Chinatown Bangkok

Click the slideshow to see full sized images.

V8 Diner

Home sweet home circa 1950 in the heart of Bangkok.

Kinda miss the whole HOA concept...

Merry Christmas

Nothing says Christmas like Heineken. They are still playing Christmas music in the stores over here. Don't know if they just don't get it or if they don't realize that it is Christmas music. Either way, it just does not seem right.

Free Pizza?

On Friday night, we decided to check out an expat favorite, The Witches Tavern, for drinks and FREE pizza. I was expecting a frozen pizza or 4" personal pizza. I was delighted when four of these excellent pies showed up at our table. But I was ecstatic to see Pure Blonde Lager on the menu. It is really hard to find a decent beer or wine selection over here.

Wat Thammongkol

I have shared before that the apartment has an incredible view of Wat Thammongkol.  Monks live and work here, growing and raising some of the food they eat and exchanging blessings in the community for prepared food, transportation and anything else they may need.

Wat Thammongkol Boasts Thailand's tallest Chedi which was built about 20 years ago and is topped with 17 kilograms of pure gold and 1,063 diamonds. The temple houses the worlds largest jade statue, depicting Buddha in the Lotus posture. The statue was carved by an Italian master in 1990 from a 57 ton block of jade that was mined from Kings Mountain in Western Canada.

This photo is from: http://bangkoktour.biz

New Pics

Thailand

I have internet again!!!!!!!! So I have added some photos to the Thailand photo album. I went wake-boarding at Club Taco and one of the Thai teachers took me on a tour of one the many floating markets in Bangkok. Click the Pic.

Every silver lining has it's cloud.

Colleen moved into the place with the great view yesterday. Loves the view hates the roosters. Oh well,  if roosters are the worst of it, we are doing pretty well.
She will be without internet for up to 14 days. She says hi.

That's a View.

Colleen put a deposit on a new apartment yesterday. She thinks it will be large enough for both of us. Who cares, the view is perfect. The sun sets behind in the city and the temple or what the Thai call a Wat. Nice work baby. Love you, miss you.

Progress at the School

Yummy, Coke in a bag

So sorry if you already heard this story. Thursday, July 22 we were looking for a store to buy dishes, for the school. It was very far away from the school and the driver kept getting lost. We decided to grab snacks, because we had been in the car for so long. The driver stops to ask directions and Kiri (the preschool teacher) jumps out of the car and buys 2 bags of potatoe chips, and SCORE they are even western flavored-not squid or fish, but bbq and sour cream and onion. Well, of course the chips make us thristy. And it is VERY hot and HUMID outside. The next time the driver stops and asks for directions, I hop out to buy drinks. We were in luck, a big old Coke Cola ice chiller is there. And they have the tall cokes in the glass bottles, the kind you can't find very often in the States. The bottles are so cold they stick to the bottom of the cooler with the ice cryatals. They feel so icy cold. I grab a bottle of coke for me and a bottle of Sprite for Kiri. I take them up to buy and the lady asked "for take away?" I said "yes, please." She grabs 2 bags. She pops open the bottle of coke and pours it into a plastic bag puts a straw in the bag and hands it to me, she does the same with the Sprite. And I walk off with 2 bags of ice cold beverages. You only get the bottle if stay at the stand to drink.

This is my School

I don't know if you noticed, but I haven't written much about the school. Well, this is why. Surprise it isn't done yet. It is still under construction. The first picture is the front of the building and the second is the back. It was pretty disappointing to travel for 19.5 hours and see this. They are working very hard to get it done, like 24 hours a day. And I have been promised that it will be done by the end of July. We are also telling potential parents the same thing, they laugh under their breath. What can I say, I want/need it to be true.

Well, maybe I'm crazy...

Well, maybe I'm crazy for doing this. I thought it would be really nice to get a foot massage and see a movie at the mall, easy no problem. Except that the mall closed while I was watching the movie. I couldn't leave out the same door I came in. The mall is the size of a football stadium. I couldn't even find the ground floor. I ended up on the second floor loading dock, practically begging for a taxi. And pretending I don't understand that he (the nice mall cop) wants me to go somewhere else to beg for my taxi. However, even though I know he wants me to go away, I don't know where to go because it is raining cats and dogs. So, I stand there and look stuipd, not hard at that moment. He finally gets me the taxi. Oh thank god I can go back to my hotel. Except the taxi driver has no idea how to get to my hotel and either do I.  We have something in common. I call the hotel and have them talk to the taxi driver. As he starts to drive I recognize the street that is near my hotel. However, he is going the wrong way. I tell him you're going the wrong way, by pointing and grunting. He turns around in the middle of crazy Bangkok traffic, almost causing an accident with a motor scooter carrying a family of five. Deep breath, I made it home, nobody died and I know not to go to the late show at the mall.

My new life

Today was my first day at work! The school is still under construction. So, we did paperwork and editing in the morning. It was great to do something familiar. In the afternoon we went to see Montessori materials. It was amazing to see a conference room laid out with the pink tower, binomial cube, red and blue rod and geometric solids that we could inspect before we ordered.

After work Kiri(Principal and Casa teacher) and I went for beers at the jungle bar next to my hotel. Where we had yummy food that I can't spell and beers. They place ice in the beer to keep it cold. Also the service is amazing. They plug in fans and light an anti-mosquito coils, just for us. Kiri started calling it jungle bar. It has no walls and a tin roof, with ponds, tropical plants and fountains all around. There are about a million of these jungle bar/restaurants lining the streets.

I've decided to stay at the hotel for a little longer, before jumping out on my own.

First full day

Yesterday was my first full day in Bangkok. It is kinda of like being dropped off on planet Mars. I took a motorcycle taxi to the grocery store and bought the essentials:

1-6 pack of Coke Cola

2 Big bottles of Beer

Kettle chips

Weird but yummy Asian crackers

Cut watermelon

2 Green Apples

Soap

Waterproof mascara

Earl Grey tea

Sugar cubes



I also replaced my cell phone and got a sims card and a local phone number.

I spent $33.00 at the grocery store I spent $20.00 on the cell phone. I will try to get pictures up soon, however, my camera is old and not being very cooperative.



I thought English would be everywhere, its not. And my Thai doesn't exist. Crazy what hand gestures will and won't get you.



My luggage is in San Francisco. Its suppose to fly in tonight. Just in time I need clean underwear.

All is good!

Sort of... Her luggage is missing -we hope this is temporary- and she dropped her phone while trying to text me from the airport. It fell off of a catwalk and was run over by a luggage cart. So she has no phone numbers and two days worth of clean clothes. Other than that, her room is clean and comfortable and she is happy and well.

If you think of it, text her your number at her new number. If you need that number, let me know.

She has landed.

Still waiting to hear from her, but she is on the ground.

Only three hours to go!

Colleen made her connecting flight at 2:00AM this morning and will be landing in just over 3 hours.

That was close

She made her connecting flight with 9 minutes to spare. only 17 hours left.

Colleen's new blog

http://thai1on4me.blogspot.com/

Follow her adventure, drop her a note or just check the weather.