Flood

On the way to visit my brothers who volunteer to stay at the house in order to take care of our five dogs. My mom and I have evacuated out since November 4, 2011.




It was 28 years ago that the water flooded into my house. The water level was half ankle at that time. But it didn't get into any first-floor rooms; this year the water got into some of the first-floor rooms.

A Birthday Party for P. Aey and P. Norm

At Kowloon Restaurant, Silom Rd.

Reunion with Shi Kor 1

A small meeting to welcome "On" back to Thailand. On and his wife have finally decided to move back to Bangkok.

Garlic - my broken leg puppy

A very naughty three month old, Garlic, probably fell down from this table, where we assume that she climbed to the chair and then from the chair to this table before decided to jumped down to the ground. By the time that we heard her cries out loud, she was on the floor.

Uniqlo is one of my favorite cloth store. Its design is usually simple and casual. Not too expensive Japanese brand name. So I decide to visit it on the first day opening in Thailand at Isetan. But I change my mind as soon as I get to the front area of the shop which is so crowded with a long queue waiting.

One more time in Singapore

As there is no direct flight from Yogyakarta to Bangkok, we decide to fly via Singapore. Since my last visit to Singapore was several years ago, I am happy to visit a new place like the Marina Bay Sand and to have a chilli crab for my lunch at No Signboard Seafood restaurant before going back home.





That is my short trip for Indonesia: Bangkok - Surabaya - Yogyakarta - Singapore - Bangkok.

Once again in Indonesia - Yogjakarta

Early in the morning we walk from our hotel to visit the Borobudur.

Borobudur is an 8th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument near Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.




After breakfast, we then leave Borobudur to visit the Sultan's Palace or Kraton. Kraton or Keraton is the Javanese word for a royal palace. Its name is derived from ratu, which means "ruler" (king or queen). The Sultan’s Palace or Kraton, with its grand elegent Javanese architecture, lay in the centre of Jogja city. It was built in 1755 by Prince Mangkubumi was then called Sultan Hamengku Buwono I.

Pavillion in the Kraton.

Next is the Tama Sari Water Castle. It is a site of a former royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. It is located about 2 km south within the grounds of the Kraton, Yogyakarta. Built in mid 18th century, the Taman Sari had multiple functions, such as a resting area, a workshop, a meditation area, a defense area, and a hiding place. Today only the central bathing complex is well preserved, while the other areas have been largely occupied by the Kampung Taman settlement.





Prambanan, our last place to visit for this Indonesian trip.


Prambanan is a ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The temple compound is located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta city on the boundary between Yogyakarta and Central Java province. The temple is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and is one of the largest and the most beautiful Hindu temples in Southeast Asia.

Once again in Indonesia - Surabaya

This morning we visit the Surabaya zoo, mainly is to visit the Komodo.

A very long tail monkey.

A young komodo. The Komodo dragon is a large species of lizard found in Indonesian islands. It can grow to a maximum of 3 meter length and weighs up to around 70 kilograms.


We then fly to Yogyakarta where our hire rental car pick up us to Manohara Hotel where we stay overnight.

Once again in Indonesia - Bromo

With the constrain of Time, Money and Energy; there are not many places that I usually “revisit”. Not to mention that the world is so big that there are many places that I would like to travel to, so I save all the three most important factors for those that I have never visit before. However, for my first time view of this magnificent “Bromo” in the mist of dawn 5 year before, I promise myself that I will someday come back to visit it again.

(Link to my Bromo previous trip)

We fly to Surabaya where a rental car company is waiting and give us a drive to Tosari, a small village. Tosari is on the northwest of the caldera. From there we rent a 4WD to take us to the “Penanjakan” view point.


Though for a second time traveller, Bromo is still a breathtaking site. Bromo, of which entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke, is still smouldering. Late last year and beginning of this year, it volcanic ash and incandescent material was thrown up by eruptive activity with a heavy rain of ejected volcanic material falling around the crater.




The caldera or The Sea of Sand where our 4WD will drive across to take us as close as possible to the base of the mount.


From the car parking, there are another 3 km to walk to the top of the crater. One can either walk or ride a horse for ¾ of the trail and then dismount and walk further, and finally climb the 250 steep steps to the edge.

Pathway leading to the top

View from the top - You can see where the Hindu temple and parking line are situated. Don’t ask me how many times that I have to stop on the way up.

View into the Mount Bromo crater.

Din Tai Fung

Originated in Taiwan, Din Tai Fong Group has recently opened its franchise in Thailand at Central World Plaza. Its deliscious and famous house specialties dish is xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings).

Zalute

It has been a while since Sorrento, a restaurant that my friends and I frequently visited, has moved to the new place with the new name and more varieties of food; but I haven't got a chance to visit the restaurant until today. The food is always up to my expectation. Located in Sathorn Soi 10.

Saboten

One of the best Tonkatsu restaurant in Bangkok is at Saboten located in Isetan, Central World Plaza.

Happy Happy Lunch

Khun Sivaporn hosts a happy happy lunch at Mandarin Oriental Hotel to celebrate Khun Rochana's an honorable doctorate degree from Mahidol University.

New members

Milo and her 8 new puppies. (1st week old)



Their usual sleeping posture. (3rd week old)

Le Beaulieu

Lunch at Le Beaulieu
Ground Floor, Asoke Residence, Sukhumvit 19


Grilled pepper steak with Belgian fries, Assorted French Cheese Platter with Poached pear.


Artichoke soup, Garufalo linguine & Alaskan crab, clams & cheruil jus, Baked Chocolate with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Macaroons from Laduree

Macaroons from Laduree has become one of my wish list after I fell in love with this type of dessert from my last trip in BeNeLux this spring. The taste is so divine and scrumptious that no wonder it is praised by all the sweet tooth dessert lovers.

p.s. Thanks for the cruise gang.

King's Palace Restaurant

A Hong Kong restaurant is opened at K. Village. We sample the BBQ pork, crispy pork, wanton soup, and Stir fried vegetable. Very recommend for the BBQ pork - juicy and delicious; however since its origination is Hong Kong, the price is based on Hong Kong standard of living too.

King's Palace Congee & Noodle Bar, 2nd Floor, K-Village
Sukhumvit 26

Nong Uao and her baby

Congratulations to Nong Uao and Wut for their first baby. Treasury staffs and I visit them at BNH.

Dean and Deluca Bangkok

Nok and Eak host a Birthday lunch for me at Dean & Deluca.

Travelling Gang Meeting

A lovely "traveling gang" member, Anocha, is arranging a meeting for friends to get together while she is visiting Bangkok. Nong Pat offers her house for a meeting place. All together is 30 persons with "Black and White" theme.




Although we all are full, some of the gang and I still proceed to the next eating and meeting place.