Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

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Webcam Beach Rd Pattaya

February 15, 2016 by David Herd

Webcam Beach Rd Pattaya from my balcony overlooking Pattaya beach in Thailand.

 

Webcam Beach Road Pattaya Thailand

Click right bottom corner for full screen.

 

 

Thanks for visiting my live beach-cam.

Pattaya webcam

 

Willkommen an alle unsere deutschen Freunde aus daspattayaforum

Every morning in Pattaya here is the chaotic scene with Para gliders criss-crossing the bay.

Chaotic & crazy Parasailing in Pattaya

Bookmark the link so you can check out the view and the weather 24/7.

Pattaya is a city in Thailand, a beach resort popular with tourists and expatriates. It is located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 100 kilometers (62 mi) southeast of Bangkok. Bookmark Pattaya beachcam so you can check out the weather anytime you wish.        Pattaya webcam only shows you a small part of this great holiday location.  Pattaya is a city of extremes, anything your heart desires is available here, from fabulous five star hotels & restaurants to down & dirty backstreet beer bars offering sex drugs & rock & roll. OK, so we admit there is sex in the city but there is so much more to this wonderful seaside resort, four million tourists each year can’t be wrong. Only 90 minutes south of Bangkok airport and thousands of miles from stress.

                        Here are some more posts to check out
 
             Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok
Sydney Opera house        Paris hotel        Grand Palace Bangkok
             Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
Tokyo        Carla, what a girl. photo CopacabanabeachNov2003-128.jpg        Buda Castle
             London                            Beijing                            Capetown
Kings road Chelsea                

Bookmark this Pattaya beach-cam so you can check out Pattaya beach anytime you wish.

Five Star hotels in Pattaya overlooking Pattaya beach are The Amari, The Holiday InnThe Hilton & the Dusit. Amari has the nicest grounds & pool area + the magnificent Mantra restaurant, the Hilton is above an upmarket shopping mall & is the most central, Holiday Inn has the best pizzas, the Dusit in North Pattaya has the best Dim Sum. ;-)

Without a doubt AGODA is the best online Hotel booking site.

Please remember what you have probably already read in the press, hiring a jet ski is flirting with danger, 80% of the operators are running scams, when you return the ski they will claim you have damaged it and try to extort huge sums of money from you. Sadly many police are part of these scams as well, they will pretend they are on your side and negotiate the asking price down from say 60,000 Baht ($2,000) to 20,000 Baht, in Thailand unfortunately they have turned corruption into an art form. However it is no worse than Indonesia, India or Brazil, so just be careful.

Bookmark this Pattaya webcam.  Check out some of the strange & weird sights in Pattaya.

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Check out Walking St

 

The Tiger zoo is worth a visit

 


Here are some terrific luxury hotels, book through the Agoda links for great deals.

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Patpong Road red light district Bangkok

January 27, 2016 by David Herd

On everybody’s bucket list

Patpong Road red light district Bangkok

Patpong Road red light

Patpong Road red light district Bangkok is known as the cities original red light district. These days it is more popular as a night market, however many pole dancing & beer bars are still there. These days Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy are more popular so called entertainment areas.

Shop to you drop at Patpong Road Bangkok

Patpong Road red light

I notice many of the items here are so much cheaper if you shop at Chinatown.

Patpong Road Bangkok

Patpong Road red light

It was a Tuesday night and very quiet, perhaps it was a little early for the crowds at Patpong Road Bangkok.

Nice corner bar

Patpong Road red light

Most of the bars are in the next street which runs parallel to this one.

Larry finds some company

Patpong Road red light

Sadly I felt I had to point out his companion was actually a LadyBoy.

 Say no more

Patpong Road red light

I’m guessing this is not a pet shop where you can buy a kitten, but then again what would I know?

No photos please.

Patpong Road red light

I think she may be a little shy. 🙂

Patpong Road red light district Bangkok

Patpong Road red light

Happy hours and happy endings are always available in Patpong Road.

Happy hour in Patpong 1993

Patpong Road red light district Bangkok

Travelling from Europe to Australia in 1993 naturally I had to stopover in Bangkok for some R & R.


The Inn Saladaeng

Patpong Road red light district Bangkok

A very nice little hotel a short walk to Patpong. You will get a very good rate if you book through this link.

The hotel is only a 10 minute walk to Cloud 47 one of Bangkok’s fabulous Sky Bars.

Bangkok burger company

Patpong Road red light

Right next door to the hotel is this very good burger restaurant, good food and cold beer, but for some reason they don’t serve wine.

Wine Connection is the better option

Patpong Road red light

A short train ride to Patpong and to will find the Wine Connection, an excellent restaurant.

Choose your wine

Patpong Road red light

A very busy restaurant with a great selection of food and wine.

Street food stalls

Patpong Road red light

Fresh vegetables Bangkok style.

Bangkok breakfast

Patpong Road red light

There is no doubt Thai people have taken street food to an art form.

Sala Daeng skytrain station is about 200 meters from the main Patpong area. If you are travelling from Nana or Asoke on Sukhumvit you need to change trains at Siam station.

Fabulous street food

Patpong Road red light district Bangkok

You can eat well here for around B50.

Lucky his friend is holding him

Patpong Road red light

I guess he just finished a hard days work so it’s time for a little nap.

Goodbye from Cloud 47

Patpong Road red light

Thanks folks for visiting my Patpong Road red light district Bangkok photo blog.

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

Bangkok Budget Sukhumvit Hotels

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

                        Please check out these fabulous posts 
Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
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Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               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
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Pattaya live webcam
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

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Bangkok Silom Sky Bar Cloud 47

January 24, 2016 by David Herd

Bangkok before & after sunset

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar in Sathorn Rd is one of the many wonderful Sky bars in this great city. Much more casual and affordable than the others with an amazing city view.

Looking toward Baiyoke Tower

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

About 45 minutes before sunset  in this city of 8 million people.

A closer look at Baiyoke Tower

Cloud 47 sky bar (18)

The building directly in front of the Baiyoke Sky hotel is Centara Grand at CentralWorld. On the top floor is the magnificent Red Sky Bar.

Chang draught beer special

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Pay only B299 or $12 AUD for unlimited Chang draught between 5 and 7 pm. A great deal for beer drinkers.

 Thai Wah Tower II aka e Banyan Tree Hotel

Cloud 47 sky bar (18)

The tall building in the centre is the Banyan Tree Hotel which has another famous Sky bar and restaurant called Vertigo on the 61st floor.

Bangkok’s tallest buildings

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

 Stunning outlook

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

This is from a small bar area on the 2nd floor which would be a great spot for a private party.

A slightly different angle

David Herd Thailand

A very casual atmosphere.

Maybe you prefer a tent

Cloud 47 sky bar (28)

Bangkok Sky Bar Cloud 47 really is one of the cities great location. 47th Floor, United Center Building, Silom, Bangkok. Tel: +66 91 889 9600. For you Thai speakers suay mak mak.                    

 Just before sunset

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

We are eagerly waiting for the lights of the city to come on.

Bangkok’s tallest building

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

 MahaNakhon is a luxury mixed-use skyscraper currently under construction in the Silom/Sathon central business area of Bangkok. Designed to fit into the Thai landscape with a unique pixelated facade, it will have the unconventional appearance of a glass curtain walled square tower with a cuboid-surfaced spiral cut into the side of the building. Upon its estimated completion in 2015, it will become the tallest building in Bangkok at 314 metres (1,030 ft), with 77 floors. Featuring hotel, retail and residences, 200 units of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Bangkok inside the building are priced between around US$1,100,000 to US$17,000,000, making it one of the most expensive condominiums in Bangkok. From Wikipedia.

My favourite time of the day

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Such an exciting sight to see the lights of the “Big Mango” start to come to life.

 Bangkok traffic

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Peak hour is a good time to avoid the Bangkok traffic, take the Sky train instead.

Larry is quenching his thirst

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

My friend Larry Krausz has recently moved to Thailand from Australia, we have known each other for quite a while, in fact in 1999 we travelled around the world including Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

Absolutely breathtaking

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

City views don’t get much better than this.

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

By now we were on our 6th beer and feeling no pain at all.

Sadly my old friend Larry suffered a major stroke & passed away in  January 2017.

A great night

Cloud 47 sky bar (56)

This certainly was a night to remember, Cloud 47 will become one of my regular Bangkok haunts. For those of you who like to boogie the band starts at 9 pm.


Remember the name

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

Put Cloud 47 on your bucket list, especially if you are a beer drinker.

Cloud 47 Bangkok Sky Bar sunset (1)

Goodnight folks & thanks for visiting.

Bangkok Silom Sky Bar

My Bangkok Silom Sky Bar post simply proves once again what a fabulous city this is.           

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

David Herd Thailand

The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Please check out some of the most popular below, and thank you for visiting.

     

Zagreb Croatia                      Rio de Janeiro                  Brisbane River 

Zagreb Croatia bars restaurants        a7ff7566-9628-434d-a2b1-8c6e8b9a9021       IMG_0100

       

     Koh Samui                                   Korea                                  London

32780a6c-baf6-428a-bd71-68b1bed30b4c         Changdeokgung Palace (2)        IMG_7042

         Bangkok                                   Osaka                                     Pattaya

Soi Cowboy (25)          Osaka 1st night (17)       Walking St Pattaya is wild & sexy 

                                     

             Chiang Mai                      Pattaya                      Chao Phraya river

Chiang Mai with Tone9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)191de3bb-38fc-45cd-bce7-ef24081c554b

Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. 🙂

  • The fabulous Commons
  • Patpong red light district

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

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Hooters Pattaya opening night

January 4, 2016 by David Herd

Very sexy Thai & Russian babes

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Hooters Pattaya opening night was on New Years Eve 2015 so we decided to make it our first stop when seeing off the old and welcoming the new year.   

Check out those gorgeous eyes

Hooters Pattaya opening night

 It’s probably lucky we don’t know what she is thinking. 🙂

From another perspective

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Here is a test can you see the very large bottle of Absolut Vodka? Vodka, what Vodka? I don’t see any vodka.

Great room with an upstairs sports bar

Hooters Pattaya opening night

 The are lots of seating alternatives here including outside overlooking Pattaya Bay.

Ride the wild bull at Hooters Pattaya opening night

Hooters Pattaya opening night

 

Call me old fashioned but I prefer to sit quietly at the bar with a cold Asahi draught and take in the eye candy.

Girls were busy at Hooters Pattaya opening night

Hooters Pattaya opening night

The girls all looked great in there Hooters outfits, there seemed to be an even mix of Russian & Thai girls.

If I had to pick a favourite

Hooters Pattaya opening night

It would probably be this beautiful lady.

Booze delivery

Hooters Pattaya opening night

I don’t think we will run out of booze ant time soon at Hooters Pattaya opening night.

Forget the booze, show us the girls.

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Ok, I know where your preference Lies.

 And the beat goes on

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Pour me a drink & I’ll tell you some lies. 🙂

Main bar downstairs

Hooters Pattaya opening night

The décor is excellent, my only complaint is the food is rather expensive. I’m guessing management will soon discover this and make adjustments.

Hooters Pattaya opening night band

Hooters Pattaya opening night

The band and the selection of live & recorded music was excellent.

Did I mention the girls?

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Well my friends as you can clearly see the girls were excellent as well at Hooters Pattaya opening night. 🙂


September 12 2015

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Works begins on the building.

December 12 2015

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Within three months they had made great progress.

December 31 2015

Hooters Pattaya opening night

I’m sure you agree the end result is excellent.

Culminating in this

Hooters Pattaya opening night

Well here is what we have been waiting for.

We really liked Hooters

Hooters Pattaya opening night

My friend Larry & I came away with a very good first impression of Pattaya’s latest addition to the the cities fabulous entertainment venues.

Sadly on October 29th 2016 Larry suffered a major stroke, he was in hospital until December before they flew him home to Australia. Then late January they took him off life support and he passed away, RIP old buddy.

You want to see the girls dance? Check out this link.

Here is the big charity bike wash January 30th.

           Checkout some more of my terrific blogs on the links below.         

Holiday Inn

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Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

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The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               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
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          b1c99886-3940-4dda-b350-44c5e5c77e41
 
 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Pattaya live webcam
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Chao Phraya river ferry

December 25, 2015 by David Herd

Up a lazy river

Chao Phraya river ferry

Explore Bangkok Chao Phraya river ferry

Chao Phraya river ferry which takes you up the lazy river for only B150 for the whole day. It is a great way to see many of Bangkok’s wonderful landmarks. A ticket to Chinatown is only B40, get off at pier number 5 at Ratchawong and walk 10 minutes up the road.In the photo above you have The Peninsula Hotel on the left and the Shangri-La Hotel on the right.

Sing it for me Bobby

BOBBY DARIN "UP A LAZY RIVER" (Hoagy Carmichael, Sidney Arodin) BEST HD QUALITY

The flags are flying on the Taksin bridge

Explore Bangkok Chao Phraya river ferry

The Thai flag and the Royal Standard which is the King’s flag.

Chao Phraya river ferry

Explore Bangkok Chao Phraya river ferry

B40 to get to Chinatown from the Sathorn pier is a bargain.

 Bankok’s famous Long-tail boat

Explore Bangkok Chao Phraya river ferry

 The long-tail boat, known as Ruea Hang Yao is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable power-plant. A craft designed to carry passengers on a river may include a lightweight long canoe hull, up to 30 meters, and a canopy. There is much variation among these boats, some have evolved from traditional craft types, while others have a more improvised look. The sole defining characteristic is a second-hand car or truck engine.

Just left of the bridge

Explore Bangkok Chao Phraya river ferry

This is where our journey begins, the Chao Phraya river is an exciting waterway. Check out my photo blog here.

Another boat arrives

Chao Phraya river ferry

There is a lot of traffic on the river, here is another of my photos blogs featuring a long-tail boat canal cruise.

Chao Phraya river ferry

Chao Phraya river ferry

The boat is certainly not in the luxury class however it is cheap and efficient. Announcements are made to give you warning that your stop in next.

The River Condominium

Chao Phraya river ferry

The River comprises of 2 buildings with 74  and 42 floors with 838 units.

The River condominium.

Chao Phraya river ferry

The south tower is the tall building and is right opposite the Shangri-La hotel.

Hotel Peninsula

Chao Phraya river ferry

 Hotel Peninsula on the right and the River Condos on the left. Use this link for a great room rate.

Millennium Hilton Hotel

Chao Phraya river ferry

Another one of the great Bangkok hotels on the Chao Phraya river.

Millenium Hilton

Chao Phraya river ferry

 The enclosed 360° rooftop lounge on the 32nd floor of the Millennium Hotel provides some of the best views over Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River. The atmosphere is relaxed and romantic. A great venue for cocktails with the accompaniment of some mellow jazz music in the background.

Baan Chaopraya Condo

Chao Phraya river ferry

  Completed in 1994 the condominium comprises of a single building with 31 floors and 478 units. A 66 square meter apartment on the 34th floor is currently for rent at B25,000 per month.

Condominium

Chao Phraya river ferry

Another majestic riverside condominium.

Chao Phraya river ferry

Chao Phraya river ferry

Don’t forget a ticket from Taksin bridge to Chinatown is only B40, get off at pier number 5 at Ratchawong and walk 10 minutes up the road.

Cold beer in Chinatown

Chao Phraya river ferry

The Bangkok river ferry got me to Chinatown along the mighty Chao Phraya river which is known as the River of Kings. It is the life blood of Bangkok, around 50,000 people use its ferries each day. Slow barges bearing cargo coast upstream, kids still frolic in the brown water. Wooden shacks, mottled by the elements, still hang over the water. Check out my photo blog here.

Soaring hotels and condominiums hem in solemn temples, churches and civic buildings that look 19th century European, while close by the odd wooden sampan sells noodle soup or dried squid to hungry river workers. It is this juxtaposition of calm and chaotic, modern and traditional, religious and secular, ugly and sublime, foreign and indigenous that makes the Chao Phraya so evocative. My thanks to Bangkok.com for their wonderful description of the River of Kings.

Not everybody is happy on the river

Chao Phraya river ferry 

A Vietnamese cargo ship ploughed into riverside houses along the Chao Phraya River in Phra Pradaeng district yesterday April 5t 2017, damaging three homes.

Residents fled to the streets in panic as the cargo ship loomed over them. Three houses were damaged, one badly, but nobody was injured.

iCheck Inn Soi 11

Chao Phraya river ferry

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

Thanks for visiting my Chao Phraya river ferry photo blog.

Here is another of my photo blogs on this mighty river.

                 Zagreb Croatia                      Rio de Janeiro                  Brisbane River  Zagreb Croatia bars restaurants        a7ff7566-9628-434d-a2b1-8c6e8b9a9021       IMG_0100              Koh Samui                                   Korea                                  London 32780a6c-baf6-428a-bd71-68b1bed30b4c         Changdeokgung Palace (2)        IMG_7042          Bangkok                                   Osaka                                     Pattaya Soi Cowboy (25)          Osaka 1st night (17)       Walking St Pattaya is wild & sexy 

                                     
             Chiang Mai                      Pattaya                      Chao Phraya river Chiang Mai with Tone        9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)   191de3bb-38fc-45cd-bce7-ef24081c554b
Pattaya live webcam
 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

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Chinatown Bangkok shopping

December 25, 2015 by David Herd

Welcome to Chinatown Bangkok

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

Chinatown Bangkok shopping sightseeing is a hive of activity as you would expect, narrow lanes with thousands of people hunting for bargains.

Thien Fah Foundation

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

 The Tien Fa foundation was formed in 1902, making it the oldest charitable society in Bangkok. The foundation provides free medical care to the indigent. The buildings surrounding the shrine actually house the hospital facilities.

Lighting candles at The Tien Fa foundation

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

 The foundation is on Yaowarat Road just a short distance from the Chinatown gate in the circle.

  Very busy street Chinatown Bangkok

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

 The Chinese community in Bangkok pre-dates the founding of the Thai capital in the city. Indeed, the land where the grand palace is today was originally a community of Chinese traders. When King Rama I decided to establish the capital on the site of the village of Bangkok, he asked the traders to move. They settled to the east of the new city, along the river. It may be hard to believe today, but the narrow Sampaeng Lane, which isn’t even big enough for a car, was once the Chinatown Bangkok main street.

Typical side-walk shop

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

 The best way to see the area is to pick a starting point and wander around.

Roast Duck

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

Chinese food is my 2nd favourite cuisine after Japanese.

Shanghai Mansion

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

A very nice boutique four star hotel in the heart of Chinatown. Use this link for an excellent room rate.

Overload

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

What could possibly go wrong?

Nice looking Tuk Tuk in Chinatown Bangkok

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

Very handy transport, however usually the drivers try to badger you into visiting a gem store etc so they can receive a kickback. Taxis are a far better option, cheaper and air conditioned.

Lots of toy shops in Chinatown

Chinatown Bangkok shopping sightseeing

Prices are notably cheaper here than other parts of the city, of course haggling is expected. 🙂

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

For example check out these prices.


Ratchawong

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

The easy way to reach Chinatown is a B40 ferry ride, get off at pier number 5 at Ratchawong and walk 10 minutes up this road.

The big attraction

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

Food, food & more food. 🙂

Ferry to Chinatown Bangkok

Chinatown Bangkok shopping

You can buy a ticket for B150 and travel up and down the river all day, very good value indeed.

Thanks for visiting my Chinatown Bangkok shopping photo blog.

iCheck Inn Soi 11

Bangkok Budget Sukhumvit Hotels

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

                     Here are some more posts to check out     
Holiday Inn

bbc35e6d-80db-4e1c-8f51-83dd84f16520

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

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The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 

Check out these great photo blogs.

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

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Red Sky Bar Bangkok

December 24, 2015 by David Herd

Absolutely amazing

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Red Sky Bar Central World Bangkok offers a breathtaking view of this wonderful city. Perched on the 56th floor at Centara Grand Hotel on top of Central World shopping Mall.

Bistro and bar

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

A huge wines selection at the bistro which occupies the entire 55th floor, both indoor and outdoor dining sections to choose from, and the solely outdoor bar deck of the 56th floor wraps around the circular core of the building providing an uninterrupted 360 degree panorama of the amazing Bangkok metropolis.

Happy hour is 5 to 7 pm

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Buy one get one free is a good deal as the price as you would expect at such a venue is rather high. A Jack Daniels or a beer is B360 so getting 2 for 1 is a good deal.

After happy hour finishes

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Well that’s another story, some friends turned up and Lisa from Townsville was drinking champagne which turned out to be B1,100 per glass, which equals $42 AUD or $30 USD. Now that’s not really a problem but her and her friend John left without paying, subsequently Greg, the little guy in the middle got stuck with a huge drink bill. 🙂

Enough of that, back to the amazing view.

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

The Baiyoke tower is 85 stories and is the tallest building in Bangkok, it includes the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, the tallest hotel in Southeast Asia and the seventh-tallest all-hotel structure in the world.

Game changer

 Red Sky Bar Central World Bangkok

MahaNakhon is a luxury mixed-use skyscraper currently under construction in the Silom/Sathon central business area of Bangkok. Designed to fit into the Thai landscape with a unique pixelated facade, it will have the unconventional appearance of a glass curtain walled square tower with a cuboid-surfaced spiral cut into the side of the building. Upon its estimated completion in 2015, it will become the tallest building in Bangkok at 314 metres (1,030 ft), with 77 floors. Featuring hotel, retail and residences, 200 units of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Bangkok inside the building are priced between around US$1,100,000 to US$17,000,000, making it one of the most expensive condominiums in Bangkok. From Wikipedia.

Another angle

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

The entire 360 degree vista is incredible from the Rd Sky Bar.

Hamish loves a selfie

 Red Sky Bar Bangkok

We recently travelled to Tokyo and Osaka where Hamish proved that he was king of the selfies.

Great shot from Red Sky Bar Central World Bangkok

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

The golden domes look fantastic. For a great room rate at the Novotel just book through THIS LINK.

Jack Daniel’s & Soda Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

 My drink of choice.

That’s MBK

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

One of the best places to shop in Bangkok, eight stories high, the centre contains around 2,000 shops, restaurants and service outlets, including the 4-story Tokyu department store.

The P hotel is connected bto MBK, for an excellent room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sunset at the Red Sky Bar

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Try to arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset to enjoy the day and the night view.

Sunset cocktails

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Such a beautiful evening to enjoy a cocktail or three with friends.

The day draws to a close

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Red Sky Bar Bangkok is now one of my favourite places to visit in this great city, put it on your bucket list.

A seat with a view

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

Lots of places to sit & enjoy one of Bangkok’s most spectacular Sky Bars.

David Herd, on top of the world at Red Sky Bar Bangkok.

Red Sky Bar Bangkok

What an incredible year 2015 has been for me, I figure I’m one of the luckiest guys alive. I visited nine countries and fourteen great cities. Plus I’m ready for anything 2016 has in store for my. Check out my Eastern European Odyssey. 

When I’m in Bangkok I like to stay in Sukhumvit Soi 11, here is an excellent budget hotel, if you USE THIS LINK you will get a great rate of around B1100 per night, or $30 USD.

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The best Bangkok budget hotel I have ever stayed in.

Please check out some of the most popular below, and thank you for visiting.

     

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
                      Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
 bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
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    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               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
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 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Pattaya live webcam
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. 🙂

 

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

November 27, 2015 by David Herd

Float a basket

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

 Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand means “float a basket”, it’s a beautiful Thai ceremony held every November coinciding with the full moon. The baskets are constructed from banana leaves and flowers, some are small and some are large and elaborate.

Hard at work for Loy Krathong Thailand

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

From 7 am these ladies are busy constructing the Krathongs.

 Small Krathongs

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

The idea is you place a little money in the Krathong then send it out to float and it will take your bad luck with it.

Extra large Krathongs

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

As you can imagine a lot of work goes into making these fabulous Krathongs.

These girls will work for hours

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

Sitting on the Beach Road footpath for hours is no problem for these industrious ladies.

Fast asleep

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

It’s all too much for this young guy, it’s 7’30 am and he is taking a nap.


All hands on deck

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

Even the kids are recruited to help out granny. 🙂

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand early evening

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

Beach Road come alive when the sun goes down. This guy certainly has a lot of stock to sell.

Opposite the A-One hotel.

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

It’s 8.30 pm and where are the crowds?

The lanterns are the star of the show

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

  Lanterns are a wonderful sight floating high in the  sky. Thai people believe if you make a wish prior to take off, and if the lantern is still alight when it goes out of sight, your wish will come true.

Houston, we have a problem

Loy Krathong Pattaya

These guys initially had a problem with lift-off, however perseverance won out in the end.


The crowd in 2014

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

 

The beach was packed last year for Loy Krathong Thailand 2014.

Loy Krathong Thailand 2015

Loy Krathong Celebration Thailand

This year I estimate the crowd was only about 10% compared with last year.

Many thanks for visiting my Loy Krathong Thailand photo blog.                       

Holiday Inn

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Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

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The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037          f5e9441a-4154-44e0-a362-18b662d40b48          2a2b79ea-bc5f-46e3-8448-2e71658eff14 
               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
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 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Pattaya live webcam
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

November 23, 2015 by David Herd

Mantra Sunday lunch

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya has been my favourite restaurant since it opened about 10 years ago. Sunday brunch is amazing allowing you to sample food from seven different kitchens. My number one dish is Alaskan crab and oysters from France.

 Sashimi and Sushi

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

As I said there are seven kitchens to choose from, however I rarely get past the seafood, sashimi and dim sum. 🙂

Mantra Restaurant Amari Hotel Pattaya October 2012

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

I’m even stuck on the seafood in this photo blog. 🙂

 Dim Sum station

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Dim Sum has always been one of my favourite cuisines, the Peking Duck rolls at the mantra are to die for.

Bring on the duck

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Delicious.

Not everyone is happy with the duck

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Leave us ducks alone. 

Dim Sum washed down with cold sake.

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

The Mantra is part of the fabulous Amari hotel and the food, service and décor is world class.

Benjamina Sitthi

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

This gorgeous lady is the public relations manager at the Mantra, she always makes sure we all have a wonderful dining experience. We always seem to spend Xmas and birthdays at this great restaurant.

From the Chinese kitchen

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

 Beef fillet steak with Cantonese onion sauce just melts in your mouth.

Mantra Restaurant Amari Hotel Pattaya Xmas day 2013

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

All the usual suspects celebrate Xmas at the Mantra.

Mantra Restaurant Amari Hotel Pattaya Xmas Day 2014

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Here we are again celebrating Xmas. I’m with Brendan Daley who is GM at the Mantra, and a Sydney boy as well. Brendan has left the Amari & I have not met the new manager.          

 Looking towards the sushi & seafood

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

The décor is simply stunning, is it any wonder so many of my friends think this is the number one restaurant in Pattaya?

Beautiful presentation

Mantra Restaurant Amari Hotel Pattaya

The food at the Mantra is presented beautiful, we often take over three hours to enjoy the Sunday brunch.   

Wood fired Pizza

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

They even have a pizza oven. The à la carte servings are smaller at Sunday lunch, the idea is to encourage customers to sample many dishes on the menu. As you can see casual dress is acceptable on Sundays compared to dinner 7 nights per week when you are expected to dress a little more formally.


Mantra Restaurant Pattaya July 7 2015

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Another birthday, another Mantra celebration.

Le cake

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

A cake and a hat, both birthday gifts from the Mantra.

Lets not forget the beautiful welcoming smile from Anusara songkarin

Mantra Restaurant Amari Hotel Pattaya

Like most Thai ladies she has a nickname we can pronounce, Beer.

January 2011

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

We have had some big groups at Sunday brunch over the years.

Birthday 2011

Mantra Restaurant Amari PattayaThere is no better place to celebrate with friends.

pièce de résistance

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

It has to be the wonderful seafood which I usually wash down with cold sake. The brunch (B.1,690) opens at 11 a.m. and operates until 3 p.m every Sunday, so take your time, wander through the stations, enjoy a glass of wine (the free flow wine buffet is B.1,490)

Of course those prices were in 2013, now in 2017 brunch is B1,990 & free flow wine is B1750.

Birthday for Hamish

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

July 21st 2014 and we celebrate Hamish turning 46.

A lovely lady

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

This is Katoon, these days I only see her on Facebook travelling the world. 🙂 

Farewell from David & Benjamina

Mantra Restaurant Amari Pattaya

Thank you for visiting my Mantra Restaurant Amari Hotel Pattaya photo blog, there is no better Sunday brunch on the planet.

For a discounted room rate at the Amari Ocean View just book through THIS LINK.

For the Amari Garden please use THIS LINK.

Sabai Wing Soi 1 North Pattaya

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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

 

Just use THIS LINK for a terrific rate at the Wave Hotel.

5,300 people have seen this video, take a look

The fabulous Mantra restaurant, Amari hotel in Pattaya Thailand.

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

Here are some more posts to check out 

         Sydney                               Paris                                   Bangkok           
 497d0b6e-c0bd-4ba2-86be-c02100f050a8        65470622-d17a-4b90-bf97-2574df4c412d        1a2160c1-41f7-465a-954c-631e083eb229
          Tokyo                        Rio De Janeiro                        Budapest
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           London                            Beijing                            Capetown
2246c6cf-5fa6-4fbe-ac30-b569253ad2a6        f65d714b-f44c-4b2e-9505-3511ebecbb80        4e82052a-24d0-41e1-ab84-10e8f27634d1
 
            Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you            
 book through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
                                                                 Plus free cancellation .
                                               Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
                                            d0c59ff5-7f2b-41b5-9312-4556d4a62037            01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f
 

Slide show here.

Pattaya live webcam
 
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

 

Check out these great food photo blogs.

Counter only started February 16 2020.

This gallery contains 3 photos

Pattaya storm water pipe

November 16, 2015 by David Herd

In comes the storm

Pattaya storm water pipe

Pattaya storm water pipe

 Pattaya storm water pipe is planned to be the solution to Beach Road flooding after every storm. The problem is they need to replicate what they are building opposite Soi 6 in at least 4 other locations.

So the problem begins as you see above when the storm rolls in.

Beach Road floods

Pattaya storm water pipe

When the storm hits within a matter of minutes Beach Road disappears.

The footpath disappears as well

Pattaya storm water pipe

The volume of water is too much for any drain of gutter to handle.

Beach Rd Pattaya flooded, more water than Songkran.

 The solution stage one

Pattaya storm water pipe

This was how it all started by digging up the footpath opposite Soi 6. Naturally at this stage we had no idea what was happening.

The channel

Pattaya storm water pipe

We still were not sure what the plan was.

Progress

Pattaya storm water pipe

The work was progressing 4/7.

Lots of equipment in play

Pattaya storm water pipe

It must be costing a fortune with all this equipment in play.

Opposite Soi 6

 Pattaya storm water pipe

Those buildings you can see are on the corner of Soi 6.

To add to their problems

Pattaya storm water pipe

 A storm arrived and wrecked part of the footpath and work site.

Sandbags to keep the water out

Pattaya storm water pipe

On the right you can see the damaged footpath, meanwhile lets hope the sandbags are effective.

The pump station

Pattaya storm water pipe

I’m guessing this will be where the pump will be located.

Pattaya storm water pipe

Pattaya storm water pipe

As you can clearly see it is a frenzy of activity.

Ooops!

Pattaya storm water pipe

Not everything goes to plan here in Thailand.

Houston we have a problem

Pattaya storm water pipe

I have a feeling the boss is not going to be happy.

 It’s not a pipedream

Pattaya storm water pipe

After 4 months of continuous work the first length of pipe is installed.


Then  mid November a large barge arrives

Pattaya storm water pipe

Getting ready for the 2nd length of pipe.

 Here comes the pipe.

Pattaya storm water pipe

Three pipes of this length were joined together.

Para-sailors in the background.

Pattaya storm water pipe

Life goes on as usual in Pattaya, the para-sailors are here every day.

A short video

Pipeline off Pattaya Beach

Thanks for visiting my Pattaya storm water pipe photo blog, I will post more as it happens.

Here is a quote from The Pattaya Mail. a local newspaper on June 17 2016. “In the past year, Pattaya spent 170 million baht to install three huge drainage pipes at the Dusit Curve, Soi 6, and near Walking Street. But even short rainstorms since their completion have shown the pricey pipes are unable to solve Beach Road’s chronic flooding problem.”

If you are visiting Pattaya here are some excellent hotels, book through this link.


           Checkout some more of my terrific blogs on the links below.

         

Holiday Inn

bbc35e6d-80db-4e1c-8f51-83dd84f16520

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

36555237616_da3ed73d6a_o

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Pattaya Hilton

Pattaya hotels, Hilton & Holiday Inn

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate. 

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

 Soi Cowboy (5)           e1274c0c-cf4d-4406-b5dc-d9e8071e382e            8993ef02-ccf3-46a7-8b6d-fc11af9d93ad

 
  Please check out these fabulous posts
       Gold Coast                              Pattaya                          Cinque Terre
bd96516a-84df-4ca0-86e6-c757cc9053d1          01a75360-9573-473f-acba-3a187f779b7f          e18b6c87-5adc-4a80-92cf-6c643ad130c1
 
Rio de Janeiro                  Singapore                    Eastern Europe
f044491e-69aa-4082-b49b-1ff33557d7d4          60e7d26d-1039-4dde-863d-62b66656ccbf          1bea4a99-cb07-4161-83ba-75c0ef2b63cc
    Bangkok Bars                         Tokyo                      Cape Town Safari
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               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
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 That’s all folks

1g Duck

 
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More interesting photo blogs here.;

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Florianopolis Brazil 

Bangkok river ferry

Fabulous HCMC

Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Hiroshima Japan

Sydney Harbour

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

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