Bangkok Living

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We returned from our trip up north to Chiang Mai and arrived just in time to witness the festivities for the King's birthday on December 5th. He's just turned 80 years old. We were out and about and got caught up in the crowd waiting for the motorcade to pass. The crowds were deep on each side of the boulevard waiting for a glimpse of the King and Queen to drive by. We happened to be in the right spot and caught his car drive by. It was genuinely a crush of people on foot and in vehicles out to honor the King.

This week we also got our travel shots at the Bangkok hospital. We had a very good consult with a travel medicine doctor. We're on our way to Hanoi tomorrow, and will eventually travel to Cambodia and Laos before returning to Bangkok.

We visited Wat Arun late in the day yesterday and happened to meet a monk who spoke english. He told us he'd lived in the States for 2 months some 30 years ago, and invited us to visit with him at his home near his temple. We stopped to pick up some mangoes and cookies from 2 shops we frequent and brought these treats along for our host. We must have chatted for a few hours about Buddhist customs as well as American culture and also got to see numerous photos from his trip in 1977. He's now the Abbott of his temple.
We've made plans to visit him on our return.

Short but sweet. We've got to get ready for an early departure in the morning. Looking forward to the good baguettes and coffee!

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Photos

Festive Night
King's Birthday celebrations

King's Birthday
Waiting for him to drive by

Traffic on hold
Waiting for the motorcade to pass

The Grand Palace
View from the river ferry

Kids at Wat Arun
"Where are you from?"

Tuk Tuk
Open exhaust is deathly!

Meeting the Abbot
We spent a few hours at his home.

B&B up north
Old home converted into B&B

Comments

[Jilly]

Loved the photos-still LOL about the "new food reviewer in town" - -Thai food comes in bottles, not on a plate!!