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Coconut.
Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok
This exotically titled offering consisted of a puff pastry outer ( not too greasy).
It smelled very strongly of coconut as was expected given that it's a Coconut Pie.
The filling however had no discernible coconut. It appeared to be largely condensed milk and a couple of blobs of (possibly) apple.
A poor effort.
Here we are then, in Cambodia. Siem Reap to be precise.
Partly to escape the blog ban but mostly to view the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex.
So famous that they've put it on their flag, Angkor Wat is "the largest religious monument in the world".
(I can't be certain, not having visited them all yet).
It is however a UNESCO world heritage site (like Pontycysyllte Aqueduct, but obviously, not Welsh).
It's also home to a great many monkeys, some of whom tried hitching a ride on my skirt.
I literally shook them off and headed into the temple.
It's very impressive topped as it is by 5 giant pineapple looking things (I took advice from JB as to the type of fruit)
There was a series of bas-reliefs. The first one depicted the exciting tale of "The churning of the Sea of Milk" ( I'm guessing you had to be there really)
The second concerned itself with visions of Heaven and Hell ( and they call themselves Buddhist!)
I must say that on the whole I favoured the Heaven bits. Lots of lying around being fed sweets .
As for Hell, the graphics were, I'm afraid, extremely graphic, causing JB at one point to exclaim "Oh I say, that's a bit strong"
Mindful of my readers' weak stomachs the only torture pic I've included shows someone having their hair pulled. But it was probably quite hard.
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| hair pulling (Centre of pic) |
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| This statue is judging you |
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| And this one..... |
I'm afraid I have to inform you of a heinous crime wrought upon this blog.
After my last (fairly innocuous ) foreign pie news, the Thai authorities became so enraged that they blocked access to the blog.
I'm not sure what upset them so much but I'm here to state that this is the blog which must not and indeed cannot be silenced.
Except in Thailand.
And so we fled to Cambodia.
Stay tuned for more temple action.
Chicken and mushroom (Starbucks, Don Mueang Airport Bangkok)
At last!
After 6 pieless days we came upon this beacon of hope.
The pie itself was entirely constructed from puff pastry (which, let's be honest, doesn't do well in a microwave).
Initial sogginess aside the filling was actually quite pleasant although in a blind tasting I'm not sure I'd be able to identify the ingredients.
Perhaps just as well......
A definite hint of chicken and lots of pepper but no mushroom taste.
However JB says that the black specks dotted about in the sauce were almost certainly/possibly mushroom.
Overall, a reasonable effort.
Buoyed up by yesterday's non appearance of rain we booked a cruise by longtail boat through Bangkok's canal system. (Allegedly the Venice of the East )
*Important point: said boats have rudimentary roof and NO coverings on the sides.
Within about 3 minutes of leaving the jetty we heard the first rumble of thunder......
Shortly after the now familiar deluge began.
And continued for quite some time.
Once we were thoroughly drenched the boatman obligingly moored up under a bridge for shelter.
At last, we were able to press on. (I've never before been at risk of drowning whilst still ON the boat)
I have to admit that eventually the trip was worth it, we saw kingfishers (not captured on camera) and several monitors lizards (see below).
We also took part in a longtail Canal Lock traffic jam (a first for this blogger and every bit as thrilling as it sounds)
And saw some fairly wobegone shacks too.....
After that it was time to retreat to the relative tranquility of Wat Pho, a massive temple complex containing a (and I quote) "humongous " reclining Buddha.
(15m high and 46m long, so no pics available)
Here's a flavour of the day:
I won't lie to you blogmates, I misheard the venue for today's outing.
I thought we were en-route to view the (unlikely as it seems) Bangkok home of homophobic right wing 'comedian' Jim Davidson.
Imagine my surprise (and immense relief) to discover that in fact we were to visit the home of American silk factory magnate Jim THOMPSON......
It's definitely worth a look if you're in the area (if not pics follow)
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