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 Rajadamnern Stadium
Thursday 17th of May 2012 and as always when I walk around with my camera people stop me and  they want me to take pictures of them. I was less than 100 meter from my apartment when I was stopped. A guy enjoying an afternoon Whiskey at the road side restaurant. I took the picture and when I was leaving he wanted to take a picture of me.
Well, I'm in a hurry to be at Sophia at 5 thirty so I just left and I decided to ignore the people along my way so I could make it in time. I arrived to Sophia Muay Thai Gym a few minutes before 5 thirty. The American girl and our Teacher was there waiting. We waited for the Canadian Guy and 2 girls that were going to join us. Our Canadian friend arrived on a motorcycle taxi a few minutes later and the girls were held up at  work. Good, now there were only the 4 of us and it is enough with one taxi. I could imagine the logistic challenge to get 2 taxis to Rajadamnern Stadium at the same time. Not to talk about the problem to find each other at Rajadamnern Stadium.
We walked down to Asoke Road and we found a taxi pretty quick and we took off towards the toll way at Rama IX. Heavy traffic as usually going to Ratchadapisek and there was quite some traffic on the toll way as well. It even came to a full stop, but we made it to the Banglamphu exit pretty quickly and we were soon at the stadium. Rajadamnern Road is a wide road, but the cars were parked along the road and there was only one lane open to traffic.  Leaving Sophia Muay Thai Gym behind walking towards Asoke
 Arriving to Rajadamnern Stadium and they are all over us trying to sell tickets to us
 Rajadamnern Stadium
 Tonight's program
We arrived to Rajadamnern Stadium just after 6 o'clock and the fights started at 6 thirty. And there were girls trying to sell us tickets, but our Teacher would arrange tickets for us at a SPECIAL price so we paid 1500 instead of 2000 Baht for our ringside tickets. Our Teacher went to arrange stuff and we had time to look around taking pictures, we even had time to have a look at the shop selling Thai boxing equipment. Our Canadian friend bought a beer outside Rajadamnern Stadium and he asked me if I wanted a beer. - You don't want me to get drunk! I explained to them that if I was drinking beer they would never see me at Sophia Muay Thai Gym again. I would have to change my name to Pelle Plutt. A trick I had tried before at Wallen Thai language school, it was at a school party and, well, to make a story short, I changed my name to Pelle Plutt and I changed school. 10 floors up in the same building and it were the same Teachers as at Wallen. And the whole “Pelle Plutt” idea turned out to be nothing but a very bad idea. And I like Sophia Muay Thai Gym and I don't want to change.  At Rajadamnern Stadium
 Our Canadian friend buy beer
 At Rajadamnern Stadium
 At Rajadamnern Stadium
 At Rajadamnern Stadium
 Our Teacher and the ticket girl
 Entrance to ring side
I have watched the American girl in Pattaya and Ratchaburi so I was very sceptic to our ringside tickets. In Pattaya they charged us a fortune for ringside seat. Well, this was the only options for foreigners. The VIP section at the ring in Pattaya was at least to say terrible. But at Rajadamnern Stadium they had real chairs and they even had Waiters running around taking up orders for snacks and  beer. Of course, when they asked me if I wanted beer I said no thanks. But I was soon changing my mind and I asked my friends if they wanted beer. All of them wanted beer so I went to the  beer place and I asked for 4 beers.
Of course I asked for San Miguel Light, but they only had Singha beer, FROM PLASTIC CUPS! A faulty tasting beer from a plastic cup. Well, we wanted beer so it was Singha or nothing. My third Muay Thai fight and as I told them when they asked if I wanted to join them watching Muay Thai: It is boring with the clinching all the time. I didn't want to tell them that I thought the Muay Thai Stadiums were shit. Pattaya was, well, I have done it and I want go again. The only reason for me to go at my 2 previous occasion was to see the American girl. But coming in to Rajadamnern Stadium was impressing, thousands of people screaming and it was a good atmosphere in the stadium, and good light so it was no problem to take pictures. And comfortable chairs and they brought beer to our seats, and of course, nice company. They brought the beers for us and I asked if I could borrow the tray. No problem and I put the tray on my chair and I had a table for my beer.  The fights had started when we got to our seats
 Plenty people watching Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium
 I found the beer place
 I found the beer place
 Bringing beer to our seats
 Bringing beer to our seats
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
 KNOCK OUT at Rajadamnern Stadium
We enjoyed our beer and I was busy taking pictures. It was pretty much clinching and it wasn't all that exciting. I don't remember if it was fight 3, but the red corner punched the blue fighter so  he felt to the floor. I sprung up on his feet again and he charged against the red fighter and he finished it off with an elbow. They had to get the red fighter with a stretcher.
I don't know why they wanted me to get drunk, but it was impossible to stay sober. We were  betting on the fights, I was desperate to make it more exciting. We bet beers and I  won every time and the Teacher and the American girl started to believe that I was a Magician.  - How the  to you do it? My Teacher asked.
I had to start give away the beers. It was full of beers around my seat and no chance that I would be able to finish all of them.  Family and friends pepping the red fighter at the RED CORNER
 A fighter passing our seats on his way to the blue corner
 The guy playing the drum
 The guy playing the drum
 Having a good time drinking beer
 A new round is about to start
     Well, looks like it is time to leave
Our seats were just next to the guys playing the typical Muay Thai music. There were 3 of them, one playing the drum, one playing flute and one guy playing with small, I have no idea what they call
This consonant is quite easy, it looks like a ching and it is  the sound “CH” See the picture of the Thai consonants on your right hand side
Well, fight number 7 was the main attraction and when this fight was over we just finished our beers. We were leaving for Khaosan Road for more beer. I couldn't care less about the Singha beer, but the other brought one beer each for the taxi and we left the rest of the beer behind. I could not wait to get to Khaosan Road for some San Miguel Light or a Tiger beer. It was no problem to find a taxi and it took us about 10 minutes to reach Khaosan Road. The driver stopped on Chakrabongse Road. It was raining and the place we were going to was on the other side of Khaosan Road. So I asked the driver to take us to Tanon Tanao so we didn't have to walk so long in the rain.  Getting out of the taxi at Ratchadamnoen Road
 Khaosan Road
 Khaosan Road
Tanon Tanao was blocked from Ratchadamnoen Road so we had to get out of the taxi on Ratchadamnoen. But the rain had stopped so it was OK and we arrived to Brick bar dry. Thursday  night and there were people at all the tables at Brick bar. Friday and Saturday and it is so crowded it is  impossible to move at Brick bar. 
But it was perfect today and it didn't take long before I had a Tiger beer in a wine glass and wine. No San Miguel Light or Tiger Light, but Tiger with ice is quite OK. Our Teacher called his  girlfriend and she wanted to come, but it was pouring down so she decided to stay home. Well, I think she was better off.  I have a hard time imagine that we were a pretty sight.
I was having my Canon 60D with me and I wanted to go home to change my 60D for a Canon pocket camera. A few more beers and I would risk losing my camera, nothing I was looking forward to.  Always good music at Brick bar
 I told the American girl that I would be back in 20 minutes and she started the timer in her telephone. I was back after 25 minutes and they were gone. My Teacher had asked the American  girl where I was and she told him that she didn't know. I think they had been drinking a wee bit too much. My Teacher was looking everywhere and he asked the Bouncer if he had seen me.
- He left Well, I ended up at Thonglor when they closed at Khaosan Road and I wasn't back home until 4. When I came around the corner to my local 7 Eleven on my way home I got a shock. There must have been hundreds of people outside 7 Eleven. I went out of the taxi to buy some hangover orange drinking yoghurt at 7 Eleven. And it turned out that it was all Russian youths outside the 7 Eleven. They have most likely been at a disco in the area. +++++++++++++++
Friday 18th of May 2012 and I was out of bed around 10 or 11. I had actually turned off my alarm clock before I went to bed. A smart move, I have my alarm to go off at 8 thirty everyday and I  use to forget to turn off the alarm when I go for a beer. I drank my hangover orange drinking yoghurt.
And I don't know what happened to me, out drinking beer until 4 o'clock in the morning and 2 sessions of boxing. I must grow younger by the day. Or is it because of my smoothies or the fact  that I have stopped smoking?
I left for Sophia Muay Thai Gym and they were preparing  the drums at Srinakharinwirot when I passed the university. They have been going on for a week now with the drumming and screaming.
I arrived and my Teacher asked me why I had left yesterday. I told him that I had just left to change my camera. I told him that I had told the American girl that I would be back in 20 minutes. - When I asked her she didn't knew. You should have told me, I was looking for you everywhere. I changed my shoes and we started a session of kicking and kneeing only. I will rest my arms until I'm back from China. Well, I felt that I could have used some rest today with my hangover. But I was pretty  pleased that I had choose to do my session instead of watching hangover DVD in my bed.
The American girl arrived at 5 o'clock, straight from work and she had been up since 6 thirty this morning. Well, she is young and she can take a night on town and still be able to get up to work. It is a wee different with me, but I managed to impress myself today. I walked back home and now they had set up the drums at Srinakharinwirot University and the dancing and drumming were in full swing when I was on my way home.  Friday market on Soi 23
It was 5 thirty when I was back home and the Friday market was in full swing on the street. There  was a guy with a motorcycle stall selling potted plants. I had a look but I found nothing that I liked and I went for a shower.
I just stepped inside my apartment when they called from the condo office. - Aladdin, we have a parcel for you.  Hmm, a parcel? What can it be? I got my snus yesterday and I didn't expect any parcel so I got down to the office to get my parcel. Turned out that it was from BUPA. Not very exciting. When I was back in my apartment I  only had time for a shower and a fist full of hazelnuts before it was time to leave for Bangkok Fight Club.
I arrived to Bangkok Fight Club 5 minutes after 7. There were a few people present and when we started we were 6 plus our Teacher. We started with the medicine ball, throwing the ball to each other in a ring. And when you have passed the ball to the next guy in the ring you had to throw yourself on the floor and kick back with your legs and then jump up again. Nothing I can do with my arms so I told me Teacher that I was going home. - I will rest my arms for a week or two. - Aladdin NO GOOD!! - Better to rest my arms so I can come back to kick your arse - Aladdin & Maggie NO GOOD. Go to Sophia and no power at Bangkok Fight Club
Punch bag broken again
I told him that I was only kicking at Sophia Muay Thai Gym in order to rest my arms. He told me that we would only to kicking during today's session. I don't want to hold back the others, maybe they want to do some punching. - Tom wants sparring, he thinks the kicking is boring, I said. - NO NO NO!! Kicking is good so you have to stay, Tom said. Well, luckily enough I stayed and when they finished the medicine ball exercise I joined them and  we spent the evening kicking. Well, our Teacher wanted us to turn cartwheels to the bags and then kicking. He was soon giving up the idea with the cartwheels and we were sliding back and forth to the punch bags.
We did several different exercises and I was sliding on my socks the first few exercises. I had removed my shoes when I was leaving for home and when they talked me in to stay I never bothered to put on my shoes again.
Turning cartwheels
 I took off my socks after 2 rounds of kicking and I got a much better grip on the floor. But with  out any shoes there is no protection and after 200 kicks my toes was pretty soar.
When we finished the punch bags it was time to run back and forth in the gym. Back and forth and then speed punches on the Teacher's pads. And as I could not use my arms so I had to kick instead of punching. First time around, I was the last one to run and kick and the Teacher changed his pad before I started to kick and after that all of us  did the kicking.
We started with this drill just when I thought it was time to go home. - 10 minutes! Our Teacher screamed. - MOTHERFOOCKER!! It was finally time for cool down, stretching and sit ups  and I could return home. I was in a wee bit of a hurry, I have run out of bananas and yoghurt so I need to get myself to Tops Market to buy groceries.
So I had a quick shower and a change of clothes when I was back home. I was hungry and I decided to stop at Big Mamas Pizzeria on my way to Tops Market, unless there were any people. Then I would skip the restaurant. Luckily enough there was people at Big Mama so I went straight to Tops Market. Unlucky for me is that I don't have any self-discipline so I bought minced meat and I made spaghetti and meat sauce when I was back home. +++++++++++++++
Saturday 19th of May 2012 and the toes on my right foot was chafed and full of blisters when I woke up. Darn, I could not go to Chakrit and I stayed home until it was time for me to leave to Royal Hotel to meet the Bangkok Photographers. Well, my guess is that there will be plenty pictures so I can as well make a new page about Aladdin's adventure with Bangkok Photographers.
    
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