Happy Trails Volume Two is a photo records of some wonderful locations I have been fortunate enough to visit. Producing these photos blogs allows me to re-live many great experiences that I have enjoyed during my long happy life.
The first photo in Volume one was taken in New York so as it’s my favourite city I start again with the Big Apple.
You have probably never heard of Canoa Quebrada, it’s 164 kilometers from Fortaleza. We travelled along the beautiful long beaches and wandered through the amazing coloured sands.
Beijing is a fascinating city full of history and wonderful breathtaking palaces, parks and buildings, and the food, well the food, Peking or should I say Beijing duck is to die for. Not to mention all of the other wonderful cuisines available, even though half the time you don’t know what you are eating. Having said that I must admit the best Peking duck I have ever eaten was the previous week in Shanghai, but that’s another story.
L’Appart restaurant at the recently opened Sofitel is a delightful multi-faceted venue occupying the entire 32nd top floor of the hotel tower.
Nha Trang in Vietnam
All the fishing boats are painted blue, they really look terrific, then again I really like boats. I even found some boat yards where they were repairing and refurbishing some older boats. Constructed from solid timber and designed to handle the rough seas in the monsoon season.
The A Brasileira was opened by Adriano Telles on 19 November 1905 at No.122 (an old shirt shop), to sell “genuine Brazilian coffee” from the State of Minas Gerais, a product generally unappreciated in homes of Lisboetas of that period.
Now I wonder where this is? 🙂
The Tower Bridge is certainly one of the most recognizable structures in the world.
Happy Trails Volume Two includes the girl from Ipanema
I’m at the Garrota de Ipanema restaurant where the song was written. It was inspired by Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto (now known as Helô Pinheiro), a seventeen-year-old girl living on Montenegro Street in Ipanema. Daily, she would stroll past the Veloso bar-café, not just to the beach (“each day when she walks to the sea”), but in the everyday course of her life. She would sometimes enter the bar to buy cigarettes for her mother and leave to the sound of wolf-whistles. In the winter of 1962, the composers saw the girl pass by the bar.
Here she is.
The song became so popular, she became a celebrity.
Iguazu Falls Brazil
I’m on the Brazilian side, a walkway along the canyon has an extension to the lower base of Devil’s Throat.
It’s Sunday morning & the crowds are huge, Harajuku is renowned for its colorful street art and fashion scene, with quirky vintage clothing stores and cosplay shops along Takeshita Street,
Harajuku girls the term used to describe Japanese youth culture who cos-play or ‘costume play’ on Sundays in the district of Harajuku. Seen as rebels to conformity, Harajuku is a popular place for them to show off their own creations and usually pose for others. Styles include Gothic, Lolita, anime/manga based or futuristic.
Small creek leading to the Mekong River in Vietnam.
You are probably wondering why I don’t wear the rather stylish hat more often, I tend to save it till I’m on Safari. 🙂
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.
Loved Every Minute photo blog simply shows some of the many wonderful places I have been fortunate enough to visit. Most travellers have their own bucket list & I’m pleased to say I have ticked 98% of my long list.
Last time I was there it was freezing.
It was mid February & I had arrived from Rio de Janeiro where the temperature was in the high 30s.
The Great Wall of China is an ancient series of walls and fortifications, totaling more than 13000 miles in length, located in northern China. Construction began in the third century B.C. as a means of preventing nomadic barbarians from invading the Chinese Empire.
What a surprise packet, Mostar is a city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, straddling the Neretva River. It’s known for the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge), a reconstructed medieval arched bridge.
Behind me is “London Bridge”, The span closer to the shoreline collapsed unexpectedly on 15 January 1990 leaving two tourists (Kelli Harrison and David Darrington) stranded on the outer span before being rescued by police helicopter.
Northeast Vietnam, it’s famous for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rain-forests.
Behind me is the most expensive building in the world.
US$ 5.7 billion, including the cost of the prime land. Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore is in a class of it’s own, click on THIS LINKfor a closer look.
Thanks for visiting my Loved Every Minute photo blog. Here is Volume 2.🙂
Big Changes Nana Plaza Plus Soi 4 are taking place right now in March 2018. A huge roof is being built over the Plaza & the bars in the centre are being built again.
Lucky Lukes is still the same
First bar on the right as you enter.
VW bar at the back
Quite a nice addition to the plaza, apparently it has been here 3 years yet I rarely venture to the back of Nana.
Playschool is an old favourite revamped
You gotta love the pink. 🙂
Big Changes Nana Plaza Plus Soi 4
Lollipop makes a comeback. It was Suckers & before that Lollipop again.
Here it is in 2017.
This to me is the quintessential Nana Plaza photo, sums up many of the customers. 🙂
Re-building the bars, again.
This is at least the 3rd time the bars in the centre courtyard have been re-built, I have a feeling the current owners will do it right this time.
My first visit was 1997 which was the start of a long and happy connection, not necessarily because of the Thai girls who are there basically to relieve you of your hard earned cash, more because of the great times I have enjoyed with friends from all over the world. Check out this photo blogwhich showcases them and many of the gorgeous babes we got tangled up with over these decades of decadence. 🙂
Another longtime Nana Plaza bar.
Rainbow 1 has been at Nana Plaza for as long as I can remember.
Let’s wander down Soi 4
This is one of about 4 Hillary bars.
New kid on the block
Just a short stroll down Soi 4 on the opposite side of the road.
Located in front of the old Rajah hotel.
The bars offer a nice alternative to the rowdy Nana Plaza.
Semi open beer garden
At the front of Broadway in Soi 4.
Opposite Broadway is the Red Zone
Apart from the new bars there are a couple of high rise buildings under construction, hotels or condos, not sure which.
Used to be Bangkok & before that Spellbound
The more things change the more they stay the same. I first came to Nana Plaza in 1996, & here I am again in October 2018 drinking ice cold Tiger beer & listening to the Eagles sing Hotel California, the perfect song for this incredible venue. “You can check out anytime you want but you can never leave.”
Big Dogs has also changed a little.
Still a great spot to watch the arrivals.
Hello sailor.
Girls will often be boys.
Lots of improvements at Nana
The best I have ever seen it look.
Always busy here
The action never stops.
Thanks for visiting my Big Changes Nana Plaza Plus Soi 4 photo blog.
Click on bottom right hand corner for full screen.
Wine Connection Central World Bangkok is called the Grill at the Groove, & is ideally located in the best location in Ratchaprasong district, this central business district is easily accessible via three different Skywalk links between BTS Siam station and BTS Chitlom Station.
Each Wine Connection restaurant has a liquor store where you can purchase wines from all over the world at very reasonable prices.
Shakariki 432 Japanese restaurants which are so authentic you will think you are in Osaka. There are several branches in Bangkok & one in Pattaya, the Asoke branch is ranked by TripAdvisor # 866 of 10,352 restaurants in Bangkok.
Pattaya branch
I prefer to sit upstairs.
Location
Opposite the Mike Hotel in 2nd road, +66 33 036 369.
Now for the food
On my first visit in 2017 I ordered two of my favourite dishes, salmon caviar & Unagi or Japanese eel.
Shakariki 432 great Japanese restaurants
Hard to fault the food at this noisy authentic Japanese restaurant.
How good is this?
Is it any wonder this is now one of my favourite restaurants along with Genki in Soi 4North Pattaya.
Is there a better beer than Asahi?
I don’t think so, the Belgium beers are great but my pick is Asahi. 🙂
Fabulous colour combination
And what a taste, perfect.
Salmon Caviar washed down with Asahi.
As good as it gets. Plus they have a special on liquor, all you can drink in 90 minutes for B299.
Home delivery is a great idea.
The restaurant is two floors, upstairs is better.
Shakariki 432 great Japanese restaurants
Dinner with friends February 21 2018. Hamish, Jonathon & Anne.
How good do these oysters look? Photo credit Nick & Sharon. 🙂
Absolutely mouth watering.
Have I convinced you?
Just trust me & try out this great little hole in the wall & you will feel like you have been transported to Osaka. In fact follow THE LINK for one of my Osaka photo blogs.
Meanwhile thanks for visiting my Shakariki 432 Japanese restaurants photo blog. I will be back in Japan in May 2018, here is my agenda.
This is not a travel blog, it is part of my personal photo history. It seemed like Groundhog day. 🙂
Surfers Paradise Party Animals
Surfers Paradise Party Animals, 1992 was just another year of fun & games on the beautiful Gold Coast. I was certainly among the main party hosts, I had a great home for entertaining & I loved have lots of beautiful girls around.
Some of the usual suspects.
Naturally when there were pretty girls around the competition between the guys was fierce. 🙂
A rose between two thorns, I don’t think so. 🙂
I guess there is no need to say I was enjoying life to the max.
Occasionally some of the girls would relax in the spa.
Naturally I always had my camera ready.
These girls loved nature
And Dr Evil was always there with the camera. 🙂
Roslyn & Jill looking good
I remember spending some “quality time” with both these lovely ladies.
Jill & Sharon
Another “daily double” I’m happy to say, (that just means I bonked them both. 🙂 )we saw a show that night at Jupiters casino, I think it was Barry Humphries.
Andre Buzek dentist extraordinaire, (I don’t think so)
Sadly my great mate lost his life soon after in a car crash in Cuba.
Girl of the year Kelly Davis
I was lucky enough to spend a few months on & off with this lovely lady.
Here we are on New Years Eve
Naturally Harley is locked & loaded once again. 🙂
My favoute song from 1992
Big Steve Bristow (son of Tim) & Greg Johnston.
Now in 2018 Greg lives in Pattaya & runs a bar on the dark side, & Steve still lives on the Gold Coast.
The late great Paul Allen, a Surfers Paradise icon.
Talking about icons…………
Daryl Beattie is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, those bikes however all belonged to Mick Doohan the living legend who won five consecutive 500 cc World Championships. The guy in the middle is a legend in his own lunch time, my good mate Ross Kennedy aka “Shoeless Joe”.
Talking about legends…
Here I am giving my boat a good wash. 🙂
A good looking bunch of babes
It was Xmas day 1992 and we all had a great lunch at my home in 106 Upton St Bundall. My main squeeze at the time was Kelly 2nd from the right, & my occasional squeeze was Jill standing beside her. 🙂
Another night another dinner at Upton St
Harley & his gay flatmate naturally came dressed in their army outfits. 🙂 Tat’s Kandice on the left & Nicola on the right.
That night produced one of my favourite photos
This is a true classic.
Another classic from 1992
Lyn Goss & Roslyn provided the glamour & Tony Murphy & I contributed with a truck load of style. 🙂
Pattaya Life Absolutely Perfect place to live for a guy like me. Good friends & great restaurants, what more could I want? Plus a reasonably short plane ride to many outstanding locations. Above is the incredible view from my Markland apartment on the 20th floor.
We went to Chiang Mai for 4 days which was excellent then 8 days in Cambodiawhich was not so good. Reason being we all caught a dose of the flu which really took the shine off our holiday.
A terrific beach side restaurant with very good food.
Surf & Turf hamburger
Guaranteed to fix your appetite.
Geriatrics are us. 🙂
I think the combined ages were 272 years, from the right we have David Herd, Richard (Stingy) Blair, John Hunjadi & David Robertson who is even more Stingy than Stingy. 🙂
Bali Hai wharf.
This was supposed to be completed by October 2017, however given the fact that this is Thailand it will more likely be Xmas 2018.
And so this is Xmas….
Light show at the A-One hotel.
One last Mantra dinner on December 28
Hamish & I had a 20% discount voucher. 🙂
Fabulous food as usual.
Finally on the subject of food which is very dear to my hear.
Fresh prawns & Aussie lamb chops & cutlets from Big C.
Now you can understand why I make the following claim “Pattaya Life Absolutely Perfect.”
Newport peninsular Sydney is my personal photo history not part of my travel blog.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Newport peninsular Sydney was my home for three years from 1984 to 1987. After becoming engaged to a beautiful Melbourne lady Karen Smith, I purchased a timber home perched on a hill above the Royal Motor Yacht Club. The cost was $128k, and I sold it after our engagement fizzled out 4 years later for $360K. I guess it would be worth nearly 2 million dollars today.
Absolutely gorgeous.
As you can see Karen was a beautiful lady, it took me anther 10 years before I realised I was just not cut out for marriage or long term relationships. There is probably a multitude of reasons why, fear of commitment, too independent etc etc.
Dinner party at Herbert Avenue
We were very happy at Newport 80% of the time, I tried hard to settle down and enjoy life as a couple, every now and then however the “call of the wild” would interrupt our utopia.
Wolf Wottke (with the beard) had been my best friend for a number of years, I left him renting my Drummoyne apartment for a year or so until I got fed up chasing the rent. Consequently I sold it which in hindsight was probably a mistake.
Lots of birds & wildlife
These beautiful Rainbow Lorikeets would visit every day for their snack on the balcony.
Life was very good
I had all the toys, a beautiful Mercedes Sports, a cabin cruiser moored at the yacht club, a liquor store in Sydenham which I was in the process of selling and a good sales job with Canon Australia.
Lion Island
This great photo (excuse the quality) was taken on Lion Island in the Hawksbury River, from left to right we have Graham La Roche aka “Biff”, his girlfriend at the time Mona,Ross Ansell from Melbourne and Karen Smith & I.
Me Tarzan
Ross doing his Tarzan impersonation on Lion Island.
31 Herbert Avenue Newport
About 25 years later around 2012 I paid a visit to Herbert Avenue to see if things had changed. Apart from the colour scheme and far less vegetation nothing much had changed.
Another day on Pittwater
My good friend Tony Murphy and his beautiful wife Inge join Karen & I on my 26 foot cabin cruiser. After 29 years I caught up with Inge in Melbourne in 2014.
My back veranda overlooked Bayview
Here is my good friend Paul Slaughter with two gorgeous girls, on the left is Trish and on the right an old girlfriend of mine Shirley.
Big Tim Bristow, dinner at Herbert Avenue.
Tim Bristow was a friend of mine dating back from the time we met in 1971 when he was on my tail to give me a hiding, but that’s another story just follow THIS LINK. In the 70s just the name Tim Bristow struck fear into the heart of all those who knew him, an enforcer with a reputation of being one of the most brutal street fighters in Australia. Put simply he was legend, a bouncer at the Newport Arms hotel, would be contenders for his crown would travel from all over Sydney to try their luck, many came and all of them were sent packing battered and bruised.
Sydenham Cellars
I sold my liquor store in late 1984 which took the pressure off me. I had been working with Canon for a few months and travelling to Sydenham (a one hour drive each way) at weekends to work in the liquor store. Meanwhile I dug a wine cellar underneath my Newport home and stored a huge amount of wine that I took home from the shop.
Unwins Bridge Road
That’s Madison my beautiful 4 year old German Shepherd who used to diligently guard the store overnight.
Brian Millard on Newport peninsular Sydney
Brian was a boat broker at Newport and a regular drinker at the Newport Arms hotel. He lived just up the road at Bungan Beach before moving to Noosa where I believe he still resides.
Richard on the left and Rob Carnahan
Two very nice guys who were customers of mine when I was with Canon. Their office was opposites the Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay so more often than not we would meet in the pub.
A bunch of my nephews & nieces come to visit.
Amazing seeing these old photos, all of these cute kids now have children of their own.
Sue and John Heatherington
A lovely couple who lived in the next street from us, John also worked at Canon in the computer division.
Malaysia 1985
John & Sue, Karen & I went on a Canon conference to Penang, here we are driving from Penang to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore Xmas 1985
Here we are in Singapore, notice the cigarette. I smoke on and off for most of my life until 2003. Usually 2 or 3 years then I would quit for a similar time before returning to the grip of the nicotine.
Newport peninsular Sydney with Phil Parkinson
Phil has lived most of his life on the Newport peninsular Sydney and I believe still does in 2016. He is the brother of my ex girlfriend Di Parkinson.
Melbourne Cup 1985
Karen & I at the cup with friends including another ex girlfriend Helen Burkewho is on the left of the photo. Helen has a vineyard at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsular, I spent a few day there in October 2014 drinking wine with her and her partner Jack.
Oscars Coolangatta 1985
I can’t remember the name of the beautiful dark haired princess, she was the girlfriend of my crazy chiropractor from North Sydney.
Newport peninsular Sydney
Prior to buying my cabin cruiser I had this little run-about, it was a lot of fun, do you like the name?
Another guy from my rogues gallery.
Danny Rose one of Adelaide’s true characters, we had a day of the water, you can see “Stamped Urgent” in the background.
Beautiful Karen Smith
Certainly my life on the Newport peninsular Sydney revolved around lots of good friends and my beautiful fiancee Karen. My thanks to her for being the most important part of my life for those great years.
Thanks also to you for visiting my Newport peninsular Sydney photo blog.
Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book through these links below. Book now & pay later.Free Cancellation. Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels
Ayutthaya Historical Park Thailand is about 80 kms north of Bangkok, however we were travelling from Pattaya so it was a 2.5 hour drive. The first thing we saw was this little dancing elephant.
I don’t like to see them trained like this.
They are treated cruelly in the training process which is very sad.
Enjoying the ride
This activity is fine, but I wish they would stop the cruel training.
These ruins are all over the city.
It seems 90% was destroyed by people from Myanmar. It was capital of the Kingdom of Siam, and a prosperous international trading port, from 1350 until razed by the Burmese in 1767.
My travelling companions
The 3 Amigos, Bill, Paul & Ron.
The local transport
These little Tuk Tuks are very cute.
Hotel ext door to Temple
For an excellent room rate just book through THIS LINK.
Very impressive
I was surprised to see how many ruined temples there were.
Quite spectacular
Certainly exceeded my expectations.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
We struck a beautiful day with a light breeze.
Very popular with tourists
Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya Lots of tourists everywhere.
Lots of cameras here. 🙂
I prefer my Canon Ixus however I also use my phone or some.
There is a lot to enjoy here.
We were too lazy to go up the stairs.
Too may Buddhas are never enough. 🙂
I do like the yellow scarves. 🙂
Here we are at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet
Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the holiest temple on the site of the old Royal Palace in Thailand’s ancient capital of Ayutthaya until the city was completely destroyed by the Burmese in 1767. Wikipedia
Ayutthaya Historical Park Thailand
Not may tourists here.
Why did the elephant cross the road?
Because anything the chicken can do he can do better. 🙂
Temple flooded October 3 2021
A section of the wall on the southern side of Wat Chula Manee in Bang Ban district collapsed at about 5.30am after the Chao Phraya river overflowed, inundating communities around the temple. The grounds of the ancient temple were left 2 metres under water, damaging about 20 pagodas containing ashes of local residents’ ancestors.
Finally lunch then back home.
Col One Love Restaurant was a bit of a tourist trap, we didn’t do our research & took our drivers advice. (kickbacks would apply here) Food was ok but not good value.
Thanks for visiting my Ayutthaya Historical Park Thailand photo blog.
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.
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.
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.
Sokha Beach Resort Sihanoukville has a great pool & a beautiful private sandy beach. Exceptional food & very good rooms, what more could you possibly want? 🙂
Pool bar
Cocktails or a cold beers at the pool bar.
There are two room sections, we stayed at the cheaper option, the Sokha Express. You still have full use of all the facilities, for a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.
Rarely were there many pople in the pool which made it absolutely ideal.
But wait, there’s more……
The beautiful beach has pure white sand and warm tropical water.
The beach goes on forever, where are the people???
Generally Asian people like to stay out of the sun so us foreigners have the place to ourselves. 🙂
The main building
Breakfast is served here & it’s as good as it gets a you can imagine.
The property is huge
The deck is around 500 meters from the main building & pool. It’s worth the walk however, you have the choice of two excellent restaurants, Lemongrass & the Lotus.
Why do they call it “The Deck”?
Well it’s pretty bloody obvious if you ask me. 🙂
Lemongrass Restaurant
Food was very good & the place almost deserted.
Soup to die for.
I really do love my soup.
Serendipity Beach
This is where most people dine at night, it’s the net beach & all the action is here. Only a 10 minute Tuk Tuk ride.
Tuk Tuk
The ten minute ride to Serendipity is only $2 or $3 USD.
Lovely ladies They were working at a wedding that was in the hotel grounds.
This is supposed to be happy hour. 🙂
Nobody looks happy, & in fact there certainly were not. 🙂
Drinks are 2 for one at happy hour between 5 & 7 pm.
Pizzas & burgers are reasonably priced as well.
The Beach Bar
Sadly is closes around 7.30 pm.
I guess they want you at their casino.
Part of the hotel & when we went there there were more staff than customers.
Sadly this lovely coastal village is never going to be the same, just read THIS STORY.
