Gate E10

  Some pictures of Gate E10 at sunset

A reflection looking back into the Gate E

Up In The Air

You know you travel too much when you get off your flight from Shanghai at 2am and your 8am flight to Singapore is already up on the Departure Board.

Easy Pass

Thailand recently implemented a new, automated toll system called Easy Pass.  At first, I thought - brilliant, as lines at toll booths are a primary cause of Bangkok's infamous traffic jams on its expressways.

Not so fast - somebody forgot to tell everyone that you need to purchase the Easy Pass sensor for it to work.  Combine this with the fact that Thais will run over their crippled grandmother to get through a line faster, along with the ingrained belief that all things Easy are good and you get what you see below.

A newbie without an Easy Pass in the Easy Pass lane. 

Immediately, I see what has happened, but it's already too late.  It takes the driver of the white car a few moments to realize that he's trapped.  He puts his car into reverse, but the line of cars behind us is already four deep and more are coming. 

Keep in mind that there is nobody on duty at the Easy Pass booth - being it's automated.  After a few helpless minutes, a guard from the main office alongside the road sees what has happened and lets the freeloader through.  By this time, the cars behind me have pulled over to the normal toll lane.
 
It gets worse during rush hour when the Non-Easy lanes get so backed up that they block the Easy Pass lanes.

4th Of July 2011

Earlier this month the Da Silva brothers of Bangkok held their annual Fourth of July Bar BQ. 

Here's the healthy stuff

But mostly there was not-so-healthy stuff

Add it all together (subtract the veggies) and you get a chili, bacon, cheese, hot dog on a hamburger bun heart attack

A little God Bless America

Finished off with an undersized watermelon spiked with a bottle of Vodka.



Cleanliness Is Next To Buddhaliness

Last week was the beginning of the Buddhist Lent, so Nuch dragged me to a temple near our house to make merit.  I'm such a brat about going to temples.  I make Damien look like Ned Flanders.

But I go anyway, make some wishes, and take some pictures.

These are from my Blackberry - probably the worst of all mobile phone cameras.

Apparently, this temple has one thing that other temples don't.

You can't see it clearly in the previous picture, but just beyond the golden Buddha through the gated wall, there is a "สุขาไฮเทก" or "Hi-Tech Toilet".   I asked Nuch what a Hi-Tech Toilet is.  She said that means it's clean.

Peace Of Mind

Air Asia, Asia's discount airline, has found a new way to squeeze a few bucks out of its passengers.  Along with in-flight meals, extra baggage, and priority seating, you can now buy travel insurance. 

For 85 baht (about 3USD) it's probably a worthy investment.

a small price to pay to travel with peace of mind.

However, with Air Asia being a discount airline - the last thing I'm worried about is a suitcase falling on my head.  I suppose it's inappropriate to advertise the burning wreckage of a crashed plane with your next of kin driving off in a new BMW.

The Broken Spoon

If I ever own a restaurant, I'm going to call it the Broken Spoon because this is what happens when the food is so good you can't eat it fast enough.

I suppose it's also what happens when you buy spoons made out of tin foil.

But the food was still really good, and a nice atmosphere.

Gecko Stole My Toothpick

Yep, that's right.  While out for dinner this past weekend, Nuch and I sat quietly as we watched a gecko scamper deftly across our table, making it's way to the napkin dispenser.  It paused for a moment. Then with lightening speed, it grabbed a toothpick and ran off over the edge.

Ten Little Piggies

Feet.  We all got them, but in Thailand it seems like they're always in your face. Although people do where shoes, sandals or flip flops are by far the more common footwear.

It's odd because showing your foot - or at least the bottom of your foot is equivalent to giving the middle finger, but the first thing you do when you visit someones house is take off your shoes.    On the Sky Train, everyone tries to avoid eye contact, so they all look down on the ground staring at each others feet.  Office girls will wear high heel shoes on the way to work, but put on bedroom slippers once they get there.  Kids, at least in rural Thailand, don't wear shoes until they start school.

It doesn't matter where you go - the movies, the temple, restaurants, construction sites, factory floor, the opera...  There are thousands of feet everywhere you go, splayed out before your eyes - and nearly 10 times as many toes!!!

Also, disturbing is that toes that rarely see the inside of a shoe start to look more like little fingers.  In fact, the word for toe in Thai is "foot-finger"

Suan Luang Rama 9 Park

Last week Nuch and I stopped by the park near our house - Suan Luang Rama 9

Here are some pics.

 

Nuch by a pond filled with flying saucer-sized lily pads.

Pokemon Shrubbery

After a walk around the park, we rented a row boat.

Finally, here I am impressing Nuch with my nautical skills.

Gecko Horror Flick

While out to eat last night, I noticed a small gecko enjoying a documentary on Animal Planet about the life of lizards.

You can barely make him out on the lizards eyeball.

Here he is learning about his not-so distant cousin, the desert lizard.

Oh, oh... and the life of the sidewinder.

The Gecko version of Jaws.



Doggie In The Window

Whatever the price, I'm sure it's too much.