Tipper's Playmate

Thanksgiving 2015 - The Gang

Food coma is already setting in.

Thanksgiving 2015 will be forever remembered as the day I realized I have a fully-developed bald spot.  It's not often one gets to see the top of their own head, and it was this particular picture that showed me that I have a lot less hair on top than I imagined.  I knew it was getting thin, but this is downright monkish.

It's the day after and I'm still in a semi-state of shock.  I need to have a serious talk with my barber and find out what he's been charging me for. 

Thanksgiving 2015 - The Food

First, the opening act

Then, the star of the show

The exposition

Climax

Fin

Loy Kratong 2015

Last night was Loy Kratong, the Thai holiday which has become the equivalent of Valentine's Day.  It's also, the 10th anniversary of the day that Nuch asked me if I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend.  I said yes.

Loy means float.  Kratong is a little basket made of banana leaves with candles and incense.  So, we went to the canal that runs along our local temple to float our Kratong.

I almost gave up, but we finally took a satisfactory selfie after discovering the optimum camera angle and utilizing a strategically placed kratong.

Illegal Migration

This is the turkey my buddy, John, will be serving tomorrow.  It may look like any other turkey, but this 12 lb illegal migrant entered Thailand via the US Embassy.  

Last December, Thailand banned uncooked poultry from the US, so American turkeys are difficult to find in Bangkok.  Fortunately, another friend works at the Embassy, so we won't be eating Irish turkey for Thanksgiving.

Update T-day morning

The Force Awakens In Singapore

Another reason Singapore's Changi Airport is one of the best in the world - life size X-wing and Tie Fighters, along with Stormtroopers in the Departure Terminals

I just noticed that this guy is in the wrong movie.

Johor Bahru Border Crossing

Miles of motorcyclists waiting to cross the border from Singapore to Johor Bahru, Malaysia.  There are miles of cars, too, but it's more comfortable and the line moves much faster.

Salaries are big in Singapore and rent is cheap in JB, so some people make this trek everyday.

In Love By The River

In Love - that's the name of the restaurant  where Nuch and I had dinner tonight. Great view on a cool, breezy evening.

Message In A Sofa

Walking through the factory's warehouse, I noticed that one of the frames had been vandalized.

Some unsuspecting customer will have the message "Life is Struggles" written underneath the foam and leather of their sofa.

On the other side there's a message in Thai that says "Life Must Go On"

Cat Naps

This was a few days ago

Reconcilable Differences

Nuch and I could not agree on Japanese or Italian for dinner last night.   

Fortunately, we were able to compromise with Pizza Sushi - the secret to a happy marriage.

Look Both Ways

I don't think anyone planned to create a deathtrap at the exit to my industrial estate.  It just comes naturally in Thailand who is ranked #4 in the world for road fatalities per capita.

In case someone wants to utilize the last bits of open space still available - the first sign is a sign for a company that makes signs!!!!

American Imperialism

The spread of American culture around the world is now complete.

I made a rare stop at McDonald's for lunch today and noticed that they offer regular "American" Ketchup along with it's sweeter cousin, Thai Tomato Ketchup. 

They even offer bacon that looks nothing like the picture in the advertisement.

Tenyuu Sho At Emquartier

It's been open for several months, but Nuch and I just tried Bangkok's newest luxury mall last week - Emquartier

Window shopping at Harrod's

To give you some perspective, that's a full-grown thai woman behind the tuna.

View for Tenyuu Sho's balcony