The Case of the Back-to-front Cardigan (And Other Stories from Last Night)

Last night The Husband and I went to the cinema. I love the cinema, especially here, and not just because the tickets are a tenth of the price they are in the UK, with double the leg room and reclining seats. For a couple of hours I get to wear clothes normally out of the question in a city which is perpetually warm. Thanks to the arctic conditions in the cinemas here (it seems to be common in South East Asia to jack up the air-conditioning in cinemas to frostbite levels), it is necessary to pull out the winter clothes getting moth-eaten at the back of the wardrobe. I pity the unsuspecting tourist who enters wearing just shorts and t-shirt. The upshot is, I got to wear jeans, a short sleeved t-shirt and a beautifully soft cardigan given to me on my birthday and previously worn just once (in the cinema, of course). The irony! Back in England I long for the days (which normally can be counted on my fingers) I can wear skirts and strappy tops and leave the house without it being necessary to take a coat, let alone a cardigan. I live in jeans there and they can become very boring, worn day after day. Here, jeans are a treat!

Speaking of cardigans, I seem to have discovered a phenomena unique to Thailand. In the course of one evening, I clocked two women wearing their cardigans back-to-front, with the buttons at the back. In both cases, the buttons were not done up, leaving their cardigans to flap at their backs like wings. I was obviously doing it all wrong and was probably deeply unfashionable, walking around with my buttons at the front of my cardigan. How embarrassing.

Before going to the cinema, we ate at a Japanese restaurant where I tried my first hot sake. I think it is safe to say that it will also be my last. I have had cold sake before, and quite enjoyed it, but somehow the heat brings out the strength of the alcohol and it was like drinking a neat spirit. It was more like an endurance test than an enjoyable drink with dinner and I found myself recoiling with each sip. It was strong. Very strong. And felt like I was sipping at a shot from the tiny thimble-like cup. I think I'll have an Asahai next time.