Bangkok Fed Ex

Random Chinatown deliveries.

Bangkok Express Bus

Bangkok Slushies

On our walk to Chinatown Yen discovered a truck making its rounds of ice deliveries.  She then challenged me to "Bruce Lee" the ice.  I responded with a double-dog dare challenge to her and 2 minutes later we were enjoying Bangkok Slushies.

Lurking

Bangkok, Day 1 continued... Took this blurry photo on our walk to Bangkok's Chinatown.  Just a shrine down an alley.

The Massage Aftershock

The Absolute Best thing to do after a holy massage is head over to to a buried market near Tha Tien pier, find an all-you-can-eat spicy Thai food vendor, and wash it down with plenty of Singha. 

Som Tom Queen

Wat Pho Guardian

Mo Wat Pho

After walking the reclining Buddha (aka Tryptophan Buddha) we stopped inside the Wat Pho temple grounds for a traditional warm herbs thai massage.  I realize massages have benefits, but I've never been a huge fan. However,  I am now.  Pains -  My shoulder. My lower back.  And anything else I was unaware of...  gone.  Vanished.  And the entire time my view was of the twinkling temple grounds.

Happy Thanksgiving

Day 1 (November 22nd) continued....

Reclining Buddha or today, Tryptophan Buddha from Wat Pho, Bangkoks oldest and largest surviving Temple.

Melodic Donation Bowls

Ozzie and Harriet @ The Grand Palace

Changing of the guard at The Grand Palace.

The Grand Palace Postcard

McPalace

Bangkok Day 1 continued...

Palaces and Temples and Shrines, in all their holy grandeur seem to be on every other street corner in Thailand.  Each with their own unique sacredness and all sharing the commonality of golden Buddhas.

More from The Grand Palace

Guardian

Durable Siding

The Lollipop Kids

The Golden Goose

At The Grand Palace in Bangkok

Bangkok Rise

Next morning we hit the streets of Bangkok around 11am. Dropped into the markets of Khlong Toei.  And I think the rest of Bangkok is fewer words and more photos.  Bangkok reminds me of a slick Peavely flea market with high rated Michelin street food.  Along with sacredness, style, sex, and amazing sweets. Here's plenty of food/street/and sloppy art house photos ...

Breakfast from a street cart- Whole fish with Chilies and Chutney.

Curried Chicken

On the bone curried chicken with lots O'Chilies.

STOP THE LOG

I just downloaded 788 pictures of street scenes, temples, and food. But none of them matter now because last night we, rather I, discovered the hubba hubba of Bangkok!  Chiang Mai and Singapore have been cancelled. 

3 Star Michelin Street Food

Bangkok.

We land at 11pm (Bangkok time).  We get to our hotel by 12:30am. Checked-in and to the room by 12:45am.  On the streets looking for a late night cart by 1am.  

Sitting at "Mr. Dim Sum's Fire Hot Pad Thai" food cart in the -Sukhumvit East  at 1:15am. Over a flaming wok in his NY Yankees winter beanie, he's scowling at his wife who's manning the register and apparently not giving

him what he needs for the wok.   He's throwing the unacceptable ingredients back in her direction.  She's throwing them back down harder into her glass box of vegetables and such.  One malty fresh Sing Tao and the BEST Pad Thai ever.  Along with a seafood pancake so ocean fresh you'd think Mr. Sum had his wife fishing at the harbor just moments before we arrived.

Next cart please.  We walked about fifty feet amongst sleeping dogs and wide awake infants to finish the night with a bowl of sympathy seafood noodle soup.  Another husband and wife (much happier together) worked with such pride over their broth and salt water cuts.  Then back in a cab through the maze of Bangkok to our bed.  If I'd had thought of it I'd had taken a photo of the bed to close this entry.  I'm a day or two behind.  I'll try to get a bed shot in before we leave the city.

Hopeless Hibachi

photo of an off duty food cart in Taipei

Taipei Shanty

photo of an alley rooftop in the Danhai area

Mopeds, Beer Gardens, and Steak and Eggs (and Pasta)

Taipei.

Day 7.5 of our trip... I think. It rained or was overcast most of our 2 days in Taipei.  I'm still trying to grasp who Taipei is.  It may take some time. We do know it's a land of countless mopeds and Mister Donuts.

Before heading to the National Museum we made our first stop in Shilin to grab a late breakfast. First meal: steak and eggs over pasta. Let me write that again- steak and eggs over pasta.  We weren't at Denny's and quite honestly it may have been our best meal in Taipei.  Served on a sizzling stone plate diners protected themselves from the stone sizzle with napkins when their meals first arrived.

Next stop the National Palace Museum. A museum filled with endless gilded bronze Buddha statues, a small lush garden, and a chicken coop.

Into a deep rain we headed to the Danhai market area where we were promised tasty street food.  There we found Coney Island-esque street

bites that I expected more from.  Fried this, and fried that.

We ended our investigation of Shilin's nocturnal flea market of and headed to a beer garden where we finished the night with garlic and beer.

We've arrived in Bangkok. After 2am street food last night this town looks very promising.  VERY.

東京

Taken near Takashimaya Department Store in Shinjuku

Tokyo: Final Boarding Call

Tokyo, last day :(

Tsukiji Fish Market in the AM.

Tsukiji is a bizarre oceanic heaven. You'd expect it to smell like fish, yet if you closed your eyes and inhaled deeply you'd never know you were smack dab in the middle of fish mongerville. You'd expect the jammed corridors of these mongers to be a rodeo of pushing and shoving, yet it's rather calm and orderly. You'd expect to have the best sushi of your life here,  and we did.

The best.

We planned on eating at Sushi Dai, but standing in line for two hours in the rain and cold just didn't seem so comfortable. So we stood in line for 25 minutes waiting for slices from the depths of Atlantis at a little hut three doors down.  And it was more than worth the wait.  Once granted access we were escorted down an alley behind the shanty and shuffled through the kitchen of the restaurant that looked more like a 1950s sushi diner with just a bar.  Seating capacity:  10. No more. Just 10.  Served by the working mans sushi chef. No attitude. Just pristine rice with delicate slices of Aquaman's finest Legion. Toro... oh man the Toro.  Photos best describe this venture.

Then around the corner for some street ramen that taste better than any day at Momofuku in NYC.

Back to the hotel to grab our gear and head for the bullet train bound for Narita Airport. Next stop Taipei.

Flight Delayed 1 hour.