Yet another Toronto fall

October 14, 2018

A great 3 days in Toronto and Bracebridge. Saw all the fams, and experienced all the temperatures: from 28 to 7 degrees.

Welcome to Toronto! I'm spoiled to have my favorite dinner waiting for me!

And mum's much-hyped upside-down peach cake. Yum!

Looking good on Euclid.

Ever seen the house this green?

Bloor Street's looking different - like it's missing its two front teeth.

Honest Ed's was here.

Amen!

Healthy ivy on the side of the U of T Schools building.

Mr Owl.

Fall foliage at its finest!

The leaves are coming down.

Long shadows - even in October.

Colorful campus.

The whole fall rainbow.

Classic TO cityscape.

The green roof of City Hall.

City Hall! My first time.

And from the front (apparently it has directionality).

Great skyscape.

Some kind of First Nations festival at City Hall.

No mistaking what city this is.

The famous Brookfield Place.

Looking good!

Ant Attack on Queen Street.

Amen!

Visiting Grandma.

Everyone's still good at cards.

Practicing the Art of the Selfie.

Real words of wisdom.

My beautiful ice cream birthday cake - entirely* home-made by Erika! Yum!

Hey! I have that shirt!

Welcome to the cottage - where nothing much has changed (except the ownership).

Lots of leaves!

A crack of blue sky over the lake.

Fall foliage!

A long way back to the shore.

A red leaf resting on the dock.

I was there, too.

Lots of rich fungi in the yard.

Dad hard at work.

Did I mention that it was very yellow?

More yellow.

Even more yellow!

Too many leaves for the mulcher to handle. So we had to finish off by hand.

The last leaf standing.

Great Subaru visuals.

Hello hello, says an excited Colby.

Oh wait. It's just Mika.

Hey! Where are you guys going? I'm going too, right?

Trim up the tree with Christmas stuff, like bingle balls and who-floo fluff!

I see you, Mika. What are you doing to Chris?

She's shocked. Doesn't know how she got on this lap.

Practically twins.

Operation iPad.

What? I have something on my nose?

This is better, right?

Back in Toronto: the gang's all here for dinner.

More than a full house for Chinese food!

Cousins!

Another blue-sky day, another walk. Although this one decidedly colder.

Award-winning window display at Remenyi House Of Music!

ROM, looking good, despite the harsh lighting.

Woah. Not exactly my type of product - but I'll take it.

Requisite lunch at a Korean-on-bloor.

Got myself a bibimbap!

Leftover birthday cake and tea, for the cool fall afternoon.

Our afternoon activity. How productive.

The coins were practically auto-separated.

The loot: USD 90.71 plus a few bucks in other rando currencies.

Another great dinner at Josh & Jasmine's new apartment.

Introducing another continent of new fans to Camel Up.

The two hecklers, Statler and Waldorf.

Rolling the dice!

Good-bye, Toronto!

We almost took a polar route back to Taipei.

Our aircraft for the final leg of the journey.

Sharp left turn out of Taipei Taoyuan.

The airport below - and mountains in the background.

Inside a cloud sandwich.

Judging by the shape of the plots below... we must be nearing Bangkok!

Chicago-Philly-Boston: Edition 3

October 9, 2018

Another marathon trip through Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston - but always worth the effort. Bonus this year: great weather in Boston, and EVA’s Hello Kitty Shining Star!

Wave hello to AirAsia X flight from KIX to DMK!

Guess which plane I get to ride from TPE to ORD!!!

That's right! EVA's Hello Kitty Shining Star livery!

The Hello Kitty details are great.

Special barf bag.

Special slippers.

Special menu.

Special coasters.

Special tablecloth & napkin ring.

Even special toothpick!

Check out the details in the bathroom.

Even the little paper cups!

Here comes Chicago, the great Grid City!

Good autumn morning, Chicago. My how flat you look.

Uh oh - clouds rolling in. A sign of what's to come.

There's the lake!

Not-so-starry sky.

Low-hanging sky.

Clearing up?

A pano: until next time!

Next stop: Philly. Our hotel is in the stately Girard Trust Bank building.

The kind receptionist switched my room, so I could have a view of City Hall.

City Hall, in Penn Square.

I think this is the most I've seen of Philly, ever!

Philadelphia - a nondescript city?

Final stop: Boston!

Seaport World Trade Center.

This is Seaport - last time I was here, ICA stood alone!

ICA is at the end of this street - you can just see it behind the building on the LHS.

The glass building on the right is our office.

Rapelling down the glass mountain in morning sunlight.

Remember how ICA used to have a great view of the Seaport World Trade Center?

A black-and-white photo?

Strolling along the (new?) harborwalk.

The "original" downtown.

In case Philadelphia wanted to borrow.

Starting to think Boston is a bit possessive about its hole coverings.

I thought this bridge used to be perpendicular to this?

Good ol' Government Center. Looking about the same.

Bowdoin! All those years, and I never knew where it was.

Fall is in full swing!

MGH station goes beautifully with the skies above.

View from the Longfellow bridge.

Always a nice walk.

Red line hasn't changed much.

Walking along Mem Drive this year, just to change things up.

Walker Memorial looks much the same.

As does Killian Court.

This looks suspiciously green and blue!

Just a backdrop?

Hello again, Steve! See you next year!

A familiar view.

77 Mass Ave - looking good.

Warehouse - they should turn this into a residence!

Hopping new vegan lunch place in Central Square.

Haven't done this walk to Lopez in a while!

Good old Lopez Street.

The sidewalk hump has only grown.

Lopez looks... very much the same. Except for the party decorations.

Did I leave anything (else) behind?

Heading back to MIT. They've formalized this railroad crossing - finally.

Farewell to James - see you next time!

Heading back over the river.

There's a new building in the Boston Skyline! One Dalton in Back Bay.

Beautiful day to be outdoors.

Uniqlo definitely wasn't here when we were!

Trader Joe's - now selling coffee from Chiang Rai!

My first TJ's purchase in... how long!?

Just popping into the Apple Store on Boylston.

Yes yes, wouldn't this be nice?

Beautiful Boylston.

Someone's decided he's had enough of this 'walking nonsense'.

Crossing the (road at the) finish line.

John Hancock, peaking out over the library.

Afternoon reflections.

South Station - I never knew what it looked like from the outside!

A small Farmers' Market in the Greenway.

Carrots looking nice and fresh!

Greenway - great space!

Boston Tea Party and Ships museum.

And back at the beautiful ICA.

Reflections.

Good-bye, my beloved Boston! Until next time!

Bangkok Week 536

October 3, 2018

A short week in Bangkok (and Manila).

Multi-tasking?

Roses are still doing well.

Sunday lunch with our favorite Kate (and parents).

Dancing to the music.

Smiley as ever.

Okay, time to go back to mom!

Another evil Yag in the airport.

Just learned that I can order mango for breakfast at the hotel in Manila!

This wouldn't be remarkable - if it weren't in Manila!

Our purple orchid is getting ready with several new blooms!

Bangkok Week 535

September 27, 2018

Roses are red, flood water is blue, Christmas is coming, to a city near you!

Celebrating Friday night at Broccoli Revolution. Morning Glory straw!

Everything vegan.

Our roses are preparing for a limbo competition.

Almost in full bloom.

Relaxing and enjoying the garden view on Sunday morning.

Spotted at Saint Etoile.

Working on his sinuses? Or praying?

Rose in full bloom now!

Uh oh! Looks like it's going to be tricky going to work this morning.

It's a novelty to have a house along a canal.

The Grannys' house is just safe this time.

All ready to go!

Trying out Lola, the new casual dining restaurant attached to Pesca.

Nice ambiance - even nicer in daylight!

Bon appetit!

The angry Yag in Suvarnabhumi airport.

Christmas trees are up in Manila! And only 91 days left.

Bangkok Week 534

September 20, 2018

New toys, new guests, and the start of the Christmas season!

New laptop!

And guess what? It's also a tablet!

Celebrating Friday night with a veggie feast.

Our rose is about to have 2 new blooms.

Chicken rice - veg style.

Getting our spread ready.

The first time these cheese knives are being used!

Even more goodies.

Enjoying a wine from 2002!

Giving the house tour.

So many guests.

The most guests we've had to date, in fact.

That's right! They start counting at 99 in Manila. (Christmas season lasts for all the -ber months, they say.)

Waiting for me in my room in Manila on Wednesday. What big eyes!

Bangkok Week 533

September 13, 2018

Singapore, Bangkok, Manila and back!

Good morning...

...from Singapore!

Orchid (well, one of them anyway) in full bloom.

Japanese fair at the Commons.

Lots of people, not so much space.

A graphic warning on this gate. You may loose your toupee.

Rogue Bangkok taxi in Manila!

Our make-shift ponchos one rainy night: garbage bags from the hotel.

Bidding farewell to one of our long-standing team members.

The Big Mangosteen is coming - so it's time to (temporarily) head home.

The Xiamen aircraft that caused so much damage to MNL.

Looks like it didn't make it out unscathed either!

A massive land reclamation (or development) project in Qui Nhon, Vietnam. The city is there, for scale.

Trying a new Mexcian restaurant in Thonglor.

Bangkok Week 532

September 6, 2018

(Surprise) visitors for the weekend!

Our guests have arrived!

Just hanging out in the garden.

Friday night dinner around the corner.

On Saturday morning, a trip to Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom.

Group shot!

Can't get both the people and the chedi in the shot at once.

The circular temple building around the chedi.

Doing one walk-around.

The reclining buddha on the Western side.

Dinging the bell for good luck.

They claimed this buddha image is over 1000 years old.

Tiny baby jack fruit.

This roof has seen better days.

Lunch at a local veggie restaurant (where we last came with Rachel).

Final stop on the tour: the Thai Human Imagery Museum.

The people looked very lifelike!

Sharing a newspaper.

Dinner at Din Tai Fung.

Good dim sum.

Last shot at home, before heading out.

At Ekamai bus station, waiting for the 10am minibus.

Group shot! (The lady in the background is an acquaintance from Trat, apparently!)

The (new) minibus!

Bye bye! Come again!

Apt warning on the side of a van window.

Selfie ice cream! Getting a little desperate?

Someone tried this one instead.

Aww. Durian mooncake ice cream. How niche.

Bangkok Week 531

August 30, 2018

Meet Ngoen (เงิน; Silver) and Tong (ทอง; Gold), the newest little members of the Trat family!

Our slipper orchid from Chiang Rai is in full bloom!

Welcome to Trat!

"I'm not sure about these new socks!"

Meet Tong, one of the newest members of the family.

Ngoen (เงิน) and Tong (Silver and Gold) - the new duo.

Sleeping in a speaker. So pleasant.

Playing with the plastic temple chairs.

Helping to prepare for the ceremony.

Just looking cute.

Not so sure about this giant creature, though!

Aww. Found a nice warm spot to rest.

Spot the climbing cat! (He's a climber indeed.)

So much to play with! So many distractions.

Dinner time.

"Hey, look at me! I can climb, too!"

Resting up, before the big day.

More cuddles.

A few visitors came over.

The annual visit of the monks.

Lunch time (part 1).

Lunch time (part 2).

A feast.

Plenty of leftovers to go around!

Time to release the turtles.

"Really? Where am I going?"

Meanwhile... the last guest is a bit late to arrive.

Lunch time!

Tong shows off his climbing skills. Again.

They came to help me schedule my week. Notice the calendar invite entitled, "ldddddddddddddddddd".

They were actually in my lap to hide from Maruay, who'd just come inside.

Dinner time!

Love for the big beast.

Enjoying his crinkly water bottle.

Neither is sure what to do with the other.

Maruay: not helping his case, by barking in excitement.

"What? Going back to Bangkok? We'll come!"

Meanwhile in Bangkok: the orchid continues to open up!

Bangkok Week 530

August 23, 2018

A mixed bag of weekend activities in Bangkok. And lots of orchids!

Can you spot the rain?

Driving across Bangkok to the Saturday night wedding! No Grab drivers were willing to take us -- so we had to drive ourselves!

The two Thai flights impacted by the MNL runway closure - look how long they had to hold before landing.

Getting ready for our lunch guests.

(Another) free cone thanks to True.

It's that time of year again: Visa Renewal Season!

This year, we have a new backdrop for the photos.

Din Tai Fung! Our new favorite restaurant in the (extended) neighborhood.

Our slipper orchid from Chiang Rai is almost in full bloom.

And the orchid from our neighbor has opened up!

Spotted in Manila: the XiamenAir aircraft that caused all that headache!

Bangkok Week 529

August 16, 2018

Back to the great Chiang Rai!

B2B or B2C? A business pun I'd never noticed before in Domestic Departures.

We're off to Chiang Rai, on Thai Smile!

Got our Jazz (it's like we never left Bangkok).

And we return to Le Meridien Chiang Rai; we were last here in 2011!

View from the balcony.

Pool, Pond and River. 3 bodies of water converge.

Touring the property after all these years.

My rain tree is still here and doing well.

What a nice property!

Spotted on the way to lunch next door: a creeping tree.

Lunch by the river.

Spotted in the wedding hotel's lobby: a high-tech departures board.

With the Man of the Hour.

The groom's "parade" starts outside the hotel - led by James and his father.

The engagement ceremony.

Quick costume change.

And back for the reception dinner!

Did we mention? The theme was Game of Thrones!

A grand entrance for the bride!

The next day, we're off to the Mae Fah Luang Foundation in Doi Tung.

Doi Tung elevation is about 1380m.

These giant leaves were the highlight of the park!

They'd make a great wallpaper.

Tall trees!

Our first stop is a tree-top walk.

It's similar to the one we did in WA -- but the bridges are suspended.

And they DO sway!

You're hooked onto a safety cable throughout the duration of the walk.

High above the jungle.

Group shot, thanks to our guide.

We were in the clouds!

Banana tree from above.

The rest of the Mae Fah Luang garden was a showcase of different types of plants.

I don't know what this is - but it was growing unattended, like a weed!

Flowers in the winter garden, spilling out of a basket.

A whole garden of "slipper orchids".

Like these ones...

... and these ones.

A Bromeliad garden!

So many kinds of Bromeliads!

The centerpiece of the garden.

An important sculpture. But I forget who made it, or what it stands for.

Can you get the scale of these trumpet flowers?

Some perspective!

My leaves!

A tessellation.

Great views of the towns below.

Indeed, we were in the clouds.

Onto our next destination (via a very scenic drive!)

A great lunch view!

Can you guess where we are?

Myanmar and Laos -- as taken from Thailand.

Indeed, this is the Golden Triangle.

Good thing there's a triangle here to guide us.

Boat tours from the Thai side.

And an ornate Wat overlooking the area.

Pineapple poppers! Bite-sized pineapples!

We each ate, like, 4 pineapples on the drive back!

Final stop for the day: an organic tea plantation.

Rolling hills of tea, as far as the eye can see.

It's not a back drop -- honest!

They do the farming, harvesting and processing on site.

And they recently opened a tea shop for visitors.

Tea tea tea!

Tea -- under a dramatic sky.

Feeling thirs-tea?

Dinner at a house on the side of the river.

This guy owned the place!

Our favorite part about Chiang Rai? The Saturday evening dancing!

If the locals aren't dancing, at least they're watching the show!

The next morning: we seek shelter from the rain under the hotel's other big rain tree.

A quick trip to a little artist community.

There were Mothers' Day activities going on as well.

A tribute to the rescuers of the Wild Boars.

Avocados are all the rage up here!

Exhibits by local artists.

This gallery was showcasing the work of 3 Thai artists from their year in France.

Creative! (But sold already.)

Spotted at Chiang Rai International Airport: a "scale" model of the airport.

Turns out its undulating runway can accommodate A380s!

As can its giant terminal!

Check out the bustling departures lounge.

The largest Thai lounge in their portfolio.

What happens when you have an excess of orchids. (What a problem to have!)

I think someone got annoyed by economy passengers coming up to biz class!

Bangkok Week 528

August 9, 2018

A staycation at Bangkok's famous (Mandarin) Oriental Hotel ... and death-by-immigration.

We begin our 2-day Staycation at the famous Oriental Hotel.

The service here puts the hotel in a class of its own!

You don't see light switches in the rooms like this anymore.

Beautiful 4-color orchid bouquets were everywhere throughout the hotel.

A bountiful breakfast buffet.

Complementary breakfast smoothie, and fine espresso.

Three kinds of identically yellow fruit!

Icon Siam - the newest and hippest shopping complex coming up in Bangkok.

Blue skies downstream!

Similar view - but from our room.

Taking the hotel boat across the river... to use the gym.

Looking back to the other side of the hotel.

Inside the Ladies' locket room of the fitness center! Beds (?) and a jacuzzi!

Such refined service: while I was in the shower, they came and put a bottle of water and face cloth on ice for me!

Lounging by the pool side.

Check out the size of the water glass they bring you!

We almost got run over by a train on our way to a wedding on Sunday night.

Meanwhile in Ari: the latest addition to "Death Cafe".

And on Wednesday afternoon: the immigration queue in Bangkok is pretty dire!

It ran almost half the length of the terminal before turning into the main immigration hall.

Up the ramp...

... and into the main immigration hall. Boy, am I glad I have my treasured Platinum card!

Look at our orchid! A healthynew shoot!

And our needle plant is thriving too -- after getting over the initial shock.

Bangkok Week 527

August 2, 2018

A long weekend full of Bangkok parks!

The Royal Project now grows western-style mangoes!

Visiting a large new park on the property of Chulalonkorn University.

Guests can help to aerate the pond water.

Families playing badminton, football... but no frisbee!

Don't be fooled: it's not a golf course.

Many plants (and ants) in addition to grass.

Nice views, because part of the park is elevated.

Like this view of Siam Square.

Looking back down the length of the park.

Using our True points for a free BR. A good deal any day!

You must be wearing yellow to hitch a ride on these trucks.

I think this is my first time cooking something on the stove top!

The end result.

Park #2 for the (long) weekend: "Forest in the Park" redevelopment proejct by PTT.

Apart from this lawn, it's mostly "wild" jungle-like growth.

Observation deck at the entrance.

Big leaves!

Picturesque walls.

Walking amidst the treetops.

From above: how the banana leaves unfurl.

And these leaves fan open.

Pretty in pink.

Walking toward the observation tower.

Treetop walk from above.

It was swaying!

Suvarnabhumi in the background.

The local chickens bid us farewell.

Checking out the newly reopened bike track around Suvarnabhumi -- you know, since we're in the neighborhood.

There's a nice food court -- perhaps the only one in Bangkok with bike hangers.

The (inflatable?) starting line.

You swipe in and out with a special wristband. And then you're on our own for the next 23.5 km!

Beware! This bench is out-of-order!

Back in Phrom Phong: this dental clinic logo wins the "Little Red Riding Hood" prize.

Monday morning: found where they store the babies on this 787!

Colorful, crowded Metro Manila.

Celebrating Thursday night at Broccoli Revolution in Thonglor - we haven't been back since its soft launch several years ago!

Bangkok Week 526

July 26, 2018

Another short week - adjusting to our GTM-positive time zones!

Finally, they're cracking down on people illegally parking on Ekamai 12! No matter how posh the car!

NYC delites all packed away and ready to be frozen.

Bagelicious dinner.

The Gym got all sorts of new equipment this week!

Celebrating Monday night in Bangkok...

...with a Veg Feast.

5 days in The Big Apple

July 22, 2018

A return to the Greatest City on Earth, after over 10 years! My, how it's changed.

Farmland in Thailand vs. Taiwan.

I must be in Taipei!

My room in Battery Park! But wait: what's this for?

I see! Lovely Lady Liberty!

Quick tour of down town on a scenic run.

The famous Woolworth Building.

A quick peek into surprisingly colorful Chinatown.

And up the Brooklyn Bridge.

Great views this morning!

Our very international group, with people from as far away as Sydney and Bangkok :) (We lost the guy from Delhi.)

View from the hotel: the Whitehall Building - built in 1902!

A Tuesday evening boat tour, under foreboding skies.

Some still dare to sail.

Lady Liberty, up close and personal.

Lower Manhattan, buried in clouds.

Gehry's IAC building at night.

Strolling through Battery Park on Wednesday evening.

Pier A Harbor House.

Looking north, up West St.

Evening picnickers in The Battery.

Enthusiastic street performers; they garnered quite a crowd.

Governors Island Ferry terminal - nicely restored.

Reflections.

This place looks familiar. Brooks Brothers are still there.

The Oculus by Santiago Calatrava.

From the inside, it feels massive!

Tiny commuters down below.

Photos do not do justice to the space.

Looking uptown from the 60th floor of 28 Liberty St., where a the new Manhatta had opened the day before.

Whizzing by the Brooklyn Bridge on our way to dinner.

Sunny morning on the Hudson.

Walking over the Holland Tunnel.

Downtown skyline.

New Jersey!

Beach Volleyball in the middle of the city, on Pier 25.

The Jenga Tower (aka 56 Leonard) by Herzog & de Meuron.

The fountain in Silverstein Family Park, dedicated to those who survived 9/11.

One WTC.

9/11 Memorial.

Now we move uptown, for some adventures in a more bustling part of the city.

Fruit sellers taking cues from Thailand!

Penn Station and Madison Square Gardens have created some picnic space in the streets.

Bustling Broadway.

Lunch time at Madison Square Park.

The famous Flatiron Building...

... which was surrounded by chaos, due to a steam pipe that had exploded earlier that morning.

Continuing along Broadway, to Union Square Park.

A health & wellness fair - with lots of freebies and activities for kids.

A colorful mural on 14th St.

The new Google Chelsea Markets -- just opposite Durr Mechanical's building!

Into the new Chelsea Markets! I don't remember them being so posh when I used to work nearby.

A bustling tourist hub inside - barely any room to walk.

At long last, the High Line. How much hype we've heard since it opened almost 10 years ago.

It was crowded, but not impassable -- as I've heard it can be on weekends.

Nice fun mural for the passers-by.

London Terrace - formerly the largest apartment building in the world.

26th Street scenic overlook.

Zaha Hadid residence - her first (and last) in NYC.

Interesting reflections on the street.

10 Hudson Yards (incl. our office) straight ahead!

View from my Times Square hotel room!

Times Square at night - even busier than I remember it to be!

Time for some Rockettes?

Did Rodin find his way to 6th Ave and 52nd St?

An evening Nike runner's club gets ready to depart in Central Park.

Balto is still there.

Looking north on Park Ave.

Dinner with Duncan at The Union Club.

A very cool, impressively life-like mosaic at the entrance to the Second Ave Subway at 72nd St.

Appropriately modern entrance.

Rode north for 1 stop. Nice, clean, and spacious at 86th St.

Friday morning: a long-awaited visit to our famed NYC office.

We were one of the first tenants of 10 Hudson Yards.

Crazy construction going on down there. The cocoon-shaped thing will be the "Vessel" a vertical garden and public space.

Looking south to Chelsea and NJ.

View south, toward down town.

Looking east, to Penn Station and Madison Square Gardens.

With Rachel, in front of a brilliant backdrop!

A very colorful bridge on 37th St.

Feels like NYC!

Grand Central!

Apparently there's now an Apple store in the middle of Grand Central!

Spying on the commuters.

An empty Upper East Side.

I've always wanted to go to Roosevelt Island. Or actually, just ride the tram!

Really great views of the Avenues below!

2 cabins operate, each with its own set of cables.

Beautiful East River.

Lots of development on Roosevelt Island itself.

The island station, just below the Queensboro Bridge.

Looking back at Manhattan. And 2 recumbent cyclists.

Beautiful views!

Nicely restored (kept?) river walks.

I was indeed there, too!

Smallpox Memorial Hospital.

The hospital was built on the island (in the mid-1800s) in attempt to quarantine Smallpox patients, esp. immigrants.

View of Manhattan from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park.

Shadows on the Park's stairs.

Although originally conceived in 1972, the park only opened in 2012!

A much-larger-than-life hovering head of FDR.

Great place for a fashion photo shoot.

Queens.

Heading back to the mainland. Or, the larger island.

Friday night traffic.

1st Ave.

The original Bloomingdales.

Spotted a dragon, hiding in plain sight.

Dinner with the Kenselaars and Kevin!

And all too soon, I'm back in Taiwan.

Low-lying clouds (spot the mountain range?)

For those flyers who carry component video cables in their carry-on...

They made it back, straight from NYC.

My steal from Nordstrom Rack. I'd say it was a productive trip! :)

Bangkok Week 525

July 15, 2018

A short week - literally!

Celebrating Friday Night with Taiwan's favorite eatery: Din Tai Fung.

They have a surprisingly sufficient veggie selection.

Saturday lunch at Gateway: our buddy at the J stall was feeling very generous!

Getting help with our pillar problem.

We've exposed the cement, to release the trapped water. Let's see!

The bike store at the corner got a major makeover!

Bangkok Week 524

July 12, 2018

Hosting Nong Kate and family... and playing with our camels. A relaxing week(end)!

This colorful peacock dropped by for drinks at our hotel in Singapore.

Lunch with Vee, Peung and N'Kate at Melange, on Soi 10.

Kate was very eager to explore the new house.

She's very personable!

Pointing out all the splotches on our floor.

Using the carrot to propel herself.

Fun with Auntie Mika.

Come again soon!

Our house plant from Trat has a bloom.

Not quite... but you can see where they were coming from.

Geeks, nerds, and game lovers at the board game shop in Phra Khanong.

Playing "Camel Up" (now that we have the dice), and enjoying ice cream.

Project Timepiece.

The newest addition to our house, courtesy of Vee, Peung and N'Kate.

Cloudy skies over Manila on Thursday.

Development-to-be.

Celebrating Thursday evening at the new hole-in-the-wall gourmet pizza place in Ekamai.

Decor is nicer than these photos convey.

Really good!

Bangkok Week 523

July 5, 2018

A short album this week, entirely in Bangkok!

Celebrating Friday night with bruschetta and great pizza at Peppina.

A potential bench for just inside our front door.

We got screens! (They were subsequently moved inside the frame.)

Go go go, The Bank! You can do it!

A giant soy milk spotted outside the EmQuartier theater. Refreshed now.

Excited for the home-made hummus (paired with and the best pita [imported from Manila]) for dinner!

It was a rainy Saturday night! This is the calm after the storm.

Bet you didn't know we lived on a canal?

A neighbor trudges by.

Finally remembering to add a new pin to our map for Metro Manila.

Our balcony plants are doing well on this sunny Monday morning!

Just watching the Monday morning traffic go by.

Bangkok Week 522

June 28, 2018

A weekend in Metro Manila... and 10 full years in Thailand! How time flies!
Note: week 522 = 10 years. Every year consists of 52 weeks and ~1 extra day; and over 10 years, those leftover days add up to 2 weeks!

Good morning from Metro Manila!

Today, we're visiting Intramuros - the historic walled area of Manila. (Which is now surrounded by a golf course.)

What is called "Intramuros" today was synonymous with "Manila" during the Spanish rule.

Most of Intramuros was destroyed at the end of WWII, but significant effort was made to rebuild and restore it in later years.

Reconstructed buildings.

More reconstructed buildings.

An ornate door.

More reconstructed buildings.

The Manila Cathedral - which has been (re)built 8 times now, due to fire, earthquake, and war.

This most recent reconstruction was completed in 1958.

Quite modern-looking stained glass.

Most recently, it was closed from 2012-14 for earthquake retrofitting. Good that they learned from past incidents!

The imposing Intramuros Administration building.

Urgently needed: 230 kitchen staff to start our business. Too bad we didn't think about this earlier.

The entrance to Fort Santiago...

... a citadel built by the Spanish.

Plaza de Armas.

Spanish Barracks Ruins.

The dungeons (from the top).

The dungeons...

... featuring entries from a Lego competition for students.

Looking across the river toward San Nicolas area (and Chinatown).

My new buddy.

The fort is also part of the structure of the walled city. You can walk on the walls.

Back outside the fort: someone scrambled the Scrabbles tiles. They were going for "archbishop".

More reconstructed / preserved buildings.

Small store in the middle of town.

More old buildings.

The San Agustin Church, originally built by the Augustinians in the mid-1500s.

The door of love.

Courtyard inside the monastary.

Apparently this monastery was destroyed during WWII and subsequently rebuilt.

The main chapel - which is now very popular for weddings!

Giant original staircase, built with stone slabs that were brought over by sea from Latin America.

Giant domed ceiling in the staircase.

View overlooking the chapel.

Wedding on-going. The faux-3D ceiling is actually a masterful painting.

The organ - which was not in use that day.

Notes for the choir. The book of music was so big, because rows and rows of people read off the same page.

Rocking chair for the ages! Arms straight, back reclining!

Casa Manila.

Casa Manila is a complex depicting colonial lifestyle.

Feels colonial?

Courtyard.

Courtyard with tourist below.

More Intramuros buildings.

This one looks a bit more modern!

Our last stop is the Baluarte de San Diego.

Wouldn't want to run into this cannon!

People were shorter back then, I suppose!

The concentric circles of the bastion.

Remember when I said that Intramuros is surrounded by a golf course now?

Beware!

The National Museum of Fine Arts - which we only saw from the outside.

One long taxi ride later, it's time for dinner at my go-to dinner place in the mall next door.

Sunday morning: trip to the Ayala Museum.

Among other things, the Ayala Museum is famous for its diorama exhibit: 60 dioramas depicting the history of the Philippines.

The history starts at the very beginning.

Here, the Chinese trade with the locals.

One of the more violent scenes.

Lunch in the mall afterward.

And late afternoon drinks in the lounge.

Bon appetit!

Leaving Manila on Thursday afternoon- just waiting for this AirAsia flight to land.

Tadpole-shaped islands off the coast of Manila.

An Etihad flight on its way to Manila.

Our rose from Andrew is in bloom again!

Celebrating 10 years in Thailand at "nowhere" - a nicely-designed rooftop restaurant in Ekamai.

It's right next to Big C.

Great view of the neighborhood.

Cheers to another 10 -- or another 522 weeks!

Bangkok Week 521

June 21, 2018

Guests, furniture, and aerial shots of Metro Manila -- what a great week!

Friday night: we found a cute little home-made pasta place in Thonglor 9.

The next morning, it's chair shopping! These two have made themselves right at home.

Inspecting the chair before taking it home.

What's the opposite of riding shotgun?

The Egg Chair, in its new home.

Posing with the furniture.

Next guest: Nong Rohan, trying out our bed.

Rohan looks like he's in jail!

The nice coaster set that Mae, Paul and Rohan brought us.

Stopping at Lamptitude, to check out some floor lamps; unfortunately for this sales lady, she was in the "right" place at the "right" time.

Yes. We'll take this one!

Going on a neighborhood walk: we can't resist supporting the local ice cream man.

Ta-daa. Someone's done a great job peeling the pineapple from Trat.

Trying our Casino-brand frozen "Tarte au Chevre", imported and sold at Big C.

Did another neighborhood walk on Sunday, and found this Japanese mall just behind Thonglor.

Giant home-made (leftover) salad for dinner.

A Monday night storm in Bangkok.

Enjoying Monday night in Bangkok at a veggie restaurant in Asoke: the same one we tried with Rachel.

Tuesday morning: three purple tails in a row.

Aww. Look who was next in line to take off after us!

Approaching Manila: on the bottom RHS, you just see Intramuros, the old walled city (that we'd visit the following weekend).

We overshoot, and end up above the hilly countryside.

The very natural-looking Manggahan Floodway in Pasig.

A heavily-populated area just before Runway 24.

The House: before and after

June 17, 2018

June 17th 2017 vs. June 17th 2018. The Ekamai House: before and after!

Pano of the property: before.

Pano of the property: after.

The house: before.

The house: after.

The house: before.

The house: after.

Front right: before.

Front right: after.

Front left: before.

Front left: after.

Front bottom: before.

Front bottom: after.

Front bottom open: before.

Front bottom open: after.

Front upper: before.

Front upper: after.

Driveway: before.

Driveway: after.

Front: before.

Front: after.

Front: before.

Front: after.

Front: before.

Front: after.

Driveway: before.

Driveway: after.

Garden and driveway: before.

Garden and driveway: after.

Garden: before.

Garden: after.

Living room: before.

Living room: after.

Living room: before.

Living room: after.

Living room: before.

Living room: after.

Living room: before.

Living room: after.

Living and dining rooms: before.

Living and dining rooms: after.

Dining room: before.

Dining room: after.

Dining room: before.

Dining room: after.

Living room: before.

Living room: after.

Dining and living rooms: before.

Dining and living rooms: after.

Bar and stairs: before.

Library (formerly bar) and stairs: after.

Dining room, bar, and stairs: before.

Dining room, library (formerly bar), and stairs: after.

Stairs: before.

Stairs: after.

Bar: before.

Library (formerly bar): after.

Stairs: before.

Stairs: after.

Dining room from stairs: before.

Dining room from stairs: after.

View from behind bar: before.

View from library (formerly bar): after.

View from behind bar: before.

View from library (formerly bar): after.

Kitchen: before.

Kitchen: after.

Kitchen: before.

Kitchen: after.

Maid's room: before.

Ground floor bathroom (formerly maid's room): after.

Maid's room: before.

Ground floor bathroom (formerly maid's room): after.

Upstairs landing: before.

Upstairs landing: after.

Stairwell: before.

Stairwell: after.

Stairs: before.

Stairs: after.

Upstairs hall and small bedroom: before.

Study (formerly upstairs hall and small bedroom): after.

Upstairs hall and small bedroom: before.

Study (formerly upstairs hall and small bedroom): after.

Upstairs hallway: before.

Upstairs hallway: after.

Balcony: before.

Balcony: after.

Balcony: before.

Balcony: after.

Balcony: before.

Balcony: after.

View from balcony: before.

View from balcony: after.

Garden from balcony: before.

Garden from balcony: after.

Garden from balcony: before.

Garden from balcony: after.