Population growth. The scourge of the developing world. The root of that famous vicious cycle that causes impoverished countries like the Philippines to be stuck in their respective economic quagmires. Not so for Mechai Viravaidya, who founded Thailand’s most successful non-profit, non-government agency, the Population and Community Development Association (PDA). Through the PDA, Mechai shared his belief that for any family planning program to be successful, condoms and other contraceptives should be as accessible and acceptable to the people as vegetables in the market- thus the concept for Cabbages and Condoms was born.

Cabbages and Condoms, a really decent and homey (think casual dresses) resto located at Soi 12, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok (Between Nana and Asok BTS stations) is a restaurant with a mission: promote family planning and population control. Proceeds from the resto go straight to the to the PDA which then promotes and develops projects geared towards family planning in the provinces. This goal has garnered a lot of publicity for the restaurant, even makingit on Time’s must do list in Bangkok.

Of course, we wouldn’t have passed up the chance to experience the place during our stay. We ordered the house special of Soft-shelled crabs, Pork Spare ribs with honey, and rice. For dessert, we had banana fritters with ice cream. Though a bit pricey (average dish costs around 200-300 Baht), the fact that we were contributing to a cause made it easier to part with our money. Besides that, the dishes were really good, although spicier than we actually would have liked. But overall, still a pretty good eat.

Spicy Soft-shelled crab

Pork Spare ribs- we demolished this in five minutes flat

After Dinner pose

Of course, a night at C and C wouldn't be complete without posing with the famous condom mascots!

Now it's Flishi's turn!

After Dinner Freebies- yes, they give out free condoms

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Ah, the famed weekend market of Bangkok; Chatuchak market wasn’t all that hard to find. All you have to do is ride the BTS Skytrain all the way to the last station, Mo Chit and follow the crowds. Yes, the crowds. Occupying a huge plot of land adjacent to Chatuchak park, the market itself is made up of a labyrinth of shops, food stalls and sidewalk vendors (including those that sell cute baby gifts).

Amidst the crowds- tired but still managing a smile

And it’s packed with people- tourists and locals alike jostle one another to shop, haggle, and shop some more for more merchandise than you can possibly handle. The reason for the crowds is all too clear- dirt cheap clothes (I bought a nice casual shirt here for only 30 Baht! The decent, really-OK-for-work collared shirts can be bought for 150-200 Baht apiece), pasalubongs and street food (you just have to try the marinated duck with flat noodles- scrumptious!).

I dunno what's it called- all I care about is it's scrumptious!

Fli, that's so masarap!

Needless to say, with items this cheap, we burnt a lot of Baht for a day at the market. On the other hand, we came home with loads of clothes and trinkets!  

White collared shirt- 30 Baht, Black formal coat- 100 Baht, Levi's straight cut jeans- 400 Baht, Chatuchak experience- Priceless!

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Foodies. That’s what we like to call ourselves. And it’s pretty obvious why. I love to cook. We both love, love, love to eat. Our time spent together is like one loong food-trip. We just love sampling new food (specially if they are served in those really nice contemporary coffee tables)!

Proof of this is the fact that the first thing we did on arrival in the Land of Smiles is buy 70 Baht worth of Thai food minutes after disembarking off the plane. OK, fine, so we bought the food from a 24-hour convenience shop inside the airport. But it still was Thai food after all.

So it was that we were excited as starving chickens (pardon the pun, we really were excited for Thai cuisine) when our mutual friend Chu, invited us for a dinner out at La Table de Tee, a French-Thai fusion gourmet resto located at Saladaeng Road, Silom, Bangkok. Conveniently located around 5 minutes from the Bangkok BTS Skytrain (Thai version of our MRT, just waaay better) Sala Daeng Station. A full 5-course meal costs a very reasonable 750 Baht (That’s affordable, considering that it *is* a Michelin grade place). True to our foodie nature, we took pics of each and every course we ate!

Japanese Pumpkin and Garlic Soup! Very creamy with a hint of lime

Sweet potatoes and Basil- astonishing how they made the potatoes taste like mozarella cheese!

Seafood and Couscous- savor de marisco galore!

Pork Sirloin and Ginger- Sizzling pork with bit of bacon and drizzles of honey! Yum!

Choco Fondant and coconut ice cream- Pure Bliss!

And here’s us, satisfied and happy. I’m soo looking forward to my next La Table de Tee experience!

(L-R) Chu, Flishi, and Me

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To visit the famous Wats of Bangkok, you have to take the Chao Phrya river boats. A round trip, get on- get off ticket costs around 150 Baht per person (Some of the boats are really classy with beautiful patio chairs). The boats will take you along the Chao Phrya river, which, we found out, also functions as a major water way thoroughfare. The Wats are found along both sides of the river.

Wat Arun opposite Tha Thien Pier

So after an entire afternoon touring the Wats, we waited on one of those numerous piers along the river for a boat to take us back to Saphan Thaksin station. After waiting for quite some time for a boat going back to the main pier (and finding none- there were a lot of boats but they were all going back on the opposite direction- away from Saphan Thaksin), we decided to ride one of those boats thinking that they would surely go back to the main pier.

How wrong we were!

Anyways, we got on one of those boats and settled comfortably in the seats, enjoying the sights and sounds of the river. After about an hour and a half, we noticed a change in scenery- the soaring buildings and skyscrapers of Bangkok were soon replaced by flat plains and rundown buildings. So I decided to ask the captain if the boat when the boat would turn back. His answer surprised me.

“No” he said; “No, go back. We going Cambodia. Passed border few minutes ago.” I was mortified. Cambodia! Shit! How in the world do we get back? To my immediate relief, he said- “Another boat going back Bangkok. Go down this pier (indicating a nearby pier). Wait for last trip back Bangkok.” And then he slowed, dropped us off and told us to wait. Barely had we sat down when the boat going back stopped by. We hastily boarded it and about two hours later, tired, hungry and exhausted we arrived back in Saphan Thaksin at last.

Note: I really wondered whether we actually did cross into Cambodia. A quick Google search of the Chao Phrya river reveals that it empties into the Gulf of Thailand. If you look at the map of the river, there are no tributaries even remotely leading into Cambodia. So perhaps I misunderstood the boat’s captain. *sheepish grin*

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The Wats. We’ve all heard about them. Angkor, Wat Pho, Wat Arun… Well, OK, so I’ve only heard about Angkor. And that reclining Buddha made popular in Capcom’s Street Fighter, where it features prominently in the background when you fight Sagat in the Thailand stage. To be honest I wasn’t all that keen on seeing the Wats at first- thinking them very similar to the Chinese temples I’ve seen in Cebu. Of course, I wanted a few pics but I wasn’t that too into it, if you get my drift. But everything changed when I actually got to SEE them up close (tip: be in protective clothing, specially one that keeps you away from the heat!).

They were just BEAUTIFUL. Perfectly symmetrical, soaring and glittering in the afternoon sunshine; they really were a sight to behold. I really enjoyed posing for pictures and taking in the sights. But as our friend Dee says, touring these awesome ancient structures just drains your energy. I felt really tired, thirsty and sweaty after touring just one wat- Wat Phra Keow and the adjoining Grand Palace. Well, Don’t let my blabbing tire you out, just check out these pics!

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I can’t believe how fast time flies. It seemed barely yesterday when we traipsed through immigration at Suvarnabhumi International airport, eager and excited to see the Land of Smiles (with camcorder from digital camcorder reviews at the ready). It’s been exactly 36 hours since we landed and here are a few really random thoughts off the top of my (and Fli’s) head:

As the plane was coming in for a landing and the city lights of Bangkok came into view: “Whoa, they’ve got really big highways!” (They were actually bigger than we expected them to be, plus they drive on the left side of the road!).

Chancing upon a group of people milling around one of the numerous cafes and restos in the airport: “Hey, Gim, there seems to be a lot of Filipinos in Bangkok”, then we heard them talking; “They’re not Filipinos, Fli! They’re Thais!” (They really do look like us, except that the women wear eyeliner that sort of curls up on the outer edges).

After exchanging currencies at the foreign exchange counter and being greeted by the traditional khob kun mak ka with hands pressed together in prayer by the bank teller: “They are soo polite! No wonder they have the reputation for being so respectful and hospitable.”

So far we’ve seen Sukhumvit avenue, dined at this posh French-Thai resto (La Table de Tee) and spent most of our time lounging around our hotel. Today, it’s off to see Thailand’s famous Wats (temples). More posts (and pics) later.

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While we’re on the topic of what Zamboanga needs, I’d also like to point out that Zamboanga needs new restos too! Although there are a few exceptions (Mr. Bean’s at the Catribbo Complex, Patio Palmeras along Pasonanca road), most of the restos in the city are old, dilapidated, and with the worst service imaginable (with food spots like these, there’d be no need to browse through that diet pill review).

Again, take for instance Mang Inasal’s, where we had lunch yesterday (see previous post). OK, fine, it’s not actually a resto, more of a fastfood joint, but still- fastfoods are meant to be just that; fast and efficient at feeding hungry people impatient for food. Sadly, the reverse was true yesterday.

Mang Inasal’s was slow, with waiters deliberately ignoring their customers. There was a lack of everything- from water, to utensils and even paper napkins. Paper napkins! Every decent food joint should have at least a pile on each table! And pox on that unlimited rice promo! It is sooo freaking hard to get a refill and when we finally did, the rice was of poor quality- grainy with bits of pebbles and with the distinct smell of molds. What kind of service is that?

The Mang Inasal's here does NOT look like this

Needless to say, I’m not going back there ever again. And I’m sure to spread the word to other poor souls who may be fooled into thinking otherwise.

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Zamboanga badly needs new shopping centers. The city is literally growing; population-wise, the city grew from 500,000+ residents in 2001 to close to a million this year. That’s double the number of people nine years ago! No wonder the city’s streets are chaotic most of the time (pretty soon the heat, dust and sweat will give us all acne and then we’re going to need acne treatments).

Take yesterday for instance. Me and a couple of friends went off to have lunch after a grueling morning spent answering a pharmacology exam. We went to nearby Southway “Mall” for barbecue at Mang Inasal’s (a local resto that offers unlimited rice refills). When we got there, I was genuinely surprised at the throng of people milling about the sardine can- shaped “mall”.

Sardine-can is the best adjective to describe it. It is a cylindrical, narrow structure of four floors and packed with people from top to bottom. It was nauseating just being there. The smell of sweat, perfume, and food all mingled to form a pungent and unpleasant aroma that stuck to your clothes and made you feel haggard and tired.

A sweat shop made to look like a shopping center

Instead of making me feel refreshed and rested, that lunch all the more made me feel cranky, irritated, and disheveled. This city definitely needs more shopping centers. SM, Gaisano, Robinson’s; where fort art thou?

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With the national and local elections just around the corner, various candidates running for all sorts of positions from city councilor to city mayor to the top post of President of the Republic are frantically trying to to put in last minute campaigning (becoming living promotional products).

In the Philippines, this usually involves plastering ugly posters featuring the faces of all those candidates in every available space. From walls to light posts and even esteros, these posters stare out at passing motorists with their fake grins promising an end to poverty and a change for the better. In my hometown of Zamboanga, like most of the other cities in the country, these posters are virtually everywhere transforming the city into one endless stream of trash, its roads seemingly paved out of the hollow agendas and empty promises these posters make.

But driving along the roads of my city, these unwanted barrage of garbage is the least of your worries. Since the campaign period officially started, our beloved city officials did what they do best- they started hastily breaking down roads all over the city and repairing them, in an attempt to show the public that “your taxes are working for you”, ergo, we (your government) is working for you. Ha!

I just can’t help but wonder, you, our dearly beloved local government, literally had years to fix and repair our badly potholed streets. Why wait until election time is near, to hastily fix them- all at once?? Don’t you realize that the simultaneous construction that goes on in almost all of our roads are creating a driving hazard that puts lives at risk? To drive down the streets of Zamboanga nowadays is like driving through an obstacle course- one has to constantly switch lanes in order to avoid hitting those unlighted, unreflectorized concrete and wooden barriers that are soo difficult to see especially since constant power outages ensure that the streets are almost always pitch black at night. You also have to navigate your vehicle through streets that are partially destroyed (due to the repairs going on in the other lane) and try to beat the other vehicle to that narrow stretch of passable road (yes, because of these “repairs” two way streets are now suddenly converted to one way streets but with vehicles going both to and fro, still going two-way- thus creating traffic jams which ensnare vehicles for hours).

As if this weren’t enough, the constant mutilation of our roads are creating dust clouds that sticks to your clothing and makes your hair turn white. Finally, to add insult to injury, the “completed and repaired” roads are proving to be more of a burden than a boon. They were cobbled together so hastily that they didn’t even bother to align the new section with the old ones that are still good, creating an uneven surface between sections and between lanes. For those driving motorcycles, these areas are treacherous as they could cause the wheels to slip and the driver to end up on his back in the uneven asphalt.

And they say that “our taxes are working for us”. Yeah, right.

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My friends and I are currently scouting for a good place to hold an overnight. Over the years, it’s become our yearender routine. Take photos, sing karaoke, eat, drink, be merry, catch up on all the latest goss and have at least ONE DAY in the entire year that we are all together again, just like in high school.

Astoria Regency is fully booked this year, sooo sad! We tried Lantaka Hotel, but they won’t let 7 people stay in a room even if we’re willing to pay extra. They tell us we have to book TWO rooms, but that is totally pointless for a reunion. Raquel is going to inquire at Garden Orchid next, and I went and had a look at Woodland Resort earlier today.

Woodland is beautiful, and there’s a lot of photo-friendly spots. But it’s too bad, because we were told that the Department of Education is holding their Christmas party over there for three days, including the day we’re holding our get-together. I envision loads of middle-aged government employees AND their families. Crowds and strangers are not my thing.

So, I guess we will have to look elsewhere.

However, Gim and I had a blast today. Just look at all our photos!

Here is me trying to look all cute for Gim.

Then this is me gorging down all the food we ordered! A mango smoothie, a diet Coke (every little avoidance counts), and a clubhouse sandwich!

Gim raising his eyebrow at me when I told him that no, this is MY coke, that is YOUR smoothie and this is OUR sandwich. (Because I was finishing everything.)

After eating, we went on to take photos outside. Okay, the truth is, we only ate in the restaurant to avoid paying the entrance fee that was Php35 per person. So we spent more on the resto, but at least we didn’t pay for nothing! Hehehe, we are really cheapskates!!

I wanted Gimmi to take a photo of me AND the flowers. This is how I look when I’m not getting what I want. It’s my Gimmi, you fix this now na!! look. Gim tells me that’s always how I look. Hehehehe!

Me posing by the lake. I wanted lots of photos with Gim and me but he said he would take the photos, I would pose, and since there is only me and him in this trip, that people would assume he is with me, taking the photo, and that would be enough. As I get to star in all the photos, that was fine by me! Hehehe. I am so spoiled! See why I love him???

A photo by the lilies, please? - Flifli. Okidokie, bunny! - Gimmi

This photo, I know it’s not really clear a clear shot of me, but I like that I am on the bridge. That’s all!!

Now I am at the end of the bridge. Don’t pay attention to my tummy. Gim says I look pretty here so there! I will not accept any other point of view hehehe!

Trying to take a good photo but Gim is sniffing me out! What the eff, Gimmi???

Try again. But this time Gimmi is trying to lick me! Puppy, sit and behave!!

No can do, and so I say, Gim this time I will look at you so you will behave! Now I’m the one who ruins the pic. Hayyy!

Another yummy tummy pic. My camphone takes bad photos but the background is really pretty IRL.

This photo, Gim had to pee, stat! But I wanted a photo by the bougainvillea. He took the cam, shot the photo in one second, handed me back the cam, and ran away to pee behind a secluded building. I had no time to even pose appropriately, so that is my bemused look!

Soo pretty! There are horses! And you can ride for P40 an hour I think. I didn’t want to because I pitied the poor animals. They would surely balk at my sheer weight, and then where would I be! Needing more than a would-be orthopedic specialist, I think!!

Here’s Gim, back from peeing. Hee hee, doesn’t he look relieved?!?

And then we decided we would rent a banca and row away on this lake! Ohhh it was so scary just getting on it! The little canoe rocked violently to one side when I first stepped on it!! And I had my very expensive cellphone with me, which I couldn’t leave with the help because what if he ran away with it, but then again, what if I brought it and it fell??? (In the end I brought it because around these parts, I would rather take the chance that it will not fall in the boat than it will not get stolen by helpers who earn less than the minimum wage! And I wouldn’t blame them either, if they did!)

We had to don these ugly life vests filled with styro foam and I really do not think they would be any good in case we did fall in the lake! And FYI, the lake was 10 feet deep!! So, really, I would drown if I did fall!!

I sat in the back while Gimmi sat in front. For a while there, we were both paddling and going around in circles! He would paddle in the right and I would paddle in the left. He would get frustrated because he said I was doing it wrong! And I said, I don’t care, I just want to paddle!!! It’s my first time kaya!!! Here he is looking at me all frustrated and charmed by my cuteness!

Then he decided he would take my photo. Now I don’t have to move a bit when I need to take his photo because I was at his back. But to take my photo he had to move sideways. And the banca would tip slightly to the side whenever he did that. Here is how I look scared shitless.

Then here is how I look while saying, Okay! Okay! We are tipped to the side but not yet capsized! Nobody move! Nobody!!!

And then here is me trying to smile and trying to forget that we are maybe going to capsize in a while if you do not sit back straight dammit Gimmi now na!!!

So he went back rowing. Oh, by the way, if you notice, I stopped rowing early on, after I had my fill of paddling. That’s when we actually started to move somewhere we actually wanted to go.

And look! The sun is so pretty, reflected in the lake! And those are new rowers who got jealous of us and decided they wanted to rent an banca too!

We went under the bridge! Pretty!!!

Another photo of me scared because Gimmi is again attempting to take a photo of me!!! (He never took a good one. I always looked the same.)

Awww we successfully passed under the bridge! And we pretended for 1.5 seconds we were in Venice. Or wherever is that famous place for romantically passing under bridges.

And then almost collided with the lilies!!! We were trying to avoid hitting the other couple on the previous picture. Do you know how hard it is to navigate with a boat??? Very hard!!!

Pretty waterlilies!! Do you know they bloom at night then close during the day??? I wonder why… Would it not be more aesthetically pleasing if it were the other way around?!?

Here is me posing with my favorite tree ever, the kalachuchi. (Because they have those huge pretty flowers.) Well, that’s what Gim tells me they are called. (Who knows with him. He often lies just to be able to give me an answer to all my endless questions.) I would have thought they would have a prettier name. Regardless, I want rows of these trees adorning my entire house and lot in the future!!!

Awww, and we had to leave at sunset… because the roads to that place are broken and many accidents have happened in the night there… So… goodbye Woodland Resort! It was a pleasure visiting!

All photos plus more down there!

[View with PicLens]

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