Tag: #retirementtravel

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Seoul Korea 2

everyone loves a biker
nightlife
what is the nuance?
An old style village
special ceremony
ancient King
a hero general, one of the greatest ever
harleys are prized posessions
nice canal
Seoul Olympic Stadium
Great street type food from the 1950’s
Goethe wrote a story…
…with a character named “Charlotte”. It was the inspiration for naming the Lotte business empire
running up 123 floors (2,914 steps) – competition
all the ladies selling the same street food
palace entrance
delicious old street food vendors. the vendors weren’t delicious, it was the food
Seoul tower
nice view
locks with love letters, just like Paris
loving duck using a lock
nice duck
entertainment at the tower
delicious dumplings
new meaning of “over parked”
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Gyoengju – Korea (a break from Europe)

This city is one of the most important cities in Korean culture. It is the birthplace of the Kim family. Several stories passed by me. One is the Silla king had a phoenix lay a golden egg in front of him and a baby popped out. Kim in Korean, Chinese and Japanese means GOLD! In my travels here, once 45 years ago, the streets had no golden eggs laying around but I am sure there were many Kims.

This is an astrological observatory built in the 7th century. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheomseongdae)
used for storing goods
people do these rock towers for good luck
there are many dozens of these tombs around the city. they look like large mounds
guess who is minding the store
the reconstructed walking bridge
the almost ccompletely rebuilt “traditional town” (model) with the walking bridge on the right
in complete control of things
organic Cornell collors
a school for manga and animation creation, a huge Korean export
if you do the doo doo that he do
an excavation site around a former castle
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Mainz – Germany

With the printer!

The visit to Mainz would never be considered as having “happened” if you did not visit Gutenberg’s museum and also had a photo taken with the “printer” himself, even if he is a pretty “hard” fellow to get to know. I think he is now Bronze. From here you can take a vineyard and wine tasting trip on the Rhine or visit Wiesbaden, another beautiful place with an iconic Old Town.

One of the famous Gutenberg bibles
we stayed across from the Jewish cemetery. many gravestones have been disfigured or destroyed.
St. Stephen’s church where Chagall created some of the stained glass windows.
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Frankfurt Day 1

I found in Frankfurt it’s good to have a sense of humor. Our first day here was filled mostly with shopping for necessities Such as shoes which I did not have since I have been a beach bum for the last three years. My long trousers were completely worn out so I needed a new pair. Included in the shopping list was a SIM card and fixing my brothers ring which broke a few days ago. The city is very much a financial center so it has some drabness to it but today we are going to look for some interesting buildings and scenery. Some of the food takes me back to my childhood since my mother made a lot of German recipes. Now it’s time to go and walk around.

Near the airport in Bangkok, we found Khao Soi, the Chiang Mai version, so decided to stop for the flavor.
Outside the hotel, in front of the main station.
This is an inexpensive place to go shopping, very middle class.
Vespas come in all sizes. All of them were for sale.
A practical joke.
This German idea of Asian food includes foods from different places in east and Southeast Asia. The addition of chop Suey obviously indicates some US influence.
Exactly why I came to this shopping center
Of course we need some delicious bread for Breakfast
Frankfurt main station
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Chantaburi- Wat Pak Nam Khaem Nu

This beautiful temple is done mostly in white and blue tiles but the inside of the temple is really unbelievable. The artwork and the paintings are something that you don’t find in many temples in Thailand. This temple is definitely worth a visit.
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Pattaya – Playground of Thailand?

Nightlife on the restaurant street (other entertainment as well)

if you can picture Las Vegas with smaller casinos like clubs, a lot of drinking places, very raunchy entertainment venues, people pulling you into their establishments and a very large arrangement of visitors from all over the world…and a beach that isn’t quite clean enough to swim in, you have Pattaya. It isn’t as much a family place as a large single’s bar with hundreds of restaurants. Phuket is much more family oriented while Pattaya absorbs most of the fringe elements from around the world; some rich and quite a few are just looking for a cheap place to be entertained in almost any form imaginable. This is the wild entertainment center of Thailand where it takes some doing to find Thai cultural treasures. One stands out, The Sanctuary of Truth, an interesting and encompassing introduction to Buddhism and influences from many other ideas from many places on earth. Pattaya is an hour from Bangkok and originally started as an entertainment beach for US military personnel during the Vietnam war. It has it’s attractions, the lights and noise, but for people traveling to Thailand for culture it probably isn’t a place to visit. Go and enjoy if you are looking for wild fun, but hold on to your valuables!

The Sanctuary of Truth
The Beach where you want to make sure you don’t swallow any ocean water if you go swimming. The water is not very clean.
The sunsets with a good beer are relaxing.
See! Relaxing.
Lots of entertainment.
An overview.
An interesting door
Opportunities to buy inexpensive goods.
I think it was this boat that had a big lighted cross but it seems to be more of a casino
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New year-time for food

Lao ox skin with side veggies and Lao beer
Fish and chicken grilled for customers
Cockle buffet on kids chairs, easy and light to stack
Cockles buffet. Very nice. Spicy sauces for flavor
Everyone needs a mechanical gorilla to sell eggs at the gas station
Nice Quatro Formaggi at Babylon, Koh Chang
I miss japan too
lasagna at Papa’s, Klong Son
Taking a coffee break from driving
Stir fried veggies, TOM YAM seafood and sting ray
nice dinner in Kon Kaen by the lake
Chicken and kale, fried eggs on top are a popular thing
Vietnamese rice paper wraps.
Fruit for smoothies
They wanted to chew on me
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Interesting things in Bangkok and on to Laos

A red and gold Chinese wish for good business along with many MANNEKI NEKO (Japanese welcoming cat)
nice view from a hotel top in Chinatown
Golden Mountain seen at night
visiting the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun)
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun. some Hindu design. I climed

to the top 35 years ago (not allowed now) and going back down was very scary.

Wat Arun
Pasan at Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Arun. nice garden
a nice reclining Buddha
the feet are engraved with stories
Wat Arun
high up with a great view
do you think this is a nicely designed building?
finally a well organized bus line in Bangkok
Khao San Road has become a fairly expensive backpacker paradise? oxymoron. great place to buy a fake ID card if you feel you need one (don’t recommend using it)
yes, it is what it says
a very active place even at night, maybe especially at night
Getting on the plane for Laos
You can ride all the way Laos if your train schedules match up
In Laos, how to destroy the environment
Duck/Beer restaurant in Vientiane. if you park on the street to the left you have no parking fee. if you park in the restaurant parking lot you have to pay a parking fee. seems to be reversed from logic.
Your sales shop on wheels