A couple of days ago I renewed my yearly visa, immigration set a new record. 10 minutes in and out and they were pleasant and smiling and no bribes. That started my day off right and during a trip to the market I found a perfect, French made Lacoste polo shirt in my size almost brand new for 130 baht.

At the local deli the owner got in a new brand of pastrami. A German guy gave me some kraut and the pub had Swiss cheese so I went home and made Rubens in my wok. I had been wanting a good pastrami Ruben for a couple of years. The thousand island dressing is easy with mayo, ketchup and chopped pickles.

I put, “Forever Young” on the CD player by Dylan, Baez and Rod Stewart and composed an email to my old Friends back home while I waited for semi beautiful, age appropriate Thai women to arrive for the night shift. Every day isn't perfect in Thailand but Tuesday was.

I got a couple of letters back and didn't get responses from a couple of others. My conclusion from what my old friends wrote and what they didn't is, “I am just too happy.”

I draw from this experience that I should not tell my friends in the West I am so happy here.

Good for you! I have many days like this here. More better ones than bad ones!!

Where did you get the Pastrami? It is hard to find, although Emporium in BKK has good Pastrami.

Where did you get the Pastrami? It is hard to find, although Emporium in BKK has good Pastrami.

I'll PM you don't want to post it till I buy out his remaining stock

Where did you get the Pastrami? It is hard to find, although Emporium in BKK has good Pastrami.

I'll PM you don't want to post it till I buy out his remaining stock

PM system disabled until location of Pastrami revealed

Where did you get the Pastrami? It is hard to find, although Emporium in BKK has good Pastrami.

I'll PM you don't want to post it till I buy out his remaining stock

PM system disabled until location of Pastrami revealed

OK ok, there is a thread open on the place in the Eastern Thailand forum. That's how I found out about the place. Thai Visa always a wealth of information.

....... Age appropriate Thai woman..... GROSS !!!!

I wouldn't tell your friends that you buy second hand clothes in thailand either

Cheers to Kerry --- a happy thread

I wouldn't tell your friends that you buy second hand clothes in thailand either

I have thought a lot about that. I don't like knock offs. Old good stuff is fine for me. I have a 40 year old Omega watch. I don't work much anymore and I have the time to shop. I like clothes that are 100% cotton. That shirt I bought would have cost 2400 baht new. It was a second. I don't think it was worn before (who knows). I bought a pair of Pepe Jones jeans, also seconds. You know how much those things cost in London? I paid 200 baht and they have all the pockets I want and enough zippers to make them theft proof. A look in my closet would identify clothes from London, Paris and Rome and I didn't pay retail for any of them. My tailor shop has a computer monogramming thing. I have my first name embroidered on the cuff of my dress shirts in Thai. I think I may be starting a new trend.

But you are right about not telling Thai people that I buy used or seconds. I took my GF to my shop that carries this treasure of Western reject clothing and she was polite but took me to a shop in the mall that was pushing knock offs of the same brands. I told her “my Jing, my dee.” But I don't think she appreciated my wisdom.

The real buys are found in large mountains of clothes that are bought in border areas of Thailand by the pound. The sellers dump these mountains of clothes on the ground and women retailers sort through the mounds of cloth and pick out wares to sell at local retail second hand markets. It is hot sweaty work. I get down on the floor with the ladies and throw jeans with the best of them. It is not easy air conditioned shopping. I may look for three days before I find one good buy. There are tricks to the game. I carry a black cord that measures 16 inches because my waist is 32 inches and measure the tops of all the pants because usually the listed size does not reflect reality in seconds. Do the Thai people who shop at the markets think I am a bit nuts? Ya I think they do. But Thai people watch us all the time to see the Farang do nutty things. I try and not disappoint them.

Not to be picky, but a Reuben is made with corned beef. A Rachel is with pastrami. I love both of them, and I would also like to know where you got the pastrami.

Not to be picky, but a Reuben is made with corned beef. A Rachel is with pastrami. I love both of them, and I would also like to know where you got the pastrami.

Steve's deli Ban Chang

Not to be picky, but a Reuben is made with corned beef. A Rachel is with pastrami. I love both of them, and I would also like to know where you got the pastrami.

Steve's deli Ban Chang

Thanks!