DAY 2 : THAILAND : BANGKOK

Weather : showers - fine at night : 30+o

 

Out and about in central Bangkok

 

Elderly buskers

 

 

Lunch at food stalls at a local market

 

Today is the lunar festival of Loy Krathong

(Floating Boat festival). The staff at the embassy

brought individual offerings to float on the

compound pond.

 

Anita made her own floating boat.

Buddhists believe that you send

all your stress and problems away

by floating this offering.

 

Many of the bases are made of

bread and were devoured by the

huge goldfish in the pond.

 

Mark and I decided to join in the city's celebration

of the festival down by the river. We took the

skytrain to the river and availed ourselves of the

free hotel ferry service to the Mandarin Oriental

Hotel to get a good view.

 

We were unaware that the hotel had their own

cultural celebration and we were able to

purchase tickets for the buffet meal and

evening of traditional music and dance.

 

Tables and stage by the river.

Balmy night with entertainment by local regional

groups and activity along the river.

 

 

Each department of the hotel had made their

own (massive) floating offering, which were

launched into the hotel pool, where the buffet

was served.

 

Hotel staff in traditional costume.

 

 

Dancing and music from various regions

 

A very special celebration for the last night

of our holiday.

 

Fireworks to end the evening.

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for sharing our journey! It certainly has been diverse and extremely satisfying.

Our next adventure is to Northern India and Nepal, where we will walk the Anapuna Circuit (23 days) in March/ April next year. Let us know if you are interested in joining us - we begin walking on Aprl 1st. www.nirekaadventures.com

If we can get wifi we will resurrect the blog to share our experiences again.

 

Best wishes,

Meg and Mark

 

28/11/12

 

Our email : mm_smith@bigpond.net.au



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 1 : THAILAND : BANGKOK

Weather : humid, hot : 33o

On Sunday we flew from Lisbon to Madrid

and then to Bangkok.

 

We are staying with our friends the Wises,

who are living in the Australian Embassy

residence in central Bangkok.

 

The residence is a beautiful building designed

by the Melbourne architect, Ken Woolley.

 

It featured in the October edition of Elle

 Decoration magazine.

 

Breakfast on the terrace with Anita, who had

just flown in from New York.

 

Teresa is presently taking a full-

time Cordon Bleu course. No

doubt we will all benefit from this

when she returns home.

 

We planned a sight-seeing day.

First we took a tuk-tuk to the river.

 

 

Unexpectedly we didn't arrive at the ferry

terminal but the more expensive individual

tour! We are gradually discovering that

everyone is in collusion (in this case to our

benefit)!

 

The tour included a river and klong trip,

which we found fascinating. We enjoyed

seeing the klong communities in action.

Washing has been such a continual feature

of this holiday - here we have klong style!

 

 

Satays, anyone?

 

 

Some huge water monitors resting.

 

We stopped at the Wat Arun - a large

Buddhist temple complex.

 

Detail on wat exterior

 

Much of the tile work on the structure was

created from plates and porcelain.

 

Another temple adjoining the complex.

Notice the attractive tile work.

 

We visited Jim Thompson's House. He was

an American who re-invented theThai silk

industry in the 1950s. He was an architect

who created his own compound by combining

6 traditional teak houses, decorated them

with antiques from China, Burma and Thailand.

Since his death it has become a museum, shop

and show piece of Thai design.

www.jimthompsonhouse.com

 

The Jim Thompson restaurant has an extensive

 menu and delicious food and drinks. I had

a lychee,lime and mint drink - so refreshing.

 

Having been dumped by our tuk-tuk

driver  in the city (somewhere?) - we weren't

 interested  in investing in his friends'

businesses (buying shirts, souvenirs etc)

 - we  eventually found  the very efficient

and modern Skytrain.

 

We weren't brave enough to take the maverick

 motor bike taxis - they look like a Ninja brigade.

 

A twilight walk in Lumpini Park with all the

Thai fitness fanatics - tai-chi, zumba, runners,

walkers, weights etc. Music playing, lots of

activity.Suddenly the Thai anthem

 came on the  loudspeaker  everyone

 stood still for the duration and then carried

on with their exercise as if nothing had

intervened.

 

SIGNS FOR THE DAY

 

I think everyone would agree with this!

 

I thought this was an interesting stereotype

of teenagers!

Notice electrical wiring!

  

 

Loving the warmth, the chili, fresh fruit and vegetables, yet another culture ... and surviving the whims of tuk-tuk drivers!

 

 

 

M&M

17/11/2012

Our email : mm_smith@bigpond.net.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 10 : PORTUGAL : LISBON

Weather : raining : 16o

LAST DAY IN LISBON

 

Very wet day from the outset today. Fortunately we planned to have a relaxing day - as a walking tour was out of the question. We headed towards the main shopping area, Baixa. Footpaths are all tiled, reflecting the nature of the area.

 

 

Rain persisted so we sought refuge in a local cafe - they were trying to attract customers despite the uncomfortable conditions. Portuguese tarts are delicious in any weather.

 

 

Many tourists attracted to riding one of the 4 ornamental  elevators for a view of the city.

This one in Baixa is called 'Elevator of Carmo', built by a protege of Gustave Eiffel to connect downtown to Bairro Alto, the highest point of the city in the early 20th century.

 

A light lunch in the city. We inadvertantly selected a very expensive restaurant - so we

made some guarded choices. It was beautifully presented. I had grilled cod - the national specialty - not particularly tasty - structure of the cod not unlike salmon. Mark had sardines. We have just discovered that unlike France and Spain where bread is included in the overall price (and house wine in some cases), in Portugal small entrees are placed on the table and if you eat them you pay but if you don't, you don't. It can really add substance to the bill if you are not careful.

 

 

Ceramic nativity scenes amid Christmas decorations in stores.

 

 

Lots of traditional colour for the festive season.

 

 

Window shopping in the rain.

 

 

First prize for the smiliest nativity scene, compliments of our local $2 shop.

 

 

 

 

Farewell, Lisbon!

 

 

 

M&M

24/11/12

Our email : mm_smith@bigpond.net.au 

 

 

DAY 9 : PORTUGAL : SINTRA AND CASCAIS

Weather : cool, misty, overcast, windy : 12o

SINTRA

 

 

Today we booked on a small group tour to Sintra and Cascais. Sintra is a hill district about an hour north of LIsbon. There are 4 palaces and a Moorish castle spread amongst the hills and natural forest. We visited the Palace of Pena - a palace built in 1839 by King Fernando and Queen Maria in Romantic architecture on the original site of a 16th century Franciscan hermitage. We drove home via the western coast and along the River Teja.

 

A tiled representation of the Sintra hill district



 

The entrance gate to Palace of Pena

 

Entering the palace grounds

 

Francisco, our excellent guide and

driver, and other members of the

8 member group.

 

 

The palace is considered to be created in

the Romantic style with 3 influences -

neo-Arabic, neo-classic and neo-Gothic.

 

   

A courtyard in the Moorish style

 

Highly decorated rooms with

tiles and colours

 

Tiles floor to ceiling and ornate furniture to match.

 

Palace of Monserrate built in 1856 by

Sir Francis Cook, an Englishman.

 

DRIVE ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST

 

 

First stop Cabo da Roca considered to be

the most westerly point in Europe.

 

 

Cascais - a popular summer beach, fishing

port and sailing centre.

 

Sand castle art - even on a windy, cloudy

November day.

 

One of the many forts along the coastline

built to resist Napoleon.

 

We arrived back in Lisbon after 5 and walked

home via the Chiado precinct.

Click on arrow to experience Friday evening end-

of-week activity in the city.

 

 We discovered a great tapas place tonight

run by young chefs - with waiting list board.

The restaurant is Petiscaria Ideal - close to

where we are staying.

 

Stand out dish for us was grilled cuttlefish,

with shellfish and parsleyed potato.

 

 

 

M&M

23/11/12

Our email : mm_smith@bigpond.net.au