biggunguy

sounds as if they were not seat-belted...?

(and no airbags either)

she brought the rope with her...

maybe she rented the motorbike to look out for a suitable spot...

GRAPES, APPLES, STRAWBERRIES, CHERRIES...

yes, theoretically you can buy that here, but the kg grapes are around 1,000 baht... some halfway acceptable apple from 20 baht per piece...

i never thought before, we were THAT spoiled in europe when it comes to food...

in terms of

- availability

- quality

- pricing.

i even thought, the contrary was the case... geez...

And ex-pat Iranian married to a Thai woman and working here for 15 or 20 years has given up some of of his "Iranianness," and should have a more international outlook on life, just as I have given up some of my "Americanness" by living and working here. It is all part of being an ex-pat and living in Thailand.

no, you cant compare your (american) international/crosscultural relationsships and views (which are politically founded), with the "relationsships" and views of the people in the middle east... imo, really not...

it will be interesting to hear, how israelis or the "zionists" on this thread would have treated the iranian with muslim/iranian insignia on clothes when signing up at their gym...

doing business with each other is maybe only half the story...

the other half is, that they feel physically threatened (by each other)...

experience has shown, that sunday zoo queues with families, strollers and their toddlers are randomly blown up by suicide bombers... and israelis are technically superior, and blamed for the most mysterious and sophisticated (ways of) murders in mankind...

there is more than the political disagreement between the civilians...

there is a fear of each other to not survive the encounter - just for the reason of nationality/religion... imo...

im not sure, that israelis would ignore that he was iranian muslim, and particularly not if he came in such a (politically or religously decorated) dress...

maybe the (non-israeli-)zionists on this threads can give their opinion, on what they would likely do...

they are afraid of cats, and would avoid places, where they smell cat food... i have read somewhere... not sure, if true...

its true, that they come through the drains in kitchens and bathrooms... i always wondered, why particularly in asia, the space under the door is always so big... even mice walk through there...

i wouldnt be surprised, if their pipe system is extremely cockroach friendly designed...

so he is from a country, which is permanently threatened to be nuked by israel?

what if...

an (jewish) israeli would run a gym and a guy with the iranian flag on the t-shirt / a kefiyah (shawl) would walk in?

Maybe he thought the company was an Israeli company and was trying to place the name

maybe he is a defector of the israeli army... and then bonobo came with his "T-shirt", and he panicked... repeated the name again and again to see if it does ring bells...

then he tried to find out if he was jewish, by provocation etc...

he would like to stay bonobo away, not that he brings more (israeli) friends etc, and one would remember him or ask questions...

the gym-guy could be an (ex-)israeli on the run...

I should make it clear that he did not spray it directly on me. I was lying on the bench, and he sprayed in the air around the foot of the bench and in the air four or five feet above me. Except for the smell of the stuff, I might not have thought it was aimed at me were it not for his comments or the fact that he didn't spray it anywhere else in the gym.

As for his nationality, I would have guessed some eastern European country, but he could have been some sort of Middle Eastern. But I am not an expert in judging that based on an accent alone.

maybe he is on the run coz the mossad is after him, and so he was afraid, when you wrapped in the israeli flag walked in...?

robertcompassion....

what did the german embassy say?

the shirt does not really say jewish to my eye

i thought it was suitable for a flag rising... (even in one of the israeli settlements in palestine)...

then take pictures with the owner next to the bike and the damages when you hire next time...

with 800 thb you are off incredibly well, imo...

no i didnt wash it, but will do now... thanks

when regulary buying indian basmati rice from varying indian shops in europe (also 5 kg bags), i never washed it and it was always ok... why is it here powdery? long storage?

or you deploy the natural born killers...

and they hide so well in bedframes, that you will NEVER EVER see them there... only when you spray they will fall down...

i cant really talk about my experience with cockroaches (in another asian country), im still traumatized much...

once they found a proper home in a building, you wont get rid of them with any spray or trap... they breed very quickly...

if i was you, i would call a professional sprayer... pesticides for the whole house, from cellar to the roof...

you will have to throw away all your food and spices and shower gel and all things anyway...

the rest, you can leave in the house being sprayed - thoroughly... between books and everywhere...

then you might have a chance...

and regarding trash and waste in the house - it makes an enormous difference...

maybe get a strong vacuum cleaner, instead of a broom for the next time to clean the tiled floors and everything daily and dispose of the dust bags immediately and as far as you can...

its also a pretty fair example of the ignorant appropriation of a symbol that can and often does occur in this region.

it could just has easily been a swastika and you would have been fine.

star of david and swastika are BOTH symbols, used in asia for hundreds if not thousands of years already......

maybe not thailand, but india, nepal they are all over the place...

star of david isnt a jewish invention and swastika wasnt a german one...

both (uncreatively) copied...?

maybe he was afraid, that some of his customers could take offense in wearing religious symbols so openly at his gym...

i dont think, he necessarily is an israel-hater...

if you had come with a kefiyah, maybe he had reacted the same way...

Just in case anyone wants to see the shirt, here it is (I blurred out the company name):

is that a sweat stain next to the star of david?

Ive been to Bali 6 times which is close to my country Australia and only because friends of mine here like it and have asked me to go. Honestly I hate Bali. It sucks been pestered by beggers 24/7. Dont know why I went so many times. Im happy as a pig in crap in Thailand. Glad I married a Thai girl and glad Ive built a house there. Bali suks.

I'm guessing you were plagued with beggars in Kuta, we never saw a single one and we didn't go to Kuta?

It is not just beggars. It is people pestering you to buy things and services that you have no interest in. Worse than Vietnam. Worse than India. They are really annoying.

in indonesia i developed the technique of always walking very closely behind the next guy(s) coming along... the pesterers then think you belong to them and dont ask you anymore...

get you a green t-shirt with a half-moon... or the palestinian flag or a kefiyah (black white "arafat" cloth)... and wear it next time...

to all those, who claim balis beaches are better than thailands...

could you please name the beaches, you like that much?

i have never seen any more beautiful beachsites than in thailand...

nowhere in the world you see that turquoise water, such fine sand, many palm trees, and easy to bath (no rocks etc)...

the scenery from the sea back to the island is always totally stunning and beautiful...

bali/lombok dont have nice beaches...

they are very wide, in the meantime really clean, and nice sand... but the water doesnt have that color, nor is the setting beautiful... water/tide is here a problem too, its more than in thailand and the sea is often very rough (also more than in thailand)...

the tide is a real issue on some islands, and some spots are possibly a good choice for experienced surfers, but beginners will have a hard time...

Dude, if you have never seen beaches anywhere more beautiful than Thailand, you haven't travelled much, or you're Stevie Wonder.

Australias beaches are easily as good.

just watch out for saltwater crocs and boxed jellyfish and sharks...

at home i noticed that it also has a very small grain... (5 kg 135 THB)

i have got mahboonkrung rice and it tastes (to me) perfumed and powdery...

does anyone know what rice brand to buy, which just tastes like rice?

only plain white rice... as "usual"...

TIA