Toronto in the fall!

October 15, 2016

Lucky enough to have 3 days in Toronto on my "way back" to Bangkok.

Sunlight reflecting off the green leaves outside. Something we don't see in December!

Crackers and cheese for lunch. I must've arrived at Euclid!

Green trees, blue sky. What a treat!

Hello up there, in the third floor window!

The green view from Grandma's window.

"It develops right away?" And other forays into selfies.

A $55 ice cream cake to celebrate the Blue Jays' spot in the playoffs!

Enjoying their BR together.

Making sure all the appointments are in order.

Our plant is everywhere! Including engaging in questionable relations with a scarecrow.

Blue skies over downtown Toronto!

Mum's super-excited by the new store in town!

The MARS building is looking great under the fall light.

I'm not the only one stopping to photograph the red trees!

Edward VII and his horse are enjoying the fall weather, too.

A nice mix of greens, yellows...

... and reds.

I'd say that's a fairly odd mural.

Which apples shall we pick? Let's go for the mushiest ones.

Mauray on a garage door!

Didn't know cabbage belongs in a vase.

Freshly baked mac & cheese. What could be better?

This key lime cheesecake by Erika!

Blue sky is still here the next morning, for our drive to Bracebridge.

Ominous clouds?

Great colors along the entire drive north!

Great view.

Like straight out of a painting. Except for the jersey barrier in the foreground.

Stopping in Gravenhurst for donuts "for Granny".

I can see why they make this a regular stop along the drive!

Earless Colby doesn't seem so thrilled to see me!

"Help!"

What a picturesque view from Chris's balcony!

It should stay like this year-round.

And Colby gets stepped on yet again.

Donuts for all!

Could've guessed we'd end up here for lunch!

Granny was in a good mood, and very pleased for the donut!

And she found this pumpkin particularly heavy.

What a hoot!

A slightly more poised photo.

A nice portrait of Granny, her daughter, and son-in-law.

Blue skies on the way to the cottage.

Wow, you can't make up these colors!

Like straight out of a painting.

The small lakes are particularly picturesque, with trees in the foreground and background.

Happy little trees.

The other small lake.

Colors galore.

Here's the cottage! Looks like there aren't any leaves left *on* the trees!

The "new" dock, and McKay Lake's colors.

Despite the colors being in the shadow, the clouds are still impressive.

Looking left.

Nah, still lots of leaves left *on* the trees!

Here's what's left of the tree that fell.

Mr. Mulcher is doing his duty.

It's our chubby friend, Mr. Chippy!

Not sure what to do with this chestnut!

The sunflower seeds are much more interesting.

Stuffing your cheeks is always flattering.

Back for another round - straight from the hand who feeds him.

Can't say he's a shy chippy!

More seeds!

"You lookin' at me?"

"Nom-nom-nom."

"Um, I'm getting kinda stuffed, here."

"So. Many. Seeds."

"I think I'm stuck."

Tea-and-donut time back at Chris's.

No trip to Toronto is complete without a hearty dinner in Chinatown!

The next morning, a refreshing trip out to the Islands.

I guess I've gotten lucky with the weather this trip!

Hello, Asia.

The great, ever-evolving Toronto skyline.

Trees are changing on the island, too.

A very nicely designed modern house overlooking the mainland.

The beach on Ward's Island.

Water's too cool to swim today!

Wow, it's sunglass weather!

The beautiful boardwalk along the south-eastern edge of the island.

Mum photographed ever berry on the island.

These palm trees were lying down to hibernate for the winter.

Canada geese, having one last conference before heading out for the winter.

Catching up with my buddy, Franklin. It had been a while.

Mum wanted to see what Bear was up to.

Dad and Otter, just hanging out and stretching their hamstrings together.

Nice reflection of the CN Tower in the still waters of Long Pond.

Then we found a pig! Pinky was her name.

The cow came over to see how Pinky made it to the other side of the fence.

Pinky was awfully dusty. And bristly.

Lounging with my new friends on a Muskoka chair I've yet to grow into.

Enjoying the artwork overhead, over lunch.

The Queen City Yacht Club.

For now, the CN Tower is still visible through the skyline!

The sun sets (after 6:30pm!) over Bloor Street.

Ah ,yes, now my visit to Toronto is complete.

Happy to see me go!

Umm...

One sad, one happy. See you in fewer than 2 months!

I'm seen off by a beautiful sunrise over Toronto and Lake Ontario!

Chicago-Philly-Boston!

October 11, 2016

A whirlwind 6-day tour of Chicago, Philly, and Boston -- 5 of those days for work.

ANA not only gives slippers, but also a shoe horn (and a pouch for the slippers). How Japanese!

Sunrise over the farmlands outside of Bangkok.

The business class of ANA's 777-200 is, well, a bit dated.

The approach to Narita - Japanese farmland looks different than Thai farmland!

In the lounge: hope you weren't in a hurry to print!

The comfy cabin of ANA's 777-300: buckle in for the 11.5-hr flight to Chicago!

Amazing presentation. Looks like an Indian food court meal.

Hello, Chicago!

The Peninsula Chicago: far and away the best hotel I've ever stayed at! Unrivaled attention to detail.

A few hours of daylight left - let's explore Chicago!

The Wrigley Building, completed in 1924.

Looking down the Chicago River, Trump Hotel on the right.

Looking back across the river, Wrigley Building still looking great.

How picturesque!

Found the giant bean! Turns out it's actually called Cloud Gate.

It's been there for 10 years now!

The bean, by Anish Kapoor, is made up of 168 highly polished stainless steel plates welded together, so there are no visible seams. So cool!

Up close, it ain't so blemish-free.

Looking back at the skyline from Grant Park.

A very cool playground in Grant Park.

Lake Michigan!

And the boats of the Chicago Yacht Club.

Canada geese enjoying the sunset. No need to migrate!

Long shadows of patient tourists waiting to cross Lake Shore Drive. (Do all cities-on-great-lakes have one?)

Buckingham Fountain - which was cordoned off, in preparation for the Chicago Marathon.

Looking north, over the tracks.

Chicago feels like a clean NYC!

The L!

The L is fascinating! Too bad I didn't ride it.

Stumbled upon the Chicago Theater, open since 1921.

What a picturesque marquee!

The city looks great at night, too!

Marina Towers: two truly peculiar buildings - where cars park on the edge!

The city is really well-lit at night! Highlights the grand old buildings.

Returned to the hotel to find that the housekeeper had tied up my headphones.

BCG Chicago: a beautiful office in the clouds.

My office for the day - can't complain!

Overlooking the fork in the river.

The office's swanky new snack area.

Evening rush hour!

Reunion dinner with (former) BCGers now at Kellogg.

The dinner was a bit too late in the evening for some of us who'd just flown in, though.

Nicer weather the next day!

Chicago: flat as a pancake.

Nope, still can't beat the jet lag!

Chicago's famous deep-dish! The only drawback: it takes an hour to prepare!

Good morning from the city of brotherly love! This is Logan Square, perhaps better renamed Logan Circle.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul.

Thank you, team, for remembering!

What are the odds? 2 birthdays among our team of 5, during this 5-day trip.

A quick visit to Logan Square before dashing off.

Looking down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The grainy cathedral.

We made it! End of Day 5 in Boston!

Time for some refreshing exploration of Boston!

Blue skies over the financial district.

The massive Rowes Wharf.

More perfect fall weather!

The backside of the aquarium.

Someone at the Parks Department has a sense of humor.

The wharf in front of the aquarium.

View from the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park.

Blue but chilly!

Not quite fall foliage season here yet.

Quincy Market not quite open yet.

A few shops in Faneuil Hall were open...

... like this souvenir shop selling tribute shirts for Big Papi...

... and this cafe, which sells muffin tops!!

A narrow escape.

Exchange Place, the home of our Boston office.

These lucky ducks have a pretty nice view!

Overlooking the North End and East Boston.

The Paramount Theater is looking pretty good since its reopening in 2010.

A bit more fall foliage in Boston Common.

Great day to be out with the family!

Beautiful colors!

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

And a carousel - I don't remember this having always been here!

Plenty of roses in bloom at Boston Public Garden.

The garden is as beautiful as ever!

Make way for ducklings!

More picturesque park.

All the squirrels were out, preparing their steals for winter.

George Washington - who also just made an appearance on The Simpsons.

No swan boats at this time of year.

The willows are weeping at the prospect of winter.

That same writer at the Parks Department is at it again.

State House.

Park Street Church.

And a final view of downtown Boston, because...

... we're off to Cambridge!

The eyesore of a new building on MIT's campus.

The good ol' Metropolitan storage building, which apparently closed last year!

Things still look the same!

MIT is celebrating 100 years in this location this year!

Looking along Mem Drive.

Famous shot.

Half way to hell, indeed.

Had never noticed this plaque at the start of the Harvard Bridge before.

This local was sunning himself on the docks of the Charles River.

Looks pretty content with his back to the view.

Hello over there, MIT.

Trying not to block MIT with my head.

Panorama from the Harvard Bridge.

Recognizable view!

What a perfectly clear day for a visit!

This was the best I could do. Seriously have to work on my selfie skillz.

The Green Building is still not green.

Bunny spotting!

Two new food trucks!

Have they renamed Kendall Square?

The Stata Center is still holding up.

Acorns galore!

No wonder the squirrels are so happy!

Athena terminals still exist! I wonder if students still use them though!

Infinite Corridor looks the same.

As does Lobby 10.

Pano of 77 Mass Ave, with banners highlighting key events of the past 100 years.

100 years at 77.

Down in Pappalardo, some evidence that I left at a good time. Like these customized chocolates.

And these customized beaver hard hats.

Woody with Boon - a photo we took in 2006!

With Steve - truly a trooper!

With Santa -- I mean David.

Hey, I'm still on the wall, 9 years later!

Central Square still looks the same.

The hardware store is still there.

Halloween must be coming!

Here's our City Hall!

The moon rises over Central Square.

Rodney's Bookstore.

Pumpkins and boxes.

Hmm. Cross-cultural bagels.

Really scary kiwis!

Bye-bye, Boston! It's been fun! Onward and northward!

Bangkok Week 432

October 4, 2016

The rest of Chiang Mai, and J week back in Bangkok.

Lovely view of Doi Suthep to start the day.

And finish off the morning with Mickey Mouse pancakes.

My costume for that evening's affairs.

Complete with 80s hair.

80s aerobics: mission complete.

Some translation confusion at Chiang Mai airport. Does everything translate to "Caution"?

Farewell, Chiang Mai and Doi Suthep.

Hello Bangkok, Wat Dharmmakaya, and what I surmise is a failed housing development.

No shortage of housing developments here.

It's our favourite J-food at HK Noodle!

The best annual tradition.

Red pork buns! Yum!

Back in Ari, the vendors are vegetarian!

And so are the soup sellers in MBK.

What a treat.

Even the Thai Airways lounge has a dedicated J section.

Extra veg in the food court opposite my office.

Look appetising?

Our final dinner: seasonal veg food at an Isaan place.

Colourful and meat-free!

Bangkok Week 431

September 29, 2016

Singapore, Bangkok, and closing out the week in Chiang Mai for our annual offsite. To be continued next week...

A very picturesque sunrise over Singapore.

Spotted a fox getting off the BTS.

These socks make you sensitive and refined!

Hello, Chiang Mai! The weather is considerably more clear than when we were here in March!

Sun set over Doi Suthep.

Fancy Thai dinner with my team, to celebrate the end of the project.

My team!

A wonderful performance by ladies from all 5 offices.

And the BCG house band, Elevator Pitch.

Lots of Bangkok folk in the band.

A break-out performance for many.

My team again. Looks like I forgot to dress the part.

Bangkok Week 430

September 22, 2016

In Bangkok... for dinners!

We made tom yum soup from scratch!

The tiniest bottle of tabasco sauce. Too cute to use!

Fried eggs or pancakes?

Taking the most direct route back to Bangkok.

Home for dinner on a Wednesday!

What kind of moth is this??

Disco taxi!

Bangkok Week 429

September 15, 2016

Three cities; Bangkok takes the cake for its expensive fruit!

The view of Marina Bay is getting more and more difficult to see with each visit to Singapore.

Somehow, on an otherwise crowded flight back to Bangkok, I have the whole first row to myself.

Crowds make it impossible to take the airport link!

Let the teabag rest for 30 seconds. It deserves a break.

Peaches, for THB 669 (USD 19) a kilo!

But wait, there's more. Apricots for USD 30/kilo!

The brand new Westin in Jakarta - open for less than 2 weeks.

A brand new view from my window.

And a view of a shopping mall, sports complex, university, and more.

A Jakarta you never knew existed.

Bangkok Week 428

September 8, 2016

The rainy season hasn't completely ended yet, but we can still make our way around town.

There's a big downpour not far from our office.

Off in the other direction, as well.

Went to visit Baby Kin -- younger brother of Ken -- on Saturday.

Stopping for some mint ice cream on a stick on the way back from the hospital.

A tall stack for dinner!

Interesting pricing strategy for the ice at MBK.

Lots of home-made food on Sunday night!

Cheap take-out dinner for one in Singapore.

Bangkok Week 427

September 1, 2016

A weekend in Trat with our favorite band of hooligans.

Passing a caravan of tanks on our way to Trat.

And a gang of four water buffalo going on a field trip.

Enjoying a vegetarian feast upon arriving.

Maruay, just hanging out with the men.

I found me a cat!

Namtan is up to no good!

Posing nicely with big brother Maruay.

Namtan thinks he can take on Maruay.

Maruay gets an eyeful.

New eye cover for our car, courtesy of Chula.

The Laem Ngop lighthouse - haven't been here since 2009.

Wefie with the sea and Koh Chang.

Someone snuck up on me while I was working.

I wonder who's under there?

Playing with the mat.

Looking cute and innocent.

Maruay gets another eyeful.

Maruay gets yet another eyeful!

The next morning, the monks are here!

Maruay looks distressed by all the commotion.

And Top has a brand new new sign!

The sign gets its blessing.

Applying the gold.

What a production!

Just hanging out.

A dessert tray. Not sure if there's enough.

Getting ready for lunch!

Lunchtime already!

Time to catch some coins.

Namtan is exhausted.

Uzbekistan Airways, spotted!

Bangkok Week 426

August 25, 2016

Just another week: Purple Line to Auckland to Singapore to Jakarta to Bangkok.

A woman whose hair is as colorfully ugly as her dress.

We're off to try the brand new Purple Line! Shall we go by bus or steam engine?

The Purple Line & Blue Line station at Tao Poon.

Perpendicular to the Purple Line, the blue line is almost done too!

Nice open platform.

Here's the Purple Line. No mistaking it; it's branded as such.

Nice and spacious inside. A little too few passengers though?

The line starts getting a bit rural.

Enjoying the view.

A highway out in Nontaburi.

Almost in farmland!

They seem to be operating 4-5 trains on the line.

Enjoying the ride!

High rises off in the distance.

Back at the starting line, the new line overhead.

Trying on some shorts in a very public area at Decathalon.

Off to Auckland. It's just as far as London!

Here we are! That was quick.

Traveler stats on display at the Auckland Airport.

Arrivals hall; I never did find out why there's a giant plane hanging from the ceiling!

Stopping quickly for a view from the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Said view from the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

An even wider view.

A view of downtown Auckland from the Port.

Ports of Auckland!

Looking east - beautiful day!

The Auckland Ferry Terminal - which looks suspiciously like the Flinders Street Railway Station in Melbourne (http://bit.ly/2c3QxVo).

More downtown Auckland.

Beautiful blue sky reflecting in one of the two "tall" buildings.

Proof I was there!

It's gonna be a long journey back to SEA.

A hand washer and dryer, all in one!

Philippines, Air Asia X, and Air New Zealand - this can only be one tiny Kiwi airport.

One of these is my flight to Melbourne!

Saying farewell to Melbourne for the last time - for real this time!

Settling in for a comfy 7-hour flight on SQ.

Very cubic!

The chair back folds down to reveal an entire bed!

Finally back on solid ground in Bangkok!

Bangkok Week 425

August 18, 2016

From Singapore to Bangkok to Jakarta and back!

Too bad I forgot my Ethernet cable. No internet on this flight!

I have to say, Air India has done a great job making a new plane look old.

In home in time for Friday night Korean ramen!

A spicy fried rice with salted egg post-gym on Saturday. Yum!

Setting up for our annual photo shoot.

Does this prove to Immigration that we're still a legitimate married couple?

If that photo didn't, this one sure will.

Home-made Sunday night dinner - can't beat that.

Freebies at the airport on Monday morning, thanks to Citibank.

The traffic in Jakarta hasn't changed.

The hotel, however, has changed its approach to cereal. Can't say this makes much sense.

Uh oh! The Thursday night flight back to Bangkok is looking worryingly empty!

Bangkok Week 424

August 11, 2016

Storms a'brewin!

This wholesome meal is what you get for breakfast if you order Indian Veg on Thai.

Hot dog fried rice at a "Thai and Vegetarian" restaurant in Siam Square.

Spoons are never flattering.

Enjoying my cashew fried rice!

Checking out the renovated town houses in the old part of the city.

There are 9 units in all; he's done one so far.

Almost-overdone grilled cheese for Sunday night dinner.

All the veggie options at the seller across from my office.

Storm's a'brewin' in all directions over Bangkok!

It's already raining in Siam Square!

A very cool new feature on Google Translate.

Singapore in cardboard! At the luggage carousel.

Now THAT's what I call an entry stamp!

Bangkok Week 423

August 4, 2016

Maruay and Namwan get a new sibling!

Dinner at Charcoal - where every customer gets a bib!

An unlucky pickup truck capsizes on the way to Trat.

Nothing healthier than a brekkie of Dunkin!

How high can they pile?

Newest member of the family! Little Namtan the cat!

Sleeping with the baby.

Up-close-and-personal with a giant bee.

Maruay's not sure what to do with the little one. Eat him?

Namtan's not scared of the giant dog.

Namtan probably thinks he IS a dog.

One day, he thinks, I'll grow up to be the size of Maruay.

The bite is fiercer than the bark, in this case.

Everyone wants a ping pong ball! (The dogs don't realise it's not food.)

Namtan is surprisingly personable!

Very, very personable.

The man and his durian. Do not disturb.

The two original pigs.

Riding his older brother.

"I can take you on, Maruay!"

He's got him cornered!

Yum yum, it's my favourite time of day.

The next morning, Maruay laughs at the little ones around him.

The most ergonomic way to sit in the doorway.

Munch munch munch.

"What's that?"

"Excuse me, Namtan. I see you. And feel you."

A final farewell to Sydney. My heart stays, my baggage returns to Bangkok.

Ari, and Tum Load, were mentioned in the Qantas in-flight mag!

Celebrating the end of Australia at a neighbourhood fave!

Bangkok Week 422

July 29, 2016

Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Singapore... all in one week :|

Michael and Naomi - featured on Qantas's fix-my-home reality show - they look a lot younger here.

Back in Bangkok - time for a new pin!

Just in time for Tumn's wedding.

Struggling to stay awake!

A reunion of the high school classmates - 19 years later.

The reception.

And the first dance.

Meanwhile, at the gym, you can take a dance class with Master Ham!!

The egg is going up in Ari!

Back in Sydney - one last winter view.

And off from Melbourne to Bangkok.

Lunch in Bangkok on Wednesday at Front Page, which has recently re-opened.

A decent offering of veggie foods.

Thai dancers get overlooked by outbound passengers who have just cleared the long immigration queues.

Hello, Singapore! Hello Marina Bay Sands.

View from the convention centre.

Inside the famed 2561-room hotel and casino.

Looking east toward the Singapore Flyer, and ultimately Changi.

View from my window, looking south-east over Gardens by the Bay.

The famous infinity pool overlooking the CBD from the 57th floor.

The pool is set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform. (What a claim!)

A relaxing view.

Too bad I forgot my bathing suit!

The Singaporeans were jealous of the fly-ins; only hotel guests have access to the pool.

Don't look down!

A final week in Sydney

July 21, 2016

A final farewell to the capital of the land down under.

A Sheraton warm welcome to Sydney.

Sydney was hosting a Bastille Day fair at Circular Quay.

For some reason, there was a Canadian Village within. Maybe for Quebec?

We hopped on the 11:00 ferry to Manly - with great views of the Sydney Harbour along the way.

A new view of the Opera House.

Straight on from the side.

From this angle, you can clearly see the two sets of shells.

Opera House and CBD in the background.

A unique -- and relatively compact -- CBD skyline.

It's a nice day for a Saturday sail.

Lots of boaters out to enjoy the (relatively sunny) winter day.

More views of the harbour.

A boat parks at a lighthouse to take stock.

A sandwich of sea, cloud, and Sydney Harbour National Park.

The Hornby Lighthouse on South Head. Operating since 1858, it is the third oldest lighthouse in NSW.

The cliff of Sydney Harbour National Park.

Arriving at Manly Wharf, where the locals like their yachts!

A colourful sailing lesson is taking place in the harbour.

We've reached our destination, 9.5 km from where we started in Circular Quay.

Free chips for all! What a promotion.

Walking long the Wentworth Street promenade toward the beach.

Famous Manly Beach, with its winter population density.

Winter wefie on the beach.

Looking North, toward Queenscliff Head.

An artist paints his interpretation of the surroundings.

Props to these surfers for their year-round dedication to their sport.

Catching the waves.

This grumpy seagull got up on the wrong side of the nest.

Layers of waves.

Calling it a morning.

These waves wait for no one.

Meanwhile, back on the harbour side, the colourful boats are still out making a statement.

The marine-life rehabilitation facility.

One of the half-hourly ferries coming in from Circular Quay.

Coffee from a Thai-run cafe.

And we're off on a 10-km segment of the Manly Scenic Walkway.

Sailboats and cliffs.

More Sydney Harbour.

One of many public pools built into the open that we've seen along Sydney's waterfronts.

This bird dries himself off in the sun.

No shortage of yachts in this town!

Walking on water! I have to learn from this man.

We found the local dog hang-out. See the one rolling around in the sand?

No trip to the harbour is complete without playing in the water.

Crystal clear water, at that.

More boats.

Korean grannies stop mid-walk for lunch.

More colourful sails.

Synchronized swimming for one?

Happy Thanksgiving in July!

More harbour view.

The photographer in action.

The output!

About to scale a decent hill inside the national park.

Great view from half-way up.

More great views.

We stumbled upon a soccer match, in the middle of the national park. Hmm.

More great harbour views.

Hidden houses at the base of the cliff.

I think I'd live here.

Spotting the city skyline, not too far away now!

A bird nibbles on those funny brush-shaped cones.

Posing nicely.

Doesn't this look like an inflatable tree?

Kids in a dinghy. Should someone rescue them?

A diligent guard dog was watching the passers-by on the hiking path.

A man and his lab getting some exercise in the sea.

Finally. Some respite for Fido.

Why not also do some windsurfing?

More white trees.

This one in the foreground looks like a tug boat.

Our friend, the Pelican.

He swam in circles around the fishing boat until they threw him some fish!

Another blue beauty.

Back in the city, and up in Glebe for some late lunch.

Landsdown Hotel has seen better days.

A burger at an all-vegetarian cafe.

The next morning already! We're here to pick up our tickets for tonight!

One more ferry trip - this time to Parramatta.

Another misty morning! Will the sun come out?

Any crazy bridge climbers?

Our front-row seats in the nose of the ferry.

Under the bridge!

Cold, and suffering from wind-shuffled hair.

Seagulls welcoming us to Cockatoo Island.

"Stay away from our island, tourists!"

More sailors further inland.

Passing under the A40.

Passing a fellow ferry, coming back toward the city.

And a water taxi.

Two daredevil kayakers dare to go out in these busy waters.

Waterside garage.

A working boat outside the Sydney Rowing Club.

What's this Chilean airplane doing here? Turns out they operate routes between Sydney and Auckland.

A posh country club on the water.

These two boys were narrating the entire ferry ride very audibly.

The Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Unit; formerly the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital.

The river is finally narrowing as we head further west.

More pelicans! Straight out of Finding Nemo. (http://pixar.wikia.com/wiki/Nigel_(Finding_Nemo))

A penguin-like bird.

Flying pelican!

More "penguins"... and mangroves in the background?

Finally, we reach Parramatta - the oldest inland European settlement in Australia.

This modest bird welcomes us to his hometown.

The Parramatta River - beyond where the boats are allowed to operate.

One of these birds is not like the others.

The ducks are out, enjoying the morning sun too.

One of Parramatta's original buildings.

A neat sculpture hanging over an intersection.

Another 1881 classic.

St John's Anglican Cathedral Church - the oldest church site in Australia in continuous use.

Parramatta Town Hall - here since 1883.

On our way back into town by train.

Stopping at a hippy-dippy Sunday market in Marrickville, Inner-west.

All the dogs were out!

Fresh local produce and exciting lunch options.

I couldn't resist my Gozleme.

Yum yum!

Antiques, arts and crafts, and more.

Like these fun pillow cases.

And nuts for all!

Aww. They call them Avos.

These colourful boxes were being sold by Thai people.

I would love to know how the DIY coin-operated dog wash works...

Next stop: the ever-posh Surrey Hills.

Where the money lives.

Lots of late-brunchers were still out.

This dog guards his owner's bike while she gets Gelato.

Heading back via Oxford Street.

Christmas in July here in Sydney, too. This festival was outside St. Mary's Cathedral.

These kids came for snowy powder... but by this time, it's cold wet slush.

Grumpy seagulls who want nothing to do with the Winter Forest.

Brr! A chill is in the air.

Skating outside the cathedral. Have to say, Sydneysiders seem to be slightly better on blades than their Melbourne counterparts.

The ice struggled to stay frozen in the 20-degree weather.

If one isn't stable enough, maybe 3 will be!

It's a bit tough on the mind to be celebrating winter in July.

This "Toboggan Terror" was truly terrifying. The kids kept slamming into the side, and landing in a mud puddle at the bottom. What an idea!

Final stop of our Sydney tour - a night at the Opera (house).

Moon is out over the Sydney Opera House!

Ticket-holders are given free reign of the building after entering.

The rear lobby, which overlooks the harbour.

View from our seats. What a beautiful concert hall!

Nothing to complain about!

Our box seats were fewer than 10m from the stage!

Who's this crazy man?

Packed theater eagerly awaiting Ira Glass and his dancers.

Post-performance.

A foggy-filled Monday morning!

Tuesday morning is much nicer.

Dramatic sky!

I'm going to miss this view!

Dinner at our favorite Chinese vegetarian joint.

Bon appetit!

Fare-thee-well, Sydney. Picked a good day to leave!

A weekend in Melbourne

July 14, 2016

A jam-packed 2 days in the culture capital of Australia.

On my way to Melbourne: in order to sit in the exit row, you need to wear a feather in your ear!

Sunny Saturday morning over Melbourne - the first in weeks!

View from our hotel room, of Flinders Street Station and the CBD beyond.

Someone hasn't yet adjusted to the time difference.

Potato Rosties. So cute!

Colourful Australian fruit.

The Kiwi monster.

He heard someone ringing.

Our first stop is Federation Square, which has a bonfire going for the cold winter days.

The National Gallery of Victoria.

I found me some snow in July!

St. Paul's Cathedral.

The famous Flinders Street railway station, opened in 1854.

Next colorful stop: Hoiser Lane, famous for its graffiti!

I dare say there wasn't a square inch not touched by the street art!

The mess outside didn't seem to bother this chef.

The filmographer in action.

St. Michael's Uniting Church.

Vintage Melbourne.

The interior of Collins Place; it was designed by I.M. Pei.

At the top of the 50-floor tower is the Sofitel - the bathrooms of which one can access for a great (free) view!

Looking south-east toward the cricket ground.

Above the clouds!

Expressive sculpture outside Collins Place.

The famous City Circle Tram, operating with classic W Class rolling stock.

On the steps of the Parliament of Victoria.

Ornate since 1855.

The Hotel Windsor, a luxury hotel dating back to 1883.

The Princess Theatre, built in 1854 and now showing Matilda!

Entering Chinatown - which runs along Little Bourke Street.

A cute mural.

Her Majesty's Theatre, built in 1886. Coming soon: Kinky Boots!

Kids dueling each other with their phones in a cafe window.

Chinatown - still sleepy from a late night before.

Slightly more elaborate gates.

A cute bike, and a cute head.

Preparing for a busy day!

More Chinatown.

The Bourke Street Mall - open only to foot traffic and trams.

A swanky new tram, in front of an impressive H&M outlet.

This H&M sits inside the Victorian-era former Melbourne General Post Office.

Street musicians turning heads.

People-spotting.

One of Melbourne's many alleys.

The hopping Saturday morning cafe scene!

Someone dropped a giant coin purse!

Heading into the Royal Arcade, originally constructed in 1869.

A heritage shopping arcade at its finest.

An entire store of Russian Nesting Dolls.

Mythical figures Gog and Magog, who help ring in the hour every hour.

I fear the coming of the hour!

More hopping cafes in alleys.

Where to see and be seen in Melbourne!

Block Arcade.

A cute sculpture of kids having fun inside the arcade.

Block Arcade opened in 1892.

Mmm! Let's stop here for lunch.

No shortage of people here!

The graffiti artists have also been here!

Guess how they take orders at this cafe.

All food $5 ... with lots of exceptions!

No privacy with these suitcases!

Cute cafes at every corner!

Back to Flinders Street Station - we've completed our giant loop.

Flinders Street Station is apparently the busiest railway station in Australia... which I find a bit hard to believe.

Another City Circle Line tram.

Another tourist attraction: horse-drawn carriage rides.

Dog and master, in matching outfits.

Next stop on this Sunny Saturday: Luna Park Melbourne!

These seagulls don't seem to think it's anything special.

The park was packed - it was the last weekend of the Victoria schools' winter holidays.

The famous Scenic Railway, which has operated continuously since 1912.

One of only 3 coasters left that have a brake man.

Two thumbs up! The boy behind me also agrees.

Great timing - it's also Christmas in July!

Kids and parents were queuing to play inside the snow globe.

I even got a chance to meet Santa mid-year.

And kids got a chance to ride reindeer. (That's a bit weird, right?)

One final shot of the Scenic Railway.

The Palais Theatre, which first opened in 1927, is somehow the largest seated theatre in Australia.

No trip to St. Kilda is complete without a stop at the beach.

The St. Kilda beach is one of the most famous beaches in Melbourne.

It's never too cool to play in the sand.

Looking north.

The St. Kilda pier is home to a colony of Little Penguins! (We didn't see them.)

This dog had crazy energy. He was running laps up and down the beach, trying to catch flying seagulls.

Getting ready for a day at sea.

Relaxing on the boardwalk with a good read and a good coat.

Do you think they're siblings?

A seagull showing utmost respect to the statue below.

Back in Central Melbourne for a stroll along the Yarra River.

Guardians overlooking the water.

One of many wire sculptures lining the Sandridge Railway Bridge.

The Southbank Pedestrian Bridge.

95 photos later, it's finally time for lunch!

Last stop of the day: the State Library of Victoria.

People outside were gathering to meet up, play chess, and catch Pokemon!

One such chess game.

The famous Domed Reading Room, which opened in 1913.

The reading room is 34.75 m in both diameter and height!

The dome was the largest of its type in the world when completed.

Anyone is welcome to come work in the grand reading room.

Outside the reading room are galleries that feel like a museum!

One piece of modern art made entirely of old paper tickets from the city's transit systems.

A cafe that operates out of a cylinder on the street!

This seagull has shown the ultimate disrespect!

Back in Federation Square, the bonfire has more customers at this later hour.

And the skating rink is open for business. Have to say, based on this sample set, Melbourners don't know how to skate!

Posing with his like-coloured friends.

A book fair inside the ACMI.

We got a new fangled room! The massive Regent Suite.

Puts our condo in Bangkok to shame.

We'll just have to hang out in the hotel all day tomorrow.

View from the new room - overlooking Melbourne City Town Hall.

The Regent Theatre, with our hotel to the right.

Cute owls guard a bookstore on Collins Street.

Another spotting of the City Circle Tram!

The Treasury Gardens.

The Department of Education and Training.

A Conservatory inside the Fitzroy Gardens.

A nice warm greenhouse.

We did a walking tour through a cute area in East Melbourne, filled with old Victorian houses.

Like this one.

And these.

This church has been thoroughly renovated, and is now condos.

Would be a neat place to live.

Any idea what these plants are? They're perfectly round, for starters.

Queen Bess Row - built in 1886, but now 3 private houses.

Someone's excited by his car!

Spot the little green man at the base of the tree?

Which way do we go?

One of many statues surrounding the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Melbourne Cricket Ground... also known as "The G."

Another statue to a rugby great.

There was a game on between two city teams.

Crossing over the tracks, to the Olympic Park.

Melbourne hosted the Olympics in 1956!

This statue, called Sportsmanship, is dedicated to John Landy, who stopped mid-race to help up a fellow runner who'd fallen, and then went on to win the race.

Crossing back over Yarra River, heading toward town.

No city is complete without a skate park.

There was a happening Sunday market outside the Arts Centre Melbourne.

Freshly grilled wieners on the grill of a car!

And no shortage of fresh pastries.

The Arts Centre Melbourne - where Ira Glass will be performing next weekend!

Turkish women making Gozleme - my new favourite.

Continuing our way back north.

This pup's enjoying his Sunday afternoon drive.

Colourful buildings -- part of a campus?

At Queen Victoria Market - there was a massive line for these fresh hot doughnuts.

Organic produce from around Victoria.

You can tell that these are organic lemons!

No shortage of meats and other deli items.

Freshly baked breads.

And of course, Star Wars Shortbreads. I knew we were missing out on something at Christmas!

Honeycomb by the kilo. That's my style.

Enjoying a freshly made flat white.

Regular produce elsewhere in the market.

Spending the rest of the rainy afternoon at the National Gallery of Victoria.

This was a watercolour exhibit.

Lots of neat aboriginal art.

A man and his ram, just trying to cross the street.

The ram is as puzzled as the other pedestrians.

It was a rainy day for wedding photos!

Taking a loop on the City Circle Tram, to take respite from the rain ... while there was still some daylight.

Enjoying the 1920s tram.

Finally splurging on a $6 gourmet doughnut. It's doughnut time!

A good choice?

Bye bye! Off to Sydney! (Somehow, you're still allowed to go to the gate, even if you're not flying!!)

Good morning, Sydney.

Blue skies over the City of Celebrations.

Bangkok Week 419

July 7, 2016

An Indian wedding, art in Siam Discovery, and some blue skies over Sydney!

The neighbourhood egg is nearly capped off!

Friday night at Anshul & Natasha's sangeet.

One perk of an Indian wedding: ample vegetarian food!

New dress for the wedding season.

It was a flashy, colourful, musicful affair! Nothing like a Thai wedding!

The bride and groom doing the first of many dances that evening.

(A subset of) the BCG crowd.

Next day at a Thai Designer expo: not so sure I'd where these bikinis!

A tasteful new sculpture outside Paragon and Siam Center.

The newly reopened Siam Discovery has a small gallery space for Galerie Adler, the gallery tucked away in the bowels of Sukhumvit 33.

Interesting pieces of art -- mostly by contemporary Chinese artists.

Like this flying pudgy person.

Another weekend, another Sunday evening. The sun sets over Suvarnabhumi.

A treat when I reach Sydney centre: a suite upgrade for the week!

One of the only clear mornings all week!

It was brighter out than the previous picture made it look.

Blue skies over Sydney! At long last!

Bangkok Week 418

June 30, 2016

A short weekend in Bangkok post-London, and then another chilly week in Sydney.

Great British imports! Didn't fare so well in the checked bag, though.

My homecoming dinner at our favourite Isaan restaurant.

Storm's a comin'! (1 minute later, we were in the middle of a monsoon.)

At Suvarnabhumi, you can see into the Duty Free shop from the D-gates with surprising clarity.

Got a room with a balcony this week in Sydney - lucky me!

Except it was too chilly to spend much time out there!

My Qantas bento on Thursday night.

Chilly in Melb! Better bundle up next weekend!

Four days in (outer) London

June 25, 2016

A whirlwind trip to London, centered in Syon Park. Oh yeah, and did I mention Brexit?

Our plane for the 12-hour, 5-minute flight. Luckily, it's a new one!

View from my seat - that old guy is what flies me to Sydney.

Just south of Suvarnabhumi - you see the blue bike track that circles the airport perimeter.

Highway mayhem!

A good view of the BTS Sukhumvit Line extension.

Spotty clouds over Kanchanaburi.

And suddenly the ground below has turned into London countryside.

Approaching Heathrow from the east; here's Canary Wharf.

And the rail lines toward London Bridge station and the Shard.

The Shard, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, and all the other fun spots.

The London Eye, St. James Park, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and the rest.

Kensington Gardens...

... Royal Albert Hall, and the Chelsea neighbourhood.

Remember this view - especially that large Art Deco building.

Heathrow cars!

Made it to Syon Park. The lovely view from my window.

The grand (former) entrance to Syon Park, home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.

Remember that Art Deco building? It's the Gillette Building - former European HQ of the Gillette Company, from the early 1930s until 2003.

The grounds of Syon Park.

More Syon Park.

The Great Conservatory, designed by Charles Fowler and completed in 1827 (Wikipedia).

Massive leaves!

Inside the Great Conservatory for our "Welcome" Dinner.

Wednesday night on the town! Here's our sweet ride.

Looking south down the River Thames, from the Lambeth Bridge.

The veritable Palace of Westminster.

Looks great in this late-evening sunlight.

All the news stations were poised in position for the next day's Brexit vote.

Eurovision booth.

AP booth, right next to Westminster Abbey.

How grand!

Big Ben is fearing for his future!

A group of "Remain" activists sings a lovely chorus of unity.

The Old War Office Building, used by Churchill has HQ during WWII.

The Westminster entrance.

Horse Guards Parade.

And also, the site of the Beach Volleyball events in the London 2012 Olympics.

Looking up The Mall toward Admiralty Arch.

The sun has finally set over London, and New Bond Street.

Friday morning, we were in for a surprise. But The Times went to print before the news broke. See the subhead: "Farage concedes it looks like Remain will edge it".

And a few minutes later.

Letting the news sink in under the sun.

And some clouds. And planes.

A short walk into the town of Brentford nearby.

The River Brent meets the Thames in this town in the London Borough of Hounslow.

Finding my way back to Syon Park, through this labyrinth of brick walls and trees.

Follow the blue sky!

The British countryside is indeed lovely!

Finally the papers have caught up with the day's news!

Hmm. Not the same sentiment I witnessed.

Bye-bye, London! Til we meet again.

Back in Bangkok, we took a strange approach into the airport, ultimately backing in.

And then we overshot the gate. Well, who said the airport can't be a drive-in?

Bangkok Week 417

June 20, 2016

Tourists in Bangkok for the weekend!

Celebrating Friday night at Another Hound Cafe in Emporium.

Found the hound!

Customers #1 and 2 of Bangkok's new service, Tuk Tuk Hop (coming soon!)

Our first stop: the Giant Swing.

And a visit to Wat Suthat, across from the Giant Swing.

The Wat's entrances were guarded by giant axes.

One of these Buddhas looks cleaner than the other.

Posing with one of the skinny horses that guards the centre of the Wat.

The large Buddha image inside the Wat Suthat Thep Wararam (full name).

The entire interior of the building was covered with hand-painted images - but entire layers were peeling off.

Granny and her friend, the fan.

Next stop: Wat Loha Prasat, a geometrical, multi-tiered temple modelled after two others in India and Sri Lanka.

Cross-section of the castle-like Wat.

The detailing in the roof is made of metal.

The interior, however, looks more European.

For the first time ever, the black metal is being re-done with gold and colors. Work starting from the top down.

View of the rest of the temple grounds below. See all the pigeons in the red roof in the mid-ground?

At the top of the 7-storey spiral staircase is a Buddha relic.

There was an odd sort of interactive exhibit back on the ground floor.

Trying to figure out our next destination.

Back in the tuk tuk!

Next stop: the Bangkok National Museum - another first for us.

A large Buddha head discovered in Ayutthaya.

One of the museum buildings - looks like a Wat.

Who's this guarding the building?

The extremely ornate interior - with more Buddha relics on display inside the glass cases.

A very tall ladder to access the attic storage.

Golden shutters.

A bright red house containing many belongings of Queen.

An ornate Sala.

A really tall front door!

Going way back in time; urns used to be used as coffins.

Chasing down our earlier ancestors.

A very neat building, which showcases many of the royal "vehicles". This one is for the funeral procession of a royal family member.

This is what they use to raise up the remains for display in the parade.

Not sure who she is!

The ornate coffin of the King's Mother.

Penultimate stop on the tour: Khao San Road - our fave!

These 3 elephants stand guard at the southern end of Sanam Luang park.

The Bangkok City Pillar - which we have somehow not visited until now.

Final stop of the day (unfortunately not part of the tour) - Finding Dory!

But only in 3D IMAX, where we look super-cool.

Bangkok Week 416

June 16, 2016

From Sydney, to Bangkok, to Sydney, to Melbourne. Enjoying winter down-under!

Stumbled upon a wooden escalator at City Hall station in Sydney!

My heels got stuck in the wide gaps!

Gourmet (?) Indian meal on the 9.5-hr flight back to Bangkok.

First day back at the gym in 3 months!

Got a new backpack out of the new membership.

Modeling the new gym bag the next morning.

Monday morning in Sydney - looks like it'll be a nice winter day today!

Monday morning Sydney coffee fix at my favourite cafe - Workshop.

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Ethel Quokka is ready to come home!

Thursday night, it's a direct flight from Sydney to Melbourne!

Qantas lets its guests check in their bags by themselves.

What a coincidence! There were 4 flights heading from Melbourne to Bangkok at 23:30 on Thursday night!

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