Traves Tangents

  Last night I found myself in a Greek restaurant… …high above Bangkok… …with lovely Chris… …and some Oxford alumni. As well as eating some delicious food, we ended up smashing plates and dancing to a very weird selection of music including the Macarena, the YMCA and the Spice Girls… …a good time was had by all… OPA!

  After a very sad farewell to Malaysia, I am in Bangkok… …staying with the lovely Chris… …in his amazing flat… ….with its distinctive green balconies…. …high above the dens of iniquity. Today I ventured across the road… …to Terminal 21 a HUGE shopping mall. As well as the usual ban… …each floor is themed to be like a city. The postbox and telephone boxes for London were fair enough… …but I found the London Underground themed toilets more than a little bizarre. I found both the supermarket, and the bookshop, so time for some background reading (the late Peggy Jacob’s trained me well).

  I don’t usually… …take photos… …of food But… …apart from… …the odd exception… ….the food… …has been…. ….absolutely… ….amazingly… …fabulous. So it would be rude… …not to.

Another day… …another museum… …this case… …the Museum of Islamic Arts. Here are a few things that I would steal given the chance. An Italian plate inspired by Islamic motifs… …some Persian tiles… …a beautiful carafe… …an insense burner… …and a nifty coat with matching boots and stirrups. There were lots of lovely jewels including this nose ring (which must have been HEAVY)…   …a hair pin… …a turban pin… …and this little darling. I got to play my favourite game… …of ‘spot the beastie’. However, my absolute favourite was this book of prayers in the shape of minarets.

  Such a delight… …to fulfill… …a long held ambition… …and visit a tea plantation. It was an absolutely stunning place… …and quite extraordinary… …to be surrounded… …by so much tea. I wonder if I could grow an ornamental bush or two in the garden at home?