Just hanging out

December 11, 2007

Haven’t quite got onto this blogging. Think I will start making a small entry daily just so I can keep better tabs of what we’re doing. Last Wednesday was a National holiday – the King’s Birthday - and then Monday was another holiday. We’ve mostly spent our time just wandering the streets. We live on Thong Lor (pronounced Tong Law) and one day decided to walk up to the end of the street to the canal.

This is the inner water taxi system. Jennifer and Gone have both cautioned against taking it and after watching the boats coming and going we mostly agree. They travel quickly not slowing for anything so the sides are covered, in order to prevent you getting wet (dirty water – yuk) from the wave action. Jennifer has to use this to get to university. Maybe we’ll attempt it one Saturday just to say we’ve done it. When we have the boys we take them for walks – usually to the local grocery store and back and then for a swim. It really is a god send having this pool. I’m going to have to buy a “noodle” though just so I can actually get some exercise swimming. Tom thinks he can teach me to swim but I’m afraid he might try to drown me in the process!! Have visited 2 more shopping areas and will definitely be going back. I don’t think there is anything that can compare in all of Canada. Of course everyone is into Christmas and the decorating is incredible – as are the noise levels. You can’t go anywhere without some sort of music blaring at you from all sides. Siam Paragon is the largest mall in SE Asia. It also has a huge aquarium that we intend to visit (includes a glass bottom boat ride), an Opera House, 14 theatres and 6 IMAX theatres. The gourmet food market was absolutely amazing. We’ll need a few days there alone. For some reason they also have a Lamborghini and Ferrari

dealership as well as Mercedes on the 5^th floor. Apparently there is a “Ferrari” club that meets at our local grocery store (Tops) every Sunday. We “heard” 3 of them….. Seems there’s a bit of money in the area!! Took the kids to Central World Plaza on the weekend to go to “Toys R Us” so we could make a Christmas list. It’s very expensive here so hopefully we can find the same toys at cheaper department stores. We also took them to see “The Bee Movie”. Getting Tom to a theatre at home is like pulling teeth but here I’m sure I could get him to go weekly and probably will just to get out of the heat. The theatres are incredible, huge seats, arm rests that move out of the way (if you like to cuddle), loads of leg room, amazing sound although a touch loud and awesome popcorn!!

We went to Chatuchak Market with Jennifer on Sunday and of course a place we need to revisit. There are 15000 stalls set up selling everything under the sun. You are cautioned about pickpockets but I think you should always be aware of that possibility no matter where you are. All these little trips we make involve different types of transportation. We normally walk to the skytrain in about 25 minutes but if we’re too tired we can jump on this little red bus that costs us about 15 cents each. Then the skytrain takes you in all directions and a monthly pass is about $15 each. Taxi’s are pretty cheap but there is so darn much traffic. Of course I don’t take to all these things easily but once I’ve done it I’m set. Our next plan for this week is to try the water taxis that travel the Chao Phraya River. We have to take the other modes of transportation to get to this new one but this is the one we’ll need to get to many of the main tourist sites of Bangkok – like the Grand Palace and the National Museum.

Today (after the long weekend) we’ve decided to just take it easy. Got up, tidied, Tom washed the floor (his daily task). I did laundry (I mentioned music everywhere, well my washing machine plays “Jingle Bells” when it starts and ends a load). Walked to pick up a Bangkok Post – I prefer my newspaper in the paper mode, stopped at the French bakery to pick up a bagel and chocolate croissant, picked up a few items at the grocery store and made our way home for breakfast/lunch. Jennifer called to say she was home sick, so when the boys are done school at 3:00 Gone will bring them here so we can take them swimming. I know I’ve mentioned on numerous occasion the “chores” we do but as for cooking, that is mostly done by Gone – and Tom is in his element. Gone’s very good too in that he does a no spicy vegetable dish for me before looking after the spicy dish.