Our flight back on Thai Airlines was pleasant - we watched three good movies, ate a delicious meal, and here we are. I especially like watching movies on flights, because they edit out a lot of gore and foul language that I did not want to see or hear in the first place. Here's a clue, Hollywood, the plot, acting, and scenes are just as good without all that stuff - actually, they are better.
So we are - back where we need both hands free to greet people - I have to remember to put my purse on my arm so I can place both hands together in front of my nose and mouth and slightly bow my head ("wai") as I say "Sawadee Kah." It is a very nice custom - showing respect for another as you come and go. I notice the locals also reverence their Buddhist shrines with the same gesture as they pass them on the sidewalks.
In case you missed it - be sure to check our Flickr account for the video we made of our room here in Bangkok this time. We were struggling to suppress our country bumpkin response when the front desk clerk led us to our room which he stated had been upgraded by the manager to a suite. Gomer Pyle's "Go-o-ollee!" sums it up pretty well. The rooftop pool here is equally spectacular, so we will try to get a photo of that posted soon.
We arrived on the second day of Thailand's New Year Holiday - Songkrahn. To celebrate and wish each other well on this three-day holiday, people throw water and white mud on each other. There were otherwise perfectly normal people running around the streets and parks with huge water guns (think Hasbro "Super Soakers") and pails of water and mud. Stands were set up everywhere selling bottles of water and bags of white clay for throwing and face painting @ 10 bht each ($0.33 US). White clay residue was splattered all over cars, buses, taxis and people's clothing. It is a BIG deal hear - reminded us of the sale and use of fire works near Independence Day in the States. Goldenbear70 got doused and gently slapped on the face with clay as he walked a few blocks to get a haircut, manicure and pedicure on our second day here. That's right, you heard me right - mani-pedi for my man.
Traffic was light due to the holiday, but we notice it is also lighter (and there is less air pollution) than nine years ago due to completion and increased use of the Skytrain and Subway, as well as elimination of the 2-cycle motorcycle engine. We notice more people wearing helmets when riding scooters and motorcycles (it's the law here now), but the incidence of serious and fatal accidents involving motorcycles is still startling.
Of course we visited Toy's new jewelry store, Chin. She flew here from Phuket our first day, sent a car for us and entertained us at her store. They sell not only jewelry but many typical souvenir items - and she gives us a 40% discount. It's one-stop shopping that wore us out - and we were just looking. She greeted us with gifts from Phuket, including a beautiful straw handbag, a pashmina, and for goldenbear70 - his favorite Thai pastries - sort of mini-crepes stuffed with coconut, pineapple and mango. Right away, she wanted my rings to have them cleaned - now they sparkle like new. She uses a special sonic cleaning machine, but she said boiling water and a drop of dish soap will work too.
She is back in town today, and we will go back to her store to actually purchase a few items and spend some more time with her. In the meantime we are enjoying the always-delicious Thai food, our gorgeous room, the hotel pool and nearby shopping areas. Sunday we took the train and then a taxi to church - same place where we attended nine years ago. We even ventured to a dentist here where we each had a cleaning, x-rays, and exam and a couple of fillings each. We could actually afford the dental work here without taking out a loan.
My eczema flared up again last summer, and it has been worse since Ao Nang, so Toy made an appointment for me at her doctor. She had a car come for us to take us there, and we were seen about a half hour late, but the facility was very modern and clean. It could not have been more conveniently arranged: you see the doctor in his office, where there is a small exam room curtained off; there is an assistant there who handles the paperwork for prescriptions etc. right in that office; and you walk down the hall to have your prescription filled (cream compounded on-site); followed by walking to the final window where you pay. I think the whole deal including two prescriptions and the exam cost us 1100 bht (~$38). The best part of this story is that I am getting better. I've been to two different dermatologists in the US with no improvement.
Alan fulfilled a burning desire to travel to Ubon Ratchitani, but I will leave it to him to post that story.
Sorry, Mark, I know this has been a long post. We enjoy talking to our family on Skype and occasionally hearing from them via e-mail. We love and miss you all.
goldenbear70's Honey
1040, Renaissance, Bangkok, Thailand
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