July 22 - Chatuchak

Today Felicia and I went to Chatuchak, the BIG weekend market in Bangkok, by ourselves.

FIRST, I needed to get over my fear. So I brought Felicia with me :o) We would need to get there by taxi. I figured that I should be able to get there no problem, the challenge would be getting home. This will be the 3rd and 4th times in my life that I'll be calling a taxi for myself by myself... Extra bonus: I don't speak Thai. Felicia is very excited that she can show me "the way out of Villa Arcadia to where the taxis are". The second taxi we approach will take us into town... it's about a 1/2 hour ride... for the equivalent of about US$9.00.

I have 2 goals on this outing: Check out the famous market, pick up souvenirs to take back the the states. Well, it turns out that this place it soooo huge you need to have a map if you've got any kind of shoping objective. I was only able to pick up a few things on my "to buy" list before Felicia was ready to call it quits. AND, it started to do that "downpour of rain in spurts" thing so it was getting MORE crowded as shoppers were trying to dodge into the covered portions of the market. Without knowledge of how the market was laid out I unintentionally take the LOONG way around to get to the taxi stand. Good thing I didn't have tons of shopping success to drag around with me.

Overall, it was a GREAT outing and I wished I had visited it earlier and more often. As my friend Ali would say, "Note to self...", I'll be sure to carve out special Chatuchak time on my next visit to Thailand.

This is where Felicia and I stopped for a SIT-DOWN lunch. After all that walking around it was worth spending a whopping US$10.00 to sit down and eat. :o)



Oh yeah! BTW, we did make it back from the market without problem. First of all it helped that G took the boys to the Central Bangna Mall which made it easier for me to tell the driver(instead of having to give turn-by-turn directions to the house). So after a short exchange of broken Thai, broken English, and Taxi-passenger sign language(to indicate, "yes, take the expressway") we were on our way.

July 1 - Suan Lum Night Bazaar and Puppets

Tonight we taxi to the Joe Louis theater in Bangkok to check out Hun Lakhon Lek, Thai traditional small puppet play. The theater is located at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar so we get there a little early to roam around the market and eat before the show.

We had dinner at the theater restaurant where they were having a "2 for 1" promotion on Singha beer. The waitstaff asked if they could take pictures because they needed to report back to Singha about the promotion... we had a little fun with it.

Finally we enjoyed a wonderful puppet theater show. It was MORE THEATER then it was puppet. The show was of the famous "Ramayana" epic, Ramakien in Thai. Live music performed on traditional Thai instruments. A vocalist performed with the musicians. We weren't allowed to take pictures during the performance but we got to visit with the puppets afterwards :o) The kids liked the show A LOT!

June 23 - We go to make merit in Phayao

So we have our final morning at the beautiful PhuChaisai Resort and hit the road to the temple in Phayao. On our way we'll make a tourist stop or two.

First, we stop by a town whose name I can't remember and do a little shopping. Cars and motorbikes drive up and down the narrow roads lined with shopping stalls. We try to keep an extra close eye on kids.

Second, we make a quick stop at the Golden Triangle to get our obligatory photos of our family in Thailand with Laos and Bhurma in the background. There's a school field trip of squeeky, teenage girls who are determined to take photos of the kids... the boys are less than cooperative. Again, we were a tourist attraction at the tourist attraction. Before we get back in the van... some important business. It's 3 THB to go to the bathroom. What a deal! It was the cleanest pay toilet I've seen! And I've paid more for more foul toilets... They were squat toilets. I'd learned from previous squat toilet experiences with Felicia that it's just easier to have her take OFF her bottoms and underpants.

Third, we stop by a very striking wat whose name I don't remember. While we're there we get the call from Geoff's friend Nui that we need to head straight for the wat for the ceremony. We won't have time to get cleaned up. We hit the food stalls and buy Pringles and sodas for everyone... our lunch on the road. Nui calls again, they're going to delay the ceremony an hour to accommodate our late arrival.

We arrive at the Gateway Hotel in Phayao and are frantically trying to get cleaned up for the ceremony and town festival at the wat. At the hotel, I'm so tickled to see we have a bug-free room with super strength air conditioning. It's a BIG room with a huge window that overlooks the town. We'd also learned that this room was also once occupied by former PM Thaksin... it's the only hotel in town.

So we arrive at the wat. We'd been coaching the kids in the van: We'll take off our shoes, Sit on your feet and don't point them at people, Girls don't touch the Thai monks, When we're at the wat do we yell, jump, push or spin? etc, etc... I'd decided to wear my dressy heels for this occasion... I only wore them for the 5 foot walk from the van to the wat. (I should've left them in Maryland.) So, it turns out that by being an hour late we were still one of the first ones there... the ceremony didn't start for at least another 1.5 hours. In that time we'd decided it was better that I sit in the van with the kids while they watched a Garfield VCD. Geoff would represent the family. He was blessed with lots of water by the monks. He was given "bracelets" for the family, a poster of a famous monk and a bottle of wild bee honey that the monks collected from the forest.


After the ceremony in the wat everyone goes outside to eat and watch traditional Thai dances. Nui tells us that the kids and folks in the town have been preparing for over a month. The dinner was a northern style kantoke meal. Very delicious! And the dances where very entertaining. Especially one that involved "fire breathing". We had to leave before they released the balloons but we all had a FABULOUS time.




Once we get back to the hotel we get the kids laid out on the blankets and pillow on the floor.

Geoff and I contemplate the next day. We're suppose to be ready to head out at 7am. I'm going to need more caffeine.

June 17 - Back to Bangkok

So it's another happy pancake morning at the hotel's breakfast buffet :o)

We check out of the hotel and head over to Raffles Plaza where we'll be picked up to join a boat tour. We've got time to kill before we get picked up so we search the hotel shopping mall looking for a uniquely Singapore souvenir... oh well. For lunch Geoff picks out a very wonderful dim sum restaurant, Din Tai Fung. I unsuccessfully lead the kids in a rendition of "Happy Father's Day to you". It turned out to be more of a pathetic duet between me and Felicia.



Then, it's off to the boat for a 3 hour tour... or maybe it was 4-ish? We cruise by several islands and disembark to explore some of Kusu Island. We all enjoy.





Next, it's dinner back at the Quayside Seafood Restaurant. We can't leave without trying the pepper crab.

The pepper crab is TONS more delicious!

We make our way, via Maxi-Cab, to our first and final Singapore destination, the airport. Before we board the taxi I notice that Cam has... smell. Whatever... I'd feel better if we were at the airport, we'll change him there. Not even a MINUTE into the ride Cam investigates the squish in his diaper with his fingers. DANGIT! I get to spend the next 25 car nauseous minutes with a smelly, squishy bottomed boy in my lap while I firmly hang on to his left hand to account for the movement and contact of every poopy digit. At the airport I fish out fresh clothes for Cam and take him to the nearest ladies room. I get poop on my t-shirt during the clean-up process. BACK to the suitcase to get a fresh shirt for me. We FINALLY get checked in. Next, I make an unsuccessful attempt to find a uniquely Singapore souvenir for the house and we go wait at the gate. After an uneventful(yippee!) flight on Thai Air Asia, we make it home... it was a good trip. I hope our next trip will be just as good :o)

May 24 - We just HAD to hit the Shoemart

I’m beyond pooped and sleep in. By the time I make it downstairs at around 7:30am T-boy & Ro have eaten breakfast and have been showered and dressed! I love the whole Ya-ya thing! They go off with Tito Eddie to take Tita Oyen to the dentist. We get more of our laundry done by Manay Nori. In the meantime I’m obsessing over getting the names of all my cousins correct. Especially the kambal, Aggie and Inna. I’ve already mistaken Aggie(or was is Inna) for Alu, who isn’t even one of the twins. Once the big boys are back with Tita Oyen from the dentist we head over to see Tatay’s condo and go shopping. Tatay’s condo is what we expect. Organized by Tatay and treated with religious images by Inay :o) We have lunch in the food court. Kids have McDonalds (with Shrek 3 toys); Tito Eddie Tita Oyen and A.K. have KFC; Geoff and I have salad from Wendy’s. Yes, we’re still in the Philippines, not The Mall in Columbia. After walking a kilometer or few we make it out of Shoemart with toys for the kids from Tita Oyen and Tito Eddie (Jeepney, Calesa, Tricycle, Coconut wine for the big kid) and among other things, I’m able to find one of the things on my shopping list… an image of The Last Supper.(This might be funny if you’re Filipino)

May 23 - Just TEN stops today :o)

There’s puto for breakfast! We’ have one HAPPY Turner…. Because, as Turner’s telling us, “We’re in the Philippines and that’s where puto comes from.” But in addition to the puto there’s Tito Rudy’s special sinangag, cereal, isda(that’s dried and crispy) and more and more…

Geoff and I are leaving the older 3 kids with the 3 Ya-Yas of Ate Maita and Ate Karin. Totoy & I ride with Tito Rudy and Ate Karin and Geoff rides with Carlito. It's great time. I get to talk to my Ate Karin. Ate Karin and her husband(who environmental work has been published) are trailblazing environmentalists. I got to hear about their organic banana plantation (it was paid high praise by south american banana experts... cool!). Their next hope is to make their way to New Zealand.

… 1st, go to Taal to see Inay’s Ate Lourdes who’s husband recently passed away. It takes a few askings to find the house in the neighborhood without house numbers or street signs. Geoff is tickled with Inay’s Ate Dora. We have Coke and crackers and I have my first try at speaking Tagalog. Lola Dora understood me! I’m tickled with myself :o)

....2nd We visit Ang Basilika Ng Taal
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....3rd We have a most fabulous lunch.
...4th, We visit the site to where Tatay’s parish is being moved.

... 5th, Mt Carmel church… there’s a public bathroom there.

... 6th, We visit Lola Puring and Lolo Maure at the cemetery. I’m an emotional blob. Ate Karin explains to Geoff that without the locked gates thieves try and steal valuables from the deceased.

...7th, We visit the monument to Tatay’s alma mater and the cathedral.

...8th, we make our way(through asking) to the home of Lola Bating(One of Lola Puring’s 2 surviving siblings) She is a HOOT! A retired teacher. She can talk :o) Geoff wants to ask a question. Ate Karin wishes him luck in trying to get a word in. It looks like she’s with her youngest, Totoy, and his wife and kids.
...9th, we head back to Tito Rudy and Tita Ning-Ning’s. Us younger generations are departing so we must say our final “good-bye”s to Tita Ning Ning. I’m in tears, Tita Ning-Ning’s in tears. We(16 of us) get in 2 cars(4-door sedans)

...wha? I thought Tito Rody was joining us? Geoff is able to untangle himself from the Honda Civic to say “good-bye”s and “thank-you”s to Tito Rudy. So… all the kids, the ya-yas and Ate Karin go the the mall to watch Shrek 3 while Ate Maita, Boo(her youngest) Geoff, Carlito, Totoy and I go have coffee(or milk) and grown up talk. We girls have the universal experience of trying to discuss the challenges of finding balance in one’s life while keeping 2 2-year olds from wrecking a coffee shop. Ate Maita's got her hands full with 4 kids. Not to mention all their activities and the Kumon School that she owns. To add to that, her husband works in a different area and can only get home about twice a week.

Next, we head to the mall to meet with the movie gang…

Okaaaaaaay, why is mall security carrying a double barrel shotgun? After asking, it seems that after some terrorist activity in the country… this is common… a customer service I suppose. So we reunite with the kids… Thanks to the cheese popcorn Turner’s once white shirt is now more orange than the sunset. A definite sign of a good time :o) Now it’s off to Jollibee fast food! We have burgers, spaghetti(it’s a Filipino thing), and orange drink… topped off with ice cream and punctuated with trips to the Jollibee play area. It’s a wonder that we didn’t have a single vomit episode!

We say our farewells to the sounds of the cousins and Tias singing Happy Birthday to Totoy (he turns 2 on the 25th). We’re off for the 1 or 2 hour drive back to Tita Oyen’s townhouse.

April 25 - Crocodile Farm at Samutprakarn

“TO DO” today:

1- Shop for cleaning supplies for Pee to clean the house tomorrow

2- Go to the Crocodile Farm in Samutprakarn

Pee has given us a list of supplies: floor cleaner, mop, glass cleaner, etc. OK, so I find toilet, window and floor cleaner printed in English. English labeled floor cleaner is offered in “pink” and “blue”. Ummmmm, my floors are beige.















At the Crocodile Farm we watched a wrestling show and fed the crocs buckets of what looked like chicken carcasses. Kids loved it… for the most part. Felicia buried her face in her hands for about a third of the show. Turner got to touch a boa constrictor. Surprised me! :o)

April 21 - So what if I spent half the movie in the lobby with Totoy?!

Today we went out to see a movie at the Seacon Square Mall. For 800 Baht ($23) the whole family got in and had popcorn and Sprite. :o) There’s also a produce/food market at the mall… cool!

April 16 - Hey neighbors!

All 4 kids have varying degrees of hives. It’s the new sun-block SPF 50 that we tried on them yesterday. How do you say Benadryl in Thai?

On a brighter note, we met an English speaking neighbor. Lek has got to be one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. Thailand is FULL of Leks. Everyone has been very friendly and kind. Great people!

But as far as labor goes, it seems that Thai labor is very cheap. For example… At the Tesco/Lotus (think Mega-Wal-Mart) there was a girl assigned to every section of the store. Literally… there was a girl assigned to the 10 feet of aisle space for cereal. Every time we removed a box, she was there to move the next box forward. At the department store there was a salesperson at EVERY table of the children’s section.

Tonight Geoff bought a bottle of “Thai whiskey” (The bottle reads R-U-M) for the Taxi folks who were hanging out at the local convenience shack. What started as a walk to the corner store (corrugated shack) to pick up a few beers turned into a 2 hour $10 hang out with a few locals. Geoff bought the bottle of rum and a couple packs of cigarettes from “Madam” who runs the shack. Madam and her man were anxious for the Farang(Geoff) and the Taxi drivers to leave because after they close shop they roll out the Thai equivalent of the “baneg” (mat) and sleep on the floor. He got to practice his Thai and get to know a few neighbors. One of the guys kept pushing to go home with Geoff to keep drinking and hangin out. Geoff wasn’t having it and Taxi guy got the message… It’s nice to have the peace of mind that comes with living in a security-guarded, gated community.
Geoff and Narong