KAMPOL

This is my second times in Macau and I have to say that it is absolutely enjoyable than my first visit. I went there for the fashion shooting with Honeymoon+Travel magazine (Thai magazine) and Macau tourism. Our team has been take care by best guide of tourism Macau. He’s really treat us as a king and queen while we stay over there.

Since we in the casino town why don’t we try gambling? That is the question come up from magazine crew in the first night. So we decided to try some luck with the greyhound race… and while everyone lost their money, only I had some fortune with it. I place 10 dollar Macau bet and I got 100 dollar Macau back, how lucky I am.

And here some picture from the Honeymoon+Travel (Thai magazine) Macau issue. The models are real couple, they are a famous TV stars in Thailand so it end up with a natural theme for a lover kinda pictures.. enjoy!

Laos is the place that like our bother, Thailand. Even though, we speak different language but it pretty much close on the sound and meaning. I think it is because we come from the same route of language.

We arrived in vientiane everything here clam and peaceful.. well, more than Bangkok for sure. We start working right away by start shooting some shot at the local temple around town. The temple here look very stunning. It look old, authentic and very beautiful. I feel like they all could be a paradise resort hotel somewhere in the east because it just look so amazing.

After many shot round temple, we did the shot around Vientiane street too including their victory monument. Laos people around the street are very friendly and they seem relax all the time.

I can get the feeling that It would be a perfect place for someone who want some peace in their life would find Laos a real heaven on earth.

In the night after the shooting we went to the night life of Vientiane and find out that in this city most teenager will go to one place called ‘Center Point’ just to have a Soya Milk drink and have a chat with their friend.. how CUTE of teenager here. This somehow not happen in Bangkok now as teenager seem go out just for a beer or alcohol.. not for a Soya milk!

The magazine is already come out and I hope everyone love the fashion picture. Here is the link for the fashion in Honeymoon & Travel.

After spent lovely time wondering around Loch Ness for two nights. Now we on the way down to Edinburgh. We left very early morning so we could have some extra time to visit lot of places along the way before we get to Edinburgh. We decided to stop at Blair Atholl town for a cup of tea at the water mill tea room opposite the Blair Atholl Castle.

Then we head for some interesting lesson about whisky. Well, since we’ve been in Scotland we thought it a proper idea to learn something about whisky! We went to Blair Atholl distillery. Here they produce whisky for Bell’s brand while they specialize in whisky that doesn’t have smoky taste. I’ve learned a lot about how whisky made and what it make the whiskey to have a smoky and not smoky smell. It’s actually from the whisky barrel itself.

After whiskey lesson we stop by for a tallest tree in England (I’m not sure it’s true but I’m sure it definitely on the top list of it). It a lovely big area with lot of tall tree. I also grab some nut and expecting to feed some red squirrel but unfortunately doesn’t found any :-((

At noon, we’ve finally arrived at Forth Rail and Forth Road of Edinburgh. And here we are in Edinburgh city. It’s so beautiful and full of old historical building. To me It feel very eastern Europe!

Our first dinner in Edinburgh we’ve decided to go to Cafe Royal (It’s been recommended from the best Beer guide book of the 2008). In here they not only sell lot of drink but also lot of good food too! The place decorated with French style. I have a mussel in white wine sauce and it is very yummy. While my friend having oyster and haggis.

The next day we spent time around town. Did some shopping and sight seeing. Our main attraction is the Edinburgh castle. Here we’ve learned some history about Scotland and England. I think the ticket is a bit pricey but well once in a life time so it’s okay… but If you ask me to pay for that castle again…. maybe not…

And next stop we will visit some other small town on the way down before our trip end at Manchester city… C u!

After adventure in Lake District Now it time for our next journey and this time ‘We’re gonna catch some Nessie!!!’

On the way up north we’re passed the road along high mountain. The scene itself nothing but heavenly views. I feel like Frodo or Harry Potter from Lord of the ring or Potter movie with these stunning landscapes!

We also stop by for lunch at Fort William on the way to Drumnarochit. I have pork sandwich with honey sauce while my friend try venison sandwich. After we have lunch, we walk around town for a small shopping checking what in and out in here. I bought one jumper, a product of Scottish wool on a fairy cheap price. While my friend just walking round and try on kilt for fun…

And here we are at the Drumnarochit town next to the Loch Ness. Over here we’ve found a Nessie floating in a small pond next to the visitor centre, not very hard to catch at last ;-))

We stay in a small bunk house where we have our kitchen to cook our breakfast and dinner. The town is very cute and so small. I suspect that everyone in this town must know each other and say something like ‘Hello Mrs.Mary. How are you this morning.. How’s Billy your son… How’s your sheep today.. ;-p ‘

The time here is all about enjoying cute little town by the day and enjoy bitter by the night. On the walk way to the pub at 9pm absolutely feel like walking at midnight in the jungle! Very dark and so quite… I think people go to bed here at 10pm maybe… (I mean the good one not the drunkie one like us)

The highlight here would be nothing else but The Loch Ness itself. We set foot for a quest along the lake looking for a Nessie to snap on picture and you know what? I’ve got some at last!!!!!

At the lake, I’m not only found Nessie monster but I also found Donald monster and his girlfriend :-)) There a swan and duckie swimming in the lake. Well, If you don’t pay attention it could be real Nessie or perhap those Nessie picture in the legend was actually a swan afterall… and that the end of the journey here and next stop Edinburgh here I come…

After the joy & fun in Blackpool… here we are in Lake District, another step north near Scotland. We’ve arrived in the middle of the night at hostel in Helvellyn,  just exactly like the movie ‘Withnail & I’ except that the hostel we went to not that rotten like the movie…

The hostel we stay was a real heaven on earth, in term of location and beauty! Our backyard nothing else but a small tarn running along the mountain!

We cooking our meal by ourselves while staying in Helvellyn and after we’ve enjoyed breakfast we set off for a big hiking. Our destiny is nothing but a small ice lake on top of the mountain. How long to get there? Well, man! I can tell you it two and a half hours walk!

And at the top! Here we are with a small lake that melt from ice… It’s was very beautiful and also very chilly too as the wind keep blowing so we decided to have a sip on red wine to keep warm ;-p

After the hiking trip in the morning at the late afternoon we went to Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick. Here the circle was probably constructed around 3200 BC, what’s a stunning story! Around here has became a sheep farm as sheep around everywhere including in the stone area too.

After spent 2 day in Helvellyn we moving closer to Scotland. Here we stop at the small Keswick town for a lunch. It was very quite and cute town. We stop at the local small reataurent and I have a small pork with honey sandwich while my friend try venison sandwich..

Then we heading off again and this time… here i come lockness monster, c ya ;-))

To be continue…

It’s been quite busy mix with lazy for the past few week. Sorry Shane that I didn’t update my blog as it should be and thank for giving me a kick to put every stuff I have into it… This is the lastest trip aboard I have so far for the past 2 months. It couldn’t be anywhere else but England and this time I’m heading for the north!

Life back in the UK nothing much but having English breakfast for morning, having bitter for afternoon then wine for the night. Every single day I feel fatter and fatter!!!

Many of the night in London, I went to the oldest wine bar in London called ‘Gordon’s Wine Bar‘. It’s the one near Embankment and Charing cross train station. I like the rotten feel inside here very much, it made me feel like I’m a Harry Potter while having butter beer ;-))

And after spending a few day wondering around London watching lot of plays, visiting a lot of museums and galleries. The trip starting with a few day in Manchester before we drove the car for some sweet and food both in Ramsbottom and Rochdale.

After we’ve got all the sweet ready in our pocket then we heading to the tourist town called Blackpool. We’re all so having fun in the Pleasure Beach. I did go on the PEPSI MAX after queueing for an hour to play it. It is very fun and very exciting machine, I would highly recommend everyone to try once!

We spent all day having fun in there until I notice that in Pleasure Beach, it is look very much like a capital town of Chevs and Hoodies… just so many many of them everywhere ;-P

And before we leave Blackpool. We having some dinner there and it couldn’t be anything else but Fish & Chips. We have it take away and decided to have it by the beach. It’s a brilliant idea until we got there and start to eat. The wind by the beach was so strong and fierce cold until our fish suddenly turn cold in a flash… So we have to find a shelter by the beach to protect us from these fierce wind while we could still enjoying a beautiful sea front and sunset!

And that all our day in Blackpool before we heading for another 3hrs to the Lake District!

To be continue…

Iran might not be an ideal place for many people, especially westerner, to visit but for me it was a great opportunity to have once in a life time! It was a trip for Honeymoon & Travel, Me and other crews don’t feel sure what we will face in Iran.

I was in Iran in 2008 and there so many bad political news in the press so everyone feel not really sure to be here but anyway we are here at last. And when we’re here everything looks very calm than we’re expected. I mean everything seem normal to me nothing like in the news.

The only thing I’m not keen on are food. Well, I’m just a person that not keen on Middle East food and also Chinese food ( I mean the authentic one in China. It’s just too oily for me, I’m okay with Chinese food in Thailand as they seem not oily as the original one )

We’re also went to the small town village and visit the old mansion in Kashan. In this area we found people with traditional Persian mix with Islamic dress style.

The most beautiful thing in the trip was the Mosque in Isfahan. It was one of the most stunning place I’ve ever been! Even though, It was on the renovation process but the building itself look very beautiful and huge!!!

And after enjoying the Isfahan Mosque and do some shooting in there, we enjoying the shopping in the square in front of this famous mosque. I brought some persian rug and some persian tote bag. It’s lovely colour and lovely persian items to have.

If I have another chance to go there I would love to go to Persepolis, Mesopotamia.. feel very sad that our 10 days in Iran not enough for that… so I wish one day I would be there again!

This is the first time for me in Istanbul and It’s not gonna be the last time!

Istanbul citys located in the north-west Marmara Region of Turkey. That placed the city between two continents, Asian and Eroupe. I was travelling there in summer and the weather is real nice.

I had a chance to stay in the very nice hotel, The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, that used to be a palace and one of the old building nowadays used as a palace suite for anyone with money to stay.. I think it more than about 20,000$ per night!!?!!? I am only staying in the standard one if you are wondering about it…

The day trip in here combined work and sight seeing at the same time. I went to the Grand Bazaar and lot of place in town for a nice location for shooting this including Ottoman Neo-Baroque, Ortaköy Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Basilica Cistern and many more…

One of the most interesting is the old harem, Topkapi Palace, that inside is so beautiful made me felt chilling just to walk around inside.

The other interesting things is that I can tell people here has so many love for CATS as I could see cats running around everywhere in the city but rarely see dog around… maybe they tend to keep dog inside, I don’t know… even one cat I saw was sitting in front of fishmonger shop waiting for some fish, how cute it is!

It’s a trip not in the city of light, New York, but a jazz and high way to heaven route 66… This is New Orleans and Albuquerque, New Mexico. I got this chance to travel round in US for ‘Honeymoon & Travel’ to the place not many Asian tourists would list in their holiday. The trip start with 27 hours of fight from Bangkok to Tokyo and Tokyo to Chicago before heading to New Orleans and then Albuquerque.

The first morning in New Orleans was about start working. We having the popular dough at ‘Cafe Du Monde’ for breakfast with a photo shoot inside the shop.

The dough itself, for me, nothing different from a Thai desert made from flour fried in oil and selling on the street called ‘Pa-Tong-Ko’. What different here is they serve it with lot of icing sugar and every bite I took I feel very bad the same as when I having Krispy Kreme doughnut! I just feel like I’m getting fat another stone!!!!

Inside the cafe is decorated with lot of feature feel so French colonial. As here used to be pretty much about French and also a lot of VOODOO thing too!

One of the most interesting night here was when we went to have a dinner in one of the restaurant here in New Orleans. It was a Jazz bar and the owner threat us with honour and when we having dinner we were very enjoying good wine and nice JAZZY!!!

We also enjoying a nice day trip along the Mississippi river. It was a very nice sunny day and we had lot of fun there…

After a few day in New Orleans we heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’s a trip we visiting the route66, ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California before ending at Los Angeles, encompassing a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km)

We had visiting and have some breakfast at one of the most beautiful hotel I have ever been, Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa. The hotel sit on the stunning view with lot of activities for their customer including horse riding and balloon trip.

And then we went to have lunch at the ROUTE66 restaurant. It was about hamburger and fast food, with no offense, I can’t believe how people eating these kindda food.. It’s just so not healthy and FAT FAT FAT!!!!!!!

And this will be another trip I would remember very well how nice it is. Here the link of the Albuquerque isuue of Honeymoon & Travel. I will put the New Orleans issue up the page soon if I’m not too lazy to scan it ;-))

One of the best holiday I have ever had in 2008! This city beat 130 other European cities to gain first place in European Tourism City of the Year in June 2007. In this cute little town, they’re not offer a cheesy tourist but a true history with lot of unique thing hiding everywhere you go. It just like a treasure game where you wonder round finding gems after gems.

It took about two hours to York from Rochdale, Manchester, as we took the train that stop by Leed and before we got on the train the trip is actually start from 12th century church, Rochdale Parish Church St.Chad’s. Where we had some breakfast and some pictures taking with the first Co-Op in the UK.

After about an hour on the train we stop at Leed and here we did some sight seeing a little bit. I went to Harvey Nichols and it is a sale season at the moment. What i found here in Leed is a lovely shoes from Dries Van Noten that is very cheap and something like this would not left in the sale in London as so many tourist would rave for it! And then we back on the train for a journey to our York Minster town…

Here we stay in local B&B. We just walk round and found this one cuz it got a picture of a cute cat at the window, I know right away this is the place we will stay ;-)) A time in York was so lovely. It has so many cute little boutiques and lot of things to see and taste. Basically we spent lot of time exploring from day to night and then get drunk… What’s a lovely life!

The hilight of the town would be the Minster itself.. It is one of the largest cathedral in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral with Gothic styles. York minster resurection so many time from destroying start from 627AD. It is took almost half of a century work to look what it is today and it has been standing there as a house of god for over 1,000 years!!!

Inside the Minster much more bigger even more than the outside. The big hall fill with ultra high cieling and statues of all English King with the great example of England turn back to Vatican (all the statues of angels and saints are beheaded). This was the result of Tudor, King Henry VIII, time. Also contained the biggest stain glass window in Europe…

And after the Minster we also enjoying a long walk along the wall of the city. We also visiting the old king castle site that today nothing more than a crumble of rock building…

The last night in York was about getting drunk and we did quite pretty well going in and out many pub, drinking lot of wine and beer… Then the next day we catch the train and our next stop is Liverpool…