MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THIS GLOBAL JOURNEY SO FAR

This unexpectedly joyful event is detailed at the end of this posting today.  I begin with yesterday leaving Singapore on Thai Air to Bangkok.

The Thai meal was fine.  The garlic-buttered bread was outstanding.  With Singha Beer and Glenlivet Scotch.

Watched Golda about her leadership during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.  Rotten Tomatoes reviewers gave it a 52 score, but audiences bestowed 91.  I agree with the latter.  Helen Mirren was incredible as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.  She looked more like Golda than Golda herself.  Liev Schreiber had the role of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and there was no resemblance.

She was 70 years old when the Yom Kippur War started.  She was a chain-smoker who was undergoing secret treatments for lymphoma.  So was not only challenged by the near defeat of Israel, but was herself suffering.  She eventually resigned in 1974 and passed away at the age of 80.

Most have forgotten the significance of this war, which caused the first energy crisis, shooting up the price of petroleum from $2/barrel to $10/barrel.  Note:  one barrel holds 42 gallons.  This price effectively leaped past $100/bbl a decade later, and has now decline to around $85/bbl.

Also, this was the period during Richard Nixon's Watergate Crisis.  Thus, he was out of communication, leaving it all up to Henry Kissinger.  You need to read my posting of 10October2024 to appreciate how close the world came to a nuclear apocalypse.  In many ways, the current Hamas/Giza Strip-Israel War is frighteningly close to the circumstances of the Yom Kippur War, which almost went out of control.  What surprises me is that I was in my first year of teaching at the University Hawaii in 1973, and can't remember anything happening in the Middle East.  Except, of course for the Energy Crisis, which sparked the creation of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, which I ran for 15 years until my retirement in 1999.  Not for that exponential rise in the price of petroleum, who knows what my professional life might have been.

There is an hour gained from Singapore to Bangkok, so the flight of 2.5 hours seemed short.  You need to read my posting of yesterday to understand why, but AOT had a counter in the baggage counter, which we use to make a reservation to take us by taxi to the Sheraton Grand Sukhamvit.  Took twenty minutes to reach town, and another half an hour to fight through the local traffic to make it to the hotel.  Cost about $30.  Tips are not necessary, but we gave the driver 50 baht, which should have been 100 baht, for even this higher amount would only amount to 10%.

We got to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit at around 3PM, then caught the MTS one station away to get to Jackie's Custom Tailor.  Ordered seven vests, which will be delivered to our hotel Friday night.  I made some tailor orders there 20 years ago.  They have been open since 1969, and make an annual pilgrimage to the USA.

Came back, took a shower, then on to the Library for free drinks at 5PM.  

Had glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon and a sparkling wine.

We could have gone on to the adjacent Rossini's for a fine Italian meal.  However, we found out we could order dishes from there, and remain here for free drinks.  A glass of red wine typically costs $20 there, so in a way I got the food for free, as I had a combo of Prosecco and Pinot Noir for the truffled egg/asparagus and truffles risotto.

 My final drink at 8PM was Bailey's Cream and Kahlua on rocks.

Then we learned there was a jazz group ready to start adjacent to the Library, and we got front row seats with our drinks for free.

Featured singer was Zooey.

Ready for my most memorable moment of this global journey so far?  Thus far, we missed the Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo, and only walked to the Singapore shopping mall under our building.  Thus, we have done nothing particularly worthy.  Better things, however, are still coming, for on Saturday night we will dine under the stars at Sirocco, on Sunday fly First Class Emirates unlimited with caviar from Bangkok to Dubai to Munich and take three cruises in Europe with a lot of tours.  So about this highlight of the trip so far, see that logo to the left?  That cover from my SIMPLE Solutions for Planet Earth is a colorized version of my family crest.  

Breakfast this morning began with two courses.  First, soba and tofu, with miso soup, followed by a rice/egg dish.

Then I saw this rainbow bread which certainly looked like the cover for my SIMPLE SOLUTION books.

So I tried a slice with an assortment of butter, cheeses, etc.

Got a dish of papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit and mango.

Ate almost the whole slice.  Tastes like white bread.

So while the above can only be fully appreciated by me, hopefully, this trip will provide real adventures for you in the future.  No Indiana Jones exploits, but something better than bread.

My pedometer at the end of the day showed the following, representing two days.

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