Where the waitress brings the bill and laughs at you.....

During the eve of Singapore's National Day, Li Li and I scrapped our gym plans and went for another calorie-burning activity, a shopping spree at Siam Square! It was only the 2nd time I went to that area since I started living here permanently, it was also the 1st time I saw with my very eyes some of the charred remains of the buildings burnt by the Red Mob before they surrendered. I was finally walking in the once-troubled Ratchaprasong intersection after the mayhem and it did feel a little different this time. However, the vibrant busy-ness remains, with the heavy traffic, uneven walkways complementing the mixture of locals and tourists scampering around looking for their next trendy purchase.

Before embarking on our shopping trip, we chilled out at a cafe named On8 @ Sukhumvit after church service ended and witnessed one of the things I am certain can only happen here in Thailand. After our meal, I asked for the bill, the waitress came and passed me this bill that totals to 555baht. In Thai, the pronunciation of the number 5 is simple- "ha, or 哈", therefore, the price of the bill effectively reads "hahaha, or 哈哈哈"??!!

Seriously, in which other country would you chill out at a cafe and have the waitress laughing at you while giving you the bill? That said, this feat would not be easy to achieve in Thailand too. If you would like to have the same experience as me, I suggest you buy something that costs 55 baht, because anything exceeding 2 "ha-s" would require some meticulous calculation during your ordering process, especially if 10% service charge and 7% VAT (value-added tax) are involved.

The Stranger in Bangkok now challenges all who read this to attempt being "laughed at" by waitresses in Thailand, the 1st successful person with a receipt to prove it will win a lunch at On8 @ Sukhumvit with the Stranger himself.

I have attached another 2 pictures taken during the shopping frenzy yesterday as these sights were interesting for me:

A juice bar dispensing cool water from a tank soaking carrot and another tank soaking oranges, skin, peel included.
Dirty is the new clean?

A photo exhibition right smack on the main walkway on Level 5 of Siam Centre. I was suitably shocked to see a splash of nude pictures (full nudity involved). Everyone walks by, talks and takes pictures like it's normal, men, women, kids, elderly included.
Nude is the new normal?

A shopping trip concluded with Li Li empty-handed and Eddie going home having spent a good amount on a new T-shirt and a new long-sleeved shirt. I am very impressed with the creativity of Thai designers and I hope to share my purchases with you guys soon. Everyone, start planning your trip here, I promise you Thai fashion is much more than Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Platinum Mall and Chatuchak Market. You will empty your pocket, visit the ATM machine and crawl back for more!