom's reaction (double

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-74696705800151533062007-07-05T14:05:00.001+02:002007-07-05T14:24:36.666+02:00

I only discovered this one while looking at my Statcounter visitor paths. Originally from this blog with a fantastic evil blog post containing a red dot, you're supposed to tag 5 blogs written by Very Good Thinkers. My goodness all that capitalisation is intimidating. But anyway, Jen tagged me, which is very generous of her.This is bending the rules a bit, but rather than 5 VGTs (looks like

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-71782183871153637312007-07-03T17:18:00.000+02:002007-07-04T18:09:04.633+02:00

It is particularly difficult to talk about food now I'm in the wastelands of good eating.But since it's Nige, whom I adore, the thing I'm happy to eat anytime, anywhere, is curry chicken noodles.It's not to be mistaken with curry laksa, mind you. Curry chicken noodles are richer, with a thicker sauce, and the noodles are wan tan mee noodles, none of that mee-hoon/mee mumbo jumbo.Places to have

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-19085694291967076762007-06-30T06:56:00.000+02:002007-06-30T06:57:43.841+02:00

Only in the likes of Austria do you hear bad 80s on the radio blaring in the airport. And people bobbing their heads to it.

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-41396081006529778322007-06-29T13:17:00.000+02:002007-06-29T14:23:08.104+02:00

Well, I'm about to leave Bangkok.Apart from the food, which has made meal times something to look forward to, what has impressed me most is the kindness of its people:I asked this guy in a food court where he'd got his noodles, and instead of pointing out where it was, walked me to the stall and ordered it for me, taking care to ask if I wanted pork, chicken or seafood in it.One night I casually

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-54036197822141734702007-06-25T02:49:00.000+02:002007-06-25T16:54:22.053+02:00

1. A foot massage costs 300 baht. A full-body massage (including feet and legs) costs 250 baht. Eh?2. A live band doing covers of Top 40 hits complete with dancers at a plastic stools and disposable chopsticks hawker centre. I can say quite honestly I have never had the experience of trying to make out my fishballs from my beef balls in the dim but pulsating club lighting with gyrating Pink

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-74271177095771736952007-06-23T14:08:00.001+02:002011-04-25T21:19:36.283+02:00

You don't see this sign every day in a cab. There probably should be one in every vehicle.Life is hard when dragged to The Oriental for lunch. The things I was forced to eat included guacamole with chunks of avocado, huge slices of rich raw salmon, roast beef, sweet mangoes and sticky rice with santan, steamed garoupa slitherily nestled (hah how's that for adverb adjective overkill) in ginger and

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-35975319341110618442007-06-17T04:00:00.000+02:002007-06-17T04:43:05.536+02:00

Alright, I thought. Two months in Bangkok, I should make an effort to see a bit more than Silom, Siam and Jatujak. So I decided to go to Ayutthaya to see the ruins of a kingdom from the 14th century, much-admired in its heyday.What I hadn't bargained for was how time-consuming the journey would be. Through a combination of misreading the timetable, the train breaking down in the middle of nowhere

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-5253719979293734632007-06-13T10:51:00.000+02:002007-06-13T10:57:27.055+02:00

How true is this?I was chatting with Karn, one of the receptionists, about fruit in Thailand, and told her that mangosteens are my favourite. Upon which she announced that they are chockful of calories. So are durians, which is why she doesn't eat them. Even though Karn is about the size of a mangosteen. Half a mangosteen, in fact.

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-67823528291876496602007-06-13T03:19:00.000+02:002007-06-13T03:26:16.337+02:00

5 tunes in sequence from shuffle:Electioneering - RadioheadHigh and Dry - RadioheadAtoms for Peace - Thom YorkeMake This Go On Forever - Snow PatrolThe Man Who Told Everything - DovesI have all kinds of stuff in there that sound nothing like any of these guys. I swear there's some little chip in there putting it together, conspiring to send pleasure jolts that will make you go out and buy another

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-42495205469403605322007-06-09T16:09:00.001+02:002011-04-25T21:20:19.130+02:00

Scenes from my flat in BangkokRiver views(That's a colourful fluorescent skull half-obscured by the middle monk's robes)Temple and mosqueThe river ferry I take most morningsThe traffic that greets me on my way back every nightAn old fort overlooking jugglers and lollersI think I look less pained than KL in these suffering-from-spicy-Thai-food pics. We were pouring with sweat because of those

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12667847.post-40089175908542032862007-06-08T03:08:00.000+02:002007-06-08T03:11:49.515+02:00

...you go shopping for bedding for the first time and realise you have to pay a bit more than you'd imagined for a few metres of cloth.Is it me, or is 3600 THB / 70 Euros / RM 360 / US$100 / 55 pounds expensive for a king-sized set of sheet, pillow cases and duvet cover?

Szehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14818470234953819253noreply@blogger.com7