Everybody loves Thailand, the food, the people, the temples, the beach resorts, the tropical islands, it’s all here for you to enjoy. Lets not forget Bangkok, as they say in the song, one night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster. 🙂
We are going to start in the north at Chiang Mai & then head south all the way to Phuket, Krabi & Koh Samui. For each location I will give you links to my fabulous photo blogs. 🙂
River Kwai Bridge Kanchanaburi was of special interest to me due to my late uncle Allan Herd, who spent 2 years as a POW on the Burma Railway. In fact I urge you to read his amazing story, you can find it by following this link which will take you to “One Soldiers Incredible Story”.
What a fabulous city, home to over 10 million people. There are so many things to see you need to spend at least a week here. Here is a LINK for a very nice hotel in a great location, for a good discount just use THIS LINK.
However if you want a low cost hotel where all the action is please use THIS LINK. Rooms start at $25 USD per night.
Close to the Cambodian border this is the 2nd largest island in Thailand. A perfect place to enjoy crystal clear water & sandy beaches. Or just relax in the pool with an ice cold beer. 🙂
The Kacha hotel above is on the beach and close to lots of restaurants, use THIS LINK for a great room rate.
Phuket, a mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, with some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mainly situated along the clear waters of the western shore. Patong is the main resort town, it has many nightclubs, bars and discos.
Use THIS LINKfor great hotel discounts & pay later.
Krabi, on southern Thailand’s west coast, has many craggy, sheer limestone cliffs, dense mangrove forests, and more than a hundred offshore islands. Some of its most popular beach destinations include the Phi Phi Islands.
Bangkok between Nana & Asoke Bangkok restaurants shopping during the Covid-19 lock-down was still an enjoyable weekend, I really needed to get away from my home in Pattaya for a welcome change of scenery. This photo was taken from … Continue reading →
Fabulous fresh seafood Bangkok, where else but El Mercado’s seafood room in their wonderful market restaurant. After I enjoyed another memorable lunch I purchased 2.5 dozen fresh oysters to take home to Pattaya.
Prawns look terrific.
In fact everything looks so fresh and appetizing.
The question is……
Where do you start? 🙂
Fabulous fresh seafood Bangkok, here is where I start.
Oysters natural from France, 6 No 4 Cancale B35 each or $1.70 AUD, & 6 No 3 Claire B55 each, or $2.66 AUD.
Price rise at el Mercado
It’s now June 2022 & the price for Fin de Clare hase jumped to B99 each.
Cultured on the French Atlantic coast, Fine de Claire is the favorite oyster of people who love less fleshy and more juicy oysters with a balanced taste. This oyster must be refined in the shallow water of the claires basins, according to a strictly stipulated number of months and a maximum limit on the number of oysters per square meter. The result is a less meaty but juicy oyster rich in water, with translucent or white mantle, an earthy flavor, smooth with an incredible lingering aftertaste.
How about this beauty?
I’m guessing it’s from Alaska.
Many types of oysters available
Most are from France but there are some Irish varieties as well.
OK, lets take some home to Pattaya.
The guys are packing up my “to go” box of 2.5 dozen.
Two nights later the feast begins on my balcony
Of course they need to be shucked, luckily my friend Hanish Elton, who I call the oyster man, has a glove & a knife we purchased in Coffin BaySouth Australia a few months ago.
There is a huge choice of cold cuts & cheese from all over the world. The Salami truffle was sensational.
Fabulous fresh seafood Bangkok
Here is the view from my balcony, what better place could you pick to enjoy 2.5 dozen oysters? I have eaten oysters all over the world, check THIS LINK, however this is by far the best view.
Australia has wonderful seafood, check out THIS LINK.
Thanks for visiting my Fabulous fresh seafood Bangkok photo blog. I am planning a trip to the east coast of France to indulge in an oyster feeding frenzy. 🙂
Bangkok river buildings photographed from the Iconsiam free ferry shuttle on the Chao Phraya River. Everything from tall modern skyscrapers to ancient waterfront homes. The photo above is the State Tower which was built in 2001, it is the largest building in Southeast Asia, with 300,000 m² floor area. The building on the right is the Shangri-La hotel.
Shangri-La hotel
One of the best locations in Bangkok, 5 minutes walk to the sky train. On the right is Centre Point hotel. For a discount at the Shangri-la just use THIS LINK.The rooms in Center Point are excellent, for a discounted room rate just use THIS LINK.
Long-tail boat looking for customers.
These boats are very good for exploring the Bangkok canals. See more on THIS LINK.
Often referred to as the Ghost Tower, the Sathorn Unique is an abandoned Bangkok skyscraper. Not only is it illegal to enter but it’s also in a state of dangerous disrepair. Where there’s a will there’s often a way, however, and many daring souls have slipped a “tip” to the security guards and made their way through the debris to experience an exhilarating adventure with glorious views over Sathorn’s towering buildings.
CAT Telecom Tower
This impressive office building is owned and operated by the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT). Consisting of 30 floors.
View from Iconsiam shopping mall
Great view of the CAT building with the State Tower featuring Sirocco restaurant on the far right with the gold dome.
Bangkok River Park condominium
Bangkok River Park is located at Trok Saphan Yao, Chakkrawat, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100. Construction was completed in 1994. The condominium comprises of a single building, having 36 floors and includes 97 units.
Old waterfront homes
Such a contrast compared to the the modern high-rise buildings along this great river.
River City Bangkok shopping complex
River City opened in l984 and was the first riverside shopping complex of its kind in Bangkok. With over 47,000 sqm of space and a couple hundred retail spaces, the mall offers a wide selection of shopping choices. Its main focus is on Thai cultural articles and antiques. It does offer standard retail shopping as well. The mall also hosts a number of exhibitions, events, festivals and auctions throughout the year.
To the right is the Royal Orchard Sheraton, for an excellent room discount just book through THIS LINK.
Bangkok river buildings
Icon Siam Mall is called the “Mother of All Malls”, with 500 shops and 100 restaurants from more than 30 different countries. Developed by the same tycoons behind Siam Paragon and EmQuartier, Icon Siam offers high-end brands, an indoor floating market, an art gallery, exhibition space, and a beautiful riverside location with views of downtown Bangkok.
Thanks for visiting my Bangkok river buildings photo blog, this great city is forever changing, put it on your bucket list.
Iconsiam Bangkok great food, however there is a problem, there are so many great places to eat it is difficult to make a decision. There is a selection of over a hundred famous restaurants from all over the world in seven different zones, each of them catering to diverse culinary tastes. The incredible choice of dishes available come from venues ranging from Michelin starred restaurants to famous Thai street food stalls.
Excellent Japanese food
Very authentic, it’s as good as you get in Tokyo. 🙂
California role, Unagi & Miso soup
Only B420 or $14 USD. Siam Takashimaya offers three zones of Japanese food venues, the ground floor features a food court and more Japanese restaurants, while cafés and bakeries from across Japan on UG floor are divided into three smaller zones named after the Japanese prefectures of Kyoto, Hokkaido and Nara.
This restaurant specializes in seafood from Hokkaido.
Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok is Thailand’s tallest building featuring a glass floor 314 metres above the busy streets of Bangkok. A two-tiered observation tower is part of the complex that also hosts Bangkok’s highest rooftop bar and a 63-square metre glass tray floor. I visited with Brad Robbins, my friend from Townsville Australia, his girlfriend Por & her daughter Pang.
WOW! What an amazing building.
Quite breathtaking as you can clearly see.
Let’s buy our tickets.
The price is rather high, B850 or $26 USD for adults & B250 or $7.80 USD for children & seniors, & guess what? I’m a senior, YIPPEE!
How about this view?
The golden dome is the State tower with the famous Sirocco sky bar.
Which is a large shopping mall, which opened to the public on 10 November 2018, as well as hotels and residences.
Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok
The terrible haze covering Bangkok really effects the photo quality. I’ll visit again when the sky is blue.
The view is still spectactular
Imagine what it will be like on a beautiful fine day.
Elevator or the final 3 floors.
Going up was very fast, 74 floors in 50 seconds. Going down King Power set a trap for you, they force you to walk through 4 or 5 floors of shops, to make matters worse the exit on each floor is not clearly marked, so it is very difficult to get out of the building.
Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok famous glass floor.
You must take off your shoes & wear soft covers.
Not for the faint hearted.
If you suffer from vertigo the glass floor is not for you. 🙂
The highest point.
Refreshments are available from the shop.
Finally we escape the King Power maze.
You feel like quoting Martin Luther King “Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
That’s all folks
Thanks for visiting my Mahanakhon Sky Walk Bangkok photo blog.
Big Changes Nana Plaza Plus Soi 4 are taking place right now in March 2018. A huge roof is being built over the Plaza & the bars in the centre are being built again.
Lucky Lukes is still the same
First bar on the right as you enter.
VW bar at the back
Quite a nice addition to the plaza, apparently it has been here 3 years yet I rarely venture to the back of Nana.
Playschool is an old favourite revamped
You gotta love the pink. 🙂
Big Changes Nana Plaza Plus Soi 4
Lollipop makes a comeback. It was Suckers & before that Lollipop again.
Here it is in 2017.
This to me is the quintessential Nana Plaza photo, sums up many of the customers. 🙂
Re-building the bars, again.
This is at least the 3rd time the bars in the centre courtyard have been re-built, I have a feeling the current owners will do it right this time.
My first visit was 1997 which was the start of a long and happy connection, not necessarily because of the Thai girls who are there basically to relieve you of your hard earned cash, more because of the great times I have enjoyed with friends from all over the world. Check out this photo blogwhich showcases them and many of the gorgeous babes we got tangled up with over these decades of decadence. 🙂
Another longtime Nana Plaza bar.
Rainbow 1 has been at Nana Plaza for as long as I can remember.
Let’s wander down Soi 4
This is one of about 4 Hillary bars.
New kid on the block
Just a short stroll down Soi 4 on the opposite side of the road.
Located in front of the old Rajah hotel.
The bars offer a nice alternative to the rowdy Nana Plaza.
Semi open beer garden
At the front of Broadway in Soi 4.
Opposite Broadway is the Red Zone
Apart from the new bars there are a couple of high rise buildings under construction, hotels or condos, not sure which.
Used to be Bangkok & before that Spellbound
The more things change the more they stay the same. I first came to Nana Plaza in 1996, & here I am again in October 2018 drinking ice cold Tiger beer & listening to the Eagles sing Hotel California, the perfect song for this incredible venue. “You can check out anytime you want but you can never leave.”
Big Dogs has also changed a little.
Still a great spot to watch the arrivals.
Hello sailor.
Girls will often be boys.
Lots of improvements at Nana
The best I have ever seen it look.
Always busy here
The action never stops.
Thanks for visiting my Big Changes Nana Plaza Plus Soi 4 photo blog.
Click on bottom right hand corner for full screen.
Wine Connection Central World Bangkok is called the Grill at the Groove, & is ideally located in the best location in Ratchaprasong district, this central business district is easily accessible via three different Skywalk links between BTS Siam station and BTS Chitlom Station.
Each Wine Connection restaurant has a liquor store where you can purchase wines from all over the world at very reasonable prices.
Pattaya Life Absolutely Perfect place to live for a guy like me. Good friends & great restaurants, what more could I want? Plus a reasonably short plane ride to many outstanding locations. Above is the incredible view from my Markland apartment on the 20th floor.
We went to Chiang Mai for 4 days which was excellent then 8 days in Cambodiawhich was not so good. Reason being we all caught a dose of the flu which really took the shine off our holiday.
A terrific beach side restaurant with very good food.
Surf & Turf hamburger
Guaranteed to fix your appetite.
Geriatrics are us. 🙂
I think the combined ages were 272 years, from the right we have David Herd, Richard (Stingy) Blair, John Hunjadi & David Robertson who is even more Stingy than Stingy. 🙂
Bali Hai wharf.
This was supposed to be completed by October 2017, however given the fact that this is Thailand it will more likely be Xmas 2018.
And so this is Xmas….
Light show at the A-One hotel.
One last Mantra dinner on December 28
Hamish & I had a 20% discount voucher. 🙂
Fabulous food as usual.
Finally on the subject of food which is very dear to my hear.
Fresh prawns & Aussie lamb chops & cutlets from Big C.
Now you can understand why I make the following claim “Pattaya Life Absolutely Perfect.”
Newport peninsular Sydney is my personal photo history not part of my travel blog.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Newport peninsular Sydney was my home for three years from 1984 to 1987. After becoming engaged to a beautiful Melbourne lady Karen Smith, I purchased a timber home perched on a hill above the Royal Motor Yacht Club. The cost was $128k, and I sold it after our engagement fizzled out 4 years later for $360K. I guess it would be worth nearly 2 million dollars today.
Absolutely gorgeous.
As you can see Karen was a beautiful lady, it took me anther 10 years before I realised I was just not cut out for marriage or long term relationships. There is probably a multitude of reasons why, fear of commitment, too independent etc etc.
Dinner party at Herbert Avenue
We were very happy at Newport 80% of the time, I tried hard to settle down and enjoy life as a couple, every now and then however the “call of the wild” would interrupt our utopia.
Wolf Wottke (with the beard) had been my best friend for a number of years, I left him renting my Drummoyne apartment for a year or so until I got fed up chasing the rent. Consequently I sold it which in hindsight was probably a mistake.
Lots of birds & wildlife
These beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets would visit every day for their snack on the balcony.
Life was very good
I had all the toys, a beautiful Mercedes Sports, a cabin cruiser moored at the yacht club, a liquor store in Sydenham which I was in the process of selling and a good sales job with Canon Australia.
Lion Island
This great photo (excuse the quality) was taken on Lion Island in the Hawksbury River, from left to right we have Graham La Roche aka “Biff”, his girlfriend at the time Mona,Ross Ansell from Melbourne and Karen Smith & I.
Me Tarzan
Ross doing his Tarzan impersonation on Lion Island.
31 Herbert Avenue Newport
About 25 years later around 2012 I paid a visit to Herbert Avenue to see if things had changed. Apart from the colour scheme and far less vegetation nothing much had changed.
Another day on Pittwater
My good friend Tony Murphy and his beautiful wife Inge join Karen & I on my 26 foot cabin cruiser. After 29 years I caught up with Inge in Melbourne in 2014.
My back veranda overlooked Bayview
Here is my good friend Paul Slaughter with two gorgeous girls, on the left is Trish and on the right an old girlfriend of mine Shirley.
Big Tim Bristow, dinner at Herbert Avenue.
Tim Bristow was a friend of mine dating back from the time we met in 1971 when he was on my tail to give me a hiding, but that’s another story just follow THIS LINK. In the 70s just the name Tim Bristow struck fear into the heart of all those who knew him, an enforcer with a reputation of being one of the most brutal street fighters in Australia. Put simply he was legend, a bouncer at the Newport Arms hotel, would be contenders for his crown would travel from all over Sydney to try their luck, many came and all of them were sent packing battered and bruised.
Sydenham Cellars
I sold my liquor store in late 1984 which took the pressure off me. I had been working with Canon for a few months and travelling to Sydenham (a one hour drive each way) at weekends to work in the liquor store. Meanwhile I dug a wine cellar underneath my Newport home and stored a huge amount of wine that I took home from the shop.
Unwins Bridge Road
That’s Madison my beautiful 4 year old German Shepherd who used to diligently guard the store overnight.
Brian Millard on Newport peninsular Sydney
Brian was a boat broker at Newport and a regular drinker at the Newport Arms hotel. He lived just up the road at Bungan Beach before moving to Noosa where I believe he still resides.
Richard on the left and Rob Carnahan
Two very nice guys who were customers of mine when I was with Canon. Their office was opposites the Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay so more often than not we would meet in the pub.
A bunch of my nephews & nieces come to visit.
Amazing seeing these old photos, all of these cute kids now have children of their own.
Sue and John Heatherington
A lovely couple who lived in the next street from us, John also worked at Canon in the computer division.
Malaysia 1985
John & Sue, Karen & I went on a Canon conference to Penang, here we are driving from Penang to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore Xmas 1985
Here we are in Singapore, notice the cigarette. I smoke on and off for most of my life until 2003. Usually 2 or 3 years then I would quit for a similar time before returning to the grip of the nicotine.
Newport peninsular Sydney with Phil Parkinson
Phil has lived most of his life on the Newport peninsular Sydney and I believe still does in 2016. He is the brother of my ex girlfriend Di Parkinson.
Melbourne Cup 1985
Karen & I at the cup with friends including another ex girlfriend Helen Burkewho is on the left of the photo. Helen has a vineyard at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsular, I spent a few day there in October 2014 drinking wine with her and her partner Jack.
Oscars Coolangatta 1985
I can’t remember the name of the beautiful dark haired princess, she was the girlfriend of my crazy chiropractor from North Sydney.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Prior to buying my cabin cruiser I had this little run-about, it was a lot of fun, do you like the name?
Another guy from my rogues gallery.
Danny Rose one of Adelaide’s true characters, we had a day of the water, you can see “Stamped Urgent” in the background.
Beautiful Karen Smith
Certainly my life on the Newport peninsular Sydney revolved around lots of good friends and my beautiful fiancee Karen. My thanks to her for being the most important part of my life for those great years.
Thanks also to you for visiting my Newport peninsular Sydney photo blog.
Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book through these links below. Book now & pay later.Free Cancellation. Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels
Buildings Chao Phraya River Bangkok are one of the many interesting sights in this great city. Take the Sky Train to Saphan Taksin station or grab a taxi. The river ferries leave from just below the station.
Above is the free shuttle to Asiatique an excellent night market 10 minutes away. Lots of terrific restaurants, be careful if you want to take a taxi home from there, they will quote B400 for an B80 ride, the Bangkok taxi Mafia is in full operation here.
Sathorn Unique Tower
Planned as a high-rise condominium complex, construction of the building was halted during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, when it was about 80 percent complete. It’s now the most prominent of Bangkok’s many derelict buildings, and has become a destination for urban explorers.
One of the many skyscrapers.
Bangkok is really going through a building boom, particularly along the mighty Chao Praya river.
One of the very tall buildings.
Check out my Bangkok building photo blog on THIS LINK.
Sunset on the river
There are many ferries large & small taking people on a cruise along the mighty Chao Phraya river, follow THIS LINK for another of my photo blogs.
Sirocco Sky Bar is the world’s highest open-air bar on the 64th floor of the State Tower located on Silom Road, Bang Rak business district, Bangkok, Thailand, the second tallest building in Thailand.
Centre Point Hotel Silom is the white building close to the State Tower, excellent 45 M2 rooms, for a discounted room rate just book through THIS LINK.
All shapes & sizes
So many interesting boats on the river.
Buildings Chao Phraya River Bangkok
How would you ever find a life-jacket if there was a problem with the ferry?
Thanks for visiting my Buildings Chao Phraya River Bangkok photo blog, follow THIS LINK for the Asiatique market.
Just an hour north of Bangkok, there are lots of low price day tours you can take.
Beach side city with hundreds of good restaurants & clubs.
Krabi, on southern Thailand’s west coast, has many craggy, sheer limestone cliffs, dense mangrove forests, and more than a hundred offshore islands. Some of its most popular beach destinations include the Phi Phi Islands.
