Wanted

This sign was put up in our office.  Apparently, we have a rodent problem

Canton From Above

Usually, Guangzhou is a grey mess no matter which way you look at it.  But on this particular evening, the sun had set, the clouds had cleared, and the city lights made it look almost livable.

Papaya Vintage Shop

Nuch and I have been looking for a few more pieces of furniture to finish the kitchen and living room, but we have not been able to find (ie. agree on) anything.  I refuse to go back to IKEA for fear of our house looking like an IKEA showroom.  The other Thai furniture and design stores are a bit boring, so we stopped by the Papaya Vintage Shop for some inspiration.

The Papaya Vintage Shop is four floors of everything from yesteryear.  If it's no longer being produced and no longer being sold through normal channels, you'll find it here

like 7 life-sized Jar Jar Binks.  Perfect for any foyer.

In the end, we didn't buy anything - yesteryear, along with being dated, can be expensive, but we had fun taking a step back in time.

Some pics from the web...

New House Merit Making

We're a bit late, but after a year and a half Nuch and I had our home blessing ceremony.

The head monk is making Buddhist Holy Water

After some prayers, the monks have a nice 7 course meal

Tipper watches on

USA USA!!!!

I work for an English company that is filled with Italians, and I'm the only one left with a team in the World Cup

Durian - The King Of Fruits

If you Google "Durian smells like", the top 3 searches are poop, farts, and gas

That's why this picture made its way around the Thai social networks.

Cabbages & Condoms

Last week, I had a customer in town from Malaysia.  Instead of going to one of Bangkok's premier restaurants, he insisted on going to Cabbages & Condoms.  

There are no cabbages on the menu, but condoms are everywhere.  When you walk in, you're greeted by two mannequins dressed in condom clothes - even their hair is made of condoms.

The story behind C & C is its founder, K. Meechai, who led the family planning movement in Thailand.  The restaurant is attached to the family planning center where they give free vasectomies - it doesn't sound very appetizing, but somehow it all works.  At first, it was just a side business to help raise money, but the restaurant became a popular tourist attraction and, currently, has several branches around Thailand.

The food is great but avoid the after meal mints - they taste like rubber.

Water, Milk, and Cats

We had some guests over today, so Nuch felt it was a good time to give Tipper a bath.  

At times, Tipper does have a slight stench, but instead of a natural, feline body odor, I believe the rotten egg smell is more likely due to lactose intolerance and the occasional saucer of milk that Nuch gives her.

Tipper has had a bath before, but she was much smaller then, and being doused with water was a new experience. Needless to say, the novelty has worn off.

Kittie gives moral support... don't drink the Milk, kid!

 This could be the last bath for Tipper.  Notice the scratch on Nuch's wrist

Grandpa

My grandpa passed away this last week.  He was 94.

Here he is at his 90th birthday party.  He's holding up a collection of memoirs, letters, and pictures from all the people he has touched and inspired throughout the years.



When he retired in 1980, I was 8 years old - the perfect age to be a grand kid of a full-time grandpa.

Here are my memories of him and contribution to his 90th birthday book

Grandpa’s in the basement
Sharing all his lessons
I’m with my cousins
Thinking about what he meant.
He’s been around the world
Blue pants, white shirt
Listen to what he learned
He retired just to go to work

You better duck and watch your head
Don't try to change the wind,
Come about, adjust your sail
Don’t hit the wrong nail
He’s got a dotted map
That marks his life’s trail

Going down to Antigo
Corn fields and county roads
Crop duster flying low
Across a dry prehistoric lake
Stopped to smell a skunk stank
Last lesson before we ate
Country Kitchen pancakes

Don’t forget McHenry, smell of coffee
His neighbor gave us candy
Garden rocks the size of me
Got a green glass stone
Dropped it on my big toe
The Bozo and Cookie show
Bathroom books by Jacques Cousteau

Spring break, Beech Street
Unbirthday party
Swiss Family jungle tree
Get burnt, get wet
Waffles and a sunset
Oscars and the Final Four
Easter bunny grocery bag

Sound of Music, Music Man
Crazy Eights, Fan Tan
Wonder Wheel and ATC
Homemade ice cream brain freeze
Graham crackers in the morning
10 o’clock Little Debbies
Can't wait to water ski, take it out easy
Bass Lake's smooth as glass in the evening

Returning Happiness To The People

This is the mantra of the most recent coup d'etat.

Here's a picture from the Bangkok Post of the Army putting on a concert at Victory Monument.

In addition, the head of the coup wrote a song to unite all Thais.  If this doesn't make you happy, you're evil and don't understand Thailand or you're a Red Shirt



Here's the English Translation:

“Returning Happiness to the People”
Lyrics by General Prayuth Chan-ocha
Melody by Wichian Tantipimolpan
(Translation by Khaosod English)

The day the nation, the King, and the mass of people live without danger
We offer to guard and protect you with our hearts
This is our promise
Today the nation is facing menacing danger
The flames are rising
Let us be the ones who step in, before it is too late
To bring back love, how long will it take?
Please, will you wait?
We will move beyond disputes
We will do what we promised.
We are asking for a little more time.
And the beautiful land will return
We will do with sincerity
All we ask of you is to trust and have faith in us
The land will be good soon
Let us return happiness to you, the people
Today, we will be tired [because of our mission], we know
We offer to fight the danger
Lives of soldiers will not surrender
This is our promise
Today the nation is facing menacing danger.
The flames are rising
Let us be the ones who step in, before it is too late
The land will be good soon
Happiness will return to Thailand

Shopping Or Happy Hour

These were the options Nuch gave me after we finished lunch this past Sunday. It was the easiest decision I've ever made.

I didn't realize my mistake until Nuch sent me this picture while I was in Malaysia, and I noticed something different about our coffee table.

Behind the two sleeping cats,  there is a new zebra-skinned tissue box that Nuch bought while I was enjoying 99 baht pints at The Robin Hood.

Pullman Putrajaya

I've had some good luck with hotels recently.  

I'm in KL this week and tried the Pullman Putrajaya near the airport.  It's a very quiet area and out of the way, but for the price, the rooms and facilities are well worth it.

Big Clean

You can't see her from this picture, but off in the distance an old lady with a broom and dustpan is sweeping the runway at the Shenzhen Airport.

Here's a zoom-in.

FaceTime

I'm not sure this is what Steve Jobs had in mind when he invented FaceTime.  

Yesterday, our server was down, and the only guy who could fix it was in the UK.  So, our office manager sat with the keyboard and took instructions over the phone, while another guy took a FaceTime video, so our IT Director could see the monitor.

The Downside of Upgrades

Unexpected upgrades are nice, but why do they never happen when I'm on holiday.  

I was only able to enjoy this suite for 8 hours - and I was asleep for 7 of those.  

View of Shenzhen