15th Asean Summit...in the eye of the cyclone!

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It's October holidays for most International Schools in Bangkok, and Leslie has a week off too. So we continue our little round of "Discovery Thailand". Not really my first visit to Hua Hin, as the last time I came here was 5 years ago.

We did not plan one thing, from 23rd to 25th October, Hua Hin is going to host the 15th Asean Summit, you know, the same one that had to be canceled in April in Pattaya due to heavy demonstrations. This time, the Thai government did not do things half-way...as they have deployed 36,000 security forces in the country for the occasion!

And we did end up in the middle of it...tonight, the prime minister of Singapore is sleeping...in our bed! The Sheraton where we stay did host...the media center, but also the prime minister of Singapore...and of Malaysia...you want to speak of security...well, the men in black were...all around!

Hua Hin...the place is 3 hours (depending on traffic) south of Bangkok. For the first time, I did drive myself down there, easy drive. It is also a place that I associate with golf and seafood! We did only play once, on a new course call Black Mountain. Wow, I always thought Springfield was the best in the area, but Black Mountain, that's a course! We had dinner and play golf with Stuart and Rachel, as Stuart one of my business partners was in town as the same time as us.

But let's get back to the Sheraton. 240 rooms, only 12 suites, and not a single presidential suite...meaning...the prime ministers of Malaysia and Singapore...do end up with the same service as us. I tend to find this really funny! The best part was the men in black...a lot of them, and 3 of them just to keep 8 doors...one being ours. One late evening, Leslie, Mari and I decided to go for a night swim, in the lagoon style pool....going around the resort....you would see men in black getting out of the bushes each time we were singing the soundtrack of Mission Impossible...but promise, they never show their guns...these was reserved for the soldiers...as we had few of them also. That was a night swim I will remember!

Let me say that Leslie enjoyed the experience...you must feel special at 9 years old in all this security...specially in Thailand, where tight security...does go hand in hand with smiles...land of smiles, oh yes, I love Thailand!

With the days, the resort was getting more empty of the usual guests, to let room for the officials and the press....let me say we did not see them much, as they where all busy working...we were just enjoying the men in Black!

The clear disadvantage was the slower traffic to reach Hua Hin city center, but it did not stop us to enjoy some great seafood!

Next stop...next week...another place, another country...but this time it will be packed with adventure! This time Leslie will be at school as his grand-parents are making a small stop in Thailand...to see him, see us, and just a small break on another of their great adventures! Christmas is coming soon, but we have a lot more in our bags till end of December!

Till there, with love from three of us!

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