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Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

July 19, 2020 by David Herd

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya at the Royal Cruise hotel, which is named because it looks like an actual cruise ship. Malibrew is a rather spectacular bar & an interesting concept, with some good points & some bad which we will discuss below.

Main entrance is on Soi 2.

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

About 60 meters from Beach Road.

Happy hour is between 5 & 6 pm.

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya You can get 2 for one Singha for only B120 or $3.80 USD. The bar has only been open for a few days & strangely enough has no craft beer on sale yet.

Price list

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya Red wine is B290 per glass which is way too expensive in my opinion.

Open plan kitchen

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya The food is very reasonably priced.

Cold appetizers

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya good selection here.

Main course

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

Menu is a computer tablet, my preference is a normal style menu, but I guess I’m a bit of a dinosaur. 🙂

More main course choices

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya I had the spaghetti & meatballs.

Spaghetti & meatballs

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya Enjoyable without being exceptional.

Beer taps are not connected yet.

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya I can’t help wondering why they opened before the craft beer was available.

Another dining area

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

Lots of places to sit at Malibrew Craft Beer A-One Pattaya.

Here is the entertainment area

Craft Beer A-One Pattaya

I have already admitted to being a dinosaur so please view my comments accordingly. I was 2/3 through my meal at 7.30 & the music started. A guitarist & a drummer decided to pound out around 100 decibels. It was so loud I didn’t finish my meal, I just paid my bill & left.

Many thanks for visiting my Craft Beer A-One Pattaya photo blog.

A-One hotel on Beach Road
Seven deadly Songkran days

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.


Check out my Pattaya webcam here.

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California Miami Rio Carnival

April 15, 2015 by David Herd

It all started in Sydney

California Miami Rio Carnival

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok, it all started in Sydney in January 2005. Next stop was San Francisco, on to Miami before flying down to Rio de Janeiro. Make no mistake Rio Carnival is the greatest show on Earth. I then met my friend Simone in Natal in North East Brazil, we travelled 300 kms by taxi to Recife stopping at Praia da Pippa for a few days on the way.

I said au revoir to Brazil where it was 35 degrees and flew to Paris to be greeted by a temperature of 3 degrees,

My Sydney friends

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

Lunch with friends at Wildfire restaurant at Sydney’s Circular Quay.

Aquarium of the Bay.

California Miami Rio Carnival

Aquarium of the Bay is a public aquarium located at Embarcadero and Beach Street, at the edge of Pier 39 in San Francisco, California. The Aquarium is focused on local aquatic animals from the San Francisco Bay and neighbouring waters.

David Herd at Fisherman’s wharf

California Miami Rio Carnival

Lunch at Fisherman’s wharf is a “must do” in SFC. 

How many movies has this Miami deli been in?

California Miami Rio Carnival

The Architectural District (also known as Old Miami Beach Historic District, and the more popular term, Miami Art Deco District) is a U.S. historic district (designated as such on May 14, 1979) located in the South Beach neighbourhood of Miami Beach, Florida. The district is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Sixth Street to the south, Alton Road to the west, the Collins Canal and Dade Boulevard to the north. It contains 960 historic buildings. In 1989, it was listed in A Guide to Florida’s Historic Architecture, published by the University of Florida Press.

South Beach Miami

California Miami Rio Carnival

The fabulous art deco towers are unique examples of this form of architecture, they along the eight and a half mile stretch of  Beach. All told there are twenty five towers guarding those who use the beach. At once functional and decorative, they contribute beautifully to the overall aesthetic of this Floridian resort city. A great example of Art Deco South Beach Miami.  

Welcome to Rio David

California Miami Rio Carnival We have been waiting for you all year, where have you been. 🙂 The beautiful on the left is Samantha, her blonde girlfriend was around 6′ tall.

David Herd with the bird.

California Miami Rio CarnivalI’m at a big warehouse where they store many of the Carnival characters and floats.  

The Sambadrome

California Miami Rio Carnival

The Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí is centre stage of Rio Carnival, the host venue of the annual parade of Samba Schools. It is important to note that Rio Carnival, popularized around the world as the greatest party on the planet,is about much more than drinking and partying. At its heart, Carnival is an exhilarating combination of competition and camaraderie as organizations called Samba Schools battle for the title of Rio Carnival Samba Parade Champions. For Cariocas, the local residents of Rio de Janeiro, is a time to show the world the product of a year’s worth of hard work and dedication. All the magic ofRio Carnival — the beats, songs, dances, floats and costumes — are the product of well-orchestrated machines called Samba Schools.

Meanwhile out on the street

California Miami Rio Carnival

  The whole city goes crazy for Carnival, this was my 2nd experience, I returned in 2008 for my 3rd Carnival.  

Copacabana beach

  California Miami Rio CarnivalThere are many reasons to love Copacabana, this is one of them. 🙂  

 Dave Sommer RIP

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris BangkokTwo of my friends from 2005 are not with us anymore,  Dave Sommer  lived & worked in Sao Paulo,  Sadly he was brutally murdered on January 11 2015. I remember the great day we spent together visiting the Samba school with his girlfriend, they were both preparing to participate in the parade.

Doug Roarke also passed away

California Miami Rio CarnivalDoug Roarke was a lovely guy who lived life to the max, after battling a long illness he passed away around 2007. Danielle was his gorgeous long time girlfriend in Rio. I remember sitting in a bar in Rio Di Janeiro with Dave Wylie & Doug Roarke, (RIP) and when I asked what was their favourite place in Brazil, Doug briefly considered the question before saying “Praia de Pipa”. Until that moment I had never heard of the place, but on Doug’s recommendation I planned my trip. Pipa Beach quickly became one of my favourite places in the world.

 Praia de Pipa

  California Miami Rio Carnival Paris BangkokThis will always be one of my favourite photos at one of my favourite places.  

Fresh for dinner tonight

  California Miami Rio Carnival Paris BangkokFresh fish, what fresh fish? I don’t see any fresh fish. 🙂  

Ah! here is the fish straight out of the ocean

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

Fresh fish and lots of chips.

Simone Cristina Oliveira

  California Miami Rio Carnival  My lovely travelling companion Simone Cristina Oliveira was living in Uberlândia in Minas Gerais at the time, she now works at a bank in Sao Paulo, after all these years we still keep in touch on Facebook.  

The coast around Pipa.

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

Towns built on sandy soil.

Low tide at Pipa

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

Low tide and the children play.

Happy hour? In Pipa it’s always happy hour.
California Miami Rio Carnival

Local Pipa bar.

 Morro do Careca (Bald Hill) Ponta Negra.

  California Miami Rio Carnival Ponta Negra is close to Natal about 80 kilometres from Pipa.    

The beautiful city of Olinda.

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok Olinda is a city in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco. It hosts one of Brazil’s most famous carnivals and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its XVI and XVII-century buildings. Many bars, restaurants, artist and craftspeople studios add charm to the old-town setting. Olinda is just across the river from Recife.

My friend Simone & her cousin Pedro

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

Sightseeing in Olinda.

California Miami Rio Carnival Recife

California Miami Rio CarnivalA big modern city in the north east corner of Brazil, Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the country with 3,743,854 inhabitants.

California Miami Rio Carnival Porto de Galinhas

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris BangkokThe origin of the name is well known. Porto de Galinhas means “Port of Chickens” in Portuguese. In the second half of the 19th century, the Brazilian government imposed restrictions to the commerce of slaves, which were widely used as manpower in the sugarcane farms around Recife to circumvent the prohibition, the “black ships” (which transported slaves from Africa to Brazil) looked for other places to harbor, far from Recife.One such place was in the bays around Suape and Ipojuca, about 60 km to the South ofRecife. When a ship arrived in town, as it was prohibited to mention slavery, the word spread as “there are new chickens in the port”; hence, the place gained its name Porto de Galinhas.

Porto de Galinhas

California Miami Rio Carnival

This city was a real surprise packet.

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok Farewell Brazil, hello Paris, as I said earlier  Brazil  was 35 degrees and I flew to Paris to be greeted by a temperature of 3 degrees. Here is my friend Malvina who I originally met in 1999 in Mexico City.

Dinner with Australian friends

California Miami Rio CarnivalI met up with Gavin & Cheryl Kernot in Paris and we spent a few days wining and dining. Cheryl was a very well known Australian politician who enjoyed red wine from Bordeaux  almost as much as I. 🙂

Did I mention how bloody cold it was in Paris? 🙂
California Miami Rio Carnival

What a shock 3 degrees after enjoying 35 degrees in Brazil.

Get me to Thailand in a hurry please.

  California Miami Rio Carnival Paris BangkokAt last I’m back in Bangkok, you can now call me the spy who came in from the cold. 🙂   

I feel right at home

California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok

Nana Paza Bangkok, let the games begin.

Sade - Smooth Operator 1984

Next stop Pattaya

California Miami Rio Carnival Hi David, where have you been? Your car is waiting.  

Greg Clee at Heaven Above in Walking St

California Miami Rio Carnival Greg is an Aussie who is the major shareholder in Heaven Above go go bar, always has a good venue for young go go dancers. Coincidentally when I moved to Thailand in 2011 we lived in adjacent apartments at Markland Condo in Beach Rd.  

Walking Street Pattaya.
California Miami Rio Carnival
Thanks for visiting my California Miami Rio Carnival Paris Bangkok photo blog.
 
For great Pattaya hotel rates just book through THIS LINK.
 
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Verona beautiful northern Italy

November 16, 2013 by David Herd

A wonderful Italian city

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Verona beautiful northern Italy just a 90 minute drive from Milan, I stayed at the Best Western Hotel Amando at Vicolo dietro Pallone 1 • 37121 Verona, reasonably priced, walking distance to all the attractions with an excellent Italian restaurant right next door. 

Because of the value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like so many other Italian cities there is a surprise around every corner. Verona’s most popular site is the balcony said to be Juliet’s in Romeo and Juliet. The house said to be Juliet’s house is in a courtyard off Via Capello. You can see the balcony and the bronze statue of Juliet for free (you can also rub Juliet’s breast for good luck). The 13th century house is a good example of Gothic architecture and inside is a museum with period furniture.

Juliet’s house is in a courtyard off Via Capello.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta), Via Cappello (just off the Piazza delle Erbe). Supposedly the location of the famous balcony love scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The house is a major destination for tourist pilgrimage, as the tiny courtyard is normally packed with lovestruck teenagers photographing each other on the famous balcony. In fact, the house has no connection with Shakespeare’s fictional characters – although the house is old, the balcony was added in 1936 and declared to be “Juliet’s house” to attract tourists.


You can also rub Juliet’s breast for good luck

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 Her boobs are very shiny from all the attention. 🙂

Love letters at Juliet’s house in Verona.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

The balcony overlooks a tiny courtyard containing a statue of Juliet. There is an unbelievable amount of graffiti and general scrawling on the walls, floor, seats, anything that will hold ink – there is a tradition of writing love messages to Juliet, and visitors leave notes, trinkets and bits of chewing gum fashioned into love hearts. Juliet’s house is a popular romantic shrine, but its popularity belies its value; compared to some of the treasures around Verona, Juliet’s house has very little to offer.

Piazza delle Erbe and Torre dei Lamberti

Verona beautiful northern Italy

The famous thin tower, Torre dei Lamberti is located on the north side as you enter the piazza and at 275 feet high, is Verona’s highest landmark and can be seen from a distance. You can climb it or take an elevator and have fantastic views of Verona from this vantage point. In the centre of the piazza is an awesome 14th century fountain with a Madonna statue on top.

Piazza delle Erbe

Verona beautiful northern Italy

There are some very fine and ancient buildings around this square like the Romanesque ‘Palazzo Comune’ and the 15th century ‘Loggia del Consiglio’, one of the most beautiful buildings to be seen in Verona. The statue of the ‘divine poet’ Dante is particularly interesting.

Another lovely Verona street.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 

 A perfect city for walking and exploring.

Piazza Bra

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Piazza Bra, once a suburban field or braida, is a huge piazza inside the main gate entering Verona. You’ll see the Roman Arena on one side of the piazza and near it the neoclassical Palazzo Municipale. Part of the piazza is a garden with a central fountain. On the opposite side from the arena are elegant porticoed buildings with cafes and restaurants along a broad walkway. You can have a glass of wine or coffee in one of the cafes and spend some time people-watching.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 Verona Comune Building.

Verona beautiful northern Italy Lamberti Tower

Verona beautiful northern Italian city

This is the highest tower of the Roman relics at Verona is completed in 1463. You can enter this tower and climb the 238 stairs. Do not worry,  there is an elevator available. Arriving at the top of the tower, the beautiful scenery of Verona is in front of you.

Verona’s Roman Arena.

Verona beautiful northern Italian city

The Arena is an enormous, spectacular Roman amphitheatre, crumbling on the outside but still functioning today. It was erected in the 1st Century AD in an elliptical shape, and is the world’s third-largest amphitheater to survive from antiquity. Much of the outer ring was damaged during the earthquake of 1117 but the inner part is still intact. If you can, plan your trip during the Opera season and see a performance in the Arena.

Roman Arena

Verona beautiful northern Italy

   Verona’s Roman Arena is the third largest in Italy  

Killing Christians is hard work

Verona beautiful northern Italy

 Even Gladiators need a rest between slaughters.  

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Beautiful footpath in Verona.

Verona beautiful northern Italy

One of the many beautiful old stone Verona buildings.

Next to BEST WESTERN Hotel Armando

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Right next to my hotel was this excellent old Italian restaurant. It is well worth a visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Stolen GPS in Verona

Verona beautiful northern Italy

Sadly Italy is a very risky country for thieves, pickpockets etc.

Thanks for visiting my Verona beautiful northern Italy photo blog.

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