Bangkok Week 520

June 14, 2018

We welcome James, the groom-to-be, to Ekamai. And we do some plane-spotting. Yay!

Celebrating Friday with Italian classics at EmQuartier Helix.

Time to hang some (more) art! Here's what the backs of the frames look like.

Posters from Korea - finally out of the box, after over a year.

And the painting by Andrei Prychodko.

Some context.

We found James! He came down from Chiang Mai.

Lunch at Steps with Theera.

Trying the Jameson he brought from his homeland (well actually, the store nearby).

25 baht espresso (and 2 cookies) from IKEA's new coffee bar.

Bet you can't find this at IKEA Etobicoke.

DIY surgery on our map.

The end result. So far, it's still hanging!

New dabs of color in the living room.

And sprucing up the 'piano room' with some warm reds as well.

Cacti aplenty at the nursery on Pridi (the next major N/S soi).

The Hidayatul Islam Sam-In mosque, also on Pridi.

Using our last Shangri-La dining voucher on Sunday night - back at our favorite Chinese restaurant.

Lots of fresh veggies - yum!

Only in Manila: how the hotel served my "double espresso".

At my favorite airport: I guess we're not boarding yet. Since this is the colorful cabin crew, right here.

It's a bird... it's a plane...

... Why yes, it *is* a plane! PR731, to be exact.

Spotted another flyer, during our approach into Bangkok.

Bangkok Week 519

June 7, 2018

A short visit to Trat - and our last with Namwan.

Solid grey ceiling over Bangkok on Friday.

Maruay tries on his new non-slip socks. Do they help him get up? (Answer: not really.)

Ta-daa. At long last, our car is clean. (Note from the future: it wouldn't last long!)

Crazy dog.

What's over there?

Hard at work, bunching the rambutan for sale. Couldn't be fresher: direct from the tree!

Sold with precision.

Good morning, says Maruay.

He's here to check on his sister.

Namwan is not feeling well.

The rainy season means orchids are in full bloom.

Another variety.

It's not just the orchids!

Looking through photos from Brisbane.

Driving into a dark ceiling of doom.

On Monday morning, trying our new home office!

Umm. Brownie muesli? Not so sure about that, Shangri-la...

Yay! A long line to leave the Philippines. A parting gift.

Inside a cloud sandwich.

Fishing traps off the Chonburi coast?

What do you think they're farming in those rows down there?

Landing into a storm in Bangkok.

Celebrating Thursday night at Broken Eggs, that tapas place on Ekamai.

We had 2 visitors waiting for us when we got home.

Bangkok Week 518

May 31, 2018

A very short "week" in Manila and Bangkok.

The super-curvy Bang Pakong river, just east of Bangkok.

And veiny rivers in Cambodia.

Flying into the Wednesday sunset over the South China Sea.

A quick turn-around, and I'm heading back to Bangkok. This is the nicest treatment I've gotten from an Air Purser so far.

Meanwhile in Bangkok: taking Andrei's painting to be framed. Stay tuned for the final result.

5 days in Brisbane!

May 29, 2018

5 excellent days in Brissie - another great sunny city in our favorite country.
Note: this gallery comprises 2 albums. Once you reach the end of the first album (you'll know because it will loop), please press 'escape' and choose the second album to continue browsing!

We're off to Brisbane! First things first: a solid 7-hour sleep.

The humble Brisbane International Airport!

Our home for the next 5 days / 4 nights.

The Queen Street Mall - the heart of Brsbane's CBD.

When in Rome...

Passers-by stop to listen to the live band - part of an Arts series sponsored by the City Council.

Beautiful blue sky over Brisbane Square.

Giant balls.

View downstream from the Victoria Bridge.

Hello, Brisbane!

The Wheel of Brisbane, on the other side of the river.

My first Long Black of the year. Served by the Coffee Club - the same one at the base of Ekamai!

Brisbane City Hall - home now to the Museum of Brisbane and the famous clock tower.

You take a classic, hand-operated lift to the top of the Clock Tower.

Inside the lift.

Great views from the top of the 90-meter clock tower.

Clear view of the Albert Street Uniting Church - standing strong since 1888.

The Brisbane skyline.

On the way back down, stopping for a peek at the clock itself.

Crossing the river on the Kurilpa Bridge - which opened in 2009.

Hey, who's that?

Selfie from the award-winning pedestrian bridge.

One of the many boats that plies the Brisbane River, as part of the public transit network.

Bridge + skyline.

The resident elephants outside the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA).

Brisbane is amazing: it has well-kept walkways / cycleways lining the river on both sides, throughout the entire city.

Can you guess where we are?

Finally, some lunch: falafel from a Chinese vendor.

These gulls had their eye on the prize!

The beach in the Southbank Parklands was closed for renovation -- but it would have been a chilly swim anyway.

No people on the beach? A perfect time for all the local ibises to come enjoy the sand.

On the River Quay Green, looking back at the CBD. A great picnic spot!

We happened upon a man being thrown off a bridge. (It was for a fund-raiser.)

A peek into the Queensland Maritime Museum.

Did this boat ever really float?

A brightly-painted underpass.

A cute little second-hand bookstore in the West End part of town.

Lots of great street art in this neighborhood.

Yeah. Why not?

This house is being elevated! We saw many such renovation projects throughout the city.

This mural was painted by an artist referred to as the 'Banksy of Brisbane'.

This lab would like some dinner, too.

Rush hour, departing Brisbane. (It looks late - but it's only ~5pm. The sun sets early in winter!)

The Wheel of Brisbane all lit up.

Beautiful city line. The lights on the Victoria Bridge change colors.

A reminder of where we are. Just in case.

Another live band on Queen Street Mall - this time, entertaining the evening commuters.

Formerly the offices of the Telegraph!

A casual burger dinner... although you'll start to notice a trend.

Off to the farmer's market on Saturday morning. We pass some old architecture on the way to the pier.

This is the boat we won't be taking. Dinner cruises only.

Our guy! Looks like he loves it here!

Eagle Street Pier - known for its restaurants!

Shall we take a sail boat over to the market?

Here comes one of the commuter ferries.

Pristine skies over the CBD this morning!

Enjoying his rooftop views. (This particular ferry service is free!)

Passing under Story Bridge - the longest cantilever bridge in Australia. Open since 1940.

Continuing along the river. You can see the Brisbane River Walk, which here is over the water.

Great view from these condos!

Ah yes. I knew I left my yacht somewhere around here.

We disembark at the last stop on the ferry's route, and enjoy a nice walk through a riverside park.

This Dalmatian is enjoying his Saturday morning swim.

And this bird proves that the dog fountains are useful for other species, too!

Sleepy Saturday for this big boy.

We've reached our destination: the Brisbane Powerhouse! Formerly a power station; now, an arts and cultural hub.

The Powerhouse hosts a farmers' market every Saturday morning.

This month, it's also hosting the city's Pride festivities.

A well-worded notice.

A really bustling event!

All the goodies you'd imagine at a first-world famer's market!

You don't see these in Bracebridge or Bangkok!

Fresh and green.

This guy found the good stuff!

Notice outside the dog run.

A really spacious dog run - for both dogs and their people.

Continuing along the Riverwalk.

Lots of kiddos out, learning how to bike.

Many of Brisbane's original industrial buildings have been beautifully repurposed for homes. This building used to be one of the first sugar mills.

And this one a wool store.

Don't accidentally trip and fall onto this tree!

The ground floor of this building is now an "antiques" shop. Hard to tell if it was antiques, or a massive garage sale.

The typing test stands up to pressure on this side of the equator, too.

Doggies welcome here!

High Church event venue - which was hosting a brunch this morning.

Brisbane is surprisingly hilly. Here, a great view down on the Riverwalk.

A colorful foreground to Story Bridge.

Another clear shot of Story Bridge.

And the CBD.

Crossing under the bridge for the second time today -- this time by foot.

Stopping for a scenic lunch. (I could eat these fresh Australian lunches all day long!)

Continuing along the Riverwalk.

Uh oh! Looks like the rain's catching up with us!

A modern home that we dashed by on our way to dry ground.

Good thing we brought these brollies from Bangkok!

Rain is a great excuse for a trip to the museum and art gallery.

Inside the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), a very reasonably-sized space.

Great view of the river below.

There was an exhibit of art from across APAC - including Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

Untitled, by Anish Kapoor.

Rain is letting up, and nighttime is falling. It must be 5pm!

Mesmerizing auto traffic lining the river.

Dinner time! Guess what? More veggie burgers!

Cathedral of St Stephen. We'll come back in the daytime.

Hmm. Decisions, decisions..!

It's Sunday morning, and we're off for points south in our Hyundai i30!

~90 minutes and ~100km later, we reach Springbrook National Park!

This area was formed from a volcanic eruption about 23 million years ago.

Many different climates and elevations. And classic tall Australian trees!

Our fist walk is through a cool rainforest area.

Colors stand out in here!

Rays of light find their way through the trees.

A layer of dew on everything.

Antarctic Beech Trees that are ~2000 years old.

Need a reference to understand how large some of these plants are!

This is officially named the Best of All Lookout.

From this view, you look across New South Wales, toward the volcano that created Springbrook.

We were very much in the clouds. But they were fast-moving, so the view kept changing.

Surprisingly chilly!

Another view, from a different vantage point.

More NSW terrain.

One of the many cliff-side waterfalls throughout the park.

We're off on the Twin Falls circuit: a 4km loop that passes behind 2 waterfalls and through 5 types of forest.

Peeling trees!

The walk passed through many large rocks and caves. Hope that boulder's well wedged-in!

A sense of scale.

Sneaking through the crack.

This tree looks small - but it's the size of a very large umbrella.

Here we are at the first waterfall.

Looking up.

Very clear pool of water underneath the falls.

Behind the falls!

A rainbow at the base of the falls.

Managed to get the entire falls in one shot.

We spotted an old man's face in the side of this rock.

Behind waterfall #2.

Clear, fresh water!

It was a bit slippery back here!

Making our way back up: here's the same waterfall, from the top this time.

Enjoying the well-guarded views.

Trees straight out of a painting.

Very graphic warning sign!

Purling Brook Falls - yet another waterfall!

And the trail down below.

Our last stop at Springbrook for the afternoon: Natural Bridge (to be seen shortly). And the straightest trees in Queensland.

More tall, old trees!

Over time, this waterfall has created a hole in the basalt rock below.

This resulted in the eponymous Natural Bridge!

The waterfall, from inside the cave below (i.e. under the natural bridge!)

Our last stop for the night is Coolangatta, a chill town at the southern tip of Gold Coast. Its lighthouse was being renovated.

Coolangatta's beaches are another favorite of the local surfers.

Wipe-out!

It was very windy! Can you tell?

Moon is out! Must be 5pm!

Looking north toward Gold Coast. Beautiful night sky!

Coolangatta and Tweed Heads in NSW are Twin Towns. Here, we easily travel between both states!

Coming back into Queensland after a brief trip to NSW.

Back to Brisbane, for dinner at a Vegan Market.

Taking a break from hamburgers for the night - and enjoying a chili dog intsead.

The next morning, we're back on the road, and heading back to Gold Coast!

About to embark on my first (and last!?) whale watching excursion.

The calm before the storm.

That's a deceptive rainbow over northern Gold Coast!

Yes, this boat is wisely staying put in the harbor today.

Pelicans! The birds with the most personality!!

This school of dolphins came to check us out.

They were intrigued by our boat.

Showing off.

The school was apparently 50 or 60 dolphins large.

Many of them swam in pairs.

Looking back at the shore (nice skyline), longingly.

Finally, coming back into the port.

Should we warn this fishing boat?

Back on solid land (although it doesn't yet feel like it!)

Yes, well. They did warn us!

The famous Gold Coast Headless Pigeon.

Not many surfers here today!

Rough surf indeed.

You can see the rain storm off on the horizon.

No wonder it was so choppy on the water!

Deceptively calm-looking.

The only people out on the beach were these metal detectors.

Spotted: cone tree! And you know who likes to munch in them?

These beautiful lorikeets!

Nom-nom-nom.

A late lunch at a beach-side cafe. Delish!

More storm in the foreground, and Gold Coast (Australia's 6th largest city!) in the background.

The surfers were a little more enthusiastic about the waves at this end of town.

Nice moves.

Calling it a day.

What a great backdrop.

Mr. Mohawk - aptly dressed for the surfer vibe of this town.

This guy is a crested pigeon - but much more funky than the North American pigeons we're used to!

Before returning the car, a quick stop at Mt. Coot-tha, a lookout affording great views of Brisbane.

Venturing to Chinatown for dinner.

A clean, modern Chinatown!

Dinner at a Japanese ramen & gyoza place - where someone came dressed for the occasion.

A massive bowl of vegan ramen.

Walking home along the river. The Story Bridge is nicely lit at night (in a cycle of 3 or 4 color patterns).

Monday night CBD.

...second album continues below...

It's our last day in Brisbane! Checking out Central Station, so we know where to go tonight!

Anzac Square - with giant bulbous trees.

Anzac Memorial.

A closer view of Anzac Memorial.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - started in 1927, to protect them when the species was being culled for the fur trade.

This is Rodney. Rodney is an old man (12 years old) - but one of the most active guys we saw all day.

Rodney was awake and hungry - and off to find his eucalyptus leaves.

Where? Over there?

Nom nom nom.

The rest of the koalas were nice and sleepy.

They sleep (so peacefully) for 18-20 hours/day, since they get so little energy from the leaves.

They're not drunk, and they're not bears -- two common misunderstandings.

Just waking up.

Sleeping as cute as can be.

We're told they have extra thick bum skin - but I still can't understand how this is comfortable.

They also had a sheep dog show. These were the stars: a border collie, and an Australian Kelpie.

The dogs did their jobs well - but the sheep didn't seem thrilled at all.

Demonstrating how the dogs can herd the sheep into small spaces.

"Another day, another demonstration."

This Kelpie puppy has mastered standing on the sheep - but not yet all the other tricks.

Posing with the fluffy sheep.

This Tawny Frogmouth also calls the Koala Sanctuary home.

This Kookaburra also lives there.

I saw my first platypus! They're smaller than I'd imagined.

This guy is not an exhibit - he just lives on the property.

First time seeing a Tassie Devil awake. I guess he wanted some sunlight!

This Dingo was just waking up, too.

This Emu was checking out the wombat to see what he's up to.

Ms. Wombat's just going for a stroll.

Excuse me, ma'am. Is this the time to be sunning yourself like that?

She enjoys it.

Last stop: the home of the kangaroos and wallabies.

"Yes, hello?"

The smart ones are resting in the shade.

Hanging with his new best friends.

Nice red coat on this guy.

Yes? You're interrupting our chat.

A chillaxin' 'roo bids us farewell.

Back in the city, we visit the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.

It looks nice and sunny...

... but it was actually raining!

What were these giant fruits / flowers?

A bamboo forest.

A giant tree. (Spot the person?)

The Botanic Gardens (like much of Brisbane) is on the river, and affords great views of the bridge.

More boats, and the cliffs on Kangaroo Point.

A quick pop into the Cathedral of Saint Stephen.

Brilliant reflection of clouds over the shiny CBD.

We're off to cross the Story Bridge, before the sun sets one last time!

Risking my iPhone for his videos!

Beautiful CBD once more.

Clouds and funky architecture.

The flood line from the Great 2011 flood (and the 1974 flood for comparison).

The sun is setting.

More sunset.

Two Mr. Muscles, stretching together.

Kangaroo Point Cliff's Park...

... is a popular place for rock climbers to come!

Practicing sans rope!

Two love-birds and the setting sun.

Back to that lovely picnic spot that we found on Day 1.

For good measure: one last burger meal in Brisbane!

The city bids us a bright farewell.

On the train to the airport. Doesn't seem to be a popular route at this hour!

As always, enjoying his kiwi beer in the Air NZ lounge. Farewell, Australia!

Bangkok Week 517

May 24, 2018

The pictures are up!

Yikes! Check out the dust from just the ground floor -- after only 1 week.

Ethel is up, and in her new place of honor!

As are the crazy man's tuk-tuks.

The man and his hammer and his hooks (from Manila).

For this one, we had to check against the construction photos to make sure we avoided the AC drainage pipe.

Dinner with Andrew. Our first (well, technically third) dinner guest!

Water crystals south of BKK.

Only islands have cloud hats. I'm sure there's a meteorological explanation for this.

Time to leave Manila now. My (quite new) aircraft.

And my trusty MNL T1 Starbucks friend is paying me another farewell visit - how nice of him.

Bangkok Week 516

May 17, 2018

We continue to improve our house -- one small piece at a time.

A brief pop into Singapore. My all-time favorite view!

Using up the leftovers: the bread and the eggs!

Our great new rose-gold purchase. Vroom vroom.

Our trusty workers come to patch up the hole left by the AC repairmen.

And to fix the mess left by the mat at the base of the stairs.

The contractor and our project manager - the real heroes!

Spotted at a local cafe: edible cacti!

My least favorite airport in the world. Looks beautiful from above. But can you spot the 4 terminals?

Crowded in the Metro Manila area.

And overflowing into the sea.

Another great Manila sunset.

The most beautiful part of the airport: the sky above.

Bangkok Week 515

May 10, 2018

A busy and beautiful weekend away in Hua Hin (and surrounding areas) ... and then our house guests leave us!

Dad finally gets his annual 'Seven Spoons' fix.

And the next morning, it's off to the races! This Cha-am local knows how to keep cool.

The Platinum treatment while waiting to check in at Sheraton Hua Hin.

Dramatic skies and beautiful landscapes as we approach Kuiburi National Park.

Low-lying clouds.

"Kui Buri Elephants" - that's who we're here to see!

After the rains, we're off on our personal safari.

A lady elephant! (How lady-like.)

Yes - that's much more polite.

Kuiburi National Park is just shy of 1000 sq. km. Really scenic!

One lone Gaur. Apparently, the park is home to one of the largest populations of Gaur in Thailand: ~100 of them.

Local flora -- doesn't look like Thailand.

Selfie on our 'safari truck.'

The shiniest tree in the Kingdom.

Really very scenic!

Long shadows - the day is almost up!

Scenery befitting of Apple wallpaper?

Explorers on a mission.

On our way out of the park, we happened upon a beautiful female waiting in the bushes for the rest of her family to cross.

Enjoying the twigs.

Here's the rest of the family - coming to meet Mum.

Everyone in unison now.

A little further down the road, this family of 5 is really interested in something!

Great vantage point.

They weren't eating it - just poking at it.

"Okay, enough. Let's go!"

One-by-one, they head on their way.

Off into the sunset.

And finally, it's time for our dinner... on the beach!

Enjoying our suite - and the 4 macaroons the hotel left us.

Our towel art - before I accidentally decapitated her.

Pointing out our balconies, the next morning.

Investigating the hermit crabs.

Walking on water.

Still investigating the hermit crabs.

"Ooh! It's warmer than a bath!"

After a long walk, finally reaching the hotel lobby.

Breakfast buffet - yum yum!

Overlooking the almost-infinite pool.

Mum finally figures out what the banana flower has to do with the banana fruit.

An orb of flowers.

Eye on the prize: a lizard bathing in the sun.

Time to enjoy the hotel's giant pool.

Under-water group shot!

Just relaxing, at the very end of the pool.

Here comes the serious swimmer! Zoom!

All together now!

Enjoying the bubble beds!

Here comes the monster!

We even went into the ocean! (It was all fun and games, until we saw a jelly!)

Back to Bangkok! Check out this monster lime we bought!

Mum cuts in to see what's inside. (Indeed, it's basically a giant lime - slightly dry.)

The Last Supper! At Spicy by Nature - whoo, dad's excited!

Good-bye, house!

Enjoying the 'special assistance' seats.

Off they go. Farewell!

Oh wait. Found them again, and they're enjoying Magnum ice cream.

What service! The farewell committee escorts them all the way to their gate!

Farewell, for real this time! Good-bye, Bangkok.

Their A330.

I continue my lounge-hopping: this is the couch in the *bathroom* of the TG First Class lounge!!

And this is what each of the toilet stalls looks like!

We did a lovely tour of Manila as we held for 45 minutes before landing - what fun.

Meanwhile, back in Bangkok: the AC technicians slice the house apart. What happens next? You'll have to wait and see...

Bangkok Week 514

May 3, 2018

Annual get-together in Trat!

Finally trying Khao restaurant - that dad's been eyeing in Soi 10 for a while.

Dining with the stars: that's a table of famous actors and comedians in the background.

The next morning: local Dunkin' delicacies on our way to Trat.

Anything and everything mango for this guy.

Mountains in the mist.

We've arrived! Maruay gives everyone hugs.

Hugs from Maruay.

Namtan doesn't fare as well. He gets a neck chomp.

And a nibble-nibble-nibble.

Need to take a rest.

"I know we see eye-to-eye on this one."

Looking into the lion's den.

Lunch time! Freshly-made.

Namtan pretends for a split second that he's fierce.

More hugs from Maruay.

Getting a tour of the vegetable garden.

Mr. Nosy comes too, of course. (His evening exercise.)

Dinner at the "resort" down the street.

Bring-your-own dessert!

Ceremony for the house the next morning.

Driving new roads, to unknown destinations, in Trat.

Our destination: Khlong Kaeo Waterfall National Park.

"Is that the waterfall?"

The water fall has several levels - six I believe?

Lots of bamboo.

One of the levels.

The entire gang that made the trek.

Tall trees! (The park is 200 sq. km in area.)

More bamboo.

There were lots of fish in all levels of the waterfall.

Getting a little higher up (closer to Cambodia!)

The penultimate level - a clear waterfall in to a natural swimming pool.

People waiting patiently down below.

Whoops! I mean, Mum *wanted* to see how warm the water was.

Quick stop at the long Laem Sok pier.

Lunch at Banpu resort's restaurant - much updated since we were last there 9 years ago!

Preparing dinner.

Another big feast at home.

Maruay - not in a mood to play now. Now is for sleep.

Uh oh. Something's up.

"Where am I going, dad? Where am I going?"

What's that? A distraction?

Waiting patiently for the doctor to see them.

Namwan didn't even get any shots - and she's still worked up.

"Why is this room moving?"

Exhausted, and glad to be home.

Being rewarded for being a good boy: with a visit to the salon.

Someone tried to hitch a ride back to Bangkok!

Final lunch - this one in Klung.

Lots of durian in a vintage truck.

Following his nose at the rest stop.

On Labor Day Tuesday - exploring the sub-sois of Ekkamai.

Dining with a horse!

Actually: just browsing for new "designer" chairs!

Special (deluxe) lunch at a salad place in EmQuartier. Oh-la-la.

A few weeks late, but better late than never: the finished products of our hard labor.

This one wins the prize for the hardest!

Finally trying Olive, the Greek restaurant just around the corner.

ทุเรียนก้านยาว (long-stemmed durian) from the neighbors!

Yay! Manila welcomes you with open-arms and a 90-minute immigration queue!

A beautiful sunset as I leave Manila. Good-bye.

Let's just hope this window holds up!

Bangkok Week 513

April 26, 2018

A week of few photos; perhaps because so much time was spent assembling IKEA furniture!

The gardener uses his new broom comb for the first time.

Saturday breakfast at Steps with Theera.

A good (late) way to start the weekend.

Instagram-worthy. If only I had an account.

Next stop: hint. It starts with an "I" and ends with a "KEA".

A regional specialty: veggie balls in green curry on rice.

Our big purchase. Thank goodness for home delivery!

Special Saturday evening dinner at the Chinese restaurant at Shangri-La.

Not sure how this caterpillar crawled onto the menu. (It's not in the Thai!)

Beautiful orchids in the hotel lobby.

A shocking attempt at pancakes for breakfast on Sunday morning.

First Sunday breakfast in the house. (We've been here for a week!)

Not the prettiest pancakes - but they tasted good!

A mango the size of her head - from the neighbor.

Fast-forward to dinner! (2 pieces of IKEA furniture later.) Home-made spaghetti!

Gourmet!

My office in NAIA Terminal 1 on Wednesday afternoon... got to the airport 7 hours early, because of a missed attempt at an earlier flight.

Have a while to wait. That's the flight I missed, approaching Bangkok. And my inbound aircraft has only just left Bangkok!

A very important delivery the next day.

Voila! Our table and chairs!

Annual dinner with Yai - for the first time, *not* at Suankularb Restaurant!

Bangkok Week 512

April 19, 2018

The week we finally move into The House!!!

Sprucing up the house - with some Spruce!

The trees have arrived, and are waiting patiently.

The landscaper, dancing with the trees.

We now have an address; that's an improvement.

View from the bedroom.

The bed's all ready to be used!

Mum's testing out her mattress.

Songkran lunch at the Big C mall. Barely a shop was open.

Wrestling with the bed frame!

Dinner at Cantina. Our last meal in Ari???

It's a big day for our plant. He's moving!

Only his second trip in an elevator -- and he was significantly slimmer last time 'round.

Yup, that's it for trunk space!

Good-bye, Noble Lite. You've been great.

It was a great home for six years.

Although we'd accumulated a surprising amount of junk!

One last selfie-selfie, before recycling my photo.

Sleepy Songkran days at Gateway Ekkamai.

Stopping to observe the water fights in downtown Bangkok.

CentralWorld is the place to be!

Enter at your own risk.

Looks like an ambush to me.

Our Songkran shirts.

More sleepy Songkran days!

It's probably been a year since my last DQ! But now... **THEY HAVE MINT!!**

After a hard day of touring and unpacking, a nice dinner at Pesca!

He had to try the dessert.

Our first breakfast in the new house!

Taking good care of the orchids from our neighbors.

So colorful!

More tree maneuvering.

Enjoying his new throne!

Scary smiles at Big C.

The Master Chef tries her hand at Mac & Cheese for the first time ever on the Asian continent.

Gourmet meal!

The house is starting to look lived-in.

Like our blinds?

Guest bedroom coming together, too.

Most of the unpacking is done now, too, thanks to someone's hard work.

Bidding the house farewell for a few days.

Making use of the free ice cream (courtesy of CitiBank) before heading off to LP.

They made me Pad Thai in the lounge! I must admit, Platinum has its perks!

Can you spot the Thai 787-800 flying over Manila?

Look closely!

Bangkok Week 511

April 12, 2018

Our guests have arrived!

This is the sign that our guests have arrived!

Belated - but timely - birthday present: a map of Laos.

First lunch: at the new "community mall" in Ari.

Visiting The House. It's changed a lot since last year!

How many people can we fit into the shower?

Keeping alive with some Swensen's ice cream.

No mango and sticky rice ice cream this visit.

We have a mailbox!

The delivery we've been waiting for.

Miniso fashion!

Posing on the walkway above Siam Square- which is also new since last year.

Happy birthday, Jasmine!!

And happy birthday, Naomi! (The cake was a complete surprise.)

Modeling the Maplewood hat.

Visiting Warehouse30 - except we're too early for the shops. So, cafe it is.

Checking out the neighborhood.

A little bit of everything -- including antiques -- for sale here.

Waiting for the show to start.

Interesting architecture on the building next door.

Selfie with the local camel.

Mural and relief sculpture on the wall of the Embassy of Portugal.

A Chinese neighborhood across the river.

Next stop: Lhong 1919.

With a great view, Lhong is a reclaimed a group of old warehouses and a Chinese shrine.

The site has been tastefully redeveloped.

Lotus in action.

Lunch at one of the Thai restaurants on the premise.

Artists painstakingly restore some of the original wall paintings.

A finished panel.

Work-in-progress.

Using an arm rest to steady his hand.

Nice views from the second floor.

Equally scenic ground floor.

Last stop for the day: the newly renovated Wat Arun!

We were indeed all there.

All new plates, for an all-new look.

Like two peas in a pod.

Nice and steep - but off limits to the public.

It almost looks like we had the place to ourselves!

Heading back to the right side of town, after a long day on the road.

Until next time, Wat Arun!

Mum's annual birthday dinner at Charcoal.

The last of the windows have arrived! We can move in now!

The small guest-bedroom windows into the hallway.

The prison bars -- I mean window -- at the back of the guest room.

Our beautiful new bedroom windows.

And the bathroom windows, too.

One last lunch before heading off to the airport.

Say this name aloud. And then wonder.

We took a very indirect approach to Manila.

This added 30 minutes -- i.e. 20% -- to our flight time!

Leaving Manila NAIA on Thursday night - I had an uninvited friend -- at Starbucks!

Bangkok Week 510

April 5, 2018

We've officially "moved in" to the house!

Enjoying Friday night tacos at Mejico in CentralWorld.

The massive hood is finally being installed.

Floors are being coated.

Induction hobs work!

Trying out all the beds in Ikea.

Spare parts vending machine: what a good idea!

Super cute cafe dog sleeping in on Sunday.

We've officially moved in!

The newer garden stain is less... orange.

Looks a little more subdued.

Kitchen is almost finished now.

The hood takes up the entire cabinet!

Sanding the living room floor before finishing it.

At AIS (telco) in EmQuartier - so posh, even the water is premium.

Easter Brunch with our favorite visitor from Paris.

The floors are done! Beautiful.

And the couch is here! Can you spot it?

Meanwhile in Manila: the hotel and I have finally figured out a system that works to keep stuff from stay-to-stay!

My standing desk at the airport, while waiting for check-in to open.

Bangkok Week 509

March 29, 2018

What a week! From Bali to Bangkok to Trat, and back to Ekamai. Enjoy!

A beautiful Friday in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Can't beat this view while having some foot reflexology!

Supporting Team Manila during the annual performances.

Fish joining me for breakfast the next morning.

Westin Bali - straight out of a catalog.

Not quite as blue on Saturday morning.

The Denpasar airport is right on the ocean!

Good-bye, Bali! Until next time! (Likely later this summer.)

Meanwhile in Bangkok: our new front gate is being installed.

It only takes two workers to install a giant steel gate?

This shrimp is lager-than-life... but only 239 a kg.

We reach Trat! And... this is our welcome party!

Trying the sala (salak) from Indonesia -- drier and crunchier than the Thai ones.

Prepare for a rose apple storm!

Lots of ripe chilies in the back.

Mangosteen season is coming, too!

An all-new vegetable garden.

Beautiful orchid in bloom.

Namtan looks pensive.

Maruay looks sheepish.

Saying hello the only way he knows how.

The shopkeeper.

After the storm.

Wet but beautiful. Also - great camera on the iPhone 6s.

We went to the Laem Sok pier to try to catch the sunset.

But we were too late! So all we caught was a nice sea breeze.

Another feast for dinner. Lucky us!

Cat-in-the-cupboard!

Maruay doesn't look thrilled about Tuesday.

Spying on the world, from his alter.

Well doesn't he look comfortable!

Practically twins!

Maruay takes a good whiff of Namtan. Yup, that's him.

Just out of Trat, we hit 30k! At this rate, the car will last us another 45 years!

Had a guest in my office on Wednesday.

And finally, some house photos. The gate is in.

As is the door - and the window next to it.

Our bright orange garden floor, glistening after the rain.

It even reflects on the living room ceiling!

The book shelf in the piano room - looking good!

The back splash in the kitchen has been installed.

And our fridge has arrived!

Now we have a fridge in the kitchen!

The floor in the study looks really nice.

Said study.

Guest bathroom - complete with man in reflection.

Downstairs bathroom.

Giant spider who'd been squatting in the master bathroom toilet.

And the cutest little oven for sale in Bangkok. Aww!

Bangkok Week 508

March 22, 2018

Finishing touches are finally going into the house. And a variety of surprises in Manila.

My makeshift standing desk!

The comfiest dog in Bangkok, enjoying the periodic wafts of AC from the mall behind him.

Delicious salted egg fried rice in Siam Square. Yum!

Dining room light fixtures have been installed! (Just have to re-center the dummy table.)

Looking back out toward the front.

Ceiling fans have been installed as well.

Getting the prognosis about our car after its annual check-up.

Three of the sliding doors have gone in now.

This one encloses the study, should it need to be used as a bedroom.

The door dividing the study and the balcony.

Gourmet grilled cheese for dinner.

Our couch!

Only clean pants allowed on this light fabric.

From behind.

Team photo in Manila, before we start to ramp down the team.

The longest escalator in Manila.

Spotted not-in-Canada! One of two Joe Fresh outlets in Manila, open since last year.

The murderous Easter Bunny patiently counting down the days in the hotel lobby.

The Manila airport is so bad, it requires 2 pages in the PAL magazine to explain how to transfer there.

Meanwhile in Ekamai - the bookshelf has been installed in the 'piano room'.

its the space perfectly.

Bangkok Week 507

March 15, 2018

Doors, doors, and more doors!

A sneak peak at our new front gate - still being built at the contractor's workshop.

And this will be our front door!

Mario made a guest appearance in Bangkok.

They're getting ready for the front door. The upper trim is installed.

The glass team was in, taking laser measurements for the glass in the kitchen.

The door under the stairs has been installed.

The door for the downstairs bathroom is installed (but without doorknob just yet).

The door to the master bathroom is finished, too.

The workers are working on the bedroom doors.

Plugging holes in the master bedroom door.

The downstairs is taking shape.

Two days later: we now have a front door! Isn't it pretty?

After days of sanding, it's time to paint the downstairs walls.

The workers made a dummy table, to help figure out where to install the pendant lights.

The wood on the railings has been installed - but not yet finished.

In the study.

On the balcony.

Mario also made a guest appearance in Manila!

A Thai Airways 777-300ER, eagerly waiting to leave the 5th worst airport in Asia.

This passenger's got it all figured out!

Bangkok Week 506

March 8, 2018

More house updates... and a quick stop in Singapore!

Spotted in the office: the cutest cupcake you'll never eat!

House update #1: they're finishing the insides of the kitchen cupboards.

And sanding the walls before painting them.

Meticulously sanding the walls!

A view from behind the stairs.

The downstairs bathroom - we decided to go with newsprint wall paper.

No shortage of reading material when you're on the toilet!

We wanted the bathrooms to match, so went with the same wallpaper upstairs, too.

Towel bars are installed.

Trim is stained now.

Trim in the guest bedroom.

And our one outdoor light is installed!

Before-and-after 2018!

11.5 inches off to someone else's head!

House update #2: the shelves in the dining room are done.

The cupboard doors have been installed.

As have the bathroom drawers (and doors).

Downstairs bathroom.

Guest bathroom.

Master bathroom.

Master bathroom - doors open.

The master bathroom sink is asleep.

Doors to hide the washing machine.

And the breaker box.

Whoops. Better fix that.

The "piano room" shelves that the contractor has designed (by hand!) for us.

My favorite view in Singapore.

Not sure this is the most appetizing option for veggie sandwiches!

Good night, Changi.

Good night, Suvarnabhumi.

Bangkok Week 505

March 1, 2018

The CNY celebrations continue in Singapore. And 3 house updates, all in one week.

Welcome to Singapore, where CNY festivities are still in full swing.

Apparently mandarin trees are a thing!

Starbucks Singapore can't differentiate between its key cities and country.

A quick Friday house update. The garden floor is in.

The cabinets in the bathrooms are in, and the shelf shaved down to a better size.

The original floors are looking quite nice!

Polishing up the parquet (old and new).

Spot the extension!

The stairs are coming along.

A quick Friday dinner at the newest burger joint in Ari: Paper Butter.

An average veggie burger; but good to have as a fall-back.

House update #2 - the cabinets have been raised 15cm (to increase the clearance above the stove.

The bathroom fittings have been installed.

The ceiling lights are going in.

The workers are finishing the railings.

Lots of reading materials in the bathrooms.

The guest bathroom is coming together.

Finishing the walls in the bedrooms.

The original wooden stairs have been refinished, and look really nice.

Happy Belated 3Nth birthday!

The best Indian in town, hands-down!

An idea for a living room chair?

Meanwhile in Manila: I get mangoes in all form factors, now that I have status with Shangri-La.

Umm... not sure I can bring myself to eat these green-stuffed croissants.

House update #3! They're finishing the insides of the cabinets.

They've put the trim around the rooms on the second floor.

(But it has yet to be polished.)

The glass has gone into the bathrooms.

The shower in the guest bathroom is actually sufficiently spacious.

Almost all the ceiling lights are in now - including these, above the island.

The electrician is finally dealing with the nest of wires.

And closing out the week: another punny headline from Thai Airways.

Bangkok Week 504

February 22, 2018

Happy Chinese New Year! Let's celebrate with lots of house photos!

On CNY Friday, I bumped into a Lion Dance in MBK.

It could be heard miles away. Or at least, aisles away.

Celebrating CNY at Cantina in Ari... haven't been here since Julia was in town.

The egg, lit up (and reflecting) in all its Chinese glory.

The newly-famous product designer, conducting a live radio interview from his "home studio".

Meanwhile at the house: a worker scrubs the interior of our fresh water tank.

All sealed up and ready to be covered. (I hope the worker got out first.)

They've installed the kitchen roof now.

The second bathroom's tiles have been scored - in preparation for the glass.

Sink is in place.

The dropped ceiling and wiring have been covered.

Steel railings are in.

Hole for the skylight.

Sink in the master bathroom is in.

Another view of the railings.

Kitchen roof, from inside. It's got insulation pre-installed.

The downstairs bathroom -- is the ceiling too low?

They've fixed up the downstairs ceilings.

And are preparing the garden floor.

Looking inside from the driveway.

Gate is about to be moved outside!

One of the neighbor's dogs wonders what all the fuss is about.

Checking out the new mini-community-mall back in Ari. A neighborhood cat hangs out at the new burger joint.

The new Mexican restaurant is pretty punny.

All the CNY zodiac signs on display at Paragon. My rat looks pretty inquisitive.

We bumped into a second Lion Dance - this time at Paragon.

House Update #2 for the week. The kitchen cabinets have been installed.

The bookshelf which fits into the alcove there.

Underneath the island. (Whoops, the cabinet comes out in anticipation of the washing machine that's no longer there.)

Cupboard for the washing machine - and other storage.

Cabinets over the hobs.

Downstairs sink covered in saw dust.

Master bathroom sink - before the wooden shelf was shortened.

Second bathroom - again, before the shelf was shortened.

The study's floor has been polished.

The floor in the master bedroom.

The floor in the second bedroom. You can see the different color of the extension.

The stairs are work-in-progress.

Stairs from below.

The kitchen roof has been cut-to-size.

Bangkok Week 503

February 15, 2018

Lots of house updates, with a special guest mixed in.

A four-legged commuter on his way to work on Friday morning.

Unclear why there's an adult ball pit in the middle of Siam Center.

Friday night burger and fries chez Jamie Oliver.

Getting into the Valentine's Day spirit a week early.

Saturday afternoon visit to the house. The new front wall is looking good.

The kitchen is taking shape -- but they can't install the cabinets until the roof is closed.

Still lots of clutter in the living room; but the ceiling is being finished.

The railings are taking shape.

The ceiling - from the 'piano room'.

The downstairs bathroom is taking shape.

Master bathroom: sink will go roughly there.

From the second bedroom looking out.

An up-close look at the wooden door frames.

Putting the finishing touches on the new parquet flooring.

Fan overload: time to buy our ceiling fans.

We got 4 of this model (except that they will be flush with the ceiling).

Dinner with Richard at Emquartier.

Another house update: adding details to the downstairs bathroom.

The stone is being put on the downstairs bathroom counter.

The stone has also been installed in the guest bathroom.

And in the master bathroom (although it appears they mis-measured the sink).

They will leave crawl space access in the master bathroom.

Up-close of the wooden trim off the study.

The stair railing is almost complete.

Finishing the ground floor ceilings.

Meanwhile in Manila: this is a nice way to show off your condos at night.

A word of inspiration on Valentine's Day. Ponder that!

Bangkok Week 502

February 8, 2018

Taiwan: the (rainy) heart of Asia.

Leaving Manila. Wait, shouldn't I be on that plane?

Friday night in Manila.

This dessert is vegetarian, vegan, low fat, low sugar, kosher, and tasteless!

The dinner feast that was waiting for me in Taipei!

Enjoying a real Taiwanese breakfast the next morning.

Veggie dumplings at the breakfast buffet!

View from our hotel room: looking east.

Another view from our hotel room: looking North.

Smart idea, by the Taipei MRT.

Heading out for an adventure, despite the rain.

Our first stop: Taipei International Airport.. or Songshan airport.

Destination: observatory!

They're very enthusiastic about their observation deck, even from the ground floor.

Follow the runway!

Nice display.

They're even prepared for the rain!

Nice view of the FAT MD-80.

They have an arrivals and departures board on the observation deck, for eager spotters.

Well, at least it's nice and dry in here.

It takes a team to push back this ATR-72.

A wet but picturesque observatory.

I think they see a lot of enthusiasts here.

A proper souvenir shop for plane spotters at the base of the observation deck.

Found all the taxis in Taipei!

Next stop: Fujin street.

It's a residential street with lots of hip little shops.

Umbrella still required.

We spotted a giant moose.

The cute shop where we found Petunia.

A nice neighborhood - have never seen so many cafes in such a small space.

Blending right in with the locals.

Hip to be cool.

Despite the hip-ness, a reminder that we're still in ROC!

Rain break at a convenience store. Look at the cute little milk!!

Beautifully-designed Taiwanese teas and coffees.

Out for a walk, despite the rain.

Delicious desserts - with unprocessed fillings.

Handmade with care - delish!

Police motorbikes. Looks like no one is out on patrol today!

How to ride in the rain.

Stumbled upon another veggie restaurant for lunch. Tasty!

Hope your dog's not claustrophobic!

Petunia made it home in one piece.

The 1914 creative park - in the rain!

It's much more lively than when we were there a few years ago.

Lots of DIY shops for various types of crafters.

These were wooden Snoopy figurines, for people who do woodworking.

Continuing our wet journey.

Feels a bit like Japan!

We've come to Taipei 101 with a mission.

But first: check out this novel dessert / drink at Starbucks.

Roots! They had Roots stores all over the city.

It's the year of the Dog! Get ready!

Finally! The real reason we came here today!

Getting a birthday song with his Apple Watch.

The man, and his (belated) birthday gift!

Aww. These Bao are too cute to eat!

Lunch leftovers for dinner, back at the hotel.

Taipei's version of Singapore's Bag-down Benny campaign. How expressive!

Spending Sunday morning at a weekend flower market - to take advantage of the shelter.

The market is held underneath a highway.

Oranges.

What shiny red root balls!

Many of the plants were decorated for CNY.

Fresh sprouts!

And colorful cacti.

Unique orchids.

Also for sale: flowers of the sea. A.k.a. fish.

Sweeping trees in the middle of a road.

Umbrellas briefly down for a photo.

The rain puts a damper on the crowds at Ximending.

Too wet to be shopping!

Poke cakes!

A comically graphic warning at an arcade.

Our final lunch at a delicious veggie place just behind the hotel.

My gate!

Unfortunately, we didn't have a matching plane :(

Thrilled to be back in Manila and spending midnight in this queue.

Updates from the house!

The new front wall is going up.

As is the banister for the stairs. (Being assembled on-site because the stairs are irregular.)

The door frames have gone in.

From inside the master bathroom.

Working on the parquet flooring to match the existing floor in the study.

Banister going in.

From the ground floor.

Pouring the concrete floor.

The bench and enclosure for the water pump.

The front door is starting to materialize, too.

View over Ortigas from my 18th-story room.

Birthday dinner for one of our teammates.

Back at the house: preparing to drop the ceiling.

Gingerly pouring the floor.

Preparing the driveway to be poured.

Uber-thick insulation under the roof on the second floor.

This better be warm. I mean, cool.

They've closed up the master bedroom.

Ceiling is still plenty tall.

And soon they'll close up the hallway!