Pakchong

During August 22-24, 2008, we went to Khun Eksun house at Pakchong, Nakornratchasima which is nearby Khao Yai National Park. He is developing this plot of land to a cozy second home for weekend and comes here almost every week. The weather is fresh with cool breeze thus we do not need air conditioning. Moreover, because of the weather condition and 350m-higher-than-sea-level, some flowers grow up beautifully as well as some vegetables and fruits, such as custard apples, grapes, avocados, dragon fruit, can plant productively here.

Scenery from Khun Eksun House.

Dragon Fruit and Plumeria Flowers from Khun Eksun House.

Granmonte, Asoke Vineyard

Granmonte is Italian word, mean Big Mountain, located in Asoke Valley adjacent to Khao Yai National Park. We intended to go to its shop called Montino at the vineyard since we are interested the taste of its Syrah. We bought 2002 Celebration Syrah and the new release, 2006 Primavera ‘Unfiltered’ Syrah, which won silver medal at Syrah du Monde 2008 competition in France. They recommend us to drink this wine next year that it will provide the best taste. I also bought some grape cookies and salad dressing.

The vineyard map and sample of grape plantation.

I was shopping around the Montino, while P.Ou tasted some wines.

Eatery at Pakchong-Khao Yai

While we were at Pakchong, it was convenience to eat out since Khun Eksun home is not far from Pakchong Market. We had breakfast, Thai-style coffee, Pra-Tong-Koh, soft-boiled egg, and dished eaten with boiled rice, at the market. I also bought Chinese sausage, dried and crispy pork from Je Huang which recommended by his friend as souvenir.

Picture of Thai-style cafe where we had coffee and eggs and Food stall sells Fried Tofu and Taro at Pakchong Market.

In addition, Khun Eksun leaded us to 3 restaurants. First is Country Kitchen which the owner are Bangkokian and come to take care the place every weekend. The place is on the road to Khao National Park. It offers good food, such as Fish Steak in Black Pepper Sauce, Deep Fried Pra Tapien, Fried Chicken with Crispy Lemongrass, and Grilled River Prawn. I like Fish Steak.
Second is Primo Posto del Khao Yai which has outstanding building that invite visitors to stop by and take pictures. The place is located on the road to Granmonte. We went there for lunch and it offers only salad and 2 set menu, Italian Sausage with French Fried and Spaghetti with pork and tomato sauce. Since Khun Eksun does not eat pork and there could not prepare other food so he could eat only appetizer, spinach rolls. I would say the food tastes fair, and its Italian sausage tastes like Bangkok Ham's.
Third is Ruan Thai Restaurant, located at Pakchong area, and it offers ordinary Thai food. We ordered Salted egg in Palo sauce, Tom Yum Kung, Fried Sea Bass. There were a few customers at the restaurant when we went there because that evening, the 2 Thai boxers contended for Gold Olympic Medals and Pakchong is the birthplace of a Thai Boxer's wife, so they all went to her place to cheer their hero and eat free food.

Picture of Country Kitchen and Primo Posto del Khao Yai

Wang Nam Khieo

Since the reputation of Wang Nam Khieo, we drove approx. 80 kilometers east to see the scenery. Wang Nam Khieo is ranked 7th in the world for the best ozone level, adjacent to Khao Yai but in different direction of Pakchong, so it is easier to go to Wang Nam Khieo from Bangkok by Road no. 304 passing Kabin Buri to Prachinburi and it takes about 3 hours. We dropped by Kraw Imp Suk to have some beers and snacks, such as Fish sausage and Deep Fried Salmon Head.

Beautiful scenery from the hill of Kraw Imp Suk.

Khun Eksun stopped by an Orchid House and bought some. There are more pictures of Orchid at http://picasaweb.google.com/arthivon/PakchongKorat#

USA - Northeast

We had a holiday in the USA during May 19 to June 2, 2008. We went to New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Denton, Texas. We called this trip as Movie trip since the places we visited made us recall several movie scenes, especially many places in New York and Washington, D.C. It was also a walking trip, my legs got tired although I put on the most comfortable shoes.
In addition, it is impressive that we went to Denton, Texas to visit P.Ou's Dad for 2 days and I had a chance to lunch with my aunt's family whom I have not met for several years.

See photos of this trip at http://picasaweb.google.com/arthivon/USA2008

New York, New York

We arrived at New York on May 19, 2008 but we did not stay in New York City. We stayed in a hotel in Stamford, Connecticut which offered as complimentary by P.Ou’s friend and we took approx.-40-minute-train from Stamford to Grand Central Terminal to the City.
We planed to tour around New York for 4 days with mostly outdoor activities but the weather was not that nice with some rain and cold wind, therefore we were slightly disappointed and tired. However, we enjoyed Thai food at Wondee Siam, pizza at Lombardi’s, Chinese food in Chinatown, and hotdogs at every corner of street.

New York Public Library where survivors stay in “The Days After Tomorrow”.

Fossils and Dinosaurs at American Museum of Natural History.

Harbor view of New York without Twin Tower of World Trade Center.

Central Park which you can see this view in many, many movie.

P.Ou took picture with Brooklyn Bridge where the Godzilla was shot dead.

The famous Egyptian Wing, the "Temple of Dendur", in Metropolitan Museum of Art or “The Met”.

View of Central Park and Harem from Top of the Rock Observation Deck.

View of Empire State Building from Top of the Rock Observation Deck.

Boston

We arrived at Boston on May 22, 2008 by Amtrak from Stamford. It was very convenience to travel since we booked the hotel at the Kendal/MIT subway station, Cambridge. Boston is a lovely town, lively and more relax than New York. We took Trolley to tour around town and we can also get in-off to visit places that we are interested at each stop. We walked through the public park, Boston Common, and Charles Street, which is called the Antique Row and it was told that buildings in this part of town is inherited and priceless.

We went to see USS Constitution which it is still in service in US Marine Troop.

We went to Old State House where Samual Adams announced the Declaration of Independence.

We had oysters and lobsters in Quincy Market.

I took picture with the plaque at King Bhumibol Adulyadej Square in Cambridge of which our King was born in Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge.

View of Harvard University.

Washington, D.C.

We arrived at Washington, D.C. on May 25, 2008 by plane to Dulles International Airport, and took bus to the hotel which is close to the Mall. It had a lot of traffic since the next day was Memorial Day and they closed some roads as well as there were thousands of veterans on Harleys Davidson around Arlington and D.C. area.

We went to visit the US Capital, National Museum of Natural History, and National Air and Space Museum which all are free of charge. We were suggested to go to International Spy Museum which we found the most interesting museum because of its partial interactive exhibits which invite visitors to participate. We went to see North Façade of the White House and walked along the Mall from Washington Monument, passed World War II Memorial and Reflecting Pool to Lincoln Memorial. We are recommended to go to Full Kee, Chinatown, to have Hong Kong Style Wanton Soup, it's very good so we went there twice.

We crossed the Rock Creek to Georgetown which buildings and surroundings are different from D.C. We are recommended to have Italian food at Café Milano which is really good. For entertainment, we went to listen to Jazz music by Laurence Elder at Blues Alley.

West front of the Capital, facing the Mall, is the site of presidential inauguration, concerts, and other ceremonial events.

East front of the United States Capital.

The South Façade of the White House view from Washington Monument.

I was at World War II Memorial, behind is Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial.

Memorial Day Parade.

Exhibits in National Air and Space Museum.

Georgetown

Visit Bob and Virginia at Denton, TX

From Washington D.C., we flied to Dallas and drove approx. 45 mintues to Denton on May 28, 2008. Our objective was to visit P.Ou's Dad and Mom, Dr.Robert and Virginia Toulouse whom P.Ou used to stay with when he was student at University of North Texas. Dr.Robert, or Bob, was Dean of Graduate School of Business at UNT and looks healthier than 90-year-old-man like. They are staying in an 2-bedroom apartment at a village for retirement people which they have a small kitchen to cook themselves or eat with ours in canteen. They decided to sell their car and use the village's bus to go shopping or wherever they want to go in Denton. P.Ou have not seen them for almost 10 years so they are looking forward to our visit.

Bob took us to UNT tour, P.Ou can remember a bit since it mostly changes. We took them to lunch at Thai restaurant, they really enjoyed Pad Thai and Thai dessert. It is very appreciative that they prepared delicious home-made southern style dinners for us. I was so sad when I had to say goodbye. We promise ourselves we will call them more often.

P.Ou and Bob were posted with salad he made for us.

Home-made southern style dinner.

Lunch with Matthew at Dallas

Before coming back, we had a chance to lunch with Na Nid, Na Prasarn, and Matthew in Dallas. I am so delighted because I have not met them for almost 10 years since I was student in USA. We told Matthew that if he came to Bangkok next time, we would take him to have his favorite food, chicken rice.

Macau - Hong Kong

My Mom, P.Ou and I went to Macau and Hong Kong during February 8-11, 2008. We landed in Macau and then took ferry to Hong Kong. We stayed at Tsim Sha Tsui area since it is close to MRT, ferry terminal, shopping arcade and harbor. It was such a tired trip since it was cold, lots of people everywhere because of Chinese New Year, and we had to walk, take MTRs and buses, and also take ferry back to Macau; however, I am glad that my Mom enjoyed the trip.

See photos of this trip at http://picasaweb.google.com/arthivon/MacauHK

The Historic center of Macau

The historic center of Macau is inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2006. With our short period of time in Macau, we visited the symbolic of Macau, Ruins of St. Paul’s, Na Tcha temple, St. Dominic’s Church, and Senado Square, of which they are close to each other.

The Ruins of St. Paul’s refer to the façade of what was originally the Church of Mater Dei built in 1602-1640, destroyed by fire in 1835, and the ruins of St.Paul’s college, which stood adjacent to the church.

Na Tcha Temple and section of the old city wall stand close to the remains of the church.

St. Dominic’s Church was the first church founded in China in 1587 by three Spanish Dominican priests who originally came from Acapulco in Mexico, now it has been modified into a small Museum of Sacred Art.

Senado Square has been Macau's urban center for centuries and is still the most popular venue for public events and celebrations today. It is also shopping area for Macau people and tourists especially brand-name fashion clothings and accessories.