Bangkok Week 119

October 7, 2010

No donuts for us. But shoes and spooks instead!

And this is why the new laptop battery was needed!

Special Saturday morning pastries... including a giant green frisbee.

I heard there's a new Krispy Kreme in town. So did this queue of people.

The queue went out the door of Paragon, and tripled back on itself outside the shopfront.

The maze of queue ribbon continued inside the mall, too. Couldn't even get close enough to read the menu.

Excited for his new cereal spoon, straight from the box.

Finally, work being done to demolish the charred remains of the Siam Theater.

An exhibit at TCDC about spirits and their role in Thai society.

These masks are part of a festival in the North Eastern part of the country.

For once, my teeth are small by comparison.

The head of a giant Chinese dragon ... the kind that takes 5 people to wear and dance around in.

Traditionally, Thai-Chinese burn paper tokens at funerals for good luck in the next life. But now, the paper is now becoming more ornate. Gucci shoes, wallets, cell phones...

... even paper passport, bank books, and tickets "To Heaven".

The average Bangkok resident visits a fortune teller over 3 times per year. It's a 2.5 billion baht industry!

This legendary spirit is approximately 20m tall. Apparently.

Satellite dishes look like rooftop berry bunches.

J-week is coming! A vegetarian red pork bun from 7-11!

Finally, my custom-made shoes are ready! Even the box is swanky.

The finished product. They fit surprisingly well, I was impressed.

Another view.

They even survived a day at the office.

Bangkok Week 118

September 30, 2010

A food theme this week, apparently.

Exponentially smaller blondie slices for the Women's Initiative potluck dinner on Friday night.

The beautiful new condo of one of my colleagues. Words cannot describe its luxury.

Too beautiful to eat!

The side exterior of her condo, from the poolside lounge (where we ate).

The building is reputed to be the most high-end condo in Bangkok.

3 fellow Associates. (Yes, what's the guy doing at the Women's Initiative?)

Thank goodness for leftover blondies!

Like our giant jug of maple syrup?

Mmm, frozen (home-made) waffles for breakfast.

A really delicious fried rice! Doesn't your mouth water just looking at it?

Bangkok Week 117

September 23, 2010

Around Bangkok, some slightly less usual scenes.

A university trumpet ensemble was fund-raising at MBK to attend a competition in Osaka.

The vegan canned sardines from Vietnam! Delish!

This fellow was the most uninterested member of Sunday's Red Shirt commemorative protests. No wonder it was so non-violent.

Remember Jimmy T's house? We went back to visit for the first time since Feb 09.

Fresh orchids at our table.

We were there because we had a dining voucher that was about to expire. Lovely view.

Posing à la 3rd grade school portrait.

Despite the posh locale, slim pickin's for vegetarians. So 2 stir-fried veggies it was. Can't complain for a practically free meal.

There was also an exhibit by a Thai artist, combining local natural fibers and books. That's rice you see.

It was a small, but neat exhibit.

The lighting was quite dramatic.

The centerpiece?

Two of many GIANT snails that live in the cinderblock wall that surrounds the property of the Jim Thompson library.

Did I mention we also had a gift shop voucher to spend? It wasn't enough to buy any Jimmy T silk product, but plenty for 3 boxes of gourmet cookies!

A "Chicken" "drumstick" in the instant curry I brought back from Vietnam.

Bangkok Week 116

September 16, 2010

An awesome Mexican restaurant in Bangkok, before shuttling off to Ho Chi Minh City for the balance of the week. Too bad it was all work and zero time for photos while there!

Special Saturday morning pastries. The big green monster is "green tea" with red bean filling.

Returning to our weekly lunch at Chula, after a 2-week hiatus.

Pink ice dessert is still number 1.

Some famous Thai star shows up at Chula with a bunch of fans in tow.

"Fresh milk." I didn't know fresh milk is green!

We celebrated the (long-awaited) new work permit with a dinner at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant at the end of a dark alley.

Must be Mexican! A cactus and lots of Coronas.

Good thing we reserved a table -- there are only 5 total.

These guys were timidly hiding behind a wall, hoping to escape their fate.

An appetizer of tortilla chips and fresh pico de gallo.

A big vegetarian quesadilla.

Holy smokes, that's huge!

This "wet burrito" was basically a burrito, with the insides of another burrito plopped on top of it. Somehow we managed to finish all of it!

The ultra-thin chocolates that we brought back from Bracebridge ... from Chris?

Yup, that's ultra-thin!

Sunday lunch - fresh waffles with 100% PURE MAPLE SYRUP, baby!

He's been waiting months for this!

Finally busting open the Shreddies I brought back from Bracebridge. The CAD $3 box costs $8.40 here.

My hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City. It was located in the outskirts of the city, so we could leave easily without getting stuck in (too much) traffic.

The mini bar had Thai instant noodles. So far, and yet so close to home.

I was on the 8th floor of 10. The hotel was built around a central atrium.

The view from my window. No tall buildings in this area (yet).

This is in a small town about 1 hour outside Ho Chi Minh City. We had some time to kill before our next interview.

So we went into a grocery store to browse.

These Vietnamese-style rambutan look like Thai ones that have had a short haircut.

They just have a heap of durian for sale... but they're still green, so they look very unripe by Thai standards.

My big purchases from this trip: Dried vegetarian pork and squid meat, vegetarian hot dogs in tomato sauce, vegetarian sardines in tomato sauce, and instant vegetarian curry. Total price: $2.40.

Lunch at a local food court: real Vietnamese spring rolls, made with really fresh, really thick rice paper. I've never seen such dense ones in the west.

Another view from the hotel. It was located next to a small park. No shortage of motorbikes in this country!

During our drive out of the city on the last day. The streets are mostly filled with motorbikes. In 2008, Ho Chi Minh City had about 3 million motorbikes -- or 1 for every 2 residents of the city.

At major intersections, there's usually just a huge swarm of people driving in every-which-direction. You just have to hope you don't crash into 10 other people. We saw a handful of crashes that day.

A cafe on the outskirts of the city.

Note how the motorbikes seem to be going in all directions. In all parts of the street.

This big bridge over the Mekong just recently replaced a ferry boat service.

This very small town about 4 hours south of HCMC could have easily been a small town in Thailand.

Souvenir chocolate croissant from the HCMC airport - bigger than a BlackBerry!

Bangkok Week 115

September 9, 2010

What a sparse week!

Triple-layer cheesecake, imported directly from KL. In lieu of Krispy Kreme.

Do I remind you of someone? Dad?

Sun Chip-eque snacks come to Thailand! Whoo!

My Work Permit! This calls for a celebration!

My new baby!

KL 1 Week

September 3, 2010

An intense week of training, networking and adventure in KL.

My snazzy hotel room on the 30th floor of the Westin Kuala Lumpur.

The room had a drawer full of deluxe teas and (real!) ground coffee for my own coffee press.

The view from the top. The 2 tall buildings in the background are Berjaya Times Square, the mall / office complex with the roller coaster.

You can see the mountains in the background.

We had a group dinner the first night ...

... at a Thai restaurant! Not what I traveled 700 miles to eat!

They did have a neat tea light display though.

After the group dinner, they took us to a group bowling event at the Times Square mall visible from my window.

Super-snazzy shoe, fit for any fashionista.

I joined the Japanese gang to try my arm at bowling for the first time in some large number of years.

After 6 rounds, I had bowled a 32. I think there's some room for improvement.

Anyone Japanese here? (The American woman who's not me was one of the organizers.)

The hotel's breakfast buffet is so big that it needs a map and a diagram showing how to walk to each station.

More breakfast buffet dining. No shortage of tables.

The continental breakfast area was like its own little store.

Just like a pastry shop!

The lobby. Still not light out.

Durian vendors hang their wares in KL... what a funny way to display them. I guess you have to buy a whole fruit.

There's a street famous for its street sellers. Diners literally eat in the street.

Fellow newbies from the SE Asia system (here, Filipino + Jakarta x 4).

A larger group -- the SE Asia and Australian newbies.

Most of the street vendors sell Chinese Malaysian cuisine.

Our huge pack attacks the local meal.

Crunchy greens and Malay-style fried rice.

A stingray! Didn't know people ate them.

The Indo cohort again (plus one from Singapore).

The aftermath!

A busy kitchen.

Looks just like in Thailand!

Deceptively large chicken wings?

Fancy lights adorn the palms along a posh downtown main street. My hotel's right there.

An emergency meeting over lunch with my "case team" to resolve some issues before the afternoon session resumes.

A western dinner! Egg salad sandwich on funky crusty bread.

We ate outside the restaurant, cafe-style ... in the atrium of a mall.

First Starbucks since my Sittingbourne trip... only when I can expense it.

A street band taking a break during their evening gig.

Huge sales throughout the city, to celebrate Malaysia's independence day. In the background: Uniqlo is coming to KL.

A teamwork game we played one afternoon. Build a secret structure -- but who's the spy?

The conference room in which we spent 5 straight days. (This is half the total group.)

Colleagues from Delhi, Jakarta and Beijing puzzle over how to assemble the block structure

To play this game, you need a striped shirt!

The hotel's central breakfast / lunch buffet area from above.

On the last night, there was a group dinner at a Malaysia restaurant. Here, the vegetarian appetizers.

On the left, my case team's "coach" from the Seoul office (he just finished his MBA at MIT).

The veggie dinner. The dishes were definitely different than Thai food, but I can't put my finger on how.

Colleagues from China and Singapore.

Group shot of our dinner table... India, Indo, KL, Sing, Bangkok, China all represented.

A colleague from India, whose brother came and taught a session -- and they were indistinguishable!

Don't mess with us newbies.

The Australian table in the background.

A subset of the larger group taking the elevator up to a 33rd-floor bar downtown.

This hotel (not the one we stayed at) converts its pool area to a club at night.

It's 100% worth going for the view alone.

The big, green park at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers.

You can't buy a better view in KL!

The Blue Team after our final presentation, plus the head organizer (on the RH end).

Bangkok Week 114

September 2, 2010

A whirlwind 14-hour visit to Trad.

A turtle -- who is about to be released back into nature -- has a hard time getting his energy up for the occasion.

Releasing the turtles into a brook nearby.

No shortage of coloured lights at the funeral / cremation ceremony of a family friend who was in her 90s.

After the ceremony, the casket is wheeled to a separate area with the furnace.

The casket cart has an actual steering wheel.

Being carried up to the furnace area.

Back at the house ... bring out the mother's day present.

Shocked by the microwave!

Everyone's excited about what's in the box!

Testing out the new kitchen gadget.

Looking through the souvenirs from Canada... the famous LED garden lights!

Marouy tries one of the pig's ears that came all the way from Colby in BB.

Reading the thank-you card from Chris and Colby.

Enjoying a home-made pumpkin dessert (in my funeral attire).

Recognize it?

A new display rack for the instant noodles! It's a beauty.

And a whole new toy department at the store.

Marouy is too excited by the rawhide stick to know what to do with it!

I think he's finally figured it out.

The table runner from the Orillia farmer's market.

Bangkok Week 113

August 26, 2010

Still in Bangkok... but not for long.

This restaurant's going for the industrial look.

Good ol' mom and pop food for Friday night dinner.

And a special breakfast the next morning -- bread dipped in delicious green goo!

We found little-Tokyo nestled in a corner of Siam Square.

Green tea and milk swirl soft serve. And priced comparably to DQ. What more could you ask for?

Posing with my fat, constipated Japanese buddy.

Coming soon, to a Siam Square near you! (They built all new shops down the middle of the street adjacent to the movie theater that burnt down.)

We found a free magazine-reading zone, sponsored by the Magazine Association of Thailand.

They must have copies of every magazine published in Thailand ...

... unfortunately, they're all in Thai! So it's slow-going for me.

We stumbled upon a property decked in murals, not a block from our apartment. How did we miss this?

Seriously, how could we have never seen these before?

A big feast after a morning at the gym. Argh!

On the walkway over Siam Square, there was a We-Love-Thailand art fest.

If you wanted to contribute, you had to have lovely things to say about Thailand.

Artists lined the walk. It's not clear if their paintings were for sale, or what.

Not clear where he was going with the message in this one.

A corrupt police man, soldier, politician and scarecrow play ring-around-the-rosie.

Hmm. Is this art?

Nicer than the piece she was painting.

A mid-afternoon nap on the world's biggest pillows! Holy smokes, one would fill our apartment.

Our big investment of the month: proper wine glasses.

Even I had to have a (mini) glass to celebrate.

Looking for the legs. WHERE ARE THE LEGS???

Bangkok Week 112

August 19, 2010

Still in Bangkok!

Using a BB at a shopping mall in Siam Square. Instantly cool.

Celebrating the middle of a 4-day weekend with a Vietnamese dinner. We shared the restaurant with one look-alike couple.

Deep-fried veggie spring roll. So delish.

A funky "Saigon" salad with lots of colors.

Looking good... and half gone already.

At any time of day, there's a huge queue to eat at this cafe. How good can it possibly be? It's not cheap!

Toy Story Mania has Finally Come to Thailand!

Oh, the marketers must be in heaven promoting a kids' movie about toys.

3... in 3D!

Looking cool.

Uh oh!

A cute, skinny group of Bangkok b-boys practice their trix in Siam Square.

This new mini-mall calls itself "Aree Park" but it's not really in Ari. It's a 20-minute walk from the neighborhood!

All it has is restaurants and cafes, and a bit of green space.

What will probably become another eatery is still just open lounging space at the back of the complex.

On the walk home, we pass through a public park. And we discover where motorcycle taxi drivers go on slow afternoons!

Emergency heat-stroke rejuvenation that can only be provided by 7-11.

New desk, new view!

You can tell where easy accessibility by BTS stops. It doesn't go anywhere remotely near the river!

Lots of green, undeveloped land down there! It could fetch a pretty fortune.

The newer suit.

The older suit.

The Frankenstein Leg!

Bangkok Week 111

August 12, 2010

Still in Bangkok...

A special weekend breakfast treat: banana-yoghurt muffins, Thai style.

Super-psyched by the President's Choice CRUNCHY MAPLE ALMOND CEREAL!

Inhumane? It's a turtle race... but for babies.

Shaved ice dessert is STILL #1.

The hand-made shoulder bag that my former colleague made (and I finally picked up).

The detail (and craftsmanship) are both really nice. And, its lined with elephants.

Now I can go out in style.

The block of buildings in the foreground -- the ones that made up the heart of our neighborhood -- are about to be torn down!

Now, the neighborhood looks like it was hit by the Red Shirt looters. This was our 7-11.

This was our vegetable store.

Formerly a clothing shop.

Another clothes shop. Sale on everything in the store.

This one was "House of Beautiful Shirts". But their sign says they're moving across the street. (No shortage of maps.)

A lot of these shops seem to have found lots of dusty old goodies hiding in their back rooms.

I guess this was a clothes & shoe store.

The whole block is all boarded up. So sad.

There goes our desirable neighborhood!

These restaurants on the main street are cleaning out the finishing touches.

"Pita" is called Lebanon Bread here. This one was made locally.

Pita with Thai food. Now that's a new fusion concept.

Trying to blend in with the manequins.

Now that Smarties are made with "No Artificial Colours," they look anemic.

The beautiful view of Lumphini, the skytrain and the Royal Sports Club, as seen from my desk.

And a view toward the central business district. My old office is in the background; the Canadian Embassy is in the GPF building.

Bangkok Week 110

August 5, 2010

Thrown abruptly back into Bangkok life. Somehow, we survive.

Hoo-ray! One of the four boxes of cereal that came back with us... and would've cost 4x as much if bought here!

Last-minute shopping at my favorite farang-friendly store.

What a western dinner! Authentic western Tim Horton's muffin and airplane bagel!

The blueberry didn't fare as well as the raisin bran brick.

Excited nonetheless.

Survived Day 1 at work, even with the jetlag.

What's this? A blueberry?

Ta-daa. It's the birthday skirt from Chris. Thanks, Chris!

And it's the birthday skirt from Mum (even though you can barely see it). Thanks, M&D!

These ladies couldn't find a car to wash, so they washed part of a shrine instead.

Bracebridge Week 2

July 30, 2010

The second of two wonderful summer weeks at the cottage in Bracebridge.

The boys had to do some quick dirty work to uncover the leak in the cottage's water supply.

This one's gonna get someone in trouble.

Adeptly managing the assembly of the new charcoal barbecue.

Colby and Chris look on with interest.

When one guy quits, what's a manager to to but jump into the assembly line herself!

The finished product! What a beauty.

Colby enjoys afternoon tea with her peers.

Shucking the season's first round of fresh Ontario corn.

Lots of colorful, fresh veggies waiting to be cooked. Raw food eaters will be cringing.

The master chef tries out her new barbie. Where's the shrimp?

Colorful and succulent.

A fresh and delicious cottage dinner.

Inspecting the veggie dogs. Do they meet his standards?

Doesn't sweet corn just make you smile?

Colby has her eyes on the one remaining plate on the table.

A delicious dessert of fresh local berries and real ice cream.

The lake, as it must've looked like in the 50s.

The triumphant last year of our poor, poor dock.

All dressed for the beautiful summer weather. Too bad the temperature didn't care to match my outfit.

What a happy, colorful family.

Breakfast for lunch. Pancakes featuring fresh local blueberries.

Finally, able to tour downtown Bracebridge when it's not hiding under 5 feet of snow.

Mini Golf! He's only been waiting 30 years for this opportunity.

Lining up my first putt. Haven't played in several years. A bit rusty.

Mocking the instructor? That's an automatic 3-stroke penalty!

Half-way through the course and still having fun.

The beginning pro lines up a tricky shot.

Why the big frown? He beat his instructor by 2 shots!

Celebrating the round with ginormous cones from the ice cream shop in town.

Too big? Nah! You can never have too much mint chocolate chip.

Sitting on his high school colors with pride.

A huge selection of mid-morning treats from good ol' Mr. Tim Horton.

Single-file water-side reading is very conducive to socializing.

On-dock chair real estate is scarce.

A helicopter rests on the dock pole before resuming its flight.

A staring contest is inherently unfair if your opponent can't blink.

Another bug-eyed creature down at the dock.

The McKay Lake Synchronized Swimming Club holds its annual practice.

Don't have the funds to invest in matching uniforms yet.

Good thing Bronwyn and Andre came over. Otherwise, we'd never be coaxed into the water.

The grandstand.

Look! He went into the lake!

Artsy onions. Weep!

Big burgers and giant greens.

Just cruisin' in the Mazda 3.

Scenic Port Carling sees lots of boat traffic during the summer months.

The three ladies stand on part of the lock at Port Carlin.

A brief respite under the shaded portion of a dock in the mini-marina.

Not a shabby place for a bit of R&R.

Another shot of the gals with a beautiful Muskoka backdrop.

Imagine being able to boat into town.

Can't go out without stopping for ice cream! This flavor is Algonquin Canoe Something-or-other.

Another seasonal dinner on the (newly power-washed) deck.

Colby knows how to pick the perfect friends.

At the annual Muskoka dog show, this big carpet is in for a cleaning.

This poodle dresses fancier than my best dinner gown.

A mini-dog-show-ring showcasing each best-in-breed terrier. Maybe it's showcasing all the entrants, too!

Finally took the plunge and decided to buy the new green bag.

What's that? Another ice cream stop, you say?

The gentlemen sport their matching Bracebridge-swap-Bangkok shirts to dinner.

Our camera shows off its backlight magic tricks for this shot.

Last-but-not-least, the final two colorful diners at the corner spots.

Oh. Too full.

The sunset over Lake Muskoka's a beauty.

What a quick turn-around time -- the sun is rising already!

A glassy-calm morning on the lake. Perfect for a canoe.

Mirror, mirror in the lake ...

... a perfect reflection it doth make.

A shouting contest over breakfast. Something about pills... or peaches.

An afternoon visit to Marnie's beautiful garden rounds off our trip to Bracebridge.

Forgive me, but I really don't know any of the flowers' names.

A yellow one.

One that comes with a fly.

Globes and pink.

Red-on-purple.

The aforementioned purple.

This one I know! It's Colby, Chris and Mike.

So tiny, these little pink guys.

The master, sitting on his throne.

A complimentary juxtaposition of colors.

A bee likes her pastelles.

These fellows sit with their mouths gaping open.

Eyes wide open!

Drowning in a sea of yellow.

Another bee in the blue.

One of Marnie's many quaint displays hidden throughout the garden.

"Ooh, ahh, look at that one. And that one. And that one over there."

A chocolate cake flower.

This one's 100% natural.

This plant has lobster claws.

Another artful arrangement.

Puffy and pink.

With a bit of sunshine, you can see all its veins.

The amateur gets some quick tips from the real pro.

Chris and April share a moment. April's willing to spend some time with anyone.

Bah ha ha! I always wanted to be a conductor.

Portrait shot, strategically angled to shrink the noggin.

Enjoying a laugh in the most serene of settings.

The two girlfriends share some quality talk time together in the grass.

Looking through a home-made photo book of Marnie's garden.

Colby will kiss anyone who will let her!

Bye bye buggeroo, and bye bye Bracebridge. See you soon!

Final meal at the airport. Don't they look happy to see us go?

Sad. Not to leave, but to see how happy they are that we're leaving!

Bracebridge Week 1

July 23, 2010

The first of two wonderful summer weeks at the cottage in Bracebridge.

We were alone at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

And our captain took a rather creative flight path to Toronto.

Opening an assortment of souvenirs, from both Eastern Europe and the Far East.

He's at the cottage!

Enjoying the fresh morning lake... for the first time in at least 3 years.

The cottage, in all its summer glory (but before its new paint job).

Back in town, the gorgeous view from Chris's balcony.

She has a clear shot of the lush public park across the river.

And many beautiful pots of plants.

Colby doesn't look too pleased to have been dognapped by Aunt Naomi.

She did give me kisses though! Until she realized who I really was.

A shot with Granny, where Chris's love seat used to be.

"Help! Get me down from here!"

Relaxing on the deck... but not too close to the wasps' nest.

"Mika, would you put that camera away already?"

And that's about as deep as he'd go into the lake.

Laughing at the souvenirs from Thailand.

Gorilla Cheese!

Colby's more attuned to the goings-on at the table than is Chris.

Granny's prehistoric camera that we found behind the TV.

Mum's enjoying the view from the deck, too.

Looking through all the photos from Beijing. [See 'Beijing 1 Day']

Totally and completely pooped.

Loons! In fact, the only loon siting of the summer.

Having a relaxing nap on the deck. Think of the splinters as therapeutic acupuncture.

Delicious Dinner Dumplings.

And colorful salads to boot.

Off to afternoon tea!

On the left, we have the cover of The Economist for the week of July 10th - 16th 2010. On the right, we have a drawing that I did in Summer 2001. I daresay something fishy's going on.

A beautiful, misty morning down on McKay Lake.

The sun was out, and the mist was blowing across the glassy still water.

The lake's as reflective as a mirror.

Clouds in the lake.

Tall trees stand guard around the cottage.

We knocked, but no one was home.

One of Granny's beautiful day lilies -- that had to be cut and brought inside after it was tromped on by the painters.

Another arrangement Granny made with flowers cut from her garden.

Morning dew on a lily whose day has yet to come.

Aha! Found the missing resident from 5 photos ago. Out for a morning stroll.

More picture-perfect dew balls.

Annual lunch at Huntsville's famous fish-and-chips joint.

Apparently the local Red Hat Society enjoys the same tastes in fine dining.

Granny's gonna eat all this!

For us, the vegetarian version of fish & chips -- scrambled eggs and homefries!

Like a kid in a quaint 50s candy shop.

Three generations of smiles. Ice cream is ageless.

Some Greedy Gus just couldn't make up his mind!

Granny's serpent-like detachable jaw busts out when a cone is in sight.

The Asians, relaxing in downtown Huntsville.

Suavely posing with their gins and tonic.

Who's gonna push whom into the water first?

Perfect pillow clouds make a picturesque afternoon over the lake.

Posing in our matching water shoes. Before you think it's cute -- 3 other cottage residents bought pairs, too.

Action shot of the delectable French Toast dinner.

Colby wants to take part in the breakfast-for-dinner action, too.

Gravenhurst's lakeside farmer's market is just as picturesque as any place in Muskoka.

Fresh Ontario strawberries match the growers' corporate t-shirts.

Beautiful local blue berries -- perfect for pies and pancakes.

Green and yellow beans -- to be used in Authentic Thai Cuisine (TM) later in the week.

Part of the famers' market gang. Colby enjoyed it as much as anyone.

Colorful zucchini make a fun seasonal photo.

The ice cream gang reunites, this time enjoying ice cream made with local Muskoka flavors.

Colby's got a bout of the afternoon sleepies.

Choosing the windiest afternoon posible to take a paddle to the (other) Tomczak's cottage.

Taking a brief break after battling across one particularly windy stretch.

Peace, dude. We finally made it! (Why is their cottage at the furthest possible point from Granny's cottage?)

The brothers relax with a cola and matching leg positions.

Someone's getting tall! (And I don't mean me.)

Blue skies, blue waters and a big red canoe.

Dinner at a restaurant fit for the king on Chris's beautiful balcony.

Quite literally taking Colby for a walk, after she refused to walk down the slope herself.

The sun sets over Bracebridge's famous falls.

She's happy now that she's on flat ground (and in the hands of someone other than Mika)!

The moon is out, but the sun's not quitting yet.

Ain't much water coming over the falls this year... because it's all in McKay Lake!

Fresh bread glows in the early morning sunlight.

Suddenly transported to Grandpa's veranda!

The flowers and I intentionally coordinated our outfits.

Grandpa has a laugh at the creature from Thailand who came to visit.

Henry swung by, too. Everyone likes a sunny morning on Grandpa's front porch.

What a happy family. 3 generations and 235 years of life represented in this photo.

The Asians frame Grandpa's doorway nicely.

How come his son's head looks so much larger?

Next stop: a visit to 765 to see how the renovations are progressing.

The contractor's pup was extremely personable.

Quite novel to see the 3-D plans for the room in which you're standing!

The house has seen better days -- but it won't be recognizable come December!

Forget renovation decisions. Playing with dogs is more my speed.

Tandoori cheese at a delicious Indian lunch.

I could tell it would be delicious, even before biting in.

Lots of boats on The Lake, as we take an afternoon stroll along the lakeshore.

No shortage of seagulls in this city.

Sunbathers came out to the closest thing there is to a beach on this warm afternoon.

Lake Ontario: where the shore is straight, but the water is slanted.

The easy way to combat poison ivy.

Picturesque Grenadier Pond, even on an overcast day.

A ducky friend and his 2-D twin.

Get it?

These two picked a real romantic getaway. Enough goose poop for a whole honeymoon.

Posing with the famous maple leaf.

Spot the foreign species!

A bug local to High Park.

Stopping mid-stroll for some giant cones at The Grenadier's ice cream hut.

A black squirrel enjoys his pick of the litter.

The playground to which Grandpa used to take me. The swings have been there for generations.

A late afternoon visit with Grandma in her beautiful condo.

"Who are you?"

The Thai water buffalo makes friends with the Swedish horse.

Showing off her very long, very scenic balcony.

It's a balcony to be proud of!

Houses down below actually belong to the condo complex.

One of the many, many, many vanity plates we saw during our two weeks. This one is seasonal.

Quick dinner at Harvey's, with its ever-lasting veggie burgers.

Back in Bracebridge, Granny gives us a tour of her new home at The Villa.

A beautiful floral arrangement distinguishes her door from the rest.

Her spacious bedroom and kitchenette.

No shortage of plants or natural light.

A restaurant-like dining room that feels really homey and comfortable.

A mindbending return to Scrabble.

Here comes the Authentic Thai Cuisine (TM)!

The makings for the stir friend basil dish.

Mmm, stir fried (farmers market) green beans in a red curry paste. We haven't cooked in so many years!

"Chicken" pad grapow -- literally stir-fried basil.

And creamy green curry.

Unsuspecting diners are still happy before their meal.

Granny seems to like it! It's nothing like what they serve at The Villa, she says. Wonder why.

Beijing 1 day

July 17, 2010

A whirlwind 7-hour tour of some key sites in downtown Beijing. The Forbidden City is a HUGE complex built from 1406 to 1420. Normal citizens were forbidden from entering the complex, hence the name.

Beijing has a beautiful, modern airport built for the 2008 Olympics. It is connected to downtown Beijing by this train.

The train is above ground most of the 30-minute ride, but it does go underground at parts. The fare was 25 RMB, or about $3.60.

Our first shocking look at the outside. Anyone care for a fresh cup of haze?

Alright! We made it to the subway system. Now we just have to navigate this ticket machine -- in Chinese.

A typical subway station. Beijing's subway system is expanding rapidly, with a few new lines opening each year!

The Chinese approach to subways: if people going in and people exiting push at each other hard enough, eventually everyone will end up on the right side of the door.

Looking bright and fresh at 9 in the morning, on 2 hours of sleep and an airplane meal.

I do have to give them credit for this handy subway map, which updates the train's location in real time.

Finally, we surface at Tiananmen Square, where a vacationing monk strolls by.

But first, we're going to go visit Chairman Mao and the Forbidden City.

Just inside the first gate to the Forbidden City, cleaning crews pedal around on three-wheeled garbicyles.

The Forbidden City (please see this image: http://bit.ly/b8Owcn) is composed of many nested gates, tall walls and palace buildings.

Just follow the sign and everything will be okay!

Two kids pose with a giant door. 99.9999% of the tourists visiting the Forbidden City site were Chinese.

Entering another layer of gated walls... and we haven't even gotten to the official entrance yet.

A particularly colorful parasol. All the umbrellas made an already crowded tourist site especially packed.

A wall full of Chinese snacks. Doubtful that any are vegetarian though.

A group of police do some marching. Not totally sure what it was about.

We're both alive in China! The only group shot, since the SLR is not particularly conducive to taking them.

The tour guides cleverly stuck bright flags on top of their umbrellas.

A subtle blend of old and new.

Yes! We got our golden ticket! Finally!

Two girls are already hot and tired.

Looking ahead to the "Gate of Supreme Harmony," through which everyone must pass to enter the rest of the gated palace.

Looking back at the "Meridian Gate" through which we just entered the complex. Note the walls on either side.

The color schemes are strikingly different from both Thai and Japanese traditional architecture.

Note the ornate ceiling and giant LCD screen.

Another grand red double-door.

Did I mention that it was a huge door?

Through the gate and looking ahead to the "Hall of Supreme Harmony."

All the (original) stairs leading up to (and down from) the Halls are ornately carved... usually with dragons.

Great, the guide book is indeed correct!

A crane majestically overlooks the throngs of tourists.

A very interesting dragon turtle. They do like their dragons.

Another gold-and-red door, this one more ornate than the last.

These were actually painted tiles. Apart from these, we didn't see too many examples of ceramic wall decorations.

A beautiful golden roof. Actually, I think they were painted yellow tiles.

More detailed gold (and silver) painting. Dragons, dragons, dragons!

Slightly different decor.

Next up: the more modest "Hall of Complete Harmony."

Evidently, the emperor could come and sit here on his couch, in peace and complete harmony.

More carvings on the stairs.

Beautiful detailing on a window frame.

A girl traces her finger along the already worn trim.

A random (dangerous) place to lay your baby -- on a 4-foot ledge.

The roofs are guarded by many little armies of friends.

Another extremely ornate ceiling... and a really classy yellow sign.

Okay, even by Chinese standards, this guy was crossing a line.

More golden shingles and a mountainous backdrop.

Taking a breather before moving onto the next part of the palace.

Hiding from the glare so they can review photos and send an SMS?

A giant golden lion...

...playing with his cute little lion cub.

A raised walkway that leads to the "Gate of Heavenly Purity." Are these names getting a little much?

Another ornate staircase dragon carving.

Everyone takes this photo! Here I am, with my photo buddy.

Another funny turtle-hybrid. This one with big nostrils.

These tiles look like they belong inside a NYC subway station or something.

Time for some refreshment! Who knows what the heck it is.

A peach popsicle. That'll do. (Note: these refreshment stands were scattered all throughout the complex.)

Finally, we reach the imperial gardens... which is filled with creepy crawly trees.

Just follow the sign.

The gardens were filled with these dramatic jagged rocks. Volcanic?

More cute little friends (an assortment) guard this roof.

One of two round pagodas inside the Imperial Garden.

It's famous for its ornate roof.

Most people came in tour groups, and had to wear some kind of distinguishing article of clothing.

Scary tree!

Some room that overlooks the gardens. Not sure what exactly it was.

The palace's lone elephant makes his appearance at the very back.

More very detailed dragons.

A mini-hall (or pagoda?) sits perched atop a mound of lumpy rocks. How grand.

Another rock star lion.

The detailing on a giant lamp. Or was it an urn?

This little guy is cuter than you can believe.

Look how cute they are! You just wanna poke their little faces!

What kind of drink you want? Good thing there's corporate branding!

More golden roofs and decorative paint jobs.

Heading back toward the entrance, this time via the side paths.

Still standing!

Guarding my huge red door. That's a huge red slide bolt behind me.

"Enter at your own risk."

I really like the color scheme!

More authentic Chinese backdrops.

Did I mention that this complex is HUGE?

A little moat that meanders through the entry courtyard.

And... visit is over. How sad. And exhausting.

Huh?

Bye-bye, Mr. Mao.

After crossing under a 12-lane road, we pass the National Museum on our way to Tiananmen Square.

Now, we have to cross over that same ring road to actually get to the Square.

Voila. Tiananmen Square. That's about all there is to see, folks.

A LONG, and I mean LONG queue of people wait to visit Mao's Mausoleum.

This is just a shot of the people closest to getting in. The line wrapped all the way around the giant mausoleum property.

Turning the corner to view the next face of the queue. (This line was the most exciting thing to see in Tiananmen Square.)

Do they look bored?

At the southern end of Tiananmen Square, Zhengyangmen Gate.

A famous monument in front of Mao's Mausoleum.

And across the street, Zhengyang Gate Jianlou... whatever that means.

And a rather western looking China Railway Museum and station.

Back in the comfort of the airport now, the pushy people don't even wait their turn for water!

My blue World Expo buddy.

And another frozen friend. Doesn't he look just golden?

Pleasure to meet you, too, sir.

After our sweaty morning in the humid, smoggy city, we spent an hour cleaning off at a pay-by-the-hour airport hotel. You can imagine the looks we got when we checked in!

It was really quite decent... and conveniently located across the hall from our departure gate.

Following the helpful signs to find some food.

Yes! This must be the Western Restaurant, instantly identifiable anywhere in the world.

Resting his sore feet and tired legs.

That's our plane! But surely a window washer is a little excessive?

Bangkok Week 107

July 15, 2010

Taking the Airport Link... to Trad?

Finally had the opportunity to ride the Airport Link! Very unofficial signs are posted at the BTS station pointing riders in the right direction.

The airport link is elevated, and built on top of the existing Eastern Line service of the State Railway of Thailand.

The terminal station at Phayathai is extremely spacious, and still quite clean. Actually, it's not finished yet.

They are test-running trains at a frequency of one every 10 minutes. It takes 23 minutes end-to-end.

Inside, the trains are lined with benches on either side, with plenty of standing room in between.

There are button-activated doors separating the cars, which passengers can walk through while the train is in motion.

The seats are extremely shallow and have received much criticism. Here, I'm sitting with my bum all the way back!

A view from the train. A huge green patch of property owned by the State Railway of Thailand is home to rotting old trains... prime real estate!

Passing over a canal as we head further from the main city.

Another canal, now out in the suburbs. One of many mosques in the area stands in the background.

And approaching the airport! Great views of planes as they descend.

The airport link terminates at an underground station at the airport. I didn't go up, just turned around and rode back into town.

Based on the English model, buttons to open and close doors as needed- although all doors opened automatically, anyway.

Many, many new housing developments line the route - and new ones are going up daily. Like this one.

Soon, the view will be more like this!

A beautiful, lush property that's not a golf course. I think it's someone's private estate!!

Back approaching the downtown area, a more typical view.

Passing over Ratchadapisek Road - one of the city's major north-south arteries.

The abandoned buildings in Pratunam. A familiar site, but not usually from this angle.

Baiyoke Towers I and II. This link will make it much more convenient to access them now.

Back at the station, the uber-secure metal detector does its job.

An apartment complex that stands right next to the terminal station affords its residents a bustling new view.

A massive new condo that just opened down the road from us. It's dizzying just to look at.

I guess this guy refused to let the new developers tear down his building.

It's been 7 long weeks since the last home-cooked meal!

A "kiddie" dish of meat and boiled peanuts. It's sweet -- that's why they say it's for kids.

Digging in!

Don't the desserts on the left look like a Japanese dorayaki dessert?

Lots of colourful, traditional hand-made cloths.

Long time no see, my buddy in crime!

Fresh and slightly old coconuts from a tree that just fell down. (Termites ate through its trunk.)

Not a mosquito, but this guy (or his relatives) kept paying me a visit throughout the weekend.

Pay attention and listen up! And hello.

Protective of his new favourite chew toy.

Taking a break from chewing to clean up its shell a bit.

Tired from all that (attempted) destruction.

The new tables for all the desserts at the store! Beautiful!

Dragon-like plants grow out of a hanging planter.

Hello. What's up there?

Sporting his new summer 'do!

Refreshingly juicy watermelon slices. Refreshing even at room temperature.

Enjoying one Mozart's Balls brought back from Vienna.

Really tasty - and really vegetarian - larb for dinner.

Granny Shorts! (Uh oh, I'm entering a new phase in my life.)

Exhausted after his Sunday Morning Bath.

Enjoying photos from the Eastern Europe trip.

Marveling at the elaborate architecture that you don't see too often in this neck of the woods!

Can I see the photos, too?

Sleepy again, after remembering his taxing Sunday Morning Bath.

At his makeshift autobody shop, crafting the housing for a pickup's new sound system.

I've got my coconut again! Wanna play?

Let me just come over here and chew my coconut on top of you, Mika.

And now, I'll stand here and keep eating it.

Smackdown!

Bangkok Week 106

July 8, 2010

It's the week we've been waiting for. Barry's in Bangkok!

Barry's in Bangkok! Requisite first meal at MBK!

The boys give it two thumbs up.

Enjoying the Thai-style fluff-filled dessert tacos.

Checking out the street vendors on the walkway outside MBK.

No shortage of traffic on this Thursday night.

Why is his room so big?? It's not fair!

Quick stop at a photo shop for the new work permit.

The fruit trials begin! First test subject: a giant guava.

Verdict? Unclear.

Dinner #2 at Ari's famous Pad Thai institution.

The giant shrimp really make the dish a whole other animal.

Yay. Pad thai!

Flavouring to taste.

No need to visit the Golden Mount now!

Cubic desserts across from our apartment - bought one to try for breakfast.

Who Barry? You berry!

Decadent dessert at the ice cream store in La Villa.

Maturity is overrated.

I felt very short sitting on the couch side of the table.

Shopping for authentic curry pastes to bring back as gifts.

Test subject #2 fared better than its guavic counterpart.

Test subject #3 - the newly renamed "butt fruit".

And it's already breakfast time again!

The butt fruit make a timely return! These cheeks are a little bruised.

Still not sure about biting the cheeks. And still not entirely awake, either.

Ahh! A tuk-tuk!

Whizzing up the road to Chatuchak Market. Killing all the touristy birds with one stone!

A seller sleeps under the shade of his merchandise.

I guess we were just too early. Should let the vendors sleep in on the weekend.

No fashion too funky for Thai designers.

A more traditional souvenir.

Barry shows off the first two of the many bags he would go on to buy that day.

Instantly attracted by all the colourful toys.

Unfortunately, a 1-baht incentive doesn't seem to be enough for any Thai shopper... and no sellers bother either.

Checkin' out the chopsticks.

So colourful and fruity! Candy for the eyes.

Some are magnets. Some are just mini fruit.

A huge counter of fried meats tempted some...

... despite the face, he claimed the mystery meats were delicious.

Lunch at a down-to-earth place at the edge of Chatuchak.

For us, the standard order fried rice.

Getting a lesson in how to wear fisherman pants.

The lesson gets a little hands-on!

Our new hats. Mine barely fits.

Porcupine popsicles (how DO they freeze?).

Refreshing in Thai Iced Tea flavour.

An extremely cute t-shirt design.

OMG! I found my watermelon shoes!!! Too bad they're 2 sizes too small.

Finally trying the fresh young coconut he's been waiting for.

Filled to the brim with fresh juice! Mmm.

Taking a more local route home, on the bus.

Barry single-handedly helps shop Thailand out of its political strife.

Checking out how the seller makes the food? Or that lady's rear?

A neatly-organised set-up to maximise efficiency when cooking on-the-spot.

A huge assortment of dishes to take home, which we usually ignore -- because they all contain animals.

Thinking carefully about what he wants for dinner.

Stopping at another seller, to pick up his long-awaited crab dish.

Not sure we have enough for dinner.

All revved up and ready to dig into Dinner #3!

Ye-aaah! Dinner time!

The crab! Before ...

... and after.

On Sunday morning, riding the bus to Chinatown.

Can you guess ... we've reached our destination!

Who can resist a cute little box of mini-eggs?

Not this guy! Amused by how tiny they are.

All of China is out in Bangkok this Sunday.

A colourful array of reusable bags, at wholesale prices. Who can resist!?

A well-kept old branch of Bangkok Bank, practically hidden from view by all the umbrellas and shop awnings.

Creepy ghosts of fish past.

This man sells fruity drinks that he carbonates on the spot!

I got one to match my shirt ... and apparently my hat, too.

Whatever they're called, these melons seem to be in season right now. They're being sold all over the city.

More crab... these guys are less prepared than the ones at dinner last night.

A million dollars' worth of cashew nuts, just sitting out on the street.

A really old - borderline scary - movie theater hidden off a main street.

Another building competing for title of oldest-in-town.

A chestnut! My first chestnut! And it was delicious.

This building might just win for oldest-guy-still-standing.

First dates are always awkward!

Possessed and completely preoccupied stirring his magic potion of fire.

Colourful old buildings are hidden in an alley behind the main road through Chinatown.

We found a lady selling dishes-on-rice -- both seafood and vegetarian.

So we stopped at her shop ...

... which has a driveway running through the middle of it.

The clams Barry had been waiting for. Isn't nature pretty? Tofu is boring by comparison.

This was one of many coffin shops along a particular stretch of the neighbourhood.

Going somewhere? Puzzled to find themselves at the train station.

Do I know this guy?

His namesake owns a Korean beauty parlour.

At the Thailand Creative & Design Center -- although only the permanent exhibit was open.

Hey, we found the original Circus Bike on display!

Mr. P, in a display case. The pride of Thailand's design heritage.

And the center's security guard is a live embodiment of Mr. P himself!

Uh oh, the upcoming exhibit is gonna be a weird one.

Delicious donuts -- too tempting to pass up.

Wasting no time!

Back at the apartment, trying the old classic - Granny's Hair Dessert.

Hmm. Only so-so?

Finally getting to try test subject #4 - the "eyeball fruit" (aka long gong).

See the resemblance to eyeballs?

Peace! Dinner #4 is at home again, with more new dishes to try (and plenty of leftovers, too).

Tempted by the fresh fish cakes.

A dessert I've been wanting to try -- but how to describe?? (Coconut cream on top of gel-like rice flour base...)

Spank - spank - spank - spank!

Yay! Dinner #5, and still going strong!

The pad thai and fish cakes that Barry made at his cooking course earlier that morning.

Last but not least -- test subject #5, the custard apple!

Filled with dragon teeth inside! Rawr!

And he's off bright and early Tuesday morning. Back to HK. Bye bye, BKK.

Bangkok Week 105

June 29, 2010

Another partial week home alone. Pout pout. At least the man knows how to buy souvenirs!

I thought these "flying fish" crackers from Malaysia would be like Goldfish. I was wrong.

Two new condos in our neighbourhood are suddenly up and ready to move in!

The newest additions to the refrigerator magnet collection -- all from within the past 2 weeks.

A western style orange! Haven't had one of these in years! (It was snuck back in from Wien.)

Celebrating the return of my Better Half with a home-made-whole-wheat-feta-no-sauce-but-loads-of-tomatoes pizza.

Impressed by our cutlery?

All the goodies from The West! It's a wonder the suitcase made it under the 20 kg limit.

The world-famous Mozart Balls -- the most popular chocolate in Austria!

They're just what you'd think. Mozart's balls! Three layers of chocolates and a marzipan core.

Souvenir earrings from an electronics recycling centre. Can you tell what they're made of?

The famous Czech "spa" wafers ...

... are huge!

Good thing they're thin.

Bangkok Week 104

June 24, 2010

A busy Friday night, and then a super-quiet week as a single lady. Ahh, the great smell of freedom.

A very unceremonious sign welcomes guests to the month's Technopreneurship and Innovation Management (TIP) forum.

Recognize the speaker? Here, he's with Vee (his connection to Chula University) and the professor who invited him to speak.

The nicely-made name card. Too bad it can't be read beyond the second row.

Before...

...and after! Full house! Over 200 in attendance.

Worried by the shocking large number of people who've come to listen.

And we're off! In typical Thai fashion, the event started 15 minutes late. No fault of the speaker, though.

Using his laser pointer to showcase a well-designed rolling suitcase he designed while at MIT.

Practicing to be an MC at the next wedding we get invited to.

Wait a minute, when did this become a lecture about kite surfing?

And we're done! That only took 90 minutes. Thank You!

Inundated by Q's and A's at the end.

Look at the queue of people waiting to talk to the speaker!

A celebratory dinner at Greyhound afterward ... but only because it was the only eatery still open at that late hour.

Vegetarian stir-fried Japanese soba. Not bad, actually.

Still the #1 dessert!

A lesson in knowing your supplier. Both these bags cost B20 each. One leaves me feeling quite ripped off.

KL (Week 103.5)

June 17, 2010

My first visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was for a green energy trade fair and seminar. I did as much running around as possible during my free time over the 3 days. Here are the results!

Beat daylight to the airport by several hours. Posing with the new thermos that saved me B80 for an awful Burger King coffee.

The trouble with "priority boarding" when you have to take a shuttle to the plane... is that you can board the bus first, and that's about it.

Air Asia is usually relegated to parking in the middle of a lot, and bussing its passengers out to meet the plane.

When we stepped on, we were greeted by a cabin filled with white smoke. Not a good start.

A really sad meal of vegetarian fried rice with "chicken" satay. I'm glad the company paid for it.

The KL International Airport is about an hour outside KL itself, and completely surrounded by palm plantations (for the country's famous palm oil production).

Approaching the city, at long last.

The lobby of my hotel -- Fraser Suits -- which is so new it hadn't officially opened yet. (Perhaps the reason for such good rates?)

Did I mention the hotel is new? They were only unpacking the lobby's iMacs as I checked in.

My lovely room. It had a full kitchenette, complete with 2-plate burner, all appliances by Electrolux, and a full set of crockery for two.

Better equipped than our apartment in Bangkok, hands down.

The only thing missing was a little dining table. If you did cook your meals, you'd have to eat at a knee-height coffee table.

There's a huge glass window between the bedroom and the shower. I only discovered the blind on the 3rd day.

I don't have a clue what any of these four remotes was for.

A happy KL sidewalk.

Downtown KL has a small monorail running through it, which Bangkok's BTS puts to shame.

Streets are much wider (and shadier) than in Bangkok. In the background, the KL tower.

One of the 9 monorail stations. Instinctively, I climbed up the stairs to cross the street -- only to discover that people cross at street level in this city.

A big cross-walk near our KL office. Notice the very wide green meridian going down the middle of the major street.

Look what has a branch directly across the street from our office!

After meeting up, Nicole took me to lunch at a vegetarian restaurant nearby.

It's similar to cheap eateries here in Bangkok, except you serve yourself.

I had a giant bowl of Singapore noodles (a suggested specialty) and an Indian-style milk tea.

My helpful local tour guide and her delicious looking (but not vegetarian) curry bowl!

This meal is several steps up from Air Asia's!

This poor motorbike has seen better days. There are far fewer on the roads here than in Bangkok.

Nicole's cute little car. It's a national brand, and you see them all over. It's parked next to a brother, in fact.

From a walkway that leads to one of many posh malls in the area.

Here, the monorail tracks take a turn toward Times Square, which rivals Central World as SE Asia's largest mall.

On the ground floor of the mall is an old friend -- Papa John's! Haven't seen him since Boston!

And Borders, complete with Starbucks Cafe. It's like reuniting with long-lost buddies.

This atrium is only one of several zones of the shopping complex.

There's also an amusement park, complete with a 5-storey, 3-inversion coaster... that I didn't ride.

Like a kid outside a candy store. Good thing admission was prohibitively expensive.

At the city's request, famous food hawkers from throughout Malaysia have opened branches in a single downtown location.

Lots of Malay and Chinese delicacies.

Inari stuffed with various seafood salads -- something I'd never seen before.

Malaysia's own brand of cup noodles.

Pavilion, a posh mall on par with Siam Paragon.

My first dinner in Malaysia is Korean, at the mall's food court.

Lots of people dine alone -- I blend right in.

A huge fair in the mall's central atrium - perhaps in celebration of the 2-week school holiday.

A colourful fountain outside the mall is nicely lit at night.

Lots of mall-goers were sitting, watching the football on a huge screen.

Football fever! Even people without proper seats stopped to watch.

No shortage of construction in the heart of KL's downtown!

Everything is lit up -- from the buildings to the palm trees.

There's a strip of bars not far from the hotel zone.

The pool on the 18th floor has a great view of the night skyline.

A great view for doing laps!

Day 1 of the expo, at the huge KL Convention Center.

With Da, fellow visitor from Bangkok, and Cathleen, a KL-based member of the sales team.

The convention center overlooks a beautiful, large park in the middle of the city.

The park is beautifully landscaped, and features a jogging track, swimming pool for kids, several huge playgrounds, and lots of shade.

During lunch, going on a walk through the park.

KL's newest icon -- the Petronas Twin Towers, the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004.

The park's kiddie pools and a well-kept, tile-lined pond that snakes throughout the park.

A huge set of multiple playgrounds.

At the base of the towers is yet another mall, this one completed in 1999 (but extremely well-maintained).

The center of the nice pond, with its "dancing fountain". Many people sit here for lunch.

That afternoon, Nicole speaks on one of the panels held at the seminar in conjunction with the expo.

It was a huge, 9-person panel, which meant almost no talk time for each.

In the back corner of Isetan, "Special Size" shoes ... for ME!

Excited by our lucky find, and my two resulting purchases.

Indian dinner -- cold but delicious, perhaps because I hadn't had Indian in so long?

My dinner companions -- two new pairs of shoes.

The fountains are still a popular hang-out spot, even after dark.

No doubt the twin towers are photogenic at night.

Many people would lie on the ground, to try to fit both a person and the complete towers into the frame. Ridiculous.

How much electricity does this downtown area consume each night?

The shot everyone takes.

The skybridge -- the highest point that tourists can visit.

The next morning, out for a stroll just after light. Can you tell what this is a queue for?

The monorail is "cute" compared to the BTS.

The street lights are still on. It doesn't get light until after 7am.

The cute station doesn't need to be too big -- there are only 4 doors to accomodate.

Inside, even the decor is sad compared to the BTS. It felt wobbly -- like an old airport monorail.

In the opposite direction, the train is filled with commuters at rush hour. The peak frequency is still only 1 train / 5 mins.

Like a little inch worm crawling along.

There are lots of sandwich sellers at breakfast -- just like in Bangkok.

But you can also find curry rice for only RM 1.5 (less than 50 cents US).

Finally passing a mosque. This one is notorious for having your shoes stolen.

An office building influenced by Islamic architecture.

Two giant chilies, in the lobby of a new "green certified" hotel.

Lunch from a Kebab Store -- although it's a veggie wrap inside.

No wonder people laugh when they see our team.

The convention center is bordered by several lovely flower beds.

A captivating fountain.

More flowers, these with an iconic backdrop.

Downtown at night -- plenty of people were on foot.

A street performer. I didn't see his request for money in exchange for a photo.

Da shops for souvenirs. The shop was empty when we left.

Dinner at a Malaysian restaurant. Here, Da's beautifully-presented chicken curry dish.

My GIANT omelette (and coconut rice).

AHHHHHH! Krispy Kreme!!!!!

Gleeful, with the half-dozen assorted that I will attempt to bring back to Bangkok.

Traveling back to our hotel's neighbourhood,with all her purchases. (I was carrying a bag for her, too.)

My early breakfast, before heading out to the airport.

Breakfast #2, at an extremely popular "white" coffee-and-toast joint.

They specialize in "white" coffee (in the foreground) and toast -- an interesting combination.

Well, the box made it home. But what about the contents? Drumroll please...

FINE! Just as lovely as when the box was sealed. Note the special World Cup-edition donut.

Someone's convinced the football looks like a face. Do you see it?

Serendipity.

Bangkok Week 103

June 13, 2010

A fun, busy weekend in Bangkok before dashing off to KL for 3 days. Stay tuned for that album.

We won a baking class at Anotai, a famous organic vegetarian restaurant that we'd yet to visit. Class courtesy of our friends at BK Mag.

The restaurant occupies the first two floors of the shophouse, and the cooking studio is located on the third floor.

An assortment of spices line Khun Anotai's demonstration counter.

Her demo kitchen is fully equipped with standard-sized designer appliances (unlike the industrial ones they use in their restaurant & bakery).

Khun Anotai explains the motivation behind her restaurant concept and organic vegetarian cooking.

Four lucky readers won places in the class, for themselves and one guest each. In the background, reps from Martha Stewart Living Thailand listen in.

Khun Anotai demonstrates 2 types of cookies, with the help of her assistant.

Studiously taking notes.

She makes giant, bakery-sized cookies by using a large ice cream scoop.

Turn back around and pay attention!

While our teacher continues, students are a bit distracted in the background. (To be fair, the woman on the right is the photog for BK Mag.)

The second batch -- banana-oat-chocolate -- near completion in the oven. She only uses the bottom element when baking cookies.

Highlighting the spring in the final product -- how to tell it's done.

Our chef is shocked by Nathan's shenanigans. (He's the rep from the magazine.)

The studio is equipped with a handy ceiling mirror. We can do without that in our future kitchen, though.

No shortage of notes (and cookie stains) on these recipes.

Hot off the presses -- the second batch of cookies (with one regular choc chip still hanging out in the background).

The giant cookies were so huge they could be cut into quarters (and still be satisfying).

Stealing the fruits of my ... observation.

A big thumbs up from this expert food critic.

Chillaxin' and chattin' after the class.

We were given a set of pre-prepared cookies to take home as souvenirs ... and of course, this week's issue of BK.

On the way home, we run into an old friend-cum-Levi's model from the days at Brown.

Another filling lunch at MBK never fails to please.

World Cup Madness!!! Hey! Ho! Let's g-

Another promotional poster made by the city of Bangkok... this time much more overt about shopping the country out of despair! What did I tell you??