The Gang hosts a dinner for Sivaporn on his appointment as economic advisor.

Suvannaphum Airport First Operating Day

Our plane is one of the first flights to take off from Suvannaphum Airport, Bangkok's new airport, as we fly on PB Air to Lampang to buy a new elephant and inspect the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation's camp there.
The official name is "Suvarnnabhumi Airport", but I have decided to spell it "Suvannaphum" for the time being because I don't think it deserves that spelling yet and also it has not been officially inaugurated.
Certain Remarks:
1. The "tallest control tower" was so tall that the controllers' section was shrouded by low clouds restricting their view of taxing planes.
2. The cantilevered roof does not extend to the drop off area provided for general traffic. Only Airport limousine and VIP have protected drop off. Fortunately it did not rain that day, or our suitcases and ourselves would have been soaked.
3. Check-in did not accept our over sized satellite dish. We had to get one of those unergonomic trolleys and push it to the "Over Sized" area which was quite far. And then left the trolley to block the traffic there since there was no trolley parking area.
4. Flight info on LCD flat panels were not only small but difficult to register because of the dual language and constant scrolling. Took quite a while to find info on our flight : Gate A1B.
5. Took the people mover conveyor towards Concourse A. Hand rails were not synchronized and poor quality because they did not move smoothly.
6. Concourse A was the wrong one and we had to walk back 500 meters since there was no return people conveyor.
7. Went through security check seven times. The detector was set to 99% so even my gold necklace, and finally the zipper on my shirt caused it to buzz.
8. Waiting room for departure even for small PB domestic flight was small.
9. Smoking room was unbearable even for smokers. Several foreigners ran out the room without trying to smoke. The airport should be sued for endangering peoples' health with their Smoking Rooms.
10. Traffic routing for buses picking up passengers is not functional and dangerous. Buses have to stop and back up, while blocking traffic flow.
11. On our return we found that in the Arrival Hall before luggage pick up, most people will head for the toilets. There are 4 bowls for Men and 5 bowls for Women. Long lines for both toilets prevented toilet cleaners, paper and tissue replacement from getting in. Faucets and sinks not designed for public usage.
12. The Business Lounge which is shared by all airlines is fully crowded.
13. The King Power Duty Free Shop signs give foreigners wrong impression together with get number of posters and signs about H.M. the King's 60th Anniversary.
14. Positioning of the guarding "Giants" inside a structure is a "no no". Bad karma!.

Rochana and Patrapa come to send me off at the Suvannaphum Airport on its inauguration day.
SD's initial critique:
1. Toilets are not of public place specifications. Male and female toilets should have two similar sections each, one of which can be closed off for cleaning and servicing while the other half is open for usage. At the arrival hall where hundreds of arrivals come through after landing, the Men's toilet have only four stalls. Forty or more users line up and the cleaning staff is unable to enter and clean or replace paper, creating greater mess. Women's toilet is even worse.
2. Smoking rooms are unbearable even for smokers. The airport should be sued for inhumanity and endangering the lives of smokers. Even Singapore which is very strict about smoking provides better smoking facilities.
3. General functional design is poor. Emphasis has been on grand form rather than practicality and function. So sad!

Sivaporn discusses various matters before receiving a cheque of Baht 1 million from Khun Goanpot Aswinvichit, President and CEO of the Government Savings Bank for the Elephant Reintroduction Project Celebrating H.M. the King's 80th Birthday.

Sivaporn Appointed Economic Advisor to CDR

Phavadee leads funding group consisting of Mallee, Somsri and Kannika to present SIvaporn a congratulatory bouquet on his appointment as one of the economic advisors to the CDR (Council for Democratic Reform) which led the coup to oust the Thaksin regime.

"Spagetti al' Astrice" at "Lo Sbarco" restaurant on the fishing pier at Anzio. Anzio just celebrated the 50 th anniversary of the Allied forces landing in Anzio from where they proceed north for the Liberation of Rome from Nazi occupation.

With the Kodak P880 I am finally able to get an excellent photo of what one sees through that keyhole: The Dome of Saint Peter's Basilica.

Near the Hotel Santa Prisca where we are staying, Rochana looks into the keyhole to see the very special sight.

Peter Gets His Citizenship Sept.21, 2006

Thepadol Dardarananda (Peter) receives his Italian citizenship today. Peter was born in Rome at the Villa Bianca Hospital some 48 years ago. He has been working at IBM in Rome for the past 15 years.

The Lombadina, veal chop. my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant in Rome: "Taverna Cestia" just ten minutes walk from the hotel.

2006 Coup d'Etat

We watch news of the coup on BBC on the hotel TV.

Peter drives us to "Antonello Colonna" Restaurant in Labico. Entrance is a red locked door on the main narrow highway/road passing through the town. The service is extreme first class and the food is at least two Michelin stars.

Dinner in San Gimignano, small hilltop town south of Florence and north of Siena. Very good dinner of pasta wild boar and steaks at the La Cisterna Hotel Restaurant.

Patrapa makes a phone call on the Spanish Steps.

Throw some coins into the Fountain of Trevi.

At designers outlet near Levanella.

At the Prada factory outlet store in Levanella, about 35 kilometers south of Florence.

That is the old man Felice, just behind me. Actually during the thirteen years I lived in Rome we passed this place every week. Never knew it existed until the New York Times had an article on it. It is by invitation only. You had to know Felice to eat here. Now that it is well known, you can make a resevation. The place is two blocks from the Santa Prisca Hotel where we normally stay.

After our arrival to Rome, Peter takes us to "Felice a Testaccio" for lunch.

This anchovie tapas is one of the most delicious and typical of Spain's tapas.

Khun Banyong treats us to a very delicious tapas lunch at Ciudad Condal.

View of the Regent "Seven Seas Voyager" in the Barcelona port.

Some kind of gaudy sculpture at the Gaudi Park.

Khun Yao and Graham Cox at the Gaudi Park. Since it is very gaudy this is where the word "gaudy" comes from.

"Latitudes" Restaurant serves Oriental fusion food.

Dinner at The fusion restaurant "Latitudes".

The 10th overseas Dole Thailand Board of Directors Meeting at the Suite 701 starts at 2PM.

The ship makes a slight deviation and rescues 9 French speaking Algerians who have been trying to emigrate to Spain. Ten started out but the Zodiac was swamped by waves and one was lost to the seas.

Cadiz - Sevilla, Spain

Fountain in Cathedral square.

In side the grand Cathedral of Seville.

In front of The Cathedral of Seville.

Rochana has the ox tail and Patrapa the shrimp in olive oil garlic.

We lunch in restaurant famous for the bulls that lost.

The old and ancient Roman port of Cadiz.

Visit the famous pink Madonna of Cadiz.

We hire a taxi to take us around Cadiz and to Seville.

The ship arrives in Cadiz, Spain while we are having breakfast on the upper deck.

Dinner at the "Signatures" the Cordon Bleu restaurant on the Regent's Seven Seas Voyager. Only one reservation is allowed per trip at this restaurant.

Lisbon, Portugal

Passing the Monument to Vasco da Gama on departure from Lisbon, Sivaporn wears the "pah gama" in tribute to Vasco da Gama who brought the cloth to Siam.

Patrapa orders the Portugese Ham appetizer and the very common Portugese Fried Sardines. She said the sardines were very good.

Rochana orders the Shellfish Rice dish typical of Portugese food. She said it was excellent seafood "khao thom".

Khun Banyong Lamsam is proud to stand by the emblem of Banco National de Ultramarino. He began his banking profession working at this bank's branch in London.

Khun Chumpol Na Lamlieng debarks in Lisbon to rush off for another board meeting.

The Monument to Vasco da Gama greets us as we sail into Lisbon.

Vigo, Spain

Rochana and Patrapa take a taxi tour of Vigo, Spain. This is from one of the hilltops.

Santander- Bilbao

Permanent exhibition " The Matter of Time" by Richard Serra represents the old by a series of enormous rusting iron plates in the grand exhibition hall. These have form similar to the titanium sheated exterior of the Guggenheim Museum.

The Guggenheim Museum was designed by Frank Gehry. The titanium exterior denotes the new spaceage material, whereas Bibao was Spain's center of the iron and steel ages in the 16-19th century. Extensive iron mining, steel and shipbuilding emerged in Bilbao. The word "billet" is supposed to have come from "Bilbao". Most importantly the initial investment of $200 million of the Museum has lowered the unemployment figures from 33% to 4.5% presently. It has regenerated Bilbao into a center of culture and business enterprises.

Bilbao-Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. In front is "The Puppy".

Bordeaux, France

Walking -shopping street in Bordeaux.

Kay enjoys a very delicious fois gras.