Bangkok Week 164

August 18, 2011

An exciting 3-day weekend! Shangri-La Bangkok, the new BTS extension, and a trip back to my favorite trafficland. Okay, that last one wasn't over the weekend.

Needed to take photos around the office for my visa renewal. Here, my mailbox is proof of my employment.

A local mosque just outside the Shangri-La Bangkok, where we spent a night.

Approaching by foot gives a daunting impression!

The most basic room -- but what can you expect for free?

Thinking if we can move in permanently.

The view from our window -- of an old part of town with which we're not familiar. That's a famous church, apparently.

We did have a partial view of the river. Did you know it was so chocolately?

I could've sat there for hours watching the boats go by.

In the room, "exotic" Thai fruit... more nicely presented than those that we eat on a daily basis.

Happy. Can you tell we're using the DSLR?

Orchids in the lobby.

Believe it or not, this is a temple!

Tuk tuk? A hot spot to pick up tourists with big pockets.

The entrance to that temple a bit further on looks a little more traditional.

Some old city buildings, and the balconies of the hulking State Tower looming the background.

Local street dog hamming up the sad puppydog eyes.

Old orange building, slightly newer orange bus.

Assumption Cathedral is an old catholic church built by a French missionary in 1809.

There were some interesting wall sculptures framing the church's property.

The church was reconstructed in 1909, and repaired again after being damaged in WWII.

Pope John Paul II visited this church in May 1984.

I was using the macro lens, so only the iPhone could fit the whole church in the frame!

I'm running out of facts about this church now.

Looked nice inside, but we didn't go in. The 5:15 mass had already begun.

Another shot of the hulking state tower. It's apparently the biggest building in Southeast Asia (by useable floor space).

More buildings on the church property. Looks vaguely European.

A church cat. The Christian equivalent of all of Thailand's temple dogs?

The decorations on this temple look like place settings to me. I swear those are plates or bowls...

More traditional vs. European architecture in this interesting 'hood.

And two different versions of grandeur.

I wonder where they got their logo...

We tracked down a slightly odd vegan cafe, which had published a book of vegetarian eateries throughout Bangkok.

A bacon burger!

Fries-and-tofu scramble?

Vans at a department store -- perfect pairing for students at Sittha's high school! (http://bit.ly/rih7Hn)

At that same department store, you could also buy some more basic earthly essentials.

Moon-lit nighttime stroll by the poolside.

A nicely-lit hotel shuttle-boat whizzes by (probably more slowly than the camera makes it seem).

That hotel on the left is also part of Shangri-La! It's their more exclusive wing.

At 11:30pm, after our bathroom sprung a leak, we were moved to a posher room with a balcony!

The 4-car BTS train speeds by in the night.

The next morning, breakfast diners enjoy their coffees overlooking the chocolate river.

Would you like a longtail boat with your hot chocolate, sir?

We had a river view for our breakfast, too!

A hip new condo, aptly called The River, is one of the hotter properties in town.

The river is a barge expressway all day. I still wonder what kind of engine they have in these cute little tug boats!

They forgot to load this barge?

A quick dip in the pool before checking out.

They make up beach chairs and put up umbrellas for you.

To swim with the hair up, or the hair down. That is the question.

Hair down wins!

You almost forget that you're right in the middle of Bangkok.

Classy lunch on our way back to the BTS.

The next day -- riding the Sukhumvit line extension! 5 new stations beyond On Nut (the former terminal) are now in service.

Excited? Just a little.

The line now goes so far that you pass areas of Bangkok that have not yet seen the development boom.

Four new stations on the way to the end: Bang Chak, Punnawithi, Udom Suk and Bang Na. All have TVs and fully-enclosed roofs.

You pass through the middle of a convoluted set of flyovers and highways.

And finally get to Bearing. Bear-what?

This is pretty much all that's out there. But you can imagine how different it will look in 10 years!

Lots of people wait at the base of the station, to continue their journey by more traditional means of transportation.

Umm.... where are we exactly?

Hey, we found the edge of Bangkok! And that's about all we found...

And the end of the now 46.5 km route.

On my way to work one morning, I passed a tuk tuk full of jackfruit, who were also apparently on their way to work.

And on a rainy Tuesday night, we passed the king of all snails in our driveway!

You don't see snails like this in New Jersey!

Back in my fave city of Jakarta on Independence Day. I thought the traffic would've been better than usual on the big holiday -- but boy was I wrong!

Bangkok Week 163

August 11, 2011

Another full week in Bangkok. Whoo!

If I hadn't just bought new running shoes in Toronto, I would get this pair in an instant.

Saturday mall-hopping.

Just another Paragon shopper...?

It's really not clear who these people are or where they came from. Even the shop workers (in the background) are intrigued.

Finally! I found a Croc that fits!

A happy-go-lucky bus headed to Hualampong.

This is hands-down the best dessert I've had in years. (Called Shibua Honey Toast -- all the rage in Bangkok.)

Bangkok Week 162

August 4, 2011

What? Back in Jakarta? How did that happen?

Can you guess where this is?

It's the waiting room of Bumrungrad Hospital -- where I went for my work permit medical certificate. Food for all.

Saturday night showing of Harry Potter 7 part 2. And free popcorn to boot.

Colorful, exotic vegetables at a special weekend market.

Back at home at Mandarin Oriental Jakarta. Two dessert plates in the room -- one a Ramadan special.

Steamy coffee!

Bangkok Week 161

July 28, 2011

Beautiful views, good foods.

Two street dog brothers don't know how to react to the offer of free breakfast.

Special Friday night dinner at what's considered Bangkok's best Indian -- with a top-notch view, too.

It's on the top floor of a hotel -- and they serve water out of 5-lb goblets!

The dishes are fairly unique; but it's worth going just for the naan!

And a complimentary dessert served in Dumbledore's Pensieve.

Beautiful view over Bangkok on a clear Friday night.

I can see the appeal of a high-rise condo.

Whoever sold this lady these pants should be fined for enabling a public offense.

The renovated shophouses in Ari look pretty nice -- can't wait till the shops are all open.

The centerpiece of a table at a cafe.

Bangkok Week 160

July 21, 2011

A busy week in Bangkok -- so not so many photos!

Egg tarts from Bangkok's famous dessert chain -- Kanom.

Salad-on-pizza. I recall having something like this in Tokyo.

Hmm. Too many pizzas for two?

Bangkok Week 159

July 14, 2011

A Bangkok weekend, and a Kalimantan week.

The fancy screw drivers required to take apart a Macbook!

Surgically dissecting the computer to replace the hard drive.

A small exhibit at Paragon.

View from the hotel in Balikpapan -- right on the sea.

Ships waiting just off shore.

A view of the city of Samarinda from a bridge.

And flying back to Jakarta from Balikpapan -- you can exit straight from Garuda's lounge onto the tarmac!

Self-serve boarding. Young fleet!

Bangkok Week 158

July 7, 2011

Meet Nam Waan!

Remember this? http://bit.ly/qibAhi The mini-license plate key chain we had made with Top's store name on it.

Marouy eyes the exotic "Mini Paw Peanut Butter" cookies from Bracebridge.

Meet Nam Waan, the cutest little devil in town.

Marouy's not sure what to think about Nam Waan's getting a new bed, but his not getting one.

At least he's interested in some of the chewy snacks we found in Bangkok.

Nam Waan, and a cardboard cut-out of Marouy stuck in the shot for good measure.

She already does circus tricks!

So sweet and innocent.

Colorful spread of sweet seasonal fruit.

Still not convinced that this bed is for her.

She blends right in with the lining!

She's so vicious when she plays with Marouy. She bites down on his cheecks or jowls, and then shakes her head back and forth.

Hmm, it's not clear who's inflicting more pain on whom. Marouy's being pierced in the cheeks, and Nam Waan has no circulation to her head.

Got the little devil pinned against the leg of the table.

He's so patient with her and her antics.

His own personal stuffed chewtoy.

Got her in a lock-down.

Fierce teeth of death that only come out on full moons!

Don't I look vicious? Stand back! My teeth are longer than your whole snout!

After the storm, acting as if nothing ever happened.

Marouy's still more interested in people than Nam Waan is.

Can't we both fit in?

Okay, if I can't have your bed, at least I can eat from your generous bowl.

What? I hear food.

Not interested in reading about Labrador Retreivers.

Still hasn't quite figured out what the bed's for.

Hot sleepy dog days.

Cuter than a stuffed animal.

Mika! Pay attention to me, not that computer of yours!

Mwa ha ha ha. Now you can't do work!

Okay, apparently I missed something important.

Okay, now I have their attention.

Sleepy at the end of a long, hard day of skirmishes.

The roof of Top's store is finally going up.

It's going to dwarf "The Store".

Just like an innocent doll!

Unlike this guy, whose eyeballs are about to pop out and bouce across the store.

One last tussle for the night. Paw-in-eyeball.

Maybe the bed works better inside than at the store, huh?

Both sleep as the humans eat dinner. Note that Nam Waan is lying on Marouy's tail.

Seven home-made vegetarian dishes for dinner. Lucky us!

Sitting pretty on Sunday morning. Trying to look old enough to vote.

The pair would love to help sweep the store.

At the temple next door, voting station #7 has some bottleneck issues.

The line was about an hour on average.

Somehow, five ladies in pink were required to check-in each voter and distribute the ballots.

Reflection of the temple's entryway in one of its side windows.

Another sleepy afternoon.

Kisses for Mika. At least she doesn't chomp people cheeks.

More acrobatics for the mini-bear!

Feeling neglected.

Bangkok Week 157

June 30, 2011

Back in the big, bustling, blistering bliss of Bangkok.

His biceps are in some serious need of a protein pick-me-up -- they can barely pick up the jar.

New hand-made shirt from Chiang Mai.

Neat detailing, eh? Hand-wash only though.

Everyone gets a souvenir shirt! Almost as abstract as the ROM itself.

Toronto June 2011 - Week 1.5

June 23, 2011

The last 3 days (aww) in Toronto.

After a solid day of unpacking boxes, we start to see signs of the kitchen counter again.

Positively pooped, and taking an ice cream break out back.

The entire front porch is covered in either collapsed boxes, or boxes filled with compressed packing paper.

Seems like quite a waste.

Finally at the point where we cannot move anymore. I guess that's it for the day.

Wait, no. One more relocation to an even lower energy state.

Jeff-the-Contractor's entire trailer was filled with boxes for the dump. They didn't spare a square inch.

Squeaky the neighborhood cat came by to see what all the fuss was about.

He acts personable, until you try and rub his belly.

HIs face is bigger than mine.

Trying to peek inside the house to see how bad the mess really is.

The big human roadblock.

Special Indian dinner to celebrate a taxing day of labor. This is an entire cauliflower tandoori.

Enjoying his authentic Indian beer -- which cannot be bought in stores.

Jas, Julie and Clearley stop by the next day for a quick house inspection.

Getting sucked up by the giant UFO lamp.

When craning my neck, I am still tallest -- but barely.

Trying out her BBQ for the first time in Canada. Looks like it works!

Seating for seven -- but no more.

Sunday Father's Day gifts -- disguised in Christmas wrap.

Ooh, an NYC puzzle map. That'll be a good one!

And we're off for a morning cycle at the Leslie Street Spit. How do these clown bikes work, again?

Aha! Starting to resemble a bicycle.

Still not convinced she's gotten it all right.

Off we go, to make fools of ourselves!

Standing proud with his (two tiny) hotwheels.

A small footbridge connects two parts of the landfill strip.

Great views of the city, from out in the lake.

Too bad these acid-poop birds are destroying Toronto's foliage, one tree at a time.

Looks like the Deadwood Swamp out there or something.

Parking lot for all the sailboats of the city.

Quite scenic, and no cars (except for the city parks' maintenance truck).

Finally at the end, with a rather unceremonious little light house on a hill.

Sun's high in the sky!

Another beautiful skyline shot, on a beautiful summer Sunday.

Time for mum to try her luck on the Clownmobile.

Cotton-like flower fluff trapped at the sides of the road.

Cue the background circus music!

Why, we've again reached the end! And look, it's a lighthouse!

This time, we climb up the hill to capture the elevated view.

Ooh, look over there. It's Niagara Falls!

More Toronto skyline, sail boats and cold blue water.

Pleased that she's made it this far on those two tiny wheels.

Where did that giant pirate ship come from?

A beaver dam!

And the shot that inspired the cover of An Inconvenient Truth.

Someone shot these geese out of a machine gun.

Phew, made it back to the parking lot in two pieces.

Scrumptious spread of leftovers for Father's Day lunch.

Speaking of fathers, visiting Grandpa in his new room at the Grenadier.

Can't quite wrap his head around why his room was halved while he was away, but still in good spirits.

Woah, who brought these flowers?

Two generations of fathers.

Sorry, but this group will never exceed one generation of fathers.

And Grandma's famous view -- although I swear those condos didn't used to be there.

Warm and sunny -- so why not bake outside on the balcony?

Grandma's never seen donuts like this before -- and jumps right in!

Like mother, like son.

Seeking respite from the sun (who's bright idea was that?), resuming the "conversation" indoors.

They both seem to realize it was over there.

Aww, final morning in Toronto! Last minute trip to the bank.

Bye-bye Euclid. See you when you're a monotonic white.

We'll have to wait and see how the neighbor's construction turns out.

Will be different, for sure.

Okay, enough with the wall already.

At the famous departure-lounge Starbucks, where only sad memories are formed.

And then upgraded on my own to Toronto's Maple Leaf Club lounge.

OMG, it's an "Executive Class" seat, all for me. They serve nuts in real bowls, and juice in real glasses!

Which one's the rocket launcher?

Cheese plate and chocolate pecan tart. Oh man, what have we been missing all these years?

And each pod's seat fully reclines to become a horizontal bed. Awesome. And too bad I wasn't sleepy.

TV screen was bigger than my laptop's.

In Tokyo, the Narita lounge is nothing to complain about, either.

Great view of the runway. There goes the Vancouver flight.

And here's everything that came back, that didn't head over in the first place. Not excessive in the least!

Toronto June 2011 - Week 1

June 16, 2011

Toronto for the first 7 of 10 days!

The house decor looks quite modern and minimalist -- without the clutter that has yet to arrive!

The remote-controlled fireplace -- fancier than our TV!

Mum's colorful salad -- candy for the eyes.

Chris, Dad and Mr. P-the-Lamp have a pleasant after-dinner chat.

Mum sticks her head dangerously close to her new all-powerful super-micro-convection-conduction-induction-halogen-nuclear oven.

The remants of my poor, poor tree! We had many a good summer day together on Euclid.

Come again?

A quick pop-in at Grandma's, before the afternoon's more prominent event.

The neighbor's mini-excavator observes Euclid's parallel parking rules, too.

One of the TTC's new trains of the future -- not yet in service, though.

And Toronto's new bike share scheme -- $5 for the day, pick up and drop off anywhere.

Crowds of local Jays fans streaming toward Rogers Centre.Crowds of local Jays fans streaming toward Rogers Centre.

With a quick pit stop at a wiener place on the way.

Mmm. Fully-dressed veggie.

Finally, target in site. Jays, here we come (to get you).

We first joined the throngs of will-call ticket retreivers at Gate 9.

Our bargoon seats weren't too shabby after all!

A great elevated view from above the third base line.

Quite steep, but unobstructed! (Can't get away with such a shirt in New York.)

Unlike Fenway, this stadium doesn't seem to have a problem with selling out every game.

The two other Sox fans in our section made themselves heard.

Soxs victorious, 14-1. Not a shabby performance at all, I'd say.

View heading west, toward Spadina -- our destination!

Um, how do these old-fangled things work again?

The nearest-to-lifesized chess game I'd ever seen at a street fair on Bloor.

The (apparently) authentic Thai place on bloor sells food-to-go as part of the fair.

Dad gets the Pad Thai box-n-walk.

Have to admit, I'd never seen a street pianist before.

On Monday morning, the movers from Muskoka come to fetch the furniture destined for the cottage.

In the early afternoon, we -- and the movers-- reach the overgrown cottage.

Both opening up, and emptying out, the cottage in the same trip. I think that blind needs replacing.

Unpacking some of Granny's old dishes in their new home.

Getting rid of all this stuff -- old furniture, even older mattresses -- but at least it can be put to good use.

Out comes the fancy new cottage decor.

Wow, talk about a stylish upgrade. Doesn't look like a cottage anymore!

Ta-daa. The first cottage on McKay lake to be outfitted with Stickley furniture.

Pleased with his redecoration.

Visiting the lake, to say we did. He *claims* it was actually not bad.

Yup, the other side of the lake is still there.

Mum doesn't feel the urge to get any closer than this.

And continuing onto Chris's Christmas Tree-Free condo.

Colby still sits like a puppy.

Chris's fancy new magnifying machine. It's really neat!

Ahh, now we're seeing eye-to-eye.

The second phase of Chris's condo is nearing completion. You, too, can move in in October!

Requisite trip to the Bracebridge ice cream shop for my fave flave -- even though it's still jacket weather.

The other two cannot decide as easily, since they don't have their tried-and-true flavor.

I think she went with something about a caramel canoe in Algonquin park, or something.

Colby continues to be a spoiled dog.

Spoiled, but cute.

Lap-top crumb vacuum.

What? I'm just lying here enjoying breakfast, too.

Colby practices twisting her head 360 degrees around her neck.

The first sunny day in a long time! Let's sit outside and enjoy the view.

Chris's fancy new software (on her fancy new computer) makes everything HUGE. That's a 20" screen we're looking at.

Colby and her long-lost best friend enjoy the morning sun.

Can she read e-books now?

Did I do something wrong? I feel awfully ashamed.

Bracebridge is good and green!

Hmph. Put me down, Mika.

The sun was so lovely, she forgot whose lap she was sitting on.

Chris's computer room has inherited a new bookshelf, and been re-arranged accordingly.

Granny's new home (well, new for me, anyway).

I absolutely love the slogan. I wonder which consultants they had come up with that.

We surprise Granny in her room. Look at how the rug hooking's coming along!

Still not sure what we're doing here! But it must be cold, look at how we're dressed.

The room is lovely and bright -- in fact, the whole facility is!

The wall hanging makes the place just as familiar as any of her past condos.

Going for a walk with Colby to one of the many courtyards.

A beautiful day to be outside in the sun.

It's very green -- especially with the tree-covered hills in the background. Which you'd see if the camera had been pointed in the other direction.

Another stunning photo-framing job by dad.

The Pines even has spas for its residents!

Colby feels at home here -- even though she sticks out her tongue at it.

Granny's dining room -- reporting that she won't be there for lunch today.

Two fine gals, enjoying an exciting afternoon on the town.

Colby wishes she could look out the window, too.

Another scrumptious meal at Wabora!

And back at home, Granny tries on her new lipstick. Let's hope this one doesn't fall off the stick, too.

They have a table-top shuffle board -- entertainment enough for the new retiree.

And a private hair salon for the residents! How deluxe!

Finally! Some shoes that fit!

Too big, even for a banana split.

Dinner at one of Bloor's many middle eastern places. Not bad, not bad!

Honest Ed's, under the late evening light. Did I mention that it stays light till 9:30!?

The next day, enjoying the weather while strolling over to the ROM. And you can rent a son from that truck in the background.

These windows were randomly thrown at the house and installed wherever they landed.

So many new things you see when walking the back streets.

Toronto -- what a lovely city. (In the summer.)

Arriving at destination. In fact, can't miss it if you tried!

Mum and her hot new ride.

U of T looks like any other beautiful ivy leauge campus in the summer.

Could be Brown! Too bad classes are out at this time of year.

Attention! Truck speeding toward T-intersection!

No shortage of condos going up along here.

Sidwalk closed. Pedestrians must squeeze through this tiny gap between the signs.

Ta-daa! Her new toy!

If only they hadn't sold out 5 hours ago.

Back on Bloor, a local mini-farmers-market. With fresh strawberries ("that actually taste like strawberries," the farmer said).

And colorful heirloom tomatoes.

"Cheers!" to the clean back deck -- which is quite a pleasant and shaded place to sit on warm summer days.

Meanwhile, what the heck is going on out front?

Report spam!

And finally, the moment of truth: the last truck of stuff from NJ arrives at 765 Euclid. Will it all fit inside?

After 4 hours of unloading, the answer is barely clear.

Pooped, and with no place left to sit in the house, mum calls it a night.

There's a person back there, you know.

Saga to be continued in next week's album...

Bangkok Week 154

June 9, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 22 -- the last, for now.

My own apple-chopping factory...

The finished product -- apple crumble and vanilla ice cream.

Couldn't help it.

Bangkok Week 153

June 2, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 21

Sweet Friday night out.

Brought these guys back from Jakarta, since Bangkok's muffins simply can't compare.

Saturday night visit to the "Train Market" -- the newest, hippest night market in Bangkok.

One seller had Granny's old hockey puck.

Door stops (formerly irons), lunch containers, and grandfather clocks in the background.

Giant, colorful new parasol/ umbrella. Perfect for use in strong moonlight.

Mum, Chris, remember these?

More collections of eclectic antiques.

A family of Dad's old briefcases.

An old van converted into a hip cafe.

Antique toiletries and detergents... probably past the best-before date now.

A keychain we had made for Top's new store "Top Sound". Looks like like a real plate, no?

The market's sign (Talad Nad Rot Fai) -- Train Market.

Here's where all the vendors register and pay a small fee.

A back-of-the-truck stall selling old-fashioned soda -- the rocket carbonates the drink.

Some rims for your van?

Found the namesake train tracks -- under the dramatic night sky.

Many more sellers with a mix of old and new.

Collectible figurines -- especially lots of Snoopy's.

Need a new sink or old typewriter?

The latest in trick bicycles. Looks impossibly difficult to ride!

And the strangest hair experience yet in Thailand. (All I wanted was a trim!)

The finished product: trimmed hair, styled with some crinkles, because the hair stylists thought it would look nice.

Last team dinner together in Jakarta! Aww.

Bangkok Week 152

May 26, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 20!

On Sunday afternoon, we stumbled upon the Prime Minister, whose re-election campaign is now in full swing.

He had massive security detail, probably more people than made up the crowd itself.

One of the malls in Siam is having a duck convention.

See the resemblance?

When disguised as a strawberry, does duck become vegetetarian?

A mesorizing wall of photos at an exhibit at BACC.

A very clever piece at the BACC.

I'm sure the possibilities are endless.

This year's mural paining exhibit was along the ramps, instead of in a gallery space.

Nevertheless, the artists manage to make the most of their environment.

Some of the paintings really went over-the-edge.

Poke! Is this by my friend from last year?

Barak Obama's elementary school is right behind that yellow building. Never realized we stayed so close.

Bangkok Week 151

May 19, 2011

A weekend in Khon Kaen, Thailand's 4th largest city, for Sup and Ming's wedding. Also, Jakarta Week 18.

Our A300-600, which came into service in Dec 1990. Check out the sliding bathroom door!

Modern pink plastic paneling, and doors shut by duct tape.

This is it for Khon Kaen's airport. It has one jet bridge.

Our hotel room. Not bad for $15.80 a night.

Lunch for me and my upset stomach: a basket of Isaan sticky rice!

An overly-excited rose apple tree leaves its droppings all over the sidewalk.

And it showed no signs of stopping!

The skyline of Khon Kaen is defined by its two functioning hotels, and one abandoned hotel.

Off for an afternoon stroll with Vee, who came up by bus that same day.

The election is coming, and you can already tell that Abhisit won't fare very well in this part of the country.

Isaan's version of the X-Games... leaves a bit to be desired.

A colorful sock shop at the market on the rim of the lake.

Dinner picnics in the park, set up by the market sellers.

Release fish for merit -- 3 for 10 baht.

Instead, Vee decides to buy fish food for the guys already in the lake.

Unfortunately, there were more pigeons than fish.

Not sure what to feed, since even the pigeons seem to have plenty.

Sleepy dogs were piled up in this cool construction mound.

This bike seemed made for us! Unfortunately, we didn't go back to try it.

The fitness area of the park. Actually gets lots of use at sundown!

Just like at the gym... except you lift your own body as a weight!

Not totally sure what this contraption's for.

Again... unless there's some resistance, it's hard to imagine the benefits.

The most famous temple in Khon Kaen features a 9-story Chedi.

No shortage of golden ornamentation.

The tiling around the ground floor had all kinds of animals. Here, an elephant (and a young monk).

Ornate wooden paneling formed the doors on all 4 sides of the Chedi.

Khon Kaen, like most towns, has a night market with lots of food stalls.

We stopped for dinner at a made-to-order place.

This durian seller had a lot of happy customers! His must be especially stinky.

A! sign in our hotel! room. It's even! funny in! Thai.

The two roommates showed up for the morning session of their roommie's big day.

Finally got a chance to wear my Indian sun dress.

The various offerings that are carried and handed over during the ceremony.

Finally Sup shows up! He has to negotiate a price to pass through a series of golden chains.

Both sets of parents, some guest speakers, and the groom all sit on stage before the bride is invited up.

Captivated audience.

Then the couple pays respects to their parents.

And the rings are busted out, just like in the west.

Family shot! Both of the bride's parents are dentists. Both of Sup's parents are teachers. (His dad at the university, his mom at a local school.)

And a shot with the crazies who came all the way up from Bangkok for the morning ceremony.

The fancy garlands that will be put around the bride and groom in the second part of the morning ceremony.

Now, they're attached at the head by a string, and each person present pours water on their hands in turn.

After the morning ceremony, a trip to a famous silk shop in town. Khon Kaen and neighboring towns are famous for their silk.

Eye candy! They're all so beautiful, even if a bit too traditional for my taste.

Are the guys shopping for new suits for the evening banquet?

Would you like blue, blue, blue or blue? How about blue?

Fancy lunch at a mall food court... we got stranded there by a heavy rain storm. We didn't look out of place at all...

Now, back for the dinner banquet!

The rest of the Bangkok (Boston / Brown) gang have come up. How sociable they are!

New outfits for the evening session, where more speeches and toasts are made.

Cutting the cake, live on TV!

The Boston / Brown / Bangkok table with the happy couple. And I seem to have picked another pregnant dress. Sheesh.

Afterward, the crowds congregate outside for more photos before heading home. (Note: the Batik tie!!)

The Boston / Brown boys.

Afterward, a classy ride back to our hotel in a tuk tuk. In the rain.

The next morning, we joined the gang for a road trip up to the uber-exciting Ubon Rat dam.

That's basically it for the dam.

Nonetheless, walking across to get a closer view.

Also some rocks. It's on what seems to be one of the largest lakes in Thailand.

Stopping for a picnic lunch.

Lots of spicy Isaan dishes. TRULY SPICY.

An instructive guide inside the stall at the park's bathroom.

Temple on a hill overlooking the lake.

Slowly making progress, although it certainly didn't seem like it at the time.

Asian guys and their parasols.

Stopping half-way at a small pagoda, to see Buddha's footprint. (Note: not a bathtub)

The pagoda that houses the footprint.

And my reclining Tuesday buddha.

And then we continue on our way.

Finally at the top. And so exhausted that we can barely appreciate the view.

Directly under the mid-day sun. Buddha must be hot.

At least it affords a nice view and a breeze.

Looking out over Ubonrat Lake.

Could not replenish fast enough to make up for what was being sweated out.

Thirsty ants found something sweet to sip.

Another view of Buddha from the side, before heading back down.

In our last afternoon, we revisit the famous temple in-town -- since it's still early enough to climb to the top.

Notice the pattern in the floor tiles? Yep, it's a brontosaurus!

Ornate ceilings and wall murals -- another thing for which the temple's famous.

A colorful door panel.

Each floor gets smaller as you go up (obviously) but remains plenty colorful.

Climbing up to the 9th and final floor. Narrow stairs now!

The view from the top!

The surrounding area, south of the city-- you can see lots of housing developments in the background.

Why is this sister trying to throw her brother over the edge?

Enjoying the breeze.

Over a hundred monks must reside at this temple!

Gold, gold everywhere.

It's not a backdrop, honest!

Heading back on Sunday night: these are the 4 check-in counters at Khon Kaen airport. The flight could only board after everyone had checked in, since the THAI staff had to perform double-duties.

Bangkok Week 150

May 12, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 18

Mmm. Celebrating Friday with a random everything-inside sundae.

Look closely. Spot anything unusual on the street? Troops that blend in perfectly, perhaps?

An oasis in the middle of the city!

I bet the mosque wasn't happy when that apartment went up!

Bangkok Week 149

May 5, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 17

Lunch with a view.

Said view (a park on Suhkhumvit, near the Japanese area).

Celebrating his 3-year-workiversary on May 1st with a Cinnabon from the newly-opened Thai franchise.

And the world ends over Jakarta.

It reflects all over downtown.

On Thursday morning, a crazy rainstorm eliminated any view you might normally have from the hotel.

Bangkok Week 148

April 28, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 16

Not quite birds on a wire, but they still make a tune.

Discovering a way to speed up the defrost process: use hot water!

A crazy 2-hour monsoon rain makes the neighbor's banana trees fling their arms up in defeat.

The painting we bought in Bali!

A new regulation-sized ice rink that opened up down town. An interesting premise: cafe + ice rink. Can't wait to try it out myself!

The famous Jakarta roundabout on Monday night: green lasers shining straight into my window.

They were unveiling the mascots for the 2011 SEA Games by projecting them with lasers onto the side of the Hyatt.

Then suddenly, they blew up the roundabout!

This was stupendously poor timing -- 4 days after uncovering the biggest bomb plot in years.

Imagine the shock and surprise of all the cars circling the roundabout, just trying to get home!

3 days in Bali!

April 21, 2011

A gorgeous 3-day weekend in Bali. Also, Jakarta Week 15.

Jakarta's domestic terminal, although small, is also super-modern. It opened exactly 2 years earlier! (15 April 2009)

Free-for-all boarding on Air Asia.

As we approach Denpasar airport, Mt Agung pokes out of the clouds.

Touchdown on Bali. Blue skies, red wingtips.

The entrance to our homestay -- a typical multi-family compound that all Balinese live in.

The entrance to our room! Shut with a padlock.

The sitting area outside our room. Ornate doors!

The view from our back balcony, overlooking a small valley.

A view of the alley next to our homestay. Lots of family compounds are built wall-to-wall.

And looking north.

An ornate building in the middle of the compound -- the "deluxe suite" that's basically a house.

Their new swimming pool and yoga deck.

They also have a wood-carving door workshop on the compound.

Their big dog seemed to smile every time we passed by.

The compound's temple. The temples are always in the "north-east" corner. But to the Balinese, "north" is defined as the direction toward the mountain!

An ornate shrine inside the compound's temple.

Just outside our homestay's walls, a rice paddy!

An alley next to our homestay that leads down to the ravine.

Throughout Ubud, the locals leave offerings EVERYWHERE. In the middle of the sidewalks, on vehicles, on shrines. It's impossible not to step in them at some point.

Brick transport. I guess boxes haven't come to Bali yet.

Along Ubud's main streets, old meets new in a single building.

My, what big teeth you have.

Lots of alleys connecting little streets, with compounds coming off in all directions.

The entrance to another family compound.

A granny and her little shop.

Hand-made metal fish ornaments for sale.

The Ubud market -- caters mostly to tourists now, but some locals still shop there too.

Women still carry heavy things on their heads. This woman takes her offerings to the temple.

At Ubud's central temple, women make their afternoon offerings.

The offerings pile so high they spill over.

Did I mention there were lots of offerings?

I'm sure there's a significance to putting them on the ground in front of the entrance.

Each offering seems to have some flowers, an incense stick, a small snack, and shreds of something.

Nearby, a woman makes the offering baskets for others to buy.

The 2nd floor of the market overlooks the central part of the town.

One of the market's many stalls. Baskets!

And colorful sarongs.

An ornate golden face peeks over the walls of a family compound.

More modern shops and galleries on the ground floors of traditional (or made-to-look traditional) buildings.

Mr Grumpy? Guess he's having a bad moss day.

Local Lunch #1. Actually, the Balinese are big on fresh vegetables, tofu and tempeh, and reserve meat for special occasions. So it wasn't hard to find vegetarian food!

The dish in the foreground is fresh vegetables mixed with toasted coconut -- a local specialty.

Lots of street dogs -- but almost all have collars thanks to a well-run foundation that supports them.

The entrance to the Ubud Palace. The royal family still lives here.

Resemblance?

Visitors are not actually allowed into the part of the palace where the royal family lives.

This dog certainly thought of himself as royalty!

All the stone statues wear sarongs. I feel under-dressed.

He may be mossy, but at least he's dressed for the occasion.

Peeking inside another temple off one of the main streets.

Stand back, he's ready to swing at the pinata!

Starbucks Ubud gets into the local mood! (But not to the extent of offering local prices.)

A grand pond of lotuses leads up to this temple.

One of a few lotuses in bloom.

More ornate protectors.

It's hard to take self-portraits with the DSLR!

Crossing over the same river that passes behind our hotel. Crazy steps!

This is one of the town's most famous museums (Puri Lukisan). Apparently this excavation site used to be a beautiful garden!

A statue on the museum's property becomes one with nature.

One of the three main buildings. The museum houses Balinese art, divided into pre- and post-war eras.

Stopping for a foot-rester.

This was painted on the wall outside one of the buildings. Otherwise, photography was not allowed inside.

Just like our hotel door, they lock the museum with a padlock.

Stopping for an iced tea break. A theme was to include one free beverage with your museum entrance fee.

Parallel profiles?

More local ladies carrying heavy things!

This street dog was stopping for a drink -- in a fountain outside a craft store!

The local kids found it as funny as we did.

This woman's carrying a box of knives on her head! Good thing she's using one had for support.

A local game of football across the main road from our hotel.

Guess what's up ahead?

The main road heads downhill, toward the Monkey Forest. (We'll return there tomorrow.)

Decent slope!

Monkey Changer?

Giant statue of you-know-what outside the entrance to the Monkey Forest.

Huge lily pads (or are they lotuses?) as we continue south out of town.

After an approx 2 km walk, we arrive at our destination: the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA).

The museum was constructed as such by Agung Rai in the 50s. It's home to both traditional and modern Balinese art.

Twins!

These ladies looked chilly.

Stone, but alarmingly life-like!

The museum had beautiful, open grounds.

The stage on which they do gamelan performances.

A shrine to we're-not-sure-whom.

The main museum building has ornate doorways that border on creepy.

Inside, two stories of traditional Balinese paintings. A few legends are common themes across the paintings.

The museum cafe, at which we (again) were allowed a complimentary drink.

Enjoying his iced tea in a serene setting, as the sun set for the day.

Photos in the rice paddies.

If you hadn't guessed yet, we were using two cameras!

The rice was wet -- evening dew, or a recent rain?

The cafe owner -- and guy who took this photo -- turned out to be Thai! He came to Bali a few months ago to open up a restaurant.

More photogenic rice.

A street dog finds comfort in the doorway of a convenience store. A theme?

All the traditional buildings look nice at night under spotlights.

Our room had a big ol' mosquito net. And lots of natural light to wake you, since there was no curtain over the glass doors to the balcony!

Breakfast, included in the room rate: Australian-style pancakes and fresh fruit.

Off on our bike tour! We stop, on our drive up the mountain, to see the photogenic terraced rice paddies.

The beautiful rice paddies that surely feature on travel brochures for Bali.

It's young rice -- still very green.

They use terraced paddies to conserve (and re-use) water.

Finally, we reach our highest destination! Unfortunately, the weather wasn't too agreeable.

We're supposed to have a clear view of Mt Agung and Lake Batur. Oh well...

The locals said the fog was going to lift around 2pm. We didn't have time to wait around.

Oh well! You can imagine it's beautiful on a clear day!

The fog does make for some neat shots, though.

Spider caught some morning dew!

Still haven't gotten on the bikes -- the tour takes us first to a mini-plantation, which has examples of various Balinese crops. Here, cocoa pods!

Our guide shows us a coffee bean that he's just plucked off the tree.

This is one of the civets that help make Kopi Luwak (aka civet coffee). These guys sniff out the best beans, and then "process" them one time before roasting.

Here, the guide points out the difference between "male" and "female" coffee beans. (It's the shape.)

And a local demonstrates how they roast the beans by hand in a special pan that maintains a given temperature.

Roasted beans!

A healthy papaya tree. I guess we have plenty of these in Thailand, too.

Before we leave, they let us taste-test 6 drinks: 3 types of coffee, a cocoa, and 2 teas.

Daintily enjoying his sip!

A local brand of matches. Could be smelly when lit!

The guide shows us a yellow cocoa pod -- the individual beans are purple when ripe.

Photogenic fountain on-site.

There was also a fruit-tasting. This was the only novel one to us. It's like a bitter tomato.

Looks just like a tomato from the outside! But the skin is much thicker.

A fruitful offering at the plantation.

Big dew drops on a huge leaf.

And we're off on our bikes! Down-hill, most of the way. We were a group of 10.

There were 2 from New Zealand, 2 from Switzerland, 4 from Germany. We represented Asia.

First stop -- a traditional family compound in the countryside. Here, a woman splits bamboo to make weavings that will be the ceilings in homes.

The compound was home to 5 families, and this dog who liked to perform in front of his audience.

One of the kitchens in the compound.

The start of a weaving they make with the bamboo strips.

The dog followed us, and started to play in the weaving as we stood around it.

You can see all the small buildings inside the compound. Each compound is 200 square meters exactly.

Pooped, after putting on a show for us.

A collection of cocoa pods, some a little riper than others.

A giant spiderweb shimmers in the mid-day sunlight.

The family chickens.

Back on the road -- passing school boys who are done their 1/2 day Saturday.

Next stop: a rice paddy where the locals are harvesting the rice.

Freshly-cut!

The rice is ready to be cut and removed from the stalk.

We jumped right in with the women -- interrupting their rhythm for sure.

They remove the rice by whacking bunches against this board. The grains collect at the bottom.

We were pretty pitiful by comparison!

The "emptied" rice stalks are carted off for some other use.

Action shot!

I think they're used to a tour group stopping by daily. I hope we don't disrupt their production too much!

Rice (still in the husk) and some stray stalk strands.

Not sure what this tossing does. It must be to get rid of something!

And back on our bikes we go!

More terraced paddies. Looks like a giant knife just swept over them in one fell swoop.

Here, sorting the rice -- still not de-husked. But they have machines to do that.

Scary, indeed!

Shocked by all the bicycles? Luckily, she didn't drop anything.

This kid hams it up for the camera.

They like to dry out the rice in the middle of the streets. Bad, when you're trying to drive along the streets!

A few obstacles: potholes and a motorcycle with a wide load.

Hello, she says.

The locals sit outside and say "hello!" as we pass. I guess this is a daily occurrence for them!

When she saw the camera, she stood bolt straight!

Lots of kids stand on the street to wave or get high-fives.

High five!

A friendly gesture, I hope.

More scenic rice.

Next stop: a HUGE tree that's rumored to be over 500 years old.

You could stand inside it and look up. Way too tall to capture in a single photo.

Looking up the tree from the inside.

It was like it had long, straight hair. They cut the dangly roots before they touch the ground.

Back on the road, and through the fields.

Stopping again -- to see what this time?

Slow driving as we navigate the rice in the road.

Spot the duckies?

Looking pretty empty back there!

Once we're down, the tour provides a late lunch overlooking -- that's right -- more rice paddies.

A vegetarian feast!

Tempeh (a local fave) and veggie rolls with the infamous peanut sauce.

Hope he didn't drop something.

Back in Ubud, a trip to the Monkey Forest.

As advertised, lots of monkeys!

They look cute and innocent, but they love to steal sunglasses and digicams.

This bug-eyed baby knows where the good food is.

Show some manners!

Food coma!

The local trainers ("monkey experts", they were called in the brochure) really are the monkeys' buddies.

In the temple at the heart of the forest -- where everyone must wear a sarong.

They try hard to keep the jungle outside the temple's confines.

Ornate enough?

Doing what monkeys do best!

Oooh, that feels good.

Have some decency, guy on the right!

Stream flowing deep through the jungle.

Picturesque bridge, swamped by another giant tree.

This was once the bathing pool.

Surprisingly moss-free!

Back on the street, some colorful local paintings were nice candy for the eye.

Afternoon coconut delivery!

Back at the hotel, suddenly the volcano was visible!

Hello down there!

Local crafts that I thought looked just like the Mexican ones!

Dramatically lit at night.

Attending a traditional Balinese dance. They're performed at night, with a full gamelan ensemble.

The band looked like they were enjoying themselves all night.

When they're playing these instruments, the men look like machines! You hammer maniacally with one hand, and use the other to dampen the vibrations.

The first dance of many. There were many different styles. Even their eye movements are choreographed!

This dance supposedly depicted a warrior, afraid to go to battle.

This guy played music as part of his performance.

These 3 were kids! The 2 in green looked like twins.

Scary face!

In a more humorous piece, a mythical creature was introduced.

And then a modern-day creature joined the fun.

And then, suddenly, I was part of the show!

More creatures.

After the show, a late (but tasty) dinner at what must be the slowest restaurant in Ubud.

Breakfast the next morning. (Can wear that red shirt cuz he's not in Thailand.)

I got a "jaffle" -- the Australian word for a sandwich-maker sandwich.

Heading out for a morning walk, following a route suggested by Lonely Planet.

Apparently local bikers know of this route, too.

It led us up through hills of elephant grass.

Not at the top yet!

Finally, getting there, and looking back at the valley from which we came.

We're not the only ones out taking photos in the morning sun.

Drying the grass. They use it to make roofs (among other things).

360 degrees of beautiful views.

Still signs of a morning dew.

Another awkward group shot, thanks to the DSLR.

The path was perched beautifully up above two valleys.

Another local cuts fresh grass and lays it down to dry.

Collecting yesterday's cuttings.

In the distance, more terraced rice paddies.

To the west, lots of new villas and resorts going up.

More local ladies, this time carrying construction materials to a posh new house that's going up.

He couldn't have picked a more conspicuous place to lie.

Why, it's more rice paddies.

Then we stumbled on a little village, also perched high on the hills.

We found an artist whose family has been painting in Ubud for generations. (I guess they get French tourists.)

We decided to get a painting from him. It's similar to the abstract ladies hanging left of the doorway.

Wrapping up the canvas for safe transport. He said there are lots of new resorts going up, which is good for tourism, but bad for the rice industry.

He also does egg painting.

More rice paddies. Will these soon be gone?

Anybody lose their rooster?

Another village a few kilometers later, and more rice in the street.

More lotuses. (Lotii?)

Back in town, our last Ubud lunch at another small shop house.

The decor here was quite homey!

The one on the left is a jack fruit curry. Delish!

Strolling once more through the market -- doing a final pass for souvenirs.

Feel like you're being watched?

More abstract paintings. Similar to, but not as nice as, the one we bought!

More stares!

Mini jack fruit! Look at the size relative to the cukes in the upper right.

Another interesting take on the traditional woman.

As we were walking home, we passed a ceremony underway.

For the afternoon of our last day, we hired a driver to take us around the southern parts of Bali.

First stop: Sanur Beach, which faces east. It's known as one of the quieter beaches in Bali.

These fishing boats have some personalities.

Loungers in front of the Bali Hyatt's property. Too sunny for me!

Quite windy right at the water, which helps to cool off a bit.

The water is *extremely* shallow at this part of Bali, thanks to some reefs way out there.

Spider boat!

Fishermen stand in the clear water, trying to catch... not sure what!

The funny spider boats were anchored down and scattered along the shoreline.

There were also lots of these slimy ocean weeds! Extra evident in the low tide.

It was refreshing to walk along the water, although this beach also has a paved pedestrian path at the top.

Interesting patterns in the sand.

Near the entrance to the beach, the boats are much denser. You can see how clear the water is.

Spider boats, row boats and motor boats all park together.

Our van for the afternoon.

Next stop: the cliffs of Uluwatu, the southernmost point of Bali.

To access the view, you have to enter a temple. Hence, the Swedish sarong.

Very beautiful, but the sun couldn't have been hotter!

How picturesque! I imagine the view from below is just as nice.

Another awkward group shot!

See the slice of rock at the bottom of the photo?

There's a walkway along the cliff that allows you to walk to that part that juts out.

A view looking back, with the temple at the edge. (Doesn't the cliff look like a face?)

The temple was filled with aggressive monkeys. This guy was extremely defensive about his chips!

Final stop: Jimbaran beach (which faces West), famous for its seafood dinners overlooking the sunset.

It's also quite close to the airport, so you can see all the planes queuing up to land.

Later in the afternoon, this beach seems to be a popular soccer spot for the locals.

How many people were playing at one time?

Stopping for a rest.

Sun's heading down for the night.

Local kids seem to like to dig big pools for themselves, and then lie in them.

She wonders why hers isn't so big.

The sunset was, as you can imagine, extremely picturesque.

The waterfront tables are all filled up! Shadows are long.

Busloads of tourists (mostly Chinese) were dropped off here to photograph the sunset and eat seafood.

See what I mean?

I guess we were one of them!

These restaurants must do great business!

How pretty.

People are still swimming as the sun itself dips into the water.

Nice sky.

See the streaks in the sky?

Finally we give in, and join the hoards for dinner. No seafood for us, though!

Hmm. What did we order?

Good night and good-bye, Bali! Off to the airport now.

Bangkok Week 146

April 14, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 14

At the famed Krispy Kreme, royal donuts designed by the Princess. B55 each, though! That's $1.80!

Of course. Then we stumbled upon the Thailand Egg Festival.

Can you guess what was inside?

"Hong Kong" egg tarts - a popular dessert. Among other eggy things!

Back in Jakarta -- a new view of the roundabout. My Mandarin Oriental taunts me. It's only 180 degrees away!

The poolside, which I've never ventured down to myself.

The "jockeys" that come out during rush hour, when at least 3 people are required per car!

Mothers with young kids are "worth" more, because they count as 2 people.

At the big mall across the street, a giant sculpture exhibit was on display throughout.

If only the traffic *really* moved around the round-about this quickly!

Dinner at an "authentic" Indonesian place... in the mall.

Excited by the novel experience.

Bangkok Week 145

April 7, 2011

Alias: Jakarta Week 13

All these mangoes from the healthy tree outside.

Too hot for this hotdog.

Time to pick more ripe mangoes!

The first few.

Another handful.

The hi-tech bamboo tool used to pluck them from so high up.

The final loot! One bucket'a'mangoes.

Tropical greens.

Tropical thorns.

Uh oh. What to do with all these mangoes now?

Looking at photos from our last visit.

Uh oh, it's bedtime for someone.

Photos are booooooring!

What a productive tree!

8 new home-made dishes for dinner.

Someone can't even stay up long enough for a shower.

Sunset over Jakarta.

Bring back memories?

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