2010 to 2015 | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

August 25, 2014 by David Herd

Bill Austin & Joan Baptiste

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay was the first place I took my English friends Joan & Bill after driving down the Pacific Highway from the Gold Coast QLD in 2010. In my eyes this represents the front door to the city.

Bill is the brother of my friend Alan Austin who is a guest of Her Majesty, Bill & I met when I first visited Alan in 2007. Joan was an Olympic runner who competed in the 200 meters at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Bill was a Para Military man who served time in Ireland & many other countries.

Sunset at Circular Quay

The Diamond Princess moored at Circular Quay.

The Diamond Princess

Diamond Princess is a cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises. She began operation in March 2004 and primarily cruises in Alaska during the summer and Asia in the winter along with Australia cruises.

Sydney Opera House

Though its name suggests a single venue, the project comprises multiple performance venues which together are among the busiest performing arts center’s in the world — hosting over 1,500 performances each year attended by some 1.2 million people.

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

From a restaurant opposite.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Even more famous than Circular Quay and Bondi is the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

1. Construction started: July 28, 1923

1. Opened: March 19, 1932

1. Total length: 1,149 m

Height: 134 m

Naturally Bill had to climb it. 🙂

Being an ex Para Military man who has made over 500 parachute jumps Bill naturally had to climb to the top of the bridge, and what an amazing view he had from there.

Circular Quay Sydney

Known as the gateway to Sydney.

Sydney Harbour Circular Quay

This is one of my favourite shots.

Hydrofoil and Ferry

The old & the new. 🙂

The view from the Quay apartments

Can you imagine the price of a condo here?

Jet boat

Are you ready for a spin?

OK, lets go….

Fast & furious.

Cruise ship heading for Circular Quay

This is more my style. 🙂

Circular Quay

There are many good restaurants surrounding Circular Quay, to me it is one of the most interesting areas of this great city. If I had to choose between Circular Quay and Bondi I would choose Circular Quay every time.

Two restaurants, Doyles and the Quay.

As you can imagine both these restaurants are very expensive.

Peter Hesky’s 60th January 3rd 2007.

We celebrated my friends 60th at the Quay restaurant in 2007.

The Rocks

The Rocks is an historic part of Sydney adjacent to Circular Quay, this is an old warehouse which is now a restaurant.

Historic buildings

The small building is Cadmans cottage the oldest surviving residential building in Sydney, having been built in 1816 for the use of the governmental coxswains and their crews.

The Sailors Home opened its doors in February 1865. Naval personnel lodged there until 1891 when the Royal Naval House, with accommodation for 300, opened in nearby Grosvenor Street. The sailors used to consume opium and alcohol, because in the nineteenth century, opium is legally consumed. Passers-by could smell opium when near the Sailor’s home. In 2002, Sailors Home was changed to The Australian Mariners’ Welfare Society.

Maritime Services Building

The Museum of Contemporary Art was established to fulfill the museum aspect of the visionary bequest of Australian expatriate artist John Power (1881-1943), who left his personal fortune to the University of Sydney to inform and educate Australians in the contemporary visual arts. The traditional owners of the land on which the MCA building is situated are the Eora people of the Gadigal nation. This site also marks the landing place of the First Fleet in Port Jackson in 1788. In 1802 Sydney’s first hospital and wharf were built nearby, with commissariat stores built by Colonel Foveaux in 1812. In the 1930s the commissariat stores and taxation building were demolished to make way for a new Maritime Services Board (MSB) building (the previous MSB offices were displaced by the Cahill Express Way and Circular Quay railway development). Government architect W.H. Withers began work on the building plans in 1939. Work resumed in 1944 under government architect W D H Baxter after a postponement of four years from 1940 due to Australia’s involvement in World War II. Builders were appointed in 1946 but difficulties in securing labour and material due to post war shortages delayed construction. The foundation stone was laid in 1949 and in 1952 the MSB building opened. With the relocation of the MSB to larger premises in 1989 the building was gifted by the NSW State Government to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Funded by the University of Sydney and the Power Bequest, restoration and refurbishment of the building commenced in 1990 under the direction of Andrew Andersons of Peddle Thorpe/John Holland Interiors and in November 1991 the Museum of Contemporary Art officially opened.

Sydney Skyline

The best harbour in the world.

Manly Ferry

About a 40 minute trip from Circular Quay to manly, one of the world’s great boat rides.

Ferry arriving at Manly

So much to see on Sydney harbour.

North Sydney with Luna Park in the foreground.

A city within a city.

Kirribilli House

Kirribilli House is the official residence of the Australian Prime Minister in Sydney, New South Wales. The house is located at the far eastern end of Kirribilli Avenue in the harbour-side suburb of Kirribilli straight opposite Circular Quay.

The Oaks Hotel Neutral Bay.

I know it’s a few kms from Sydney Circular Quay, however it’s my favourite Australian pub, I have been drinking here for over 30 years, I can’t begin to imagine how much money I have spent there. 🙂

Well in this post we covered a few more subjects than Sydney Circular Quay and Bondi beach, I hope you enjoyed it as much as did.

To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

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

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

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

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

David Herd Thailand

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Travel plus danger in 2010

August 24, 2014 by David Herd

My Gold Coast home 1990 to 2011

travel plus danger

Travel plus danger in 2010, first the travel, I’ll talk about the danger later. Travel included Thailand, Cambodia & Europe plus two visits to Sydney.

Some English & Italian visitors were guests in my Gold Coast home. Bill & Joan from Wiltshire met up with me in Thailand in January & we flew to Australia in February, this was their first trip “down under”. We drove down the east coast to Sydney before they returned to the U.K.

This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2010.

Bill Austin & Joan Baptiste

Alan finally regained his freedom late 2018 after 11 years in the slammer.

Mt Tamborine on the Gold Coast.

Hang gliders jumping off Tambourine mountain.

Byron Bay

One hour south of the Gold Coast is Byron Bay the most easterly point of Australia.

My beach & Jetty

I sold my boat last year so I was able to rent my jetty to moor a houseboat.

Cold beer on the houseboat

You too can have a body like this if you abuse it. 🙂

Roberta, Mikie & Alice from Italy

I did a house swap with this lovely Italian family, I stayed in their ski chalet in northern Italy in July & they came to my home in August.

Roberta loved the pelicans at Labrador.

Roberta was the Italian champion kite surfer, in fact if I remember correctly she was ranked 4th or 5th in the world.

Lovely Alice from Italy

Is this a cute little gal or what?

Charis seafood in Labrador

Wonderful seafood market on the Gold Coast. I moved to Thailand in October 2011 and apart from some friends & family the fresh Aussie seafood is the thing I miss most.

Roberta, Mikie & Alice from Italy

Playing on the beach in front of my home.

Fresh prawns & avocado

While on the subject of fresh Aussie prawns, there is no better sandwich in the world than prawns & avocado on fresh white bread.

Dinner with Deb & Jodie

Planning our trip to Italy & the French Riviera in July at the Garlic Clove restaurant.

Melbourne Cup at Surfers Paradise

The track is adjacent to my home.

Tania Zaetta at the Melbourne Cup

Tania was a well know celebrity, I think she may have been in a couple of TV shows & a Bollywood movie.

Melbourne Cup at Surfers Paradise

A little eye candy at the track, talk about travel and danger, well I would love to travel with her & accept whatever danger that may bring. 🙂

Dressed to the nines & feeling no pain

It is always great entertainment watching the crowd at the end of the day, some find walking rather difficult. 🙂

Travel plus danger in 2010 “Dueling baseball bats”

I spoke earlier of travel and danger, well here is the danger. It was May 2010 and I had only returned from Asia 48 hours ago & was still a little jet lagged. It would have been far safer staying in Bangkok or Cambodia than my home on the Gold coast, as I was the victim of a violent home invasion & robbery at 1 am in the morning. I took a very solid hit from a lunatic with a baseball bat, but luckily was not badly hurt, I managed to fight the bastard off, & when I finally got through to 000 5 cop cars turned up within about 7 minutes. It may well have been the most terrifying experience of my life. There was an 18 year old girl renting a room in my house so when I heard some strange noises in the early hours of the morning I thought it was just her banging drawers etc. Then a loud male voice from outside my bedroom door said “GIVE ME YOUR MONEY AND YOUR JEWELRY OR I WILL SHOOT YOU” I jumped out of bed, put on a pair of shorts, grabbed a baseball bat from my wardrobe and opened my bedroom door, I was only halfway through the door when this wild man rushed me swinging his own baseball bat straight at my head. It all happened so fast, and bear in mind I was half asleep, luckily I came awake fairly quickly and held my bat at a 45 degree angle in front of my head, the bat took the main force of the blow. His bat bounced off and caught me on top of my right shoulder which made my whole arm briefly go numb. Needing to gain a little time & to get the feeling back in my arm I slammed and locked my bedroom door & called 000, (I also hit my house alarm button and the bloody thing did not work) as soon as I reported to the police I knew I had to go back out and front the bastard again because I could hear the young girl sobbing in her bedroom, my biggest worry was that he was not alone. Luck was with me, the coward had bolted with only Alison’s old laptop, her new iPhone and $15 cash. On the same night he robbed at least 2 other places near my house, mine was the only one that included violence. Across the water a couple were asleep on the lounge downstairs while the intruders went through their upstairs bedrooms, one of which contained 3 children under 6 years old. I have absolutely no doubt had I not been able to block the vicious blow aimed at my head I would more than likely have wound in hospital or the morgue.

Theme from Rocky - James Last Orchestra feat. Derek Watkins

Watch this video on YouTube

Family dinner in Port Macquarie.

Two of my brothers Warren & Ian, Warren’s wife Kerry & family friend Chris Lockwood.

Warren & Ian with our Uncle Allan.

Allan Herd our uncle was without a doubt the toughest bravest Herd that ever lived. We travelled to Port Macquarie to present him with a family history photo book I had just finished. His 2nd World War experiences were absolutely remarkable. My brush with violence as I previously described is almost embarrassing compared to the horror he experienced. The title of this post Travel and danger fits Allan to a tee, I have never heard of anyone who was exposed to as much danger as this brave man.

Well into his 90s Allan was as sharp as a tack.

Allan had a terrific sense of humor, describing the English soldiers on the Burma railway he remarked “those pommies had no stamina, they started dying within a week”. Please note I mean no offence to the thousands of brave British soldiers, this was just a comment from an old Aussie warrior.

Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.

The fabulous Surfers Paradise skyline.

Alan Kendall from Sydney on his catamaran

Alan is a nice guy who loves his sailing.

From the Sea wall on the Gold Coast

A fascinating view of the high rise buildings.

Bondi Beach with Joan Baptiste

I travelled to Sydney in February with Bill & Joan, check out the photos on this post.

Nikki & Tony Murphy

Tony & I have been friends for nearly 30 years, here he is with his lovely lady Nikki.

Lloyd Ross

Chinese food and a few drinks with my good mate Lloydy.

Melbas on the park

lloyd’s 2nd office and my favourite bar. On July 10 2019 Melbas celebrated it’s 38th anniversary, I was lucky enough to be on the coast at the time. Check out THIS LINK.

Peter Hesky & his children

Another friend of around 33 years, Peter is almost a recluse in Sydney these days with his Labradors, sadly I never hear from him any more.

Ettalong Central coast of NSW

Driving up the NSW coast to Port Macquarie I travelled through Ettalong for a dose of nostalgia. As kids we used to always spend our annual holidays here and Booker Bay.

Celebrating Xmas at the Shitterer’s house.

In 2013 Les Scheffer & his wife Robyn placed me on their blacklist after many years of being friends. Now in 2018 I must admit my life is better without them in it. 🙂

Thanks for visiting my Travel plus danger in 2010 photo blog.

Glen Frey says it better than I can.

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

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

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

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

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 26 2020.

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Pattaya flesh eating fish

August 10, 2014 by David Herd

This is not a travel blog, it is part of my personal photo history.

Pattaya flesh eating fish

Pattaya flesh eating fish seemed to be the focus on my two visits to Thailand in 2010, the first trip was mid January to meet Bill Austin & Joan Baptiste, my friends from England who were on their way to Australia for the first time.

Three visits to Thailand 2010 in another busy year of travel including Cambodia, Singapore, French Riviera, Cinque Terre Italy, Switzerland & Austria.

Joan & Bill in the Baht Bus

Enjoying their first trip to Thailand.

Here we are at the Cherry Bar

The Cherry Bar has been my favorite Thai beer bars since 2003.

Beer bars LK Metro.

One of the good Thai beer bars in busy LK Metro in Pattaya. Greg Johnstone (2nd from left) has been a friend of mine for 25 years, we both lived on the Gold Coast in Australia.

Cheers dears

Greg does enjoy a drink with the girls, just being a good boss I guess. 🙂

Ah! life in Pattaya, someone has to do it. 🙂

As you can see, I really love living in Pattaya. LK Metro has many good bars & restaurants. Across the road from Billabong is i-Rovers another good sports bar. Billabong also has good cheap hotel rooms if you want to be in the middle of all the action. Book through AGODA for excellent rates. Low cost rooms are also available at i-rovers.

LK Metro webcam

That cam is looking at Billabong one of the Thai beer bars in LK Metro.

A rose between two thorns

While on the subject of fun in Patttaya, here I am squeezed between two lovely ladies at the Atlantic one of the best Thai beer bars in 2nd rd.

When can I start having fun?

Out of control at the Jasmine beer bar in Soi 3.

Alan Kendall & a hot babe.

Alan is an Aussie who seems to fit right in to the Pattaya scene.

The golfers like the Atlantic Bar

Back in 2010 the golfers used to gather at the Atlantic bar Friday nights to drink beer and exaggerate about their amazing shots on the course that day. A very nice bunch of guys from all over the world, sadly they have now found a new venue for their after golf drinks.

Enjoying a beer at Gulliver’s with Alan Kendall

Gulliver’s is an excellent sports bar about 100 meters from y condo.

Pattaya flesh eating fish, Tony Murphy

Apart from the Thai beer bars the latest fad in Pattaya and other parts of the world is “Flesh-Eating Fish“ Performing ‘Pedicures’“, here is my friend Tony trying it out. I notice in the U.S. the process costs $45, in Pattaya it’s only $7.

Pattaya flesh eating fish, dinner is served

David Herd & Trevor Loresch at the Cherry Bar.

I drink Jack Daniels at the Cherry Bar & big Trevor from Western Australia prefers beer. He now lives in “The Cove” a luxury condo in Wongamat.

Wongamat beach

Wongamat used to be a hangout for all the German expats, these days in 2014 the Russians have taken over.

Markland Condo on the left of the A1 hotel.

When I was in Thailand 2010 little did I realize I would be living on the 20th floor of Markland Condo from October 2011 until now in April 2016.

Soi 4 foot massage

One of the great benefits of visiting or living in Thailand are the fabulous foot massages. The lady with the lovely smile is still working in this same parlour now in 2014.

The magnificent Mantra

My favourite restaurant in the whole world. The Sunday brunch is the best buffet I have ever had, everything from Alaskan crab, French oysters, NZ lamb, Japanese sushi, etc etc. There are seven different kitchens to choose from. Sadly the Amari Hotel made a stupid decision to close this magnificent restaurant in 2018.

The fabulous Mantra restaurant, Amari hotel in Pattaya Thailand.

Watch this video on YouTube

Nana Plaza in Bangkok

I have been visiting the Thai beer bars & go go clubs at the infamous Nana Plaza since 1996 and have seen many changes. Back then there was about 10% LadyBoys, in 2010 that had risen to 25% now in 2014 there seems to be 50%.

The Beergarden near Walking St Pattaya

A very good venue for low cost food with a million dollar view. Lots of TV screens that seem to play music videos from the 80s.

Ice on the left with her friend Na.

I met Ice a couple of years ago when she was dancing at Nana Plaza, a very sweet lady indeed.

This is Pang (number 59) from the Honey Pot.

Another sweet lady who worked at the Honey Pot in Soi 2. Sadly both her and the Honey Pot have disappeared.

My brother Warren at the Cherry Bar.

My brother visits Pattaya every year, in February we discovered a new beach side village near Rayong called Mae Pim, check out my photo blog here.

Sunday brunch at the Mantra.

Another great lunch at the Mantra with a bunch of friends is September 2010.

Beautiful girl in Soi 3.

Now in 2016 there does not seem to be as many attractive girls in the bars around North Pattaya as there used to be.

Gorgeous girl in Jasmine bar Soi 3.

Half the bars in Soi 3 have closed and now A1 hotel is building across the road so in the next year or so I think most will be closed.

Gang of four

Trevor Loersch, Phil Avalon, David Herd & Alan Kendall.

Warren, the boys & the Muslim girls

Now in March 2016 I am sad to say our great friend Lenny is very ill battling cancer. Keep up the good fight Lenny.

Sad to say Lenny lost the battle, RIP my friend.

Dinner in Soi 6, Ray, Lenny Warren & David

The Queen Victoria hotel in Soi 6 serves very good food at a reasonable price.

Atlantic bar

Atlantic is another bar I have been visiting for many years.

Phil Avalon & Alan Kendall in Walking St.

One of the many seafood restaurants in Walking St.

Walking Street

Thanks for visiting Pattaya flesh eating fish I’m guessing there must be 2000 Thai beer bars in Pattaya catering for your every desire. 🙂

To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd

Here are some more posts to check out

Life 2015 Family history Life 1982

Adelaide 1972 Iron Bar Freddy Sydney 2006

Thailand 2008 Gold Coast Babes World trip 2003

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

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

A-One hotel on Beach Road

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

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Soapy Massage Pattaya Bangkok

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

Fresh seafood Bangkok

Pattaya live webcam

Hawker Chan Hollys Coffee

Le Bordeaux Pattaya Restaurant

Flashback Sydenham Cellars

Art of desert Pattaya

Breakfast Bake n’ Brew

Food review Pattaya 2020

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Port Macquarie coastal village

August 5, 2014 by David Herd

Port Macquarie coastal village originally was a penal colony, these days many people retire in Port Macquarie on the NSW coast (4 hours north of Sydney), because of the temperate climate, good fishing & boating and nice beaches. I think it is the pick of the NSW coastal towns.

At the end of this post you will see how one of my distant relatives Helen Gillies arrived in Port Macquarie in 1833 after being convicted for stealing in Glasgow and shipped to Australia. Helen was my grandfather’s grandmother 🙂

Port Macquarie is famous for fresh seafood

Beautiful fresh prawns & delicious oysters, in fact my favourite lunch in Port is prawns & avocado on freshly baked bread with a dozen oysters natural to begin.

Port Macquarie coastal village

As good as it gets. 🙂

The Hastings River

Hastings River is also the name of a small, developing wine region. The main clusters of vineyards are located in Port Macquarie and Wauchope.

The region was first planted with vines in the 1860s but recent history of the area has been pioneered by the Cassegrain family with Verdelho

Hastings River’s cellar door facilities, music events, regional restaurants, coastal attractions and great climate are serving to build interest in the local wine industry.

Beachhouse Pub formally Royal Hotel est 1840

Great place to relax and enjoy a few cold beers on a hot day. 🙂

Vintage cars in Port Macquarie

Everybody loves these old cars.

Love the colour

Certainly not the original colour.

Luxury camper van

On the way to Port Macquarie we saw this luxury vehicle in Coffs Harbour.

My brother Warren lives in Port Macquarie

Warren has lived & worked in Port Macquarie for over 20 years, he & his wife Kerry raised four great children who are now having children of their own. The Herd family has grown incredibly over the last 50 years, I have put a lot of the family history in a post called Following the Herd. My uncle Allan Herd also lived in Port Macquarie for many years, he passed away at the age of 95 in July 2012, his story as a soldier in WW2 is the most dramatic event in our family history, it’s a tale worth reading.

My lovely niece Laura & Jordan Millar.

Laura grew up in Port Macquarie, she is a talented singer/song writer. Here she is with her boyfriend Jordan Millar at The Fig in Port Macquarie.

Family & friends

Three brothers, Warren, Ian, David with Kerry and Chris enjoy dinner in Port Macquarie.

The Wall of China restaurant

Very good Chinese food at this popular restaurant.

Classic council sign

Here is a classic council sign in Port Macquarie on the NSW coast. A friend of mine who works for Trowbridge council in Wiltshire in the U.K. arranged for a couple of these to be erected in Trowbridge, after a couple of months and numerous complaints from the public they took them down.

And I thought the Pommies had a sense of humour.

Helen Gillies

Helen arrived in Port Macquarie in 1833 after being convicted for stealing in Glasgow and shipped to Australia. Helen was my grandfather’s grandmother, she was 4′ 11″ tall. 🙂

Records found in the Old Courthouse in October 1998

Jordan Miller & Laura Bell Herd at the Fig.

Thanks for visiting my Port Macquarie coastal village photo blog.

Istanbul Budapest London

Mostar Dubrobnik Split

Saigon Zagreb Vung tau

Pattaya live webcam

That’s all folks

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

August 4, 2014 by David Herd

Town Hall Sydney

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst may not be as well known as other Sydney icons, however it’s the area where I like to stay when I visit Sydney. In fact this is not in any of those districts mentioned in the title, it is right in the city centre, Chinatown is 3 blocks further down George St.

Relax among the skyscrapers around Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

Walking from Town Hall to Chinatown nestled among the tall buildings are many places where people can relax & eat lunch.

China Republic World Square Sydney

Upmarket Chinese restaurant in the World Square.

View from the Laughing Buddha bar.

I would sit in this bar at happy hour and watch the passing parade before wandering down to Chinatown for dinner.

The Laughing Buddha.

Friendly little bar next to Chinatown on the corner of Liverpool & George St Sydney.

Corner Campbell & George St Sydney.

Capital Square Hotel is in this building and is very good value, rooms are quite good and there is a Starbucks downstairs where you can access free wifi. The hotel charges an outrageous amount for their wifi.

Pensione hotel in George St.

Pensione is another good value hotel with free wifi and a good bar on the ground floor. Rooms are rather small but the location is terrific, you walk out the back door and you are in Chinatown.

Railway Square in Sydney.

George St beside Central Station.

ANZAC War Memorial in Hyde Park

The ANZAC War Memorial, completed in 1934, is the main commemorative military monument of Sydney, Australia. It was designed by C. Bruce Dellit, with the exterior adorned with monumental figural reliefs and sculptures by Rayner Hoff.

Anzac War Memorial in Hyde Park

The memorial is located at the southern extremity of Hyde Park on the eastern edge of Sydney’s central business district, and it is the focus of commemoration ceremonies on Anzac Day, Armistice Day and other important occasions.

Hyde Park Sydney

It certainly is a nice oasis in the heart of the city.

Hyde Park Sydney

A beautiful park to relax an eat lunch in the middle of the city.

Stanley St Darlinghurst.

There are many great little restaurants & pubs in Stanley St, and in fact all around Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst.

Bar Reggio Stanley St Darlinghurst.

This trendy bar restaurant has been a popular Sydney meeting place for many years.

Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst

Bar Reggio is very popular and usually packed for lunch on Fridays.

My friends at Bar Reggio

Ken Shelly & Justine and on the right is Richard, aka Mr Stingy. Sydney was my last stop on my seven super cities tour in March 2014.

The Herd clan at Dixon st Chinatown

Sadly on January 5th 2016 we lost Michaels partner, our great Björn Lüders, we will miss him.

Chinatown duck

This is as good as it gets, thanks for visiting my Chinatown Hyde Park Darlinghurst photo blog.

Here are some more posts to check out

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

Gold Coast Pattaya Cinque Terre

Rio de Janeiro Singapore Eastern Europe

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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

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

To receive my latest posts please follow me on Twitter Follow @David_Herd

Here is my 2014 photo album

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Gold Coast in 2014

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Outback Australia

Post by Travel blogger Fivestarvagabond.com”.

Australian adventures

Great Ocean Road

Melbourne

Port Macquarie

Sydney landmarks

Australian seafood

Mr Wong

Remembering Melbas

Coober Pedy Opal Mine

Brisbane

My life in 2003

Pattaya live webcam

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos

Pattaya Ladyboys Kathoeys not girls, boys

July 21, 2014 by David Herd

Only in Thailand 🙂

Pattaya Ladyboys Kathoeys

Pattaya Ladyboys Kathoeys, not girls, boys. They seem to be everywhere in Thailand. Often when you see a beautiful tall Thai girl it turns out to be a boy. 🙂

If you want to see beautiful ladyboys, go to Tiffany; but if you want to see a great show, head over to Alcazar. Pattaya has made good of its long-time love affair with ladyboys. Extravagant costumes, convincingly stunning ladyboys, spectacular stage sets are all part of a grander show that delights you with non-stop fantastic entertainment, from the Russian stage to K-Pop to Persian harlem and even outer space. Whether you are in for the beautiful ‘ladies’ or the show, you’ll get your money worth at Alcazar.

My Japanese friend Ryoko

My friend Ryoko loved the Ladyboys or Kathoeys at the Alcazar show so much she wants to go again tomorrow.

Big dresses at Alcazar

You could hide four people under those dresses. 🙂

Extravaganza

Certainly one of Thailand’s top attractions. On stage is a bevy of professional entertainers presenting artistic impersonations through songs and tales of love and adventure with a fantastic sound and light show.

Joan from Wiltshire in UK

My friend Joan loved the show at Alcazar in Pattaya, somehow I think the girls enjoy it much more than the guys.

Wonderful Costumes

Every night hundreds of buses bring tourists to Pattaya for this show.

Hello sailor

Pay up my friend, I’m bigger than you. 🙂

I’m too sexy for my dress…..

Of course they are all so tall they tower over most of their fans.

Pattaya Ladyboys Kathoeys

Great outfits great fun.

4 Non Blondes - What's Up (Official Music Video)

Tall & beautiful Ladyboys

Ladyboys in Thailand are also known as Kathoeys, Australian scholar of sexual politics in Thailand Peter Jackson claims that the term “kathoey” was used in premodern times to refer to intersex people, and that the usage changed in the middle of the twentieth century to cover cross-dressing males. The term can refer to males who exhibit varying degrees of femininity – many kathoeys dress as women and undergo “feminising” medical procedures such as breast implants, hormones, silicone injections, or Adam’s apple reductions. Others may wear makeup and use feminine pronouns, but dress as men, and are closer to the Western category of effeminate gay man than transgender.

This is a great looking boy. 🙂

It would be so easy to make a mistake. 🙂

Are you kidding me?

Best looking boy I have ever seen. 🙂

Can you pick they are both boys?

Most of the time I can easily pick the Kathoeys, these two however would fool most guys, at first. 🙂

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Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Not far from Alcazar is Soi 6/1 where the LadyBoys ply their trade

A word of caution when confronted by a Ladyboy Kathoey, try to avoid any argument or confrontation. Some, not all of them can be quite volatile. See what happened to one American tourist recently. Click on the photo below for more Ladyboys Kathoeys.

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The Party Bar in Pattaya

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Lots of LadyBoys in Soi 6

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Bangkok red light district

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Cable car Sentosa Singapore

June 27, 2014 by David Herd

Cable car Sentosa Singapore is the most scenic way to get to the island. You cross the water & float high above Universal studios and the Hard Rock Hotel. There is a free bus at the end to take you down to the beach.

Cable car

It’s about a 15 or 20 minute ride & you have to change cars halfway.

Mary on the cable car to Sentosa

Mary is Steve & Anne’s lovely Philippine housekeeper.

Ferry to Sentosa

On the way to Sentosa we pass over one of the ferries.

Looking to the right from the cable car

Singapore seems to be in the middle of an explosion of new condos & offices. Everywhere you look there are cranes on the horizon.

Hard Rock Hotel & Universal Studios

Five or 6 years ago this was just a swamp, now it is a world class tourist facility. The red roof building on the left is a museum. The casino is at the top right of the photo.

Great view from the Singapore cable car

The Singapore Cable Car provides an aerial link from Mount Faber on the main island of Singapore to the resort island of Sentosa across the Keppel Harbour. Opened on 15 February 1974, it was the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbour. However, it is not the first aerial ropeway system to span the sea. For instance, Awashima Kaijō Ropeway in Japan, built in 1964, goes over a short strait to an island.

Hard Rock Hotel

From the Singapore cable car you get a terrific view of the Hard Rick Hotel.

Hard Rock Hotel pool & water slides.

A closer look at the Hard Rock pool and water slides, all yours from $1000 per night. 🙂

Bus to the beach

When you get off the cable car there is a free bus ride to the beach, it’s only a few hundred meters but better than walking in the heat. They are now extending the car right to the beach.

Sentosa Beach

Another free bus will take you along the beach, there are bars & restaurants and a train to Vivo shopping mall at the very end.

Beach Bar

I am told at weekends the beach is packed with people so try and visit mid week if you can.

Sentosa 4D Magix

This state of the art theatre was built for a cost of $3.5 million, a mere drop in the bucket for Singapore.

Sentosa to Vivo shopping mall.

The cost initial cable car ticket, $29.

Cable car Sentosa Singapore

The mono rail runs the opposite side of the casino & Hard Rock hotel.

Food Republic at Vivo shopping mall

At the mono rail stop you arrive at this fantastic food hall, always very busy and such low prices.

Great low price food here

The concept combines local hawker fare with mini restaurants (some of which have exclusive seating) in an open dining concept. Some stalls are also run from standalone pushcarts. Food Republic’s elaborate decor and furniture are designed to invoke a nostalgic kampong atmosphere.

Mary is enjoying a Luxor

In Thailand, Food Republic has three branches in Bangkok, located on the sixth floor of Central Plaza Grand Rama IX, Mega Bangna and the fourth floor of Siam Center.

Steven waiting in line for Wanton soup

Lots of good food here but not this Wanton soup, the Wantons were ok but the soup tasted like dishwater.

Looks good, tastes ordinary

Tasted like dishwater, but the Wantons were good.

The chicken shop

Lots of good food choices here.

Excellent chicken wings.

The chicken wings were really good as was the ice cold Tiger beer.

Thanks for visiting my Cable car Sentosa Singapore photo blog.

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A-One hotel on Beach Road

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

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Click here for another post on this exciting city.

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Cambodia is quite the opposite to Singapore

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Ritz Carlton buffet lunch

June 26, 2014 by David Herd

The Ritz Carlton buffet lunch is quite a feast, oysters from France & Australia, Main Lobsters & many other tasty dishes all washed down with vintage Moet.

Oysters from France & Australia

All-day dining at Greenhouse in the Ritz Carlton buffet, which showcases international flavors and local favorites on buffet or á la carte. Seafood aficionados may dive into our delectable buffet dinners and savour Singapore’s iconic dish – chili or peppered crabs, along with scallops, oysters, main lobsters and Japanese sushi and sashimi.

I really loved the seafood

The seafood was great but I can’t help making a comparison between the Ritz Carlton buffet and the Mantra in Pattaya. The Main Lobster at the Ritz was a little tough, where as the Alaskan Crab at the Mantra is perfect. 8/10, Mantra 9.5/10.

Great variety of cheese & the Wagyu beef in the background

I ate so much seafood I had no room left for the cheese. 🙂

Ritz Carlton buffet lunch serving Wagyu Beef

OK, here is where I get critical, the Wagyu beef seems to be the signature dish at the Ritz. I was so disappointed in the taste & texture. It was way underdone and did not resemble any Wagyu I had enjoyed in Tokyo & Australia.

Good music at the Ritz.

These guys really played some good music to make our lunch more enjoyable at the Ritz.

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The reason we were at the Ritz Carlton

Steven’s belated birthday with Peter & Maria looking on. It was a belated birthday celebration at the Ritz Carlton buffet for my old friend Steven Bates, Steve & I have been friends since the early 1980s in Sydney.

What time can we start having fun?

I have been lucky enough to be a guest of Steven & Anne in Singapore several times in the last 6 or 7 years. Sadly they are moving back to Australia so no more luxury accommodation in Singapore for me.

Happy crowd at the Ritz Carlton buffet.

Steve & Anne have a really nice group of friends, simply because they are both really nice people.

Two nice girls from London.

These lovely girls were at an next table so naturally I had to say hello, 40 years or so age difference means nothing to me. 🙂 Anyhow the blonde in the green was so drunk she literally could not stand up without leaning against something. I’m guessing she woke up Monday with a huge hangover.

The whole gang at the Ritz Carlton Millenia

It was a terrific lunch with a nice group of expats.

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Singapore Island Lion City

June 25, 2014 by David Herd

Singapore-Lion-city-Marine-bay-Sands-Resort-Fullarton

Singapore Island Lion City, the name Singapore is derived from the Malay word Singapura or (Sanskrit, literally Lion City), hence the customary reference to the nation as the Lion City.

Art Science Museum

Designed by architect Moshe Safdie, the iconic lotus design features 10 ‘fingers’ or ‘petals’ each revealing different gallery spaces, with skylights illuminating the dramatically curved interior walls.

Marina Bay Sands Resort

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands, it is the world’s most expensive building, at US$ 5.7 billion, including the cost of the prime land.

View from the Ritz Carlton

Marina Bay Sands dominates much of the Singapore skyline, this view is from the front door of the Ritz Carlton.

Towards the end of construction

One of the world’s most amazing developments in Singapore Asia’s Lion City.

Singapore Island Lion City

My friend Hamish Elton took this from the 70th floor at Equinox restaurant in April 2016. Equinox is rated 48th out of 7,819 by TripAdvisor.

Spectacular at night

It’s difficult to decide what is more spectacular, night or day. The Equinox is on the 70th floor of the Swissotell The Stamford. Use this link to book a room and get a huge discount, you will probably pay around $215 usd.

Singapore Skyline

Very few cities in the world have as many modern skyscrapers as the Lion City, Singapore.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel

The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is a stunning jewel-like addition to the dazzling Marina Bay waterfront. Alongside spectacular views of the bay and Singapore skyline, the Hotel provides legendary service and embodies contemporary luxury and refined elegance.

View from The Fullerton Bay pool

Here I am at the Fullerton Bay pool which has a stunning view of Marina Bay Sands Resort.

The Fullerton Bay Hotel

This is Lantern At One Fullerton at the Fullerton Bay, nice place to see the great view of Marina Bay Sands Resort, drinks are very expensive & the beers were not cold enough. $19 a beer & for a white wine, a 3 pm the price drops 20%.

My friends at the Fullerton Bay Hotel

Anne, Steven & Mary at the Fullerton Bay Hotel, very expensive drinks & warm beer.

Marina Bay map

Chinatown

The area between Pagoda Street and Smith Street has been tarted up considerably for tourists, but workaday Chinatown continues south and east, merging seamlessly into the Central Business District. Tanjong Pagar is the unofficial home of Singapore’s gay community, with many watering holes in restored shop-houses, while Club Street caters more to the expat and yuppie crowd with small, intimate eateries offering excellent (if pricey) Western fare.

Buddha Temple

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (BTRTM) is a religious and cultural institution in Singapore’s Chinatown. It houses a relic said to be a tooth from Buddha. The BTRTM is dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha and was built for the veneration of the relic, to promote Buddhist culture and education, and provide welfare services to the public.

Singapore condo

According Annual Report 2013, out of 3.818 million resident population (Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, as June 2012), 3.166 millions live in HDB apartments, this means 83% (non-residents are not allowed to own HDB apartments but they can live in apartments owned by a resident spouse, also they are allowed to own apartments in private condominiums taller than 6 storeys but not landed houses or apartments in low-rise condominiums). This means average family size of 3.42 residents per apartment and 27.4 sqm per person. For comparison, in 1968 were in average 6.2 people per apartment (average flat size I estimate around 40 sqm). Many HDB owners are renting rooms or entire flat to foreigners, there are NO official statistics about how many non-residents live in HDB apartments. According Yearbook of Statistics 2010, Singapore population including non-residents is 5076700 living in 1180500 dwelling units (HDBs, condos, private flats, landed houses, others), of which 76.3% are HDBs, this means a nationwide average of 4.30 people per dwelling unit, if the average would be same for HDB, it would mean 22 sqm per person.

Suburban Singapore

The view from Steve & Anne’s condo, the Regency Park, will give you an idea how the well off live in Singapore. Their luxury apartment is a large 4 bedroom 4 bathroom condo close to the city center, a mere $6000 per month.

The Nostalgia Hotel

If you would like a reasonable price hotel in the Lion City, around $120 in a central position near the markets check out the Nostalgia Hotel, for a very good rate go to my AGODA link.

POLICE CANTONMENT COMPLEX

Singapore Police Force.

Fullerton Hotel from Boat Quay

Boat Quay is a historical quay in Singapore which is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River on its southern bank.

Victorian London Pub at Boat Quay

Even in Singapore’s volatile nightlife scene, few places change as quickly and frequently as those at Boat Quay. Now though, among the mainstays and the seafood restaurants, a new wave of bars has kicked off a golden age for the iconic belt of shop-houses.

Boat Quay is all about food and pubs

Friday & Saturday Boat Quay really pumps, there are so many places to eat and drink. One of the favorite places in Singapore for expats.

Boat Quay biker

I’m not sure if he was a Fink, a Bandito or a Hell’s Angel, but you could see him coming a mile away. 🙂

Huge lunch at the Ritz Carlton

It was a birthday celebration for my good friend Steve Bates.

Here I am at Boat Quay waiting for a 2.5 kilo crab

Singapore has the best chili crab in the world. Many thanks for visiting my Singapore Island Lion City photo blog.

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Sugarloaf Rio De Janeirio

May 25, 2014 by David Herd

Copacabana beach

Sugarloaf Rio De Janeirio

Sugarloaf Rio De Janeirio dominates many photos taken on Copacabana beach. Ride the cable car to the top & see the breathtaking view of Rio.

The name “Sugarloaf“ was coined in the 16th century by the Portuguese during the heyday of sugar cane trade in Brazil. According to historian Vieira Fazenda, blocks of sugar were placed in conical molds made of clay to be transported on ships. The shape given by these molds was similar to the peak, hence the name.

holds 65 passengers

A glass-walled cable car (in popular Portuguese, bondinho – more properly called teleférico), capable of holding 65 passengers, runs along a 1400-metre route between the peaks of Pão de Açúcar and Morro da Urca every 20 minutes. The original cable car line was built in 1912 and rebuilt around 1972/1973 and in 2008.

Sugarloaf Rio De Janeirio from the cable car

The cable car leaves a ground station located at the base of the Babilônia hill, to the Urca hill and then to the Pão de Açúcar.

Sugarloaf Rio De Janeirio

You don’t have to take the cable car, if you can afford it grab a helicopter.

Copacabana in the background.

What a view from the top, from here Copacabana looks like standing room only.

Wedged between the mountains & sea.

160,000 people live in Copacabana and 44,000 or 27.5% of them are 60 years old or older. Many friends now tell me in 2017 Rio does not have the same appeal as 10 years ago, perhaps this is true however it will always remain as one of the most spectacular cities in the world.

Sugarloaf Rio De Janeirio

Copacabana covers an area of 7.84 km² which gives the borough a population density of 20,400 people per km². Residential buildings eleven to thirteen stories high built right next to each other dominate the borough. Houses and two-story buildings are rare.

Vermelha Beach

Praia Vermelha is the smallest city beach in Rio de Janeiro, and it lies in a sheltered cove between the 688 ft Morro da Urca and the 754 ft Morro da Babilonia. It’s here where you catch the 2 stage cable car up to Morra da Urca and then on to the 1300 ft Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pão de Açúcar) out in the bay.

Vidigal favela

You can also see Vidigal favela at the north end of Ipanema. Vidigal overlooks Ipanema Beach and Ilhas Cagarras. It is located in the South Zone of Rio, between Leblon and São Conrado neighborhoods. The neighborhood is a place of hardship for the residents. They have the problem of drug wars, and when fighting occurs, sometimes they must stay in their homes for days. In November 2011, Vidigal and its neighboring community, Rocinha were pacified by the Pacifying Police Unit.

Downtown Rio from Sugarloaf mountain

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the southern hemisphere and is known for its natural settings, carnival celebrations, samba, Bossa Nova, balneario beaches such as Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer (“Cristo Redentor”) atop Corcovado mountain, named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a permanent grandstand-lined parade avenue which is used during Carnival; and Maracanã Stadium, one of the world’s largest football stadiums.

Botafogo

Botafogo is a beachfront neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly upper middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of Mundo Novo, Dona Marta and São João.

Cagarras Islands

Uninhabited archipelago lying just 5km (3 miles) off legendary Ipanema Beach. The Cagarras Islands (Ilhas Cagarras in Portuguese) are a wildlife refuge for sea gulls and other marine birds, and you can frequently spot — or swim among — dolphins in the waters offshore.

Relax with a cool drink

A great place to relax and take in one of the world’s great panoramas. Sugarloaf Mountain Rio De Janeirio certainly ranks in the top 6 most spectacular vies I have ever seen.

Cristo Redentor from Sugarloaf mountain

Cristo Redentor in the distance. Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and was considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world from 1931 until 2010 when it was topped by the Christ the King statue in Poland.