“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: OFF TO SIEM REAP TO VISIT ANGKOR WAT AND PLAY SOME GOLF

The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: OFF TO SIEM REAP TO SEE ANGKOR WAT AND PLAY SOME GOLF

Up with Bobby Jr. and Amira who gussied themselves up and we went for breakfast at the Waterfront Restaurant at our hotel the Bangkok Peninsula. What a lovely spot enjoying the breeze off the Chao Phraya River and watching the boats chug by. Bobby Jr. and Amira enjoyed a splendid buffet breakfast with so much delicious and exotic fruit. I had a bowl of chicken congee and a few mango slices oh so sweet! Bobby Jr. gave me a small bowl of Jasmine tea which I developed a fondness for in Thailand.

The plan was to hop in a limo so Bobby Jr. could have some made to measure suits tailored for him in a manner of hours! Amira dispensed advice and I sat and watched.

We went to the Blue Elephant Bangkok built in 1903 and located along the historical Sathorn Road. It was restored in 2002 and is a beautiful colonial style restaurant with a sophisticated ambiance and tasteful Thai inspired décor.

I had a Purple Rice Dumpling and simply poached Snow Fish while Bobby Jr. and Amira tucked into Crab Maprao Coconut Soup followed with Pernakan Tumee Banana Prawns.

After lunch off to the tailors to pick up Bobby Jr.’s two suits and then straight to Don Mueang Airport for our private jet charter to Siem Reap. I must say a private jet beats the cargo holds I have travelled in to Singapore. I can chase a ball down the aisle and sleep on a comfortable seat, enjoy snacks and slurp up Evian at will.

Siem Reap’s airport is smallish but brand new. Bobby Jr. picked up his rented Mercedes and we drove for 45 minutes to Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort an oasis of greenery with colonial architecture.

A beautiful suite overlooking a large pond surrounded by beds of beautiful flowers.

A glass of champagne at the Champagne Bar and a dinner of steamed sea bass in a coriander sauce and of course the omnipresent rice in the deserted restaurant. Amira told me Cambodian men eat 260 kilos of rice and year and women 190! When humans eat rice in Singapore, Thailand and Cambodia it is usually a very large mound of it. I love rice but Bobby Jr. ensures I have protein, veggies and fruit.

Off to bed as tomorrow morning we are off to see Angkor Wat a breathtaking World Heritage site.

I am amazed how all the hotel staff here and in Bangkok bow to say hello. And being a Westie, I can smell sincerity. They are so hospitable and it is not an act. I thought it was time to practice. I am very adroit on my hind legs. Tomorrow I will return the bows.

RKS Japanese Literature: Painting the Flesh Without Spirit (Sōseki Natsume)

“I keep using the word expression” Haraguchi went on, “but an artist doesn’t paint what’s inside, he doesn’t paint the heart. He paints what the heart puts on display. As long as he observes everything in the display case, he can tell what’s locked up in the safe. Or we can assume that much, I suppose. A painter has to resign himself to the fact that anything he can’t see on display is beyond the scope of his responsibility. That’s why we only paint the flesh. Whatever flesh the artist paints, if it hasn’t got the spirit in it, it’s dead, it simply has no validity as a painting.”

Sōseki Natsume, “Sanshirō”, 1908-9.

RKS CANADIAN WHISKY: ALBERTA PREMIUM TEN YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH LIMITED EDITION CANADIAN RYE WHISKY: A Confounding Experience Waiting for Your Subjectivity!

I set out to review this Canadian Rye Whisky with intent to neatly categorize its profile. Better said than done.

The best I can do is state this is such a bizarre Canadian whisky try at your own risk without any cut and dry review from yours truly! I hope there will be enjoyment perhaps not so much for what is in your glass but “the experience”. As to Jimmy Hendrix’s lyrics “Are You Experienced?” few will have experienced a 67% Canadian rye whisky monster.

At 67% you may wish to consider this your experimental foray into the outer limits of Canadian rye whisky. Does high alcohol impart some joy to the whisky aficionado? Shows sophistication? Whatever your impression it will be a talking piece. For maximum enjoyment try with a group of friends. Try neat. Add water. Add ice.

TAKING IT NEAT a la Kamikaze

Aroma: Rye. Apricot. Marmalade. Cement. Crème Brûlée.

Palate: Perhaps the first impression may be explosive particularly with a normal sip. Adjust by a mini-sip still same result. A truly burning finish. WARNING! May irritate back of your throat, nose may run excessively.

Personality: I am not for the faint at heart particularly when consumed neat. Firewater. Takes your breath away. Explosive. You will either hate me, love me or be totally confounded.

ON THE ROCKS (and lots of em)

Aroma: About same as neat however the cement aroma is strengthened to a point of distraction.

Palate: The fire has been relegated largely to the background and the burn is gentler. Warm and fuzzy.

Personality: Somewhat tamer but still wild.

WHAT A TASTE EXPERIENCE! Once you recover from your shock you’ll be back again to validate or negate for a final decision.

Alberta Premium 10 Year Old Cask Strength Canadian Rye Whisky, Alberta Distillers, Calgary, Canada, 750 mL, 67 %, $75CDN).

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom” : THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: AN EVENING CRUISE ON THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER IN BANGKOK WITH TWO VIETNAMESE “GENTLEMEN”

The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: AN EVENING CRUISE ON THE CHAO PHRAYA RIVER IN BANGKOK WITH TWO VIETNAMESE “GENTLEMEN”

Somchai returned me to our suite at the Peninsula Bangkok and we parted friends with a jolly bark of approval from me.

Bobby Jr. had recovered from his wobbly tummy and was hoisting a few durian juices and vodka. He told me we would be sailing along the Chao Phraya River that cuts Bangkok in two. Our guests would be two Vietnamese gentlemen but how gentle they were was dubious given Bobby Jr.’s comment these “gentlemen” would throw you in the Bau Sau wetlands to watch you gobbled up by Siamese Crocodiles just for the fun of it.

We walked to the private dock of the Peninsula Bangkok to board the yacht Bobby Jr. had hired. Well shiver me timber, the captain was the beautiful Malay woman who had driven us to Sir Reginald Nicomshire’s party a few nights ago in Singapore. Bobby Jr. embraced her warmly. Was there something going on there!

Bobby and I waited 25 minutes for our two Vietnamese guests to arrive. Shiver me timber again. I recognized one of them. That creepy man with the long curly nails and medical type sunglasses from Nicomshire’s party that had been arguing with Bobby Jr.’s mother Madame Fong. Man he looked similar to Uncle Ho!

We shoved off and I headed to the bow to enjoy the breeze and the view of a beautifully illuminated Temple of the Dawn, historic sights and skyscrapers. I have seen so many beautiful sights today I can’t imagine many puppies experiencing.

I had a bowl of rice and sliced meat off the ribs from Bobby Jr.’s favourite carnivorous joint in Bangkok, The Smoking Pug.

I overheard the Vietnamese gentlemen speaking in very angry tones about “that Sherman swine”. Could that be Barry Sherman we had dinner last night with?  They sounded so furious I thought they just might throw him to the crocodiles!

We docked back at the Bangkok Peninsula around midnight and our guests wobbled down the plank after consuming a vast amount of Chang Lagers.

We, and I include Amira, the beautiful Malay, headed up to our suite for some shuteye.

Bobby said all three of us would be flying to some place Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Oh Shit! Will I have to sniff landmines there!

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: SHOULDN’T HAVE EATEN THAT SALAD:    PUTTERING AROUND BANGKOK AND POOPING IN A PALACE FLOWEBED IRONICALLY MAKING ME THE MOST POPULAR WESTIE IN BANGKOK

The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: SHOULDN’T HAVE EATEN THAT SALAD:  PUTTERING AROUND BANGKOK AND POOPING IN A PALACE FLOWEBED IRONICALLY MAKING ME THE MOST POPULAR WESTIE IN BANGKOK

Bobby Jr. had a rough night running to and fro to the bathroom cursing loudly that he should have known better. Never eat raw unpeeled vegetables of which was not the case with the large, tossed salad he wolfed down at Mazzaro’s last night. Why not say what he wolved down was exiting from him roaring like a lion and fouling the air of our suite.

We ate our breakfast on the terrace of our suite enjoying the cool breeze from the Chao Phraya River. Its flow of boats was mesmerizing and far superior to tramping the hot pavement of Bangkok.

Bobby Jr. arranged for Thai High End Dog Services to entertain me for the day while he conducted some business from our suite. I heard him say to my attendant Somchai that if he ever lost me his head would roll and knowing Bobby Jr. he meant it.

Off we rolled in a Volvo XC 90 SUV to the European inspired Bang Pa In Summer Palace complex dating to the Ayutthaya Kingdom. We visited several buildings including traditional Thai pavilions, Chinese-style halls and a Thai Buddhist Temple that resembled a Gothic church. I enjoyed the beautiful gardens and lawns with ornamental plantings.

We then headed to an historic UNESCO World Heritage site Ayutthaya a city that served as the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom, now Thailand for more than four centuries. It was sacked by Burmese forces in 1767 and left in ruins but if the magnificent ruins are any indication of its greatness it certainly was once a flourishing city. Not to vulgarize the story but I had a poop in a flowerbed causing two guides to come running and you could tell Somchai was going to receive a tongue lashing but two wads of cash in the hands of the Thai guides now made me the most popular West Highland Terrier in Bangkok.

It was becoming unbearably hot and remember I was nine months old and this is my very first hot weather. I must have gulped down a litre of Evian so far.

To cool down we headed over to Benjakitti Park for a picnic lunch Thai High End Dog Services had prepared for both myself and Somchai. I thoroughly enjoyed my chicken slices poached in coconut milk and lemongrass, with a mango ice for dessert. Somchai had a Tom Ka Kai soup with a Chang Lager.

Somchai laid a blanket down for me on the grass under a tree and I slept like a log for two hours.

This is the Bangkok I like!!!

Tonight off on a river cruise with two Vietnamese gentlemen.

RKS Literature: Two Types of Melancholy (Thomas Nasche)

“Of this melancholy there be two sorts: one that, digested by our liver, swimmeth like oil above water and that is rightly termed women’s melancholy; which lasteth but for an hour and is, as it were, but a copy of their countenance; the other sinketh down to the bottom of the lees of the wine, and that corrupteth all the blood and is the causer of lunacy. Well-moderated recreations are the medicine to both; surfeit or excessive study of the causes of either.”

Thomas Nasche (1567-1601), “Terrors of the Night”

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: FIRST DAY IN BANGKOK AND DINNER WITH HONEY AND BARRY SHERMAN

The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: FIRST DAY IN BANGKOK AND DINNER WITH HONEY AND BARRY SHERMAN

Bobby Jr. took me to Bangkok for a look see and a meeting he had: a very important meeting he emphasized.

We flew on a chartered private jet and upon arrival at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport we hopped on a limo to our suite at the Peninsula Bangkok. A tremendously luxurious suite with a view of the Chao Phraya River. Bobby Jr. was a regular at the hotel and was handing out wads of cash as tips or were they “loyalty payments”? Management had a full bar prepared for Bobby Jr. but as usual he stuck to his durian juice and vodka and me to my Evian straight up.

Love those cute tugboats on the river!

After freshening up we headed to Icon Siam an enormous vertical shopping mall very high end with two floors of restaurants which Bobby Jr. referred to as “top rate”. The food court below was very low end and Bobby Jr. remarked, “You take your chances eating there!  The word food court in Singapore equates with quality but not here in Bangkok.” We had taken a shuttle boat from Peninsula Bangkok which was but a 7-minute trip. Bobby Jr. said never drive in Bangkok if you can avoid it. The traffic is deadly slow.

All Bobby Jr. wanted was a battery for his Cartier watch and to give me a flavour of Bangkok we walked home on hot and dirty streets filthy by Singaporean standards. Amid luxury dilapidated corrugated metal shacks, poverty, smells, dirty air, unsafe looking food stalls, ramshackle restaurants and stagnant traffic! Fifteen minutes of walking in this cesspool and I began to both appreciate and miss Singapore: clean, proper, organized and orderly.

Upon returning to our suite Bobby Jr. had a couple of durian and vodkas consuming an entire bag of shrimp chips tossing me a couple to enjoy with my Evian water.

We hopped aboard the Peninsula Hotel shuttle to take us across the river to an Italian-Thai fusion restaurant Mazzaro for our dinner and Bobby Jr.’s meeting. We met a lovely couple from Toronto, Honey and Barry Sherman who lived close to the Fong’s in Toronto’s Bridle Path. How nice meeting neighbours so far away! I had several slices of delicious grilled pork chops and a bit of Jasmine rice and carrots. I dozed under the table while Bobby Jr. and the Shermans talked business. They kept mentioning manufacturing the good stuff “cutting the Chinese out as their product was getting too expensive.” Some talk about a plant in Haiphong Barry had just set up.

We said our good-byes and walked back to the shuttle passing numerous massage parlours, tailors and cannabis dispensaries. Boy so many people have stiff muscles here in Bangkok, so they really require massages! Actually, Bobby Jr. stopped in for a massage and I slept on a pile of freshly washed sheets in the back room listening to jazz and the groans of those sore people getting those massages. Hope they feel better.

RKS Japanese Literature: Young Japanese Men with Literary Power in their Hands (Sōseki Natsume)

“No one with a brain in his head can stand here in the centre of the intellectual world and be indifferent to the violent upheavals going on before his eyes. We young men are the ones who hold today’s literary power in our hands, so we have to take the initiative to make every word, every phrase, count. The literary world is undergoing a spectacular revolution. Everything is moving in a new direction, and we must not be left behind. We have to make the new trends go the way we want them to, or it’s not worth being alive. The way they throw the word ‘literature’ around, you’d think it was garbage, but that’s just the ‘literature’ you hear about in places like the University. The new literature will have to influence the movement of the whole of Japanese society.”

Sōseki Natsume, “Sanshirō”, 1908-9.

RKS Japanese Literature: Empty Headed Japanese University Students (Sōseki Natsume)

“The students who flocked to Berlin to hear Hegel’s lectures”-this fellow was obviously a great admirer of Hegel-“were not driven by ambition. They did not intend to exploit the lectures to qualify themselves for making a living. No, they came because their hearts were pure. They knew only that a philosopher called Hegel transmitted from his lectern the ultimate universal Truth and, their quest for Truth a pressing need, they sought at his feet to resolve their disquieting doubts. And when they listened to Hegel with pure hearts, they were able to determine their future, to remake their personal destiny. What magnificent conceit it is for you, a Japanese University student to equate yourself with them, you and your kind who go to lectures with empty heads, who graduate and leave the University with empty heads. You are nothing but typewriters, greedy typewriters. Whatever you do or think or say is finally unrelated to the urgent life force of a changing society. And that is how you shall always be: emptyheaded until death! Empty headed until death!”

Sōseki Natsume, “Sanshirō”, 1908-9.

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: WHO IS BOBBY FONG JR.?

The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN WHO IS BOBBY FONG JR.?

Bobby Fong Jr. is Madame Fong’s 326-pound son of Madame Fong. Like Julian in the Canadian sitcom “Trailer Park Boys” he has instead of a rum and coke on the rocks a durian juice on the rocks spiked with vodka in his hands. It gives him horrid breath but as durians are omnipresent in Singapore you become rather accustomed to it.

Bobby Jr. always treated me with respect bordering on affection. No wonder. Madame Fong, his mother, had the compassion of a Cambodian viper and treated Bobby Jr. despicably. And yes, he promised me that no harm would come to me.

He struck me as a lonely guy like Steve Martin in the movie of the same name.

Certainly he was feared in Singapore. He was up to nefarious tasks as he was always collecting wads of cash from all sorts of people both of dubious character and respectable looking. And do you recall he shot up Raffles, my competitor in the Singapore Westie of the Year competition with some performance enhancing substance eliminating him as the winner making me the Singapore Westie of the Year. The man is no angel.

Oh and those two creepy Vietnamese men I saw him meet with a few times. One emaciated with a goatee and very dark medical looking sunglasses and oh those long curling nails made me want to gag! He looked a bit like Ho Cho Minh if you ask me.

What racket(s) he was running in Singapore I was not quite certain.

He was often on the phone with his mother Madame Fong and as far as I discerned, he had responsibility for “family operations” in Bangkok, Thailand and Cambodia.

I don’t recall him ever associated with a woman you might classify as a girlfriend; classic lonely guy.

After Nicomshire’s party we took a few days off and I must have walked in just about every park in Singapore.

During our resting on park benches Bobby Jr. mentioned to me his mother, Madame Fong, was being extraordinarily stupid and it would be no surprise to him if she’d be badly burnt in the house of worldly suffering. What in the hell did he mean by that? Would it somehow be linked with my liberation?