Bangkok Week 580

August 8, 2019

Special weekend meals, and a quick tour of the ‘hood.

The Greyhound bread rolls are as happy as we are that it's Friday!

Special Saturday breakfast: french toast!

Yum yum.

A quick tour of what's new in our moo baan: one of the houses that's been recently renovated in the next soi.

And this one is about to start.

A shoe company showroom, on our soi.

Special Sunday dinner: gasping udon!

Our bird of paradise is fully open now.

Should someone tell this truck driver to stop?

Profile shot of the week!

Bangkok Week 579

August 1, 2019

At long last! The subway extension from Hua Lamphong to the other side of the river is open. And I must say, it’s beautiful!

Our bird of paradise has its second flower ever!

Leaving the hospital in style: on the back of a pickup truck.

Free kids (all taken already) at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.

Spotted at Donki: I'm not sure I'd call grapes for 1299 (CAD 56) a low price...

And at THB 156, this is the most expensive white bread in Bangkok!

We did find this gem, though. Yum!

Queuing up to get myself a seat on the train!

Stopping in the Wattana Pocket Park for the first time!

We even did a complete loop around the park.

Really posh townhouses in Thonlor 8; they reminded us of the apartment in Mexico City!

Our trusty Mr. Fixit, applying a layer of oil to the wooden parts of the gate.

Our bird is opening up!

Our big project for the Holiday Monday was riding the new subway extension - along with a sizable chunk of Bangkok.

First stop: Wat Mongkon, in Chinatown.

The decor of the entire station supports the Chinatown theme.

On the concourse level, it was clear we weren't the only ones out to see the new stations.

Lots of people taking photos with the wall art.

There are ornate details -- like this dragon on the ceiling -- throughout the station.

An overhead sculpture representing the underbelly of a dragon, above one of the exit stairwells.

The dragon's pretty big!

As impressive as the interior decor is the exterior of the station! It blends right in with its surroundings.

Spot the subway entrance!

Well, maybe the buildings' cleanliness give them away a bit!

Heading back in, to move onto the next station.

This is Sam Yod, which translates to "Three Peaks".

It is a very spacious station.

So spacious, in fact, that it feels like they got the units wrong when they designed it.

The station interior showcases historic scenes from this area of Bangkok.

And also compares the old architecture to what they have rebuilt.

Outside, it's another quite beautifully-done station building.

It blends in well with the neighborhood.

A little more discretely than in Chinatown, perhaps.

Although again, the cleanliness of the buildings is a giveaway!

Posing in front of the main entrance, before we head back down.

Just another pair of tourists!

Third new station -- Sanam Chai -- is just south of Wat Pho and the Grand Palace.

This station's interior is the most ornate: it resembles a Rattanakosin-era state room.

It definitely reflects the nearby Royal Heritage.

We could be in a museum.

Even the side paneling pays homage to the traditional architecture.

And the station surfaces right in front of Museum Siam!

While above-ground, we stop for an ice cream (from an opportunistic salesman). In the background is Wat Pho!

While above-ground, we also spotted a Thai Bus Food Tour. Although I'm not sure dining and stop-and-go Bangkok traffic are well-suited.

Fourth and final station underground is Itsaraphap -- which is fairly timid compared to the previous 3.

This is the first underground station on the Thonburi side of the river.

It features several brightly-lit golden swans, as a tribute to nearby Wat Hongrattanaram (which has ‘swan’ in its name).

Finally, we arrive at the last new station -- above-ground. You can see the blue-line loop coming perpendicular down to meet it, too..

Tha Pra station...

... was the least-finished of the 5 new stations.

This gives you a sense for how many people came out to see the stations!

And back we go; finally able to get a seat!

And for dinner, we're trying our rice cooker's "crispy rice" mode.

Yes! It works! This alone made the fancy new rice cooker worth the price!

A Japanese-inspired dinner.

Bangkok Week 578

July 25, 2019

Many new things this week: BNK48; fancy rice cooker; demolition of the Dusit Thani; ordering via Food Panda; new IDs!

Finally scratching the dosa itch by spending Friday night at Dosa King.

On Saturday, we attended a posh wedding, which featured the most popular Thai pop band!

Admittedly, I was more beachy than wedding-y. But only so many options!

Got to snap a pic with my buddy Snoopy though!

Excited to see what our new rice cooker is capable of.

Very important: the "new" Bangkok rail network, posted in the MRT network already. It features all the lines that are open, or going to open soon. See next pic for details.

There are several new openings we have to look forward to, this year alone!

The time has come!

The famed Dusit Thani is coming down.

They claim something bigger and better will replace it. Let's see.

Wednesday night dinner chez nous, with Simon.

Yay! On Thursday, I got my yellow house registry and pink ID card. Good for anything? Only time will tell!

Whoops! Didn't *quite* beat the rain home!

Bangkok Week 577

July 18, 2019

Another short week in Bangkok.

Part 2 of "How to survive your first weeks as a parent"

Today, we learn how to keep the baby clean.

Lucky Rohan's getting a boxed set of Bangkok Taxis for his birthday!!

After 11 years, our reliable Sharp rice cooker bit the dust. Here's our fancy new Toshiba one.

Testing the IKEA toy chest as possible stool for our entryway. A bit too big.

Bangkok Week 576

July 11, 2019

A week around town.

The most densely-packed commuter vehicle in Bangkok.

Celebrating Friday night at Hummus Boutique.

Assembling our newest piece of furniture.

Ready to host (small) guests!

Childbirth class 1 of 2 at the hospital on Saturday morning.

A sneak peak onto our roof, when the contractors were here to patch some small leaks.

Going to have to look for new gym shirts soon!

Trying out the new yoga ball - but won't be using it there again (where it sticks to the floor)!

Bangkok Week 575

July 4, 2019

In this week’s episode of Crazy Cat People, we feature the 5 felines of Nongsamed.

The kittens are 3-4 months old now... but still enjoying mum's milk.

They are getting more tolerant of / comfortable with humans.

Here in Trat, we sell kittens by the basketful. How many baskets would you like?

Not sure about this crazy lady.

Big-eyed and big-eared still.

That doesn't look like a very comfortable way to lie.

Family portrait.

Petch: helping with the dishes.

Petch: guarding the cooler.

Ploy: enjoying the comfortable water shelf.

And then there's good ol' Ngoen, who's on his second life after being hit by a car. Still likes laps.

Tong: thinks he's a dog. (And he's gotten a lot fatter, too.)

Let's not forget that these two are still pretty young themselves!

Wednesday night dinner guests from Singapore!

When I can wear regular clothes again, this avocado skirt will be top of my shopping list!

Bangkok Week 574

June 27, 2019

The album you’ve been waiting for: the rest of Munich. And some of Bangkok.

Final day in sunny Munich. Looking down Ludwigstrasse.

And back at the (shiny, and 16-years-young) Munich Airport Terminal 2.

Have a few minutes to spare, so checking out the Observation Deck.

Well, you get a view of the Terminal 2 Satellite Building anyway.

And it's a nice place to enjoy a coffee before your flight.

Posing with my plane.

Very German: they treat the airport like a museum. Here's a placard describing security.

And off we go, back to Bangkok. Spot the airport framed nicely in the background.

Chiemsee lake, halfway between Munich and Salzburg.

And suddenly, a beautiful sunrise over Southeast Asia.

For the record (because - who knows when I'll see it next!) progress on the Suvarnabhumi satellite terminal.

My new pregnancy pillow, courtesy of mum, finally arrived. Here comes a good night's sleep, finally.

A football reunion for the Suankularb high school classmates.

Enjoying the brezel from Munich.

Trying on my stylish new pants.

Uh oh, someone's glasses broke! Time for some new specs!

The ones he ended up getting. Great service (and price) from OWNDAYS (from Japan).

Bangkok Week 573

June 20, 2019

From Bangkok to München (to be continued…)

Just barely managed to sneak a picture of the shop of the man whose name most aptly fits his profession.

The new tea shop down the street from us: opening soon!

Departing for Munich: can you spot Bangkok's green lung?

Woosh! We must've been flying fast :)

Approaching Bavaria.

Bavarian farmland from above.

It's definitely summer in Munich; much different scene than the snowstorm we experienced in March!

Wittelsbach Fountain.

A very cool utility vehicle - driving on the street car rails!

Two sets of wheels - so very efficient!

Promenadeplatz.

Very cool statue of Maximilian von Montgelas.

Very colorful view out my window.

Bangkok Week 572

June 13, 2019

Settling back in after Seattle.

My loot from Seattle! This should last us... some time.

Got myself a "special tag" (as the BTS describes 'em). Not like it's helped...

Novel presentation at Blue Elephant: rice served in a coconut.

Got my first birthday present of the year: a small kiwi bird!

Hidden old House on Sathorn.

Uh oh! Someone wants to hide inside...

...because he's wearing a cone of shame!

A week in Seattle!

June 9, 2019

6 full days in Seattle… and boy, were we lucky with the weather. Yep, I could live here!

We begin this journey to Seattle with breaking news: EVA flies to Trat.

Doing a quick tour before sunset on the Saturday I arrive. (The monorail passes right by my hotel.)

The famous Pike Place market.

Looking south toward the Great Wheel... with great views of the Alaskan Way Viaduct being dismantled.

This pig is getting ready for tomorrow's market.

Are these bangles in lieu of love locks? Or do they just show sponsors?

Gauging from the crowds (and the logo), this is probably the original Starbucks.

The iconic Public Market sign.

More market buildings resting up, before tomorrow morning's chaos.

Another lucky pig, resting up before the big day.

The monorail ends (or starts!) only a few blocks from my hotel.

Sunday morning: the view is great from my 37th-story room.

16 hours later, early afternoon Sunday, it's a totally different scene at Pike Place Market.

Everyone's out: the sellers and the buyers.

Almost a festive atmosphere: the great weather probably helped.

No place to park around here!

Too many shops to visit.

Lots of fresh local veggies.

Several flower vendors (mostly Asian) indoors.

Really giant donuts on the bottom row (see top row for scale).

Fresh west-coast fruit.

And some pretty sad mangosteen!

Too many people to walk about.

Eateries tucked in alleys.

The market, as seen from the water side.

Same view as last night, under the bright blue west coast skies.

Giant cruise ship in town, behind the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

You can lie like a dead corpse enjoying the sun...

...or just enjoy a home-made organic mint choc ice cream!

Boats in the bay.

The cruise ship casts a significant shadow over the other boats in the bay.

Up close: check out all the guest rooms, safety boats, water slides.

Back-seat driver enjoying the nice day.

First sighting of the space needle.

And the entrance to the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Echo - the 46-foot, 6-ton giant head in the park.

Great views, from this park.

More blue skies over the Emerald City.

Park over the tracks...

...and the road.

More red sculpture in Space Needle Park.

Chihuly flowers at the base of the space needle.

And here it is, at long last: the space needle, herself!

I was there, too!

Gehry's Museum of Pop Culture.

With the retro monorail passing straight through!

A very cool playground.

Gearing up for my ride on the futuristic 1962 monorail.

Crusing along, just like the Jetsons did.

Great views! Don't find that in monorails these days.

Last stop of the day: the Seattle Central Library.

Just walking to the entrance offers great pictures.

One of the most architecturally-distinct buildings in the city, it was apparently very controversial as well.

Looking down over the main entranceway.

An auditorium space, for shows and speakers.

One of the many illuminated escalators: handily labeled.

The construction of the 11-story library only took 2 years; I'm surprised!.

A very nice reading room on the top floor.

I could comfortably work here!

Great views of the streets down below as well.

And that's it for the library.

Despite the library's flashiness, the Rainier Building was my favorite building in Seattle!

Later in the week, we visited the BCG office. Here's the fantastic view from the 56th floor.

Looking out over Elliott Bay.

And 2 Amazon experiences to round off the night: first, picking up a delivery at an Amazon Lock Box -- seamless!

And next, visiting an Amazon Go store.

You swipe in with your App...

... and then you take whatever you want!

Whatever you take off a shelf and don't return is automatically charged to you.

The execution is pretty flawless, thanks to all these sensors!

People have tried all sorts of tricks to fool the system; nothing works!

The Amazon Spheres - a distinctive landmark at Amazon's headquarters.

On Thursday evening, we're back at the Space Needle - this time as exclusive renters of the venue.

We had the observatory all to ourselves!

And it was a perfect time to be up there: right before sunset.

Looking toward Lake Union.

And great views of the 1962 elevators that shuttle up and down.

One of the 12 motors that rotate the glass-floor observation deck (which only opened last year).

Marvelous sunset.

Beautiful city!

The Pacific Science Center down below.

Sun setting behind the bay.

And a quick pop into the Chihuly Glass Museum, after dark.

When illuminated, the sculptures do look quite brilliant.

Inside the Glasshouse, which Chihuly also designed.

Bye-bye, glass.

Last stop of the night: Museum of Pop Culture.

Dorothy's dress was there, too.

Finally Friday! Time to check out: but not before one last pano from my hotel room.

No trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to the Boeing factory in Everett.

The factory is apparently the largest building in the world by volume.

No photos on the assembly line: but this is more-or-less what it looked like.

Some familiar aircraft wait outside the DreamLifter ops center.

And lots of aircraft from (or destined for) around the world at Paine Field / the Delivery Center.

Inside the Future of Flight Museum.

A scale model of the 777X (which we also saw on the production line!)

Which model to buy? Too many to choose from!

Back downtown, the rain has passed and the last remnants of the sun are trying to shine through.

Posing with... the famed Seattle otter??

Pier 55.

The Seattle Great Wheel, with dramatic backdrop.

Pier 57: with amusements throughout.

Miner's landing... a long arcade.

Also home to the world's largest Pacman, apparently.

A bright merry-go-round. No rings to catch, that I could see though.

And the 175-foot wheel, up-close-and-personal.

Interesting city profile (sans-needle).

A final sunset over Elliott Bay.

Unique, locally-made candles.

A very cool map store... which, sadly, was closed by the time I stumbled upon it.

But I did chance upon a hopping sundae shop.

Final Seattle scoop for me!

And a final farewell to Pike Place Market...

... with a brilliant sunset tonight.

Au revoir, Seattle. May your Alaskan Way Viaduct be completely gone next time I'm back!

And suddenly, it's Sunday morning sunrise in Taipei!

A sight to behold in the boarding lounge.

Can I sit here?

And finally, back on my favorite Thai Airways. These magazines were waiting for me at my seat. Now that's the Platinum service I'm used to! ;)

Bangkok Week 571

June 1, 2019

Only a short 2 days before heading out to Seattle.

At our most recent visit to the hospital, this robot was busy zipping around the floor.

Friday night dinner at the other Korean place on Ekamai - even more authentic than Bob's!

Up close, our rose looks good...

... but from afar, he looks a bit spindly.

Shakariki 432 - the newest addition to our neighborhood.

I won a Royal Orchid Plus cap! How about that!

Hmm. I wonder what's coming, down the street from us?

Bangkok Week 570

May 30, 2019

Visitors galore!

One more dip into Jewel before heading out of Singapore.

Singapore's (Southeast Asia's?) first Shake Shack! The queue went on for ages!

Also the first Tokyu Hands outside Japan?

Back in Bangkok: A special Saturday guest came to visit!

Looking at photos? Or something much more interesting?

Visiting Donki Mall for dinner...

... where we end up at a Korean restaurant!

We had a bunch of Sittha's work friends over for Sunday brunch.

The Smoothie Maker.

Rohan approves.

The Fruit Men.

Tinna likes our goose from Taipei.

Rohan and Tinna are mesmerized by the sparking wind-up toy.

The kids stole the show.

Later in the week, enjoying noodles delivered by GrabFood for dinner.

Bangkok Week 569

May 23, 2019

Smurfs. Korean. Greenery. And Jewels. All in one week.

I never noticed the Smurfs on the Thai-Belgian bridge.

Friday night dinner at Bob's - the Korean on Ekamai.

This plant flowered! Didn't know he had it in him.

New blooms-a-comin' for our rose.

Having some custom paint mixed on the spot at Home Pro in Gateway.

Ice cream at the park.

Benjasiri park at dusk is a hopping spot.

Great views (of Emporium Tower).

Group shot.

This cat is lying at the base of a sign that asks people to not dump their cats in the park.

Even KrispyKreme can't escape this fad!

The monstrosity next to Onion. What's it going to be?

The newly-finished house down-and-across the street from us.

I actually think it's not half bad!

This taxi driver offers free device charging for his passengers.

Two shades of ocean under Malaysian air space.

Clouds over Malaysia (only).

After many years and much hype, Singapore Changi's Jewel is now open!

It looks just like the renderings!

Too much shopping to take in in a single visit.

Got to try the Impossible Burger in Singapore, of all places. Impossible!

Bangkok Week 568

May 16, 2019

Another week just in Bangkok. What a great life!

These Japanese-Thai hybrid mangoes in Donki mall make a bold claim: "Rich sweetness not found in other mangoes"!

Giant KrispyKreme box at CentralWorld. Very cute.

In Thai, the full name of this vendor (at the CentralWorld food court) reads: Khun Riam Fried Pork at Uncle Perm's Market behind Thai Airways".

Enjoying my freebies courtesy of True Coffee.

We split the pups! Now, let's see if they'll survive.

Uh oh! Looks like it'll be a new condo at the corner of Sukhumvit and Ekkamai.

Finally fitting into a gym shirt I bought on sale years ago at H&M. What foresight.

The chef with his Kimchi fried rice.

I moved offices!

But my old office mate came with me. So I don't feel so alone.

Here we are, hanging out together.

The fancy new screens inside the latest BTS rolling stock.

And the standing-room-only "seating" area.

Here are the postcards from Oz! Arriving altogether.

Bangkok Week 567

May 9, 2019

A warm welcome to the newest members of the furry family in Trat.

A wall of water at the petrol station on our way out of Bangkok.

Meet Petch (Diamond) and Ploy (Gemstone): the two newest members of the Trat family.

A human, for scale.

Someone's taken aback that Mummy is eating his food.

Good ol' Tong, enjoying the company.

Tong has stepped up, and taken on the father figure role quite naturally.

A feast for dinner! Of course.

Mum's doing better the next morning, letting the kiddos eat first.

Ngoen, who still loves human laps... but not other kittens, apparently.

Tong, who thought he'd come help caption some photos.

Checking in on the rubber plantation up the road.

Ngoen, who thought he'd come hang out, up-close-and-personal.

Dinner time for the babies.

Tong, showing off his signature sleep style.

I was less-than-pleased to see that I was not showering alone on Sunday night.

Nom nom nom. The best breakfast of all.

Gimme some of the good stuff!

The adults flirt in the kids' playhouse.

Learning how to climb.

Caught in the act!

"What's this? A giant rolling scratch surface?"

"I think I get the hang of this thing."

Mom looks on disapprovingly.

Ploy is just observing from the comfort of the box.

Bath time for Petch!

"Stay still, and let me give you a bath!"

A perfect opportunity for Ploy to sneak a peek at this giant fuzzy thing.

Bangkok Week 566

May 2, 2019

I can get used to living full-time in Bangkok!

My Manila farewell was not yet done. My colleagues surprised me with this beautiful, MASSIVE bouquet at the office on Friday.

Which we then painstakingly deconstructed once we got it home.

Distributed across several water vessels, by height and color.

Friday night dinner at Mazzie, the "New York style" pizzeria at the base of Ekamai. Front row seats.

Saturday morning breakfast at... the Honda dealership! I have a hunch we're over-paying on the fees.

The veil's been removed on the house down the street that's been undergoing renovations for the past year. Very modern!

Sunday brunch with James, who was down from Chiang Mai for the weekend.

Socky shadows.

A great sunset over the CBD on Thursday night.

And dinner with Andrew at our favorite Hummus Boutique in Thonglor.

Bangkok Week 565

April 25, 2019

We’re back in Bangkok for a short week. Some new things popped up while we were away. And it’s time to bid a bitter-sweet farewell to Manila.

We're baaaack. And it's time for some new pins!

While we were away, our roses bloomed...

...as did our crown of thorns.

And surprise: a new veggie restaurant on the ground floor of Gateway.

Also this week: bidding farewell to Manila. Seeing this boarding lounge view one last time.

Until next time, Manila! And thanks for all the memories!

NZ South Island Week 2

April 22, 2019

Our trip continues, as we wind our way down to the southern tip of NZ, and then back up the east coast.
(Don’t forget to mouse over the images for captions; or if you’re viewing on a mobile phone or tablet, click on the little white dot in bottom RH corner, below the image.)

We continue our drive in this second week along the green markers: a little further south, and then back up the east coast.

A quick stop at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu, as we drive from Queenstown to Te Anau.

One of Lake Wakatipu's claims to fame is being the longest lake in NZ, at 80km. And third-largest by surface area.

Clear waters, and Bayonet Peaks in the background.

Clear waters invite you for a swim: nevermind that it's 10 degrees outside.

We were on a small beach made up of skipping stones.

Or throwing stones, in the case of some.

Affordable ice cream cones when we reach Te Anau, our home for the next 3 nights.

As you might have surmised, Te Anau sits on the edge of Lake Te Anau!

Riding a ferry over to the famed glow worm caves.

Lake Te Anau is the second largest lake by surface area.

Beautiful mid-afternoon layers in the sound.

Did we mention it was breezy on the upper deck?

Someone's excited to be using a Hills Hoist for the first time.

Dinner at one of two pizza joints in town. Not bad!

We encounter our first Kia the next morning, on the way up to Milford Sound.

He's very smart... and waiting for the tourists!

Quick stop at "The Chasm".

The powerful waterfall has sculpted the rocks into interesting shapes.

They look like moon rocks.

Finally, we arrive at the famed Milford Sound.

For a place that gets over 6 meters of rainfall a year, we were damn lucky with the weather!

Waiting to board our cruise boat.

And we're off.

Dramatic lighting thanks to the sun, and sharp peaks.

Mitre Peak: one of the world's highest peaks, to rise straight from the sea floor.

More dramatic sunlight creeping in over Stirling Falls.

An up-close look at the trees growing on the edge of the peaks.

They're full-sized trees; they just look small because of the scale of the mountains!

Copper Point: named for the copper found in the rock.

More full-sized trees.

One of the hundreds of waterfalls in the sound.

And from underneath!

And the rainbow below.

We were fortunate to spot a playful pod of dolphins coming into the sound for a visit.

The tour took us all the way into the Tasman Sea.

Looking back toward the sound, it's hard to spot the entrance!

Aha! That's how to get back!

Another (larger) cruise ship: for a sense of scale.

Layers of peaks: the classic Milford Sound view.

Another waterfall.

And wait! Who are these jolly guys?

Just some friendly New Zealand fur seals!

Looks like a nice lazy day for them!

Stirling Falls: falling 146 meters.

We were able to get up-close and personal with the falls.

It's one of only two permanent falls in Milford Sound.

Great patterns as it hits the water.

And Lady Bowen Falls - the other permanent falls.

Enjoying a few minutes of warmth down below, before we dock back at the port.

Exhausted from a long day of... sitting in a car, and standing on a boat.

Another pub dinner.

Heading back up toward Milford Sound, for the second day in a row.

Quick stop at the golden views of the Eglinton Valley.

And Mirror Lake.

You can see where they got the "Mirror" from, but "Lake" is a bit overstated.

Perfect reflection in the background.

Here's what we came all this way back for: a hike up Key Summit Track.

While we're still under the tree line, it's Jurassic-esuqe landscapes. Like this moss-blanketed tree.

Making progress!

Another giant old tree.

Translucent red berries! Related to the translucent blue berries we saw last week?

Finally, some golden evidence that we're making progress.

Looking east: that's Mt. Christina!

Aha! This is what the poles were for.

Looking north, into the Hollyford Valley.

On top of the world!

Almost at the top!

We made it to Key Summit, altitude 918m!

The vegetation at the top is quite martian-like.

Really on top of the world.

Spot the tree line.

Marsh-like lakes all the way up here.

Boardwalks to ensure no damage to the environment underneath.

More martian marshland.

Mt. Christina again...

... with Lake Marian in its valley.

A glacial chunk up in Mt. Christina.

And a peak that could rival Mitre Peak. Wouldn't want to fall onto that one.

Proof that all 4 of us made it up!

And back down again we go.

That-a-way, toward the valley.

Good-bye, spectacular views.

Tessellation leaves.

Yay! We did it! Back in one piece!

To reward ourselves, we stop at the New Zealand Model A Rally, which takes place every 2 years in rotating locations.

The inspector, taking in the details.

Cars came from around the country: and even Australia.

Medallions from the previous NZ Model A Rallies this car has participted in.

Trying Deep South ice cream: a specialty of the South Island.

The sign of the trip!

Wong way! You're going the wong way!

Trying something different for dinner: bao from Te Anau's only food truck.

The next morning on our way south to Invercargill, an impromptu stop at the Clifden Suspension Bridge.

The bridge was built in 1898, and was (at the time) an important transport link in a remote part of Southland.

I understand it underwent significant renovation post 2010. Perhaps this is not the original giant rusty bolt.

And a quick stop at McCracken's Rest, (our southern-most point so far) where you can sometimes spot Hector's Dolphins.

We saw lots of picturesque waves...

... but alas, no dolphins.

And here we are at Gemstone Beach.

Home of the very round stones.

Which rock would be the best doorstop?

Indeed, that is a very graphic sign.

We stopped for some picturesque sheep as we continued east.

And here we are at Bluff, colloquially known as the southern extremity of NZ.

Also home to a giant chain.

Te Araroa - New Zealand's Trail - spans 3000 km, from Cape Ragina (the northernmost point) to Bluff.

The cute little town of Bluff itself. Population ~1800.

Bluff is famous for its oysters: so that's what this happy camper had for lunch!

And down town Invercargill: the southernmost and westernmost city* in NZ.

E. Hayes & Sons hardware store: one of the more interesting sights in Invercargill.

The store showcases one of the largest private collections of classic motorcycles, automobiles and engines.

The World's Fastest Indian (replica made for the 2005 movie).

The game-changing Smith Motor Wheel.

Invercargill architecture.

More Invercargill architecture.

And the landmark Invercargill Water Tower.

Built in 1889, to provide sufficient pressurized water to fight the fires that often plagued early colonial towns.

Spoiling himself: having an ice cream for breakfast the next morning!

And here we are at Slope Point (claim-to-fame to be revealed shortly).

A relaxing amble through a very well-located sheep farm.

And lots of bushy toupees.

Our destination: Slope Point, the Southern-most point of the South Island of NZ!

Someone thinks he can get a little further south yet.

Wait. I think those craggy rocks are even further south!

What a scenic place to live.

And now a great opportunity to sheep-spot on the way back.

"Do you see what I see?" "I dunno, mate. Do you see what I see?"

"Hehehe! Funny."

Has anyone seen Bob? I really need to find Bob.

Hello, handsome.

A sea of sheep... flowing into the sea!

Next stop along the southern coast: the petrified forest of Curio Bay.

The forest grew over 180 million years ago.

Imprints of a fallen tree.

And leaf patterns.

More leaf patterns.

Interesting -- but slippery -- walk around.

We were looking for Yellow-Eyed Penguins... but all we found was thick seaweed.

And a one-legged seagull.

With Porpoise Bay in the background.

Quick stop at Florence Hill Lookout, in the beautiful Catlins.

A very cute ketchup bottle. All ketchup bottles should be this shape!

And finally at Nugget Point - here to see the famous nuggets!

Walking on the edge of the world.

Spot the seals and sea lions down below!

The lighthouse was built in the 1870s, because the Nuggets posed a danger to small vessels near the coast.

These are the Nuggets; the culprits.

Posing with the Nuggets and the late-afternoon sun.

Rocky cliff there; wouldn't want to slip off that one!

Final stop of the day: Roaring Bay.

He's a gentleman of many tricks. Here he is standing tall.

And here he is, headless.

And here he is, doing his one-legged dance!

Finally we reach our destination: Law Courts Hotel in Dunedin.

We believe Queen Elizabeth stayed in our room during her global coronation tour.

The Dunedin Law Courts.

(And from the front.)

And the picturesque Dunedin Railway Station...

... opened in 1906, and was built in famous Flemish renaissance style (!)

Inside the railway station, which is still in use today.

Ornate, yet relaxing.

Attention to detail...

... all the way down to the stained glass motif...

... and the tile mosaic on the floor of the main entrance.

There is lots of street art in Dunedin -- like in Christchurch.

We spotted a gallery featuring Nic Tucker, the artist from whom we bought a painting over Christmas.

The Dunedin Centre, on the Octagon.

Dunedin at night.

Mum's much-belated birthday dinner at Francesca's. Delish!

We were fortunate to catch the Dunedin Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.

Here's dad, starting his wine tasting at 8:30am.

Look at all the colorful produce... and the LONG beetroots!

So many kinds of apples!

The morning rain eventually gave way to some blue skies, too.

Too much to buy, and not enough time to eat it.

Another token shot of the Railway Station - because why not?

And one last view of the Dunedin Octagon - this time in daylight.

Stopping at the University of Otago: what Dunedin is famous for.

It's NZ's oldest university, and second-highest rated today.

Also spotted on campus: a tree that was held up at gunpoint.

The university of many very tall, very straight trees.

It seems they used the same architect as the Railway Station did.

Here too.

And our last stop in Dunedin before heading back to Points North is...

... Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world!

At its steepest, the street's slope is 19°, or 35%.

Put on the breaks!

(The poor residents of this street must get so tired of the tourists.)

Careful how much you lean! It could be a quick and fast roll down!

(For the record: in 2018, an 11-year-old rode up the street on a pogo stick for charity. His ascent took about 10 minutes.)

We have a chance encounter with an alpaca.

With beautiful eyelashes, I daresay.

And our last pit-stop for the day: the Moeraki Boulders.

The Moeraki Boulders are "concretions".

Here, some scale for reference.

Some of the boulders sit in the water, as the tide comes in.

And sometimes, when the conditions are right, the boulders turn into ice cream.

Careful not to break them!

Our passengers catch some Zzzs as we make our way to Fairlie.

Here we are in Fairlie, where our AirBnB hosts operate a sheep and deer farm.

One of the town highlights.

We were traveling with our own honey bee this whole time, and we didn't even know it.

And a scrumptious (but early-bird) dinner at the Red Stag restaurant.

Last day on the road! On our way back to Christchurch, we detour to Akaroa and the Banks Peninsula.

Just south of Christchurch, it's probably a great weekend getaway for city-dwellers.

Akaroa town is a holiday town, located on a harbor. Reminded me of Talloires, where Adrien and Solene's wedding was.

The French settled here in 1840, and some influence still remains.

Evidence of the many holiday-goers who come here.

Can't go a day without a NZ ice cream!

Lots of cute old shops, in this town of ~620 residents.

Like the former courthouse, on Rue Lavaud.

No sun today, but a giant sunflower will do as a stand-in.

There's a giant chocolate Easter egg in the Air NZ lounge at Christchurch Airport, which can only mean one thing: our trip is winding down!

But first! We have to finish the giant milk we bought the other day.

And here we are back in Auckland International Airport; time to part ways!

But not before we sneak mum into the lounge...

...and set her up to plane-spot for the afternoon.

NZ South Island Week 1

April 14, 2019

Our first of two exciting weeks touring around (most of) New Zealand’s south island.
(Don’t forget to mouse over the images for captions; or if you’re viewing on a mobile phone or tablet, click on the little white dot in bottom RH corner, below the image.)

Here's our route for the next 2 weeks, so you can follow along!

We're here with our giant Kiwi friend which can only mean one thing: Auckland Airport Domestic Terminal, here we come!

We've all made it to Christchurch - and we celebrate with dinner at home. I mean, at AirBnB.

Learning about red kiwifruit at breakfast.

They can also be heart-shaped!

First stop on our Christchurch walking tour: the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral.

It's also called the Cardboard Cathedral, because of all the cardboard used in its construction: like the 96 500-kg tubes used for the roof.

Laminated wood chairs: also very nicely designed.

The triangular pieces of stained glass, as seen from inside.

Heritage Christchurch hotel - in the site of the Old Government Building.

Cathedral Junction: a small shopping mall, complete with trolleys!

Beware of trams!

Mural just outside.

Remains from the 2011 earthquake.

The Isaac Theatre Royal.

The colorful New Regent Street, famous for its eateries.

The colors remind me of Napier!

Another mural on an earthquake-exposed wall.

Christchurch Cathedral.

It was damaged significantly after the earthquake, and has been partly demolished.

Another closed building in Cathedral Square.

Natural tree inside a decidedly newer mall.

A retro mac display at the main library. Throwback!

Trying out the Renault Twizy. Looks cramped!

The Christchurch bus interchange: the cleanest, neatest city bus terminal I've ever been to!

And the Christchurch Art Gallery...

... where we saw a wonderful William Wegman exhibit.

Another mural!

Now at the Botanic Gardens: sneaking into a giant tree.

Stopping to smell the flowers was not enough...

Starting to see signs of fall in the leaves.

The lighting wasn't too favorable: but there's some sense of how big the trunk is!

Decisions, decisions.

We happened to be at the only Ben & Jerry's on the South Island for International Free Cone Day.

Final stop in Christchurch: Lyttleton, a tiny port town just outside Christchurch.

Cute, quaint - but also badly impacted by the earthquake.

How sociable we all are! Exemplifying the 21st-century family.

Next day: we're off to Castle Hill, along Arthur's Pass.

We're here to see the giant limestone formations.

These rocks scattered about are much larger than people!

See the gopher sticking his head out?

What else do you see?

We're higher-up than we realized.

Where we came from.

Pensive, in the clouds.

Look at all those rocks over there!

Okay, now the hard part. Getting down.

Next stop: Devil's Punchbowl Falls.

We were treated to a rainbow along the way. See the pot of gold?

First rainforest exposure this trip.

Droopy moss.

Up close and personal with the 131-meter waterfall.

We were wet from the rain - not the falls. Most likely.

On our way back from the 1-hour "amble".

Some hints of sun breaking through the clouds.

Waiting to pass under the Otira Gorge Rock Shelter -- the road just beyond which had recently been washed out.

We made it to Greymouth, and our cozy AirBnB.

The Greymouth train station -- where the great TranzAlipine rail journey ends.

Its downtown also had a certain charm.

This is one of the more clever street art pieces I've seen recently!

The great Greymouth clock tower.

Up on the floodwall.

And at the Southern Breakwater Viewing Platform.

The skies were calm...

...but the waters were decidedly choppy!

Wouldn't want to be in those waters right now!

Great west coast wind!

Dinner and obligatory beers at Monteith's Brewery, a west coast classic.

Brewed on site!

Decidedly local Easter souvenirs! (Also: our first kiwi bird spotting.)

Making our way further north the next morning.

Mum posing with her new favorite plant: New Zealand flax.

Jurassic Park-esque foliage here.

Still haven't escaped the west coast rains.

We're here in Punakaiki to see the famous Pancake Rocks.

They're more like French Crepe rocks: the layers are too thin to be pancakes!

Pancakes or not, it was a nice walk along the rough west coast waters.

A pedestrian bridge...

... over the open waters below.

The ocean waters have done quite a job here.

Do these rocks remind you of cruise ships?

Pancake pano.

Darker pancake rocks.

And lighter ones.

The main attraction in Hokitika: NZ Longfin Eels. This group in particular are 80-110 years old.

Feeding her elders.

Next stop: Hokitika Gorge.

Again, weather could've been better.

These waters are supposed to be Topaz blue!

We get soy milk color instead - lucky us!

At least, with all this rain, we're given no shortage of rainbows!

And beautiful hill x cloud shots.

We end the day at Sunset Point.

At least it lives up to its name!

Sunset over the calming waters.

I hear tomorrow is going to be beautiful here on the west coast.

Retracing our steps today, back through Arthur's Pass.

And back through the Otira Gorge.

And this time stopping at the Otira Viaduct Lookout, too.

A road well-traveled.

And a road into the clouds!

Here we are at the famous blue Lake Tekapo.

The beautiful lake is fed by the Southern Alps (to the north).

The Church of the Good Shepherd, with the best location of all places of worship in NZ.

More beautiful blue waters...

... and the Southern Alps in the background.

Group shot!

And Lake Pukaki, another blue alpine lake just a bit further west.

Lake Pukaki, on our way up to Mt Cook.

Snow-capped mountains and colorful fields; quintessential South Island scene-scape.

Undulating hills and spiky mountains.

Mt Cook, almost there.

Starting out on our first walk of the day, in the valleys between the mountains.

Beautiful people, beautiful scenery.

What season is it?

Mueller Lake, fed by Mueller Glacier.

Are these just snow-capped mountains, or glaciers? Hard to tell!

How serene.

This bridge was badly damaged during a storm a few weeks earlier, so the famous Hooker Valley track was closed beyond this point. Next trip!

This is one of 3 "Blue Lakes"...

... which are now green, because they're no longer fed by glaciers, but by rainwater only.

On top of the world!

Tasman Lake, and an up-close view of the glacial wall that feeds it.

Chunks of ice break off the glacier, and float down the lake.

More chunks of ice... the sad reality is that this lake didn't even exist as recently as 1970.

Heading around the mountain to see the ice chunks up close.

Up close with the ice.

Some beautiful blues beneath the dirt.

You could imagine penguins floating along the ice chunks, too.

More ice.

Yes: a glacial lake is as cold as you'd expect.

After 3 walks, a well-deserved lunch.

More unreal scenery as we continue on to Wanaka.

Yellow hills that look like creases in the landscape.

We arrive at our guest house: which is ready with our names.

Lake Wanaka at sunset: you can't tell from this picture, but it's the 4th largest lake in NZ.

Sheep! On our way to Mt. Aspiring for a nice uphill walk!

But first: we stop for a parade of cows.

Hello, beautiful.

More snow-capped mountaintops.

Spot the tiny sheep! They provide a great sense of scale.

Raspberry Creek: a deceptively tame name.

Already tired, and we're only 10 minutes into the Rob Roy trail. (And still on the flats!)

Crossing the Matukituki River -- and the fun begins!

The picturesque valley where the Rob Roy stream and the Matukituki River meet.

Getting higher!

Are we there yet?

Translucent blue berries. These must be safe to eat!

Just a bit more uphill!

Umm... that overhead rock can't be safe.

First signs of the beautiful glacial waters. We must be getting near.

More Rob Roy stream.

Our fist glimpses of Rob Roy Glacier.

Getting closer.

Looking back.

5 or 6 km later, and we're finally at the summit.

A beautiful surprise: Rob Roy Falls (which apparently freezes at certain times of year.)

Resting at the summit.

Pano looking back toward where we came from.

Rob Roy Glacier itself: a "small" hanging glacier, with awkward sunlight.

More Rob Roy Glacier, with waterfall in the foreground.

Both waterfalls, together.

Heading back down the 330m altitude gain is almost as tough as going up!

Knee rest stop.

Looking down into Cardrona Valley on our way to Queenstown.

Don't walk too far!

It's wine country down there!

One of the most interesting attractions of bustling Queenstown: watching bungee jumping!

This site -- the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge -- is the first ever commercial bungee jumping operation in the world.

We were just here as passive obserers!

A brave tourist!

Off he goes.

They offer tandem jumps.

Or of course, solo.

Exactly as depicted in this bathroom sign.

Bangkok Week 563

April 7, 2019

A short “week”… and New Zealand, here we come (again)!

Back at our new favorite Japanese Ramen place in Phrom Phong!

Our heart plant has taken on a life of its own, crawling up the grate upstairs!

Check out the flowers on this thing! This is just one of many.

Enjoying his veg pad thai in the First Class Lounge!

Auckland, here we come! To be continued...

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