November 29, 2021
November 29th
Subway
Debbie and I went for a 20-minute stroll last night and were surprised to see a few young men loading about a dozen claw machines into a shop unit on the next block - right next to one of the small arcades that I photographed last Monday night before meeting Ralph for a beer.
Jeez... how many of these places do people think the neighborhood needs.
There was a news article the other day reporting on a man who had complained online about a prize from a machine being a pair of cheap, super-sized underwear, and the writer mused that the boom period of the arcades seems to have gone. It doesn't look like it around here.
I had to buy a new front light, which cost NT$950 - about US$30 - from my local bike shop. The one that wouldn't work last Monday night refused to recharge and when I shook it there was something wobbling around inside. I reckon it got smashed when my bike fell over outside the post office, as it was in a side pocket of my rack-bag... the pocket that actually hit the ground. It was a decent light and its replacement is the same model.
To help prevent the bike falling over in the future, the other day I swapped my rear rack over with the one on Debbie's commuter bike. Hers is a conventional four-point fixing model, while mine clamps to the seat post and was consequently quite high up, making the bike top-heavy. My bike has fallen over quite a number of times, so we'll see if this swap has done the trick.
What this means is I now have an old Karrimor pannier to stuff things in and its capacity is much more than the Cannondale rack-bag.
During my usual online class this morning, a construction worker was using a noisy power tool directly outside, knocking away at the concrete on the corner of the new apartment block. What a pain. When the scaffolding started coming down, it seemed that would be the end of the daily racket. I was wrong.
After the class ends at noon, I need to escape and as it's lunch time, I decide to ride a Subway near the university.
The weather has been all over the place this week. Saturday was awful - cold, windy and wet - but yesterday the temperature shot up and I cycled into town and met g for coffee at Louisa. It's even better today, with a wonderful blue sky. It's T-shirt weather.
There's a picture frame I have that needs some glass. The thing goes in my canvas musette and I ride towards the university where there's a guy nearby who has a framing shop. He should be able to cut a tiny square for me. It'll be my next stop after eating in Subway.
My camera is slung over my shoulder and once off the 114 past the supermarket, just a few minutes' ride from home, I pause when a stool in some sunshine gets my attention. I've cycled past a million times, but maybe it's usually in the shade, as it's not something that's caught my eye before - it's slightly hidden among a few plastic plant pots. Or perhaps it's not usually left outside. Debbie and I have a few of these old wooden stools and the last one we bought only cost about US$2.
The door of the old house is an original wooden one with fielded panels.
The brick walls of the university are about eight-feet high and a lane runs along side them and it takes me past some graffiti. There's a new piece - a portrait - which I think is basketball legend Kobe Bryant. I could be wrong.
Soon after I spot some chairs outside a couple of shops that are closed and get to Subway and just as I'm about to enter, a group of 10 students march in. I know it'll take ages to serve them, so I leave my bike and walk around the corner to look for more chairs and kill ten minutes.
A back lane leads to a square-cum-mall with shops around the edge and they are quite new - probably less than fives years old. Some of the businesses are closed: Monday is often the rest day here, as Sunday is a normal shopping day.
One shuttered place has a table outside with two mismatched chairs and next to a claw machine arcade is another unit with the shutters down. It looks like they have dogs, as beneath two chairs are small metal bowls. There's nobody about.
When I get back to Subway, four of the students are still standing in front of the counter, but they have their meals and are in the process of paying. I'm glad I went for a walk.
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2 years ago
The man in the framing shop doesn't speak much English, but he knows 'glass' and says it'll be cut tomorrow, so I leave the frame with him. The piece of glass will only be about 70 mm x 70 mm, so it'll be interesting to see how much it costs. He's a decent guy.
I ride back home via the charity shop and buy two more photo frames. One has been there a while and it's something that has had me a pondering. It's very ornate in a slightly Chinese style, with what looks like black and gold lacquer decoration. The price has seemed prohibitive, but today I feel like splashing out and my daughter will probably appreciate it. It costs US$8. The other is a chunky IKEA one made of pine. It's still in its packaging.
On one of the small lanes past the supermarket are four chairs. I've seen them a few times and have wondered if they ever get the sun. Today at this time they're in shade again, but I stop and take a snap and then ride down a side lane that I've not been on before. It loops back in two 90-degree bends, but before it does I spot a group of chairs outside someone's home. One is a traditional wooden one with a marble seat and carved back.
The small path that cuts past a few allotments and an old house with a pond that has turtles in brings me out near 85°C and a coffee appeals, so I cross over the wide road and the young guy who works there lets me have his own cup instead of giving me a paper one and I sit at a table as scooters and cars navigate the busy junction.
Across the road is a couple likely in their sixties riding U-bikes and the women is looking at her phone and seems to be trying to find where they are. The man points this way, but after a few minutes of back and forth they opt to go straight, riding on the sidewalk.
Ralph emails me and tells me tonight in the pub is off as he has something to do. It's a shame, as the hot weather has made me thirsty. We agree that maybe we can go for a beer on Tuesday night instead, if it's not raining.
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https://bangkokherps.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/southeast-asian-box-turtle/
2 years ago
Today's ride: 6 km (4 miles)
Total: 902 km (560 miles)
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2 years ago
2 years ago
Let me know when the calandar is ready. I’ll take two, please. I have a friend who has a collection of chairs, and I find them interesting, too.
Cheers,
Keith
2 years ago
2 years ago