Coffee, shopping, lunch, Central Festival

Banks in Phuket open at 9:30 at Tesco in Phuket so it was a great excuse to go to Starbucks to try their new drink - a Mocha Honeycomb Crunch - delicious.

After going to the bank it was time to go shopping and the coolest store was definitely the Hollywood Studio Store but it was just as well that there was nothing there my size...

The food-hall upstairs is a reasonable place to grab a bite at very good value but I don't like to go into Food Halls if they are empty....

and I didn't need my nails being done...

Was going to post my twitter - #rantoftheday about people's parking but with things as they are... So this picture is of a Sino-Portuguese house in Phuket Town which has owners but not a lot happening to it.

Then time to go to buy some new glasses - Somsak Optic is the place that we like to go - a lovely family owned and run business. But I did not buy the glasses above...

Then it was time for lunch - we chose to go to Mellow Yellow after there had been some renovations. It was now a 'toast + bistro' - the Bubble Tea was still the best. 

It was good - check out the review on www.http://timinphuket-restaurants.blogspot.com.

Then there was the 'model shot' which I tried to get but it didn't work...

Have you ever thought of what was at the Weekend Market when it wasn't the weekend...

So we went to Central Festival to keep out of the rain - a bit disturbing but funny - maybe I should have been served quicker?

Then there was the DJ - who is this - very noisy here!!!

So we went home to make pasta...

Por Tor Festival 2015 (timetable)

“The Por Tor Festival usually falls on the 15^th day of the seventh waxing moon according to the Chinese calendar and Thai-Chinese people believe that the spirits of ancestors are released to visit their relatives during this festival,” explained Somjai Suwannasupapana, Mayor of Phuket Town.

“The festival is also called the Hungry Ghost Festival, as believers prepare food not only for their ancestors but also to nourish spirits who have no living family to visit,” Mayor Somjai added.

“Every year at this time, Phuket holds the Por Tor Festival to give thanks and offering to our ancestors as a way to express our gratitude. This practice have been passed on to us from generation to generation.

“This annual giving not only gives the spirits great food, but also brings luck and good health in return to the givers,” Mayor Somjai added.

During the festival in Phuket, various foods, fruits and colourful desserts are placed at altars for the spirits of ancestors. Many people also set up extra offerings at the back of their homes to invite the lost souls that have no family to come and enjoy the festivity.

The main attraction for the festival are red turtle cakes called Ang Ku, which come in various sizes and are made from wheat flour and sugar.

For many Chinese, the turtle represents strength and is also a symbol for longevity. The colour red simply means good luck to many Thai-Chinese descendants.

There will be two parades, on August 30 and September 1.

On August 30, the “Procession of the Red Turtle” will begin at 12:10pm, starting at 72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Rd and ending at the fresh market on Ranong Rd.

On September 1, the procession will begin at 5pm, starting at the 72nd Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park and ending at the Bang Neow Shrine on Phuket Rd.

• Aug 26 and Sept 2 at Thaihua Museum on Krabi Rd
• Aug 28 Joor Shu Kong Shrine at Surin Circle
• Aug 30-31 fresh market on Ranong Rd
• Sept 1-12 at Seng Tek Bel Shrine (also called “Por Tor Shrine”), next to Bann Bang Neow School on Phuket Road
• Sept 3 Por Tor Ao Khaer shrine on Takua Pa Rd

Thank you to the Phuket News for the text 
- See more at: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-por-tor-hungry-ghost-festival-is-on-its-way-53622.php#sthash.fYCjsSuF.dpuf 

Triposo (App)

What is there to see in Phuket?

Description

One travel guide for the whole world. It's free and works offline.

Triposo offers you the best travel guide for your phone. Complete and up to date information from the best open sources and handy maps. Download city or country guides and use them offline while you travel. They are all free.

Features:

• Start the Triposo Travel Guide and pick the country you will be visiting. The download starts immediately.
• Download once and the guides work offline.
• The guide includes an overview map for the country and detailed city maps for the top cities.
• For major cities, you get a special city guide with information about all the major sights, a list of great restaurants and different nightlife options.
• Travel dashboard with currency converter, weather and useful phrases.

I chose to download the details of Southern Thailand - this can be viewed off-line which is always helpful.

Then I read that there were two downloads which you could have

This was great - I looked where I was and it gave me a number of ideas...

but then there were places that I was (at work for example) where there was nothing...

but then when I was near to an 'attraction' I was informed - clever!

The real point would be when it was linked to more information which was more complete and certainly up-to-date. I could help them with information? Then there is Jamie and his blog. I do not think that it would be difficult to do this?

Cost: free

Ease of use: simple to mange

Comment: this would be wonderful if it had more information

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/triposo/id467053028?mt=8 

(Click for more Apps for a trip to Phuket)

This is a link to a Thailand one - not yet reviewed

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/thailand-travel-guide-by-triposo/id467624300?mt=8 

บ้านขนมไทย (ชาววัง) (Phuket) Visit ?

As indicated previously this is a very popular Thai restaurant which as absolutely nothing in any other language but English - so you must either know what you what, go with someone that can speak Thai or you like the fun of pointing at something. This Chinese sausage dish was bought by my wife but I did not see it out.

What is out is all in a Buffet Style - so if you are a little later (after 12:00) then you may find dishes be lesser - this is a dish which I cannot eat - Gaeng Som - I cannot eat this so we go out to eat this dish all the time!

This is the selection of cold vegetbles which is always served with a Thai Curry and I have gotten used to eating it with anything...

Then there are the drinks tha you can have and I have to admit this Lychee fresh Fruit drink was not for me...

Then there were so many deserts to take home I as puzzled at which one to take - well they had run out of sticky rice and mango... For a traditional Thai restaurant this is a fantastic place to visit...

Previous visit

1) May 2014

 

Phone Number:  076 250 717
Approximate price: $$$$$ 

Address: ตรงข้ามภูเก็ตซิตี้โฮม, ถ.ร่วมพัฒนา

Hours: 7:00 - 20:00? (no clear times)

View timinphuket - restaurants and coffee shops in a larger map

(Click for more visits to Restaurants in Phuket)

Disaster strikes the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok

Disaster strikes the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.

"Monday night saw Bangkok again in world headlines for all the wrong reasons, with a bomb detonated in the heart of the Thai capital beside the revered Erawan Shrine. At this stage at least 21 people are believed to be dead and more than 100 injured. Authorities are yet to make any accusations and there has been no claim of responsibility."

"Some fingers have been pointed at the long-running insurgency in far southern Thailand, but it would be a drastic escalation for the secessionists of the far south to bring their grievances to Bangkok in this manner. The other main candidate would be an anti-junta or pro-royalist attack, but again, a bombing clearly designed to kill as many innocent bystanders as possible would be out of character for either of these groups. The main concern; was this a one-off despicable act or the first of a string of attacks?"

Text is from Travelfish 

12 people confirmed killed.
Our thoughts go out to those people.

Terrible...

Bike for Mom Phuket

Bike for Mom in Phuket 

Thousands of cyclists joined each other across Thailand in honour of 
Her Royal Highness the Queen Sirikit.

In Phuket we had a bicycle ride from City Hall in Phuket to Krabi and we finished in Sapan Hin.

Wearing shirts in the queen’s colour - sky-blue we cycled through the streets of Phuket through streets which were closed to traffic.

Thank you to all those who cheered us on in through the streets.

I would love to see the drone photographs and the helicopter photographs.

We will get Jemma a new bicycle...

We did meet the helicopter - Channel 3.

I loved the wheels on this bicycle - there were a lot more like this!

Coca-Cola vs. Water - who do you think won? 

We finished in Sapan Hin - street foods...

Note to remember - charge the GoPro (copy) using the plug... and wow it was hot - the iPhone stopped dialling numbers!!

Street Foods - Fried chicken and Sticky Rice

Gai Tod (ไก่ทอด)

Fried chicken and sticky rice is a favourite of my daughter's and I enjoy it as well.

It is a dish which is served throughout Phuket and is on the side of the road. We usually buy ours in Sapan Hin or Sakdidej Road (on the way home from Phuket Town) but is available in a great many places.

What I find the most fascinating is that the taste is usually the same whichever place you choose to purchase your food so there must be a standard recipe?

This day I was lucky because I managed to be at the stall at about 10 am in the morning and here was a lady with chicken pieces in a big bowl and was turning them over to be covered in the flour mixture.

I think that the secret here is in the marinade - see here for one.

After the chicken pieces were covered in the flour mixture / batter.
This is where I read things can change - I also read that if it is made by a different community it is also different, for example Muslim and Buddhist).

 I watched them being put into the boiling oil (usually palm oil if that makes a difference). I also know that there are differences in the oil that are made by adding pandanus leaves?

The chicken is cooked for a longer time than I initially thought. The second 'nugget' (sorry) of information is this - cook the chicken until it begins to dry up.

This does distinguish it from a Western version (for example: KFC) where there is a degree of moisture left in the chicken meat - there is very little but it does mean that the chicken is moist - Thai Fried Chicken is dry.

It is also served with sticky rice and fried shallots - a wonderful mixture and always a treat for us.