Taking an Emirates flight on a brand new Airbus A 380 from Dubai to Bangkok was a blast for itself, arriving at an empty hotel surrounded by red shirts another exiting and sober experience! All that within eight hours. Nevertheless; first thing comes first, needed to get out onto the street to get my sour pork sausages with lettuce and ginger. Welcome home to Bangkok, the city of angels and right now; of red shirts.

Of course, with every gathering, big or small, there are some opportunist and business minded entrepreneurs out in the mass to exploit the sudden influx of potential customers and knowing Thais eating habit; they do not mind having a vast smorgasbord of local specialties offered to them while swinging loudly red flags and making noise like on a football match. I was amazed what great snacks where offered amid a busy intersection in central Bangkok, normally chocked block with vehicles of all kind!

Kanom Tang Taek

One of those snacks was a crispy coconut pancake with fresh coconut and sugar with grounded black sesame made by a very enthusiastic chap on a mobile cooking stove.

Monks amongst the protesters?

Som Tam

The morning after the big protest

And reading about the latest news in the paper!

An early morning view of a Dubai Arabian Resort

During the summer to take a trip into the desert would be foolish and considered close to a suicide attempt or tired of life in general. Not in the winter time where the temperature is moderate and probably and most likely match a summer day in Europe! Here, we cover our self in protective clothing against the “cold” and also against the sand while quad biking in the dunes near Hatta Fort.

P and me we took the beast on its horn, better on its handle, a 500ccm rocket on 4 x 4 wheels to bash the Red Hill and beyond. Digging the back wheels into the sand on a steep hill almost ended my experience but in the end we managed the stranded beast to get on its four wheels again to explore more sand dunes.

Philippe and Me!