Bangkok Week 501

February 1, 2018

The extended canine and feline family... and more house updates than you know what to do with!

Spotted on the way to Trat: one of these donuts is too cute to eat.

A giant Maruay burrito!

He knows how to dry off post-bath.

Trying out his new dollar store massage mitt.

Meanwhile, on top of the pickup, Namtan spends a chill afternoon.

Another great home-cooked meal!

Happy 3_th birthday!

What better way to celebrate than with a sweet birthday fruit cake for breakfast!

Maruay opted to forgo the celebrations.

Who's there?

It's never too late in life to develop your snout-eye coordination.

Everything is in bloom!

Meanwhile, back at the house in Ekamai: the grease trap in the driveway is being built.

They're prepping the downstairs to have the floor poured.

They segment the floor to make the pouring more controlled.

The concrete will be another 5-8cm thick.

And the kitchen counters are coming along!

The "island" is being poured as we speak.

The railing for the balcony has been delivered.

And they've painted the outside wall behind the compressors (which had to happen before lying the roof tiles over the kitchen).

Noted in Manila: that PHP 10 looks awfully similar to THB 10!

House update #2 for the week: the bench and water pump housing are being constructed.

Should be nice.

Pouring a nice frame for the (clean) water tank in the front.

And fixing up the edges of the 'yard'.

The 'island' is taking shape.

A water pipe, which drains from the gutter above, has been enclosed.

And they've shored up the structure of the roof.

Bangkok Week 500

January 25, 2018

500 weeks in Bangkok! How much has changed in the last 100 weeks?

The "L" at the front door is taking shape.

The compressors hiding behind the house.

Wiring for a potential future AC in the study. So it'll just look like this...

Every day, new wiring and plumbing!

Casting the counter in the master bathroom.

The tiniest bit of counter space in the guest bathroom.

And the downstairs bathroom is starting to take shape, too.

Friday night dinner at a famous Thai restaurant we stumbled upon.

Up close and personal with a Google Streetview car. Watch for us!

Feeling overwhelmed?

Shoot, we should've gotten this tap.

Not a bad couch, right?

Taken while sitting on the couch!

500 weeks in Bangkok? Yowza!

Celebrating with a Japanese ice cream and Coco.

Traveling like a VIP now!

The first-class lounge. Its single biggest selling feature: it's empty on a Monday morning!

Premium snacks...

...but otherwise you order from a menu, and they serve you at the table. (A bit much!)

Back at the house: the downstairs bathroom is taking shape.

You know what this nest means?

We have internet! Fiber, no less!

Exterior signs of internet, too.

The stairs are taking shape, too.

Under the stairs.

The master bathroom counter.

It's either 26 degrees, or 1 degree. Take your pick.

The downstairs walls are looking more and more finished every day.

They're also finishing off the main beams.

Looking good.

Preparing for the kitchen counter.

One small step back upstairs: the cement kept cracking, so they're redoing it.

See you later, Philippines.

Great view of the city as we depart.

We'll end this week on a humorous note. Don't forget your Coat of Arms!

Bangkok Week 499

January 18, 2018

Primarily house updates this week. Plus the fiercest guard dog in Bangkok.

Another of the BTS's security detail, hard at work.

The BTS is a safer place because of him.

Red pork noodle soup. My first Thai food in weeks!

Checking in on the house; trying out the shower.

Even the small bathroom shower should comfortably accommodate adults.

New kitchen roof: work-in-progress.

The ground floor doesn't look quite as far along as the upstairs!

Finishing the new wall between the living room and driveway.

Finishing the new wall between the 'piano room' and downstairs bathroom.

One of the workers' bedrooms.

Working on the downstairs bathroom.

It's still winter in Bangkok!

Last day to see Santa at Central Embassy!

Santa's eaten too many Thai desserts. (Mika shown for scale.)

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake.

Inside the mall, they also had a themed play area for kids. Slide down Santa's belly? A bit creepy.

The latest addition to Ari. Umm...

My warm welcome to Manila on Monday morning. Perfect.

Progress: finishing the new wall at the back of the driveway.

Putting in the door frame for the sliding doors at the front of the living room.

The "L" at the entrance is being built.

The back wall in the kitchen has been finished off.

The downstairs bathroom is coming along; even the shower tap is installed.

That wall in the "piano room" is finished now, too.

Finishing off the "L".

The study frames are finished and ready for (1) the sliding door tracks, and (2) the railings.

Ground floor wiring is going in.

Bending the wiring tubes around the beams.

Bangkok Week 498

January 11, 2018

Back to reality! And the first house updates in weeks.

The benches on the balcony have been tiled to match the floor.

Wiring and new walls all done upstairs.

All squared off.

The new driveway view is taking shape.

New wall at the end of the driveway.

New walls for the ground floor bathroom.

One wall too many in the downstairs! The back segment will have to be removed.

Meanwhile in Manila: the breakfast restaurant has an hourly forecast!

If almond croissants are made with almonds, what are Filipino croissants made with?

Ortigas, with Quezon City in the background.

Back to the house update: stone shelves in place in the second bedroom.

New roof going up over the kitchen.

The workers' TV satellite!

Ground floor bathroom is taking shape.

As is the storage under the stairs.

Christmas 2017 last few days

January 8, 2018

Two last days, and a long journey home.

Final family photo at Granny's interment.

Preparing the pouch.

Into the earth.

Reunited at last.

Appropriately enough, lunch at a Japanese restaurant afterward.

Pretty good veggie ramen!

Bring your own winter coat.

The last supper: framed with full menu.

Solid block of snacks from Bangkok.

Good bye, room.

Good buy, street.

Good bye, fine blue sky and -20 degree temperatures.

Can't resist one last lunch at Vesuvio's.

She's happy to see us go!

Exercising my mind before the flight.

Someone's not very happy to be in the lounge.

Toronto looking east.

I'm sure this would be a great view of the downtown skyline... in the daylight.

Going down, before going back up.

The difference between Indian and Oriental veg.

Beer of the month!

Who let a body bag fly in business class?

Enjoying a nice breakfast in Brussels.

Someone else opted for lunch instead.

Getting ready for the final leg of the journey.

I've got a nice comfortable window view.

Brussels looks cute.

See the city down below?

Inside a cloud sandwich.

Bangkok, here we come.

Made it back in 1 piece. 5 pieces, actually.

Christmas 2017 Week 2

January 4, 2018

Happy New Year to all - and all the best for 2018. May the days get warmer, and remain bright.

Preparing for Granny's memorial service - 1 board done.

Working on the other 10 boards.

Braving the snow squalls to do our annual Queen Street shopping.

Lots of fresh snow on the road.

Very visible on the streetcar backdrop.

Trying to collect as much snow on my hair as possible.

Fresh footprints heading north.

Fresh snow at the Euclid-College intersection.

Fresh powder! Can we bring it back with us?

Our annual Pakistani dinner.

One of Toronto's tallest trees - at the Eaton Centre.

Delicious (albeit a bit slow) lunch at Mom's.

What a photogenic bibimbap.

Soon tofu!

Grandpa's onion grass - for sale!

Generic "Asian dinner".

What resolve! We made it to the gym on a sub-zero day.

Someone's been waiting all year for his Hogtown!

Delicious chicken wings!

Happy New Year's Eve!

What a colorful spread!

New Year's Day waffles a la Mike.

Beautifully-perfect shape.

Picturesque Toronto.

This ice sculpture at the ROM is not going to melt anytime soon.

Honest Ed's is going down!

A Christmas miracle: we found mum's lost house keys! Thanks, tile!

New Year's Day check-in with Grandma.

Testing our minds with some cards.

Grandma's table was the one warm place in Toronto.

Chez Robert & Henry, puppy Maple enjoys the cold. Nevermind the cone.

Playing the sympathy card.

Husky in a bowl.

My new BFF. I'll take her home!

"Please, Uncle Henry? May I please have some dinner?"

Living with dignity.

Enjoying ourselves with The Illusionists, courtesy of Robert and Henry.

An enjoyable pizza dinner with Peter, Olena and Luke.

Hmm. Do we like these "chicken" nuggets or not?

Inspecting Granny's photo collages.

Granny's Celebration of Life.

Beautiful bouquet, from the JCCC.

Putting some last-minute touches on the photo boards.

One of the two beautiful arrangements from the Bloor-Kennedy florist.

Family all together.

Extended family check out the photos.

More catching up at the start of the event.

And more catching up.

Val and Clearley.

Time for some words.

Mum's words about Granny's life.

Dad's three memories about Granny.

Frank Moritsugu's unscripted words.

Putting names to faces on an old school photo.

Identifying the names with Aunt Eileen.

Cousins.

Pano of the room - for Granny.

Christmas 2017 Week 1

December 28, 2017

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Getting into the Christmas spirit on our Thai flight.

Immediate bedtime after our midnight departure.

Welcome to Brussels, where the croissants come in mountains.

Onward and upward: enjoying the relative emptiness of our Brussels Airlines flight.

A flight with a beer menu must be a good flight.

It's a busy day for air travel!

One perk of flying a Belgian airline: Belgian chocolates!

We each got our own before landing. How deluxe.

A grey day in Toronto - but it's still 'green'!

Can't help but take a peak at our freebies on the way home.

Navigating dad's birthday present.

The protein powder from last Christmas is still here!

Watching the Paris video - hot off the press!

SNOW!

Here we are! Still in shock.

Honing my brush skills.

Fresh Costco soup after a cold day.

Mum tries her hand at watercolors for the first time in 60 years.

Now mum tries her hand at the fancy brushwork.

มาม่า noodles for sale at Walmart!

Colby's quite interested in what's cookin'.

Is Colby a lap dog, or does she just have disproportionately long legs?

Diagnosing Chris's iPad -- with a dog in the middle.

Chris's birthday dinner - Chinese food! Yum!

Colby and I have a look around.

Mystery solved: she's neither a lap dog nor a long-legged dog, she's a table dog!

Delicious birthday cake for Chris by Erika.

Here's the professional 24-opener.

Chris isn't sure if the holiday costuming is for her.

A French smile.

Eye on the prize!

Colby has no legs!

Celebrating Christmas Eve chez Grandma.

Cheers to another year in the books.

"Let me water your lap, Mother."

Looking through the new calendar.

It was turning into a white Christmas (Eve) by the time we left.

A white Christmas (Eve) indeed.

Can't stop tradition: sushi for Christmas Eve dinner.

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

A Belgian chocolate Christmas gift for Colby.

Well, she'll settle for a clementine.

Please, Mika?

Trying the Trat cookies.

Cleaning up after the waffles.

Merry Christmas morning!

Colby doesn't seem to thrilled about the Christmas uniform.

Beautiful tree, plump with presents underneath.

"Gifts? What gifts?"

Now Colby gets what's going on.

Dad's new airplane t-shirt.

My great new Peanuts puzzle. 1000 pieces!

Ja, Hallo? iPhone 7 Plus!

What's this? A new home?

Chris takes in the colors on her new Bangkok bag.

Off for a brisk Christmas afternoon run with Colby.

Not sure if she's enjoying these frigid temperatures.

A scrumptious Christmas meal.

Chad and Erika investigate the innards of the Christmas crackers.

Looks like a painful popping exercise!

Throwing their entire bodies into it.

Robert and I got the nice crowns!

Boxing day morning: Colby's got her eye fixed on the butter.

Pristine blue skies overhead - and frozen ground below.

But snow squalls in Orillia!

Look how big the car is! Can comfortably fit 4 in the back seat.

Colby: she's all nose.

Once we reach Bracebridge, it's blue skies once again.

Lunch at Timmy's -- since nothing else is open!

Beautiful sunny skies on the way to the cottage.

Clean shadows on one of the smaller lakes.

Undisturbed skinny trees.

Undisturbed snow on branches.

A real winter wonderland at the cottage.

We haven't seen snow this deep in a few years.

Making good use of the shovel he brought up from Toronto.

Too bad we didn't bring a toboggan!

A very frozen McKay lake.

A self-portrait in the snow - thanks to GoPro.

Two dark blobs on snow.

Nice snowy shelter overhead.

Knee-deep snow - got down our boots! Good thing it was so cold it didn't melt.

A yummy pasta bolognese for dinner once we reached warm Toronto.

Getting a head-start on our New Year's resolution: the Y on the 27th.

Hmm - do we all agree?

Don't we look stuffed! Annual dinner at Tofu Village: check!

Looking through photos of the past few days.

Preparing for Granny's memorial service.

Sorting and choosing photos - the old-fashioned way.

Layouts finalized.

Eccentric LED displays on this house.

And this house had a little bit of everything.

A blurry photo of Christmas at the Toronto Tomczak's.

For us? We're spoiled!

Jasmine and Julia model their new Christmas hats!

Another Christmas in the books.

Bangkok Week 495

December 20, 2017

Happy holidays and see you soon!

Picking up where we left off in Manila... you can actually find tasteful Christmas decorations here. I find this tree quite nice!

Egads! It's a Tims in Southeast Asia! (Apparently, the first one opened in Manila this past February.)

Look like the original?

Meanwhile in Ekamai: the tiles are going up in the bathroom.

They are tiling behind the counters, so that it's more flexible if we decide to change the built-in furniture in the future.

The new wall between the living room and driveway is going up as well.

Spotted in Trat: too many mirrors for a single truck.

Also - bargoons on pineapples!

Even Trat has become commercial for Christmas!

Mistook this guy for a tamarind!

All our loot from trimming the tamarind tree.

Namtan knows who's the keeper of the food.

Namtan was mid-attack when I found his sweet spot. He melted instantaneously.

Another home-cooked feast. Lucky us!

A lazy Sunday morning for Namwan.

Maruay is up and about. Morning is the only time to be energetic.

Maruay in the wild. (Actually, he's eating a crab someone had thrown out.)

What the heck is that!?!

The largest bees nest in town!!!

One of the new durian trees in the back yard.

And the ants have made a nest out of another tree's leaves.

Lazy Saturday morning.

Putting up some festive signage at the store.

One person's celebrating the new year, while the others do the chores in the background.

Top, modeling his birthday present.

Posing for the camera.

Looking goofy!

I was walking around for a long time with an extra friend on my shoulder.

Visiting the relatives in Chantaburi.

Checking out the fishing pier right behind the grandma's house.

A giant haul of crabs had just come in - so it's all-hands-on-deck to remove them from the nets.

It's such a labor-intensive process. They use a kind of crochet hook to pick the net off the crab.

Look how blue the poor guy is.

Post-lunch photo with the fam. (In height-order?)

And a quick trip to the shrimp farm, but no one was home.

Check out this "natural" bearing!

Stopping at a really nice nursery on the way back to Trat.

These are all different types of Durian trees!

YOU'RE BACK!!

Just putting the finishing touches on the car. Shine, shine.

Minor house renovations: replacing the tarps.

Steaming the dozen crabs we were given in Chantaburi.

Like brother, like brother.

What a treat! A chilly morning in Trat!!

This chilly morning begs some thick blankets and a soft pillow.

Let's play a game. Dog, or sack of potatoes?

In a sudden burst of energy (surely brought on by the winter air), Maruay takes interest in a whisky box.

What's that?

Big hug for big brother.

Not ready to get up yet!

Just saying hello.

Where's the bus?

Namwan looking pretty again.

She knows how to model for the camera.

Dad's peeling crab for breakfast... and Maruay couldn't stand any closer.

Looking at photos of the house.

Back to bed for the big boy.

Back in Bangkok for a farewell dinner for K. Adil.

And ice cream at a hip new ice cream joint in Ari.

Apparently I looked like a pineapple. What do you think?

The cool weather continues in Bangkok! What a treat!

Last house update for a few weeks!

The master bathroom tiling is almost done.

Just doing the floors now.

I guess they have yet to close the ceiling, too.

And they've made good progress on the second bathroom, as well.

It looks tight, but it shouldn't feel *quite* so tight when done!

Right up to the roof!

They've put an additional layer of brick along the right wall, to buffer us from the neighbors (and their damp wall).

And the new wall next to the driveway is complete as well. (When construction is completed, the view out that small window will not be obstructed by bricks.)

I hadn't realized we'd designed for this innovative veggie hanger, too!

A very modern queue card system at Thanachart.

Mr. Bump plays a central role in Terminal 21's Christmas celebration this year.

Here he is in Paris!

Greetings from the TG lounge, where we enjoy our free ice creams (thanks Citibank) and wait to board our A350. See you soon!

Bangkok Week 494

December 14, 2017

Christmas is really really in the air now.

Friday night at the new Mexican restaurant in Ari. Not bad!

Blending in with the Olympic Club Christmas trees.

These police dogs are eager for a day out in the big city.

Just another passenger on the BTS.

I've heard of chicken nuggets, but not ice buggets.

The Christmas festival at the Goethe Institute was ... popular!

There was a live (Thai) band singing Christmas songs in German.

And both food and gifts for sale.

On the way home, we stumbled upon this Christmas Spectaculaire.

Thailand is learning how to do Christmas the right way!

Bright lights for all.

Talking on her "phone".

House update 1 of 2 this week.

The interior of the small upstairs bathroom is coming along.

They've filled in the back wall of the house (that used to have a window, and will now have the master bathroom).

And they've squared off the wall of the master bathroom (it used to be crooked).

You can see where the shelf in the shower will be.

They've widened, and made taller, the windows going from the second bedroom into the hallway.

This is how thick the hardwood floors are.

Work has yet to start on the downstairs (apart from the piping).

The downstairs is for supply storage! (You can see the nice wooden floors upstairs.)

Close-up on the wooden floors.

Checking out the water tank in the front.

Back in Ari: the Christmas decorations are up! Better late than never!

The tree is relegated to a stool this year. No more counter-space!

The two trees at my office: one in the building lobby, and a more modest one in the BCG lobby.

Baby Kate, and her proud parents (Vee and Peung).

House update number 2 for the week. The electricity conduits have been installed.

In the master bathroom, for the lighting above the sink.

And in the second bedroom.

They've made a very nice new sill for the sliding doors out to the balcony.

Switches-to-be in the hallway upstairs.

Meanwhile in Manila: have I mentioned that they spare no expense when decorating for Christmas?

Larger-than-life gingerbread men hanging from the ceiling.

View from above of one of Manila's newest business districts.

Bangkok Week 493

December 7, 2017

All sorts of end-of-year activities!

My first-grade costume? Or my nun costume?

A Partner and her EA.

Everyone's gone back to school.

Lots of people had similar school uniforms! (Also, doesn't everyone look like they could still be students?)

Crashing the photo of the support staff.

Who invited the nun to the party?

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, Pattaya. It's only been open for 2 months.

They've done the property nicely.

A fun kids area.

Had no idea these waxy red flowers developed further blooms!

View from the infinity pool to the sea.

The sea - from above.

On with the tourism! This is Khao Chi Chan Buddha - carved by laser into the side of the mountain.

Some people, for sense of scale.

Next stop: Wat Phra Yai, or Big Buddha Temple.

Thankfully, not too many stairs to climb.

The eponymous Buddha.

Some wildlife.

The temple, which sits atop a hill, affords a nice view of Pattaya below.

He's looking excited by the money.

Anyone know what plant this is?

Next stop: famous observation point, from another hilltop.

So many boats!

A Japanese man offered to take a photo for us.

Lunch at Pattaya Vegetarian Restaurant.

No points for creativity on the name, but points for the food.

And finally, at our hotel for the night: Pullman G in North Pattaya. Recently renovated.

Mid-afternoon on the beach.

We weren't the only ones going for a walk!

Waiting to greet his friend.

Also on the alert.

Visible rays of sun.

There was an Indian wedding party on the beach.

Don't get tangled in the jellyfish!

Fishing boats lined up and ready to go.

Beach dogs of North Pattaya.

This guy looked especially comfortable.

At home in the sand.

Nice shade from this beach tree.

Found the fishermen's corner.

A precarious work of art.

Enjoying the relatively quiet corner we found.

It was nice and windy! Can you tell?

Just like in the movies: a fruit smoothie shack on the beach.

They offered us some chairs to sit and enjoy our smoothie.

Sunset!

Three in a row: tic-tac-toe.

And one more hiding between the boats.

Kids riding the waves on the giant lane lines.

Whoops! Saw that coming!

An interesting condo overlooking the water.

Sunset and beach-goers.

Not too crazy, despite all we'd heard about Pattaya.

Sunset over the hotel's pool.

And beach bar.

Back to our tried-and-tested meal spot.

Relatively clear skies the next morning, our our window.

Lots of hubbub already, off downtown Pattaya.

Enjoying breakfast with a view.

No trip to the beach is complete without...

... a dip in the water!

Mandatory weekly house update: the bathroom in the second bedroom is almost done.

New window frame in the master bathroom.

New wall is up in the master bathroom.

And the pipe scramble is coming along.

Plumbing coming down from the master bathroom; will mean the ceiling has to be even lower there.

Meanwhile in Singapore, the Westin gave me an extravagant upgrade this week.

Six could have dined comfortably in my suite.

Christmas in Singapore is in full swing!

Bangkok Week 492

November 30, 2017

Christmas is in air! As is dust and dirt from our construction site.

EmQuartier has asked a giant plush bear to be its Christmas centerpiece this year.

And I thought *my* feet were big!

It's officially Christmas Season!

Look what we spotted for sale outside Villa. "Designed in Vancouver. Made in Cambodia."

I got me some Lulu Lemon pants for 8 dolla.

Monday morning at the airport: the remote gates are over-taxed because of apron construction reducing the number of usable gates.

No buses in sight.

Time for a house update! They've poured the concrete for the master bathroom extension.

Same area, as seen from below.

And they've patched the major beams that had started to crumble.

And they're getting ready to lay down the new water pipes.

The septic tank in the kitchen. (Note the temporary bathroom wall, made of closet door, that the workers have put up in the back corner.

Dirt from the septic tank & pipe excavation.

New reinforcement beams above the master bathroom wall.

New door frame in the front of the study, for the new sliding glass doors.

The King looks over the bedroom now.

Preparing for the new frame for the sliding glass doors at the entrance to the study.

Meanwhile in Singapore: a view over the Westin bar.

And I had some lovely orchids in my room this week.

The view. Reminds me of Sim City!

Construction update #2: they've put up the new brick wall in the master bathroom.

And have removed the old 'glass bricks' in the back wall.

Preparing to pour the concrete for the bathroom extension in the second bedroom.

Same area, from below. Note the new steel beams.

And preparing to lay the new plumbing.

A complex junction!

Bangkok Week 491

November 23, 2017

The house is progressing, the storms are still over Singapore, and Shawn came to Bangkok!

Friday began with a giant rain cloud over Singapore.

Changi has a cutesy-cutesy Christmas tree up in T1.

The house is nice and open-plan right now.

The master bedroom - looks livable, right?

The second bathroom.

No more railings on the stairs!

Found Shawn at Rod Fai Night Market!

The cutest little washing machine, at Paragon.

This will likely be the fridge we pick.

A very odd outfit for sale at H&M.

Notice something missing? Hint: check the balcony.

They've dug up the floor where the new pipe is going to go.

The full width of the living room is on view.

We could park the car in the living room!

Meanwhile, back in Singapore, Christmas is really in full swing.

Cloudy skies over Tanjong Pagar Terminal.

But downpours over the CBD!

A ceiling of clouds on Wednesday.

Blue skies follow.

Mixed clouds, and a clear view of the outer islands.

The Sentosa Merlion stands proud. And very tall.

A clever use for the pillars.

Another perfectly conical Christmas tree. They don't grow 'em like that in Canada.

Bangkok Week 490

November 16, 2017

The construction continues... and we have a nice day on the road with Rachel!!

Finally a sunny view out my window in Singapore!

More construction updates: there's a veil over the house now.

Where did all this debris come from?

The back 'maid's room' -- the column in the middle marks the end of the future kitchen.

How to descend the stairs? (Good thing they put a protective cover on the stairs!)

The second bedroom.

Where the second bedroom's bathroom once stood.

The removal of the bears-with-beach balls continues.

Check out the wallpaper that was under the built-in in the master bedroom!

This is the smallest bedroom, that will be turned into the study. It looks more spacious now that the walls are gone!

Meanwhile, in Singapore... Changi's Christmas celebration continues.

On Saturday, we're up and out early, and off to the train market with Rachel!

Lots of crowds come, even for the 8:30 arrival.

What are these fruit? Never seen them before!

Fruit going up the wall.

At the end of the market.

Here comes the train! Right on cue!

Selfie with the train!

Barely clears the veggies!

Some of these oranges got knocked.

This local pug is not sure what all the commotion is about. Train, shmain.

Someone's still in his PJs.

Next stop: Amphawa floating market!

Rachel bough several snacks to bring back from Uncle Glasses - whose picture is right on the packaging!

Good to be there and beat the crowds.

Another dog still in his pajamas.

Congregation of vendors.

Supporting another ancient uncle, selling is ancient coffee.

How dainty!

Final stop of the outing: the giant Chedi in Nakhon Pathom.

We only made it about 1/3 the way around...

... before it started to rain!

We finally made our escape, down a water fall.

I thought those were supposed to be stairs!

Before heading back to Bangkok, lunch at a small vegetarian restaurant nearby.

My favorite rowing topiary!

And Rachel's farewell / birthday dinner. Bon voyage!

Back to Singapore for another week. They're moving this terminal to elsewhere on the island, to make room for the CBD.

One last construction update for the week.

The front wall is gone now, too.

Lunch time for the workers.

Opening up the area next to the stairs.

This will become the ground floor bathroom. Looks like Africa!

Very open-plan right now.

The driveway - removing those tiles, too.

Bangkok Week 489

November 9, 2017

The renovation has officially begun! And Christmas is officially here!

Friday, November 3rd: an auspicious day to begin house construction!

Feng shui -- specific to our house, on this day -- indicates where precisely the construction should begin.

A zoom-in on how these decisions are made.

Right here: it's best if the construction starts right here.

Meanwhile, in Singapore... they're testing new auto-bag-drop systems.

Looking promising.

Christmas has come to Starbucks Singapore!

And to Changi, more broadly.

Tile shopping fun! Dark grey, or darker grey?

Finally! This is exactly the one we've been looking for!

These tiles would be perfect for the kitchen.

And this is the throne -- I mean toilet -- we've been looking for!

I always knew the hand rails on the BTS were meant for something more.

After delays of over 20 hours, Rachel *finally* made it to Bangkok!

Tuesday morning in Singapore - with a great view of Chinatown.

Veggie bento boxes for lunch in Singapore.

Meanwhile, in Bangkok: the winter coats are out!

House update! The demolition is coming along.

Big changes are (finally) afoot.

Can you guess what used to be here?

This used to be the 'maid's room'.

This used to be the bathroom in the second bedroom.

Not much left in the master bedroom, either. (Note the wallpaper that was under the built-in cabinets.)

A peek behind the house, via a hole in the back wall.

Material removal!

Bangkok Week 488

November 2, 2017

We make the most of the last two days of the vegetarian festival!

They're testing a new automatic baggage system at Changi.

A vegetarian salabao.

One last meal at Hong Kong Noodle for the season. Yum!

An exhibit of the world's best current event photos at House of Lucie, in Ekamai.

Turns out this past year was a sobering one!

Last vegetarian meal of the season: at Fuji!

Enjoying his noodle soup.

And me, my nice set.

Smoking washing machine = not good. This guy looks a bit flummoxed.

Clearance on the frozen veggie meals at 7-Eleven!

Bangkok Week 487

October 26, 2017

A long-weekend with the extended pet family. And their parents.

The Madrid magnet!

Also brought back a souvenir from Frankfurt.

It's the most wonderful time of the year: J week! Bring it on!

My favorite J-week dish: pork and wanton noodles at Hong Kong Noodle.

Namwan is happy to see us after a little while away.

And Maruay has gathered hundreds of friends to come see us, too.

Looking comfortable in the kitchen.

I see you there, Namtan.

Too fat, too lazy.

A great J-week feast.

He thinks no one sees him slinking up the car.

Looking all cute on the car roof.

Posing for the photo.

The local memorial for the King, which will serve as a satellite location for the funeral.

Marigolds all over Thailand; Trad is no exception.

And then this will be taken down.

Bangkok-style wires.

Makro has its J-meat out on ice.

Back at the house, it's time for a mid-day intervention.

A very fruitful jack fruit tree, down the road at the Uncle's house.

Getting a tour of his wood shop.

And now it's time for the late-afternoon treatment.

Aww. I didn't realize you could make sleeping on a car look so cozy.

Not as well hidden as he thought!

Namwan in the morning. Looking dainty.

Namtan, waiting for his breakfast.

Trying to figure out how doors work.

He got it!

What's that?

Sleepy time.

Back in Bangkok after the 3-day weekend. J noodle soup in Paragon.

Life-like shrimp. Well, at least in coloring.

Have I mentioned how much I love the Manila airport?

A very young jeepney driver.

It's Christmas time in Manila already!

Even though they haven't even celebrated Halloween.

A special dessert on SQ.

My first time on Sentosa. Too bad I wasn't hear to chill.

Could be any tropical resort island!

Fallen tropical beauties.

Bangkok Week 486

October 19, 2017

A brief stopover in Bangkok, and the rest of the week in Madrid. Olé !

Look what was waiting for me when I got back from Toronto!

A Tokyo train hankie!

I got the first print ever, of this tuk-tuk masterpiece.

Christoph Niemann's new book!

Modeling the shirt from Steve in Pappalardo.

Off to Madrid in the brother of that plane.

Construction for the new terminal is (finally) well underway.

The elevated highway just south of the airport.

Fields of water near the sea.

Siam.

Victory Monument and Phaholyothin.

Areas north of Chatuchak Market.

Remarkably clear weather!

I must be in Frankfurt!

Going for a stroll on my last day in Madrid.

A nice building, which is now the Rafael del Pino Foundation.

Heading into the Metro!

Small cars on this Green Line train.

They like their dramatic subway signs!

I emerged at the Opera station.

As promised, there's the Opera!

And there it is from the other side.

Lots of cobblestone streets and narrow alleys.

Casa Jose Cubiles.

Plaza de Oriente.

Royal Palace of Madrid.

Kids love bubbles all the world over.

I was there, too!

Egads! A blue sky! (And the courtyard of the palace.)

Catedral de la Almudena.

My new buddy, Petrus.

Seems like the cathedral has had a stop-and-go history. Construction began in 1883, paused during the Spanish Civil War, and finally finished in 1993.

Has a bit of a Sacre-Coeur feel inside.

For praying only.

Ornate ceilings.

Nice pipe organ.

A modern take on stained glass windows.

Back outside, some colorful buildings.

The State Council.

Monumento a Victoria Eugenia y Alfonso XIII.

Narrow streets.

And even smaller sois. Foot traffic only!

Nice balconies!

The Mercado de San Miguel, over 100 years old.

Lots of small stalls inside the mercado.

A cone of nuts, anyone?

More colorful buildings and small sois!

A hint of blue sky as I approach the Plaza Mayor.

True to its name, the Plaza Mayor.

One part of one wall is painted differently than all the others.

Estatua of Felipe III in the center.

More narrow streets. Getting a lot more toursity now!

Are pasties Spanish?

More ornate buildings.

This area felt like the center of the city.

Puerta del Sol, another large plaza.

Unfortunately, the buildings on all sides were under scaffolding.

Found the main shopping streets!

An ornate old-meets-new subway entrance in the square.

Prime location for an Apple store.

My luck has run out with the weather.

The Congress of Deputies.

Estatua de Miguel de Cervantes.

These two don't seem to mind the heavy rains.

Museo Nacional del Prado. But no time to visit inside.

I was there, too!

Monument to Fallen Heroes.

Bolsa de Madrid.

A giant, renovated palace that includes an exhibition space, and City Hall.

Instituto Cervantes and other grand buildings along Calle de Alcala.

Everyone's wet and soggy. Not just me.

Casino de Madrid.

And a hint of holiday spirit!

Aerial shot of the rush hour traffic on my way back to the hotel.

The next morning, heading back to Frankfurt. They're techno-geeks on Lufthansa!

All fliers must be curious about the engines.

Layers of clouds as we leave Madrid.

That lowest layer looks like a blanket of snow! (There was almost no visibility at the airport.)

Heading into the (upper) clouds.

Approaching Frankfurt.

Patchwork towns.

No excuse for my flight to be delayed. Plane is already waiting comfortably 3 hours before the flight.

Familiar friends!

Free newspapers for all, courtesy of LH.

The big beluga whale I'll be taking back to Bangkok.

Another Toronto Fall

October 15, 2017

For the second year in a row, I was fortunate to be able to spend 3 days in Toronto before heading back to SEA.

I got to Toronto, and this gift bag was waiting.

Got a snazzy new coat for the winter!

And this cute hedgehog, complete with his own cereal bowl.

Grandma examines the photos for her from Paris.

Two generations.

Only to be outdone by 3 generations.

Oh no! What has she done!?

First order of business: ensuring Candy Crush achievement is properly transferred to the new device.

Figuring out how the iPad's selfie camera works is no easy order.

Dinner with the Toronto Tomczaks at everyone's favorite: New Ho King.

Jasmine's selfie skills are far superior to mine.

The birthday festivities continue into a third day; lucky me!

A giant candle - used to minimize spittle on the cake?

A 10-layer cake!

Julia and Peter try out the sleepy-time couch for the first time.

Who said the couch was for two?

The next day is in beautiful Muskoka.

The second small lake (Frau Lake?) on the way to the cottage.

It's certainly fall at the cottage!

The cottage blends right in with these leaves.

Dock's still in.

Pano of our great lake.

Someone is feeling awfully brave!

Mulch-mulch-mulch!

Look who's back to see me again this year!

Hello there, Mr. Chippy!

Feeling a little piggish?

"I can't believe my luck. Two years in a row, now."

"Is that a camera??"

"Oh gosh. How am I going to do this?"

Looking pretty chubby there, mister!

Feeling friendly?

Farewell, until next season!

Hello, Colby!

"How did I get stuck back here with all these people?"

Granny's excited to see Colby.

And Colby's excited to see the cake on the table.

A toothless laugh.

Selfie!

Chris tries on the new iPad for size.

Beautiful fall view from Chris's balcony.

Spending Friday morning with the Emus.

I see. Pepper and these West Highlands Cattle went to the same hair dresser.

Eating as if there's no tomorrow.

And the anti-social llama.

Spiralicious.

Gazing intently.

The bumble bees aren't bothered by the grey day.

I guess they've got some last-minute work to do.

Aha! One tree! We found one tree whose leaves were changing!

A quick pop into Brookfield Place.

View from the 24th floor -- soon to be obstructed!

Final farewell dinner at the neighborhood Dosa restaurant.

I guess they bought the plates before they had settled on the menu.

How to pack a dosa for take-away.

Fast-forward to Taipei, where the Kavalan Solist is on display.

My boarding gate for Bangkok is all themed-up.

Not quite Hello Kitty - but I'll take Postal.

They really go all-out!

View from my plane... of the one I'd rather be in!

Farewell, Taipei.

Delicious Chinese breakfast. (My third breakfast of the day!)

Our lengthy route to Bangkok; apparently we were avoiding some bad storms over the South China Sea.

That's our destination!

Cartoon-like clouds, and their spotty shadows down below.

Chicago-Philly-Boston: Edition 2

October 10, 2017

A long and tiring (but worthwhile) week in Cihcago-Philly-Boston. Happy Columbus Day!

First time flying EVA. They have a unique take on the safety card.

Quick stopover with this smiley bear.

Elegant VOML served by EVA, on ornate table cloth.

Ready for sleep in these snazzy PJs.

Look at this grid. We must be in Chicago!

Where did the John Hancock Building go?

Colorful murals leading up to...

... the Oak Street Beach.

Looking back at the Magnificent Mile. Not so Magnificent today!

These geese (and the swimmer behind them) don't seem to be bothered by the weather.

Those are some low-hanging clouds!

The city lived up to its nickname!

Closed for the season.

Crossing over the wet N Lakeshore Drive.

Really, Goose? Is there no better water source?

South Pond and its Nature Walk, in the heart of Lincoln Park.

Um, the skylines don't quite match.

Quick visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo, a very nice, medium-sized zoo.

The grand entrance.

Joe the zebra wondered why he was all alone...

... while his smarter friends sought shelter under a bridge.

Inside the primate house.

The northern white-cheeked gibbons - who love love love to swing.

Many pink flamingos!

Two long-lost friends from Africa, reunited here?

A surly black rhino.

Passed this famous institution on the way back to the hotel.

Where many of today's comedic greats had their start.

View from my new hotel room: next to the parking lots I would never dare to use.

These gentlemen know better!

The famous Marina Towers. a.k.a. the corncob towers.

The same Chicago Theater I saw last year... but this time in daylight.

The massive Atrium building... looks like an arena!

But it's really a massive shopping complex.

Beautiful blue skies and Chicago skyline.

theMART. It's huge!

Nice seating overlooking the River Walk. Too bad Chicago's not like this year-round.

And voila: same beautiful views, but all lit up.

Ideas sing here?

View from our lovely office. Chicago is flat!!

Looking north-east.

Looking north.

And the very same views one day later!!

I guess this is the more expected Chicago fall.

Reunion dinner with our colleagues who are enjoying an extended stay in Chicago.

UBS displays its local spirit in a creative way.

What a fitting finish to our 3 long days in Chicago.

Fire-filled skies.

Dramatic good-bye.

This is the only photo from Philadelphia: the festive Jet Blue check-in counter.

End of the road, celebrating with birthday cupcakes from my kind colleagues.

Gourmet!

Back in Harvard Square; first time since 2014.

Dinner with James, former lab-mate and Lopez-mate. No one has aged!

Old City Hall; never stopped to see it while I was here.

Downtown Crossing. Hardly recognizable; they've done great things.

Yes! All stores should carry up to Size 13!

A beautiful summer day in Boston Commons.

Great morning to be outside.

True t-shirt weather!

More summer park.

These guys were confused: should they be hoarding for winter now, or are there still many months to go?

Wait a minute, isn't this a swan pond?

The ducks and the geese self-segregate.

Newbury Street looks the same!

A lone sculler on the Charles.

Picturesque sky over Boston.

MIT - looks the same!

With David, and his new shirt from Bangkok.

With Steve, in front of the Pappalardo sign.

A hack of some sort hanging in Lobby 7.

77 Mass Ave looks much the same, too.

Nice and blue over Vassar St.

Blue skies over the power plant.

Gehry-under-blue.

More picturesque Stata Center.

Long shadows on the Longfellow Bridge.

I was here, too!

What a floppy runner.

One of the most elegant post office buildings in Boston!

Long shadows as my visit comes to an end.

Until next time, Boston!

Bangkok Week 484

October 3, 2017

Our annual Alumni Dinner... and a lazy weekend otherwise.

Colleagues at the alumni dinner; although none of us is an alum yet!

Now this is a proper mix of current staff and alums!

Preparations are in full-swing for the Royal Cremation Ceremony later this month.

Marigolds are being planted nationwide for the King. They expect over 250k to be planted.

Guess who's back from Japan!? And look what he brought me!

Betcha can't guess it's vegetarian!