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Pattaya, friends & food 2022

September 7, 2022 by David Herd

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

Pattaya, friends & food 2022 & life is very good. I’m told Australia is getting more expensive every few months as opposed to Thailand which remains very affordable.

This group of reprobates dining at L’Auberge from the right are Bill Edge from Airlie Beach, yours truly, Joergen Ulitza from Melbourne & finally John Martin, aka Pothole Bin Laden.

Beautiful fresh vegetables

Pattaya, last quarter 2022

While we are on the subject of food check out these delicious vegetables from Playa Bistro on the ground floor of my condo at Markland.

Rain damage September 6

Living in Pattaya 2022

Not unexpected as September is Pattaya’s wettest month.

Impossible to stop this

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

The rain pours down from 2nd road, jumps the Beach Rd footpath & carries away the sand. I have lived on Beach Rd for 11 years & it’s always been the same.

Check out the Pattaya webcam, just click here.

Here’s a smile to brighten your day

Living in Pattaya 2022

One of the lovely waitresses from Playa Bistro on the ground floor of Markland.

Bye bye Sabai Resort

8th Sept Sabai

Lots of memories from this hoel, my friends & I stayed there for over 12 years from 1998.

Peter Hobbs from Sydney

Living in Pattaya 2022

 Peter has lived at 72 Wrights rd Drummoyne since 1983, I lived there for 6 years from 1979.

La Boulange Pattaya French Bakery

Pattaya, last quarter 2022

Situated on 3rd Rd near Big C extra, they make the best ham & salad rolls in Pattaya.

Four Australian lamb cutlets

Pattaya, last quarter 2022

From Big C extra at a cost of $40 AUD.

At L’Auberge with Brad Robbins from Townsville

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Waiting for our French oysters. 🙂

Gillardeau nunber 3

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Fabulous oysters from France, many thanks to the owner who gave us a 50% discount down to B900 or $36 AUD.

Heavy construction on 2nd rd.

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

This used to be a bowling alley, it’s na huge site which may end up as condos.

Drinks at Playa

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

A very nice Bistro & bar on the ground floor of my condo Markland, on the corner of Beach Rd & Soi 1.

Dinner at Playa

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

Prawn & asparagas.

Derek Pugh, a very old friend.

Pattaya, friends & food 2022

Derek & I worked together in the late 60s at MacDougals LTD, an office equipment company in Clarence St Sydney.

Derek, Ian Rich Paul Slaughter

Pattaya, friends & food 2022   Pattaya, friends & food 2022

I’m guessing this was around 2002.

Sadly we lost Richard yesterday, RIP.

Richard Blair is the big fellow in the middle, beside him is Ken Shelly. Here is a post from 2004 showing many more shots of Richard.

Here are some more posts to check out 

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Grand Centre Point Space Hotel

August 6, 2022 by David Herd

Grand Centre Point Space Hotel

https://fivestarvagabond.com/living-in-pattaya-2022/

Grand Centre Point Space Hotel, adjacent to the Naklua Road roundabout offers fabulous views of Pattaya & beyond. 

Looking down at Naklua roundabout

Grand Centre Point Space HotelYou can see Terminal 21 on the left.

Here is Terminal 21

Grand Centre Point Space HotelWorth a visit to enjoy these great views of Pattaya & beyond.

Here is the Dusit Hotel

Grand Centre Point Space HotelPerched on the edge of North Pattaya Beach. They used to offer the best dim sum in Pattaya at their Peak restaurant, sadly that’s a thing of the past.

Wangamat

Grand Centre Point Space Hotel

Here are the high rise buildings at Wangamat beach.

Kitchen

Grand Centre Point Space HotelOn my next visit I’ll try the food. 🙂

Spectacular view from the restaurant.

Grand Centre Point Space HotelIf you are someone like me who loves a good view, this place will suit you fine.

Rooftop pool

Grand Centre Point Space HotelThat highrise on the waterfront is Cape Dara.

Unusual building

Grand Centre Point Space HotelIt’s called the Cove & it’s close to Wangamat beach.

Living dangerously

Grand Centre Point Space HotelThese guys obviously know no fear. 🙂

Spectacular

Grand Centre Point Space HotelIt certainly is an interesting Pattaya landmark.

Here is their description of this interesting building.

At Thailand’s first “Space” themed hotel, you may experience the extraordinary world of space travel.

There is a wide range of facilities that combine “outer space design and innovative technology,” from cutting-edge façades inspired by space shuttles to space-themed facility settings. Spend a day in one of Pattaya’s largest Water Park with approximately 11,500 sq.m. space water park devided to four themed zones or take a fun break in a kids’ area designed like the spaceship building “Astro Club,” an indoor family playground complex packed with creativity and hands-on experience for guests of all ages, there is something for everyone.

Opening 1 August 2022
Contact us:[email protected]

Many thanks for visiting my Grand Centre Point Space Hotel photo blog, the following links will take to to some other samples of my travels etc.

Check out these great food photo blogs.

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David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

July 22, 2022 by David Herd

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondDavid Herd aka Five Star Vagabond is well aware of turning 80 in July 2023. Consequently I thought it was time to put together a photo blog featuring some of my photos from the last 79 years.

The shot above is from 1990 featuring 3 of my brothers, Ian, Bryan & Warren, missing  is Neale who dropped out many years ago.

I love this photo from 1982.

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

What’s not to love? I was living in a waterfront apartment in Drummoyne about 7 kilometers from the city.

Location

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

I was on the 6th floor in building on the left.

My Long Winding RoadA great view of the city.

A fabulous view

Sydney Gold Coast 2013I was in Wrights Rd Drummoyne. I lived here for 6 years from 1979 before moving to Newport on the northern penninsular. 

31 Herbert Avenue Newport

Herbert Avenue Newport BeachI moved here in 1984 with my fiancee Karen Smith, sadly the relationship only lasted 3 years.

My home was on the hill overlooking the yatch club.

Karen Smith from Melbourne

Herbert Avenue Newport BeachA beautiful lady.

Another Karen

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

Karen Greenwood was a gorgeous Kiwi girl who stuck around for a year or so in the late 80s. The reason it lasted so long is because I loaned her a car. 🙂

January 1987 my new home in Claymore Crescent Sorrento.

Relocate Sydney Gold Coast

I bought a house at 36 Claymore Crescent and it soon became party central.

Naturally I bought a boat

Relocate Sydney Gold Coast

A very pretty little runabout with a 150 HP Suzuki on the back.

106 Upton St Bundall

Bundall Homes Shops Brothels Racecourse

I then moved to the Gold Coast & built a beautiful house on the waterfront at Bundall.

Favourite food

Surfers Paradise sentimental journeyAussie prawns straight from the trawler & Aussie avocados.

Flashback to 1975

https://fivestarvagabond.com/melbourne danger romanceThat geogeous blond was my ex girlfriend Dianne Parkinson. We are still in contact on Facebook now in 2022, 47 years later. 🙂

The Big Apple

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondAround January 2008.

Let’s go way back to 1964

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondWith my best mate Glen Beasley on the way to London.

Angkor Wat in 2005

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondIn my opinion this was as amazing as the pyramids in Egypt.

Hong Kong in 1980

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondPart of a round trip with my friend Rob Symonds to Manila, Hong Kong, Bangkok & Bali.

19

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondGraham La Roche, aka Biff, Kitty, DH & Helen Burke.

An all time favourite photo

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondThey don’t come any better than this, it was another of my famous Monday night dinner parties.

Winnie & Allison

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

Winnie introduced me to this lovely 18 year old, the rest is history. 🙂

Sunday lunch at Doyles

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

We were regulars at this great location, I would take my Bertram & anchor just off the beach.

Blonds everywhere

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondThe 70s was a fabulous decade.

1975 at the Melbourne cup

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondJohn Lawless & Ray Dodd. Ray has owned the Keilor Hotel since he acquired it from his father in 1974.

Death Valley

Sydney 1982 flying high enjoying lifeWay back in 1982.

Cape Town

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondThe city is fairly average but the V & A waterfront is fabulous.

Two lovely ladies

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond


Barbara Manelli from Florence & Dalia from Bolivia.

Carolyn Clark

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

 Carolyn was my girlfriend for a year or so in the mid 90s.

Same coat different girl

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

This is Emily in the 90s, she was working as a meter maid at the time. 🙂

Flash back to Parati

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond250 km from Rio, & I have to ask the obvious question, what time can I start having fun?

On board the La Maria

David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond

Way back in the late 60s I spent 6 months as the 7th engineer on the La Maria, cruising between Antwerp & Boston plus up the Great Lakes to Duluth & Superior.

The view from my condo in Pattaya

Clouds sunsets restaurants rain It does not get much better than this. 🙂

That’s all for now

David Herd aka Five Star VagabondMany thanks for visiting my David Herd aka Five Star Vagabond photo blog.

Check out these great food photo blogs.

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Living in Pattaya 2022

July 11, 2022 by David Herd

Living in Pattaya 2022

Baht bus

Living in Pattaya 2024, this is my 13th year in this layback seaside city on the gulf of Thailand. Recently things have been much quieter than usual due to the world’s overreaction to the so called Covid-19 crisis.

The excellent photo above is owned by Robert Cameron, I hope he does not mind me using it.

The Space building

Living in Pattaya 2022

Located on Naklua Rd adjacent to the Dolphin roundabout.

View from Space.

https://fivestarvagabond.com/living-in-pattaya-2022/

Looking South.

Looking at Terminal 21

https://fivestarvagabond.com/living-in-pattaya-2022/

T21 is featured in the top left hand corner.

Chicken & cashews

Chicken & cashews at Sonja

 $6 AUD at Sonja’s restaurant in Soi 4.

While we are on the subject of food

View the pictures →

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Living with Covid crisis 2022

May 10, 2022 by David Herd

Living with Covid crisis 2022

Living with Covid crisis 2022

Living with Covid crisis 2022 has really not inconvinienced me at all, in fact I really enjoy the peace & quiet in Pattaya. I’m of the opinion the danger is grossly overrated, after all it’s just another form of influenza.

This photo blog covers the first 6 months of 2022.

North Pattaya beach

Living with Covid crisis 2022April 5th & the work continues.

Playa Bistro

Living with Covid crisis 2022 Located on the ground floor of Markland Condo on the corner of Beach Rd & Soi 1.

Pancake at Playa

Living with Covid crisis 2022Absolutely delicious.

Tacos at Playa

Playa Bistro Lounge PattayaBest I have eaten since Mexico in 1999.

While we are on the subject of food….

Living with Covid crisis 2022It doesn’t get much better than this. Lobster soup from the Longhorn Steakhouse.

Manicure & pedicure

Living with Covid crisis 2022

Total cost including a $4 tip was $16.

Mango & sticky rice

Living with Covid crisis 2022An iconic Thai  delicacy. 

Oysters from France

Living with Covid crisis 2022Fine de Clare & Belon at L’Auberge.

Pothole & Yogurt

Living with Covid crisis 2022 Aka John Martin & Joergen Ulitza enjoying drinks at the Atlantic bar.

Lots of businesses closed

Living with Covid crisis 2022If you walk north along 2nd Rd from Pattaya Klang to the roundabout you will be shocked by all the business closures. 

Thai people can sleep anywhere

Living with Covid crisis 2022Anywhere & any time. 🙂

New hotel & shopping centre

Living with Covid crisis 2022Just north of the roundabout on Naklua Rd, they have named it Space.

Are these guys crazy or what?

Living with Covid crisis 2022 Workplace health & safety does not exist in Thailand. 🙂

Kites for sale

Living with Covid crisis 2022 I really like this photo of kids & kites. 🙂

Two of my favourite cars

Living with Covid crisis 2022Parked at A–One hotel, a Porsche & a Mercedes.

Here are my cars back in the 90s.

Living with Covid crisis 2022Life was good.

One of my regular breakfast destinations.

Best Pattaya breakfast coffee The Queen Victoria Inn in Soi 6.

It’s all about food

Living with Covid crisis

This delicious satay chicken was created at Sonja’s in Soi 4.

Ira Wettenstein from Connecticut

Living with Covid crisis

Happily now living in my building in Pattaya.

Drinks at Playa

Living with Covid crisisThis place is so convinient on the ground floor of my building.

Covid or no Covid, a girl has to eat. 🙂

Asoke Nana along Sukhumvit Road Bangkok

One of my favourite photos. 

Another fabulous sunset from my balcony

Living with Covid crisis 2022I’m so lucky to see these sunsets from my condo.

Thanks for visiting my Living with Covid crisis 2022 photo blog, I’ll add more shots up to June 30.

Check out these great photo blogs.

Counter only started May 12 2022

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Cherry Bar babes Pattaya

March 4, 2022 by David Herd

Cherry Bar babes Pattaya

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Cherry Bar babes Pattaya, I have been studying them closely for over a decade. This bar on the corner of 2nd Rd & Soi 3 Pattaya has been my local watering hole since 2003.

And so this is Xmas

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya I have been living in Pattaya since October 2011 but I have been coming here for 34 years. Nothing stays the same & neither does the Cherry Bar, over the years there have been some incredibly beautiful girls pass through here. Sadly not as many in 2015. 🙂

Why do I like it so much?

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya Well apart from the many beautiful girls that have passed through there, being on a busy corner allows me to watch the passing parade while enjoying an evening drink. At the other end of this complex is another very good bar which has just become 50% larger, the Atlantic Bar.


View from The Cherry Bar

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This was the view from where I sit about 3 years ago, it’s not quite as good now as you will see further on.

OK, back to the sexy girls

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Flashback to 2003, the first year I started drinking at the Cherry Bar. One of the many sexy Cherry Bar girls.

Dah from 2003

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  What a knockout smile.

Mai & Oay in 2012, terrific smiles

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Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya  Mai is a sweet girl who gave up her job a a Honda sales person in Bangkok to work at the Cherry Bar, she has since moved across the road to Honey 2, the soapy massage parlor. Oay on the other hand is a tall glamorous high maintenance girl who is never without a Farang throwing money at her.

Oay is certainly a knockout

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya

Last I heard she found a sponsor and quit the bar scene.

Happy group in 2012

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 Joergen Ulitza, Barrie Comfort, Dah, Pothole aka John Martin & Pepe Lopez. Sadly Joergen was arrested in Hong Kong last year in July 2014 and is awaiting trial scheduled for November 2015.

All charges dropped

Joergen amp DH 2_1

 On November 6th all charges were dropped and Joergen flew to Pattaya for a couple of weeks before heading home to Melbourne on December 10. He is a very lucky man.

Daryl Evans & Heine from Airlie Beach in Australia, 2004.

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 The bar has always been a great place to meet friends from Australia, this is from February 2004, Daryl on the left now lives in Pattaya at Markland where I also live.

July 2003 , Jan became my favourite girl.

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 Over the next seven years Jan was my number one favourite girl, so beautiful with a smile to die for. When I talk about Sexy Cherry Bar girls, Jan was the best.

Easy to see why

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Absolutely gorgeous.

More of beautiful Jan

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Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya  Top is 2003 & the rest are 2008 & 2009.

Do you agree Jan is absolutely beautiful?

David Herd at Cherry Bar  

This was November 2008, I could publish an entire post on Jan but I guess I have to move along.

Jan visits Cherry in 2012 pregnant with 3rd child.

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I’m betting raising 3 children is not as much fun as working at the Cherry bar. 🙂

October 2011

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Anne & Om in October 2011. Sadly about 1 year later Om passed away after a short illness, I really miss her smiling face.

RIP Om.

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I wanted to hang this on the wall at the Cherry bar in memory of Om, but because of Thai tradition & culture they would not let me.

Dressing up for Loi Krathong

Loi Krathong  

Loi Krathong is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and certain parts of Laos and Burma (in Shan State). The name could be translated as “to float a basket”, and comes from the tradition of making krathong or buoyant, decorated baskets, which are then floated on a river. Loi Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November. On the night of the full moon, Thais launch their krathong on a river, canal or a pond, making a wish as they do so. The festival may originate from an ancient ritual paying respect to the water spirits.   Government offices, corporations and other organizations bring large decorated krathongs. There are competitions for the best such krathong. A beauty contest is a regular feature and fireworks have become common in recent years.

Street cooking at its best

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya 

For six months or s these guys were doing a roaring trade cooking pigs before the chemist under the Cherry Bar complained to the police about the shop fling up with smoke every night.

Big Simon from the UK

Simon Wilmont 

In January 2013 four English friends from Wiltshire arrived and took over the Cherry bar, I would usually leave them about 10 pm and they would kick on to 2 or 3 am at the sexy Cherry Bar.

Bill Austin & Dave Catchpole from the UK

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We are not in Kansas anymore Toto.

Hmmm feels good.

 David Herd Cherry Bar Another of the Sexy Cherry Bar girls.

Trevor with the tongue & Bobby on the right at the sexy Cherry Bar.
Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya04c1abf2-0e86-4442-ab40-bc5467034bdc

Boys will be boys, hang on this is Thailand and sometimes boys will be girls, thankfully however not at the sexy Cherry Bar.

 Just to remind you where you are.

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya

sexy Cherry Bar.

Guess what? It is October 2004

sweet girl I can’t remember her name, but I do remember that she was a very sweet girl.

2004 was a good year for Cherry Bar girls

David Herd Thailand

Can’t remember her name but she was a very sweet lady.

Street view from Cherry bar in 2005

Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya

View has now changed in 2016.

Party time May 2005

  Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya  The Thai girls love to dress up for a party.

2009 Anne & Jaeb

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Two long time employees at the Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya.

Here is Jaeb 6 years later in February 2015

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I last saw her around Xmas 2015.

This is what I call “attitude”.

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Do you like what you see mister?

August 2013

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 Bob & Greg from the Gold Coast in Australia.

Lenny, Merv, Kukta & Warren at Cherry bar.

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This was March 2013, my brother Warren & his friend Lenny were here again in May 2014. Sadly our good mate Lenny passed away after a short battle with cancer early in 2016, RIP. 

Aoy is another favourite of mine.

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Aoy is a very sweet girl who left the Cherry Bar when she found a guy to take care of her, I miss her & wish her luck.

 The green roof is the Cherry bar.

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Not much to look at, but thousands of great memories have happened under that green roof. 🙂

Bath time in Soi 3

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While Grandfather does the cooking the little one decides it is time for her bath. A great example of observing Thai life from the Cherry Bar.

I ordered a double Jack Daniels.

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 I have been in a long term relationship with Jack. 🙂

I have to bring Jan back, can’t help it.

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 Jaeb, Jan & Anne.


Xmas Eve 2013

Xmas Eve Cherry barMerry Xmas everyone.

 New Years Eve 2013

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Dan from Airlie Beach Australia at the Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya .

Sabai Wing Soi 1 North Pattaya

 

Sabai Wing Soi 1, 3 swimming pools and nice rooms, 100 meters from BigC, great value at only $23 usd per night as of August 15. I live in the high-rise in the background, Markland. For a great room rate book here.

For a more upmarket hotel on Beach Rd

Hello welcome Pattaya Beach Rd Thailand Just use THIS LINK for a terrific rate at the Wave Hotel.

  November 2014 and she is only 16.

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She was only around for 2 weeks then disappeared.

 My niece Laura hits the pole

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 Is it wrong to force your lovely niece to be a pole dancer in Pattaya, surely not? 🙂  I guess my niece can now be described as one of the Sexy Cherry Bar girls.

Doug from Newcastle and Geoff from Gosford

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These guys love Thailand and visit many times each year.

A bunch of Aussies in April 2015

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The names shall be withheld to protect the innocent.                     
December 2015

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 Larry Krausz moves from the Gold Coast Australia to Pattaya November 28 2015.  Sadly one year later in December 2016 after spending 6 weeks in ICU due to a major stroke, he was flown back to Australia by the insurance company. The cost for the Leer Jet was $185,000 aud and the hospital over $300,000.

New friends December 28 2015

Cherry BarJames amp Jeff

On the right is Jeff who is a friend of my cousin Vickie in Calgary, the other guy James saw me outside my condo in soi 1 and said “hi David” I know you from your Cape Town blog. Amazing that he recognised me in the street, so I now have another new friend, James from Pretoria. My fame is obviously spreading. 🙂

And the beat goes on

David Herd Thailand                    David Herd Thailand

Here is Katie August 2016

Katie Cherry Bar A happy new addition at the Cherry Bar.

Shock horror

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Shock horror, September 1st 2016 and my beloved Cherry bar is no more. Purchased by the people who own Billabong in LK Metro they will rebuild a bigger and hopefully better bar. You can take away the bar but you will never be able to take away my wonderful memories.

Shock horror has turned into “you bloody beauty”. 🙂

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Billabong 2 Pattaya It’s a new era as they say in the classics, today is Sunday September 25th and Billabong 2 opens it’s doors. Doors! what doors? I don’t see any doors.

Thanks for visiting my Sexy Cherry Bar babes Pattaya photo blog.

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Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

March 2, 2022 by David Herd

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel situated in Soi 2 North Pattaya is ony 5 minutes walk from my condo. It offers very good food & excellent coffee.

Entrance from Soi 2

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Located halfway between Beach Rd & 2nd Rd.

Coffee was excellent

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

I visit Starbucks once or twice every day, but I must admit this coffee was far better. It’s a shame they don’t give the choice of a large mug as well as a cup.

Interesting wall prints

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

In fact they have included a lot of interesting prints & furniture.

Interesting coffee tables. 🙂

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

It’s nice to see some unusual objects. 🙂

Chandeliers

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Lot’s of different areas to sit in peace & quiet. 🙂

Outdoor seating

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Must be catering for the smokers, why else would you sit out in the heat?

Lunch was excellent

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Hong Kong noodles were as good as I have had anywhere. In fact the food impressed me so much I dined 2 days in a row. 🙂

Breakfast is B450 or $19 AUD, I’ll stick with the Queen Victoria in Soi 6, breakfast is B99. 🙂 

Feels like a library

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

A lot of thought has gone into the decor as you can clearly see.

Lunch two days in a row

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Chicken teriyaki was excellent, as was the coffee afterwards. The service is also very good, the waiter continually tops up my glass of water. 🙂

Coffee grinder

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Every home should have one, don’t you agree? 🙂 You can see my reflection lurking in the background.

Location

Gather Ground Payaa Hotel

Easy to find & close to the Baht bus route. Luckily it’s only five minutes walk from my condo in Markland on Beach Road. 🙂

Many thanks for visiting my Gather Ground Payaa Hotel photo blog, make sure you visit as the food & coffee is exceptional.

Counter only started March 2nd 2022.

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Brussels beer fries mussels

March 1, 2022 by David Herd

Grand Place, a beautiful square.

Brussels beer fries mussels

Brussels beer fries mussels

Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate, closely followed by chocolate. These are some of the main impressions this city leaves on you. The city itself I found rather ordinary except for the magnificent Grand Place, for me this is one of Europe’s great squares. The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It measures 68 by 110 meters (223 by 361 ft), and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Grand Place

Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate

At the beginning of the 13th century, three indoor markets were built on the northern edge of the Grand Place; a meat market, a bread market and a cloth market. These buildings, which belonged to the Duke of Brabant, allowed the wares to be showcased even in bad weather, but also allowed the Dukes to keep track of the storage and sale of goods, in order to collect taxes. Other buildings, made of wood or stone, enclosed the Grand Place.

Town Hall

Brussels beer fries mussels

Totally spectacular at night.

Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert

Brussels beer fries mussels

The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

 

 

Entrance to Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert

Brussels beer fries mussels

 Construction started on May 6, 1846. It lasted for 18 months, and the 213 meter passage was opened on June 20, 1847 by King Leopold and his two sons. In 1845 the Société named the three sections of the new passage the Galerie du RoiGalerie de la Reine and Galerie du Prince

Restaurants near the Grand Place.

Brussels beer fries mussels

The small alleys & streets around the Grand Place hold hundreds of restaurants and bars. I found about 80% of them had almost identical menus.  Mussels & fries washed down with Belgium beer is the most popular dish, I love the beer but sadly I not a fan of Mussels.

So many restaurants & so little time

Brussels beer fries mussels

This area is truly one of the world’s great eating precincts. 

Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate

Brussels beer fries mussels

Lucky for me there are many paces that don’t feature Brussels beer fries on the menu. This restaurant precinct is one of the most impressive I have seen anywhere in the world. It’s certainly not just Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate.

Cafe Georgette in Brussels.

Brussels beer fries mussels

One of my favourite photos from Brussels.

French wine at Cafe Georgette in Brussels.

Brussels beer fries mussels

Cafe Georgette was a real find, located at Rue de la Fourche 37, 1000 Bruxelles, it has a cozy atmosphere & for solo diners like myself it allows you to watch the passing parade out the front window. My Tagliatelle with smoked salmon was perfect as was the Tiramisu. 

Dining alone

Brussels beer fries mussels

This lady is like a female version of myself, dining alone with a Kindle for company.  😥

Belgian chocolate, YUM!

Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate

 Belgium is famed for its high quality chocolate and over 2,000 chocolatiers, both small and large. Belgium’s association with chocolate goes back as far as 1635 when the country was under Spanish occupation. By the mid 18th century, chocolate was extremely popular in upper and middle class circles, particularly in the form of hot chocolate, including with Charles-Alexander of Lorraine, the Austrian governor of the territory. From the early 20th century, the country was able to import large quantities of cocoa from its African colony, the Belgian Congo. Both the chocolate bar and praline are inventions of the Belgian chocolate industry.  Today, chocolate is very popular in Belgium, with 172,000 tonnes produced each year, and widely exported.

Manneken Pis.

Brussels beer fries mussels

Just as popular as Belgian chocolate is Manneken Pis. There are several legends behind this statue, but the most famous is the one about Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. In 1142, the troops of this two-year-old lord were battling against the troops of the Berthouts, the lords of Grimbergen, in Ransbeke (now Neder-Over-Heembeek). The troops put the infant lord in a basket and hung the basket in a tree to encourage them. From there, the boy urinated on the troops of the Berthouts, who eventually lost the battle. Another legend states that in the 14th century, Brussels was under siege by a foreign power. The city had held its ground for some time, so the attackers conceived of a plan to place explosive charges at the city walls. A little boy named Julianske happened to be spying on them as they were preparing. He urinated on the burning fuse and thus saved the city. There was at the time (middle of the 15th century, perhaps as early as 1388) a similar statue made of stone. The statue was stolen several times.

The Triumphal arch

Brussels beer fries mussels

  Triumphal arches are one of the most influential and distinctive types of architecture associated with ancient Rome. Thought to have been invented by the Romans, the triumphal arch was used to commemorate victorious generals or significant public events such as the founding of new colonies, the construction of a road or bridge, the death of a member of the imperial family or the accession of a new emperor.  

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A great way to see the city

Brussels beer fries mussels

  I had a little luck on the bus, they didn’t charge me so instead of 22 Euros I rode for free.  😛  

Brussels Opera house

Brussels beer fries mussels

 Today the National Opera of Belgium, a federal institution, takes the name of the theater in which it is housed. Therefore, la Monnaie or de Munt refers both to the structure as well as the opera company. As Belgium’s leading opera house it is one of the few cultural institutions which receives financial support from the federal government of Belgium.

Drug Opera Restaurant

Brussels beer fries mussels

Brussels was a total surprise for me, a truly memorable city.

Sunset in Brussels

Brussels beer fries mussels

Around every corner is another photo opportunity.

100 meters from my hotel

Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate

Thanks for visiting my Brussels beer fries mussels chocolate photo blog, my hotel the  NH Grand Place Arenberg was great value & only 5 minutes walk to the Grand Place, good rooms at the right price & friendly staff. Breakfast & wi fi included.

Here is one of the best products to ever come of of Belgium, her name in Dana Winner, sit back & enjoy.
 
One Moment In Time – Dana Winner – Live In Mallorca
 
 

 

That’s all folks

Brussels beer fries mussels

                       

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1g Duck

 

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Counter only started June 16 2020.

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Atlantic-bar-Pattaya

February 28, 2022
by David Herd
Comments Off on Atlantic Bar Pattaya

Atlantic Bar Pattaya

Atlantic Bar North Pattaya Atlantic Bar North Pattaya Atlantic Bar North Pattaya for last 18 years has been one of my regular watering holes. Here are many of the interesting people & staff who have enjoyed it with me. The … Continue reading

Food review Pattaya 2022

February 20, 2022 by David Herd

Food review Pattaya 2022

Food review Pattaya 2022

Food review Pattaya 2022 featuring my favourite restaurants in this city on the gulf of Thailand. The dish above was only $3 AUD at one of the local food courts.

This photo blog covers the first 6 months of 2022.

It’s all about oysters

Food review Pattaya 2022

Flown in fresh from France every week. These are Fine de Clare No 2. These oysters are finished for several weeks in shallow clay ponds where they acquire a superior quality shell to oysters grown in the open sea.

Belon oysters

Food review Pattaya 2022   Food review Pattaya 2022

 The true Belon Oyster is culitivated in the Belon River, France and has the AOC protected name. Technically, only oysters from this region in France can be called Belon Oysters.

Two varieties

Food review Pattaya 2022

At L’Aberge, 6 Fin De Claire & 6 Belon. Belon Oysters have a world famous name and reputation. They are the European Flat species (Ostrea edulis).

Excellent fried rice

Food review Pattaya 2022

At Playa, the new restaurant on the ground floor of Markland, my condo building on Beach Road.

Waffles at Playa

Food review Pattaya 2022

I can’t resist a good desert. 🙂

Satay chicken at the Bistro

Food review Pattaya 2022

Without a doubt this is the best satay chicken I have ever tasted.

BJs sports bar in Soi 3.

Food review Pattaya 2022

Sukiyaki soup is excellent. 🙂 

Lobster soup at the longhorn

Food review Pattaya 2022

 As good as it gets.

MK Restaurants

Food review Pattaya 2022

Very good food at a low price, I am a regular customer at their Central Marina branch. 

Fusillo Italian Restaurant

Food review Pattaya 2022

This is a very good restaurant that I often visited when it was on Naklua Road, sadly they have moved quite a distance down Soi 18 so it really isn’t convinient anymore.

iO Italian Osteria Terminal 21

Food review Pattaya 2022

A delicious ham & mushroom bruschetta.

Thanks for visiting my Food review Pattaya 2022 photo blog, I will add more in coming months.

Counter only started March 11 2022.

This gallery contains 1 photo.