We Decided To Take A Drive,

to the weekend plant market,

to find it take the Sumkivitt Road from Pattaya as if you are going to Bangkok, as soon as you pass the Bangkok Pattaya hospital on your left take the first 'U' turn and the market is on your left, this is the view from the far end of the car park with the the Bangkok Pattaya hospital in the distance,

 as soon as you enter the aisles,

 there are so many things to look at,

 small plants naturally,

 there was even an aquatic store,

 two as it happens with this one being the larger one,

 even if you live in a condominium you can still have a mini garden like one of these,

 or this slightly larger one,

 the carnivorous plant section,

 a really strange and fascinating group of plants,

I wonder if there is a trifid lurking around in there?

 as we made our way around there were several stalls selling examples of topiary,

 there were so many stalls selling this Christmas plant as I guess many people call them,

 or Poinsettias as they are also known as,

 lot of garden accessories,

 and fresh fruit for sale, we decide on a papaya,

 there are not only small plants for sale, trees and larger plants are also available, we watched one hotel/resorts truck being loaded with all manner of plants and bushes,

 then we weakened when we saw a lemon bush, 100 baht later and it was ours,

 one of the many stalls,

 selling some of the more 'colorful' garden ornaments,

 a few more examples of topiary,

 I just had to have a look at the orchids,

 so many to chose from,

 we had come here with the intention of buying a couple of cactus,

 I do not know how, but I had managed to kill off three of these almost out here indestructible plants,

 I was tempted by the bromeliads,

 but resisted,

 so many Christmas plants,

 rustic garden furniture was also on display,

 we wandered past another orchid stall,

 to the next one selling cactus,

 the trick is getting the one you want out without impaling yourself on the one next to it,

 one at 80 baht and three for 100 baht, bargain!

 one nicely in flower, but it was 250 baht,

 another orchid stall,

 there is something about orchids that I find so appealing, I had not seen this one before, which is hardly surprising as there are 25,000 - 30,000 different species of orchid, at least 10,000 of which can be found in the tropics, plus the infinite number of hybrid plants that are available,

 another miniature garden,

 just a few stalls away another if the orchids I mentioned earlier was in flower,

 waterfalls'R'us,

 just add water and plug in when you get home,

 everywhere we looked we kept seeing these miniature gardens,

 we stopped for a coffee, then home for us,

 Diana spent the afternoon wrapping Christmas presents,

 they all looked so pretty, later Mick and his girlfriend called by for a tea and a chat, he will be here for the next couple of months, after saying our farewells,

 it was time for our Saturday night feast, staring with garlic bread, notice my new best friend, the barrel of wine in the background,

 the bread followed by New Zealand mussels,

 with garlic,

 for our main course Diana had bought two huge pork chops,

 so it was light up the fire,

 and bring on the smoke,

 but with the aid of the fan it was soon a roaring success,

 the charcoal glowing nicely, 

 'Cheers!',

Diana had also prepared some crackling in the oven and of course fresh vegetables, we spent the evening outside listening to music amongst others a number of early songs by Marianne Evelyn Faithfull, who many people of my age will remember, she was the daughter of an Austro-Hungarian baroness and a former British intelligence officer, who at one time was married to Rolling Stones Mick Jagger, we moved inside about at 10.00 and watched Alice In Wonderland, great fun and then we were off to bed.