Bangkok Week 42

April 16, 2009

Up to Chiang Mai for Songkran, the Thai New Years festival!

Everyone on the skytrain looks out at Victory Monument, which the Red Shirts had taken over.

The Red Shirts party in the streets, as they say.

Our 747 prepares for its taxing 500-mile flight.

What bums would bring their own dinner to the airport?

Dinner #2... now in Chiang Mai!

Our little hotel room in the backpackers' area of the city.

The hotel's courtyard.

Breakfast the first morning, at a little family-run op.

Breakfast of champions! (Really good fried rice.)

The neighborhood in which our hotel was located.

Free coffee in the hotel lobby.

The hotel's little mascot, "Money" the Schnauzer.

All within a few blocks of our hotel... amazing what farang backpackers will do to a neighborhood!

Old teak homes were common throughout the city.

Wat #1: Wat Chiang Man, the oldest Wat in Chiang Mai.

Inside the main building.

The very golden Naga that guards one temple building.

Many famous Buddha images are held here.

Elephants stand guard.

Really, you're not welcome up here.

Traditional New Years flags flap in the breeze.

An old playground attraction.

A really well preserved teak house.

A rickshaw-cade.

At the Three Kings' Monument.

The Three Kings.

The Chiang Mai Cultural Center, with a distinctively European influence.

The entrance to...

... Wat #2: Wat Phan Tao, an all-teak Wat.

Inside, more teak.

Wat #3: Wat Chedi Luang.

Features a huge, partially destroyed brick stupa.

Another view, from the side.

A jolly Buddha.

Applying gold foil to the Buddha of Tuesday (birth day of the week is very important).

Wat #4: Wat Phra Sing.

People make New Years' merit by writing family members' names on cards and hanging them with money in the temples.

Writing each family member's name on the corresponding Chinese zodiac animal card.

A novice monk can't get enough Rubix.

Our finished hanging.

Another temple building of Wat Phra Sing.

Trying out a big gong.

Another tall stupa in the rear of the Wat.

The giant base that will pull the temple's Buddha image in the big New Years procession.

Stopping for some "ancient" ice cream at the temple's food market area.

Good Pad Thai from... a pad thai vendor.

Uh oh... it's only Saturday but the water-throwing has begun!

An over-enthusiastic jack fruit tree grows a few too many fruit!

The Songkran banners that lined the city's streets.

Pausing on the south wall of the city -- the city centre is a square surrounded by a moat.

Walking away from the war zone... should've been a warning to us!

Hmph! We were just trying to walk past a restaurant.

The main gate into the city centre. (Although formerly surrounded by a wall, only the gates remain.)

The hub of the action -- not nearly fully-developed yet!

A pickup truck full of farang.

We thought that taking the market-path home would be a dry route...

... but we were wrong!

The damage done by that little girl.

The city installs water pump stations everywhere just for this festival.

A night market...

... where we bought our weapons of mass destruction!

The next morning, gun vendors line the streets.

Masks also seemed like a popular part of the celebrations.

Taking a truck up the mountain to visit another Wat.

The well-maintained, but windy, road up the mountain.

Arriving at the base of the Wat, a hot-spot for vendors.

Wat #5: Wat Phra Tat Doi Suthep, a Wat built on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai city.

There's a steep climb up to the Wat itself, lined with souvenir-sellers.

Standing at the base of the climb, which is framed by two Naga.

The end is in sight!

Finally, reaching the entrance to the Wat.

The central Wat is surrounded by a large courtyard and many smaller buildings.

This is the elephant fabled to have chosen the location for the temple.

You see how perched-on-the-mountainside the temple really is!

Ringing one of many large temple bells (called Rakang).

A really-quite-huge Rakang.

The main look-out point, which overlooks Chiang Mai city...

...but mostly its airport.

More view-seekers.

A shot of the main temple compound.

Me and Mom.

With the flowers used for making merit inside the temple.

A group of kids plays traditional music.

Inside the main compound, lots of gold.

And mini-bells.

People light candles and incense.

The photo everybody takes.

You're supposed to walk around the stupa three times... we only had the patience for one go-round.

Heading back down the stairs.

There's also a "cable car" system to take elderly or lazy visitors to the top, too.

But they charge farang a premium.

The overly-packed truck that we rode back down the mountain.

Then we hunted down a teeny vegetarian place with tasty dishes.

A colorful house.

Didn't make it back to the hotel safely, though.

Heading back out, and prepared for war.

Feeling sheepish?

It didn't take long to become completely water-logged.

Wearing our fighter faces.

Another form of ammunition was moat water collected by buckets-on-ropes.

Everyone is fair game! No treading lightly on these streets!

The danger warnings didn't keep people from jumping into the moats.

A farang claims her victim.

Summer fun for everyone!

A motorcyclist is attacked by 4 different people as he passes this storefront.

Pickup riders often travel with huge basins full of ice water.

Tuk tuks (often convertible here) were another popular form of battle transport.

An entire household gangs up on this tuk tuk.

A crazy farang shoots someone miles away!

The kids are trained for battle from a young age.

Stopping for a mango-and-sticky-rice break at the festival's main stage.

Two farang model the big-tank guns.

Three young girls shoot each other on stage.

After a heavy downpour, a glimmer of hope emerges.

And the dimming sky turns a picturesque pink.

The "Sunday Walking Street" is really an evening bazaar lined with neat stalls.

Overwhelmed by it all.

A street artist poses as a statue and has passers-by "write anything" on his body.

At Wat Chedi Luang at night, people come to make merit.

But we came to get dinner.

The teak temple, lit up at night.

Wat Pan On, quite golden at night.

Even the temple chickens came out to celebrate.

The next morning, back at our favorite fried rice joint.

One of the huge water pumps that the city brings in to supply the water for Songkran.

Even the police have to gear up to stay safe.

A "Beauty Contest for Lanna Lady, Ride a Bicycle with Umbrella," as advertised in the official festival program.

The audience of the beauty contest (which was held at the city's main gate).

All the on-lookers interested in getting photos of the Final Five.

Said Final Five. (The woman in black and yellow won first prize -- B 10,000 and a bicycle!)

Meanwhile, back on the streets, the madness continues.

Kids and dads on motorcycles tour the city, looking for prey.

Another crazy farang attacks an unsuspecting tuk tuk passenger.

And then he empties an entire bucket of ice water on top of one poor guy's head.

Another tuk tuk prepared for battle.

Even a truck full of workers, at quite an elevated height, can't stay dry.

Many generations play along.

Sandwiching the kid doesn't necessarily protect him from the wetness.

A busy intersection filled with a variety of warriors.

On a different note, an old teak house displaying antique photos open to the public.

With no passers-by, one family resorts to attacking itself.

Even Doraemon is used as a weapon in this battle.

A fire truck passes through the main street...

...to make way for the procession of Buddha statues : one from each Wat.

Some over-taxed boys carry colorful flags to introduce the parade.

The main Buddha -- everyone is supposed to help pull it by the ropes as it passes by.

This is the Buddha from Wat Phra Sing, on its very elaborate, ornate cart.

As the Buddha statue passes by, you splash it with special fragrant water.

As demonstrated here: toss the water at the Buddha.

Some poor, sun-beaten ladies carry their "wares" as part of the parade.

More fragrant water-throwing.

An example of a temple's decorated truck and Buddha riding in the rear.

Using carts on casters was not the most ergonomic way to wheel over cobblestone streets.

Girls take a break and rest their legs while the procession is held up.

One fancily-dressed boy in the parade, riding on the shoulders of an adult, still manages to shoot the on-lookers with a super soaker.

Returning from having tossed the water.

We're not sure how this poor kid landed the job of hanging onto the end of a drum for 2 hours.

More tossing and splashing.

After the 59 temples drove through, additional groups followed in the procession -- like these drag queens.

Back out with a vengeance.

This boy decided to forgo the water throwing, and just go for a paddle instead.

Shooting at passing targets from behind my bunker.

Dinner at a "famous" vegetarian restaurant and cooking school.

Thai-style tempura.

Hmm! Puzzled by breakfast the next morning. Our normal place was closed!

The Wat in the mountains that we visited the other day.

A view of the river that passes through the outskirts of the city, on the way to...

.... Boh Sang, the umbrella-making village.

Not an umbrella shop, but colorful nonetheless.

One of the many stores selling the hand-made umbrellas produced in this village.

Even in the village, it's not safe to walk the streets!

Even the road signs feature cute little umbrellas.

The storefronts are very colorfully decorated.

Outside the showroom of an umbrella-making factory.

Inside the showroom of an umbrella-making factory!

The factory! Unfortunately, all the workers had gone home for the holiday.

The structure of the umbrellas, before the cloth is added.

Posing with the World's Largest Umbrella!

The stage at which the umbrellas are painted.

A rather large hand-made umbrella on display.

Trying to return to the city center proved to be a wet task.

Here you see just how packed the outer moat was.

Two groups battle it out from opposite sides of the street.

Some warriors take advantage of the traffic jams and dash away on foot.

See the size of their on-board basin!

Attacking boy-in-sidecar!

A tactical misstep? This group seems to be lined up, waiting to be soaked.

A crazy farang and his off-road jeep? Where did it even come from?

Par-tay!

Granny and her Super Soaker!

Another family, stickin' it out together.

Successfully reaching a passing truck.

We count at least 15 people on this tuk tuk.

The scene from above. Madness!

Chaos doesn't describe the state of the streets by late afternoon.

Money, faithfully waiting for the hotel's guests in the lobby.

Writing post cards on the last evening...

... in Thai! How taxing!

We stumbled upon a famous kids' band (now in its 15th generation) performing on the main stage.

This guy was a child star, and performed this song 26 years ago...

...and he still has fans today!

A traditional dessert, made of black "vegetable jelly" and eaten with ice and brown sugar.

A good shirt... but couldn't bring myself to buy it.

The last morning (New Years Day), visiting an interesting-looking Wat.

The Yaag standing guard outside the temple's doors.

A cow, waiting patiently to be freed as part of the New Years ceremonies.

The Wat in question -- busy with New Years festivities.

A brick building that looked rather like a western house.

Sand is brought to the temple to replace the sand "removed" by visitors' shoes over time. Here, it's sculpted.

The really large brick stupa.

A kind-of-creepy elephant sculpture using naturally-shaped pieces of wood.

Another Wat, with a really tall first step!

And a really tall Buddha inside!

The silver-tiled walls around the Wat made for great auto-pixelation.

Some guys pick an aerial location as their home base.

Ammo, waiting for its owners to get back in the game.

Unloading ice, which will then be put into barrels of water to make REALLY COLD ammunition!

Day 5 and still going strong.

Somehow, the food vendors manage to stay relatively dry! That's the trick. Be a food vendor.

A dad and his daughter go for a dip.

Quick lunch at the hotel, before heading out. Fried egg on rice!

Chiang Mai International Airport: overwhelmingly underwhelming.

Eating some of the candies we bough as souvenirs... so we'd be thirsty enough to drink up our water before going through security!

Presenting my annual Stewardess of the Year award.

Even the airport wasn't missing the opportunity to celebrate.

Check out the dated plane! Brown tray-tables and gaudy print on the walls!

Our water guns had to be checked! At least they were a Priority!

And while were gone: a bit of progress on the roof and 3rd floor.

Bangkok Week 41

April 9, 2009

This week, Bangkok is really mostly Trad.

Marouy enjoys a Fresh Garden Salad.

Then he looks up for his main course.

Fresh fruit and 100 boiled eggs. What could be better?

Yup, that's what 100 boiled eggs looks like, folks.

Welcoming home his brother.

Looking cute and innocent.

He thinks that if you're near the doorway, you're not *really* in the house.

Enjoying the mail.

Checking for goodies on the table.

Enjoying the plentiful shade of the two skimpiest trees on his property.

The fruits of this tree's labor.

Even his new tub doesn't deter him from drinking the fish.

Feeding (who's left of) the fish.

Lazy day, lazy boys.

Hanging out down at the market.

Preparing the 100 eggs for further cooking, until...

... the power goes out!

The next morning, not quite awake yet.

Mmm. Fried boiled eggs and stewed boiled eggs.

Pink shaved ice brings out the man in you!

Practically twins.

Looking through the new photos on the digi-frame.

The tennis ball, pre-mutilation.

Thai cherries.

Putting his best face forward.

This is how he goes about dealing with tennis balls.

Restocking the chips.

A motor-powered hang glider swoops over the house during sunset.

Knowing his place... on the bench.

Looks like he's outgrown his high chair!

Enjoying one of the desserts distributed on the bus.

The mosquito-zapping mad man!

"Let me lick your feet, Mika. Again. And again. And again!"

Not fair. He's more flexible.

Marouy gazes idly at the monsoon.

Relocated well inside the house... but no one will notice.

Two sleepyheads.

Freshly wet ants and buds.

Enjoying the ear-flapping breeze.

Sitting patiently at the fish sauce factory.

"Hurry up, dad. We're bored!"

He'll stop at nothing to stick his head out the window.

Slow-moving traffic passes through the store.

Is it just me, or does the bamboo make the house look crooked?

Additional bricks and roof work!

Bangkok Week 40

April 2, 2009

The big 4-0!

No parasol is too big for Bangkok's tropical sun.

Another wedding? Say it ain't so. These two are also MIT alums.

Another wedding, same costume.

This time though, it was a "cocktail" rather than a sit-down dinner.

Two other MIT alums wait to ride home post-cocktail.

Calzonies!

Okay, admittedly one is more properly shaped than the other.

Perfectly browned. (Ignore the fact that both burst open.)

Hello in there?

Mmm, scrumptious western food!

MWA HA HA HA HAAaaaaa...!

Another one of our future homes?

This condo's approximately 9 years young.

Comes with a sheltered bus stop!

A jackfruit tree in someone's back yard.

Alien rice.

A heavy rain storm in the hot season!

Weekly update: walls going up on the 3rd floor!

Bangkok Week 39

March 27, 2009

One year already? Who'da thunk it?

Cream cheese ...

... plus lime ...

... equals Key Lime Cheesecake! (Don't mind the browned top.)

Who said neat toys have long disappeared from cereal boxes?

Another abandoned Bangkok building.

The corner of an Indian temple, in a small Indian pocket of downtown Bangkok.

How differently ornate their temples are.

The tiniest, 4-table Vegetarian Indian restaurant ...

... to which we went for a budget anniversary dinner.

The place was run as a not-for-profit enterprise, by an Indian couple wanting to promote vegetarian Indian food.

Mmm! Their "house specialty" on the left, and "pizzas" on the right.

Ready to toss the cheesecake in the air. Classy tray, eh?

Made with real Mexican cream cheese!

Our future home? A townhouse development in Nonthaburi.

The main road off which the development is built.

The Bangkok heroes responsible for the zebra stripes!

Progress report: finally, being capped off at 3 storeys.

Hopefully this is a sign that it won't go any higher!

I wonder if they plan to add walls to that third floor.

Bangkok Week 38

March 19, 2009

Recovering from 2.5 weeks of non-stop action.

"Oooh." Enjoying the gourmet Quebecois cookies that came via Mexico.

The newest addition to our flouring family: an orchid that mum and dad bought.

On the way to Bonnie's house... a carnival at the end of the BTS line!

Making traditional fluff-filled desserts.

Gazing longingly at the fun-filled amusements below.

Bonfires in Bangkok? Who'd've thunk it? (In Bonnie's family's backyard.)

More marshmallow roasting with Bonnie's husband and kids.

Off to a huge convention centre (aptly named IMPACT) via their shuttle bus to visit the 2009 Thailand International Furniture Fair.

Flags flapping backward.

The overwhelming floor plan, from above.

The overwhelming floor plan, from within. It was both a furniture (for export) trade show and an opportunity for discount furniture for consumers.

There was also a random selection of home wares off to one side.

Our purchases! A laundry bin! A trash can with lid. Hangars! All from a plastics-for-export company.

Lunch at the fair's food court: custom-made Pad Thai.

Pardon the lapse in updates: look at the tragedy that's ensued since our last post!

The bamboo scaffolding means exciting things are on the horizon. (Like a rain storm.)

Bangkok Week 37

March 12, 2009

A final few days and a fond farewell.

Back at the same Chinese seafood restaurant as in Week 35.

Exploring the flower market in the old part of the city.

Selling not only flowers, but their petals.

These bundles of orchids put our little guy to shame.

The graduate and his high school's bus.

Outside the school's famous building.

Cheap drinks at the school cafeteria... where nervous parents were waiting for their kids to complete entrance exams.

"I can't hear you! Say it a little louder!"

The long school building in the background.

Lunch at the food court of a newly-opened Indian mall in Little India.

Find the Japanese head!

Stopping at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre's "Campaign for Art" exhibition.

These canvases were created in protest of the planned cancellation of the art centre.

Drinks and desserts at a posh French brasserie in Paragon.

And dinner at one a hot new "essentially Thai" restaurant downtown.

The amuse-bouche... how amusing!

We were informed that these appetizers must be eaten from left to right!

The four diners lucky enough to try out this new restaurant.

Thai-inspired "tea cakes" and the King's royal tea.

Buying traditional cloth from Chatuchak... nothing like getting comfortable.

The strangest soba ever served.

Twins, asleep during the ride home after a tiring day.

More drinks and snacks at a local ice cream place.

Mmm! Warm brownie and Nutella ice cream!

Hitting the train, to a family member's wedding reception and dinner.

It's the wedding of an "aunt" who's one generation older, but our age.

Waiting for the dinner to start.

The ballroom sat a mere 500 guests.

The bouquet's trajectory unfortunately had no horizontal component.

With the cousins.

The wedding photos that never existed.

Whole family shot. Bride's in white.

The next day, lunch at none other than the Oriental. (Well, their restaurant.)

The extremely dry Thai wine that he ordered for the sake of being able to say he tried it.

Mmm. A lunch of sandwiches.

Enjoying the surprise scoop of sorbet that followed the main course.

That evening, the Men in White (MIW) make a return visit for dinner.

Dinner with an old friend, Rod, from dad's college days...

... and Yai, his wife from Thailand.

The next day, hunting down Thailand's tallest tower.

But some missteps led us to one of the new airport link rail stations.

From the 77th floor of the tower, taking photos. (Sporting a new Thai bag and a new Thai shirt.)

Colorful Bangkok traffic.

Her night job.

And my new day job!

And his dream job.

On the rotating roof deck of the 88th floor.

The expressway and new airport link cut prominently through the cityscape.

Looking south, you can see several malls, the split in the skytrain lines, an executive sports club green, and the river.

Ooh. What a breeze.

Where the new airport link interfaces with the skytrain... and then drops off completely.

The little LED units that make up the tower-top billboard that can be seen throughout the city.

Victory Monument, a traffic nightmare and picturesque drive-by.

Our humble home!

Enjoying a rest at the bar and lounge on the 87th floor...

...where our ticket allows us one free drink.

Lunch at an Italian-inspired cafe in Isetan, a Japanese department store.

And the Last Supper, back at their apartment, with take-away Japanese food from the department store.

Mmm, potato croquettes.

No Japanese meal is complete without The Bags (TM).

Mmm, finally, being able to use chopsticks in Thailand!

What a splurge! 7-layer cake to finish off the meal.

At 3:45 the next morning, marching into the airport.

Boo hoo. Where's my NWA sticker?

Mailing his post cards at the airport post box.

Who's happier to leave? It's a close call.

Siem Reap (Week 36.5)

March 8, 2009

A 2.5-day visit to the temples of Angkor, in Siem Reap province, was eye-opening... and hot.

After exhausting Bangkok Airport's 2 km shopping zone, we sit down and wait for the flight.

We were actually served full lunches on the 35-minute flight!

Alighting takes place old-school-style ...

... walking across the tarmac, into Siem Reap International Airport.

Our "boutique" hotel was ultra-modern and comprised 7 rooms total.

I'm told Viroth is a Thai name.

In downtown Siem Reap, motorcycles are used for transporting all sorts of things.

Mum models her hat as we walk into town.

The town's streets were lined with tuk-tuks à la Cambodge...

...which are really rickshaws pulled by motorcycles.

There were several markets in Seam Reap, almost all of which catered to tourists.

In Thailand, we do not hang bananas.

A touristy restaurant we walked past.

Relaxin' at a bar-esque restaurant. All restaurants are open-air, despite temperatures in the high-30s.

I'm not sure what kind of business this is.

Traditional Cambodian scarves were sold at almost every shop and stall. The US dollar is king.

Nevertheless, change is given in Cambodian Riel for amounts less than US $1.

An old, European-inspired house is left abandoned on the side of a road.

Girls ride home from school on their bikes. Bikes are a very common form of transport here -- for locals and tourists alike.

The next morning, up and out by 5am to see the sun rise over an ancient man-made lake.

We were in the company of another 3 dozen tourists who'd come for the same reason.

Wondering why he's awake and out here at this hour.

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it's all right.

Tourists interspersed with locals trying to sell stuff.

Sun, sun, sun here it comes.

No one can avoid the sellers. From these, they bought a book on the temples.

Back at the hotel, breakfast in the hotel's roof-top restaurant. (And barely awake.)

Baguette and croissants. L’influence française, non?

Waiting to depart (again) on our Day of the Temples.

First stop, the famous Angkor Wat.

It's surrounded by a moat, which must first be crossed to access the main temple grounds.

Wedding processions often stop here to take photos.

Inside the temple's first wall.

A view of the first enclosing wall, from within its confines.

Walking along the enclosing wall, to look at its carvings.

Another look back at the first enclosing wall.

And a look forward, toward the center of the complex.

Still not sure what this horse was doing.

Some old sugar palms.

Everybody takes...

... this photo.

A view of the second enclosing wall, from its outside.

And the famous, extremely detailed bas-relief carvings that line the second wall.

A view back out toward the entrance. You can see the sun rising in the background.

Examining some of the more elevated carvings... and dressed to blend in with the walls.

A neat structure used to restore the roof of this wall. One rail on either side of the temple wall allows the scaffolding to slide along its length.

Once inside the second enclosing wall, climbing up inside the central structure.

A group of Korean tourists takes a breather.

Two women disguised as peacocks... were there for no apparent reason.

The stairs to the highest-most point, which tourists are no longer allowed to climb.

Testing out the reverberations of the so-called "echo chamber".

A monkey appeared out of no where and sat down in front of the Buddha.

Some uninterpretable cautionary images inside the temple's bathrooms.

Cicada spotting. Utterly hopeless.

Back next to the moat, about to leave Angkor Wat.

The sculpted rear of the temple's guardian lions is too curvaceous to ignore.

Brief next stop: the oldest of the Angkor temples.

It's made of bricks, which were probably carved before firing.

A boy tries to control his cow... unsuccessfully.

Next stop: Ta Phrom, a temple that has been overgrown by the jungle.

In the background, you see the volcanic rock that was widely used for all the temples' construction.

A really tall, dead tree that will be taken down bit by bit.

One of many huge trees that's grown on top of parts of the temple.

This tree is clutching a piece of the wall.

Mum dares to step inside its grasp.

He can't hide -- too red in the face.

Kind of creepy, no?

A boy familiar with the site walks around.

An unusually stringy tree takes over this corner.

Help!

Some less-disturbed areas of the temple.

Lunch break!

The region's own beer.

Vegetarian lunch -- Khmer-style curry stir-fry and short-grained sticky rice.

Last stop of the day: Bayon, the central temple in an old city complex.

These posts used to form enclosing walls like at Angkor Wat.

These wildlife carvings seemed much more 2-D than those of Angkor Wat.

Ascending to the temple's upper level.

There were huge stone faces all over.

Our tour guide claims this is the shot everyone takes.

Heading back down the steep steps.

Dinner that night at a 100% vegetarian Khmer restaurant!

Mmm, veggies.

And onto the night market, yet another of Siem Reap's many tourist stops.

Dr. Fish, a foot "massage" joint where the fish eat the dead skin on your feet.

More colorful cloths -- mostly silk.

Why pedal your bike when you can drive it?

Water buffalo take their time crossing the street.

I think we saw these tourists yesterday.

Last stop : Banteay Srey, a temple made of red sand stone and volcanic rock.

Look redder than the others?

This temple was also surrounded by a moat and tall trees.

No tall structures in the background of this one -- it's all on a single level.

Mum positions herself as the center of this tour group's attention.

The monkeys having a pow-wow in the middle of the complex are not originals.

One last group shot.

Not everything has stood the test of time.

A refreshing drink ...

... and a relaxing garden lunch.

A Khmer-style egg salad featuring fried, hard-boiled eggs.

This garbage pot is made of old tires!

One street featured a string of cheerful pizza joints.

Back at Siem Reap's hopping international aiport, the only departure was... ours.

A man checks out the beautiful Thai woman.

A view of Cambodia from the air -- very flat, and very sparse.

And back in Bangkok's suburbs... wanna live in a new development?

Bangkok Week 36

March 3, 2009

All Together Now! Onto Trad and Koh Chang for a weekend of fun.

Mum shows off the thickness of her Japanese-style bread.

Traveling lightly (of course), we take the skytrain to the car rental place.

After a little snafu, we're cruzin' east in our Toyota Fortuner.

Traffic slowed as we passed a strip of awfully orange road...

...unfortunately orange, really.

Checking our progress during a lunch break at the half-way point.

The tables could have each sat a family of 10.

As we left the restaurant, we drove past the most cheerful street in Thailand!

A giant UFO's landing on the highway marks our arrival in Trad province.

Sitting inside...

...enjoying refreshing coconut drinks.

Marouy couldn't help but come join The Action, too.

And then he followed The Action wherever she went.

Mangoes in a tree? How could that be?!

Exchanging gifts. First some Thai cloth...

...and then a digi-frame.

He he he. A picture in a picture.

Checking into the hotel on mainland Trad for one night.

Its bungalows are situated in a mangrove swamp.

The back-breaking bed!

The bungalow's back porch. Don't fall off!

These hi-tech bungalows have AC... and plenty of mosquitoes.

Mangrove trees have funky roots!

The hotel's "lagoon" area.

Next stop: the province's "spirit house".

Chinese influence? What Chinese influence.

Dinner number 1 at the hotel's restaurant-on-the-sea.

The next morning, Marouy enjoys his elevated napping location.

Too cute to kick off.

Performing his morning neck-stretching exercises.

Everyone piled in and driving to the ferry pier.

Boys in the trunk!

Group shot on the ferry, waiting to depart.

"WAIT FOR US!"

Looking through photos from the previous night.

Enjoying the view from the upper decks.

The cargo-loaded ferry approaches the island.

He's one eager puppy -- can't wait to hit land.

Holding on for dear life, and hoping the trunk doesn't open.

"And this is where we are not."

One person is less interested in browsing than the other two.

Quick! Spot the troublemakers!

What? This is a digital camera?

Group shot at the end of the fisherman's village pier.

Making a purchase! 1/2 a kg of chilies, please.

Lunch at a seafood restaurant on the pier.

Good view, good food, good times.

Plenty of seafood to go 'round.

Trad's version of the Sidney Opera House.

Marouy spends his lunch hour taking in the sights.

A view from the scenic overlook.

And another group shot. *Almost* everyone's looking.

Marouy, preparing to launch his rocket box.

Finally, at the beach resort. (Look familiar?)

The three bungalows we rented -- at 50% off!

Good thing his bro has connectionz!

Washin' off da feet after frolicking in the sand.

The two farang get ready for a dip.

And the two locals... are slightly less eager.

Aah! Soakin' up the rays!

Time for a dip!

"Ha ha! You laughin' at my hat?"

Marouy couldn't help himself -- he just had to join the fun.

A lab at heart!

"Oh dad, help me please! I have water in my ears!"

Too shallow to tread water.

But not too shallow for dead bodies to float away.

Pooped from his encounter with the sea, and out for the evening.

Sunset already.

The lack of sun doesn't stop swimmers from enjoying the beach.

The waves picked up as the sun went down.

The sun went down, and the sea lit up.

Dinner number 2... and it started to pour outside!

More seafood, more delight.

I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched the whole meal.

The next morning, reconsidering his encounter of the previous afternoon.

Sand is still delicious, I guess.

Going nowhere fast? I wonder why.

Breakfast -- western or Thai, your pick.

Coffee and juice for all!

Getting ready to depart the resort and its white sand.

But not before Marouy tries to get some last-minute customers.

Everyone waits in suspense for the ferry to arrive.

Back on the mainland, stopping for lunch on the waterfront.

And taking a final photo at the Eastern Apex -- whatever that really means.

Back in Bangkok, dinner at an Indian restaurant. A puzzling mango lassi?

Mmm. I'd forgotten how filling Indian food really is!

The next morning, riding a commuter boat up the Chao Phraya river.

One of Bangkok's many old buildings that back onto the river.

Enjoying the breeze.

Whatever it is, it's in good condition.

Pigeons spend their days watching boats zoom past.

At the northern terminal station, longtail taxis await fares.

We're told this poster was advertising a band. Riiiiiight.

No trip is complete without a Dairy Queen Blizzard!

School kids spend their lunch break on the river's edge.

Heading back to Bangok, we pass a barge that's free of all load.

Near the famous Oriental Hotel, Bangkok looks awfully European!

And kind of creepy!

Pizza. It's everywhere!

An old, abandoned building. One of many of such scale in Bangkok.

Chillaxin' after a hard day at work, back at the sky-high apartment.

Trying snacks brought back from Trad.

Dinner at...

...Suankularb! A restaurant started by a former chef at the high school!

Mmm, fried seafood. A Thai trademark.

I never thought I'd actually visit the snake farm.

Don't worry, I won't actually post any snakey photos. But this person was awfully eager to spot 'em.

Anybody home?

A live demonstration on how to milk venomous snakes.

Stranded in the middle of the street as cars whoosh by.

Finally, addressing Priority #1 on the tourists' list: finding the big lizards in Lumphini Park!

This one was not into being photographed.

But mum was excited to have finally seen one!

But one's never enough -- looking for more lizards in the water.

A teeny baby suns himself on the pond's edge.

This was too creepy for words.

But not too creepy for mum!

They're called Water Monitors, and they can be up to 3m in length.

Dad and His Bank (TM).

Lunch at another Japanese restaurant -- this one comes with 3 salads.

And dinner at Greyhound... perhaps related to the bus company.

Mmm, Italian! It's been ages.

Even the chairs are reminiscent of bus seats.

Bangkok Week 35

February 26, 2009

Mum and Dad arrive... and the fun begins!

The 17th-floor apartment we rented for their stay. (For them.)

A north-facing view out their apartment's window. Skytrain line on the right.

A south-easterly view out the bedroom window. Our modest apartment is the cubic yellow one in the foreground.

Trying a durian mush and sticky rice "dessert".

Last-minute touches on the bedroom...

...before going to wait at the airport.

Finally! They appear just before 1 in the morning!

The men coordinated their outfits in advance, in case either got lost at the airport.

Having over our first guests for a meal-- mmm, Thai croissants and green-cream donuts.

A belated gift from the Otake family -- thanks!

Taking their inaugural ride on the skytrain.

The last ones leaving the platform, after taking many photos.

Visiting Jim Thompson's house! Little did we know, our jimmy boy would become a recurring theme this trip!

Jimmy T combined 6 traditional teak houses to make one grandiose teak mansion.

Gasp! Something photo-worthy!

A little CSI action will reveal who took this photo.

Mum tries on the granddaddy of all hats in Jim's gift shop.

A little respite from the heat at Jimmy's posh cafe.

Some kids play with carp of Japanese caliber.

Enjoying refreshing drinks at Jim Thompson's cafe.

Settling in for a tour of the skytrain line.

The next morning, a ride on the canal boat on the way to the Golden Mount.

The Golden Mount : a huge man-made lump with a gold-colored temple on top.

Starting the climb, and already hot.

Pausing mid-way for a breather and some shade.

A line of big bells greets climbers.

Stopping for more photos.

A view of the older part of the city from 3/4 up the mount.

We finally reach the origin of this mount's name.

The roof is flat and exposed directly to the sun. Fun for bare feet!

More view: the canal on which we arrived is visible, as is the flatness of the city.

The shade is critical: it guarantees cool flooring.

A view up, from below. What a mound.

All smiles.

Mum's long-sought amulet market...

...and its amulets.

Stopping for cool drinks after wandering around the older part of the city.

The only non-sweetened iced tea this cafe has ever made!

And the requisite Giant-Golden-Buddha store. Duh.

Lunch at our famous food court.

And dinner that night at the Chinese seafood restaurant up the street.

Uh oh! A whole fish!

Taking a lesson in how to eat lam yai.

Eagerly waiting to pounce on the next people who try to enter the skytrain.

Name look familiar? It should.

A bag full of loot after a morning at Jimmy T's outlet store.

Lunch at a Japanese restaurant... in Japantown!

One needs all 40 teeth to eat a bento box.

And she finally locates her long-lost business!

Riding a condo-sponsored Tuk Tuk back to the skytrain.

Dinner at home -- lots of dishes from our veggie friends.

It was a really exhausting meal.

The day of temple-touring begins!

First stop, Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace.

Lots more shiny gold.

A customized panoramic view.

A lotus flower in full bloom.

Who is more elegant? It's a tough choice.

Each creature shinier than the last.

Stopping for a shady water break.

"You'll look at me when I'm talking to you, boy!"

Ducking into an AC-filled cafe for rest, and to read up on our next destination.

A free bike-borrowing scheme for Thais and tourists in the old part of the city.

At Wat Po, a group of mini-school-kids comes to visit the reclining buddha.

This buddha's been chillaxin' there since we last visited.

Lining up the shot no one can leave without!

Lacing up after leaving another temple building.

Aha! We see where he gets his fashion sense!

The famous shot of Wat Arun from across the river.

Awaiting the shuttle boat.

The pier from which the river-traversing boat leaves.

Waiting aboard to be shuttled to the other side.

A longtail taxi -- one of many that speed up and down the river.

Many buddha align a wall next to Wat Arun.

Wat Arun had far fewer tourists than any of the temples on the other side of the river.

It's huge-- and mountable!

Two go up...

... while one stays down.

A view from above.

Taking in the historic sights.

The tower provides elevated views of Wat Po and the Grand Palace back across the river.

And of course, additional exposure to the sun.

Heading back down the scarily steep stairs.

More detailing.

A cat tries to camouflage himself with the temple's tiles.

Lunch at MBK's infamous food court. Fried wide noodles all the way!

Mum enjoys a refreshingly strong iced cappuccino...

...and fancy ice cream set!

We brought home separate French treats for the boys.

As if the temples weren't enough: that evening, an outing to the night bazaar.

The Men in White (MIW) rest while the ladies browse.

Chowing down in a tree-top restaurant.

The next day, visiting a park that's part of the royal complex.

Moats surround the greenery.

The park is famous for its teak mansion -- the (former) home of Rama V and the so-called largest teak mansion in the world.

One of the four teak wings.

That day, mum decided to sport a stylish sarong.

Another teak building in the park.

Even the ceilings are artfully ornate.

Dinner at the restaurant of... none other than our friend Jim Thompson!

A plate of "traditional" appetizers.

And VERY traditional desserts!

Bangkok Week 34

February 19, 2009

Roses and hearts and haircuts -- oh my!

Who knew a simple trim could be so complicated?

You can never have too many men straightening your hair!

The finished product.

Valentine's Day has become quite the celebration here.

It seemed as if half the street vendors switched to selling roses for the day.

Roses a la motorcycle.

Flower shops were especially decked out.

Buy a rose with your lottery ticket!

Some sesame-covered donuts I've been eying for months.

They're bite-sized!

With fancy, straightened hair, there's no limit to what you can do!

Downtown, a lovable bear was a big attraction.

Inside a mall lobby, a special Valentine's display was the main showcase.

Dining at a restaurant we've been meaning to try for months.

The restaurant, which primarily attracts tourists, was founded "in part to promote better understanding and acceptance of family planning..."

Look more closely at this beautiful flowering tree. You may be surprised by what you see.

Glad the menu carries this disclaimer.

The whole restaurant to ourselves! (So we turned up a bit early.)

A classic soup, veggie style.

Mmm, haven't had this since we made it from a mix in Boston.

A thick curry and corn fritters. All over square rice.

I wanted a mint...

...but was asking too much. (Note the box labels.)

A really jolly guy.

A naked skytrain! The first time I'd seen a train devoid of advertisements plastered to its sides.

A walkway completely decked out for the month's big holiday.

Who knew how versatile balloons can be!

More people were passing through to take photos than were passing through to get into the adjoining building.

So we felt obliged to take photos, too.

Later that afternoon, the naked skytrain makes another appearance!

Blood-soaked curry.

Oh no! A bloom has fallen off our beloved orchid! Hold out, little buddy!

Mid-week progress next door shows a second level structure being assembled and reinforced.

Then they started building the molds for the concrete.

Yesterday, the rebar reinforcements for the next level's columns were added! It's gonna be a hi-rise!

Bangkok Week 33

February 12, 2009

Kanchanaburi and its famous "River Kwai"! Suki! Grilled cheese sandwiches! Cupcakes!

The deluxe double-decker bus we rode out to Kanchanaburi.

The caravan of MTEC buses turn a corner.

Downtown Kanchanaburi, just after school let out.

1/4 of the boat that served as our dinner "cruise".

The 1/4 of the boat in which we ate. The "boat" was really made up of 4 boats tied together.

A view of the mountainous scenery, from the boat's dock.

Three proud MIT alums.

The teeny little motor boat that pulled the entire dinner cruise.

A tropical sunset.

The beginnings of dinner start to arrive, though most prefer to chat or sight-see.

Upstairs on the quarter of the boat that has an upper deck.

Note all the floating houses in the rear.

Evidently, the sun is still setting over flat, floating buildings.

MTEC's director (unwittingly) surrounded by the gals.

A so-called 7-11 boat pulls up and makes a surprising number of sales.

Enough food for 2 hungry researchers?

The B 40-million mansion of a German man.

The doctor and his faithful research assistants.

A good example of the tug boat restaurant system. The boat we were on was at least 4 times the area.

Evidently, not everyone was comfortable with the floating restaurant concept.

The next morning, the view out our hotel window.

And a view looking up the river.

A very scenic breakfast. (Recognize the shirt?)

Mmm, Thai breakfast!

The indoor portion of the restaurant. Those strollers are 2 of 3 -- a set of triplets came along, too.

A morning haze still lingers in the background.

Flowers float in the hotel reception area.

A full view of the restaurant and its scenic outlook. And lots of blue MTEC employees.

Making our way down to the water.

A look downstream.

Another scenic shot.

There were no roses to stop and smell, so we had to improvise.

Yet another scenic shot. (Get used to 'em.)

Our row of rooms, behind the hotel's rather murky pool.

Even the stray dogs appreciate the scenery.

Some strange orange cone flowers that grew like a fungus on this tree.

The hotel's "garden view". Clearly our room's view was superior.

Welcome! To our lawn.

Why, it's more flowers.

The hotel's official sign. Did we mention the historic River Kwai?

Enjoying the view, and holding increasingly melted chocolate in my hand.

The hard worker and a ghost with a camera!

Pickable coconuts! Egads!

Down on a little "dock" next to the river's edge.

More Asian-style flower shots.

Lots of little kids came along. This one ignored the camera and just kept plucking petals from the bush.

Ooh, now some yellow flowers!

And a wider shot.

Some nice two-toned purple ones.

Dancing along with some performance of a traditional Thai dance. Duh.

The second sunset.

Preparations underway for the wild-and-krazy karaoke dinner.

Down in the dinner area: the karaoke stage is in the background.

This shot taken during the only fraction in time when no one was belting out a tune on stage.

The woman who kindly made us vegetarian som tum.

The aforementioned vegetarian som tum!

Playing a balloon-busin' dart-throwin' game. I won 20B at an MTEC coffee shop and some baby powder! Alright!

Traditional, chromosome-shaped donuts being made at Saturday's breakfast.

The donuts in their final form. (These are typically street food.)

Tasty, but disappointingly un-sweet!

Toast! And jam! And eggs! For breakfast! Woah!

On the bus, heading back to Bangkok...

... but not without first stopping at a huge souvenir store.

Have you ever seen such cute candies? Airplane candies? Didn't think so.

And they served food. It was clean. OK.

Crossing the bridge back into Bangkok. My first time on the other side of the river!

A view of the river dividing the city... and a never-completed hi-rise in the background.

Washing fresh vegetables to make Suki!

Tofu here comes in logs.

Cracking in the eggs!

Whoo! Home-made suki! Home-made dinner!

Come on, dish it to me!

Tasty, despite his unconvinced look.

They say it's polite to slurp your soup, right?

The next day, using the cheddar cheese from Bracebridge...

... to make grilled cheese sandwiches!

Using the oven outside keeps the electricity costs down.

A grilled cheese sandwich, floating in space!

Order's ready!

Mmm, melted!

Check out the oh-so-beautiful grill lines.

The Thanachart-Scotia Bank ad on the skytrain. The farang man is chasing the Thai man out of his own country.

That's right, purple ice cream! (It's supposedly taro-flavoured.)

Chocolate cup cakes...

...baked to use up the rest of the birthday frosting.

Bad news taking shape on the horizon!

Bangkok Week 32

February 5, 2009

A new month, new ice, new books and a new look at an old workplace!

The product of the trays you saw last week.

Finally! Ice-cold water.

Decorations from Chinese New Year are still on display downtown.

Some gals advertising for Bangkok Bank go on lunch break.

Time to see some new polar bears!

Recognize either of these fellas?

Reading about the little boy and his carrot seed.

A morning trip to work at MTEC, in Thailand Science Park.

Breakfast at NSTDA's smaller-than-ideal cafeteria -- rice porridge!

The hard worker at his desk, complete with name card.

The view out the office window.

Getting in a few seconds of work myself.

The machine shop next to the offices.

MTEC's Pilot Plant, in which the offices are located.

Slocum's design book somehow ended up in the MTEC library!

Where all of NSTDA's commuter buses hang out during the day.

A view of the main building at NSTDA.

Waiting in a lobby before the first of 2 interviews that day.

Update alert! All sorts of wooden dividers segmenting the construction area.

Ah, the wonders of face-recognition software.

Bangkok Week 31

January 29, 2009

A weekend in Trat, featuring a half-day visit to Koh Chang (Elephant Island) and someone's 29th birthday!

Our orchid, with all 5 blooms open (and a new pot).

Marouy's unsure about this trip he's about to take.

AAH! I don't WANNA be on this boat! (The car's on a ferry to the island.)

Several veggie sellers and their wares are also on the ferry.

The upper deck of the ferry features plenty of seats, plenty of old life jackets, and a bar.

Mother and son ride through the morning haze.

Finally, going to Koh Chang!

The ferry departs the mainland pier. I guess we haven't gotten as far as I'd thought, yet.

Top laughs as he dangles his phone over the edge.

The Thaitanic.

The flags lead the way-- land ho!

Still riding.

Almost there, finally. Notice how mountainous the island is.

Checking out the hotel we were originally going to reserve.

It had a little restaurant right on the big blue sea.

And a rope swing and ladder to play in the water.

A view up the coast, from mid-way down the island.

That construction in the background is one reason we didn't choose this place.

Looking toward the southern end of the island.

A palm and its nuts.

Top takes a self-portrait with his younger brother.

Another resort just up the road from the first.

Walking through the fisherman's village.

Many houses and huts are built over the water.

Marouy does some window shopping himself.

It is from here that most boats depart for the smaller neighbouring islands.

This tailor has found himself pretty far astray.

The beach at the resort where we did eventually reserve rooms.

It has many beach-front bungalows heading south.

And some palmy shade.

Marouy dabbles in ocean water for the first time.

But he was afraid of the waves.

Looking north, they have many more bungalows and a restaurant.

Marouy smiles with his new-found friends.

The island's pier, from which the ferries depart.

With the morning haze gone, the mountainous terrain is much more apparent.

A fishing boat heads out to sea.

A really long pier is home to many fishing boats.

An outdoor market that comes to town occasionally.

Ooh, look at all the pineapples!

The sleepy dog, back in his kingdom.

Well, at least one of us is looking at the camera.

Being fed a gourmet cookie from Huntsville!

The next morning, sleeping among the rice.

The brothers, neither one fully awake yet.

The sleepy puppy wears his innocent face.

Alert and aloof, playing with his brush and favourite coconuts.

Unsure of which one to hold.

A hanging flower in front of the store.

Checkin' out the view from above.

Scrub-a-dub-dub.

The fluffy weeds blow in the breeze next door.

Washing the newly tiled floor outside the house.

Someone's schnoz needs a massage!

His aerodynamic position.

Chillaxin' in the heat.

The puppy-centric frames we put together.

Quite attentive, now that the toys are out.

Somehow, someone snuck into the kitchen!

Ooh! Mom's cooking!

Desserts traditional to Chinese New Year.

Snazzy!

Looking through photos from Christmas.

Top and the red flower juice he made.

Wee little mangoes that had fallen from trees around the yard.

One mango that's still attached and going strong.

These guys have some catching up to do.

Huge jack fruits continue to get huger high up in the tree.

These skinny trunks support super-tall palms.

Ants enjoy some sap as little rose apples grow all around them.

Only a few of many flowers on a bush in front of the store.

Cutting up the wee little mangoes.

Surprise! The wee little mango has a wee little pit!

Erika, this is what tamarind looks like on the outside ...

... and once it's been peeled.

At Trat's Chinese New Year festivities.

Pressing on gold foil.

Very colourful! (And fruity, this weekend.)

"You can take pictures with the clowns!" shouts the woman in red.

Standing in the sun.

This was a very funny, very tall and very slow-moving bug walking across the newspaper.

Marouy checks out the ice cream truck.

He still hasn't outgrown his penchant for walking over people.

The ball is squashed; later it would become decimated.

Simultaneous chewing and back-scratching.

Flinging around his coconut!

"I want it!" "No, I want it!"

Trying the maple cookies from Bracebridge.

Two carrot cakes, and pizza dough rising in the bowl.

The new beaters work great during their first outing.

The monster is coming together.

Ta Daa! Too bad the oven doesn't come with spellcheck!

All the makins' for a pizza.

Assembling the toppings.

And into the oven it goes!

And out it comes! Bubbly bubbly.

A good ol' Italian dinner.

Aha! Someone caught the error.

All sliced up and ready to eat. My first layer cake! (Yeah yeah, so it's on the tall side.)

Ooh, what could possibly be inside?

Ice cube trays!

And suki gear!

Slurp, slurp.

And of course, a progress update: the holes have been filled in, and a structure seems to be rising. We fear it's a house!

Bangkok Week 30

January 22, 2009

It's the Big 3-0! (With nothing much to show for it.)

A concert stage outside a seminar I attended made the background noise quite considerable. Here, traditional Isaan instruments.

Dinner at what we thought was a Thai restaurant...

... but turned out to be a Chinese seafood place.

The neighbourhood leading up to the new condo we went to visit.

It's a very Japanese area (note the side of the Dry Clean sign).

It's a 2-building, 8-storey complex with 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom units.

Our future home!

The side-soi on which the condo is located.

The Nissan Cube! (2nd generation. Watch for the 3rd later this year.)

Selecting frozen foods with new flat friends.

Crazy? Who's crazy.

A progress update: it's now three pits, not one.

Different flavours of agar-based jelly desserts.

Clockwise from top right: Pink, eyeball, coconut, green leaf, Ovaltine, egg, pinker.

Bangkok Week 29

January 17, 2009

Kids' Day and a swanky new piece of furniture star in this week's installment.

Apparently still suffering from a bit of jet lag.

Naomi Hair Solution.

Would you trust your hair to Naomi?

Dinner at a "jungle" style restaurant.

How junglesque!

Apparently the types of dishes a "jungle" restaurant offers are different than normal... but I didn't notice!

Most malls' Christmas decorations are still up!

Excitedly trying out the new milk frother, courtesy of Mum.

Stiff peaks.

Got Milk!

Carefully trying to spot the differences.

A new building going up (or, sideways) downtown. Is the Coke bottle shape a coincidence?

Modeling those sunglasses... again.

The new flip flops from Payless Toronto wait to ride the skytrain.

Downtown is hopping by 10am on a Saturday.

Crowds pour out of the skytrain at its terminal station.

It's Kids Day: this is one sea of red kids out to celebrate.

Stores and organizations throughout the city were putting on special events for kids.

Lunch break at the mall before ...

... taking our lives into our hands and trying to ride a tuk tuk back to the apartment with a huge bookshelf taking up 3/4 of the space!

Note the large bus barreling down on us from behind.

The box was so long and heavy I was convinced the tuk tuk would flip over backwards.

Opening the box to see if we actually brought home the right product.

Everyone's familiar with the fun of assembling IKEA(esque) furniture!

Too tired to go on.

Ta Daa!

The finished product!

The next day, some Kids Day celebrations were continuing...

... although for some, it was more like Kids' torture.

Trying out the new Super Cape (TM).

Chocolates from Grandma (and a slightly shorter 'doo).

Modeling the new reading lamp (yup, we went on a spending spree).

Small mystery fruits from the "Man who sells vegetables" -- an organic fruit & veggie seller in a skytrain station.

The Mess that is our neighbours' back yard now. We have no idea what's being built.

The newest addition to our humble abode.

A breeze-lovin' orchid, so we're told.

Bangkok Week 28

January 8, 2009

The phewest photos so phar!

A reminder of Muskoka Mosquitoes from Chris.

An embarrassingly sweet-stuffed fridge.

Finally, a way to know the date!

And a way to handle all things hot.

My all-new golf shirt from Granny.

A new work costume, also courtesy of Granny.

Guess who?

Aha!

Christmas 2008 - Week 2

January 1, 2009

The festivities continue: A week in Bracebridge, and then a quick pass through Toronto on the way back to Bangkok.

Puzzling over our Boxing Day tradition.

Hmph! Why won't it all just come together?

Mum and her cuddly teddy bear.

The Men were the last two standing.

Daisy never knows when to say no.

The gals, chewing in parallel.

Daisy enjoys the comfort of Colby's big bed.

Granny cooks the dates for her date squares.

The Mexican table runner, and its matching wall hanging.

They come from 'round the world to eat these fish and chips!

I see little teapots, short and stout.

Mmm... Fish! Chips! Cole slaw!

'sup, yo.

Downtown Huntsville is hopping.

Daisy, as expressive as ever.

Colby, as cute as ever.

"Surely Colby doesn't need this whole bed?!"

Three generations enjoy a fancy-pants dinner in Bracebridge.

Swiss Chalet, visit # 1.

Good chicken, good veggie burgers.

Tim Hortons' maple assortment!

A special moment in his life: his first Tim Hortons donut.

Mwa ha ha! Granny's Japanese dinner.

Ha ha ha ha! It's upside-down!

Everyone crowded 'round the table.

Giddy-up Daisy!

Chris and Colby.

Daisy, pouring water all over Granny's floor.

I said, *smile* for the camera!

There's no need to fear!

A dangerous lady with scissors is here!

A leap of faith!

The finished product.

HA HA HA! I'm walking a strong dog!

The 3 gals stick together on their walk.

Snowy Bracebridge landscape.

Too comfortable.

Working on a crossword puzzle in the car.

Wintery Muskoka.

More snowy trees.

And more snowy scenery.

Braving the cold to see off Erika.

Inside Orillia's bus station / visitor information center.

Boarding the bus to Toronto.

Matching jackets.

At Mandarin, Granny's favorite restaurant!

This place employs the entirety of Barrie's Asian population.

What? Authentic Chinese food?

Grinding a gallon of coffee beans, 1/2 a cup at a time.

Sleepy puppy.

Pup-in-a-bag!

A pup sac.

Touring Downtown Bracebridge.

The Men enjoy mum's home-made hot chocolate.

A wild New Years Eve at Swiss Chalet!

Granny downs her chocolate cheesecake.

Whoo! Par-tay!

(Granny verifies that it really is midnight.)

Whoo! Happy 2009!

Pup-in-a-tub.

Colby in her room.

Young mum and Chris are always good for a laugh.

Granny comes to set the story straight.

Granny's inarizushi!

They practically see eye-to-eye.

Caught red-handed, butchering Granny's Christmas tree!

Colby finds refuge inside Granny's coffee table.

Sitting like a true puppy.

Having lunch (number 2 of the day) chez Grandpa.

Not bad for 93 1/2.

Young, younger, youngest.

'Til next time!

Grandma and her matching table runner.

Inspecting the view.

A real action shot.

Yay! Really sweet "Thai" food!

The siblings-in-law.

That's him!

No shortage of lights on this tree.

'Nuff said.

At the Toronto airport... going out with a bang!

The huge work of art (?) in the departures lobby.

The sun rises over our swanky 777.

Travel pillows galore!

Air Canada is very thorough with its special meals.

Our plane traveled where no plane's gone before!

A mid-flight veggie burger?

Christmas 2008 - Week 1

December 25, 2008

Holidays Galore! Traveling to and Touring the GTA, Christmas Eve in Toronto and Christmas Day in Bracebridge.

Seized Suvarnabhumi's super-slick sidewalks!

A very nutritious airport breakfast.

Traveling to Hong Kong.

Cute Fruit stolen from first class.

Say. What's the time?

Hong Kong's currency is endorsed by a bank!

This cool sign is actually a screen! (The novelty wore off after staring at it for 6 hours.)

What's that you see? A touch-screen, a USB port AND a power plug?

Outside our temporary home in Etobicoke.

A cool idea (on a cute car): companies advertise on cars that you can then rent for only $1/day.

Downtown, the Eaton's Centre is decked out with Christmas decor and shoppers.

Mmm, falafel how I've missed you!

Chinese dinner... with the Chinese!

Mmm!

Out the attic window.

Another cold day in Toronto.

Chilling with Grandpa.

A veggie burger break at the mall.

The temporary Christmastime cookie factory.

Jet lag? What jet lag?

Some men, fresh out of the oven.

Oh!

At long last! Pizza!

The cold day of sightseeing begins.

To the tower we go! (Our faces are already frozen!)

Looking NW.

Posing, as we're being transported to heaven.

The lakeshore, and all its new condos.

A little boat, having fun breaking up the ice.

Although the kids were enthusiastic about enjoying the Glass Floor (TM) ...

... the adults were a little more hesitant.

Aah! Glass Floor (TM)!

Helpless Mr. Moose

The snow covered ground outside the CN Tower.

Still the tallest self-supporting structure in North America. Darn the Burj Dubai!

Hey Clearley! We visited City Hall!

City Hall's tree and flag.

Then on to U of T.

Convocation Hall ... completely deserted!

Yes dad, we even stopped by your school of management.

Artsy icicles on campus.

The ROM's new addition ...

... provides for some interesting photo ops.

Respite from the cold inside the ROM's lobby.

A quick stop at Euclid.

And a little pink Mr. Bean car.

Hmm!

3/4 des cousines.

Jasmine explains the state-of-the-art badminton courts at the Boulevard Club.

Boulevard Lunch on the lake.

Yes, that lake.

A stop in Chinatown to buy souvenirs en masse.

Excited by one of Cadbury's better offerings.

Everyone, gather 'round!

Nanaimo bars! Little did I know (...)

A die-hard supporter of the Pats.

Ooh... chocolate-covered almonds!

The Tomczaks' tree.

Stubbornness fit everyone at the dinner table.

Julia's ornament.

La famille starts to arrive.

Ho ho ho!

Mwah!

Grandma and Clearley join the party.

Aww. All alone on the couch that seats 5.

All smiles.

Enough to go around?

The black corner.

Julia and her cold cuts.

Father and daughter.

Mother and daughter.

Son-in-law and mother-in-law.

Father and daughter.

Sister, father, aunt and clown!

Cheese

Uh oh, who's taller?

I'm still winning! For now.

Crowded couch? There's always room for more!

Mr. Sociable and his magazine.

Pull!

Harder!

Ok, that's hard enough.

Eek!

Ok, that's just a little too much.

A matching father and son.

More matching.

The crowns are suspiciously paired!

Mother and daughter. Wait, where's daughter's crown?

Cheese! (And wine, kielbasa, potatoes, salad, herring...)

Tomczak Family #1

Tomczak Family #2

Grandpa and the ladies.

Grandma and the ladies.

Henry and the gals.

Son and mother.

Enjoying the view from the ground.

And the gifts begin!

Santa still knows how to find me!

Julia demonstrates the correct way to wear a scarf.

Peter puzzles over how to use a business card holder.

His first Christmas present ever!

Grandpa and his new mugs.

We all still enjoy opening Christmas presents.

Grandpa and his new Thai chic.

Focus on the empty space beneath the tree!

Grandma and Robert look at photos.

Miss Moustache.

Playing with a plastic slinky on Christmas morning.

Christmas morning bonding: Siblings-in-law look up how exactly hard drives store data.

A lazy morning, before heading up to Bracebridge.

Welcome to Bracebridge, where the tree never changes!

Colby, the newest addition to the family.

Granny watches the December birthdays open their presents.

Granny and her youngest granddaughter.

Daisy and Colby always know where the treats are.

Colby tries on a set of human teeth.

Colby learns how big girls play with toys.

Checkin' out the view from above.

Granny's excited by her vanilla.

A Mexican table runner (that matches mum's sweater).

Erika and her new-found friend.

No escaping the mosquitoes now!

Enough said.

Daisy's always in on the action.

Ready to have his teeth x-rayed.

Stylish new bag from Chris.

Daisy checks out Chris's Thai pillows.

Shoe? What shoe?

Hey...!

... it's a new lampshade!

Sporting their new hats.

Chris tries on the basket, for good measure.

"You see, I don't like art."

Granny reads about her new slow cooker.

Mum, her new vase, and her new puppy.

Daisy, exhausted by all the commotion.

Awake and alert, sir!

Colby tries to tangle her mentor.

Color-matching is the key to fashion.

Going to check out the cottage.

No shortage of snow here!

Ha ha ha! Now what?

Hey! Finally, at the famed cottage!

Snow with personality.

Sitting on the fence, as they say.

The wintery goodness of the lake.

Standing on thin ice, as they say.

Too cold for comfort?

No room to set up the deck furniture!

The snow is knee-deep.

No shortage of water at the Falls.

Colby enjoys a balanced diet.

Daisy enjoys lying right in the middle of the action.

Mmm, the Christmas dinner for which we wait all year.

The Chefs, and their delicious cooking.

Dinner's so good, no one can smile for the camera.

Colby gets a peek at the feast.

The pre-wash cycle in action.

My liquidy Nanaimo bars, and Chris's and Granny's cookies.

Colby spots the goodies.

Daisy my friend, gimme a hug! And an ear!

Bangkok Week 25

December 18, 2008

Christmas is Creeping Closer!

A fancy Christmas decoration sale for those posh enough to celebrate it.

Prancing Holiday Deer.

Our extravagant holiday splurge: A DQ sundae!

This DQ is a posh student hangout.

The snazzy new ...

... $1.25 sunglasses!

A (very down-to-earth) Bangkok gubernatorial candidate, next to whom we happened to sit on the skytrain.

Before ...

... after!

See you soon!

Bangkok Week 24

December 13, 2008

Another puppyful weekend, and more holiday spirit served up Thai-style.

Oh no, it's you and that camera again.

Eager to try a leftover chicken pie from a meeting earlier that week.

Taming the beast! (Which one's the beast?)

Fermented rice! ... tastes awfully like alcohol.

Sleeping in on the holiday Friday.

Convinced there's something good above the belt.

Back to sleep as closely as possible to the snacks.

Being disturbed by a point-and-shoot.

Showing off his nice, white chompers.

It does take two to tango, after all.

HEY! WOULD YOU LIKE SOME SNACKS?!

Hung on a wall!

Appendage spasm!

Opening a fresh tube of tennis balls brought from Bangkok.

He's blushing under his fur.

Temporarily subdued by the muzzle puzzle.

Posing nicely.

He couldn't catch the birdie, so this was the next best option.

Brotherly love.

Treez in the breeze.

Smile! I said, Smile!

Simply not cut out to be a catcher.

Seeking respite from the winter sun.

Always living on the edge.

Homemade rad na (complete with home-fried noodles).

Mmm, mom's cooking.

Pretty in pink!

Studying dad's every move.

Practicing sitting up-right.

Working at that muzzle-puzzle again.

Practicing to at least be a back-up catcher.

Hanging on by a thread!

Guarding it with his life?

Too tired to play.

EEWWW!

The fattest, scariest caterpillar we've ever seen!

Learning to travel.

Learning to look out the front window.

Sugar cane, sold by the bag.

There's no denying it; these *are* smaller than mikan!

A beetle on the ground ...

... that quickly caught someone's attention!

In a good mood, because of his new rawhide bone.

Enjoying his rawhide in a convenient location.

Just chillaxin'.

Proving that rawhide really can be eaten anywhere.

After a month-long hiatus, returning to oven experimentation ...

... this time in the form of oatmeal raisin choc chip cookies.

A big bank down the street has a huge plaza all decked out for the holidays.

The King is the centerpiece...

...but there are plenty of festive lights, too.

Many people had congregated to take photos of the festive display.

Other places had hung lights with slightly less skill.

Even the Benz dealer across the street from our apartment has holiday spirit.

A Christmas Coke Can Tree downtown.