There are truly odd things that happen here. There are truly foreign things that happen here. But this one is right up the league of the Philippine mariachis wandering around a restaurant I was in in India a couple of years back. Tonight was an odd, foreign thing.
I went to get some dinner around 8. My place is on the 14th floor, pretty much away from the din of the street, or in this case, the lobby. Maybe they keep the farang up high so we don't interact needlessly the locals. We could be dangerous, you know. Anyway, I get down to the 2nd floor, where the Reception desk is, and it's choc-a-bloc with people partying. There are are what look like riot police (with helmets on, no less) around, but they don't seem particularly concerned at the goings-on.
It's a classic Chinese banquet kind of thing. This is the tail end of the Chinese New Year celebration, so it's not a total surprise, but actually it's a party for — or by — the condo building owner.
They're playing Thai music — Chinese classic instruments — when I leave.
When I come back? The tune's changed. They're up dancing to a very reasonable rendition of the Yiddish classic "havah nagila", sung without fail at Jewish wedding receptions. Don't think this was that.