Or Tor Kor is where rich people in Bangkok shop. It's clean and bright and expensive. There's a Royal Projects shop (government initiative for rural areas that might otherwise grow drugs) with "pesticide controlled" fruits and vegetables...and air conditioning. There's a whole … [Read more...] about Exploring Or Tor Kor Market
Bo.Lan Contemporary Thai Fine Dining in Bangkok
Bo.Lan recently ranked 28th on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list. But it was already on my list of restaurants to try in Bangkok. Here's how the meal went: Located a short walk from the Phrom Phong BTS station, Bo.Lan has an oasis feel. There's a garden in front with al fresco … [Read more...] about Bo.Lan Contemporary Thai Fine Dining in Bangkok
The Best New Bar on Bangkok’s Khao San Road: The Jappp
Live music, killer Mai Tai's, two patios, and a happy hour with beer with 2-hour 499-baht beer buffets (not just Singha and Chang, but Leo, Heineken and Carlsberg too) make this Khao San Road establishment the best new bar in Bangkok. Khao San Road: a traveler's enclave in … [Read more...] about The Best New Bar on Bangkok’s Khao San Road: The Jappp
On the Man of Ton Sai, Little Thai Monsters, and Leaving
There’s a Thai man here in Ton Sai shrouded in mystery. He owns the Pyramid Café. He doesn’t do what the mafia tell him to do, which in Ton Sai, a mafia-owed area, means something. He stood on the stage during Ton Sai’s big clean-up weekend with the other business owners and … [Read more...] about On the Man of Ton Sai, Little Thai Monsters, and Leaving
How to Find the Best Food in Bangkok
I’m compiling a list of places to eat in Bangkok. Research is key. “Google-ability” is important. If a restaurant is written up in English, it’s already very popular. If it has a facebook page, it’s either new or very hip, though often not both. If a friend who has a brother who … [Read more...] about How to Find the Best Food in Bangkok
A New Organic Fruit Farm North of Kuala Lumpur
When you start traveling, and reaching out to friends for advice and suggestions, you'll be amazed by the strange connections that form. Friends of friends who'll put you up for a few days in Kuala Lumpur, your mother's former piano students who take you out for Thai/Malay … [Read more...] about A New Organic Fruit Farm North of Kuala Lumpur
It’s a Miracle (Fruit)!
“It’s your lucky day, sir!” said the tour guide at the Tropical Fruit Farm in Penang, Malaysia. The organic farm grows over 250 varieties of fruit. And during a tour the guide spent most of the time berating us for having come during the wrong season. Not much in season now, he … [Read more...] about It’s a Miracle (Fruit)!
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Petronas Towers? Nope, I didn’t stand in line in the early morning waiting for free tickets and permission to ascend to its lofty heights. I don’t even think you’re allowed on the actual top of Malaysia’s Twin Towers. So it seemed like a much better idea to go to Skybar for a … [Read more...] about Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“Eating Daring” in Ao Nang and Krabi, Thailand and a Call for Help with WordPress Images
The Lonely Planet guide for Krabi Town's day market says that the vendors that set up at there offer a ridiculous array of street food. The actual description left something to be desired, but the statement to "eat daring" was enough to entice me into checking it out. But first … [Read more...] about “Eating Daring” in Ao Nang and Krabi, Thailand and a Call for Help with WordPress Images
Lovely, Dark, and Deep
I’ve been trying to put into words how I feel about Ton Sai. It’s incredible here. The water is warm, the views are spectacular, the rockclimbing is amazing. One of my favourites was a 6c (5.10+?) I led at Thaiwand Wall that was over 30 metres. It finished with a giant stalactite … [Read more...] about Lovely, Dark, and Deep