Around The World: McGlobalization

Posted at 10:27 pm by Patrick under Around the World

Just around the corner from Erewhan Shrine is this other shrine to a much different entity.

I’m not sure I’m Lovin It.

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Around The World: Erewan Shrine

Posted at 10:18 pm by Patrick under Around the World

Buddhism palys a major role in Thai cuiture. So much so that there is one intersection downtown — Ratchaprasong Square — that has a different shrine on each corner. Erewan, picutred here, is the most important of the four, and is also the one that is worshipped by most every Thai passer-by.

Most worshippers purchase incense sticks, flower garlands or even coconuts and plantains from local vendors as offerings to Buddha. Over the course of a couple minutes, each worshipper completes a clockwise lap around the shrine, stopping every 90 degrees to place an offering and pray.

It’s an amazing cultural phenomenon to hear cars, mototaxis and the SkyTrain whiz by as tens of devout Thai people pay homage.

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Around The World: Londoner Brew Pub

Posted at 12:43 pm by Patrick under Around the World

It took me four days and two countries, but I’ve finally found a brewery in Bangkok — the Londoner Brew Pub.

It’s located just off Sukhumvit 33, a block from the Phrom Phong SkyTrain station (and only 2 stops away from the hotel!). Free wifi and house-made beer sound like a good time, and The Londoner has both.

The mug is (half) filled with the Pilsner 33, an unfiltered, hoppy brew with a nice, subtly spicy finish. it happened to pair quite well with the green chicken curry, which was seriously good. The differences between this curry, and what you’d find back home are the veggies in the mix. Here, the killer, mutant peas (?) had a thick, crisp outer shell that crunched when bitten. And there was a fleshy fruit in there that added loads of flavor and body to the green stew. The spices were so abundantly flavorful that I could not stop eating it, though my head was taking on some serious heat.

In all, it’s worth seeking out if you’re in Bangkok. You won’t find another brewery around for miles.

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Around the World: Leo, the beer

Posted at 12:24 am by Patrick under Around the World

I’m having a refreshing Leo to wrap up my trip to the Golden Palace.

Interesting story here. Singha has been Thailand’s most popular beer, bar none, for a long time (80 or 90 years?). An upstart challenger, Chang Beer, introduced a beer that was 1% stronger than Singha, and sales followed. As a repsonse to Chang, Singha created Leo, their own 6% pale lager. It’s a textbook example of the Nigel Tufnel technique — well, it’s one stronger, isn’t it?

So how does it taste? Slightly sweet, perhaps even a little corny, as it warms up. It’s quite refreshing, even if it does more harm to your hydration level than not. You’d better watch yourself if you’re having more than one at lunch!

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