Tour of the Town

The look BEFORE you tell him he can't ride it.

Would you believe me if I told you we've had nothing exciting to talk about? No, I wouldn't believe me either.

Reclining Buddha photobomb.

So let me share the highlight of our summer: a visit from the in-laws. It was truly the best time. We still had to work, but had plenty of time with them. And they with the boys.

Dropping offerings into the bowls around the temple of the Reclining Buddha.

We also got to take them around the city. And then to the beach. And back to the city again. So it was also an adventure for all of us.

Playing around in front of the gorgeous teak mansion.

My Life Lately in Instagram

In trying to write this post today I am filled with so many emotions; sad because the grandparents that came to visit have gone back to the US, thrilled because I have this clean and pretty new blog, silly as I am looking back on our crazy adventures the past few weeks, and content because once again I feel like I have everything in the world I could ever want.

Waves and sunshine 

A little one who has decided cuddling isn't that bad

And he likes to leap too

Discovering what it is like to have a day where you don't have to do anything

And drinking from a coconut NEVER gets old.

A Tailor-Made Tour of Bangkok

Living in Bangkok has many benefits-excellent domestic help, delicious food, fantastic culture, etc. etc. etc....For men, it has the added benefit of being the center of cheap and beautiful tailoring. In fact, we walk past about eight shops every day just to get to the corner or our street. Yet, my husband had not had a chance to get fitted for anything except a tuxedo.

 

So, for Father's Day, we decided to change that.

 

 

That evening, when he came home from his meetings, I handed him the first of three cards, which directed him on a “tailor-made” tour of Bangkok. Stop 1: Jhasper Fashions, where Pinky and Dave tend a neat and sensible shop with shirt and suiting fabrics exactly to our liking. There, we had the man measured for two top-quality work shirts, discussed having some jackets made, and generally enjoyed their company. Pocketed between tailor shops that frequently have those annoying hawkers trying to pull you in from the street, Jhasper is a cut above. Service was quick and professional, so we left having high hopes for what they would make us.

 

Next stop, according to the card, was the tried-and-true favorite, Rajawongse. This shop is so popular with the American contingent that we bumped into three acquaintances as soon as we walked in. How can all those people be wrong?

 

The cozy little shop is stacked corner to corner with great suiting fabrics, from dressy to casual, so we decided on one business shirt and one striped casual shirt. I can see how men find themselves hooked on this place– for a great price you could be sharply dressed in any color or print your heart desires.

 

At this point we presented the Mr. with our last little card. It was time for a snack break. The kids were still behaving themselves relatively well, so it was clear we could stop for dinner and then push on. After a quick dinner at Bully's Pub the tour continued; we were at the last stop. Empire Tailors.

 

Empire is THE BEST according to web reviewers-one reviewer raved the shop to be “brilliant” which does not refer to the bright airy space alone, I presume. After dragging two young kids down Sukhumvit, this shop was a welcome break. Instead of being crammed with options, the shop was spacious and the fabrics were select. Sunny greeted us politely and coolly, and while others tried to impress us with their speed and precision of service, he calmly explained our options and gave my husband time to deliberate over what he wanted.

 

Three shops and six shirt orders later, we planned to return the following week for fittings and the final decision-which shop would be the best? Which shirts would be the most flattering? Which tailor would deliver the closest to what my husband wanted? And my husband, lucky guy, would be the judge.

 

The Decision:

 

It turned out to NOT be a simple decision, after all. All shirts from the three shops were the same price, which did help, but were also really close in quality and workmanship. Also, all three shops provided the best service and were sure to have gotten our repeat business if we hadn't also tried two of their competitors! You can't go wrong by ordering shirts from any of these three, and it pained us to try and eliminate our least favorite.

 

So it boils down simply to which shirts my husband wore first, and which ones made him feel his best. So if you told me there could be only one, my answer is Empire.

 

 

Empire Tailors (Sunny)

12-126 Sukhumvit Road (Between Sois 4 & 6)

02-254-4760

Www.theempiretailors.com

 

Also fantastic and much-appreciated for their help:

 

Jhasper Fashion (Dave and Pinky)

155/32 Sukhumvit Soi 11 (BTS Nana)

02-651-2522

Www.jhasperfashion.com

 

Rajawongse (Jesse and Victor)

130 Sukhumvit Road (Next to Landmark Bldg)

02-255-3714

Www.dress-for-success.com

Portraits in the Park

 Every few years I try to get family portraits done by a professional, which used to be quite easy. Expensive, perhaps, but easy because I had a tried and true photographer working close by.

So I would save and save, and every few years we could ensure that we had captured those magical ages of our boys lives, with those innocent smiles or goofy faces.

Someday there will be yearbook photos and team photos. Photos with a cap and gown. Photos with girls. At a first dance. But this stage is so fleeting, gone so fast. Any day now Philip will be smiling a gap-toothed grin. Nate may begin objecting to hats. And then the growing up begins.

As much as a photographer may cost you, I believe they are worth every penny, and here's my proof.

We met up with Gyuri in late April for an outdoor sitting, right before it got way to hot to move, at the park behind the Queen Sirikit Convention Center (my favorite running space.) Now, I have to tell you what a good sport he was, between trying to meet up with me to discuss the theme I had in mind, to listening to my bizarre request. As we sat down to coffee one morning, I told him I wanted something different. While most families want their photos to be cheerful and vivid, their children's eyes to be bright, I wanted something washed-out. Drab, even. We were going to give this feel of another era, something along the lines of a family picnic in the 1940's, and I was trying to decide how far to go with it.

Fast forward a month later, and we were trooping through Bangkok's steamy heat in the park, trying with great care not to get too sweaty. Or grumpy. Gyuri knew time was key-no six year old or two year old would last very long in the heat without eventually unraveling. We quickly shifted from site to site in the park, smoothly laying down a picnic blanket or adjusting a shoe here and there.

And here's the end result. Some of the coolest photos I have ever seen-my little mop-headed boys don't look even mildly bothered by the heat, and I seem to have lost a year or twenty.

There are those cheeks on N that just beg to be smooched. And Little P's way of trying to be helpful. Or run the show, depending on what we are doing.

Oh, and don't forget the quilt my mother made, which has traveled all over the world with us.

Thanks again, Mom.

Now I just have to decide which ones to hang up, and bring them to our super wonderful framer over at the EOB. Love this place!

Photos are by Gyuri at 
Szabo photos
www.szabophotos.com
(66) 81 838 6401

One Year Later

 

I was thinking it was time to write a post about life in Bangkok, when I realized we were coming up on the one year mark. That's right-next week we will have been living in Thailand for one year. One year into our adventures around the world as a family. One year into what may be an amazing story.

One year.

 

 

In one year we have moved into a house and totally made it our own. And now it looks like we've lived here forever.

 

 

In one year we have had about three barbeques, three birthday parties, two dinner parties, and three neighborhood movie nights at our home. Its been a quiet year.

 

 

In one year I have learned the power of the smile, and how it can make a difference to those around you.

 

In one year we have been to the mountains, the jungle, and the beach.

 

In one year we were almost toppled and torn apart, but learned to come together.

 

 

In one year I learned I was a tough little cookie and was willing to push on after most others gave up.

 

In one year my children grew up, and found their own voices.

 

In one year I think we all learned how fortunate we truly are.

Pardon the random photos, but these pictures were taken just a week ago when we were rambling around Khao San Road and the Chao Phraya waterfront. On a whim we decided to finally take a boat tour of the back canals of Bangkok, and it was quite an experience.

The Lessons from Phraya Nakhorn Cave

Just a few hours from Bangkok is the bustling seaside resort town of Hua Hin. Cleaner than Pattaya, but more developed than island retreats, its not a bad weekend getaway with kids. We've been there, in fact, twice.

The second time, we decided to wander south a bit in search of a scenic overlook or vineyard-whichever we found first. Meandering south, past a few smaller beach towns and farmland, we came  to this beach/market/cove which supposedly was the starting point to a lovely hike and cave.

So after a short lunch break here:

 

We bought a ticket and followed the people around us as they waded into the water and clambered into longtail boats that were rapidly shuttling people back and forth. After landing on a GORGEOUS beach, we climbed and climbed and treacherous path until we ended up here:

 

The whole time I was amazed by my boys and how excited they were to push on, how fearless they were at any height, and how full of wonder they were the whole day. I'm full of hope for them, that they will never lose the hunger to explore. I hope they never lose the ability to marvel at nature or the beauty around them.

I hope they never lose confidence in themselves. Because they are full of incredible abilities. It is only a matter of if they choose to use them.

 

I hope they stay close, love one another. My boys are so different from each other that their personalities complement each other. They play together, read together, and whether they realize it or not they really do work together.

 

I hope they never lose sight of the little things, or become blinded by success or failure. If they become wildly successful in life, love or business, I hope they remember to be humble.

To take time to wiggle their toes in the sand or collect a perfect white seashell. To remember the best gift may not be a shiny new car,  but a perfect unblemished day with the ones they love the most.

 

I hope they never forget to laugh at themselves.

 

I hope they know that no matter where they go, what they become, or what they do I will always always love them. And even should they disappoint me or disobey me, they will never risk losing my love. Never.

Hua Hin Beach Escape

For some reason, I have no photos of the beach! Ah well. To be honest, the best part of the beach was meeting people, talking to Thais AND expats, while our kids were playing in the waves. The resort the stayed in was PHENOMENAL and I highly recommend it: the Centara Grand Hua Hin. Wow. Just wowza.

 

We also drove around the countryside quite a bit, in our usual unplanned adventures way...

 

 

 

We stopped by the train station, to please the kids. They were delighted to see the trains coming and going, and people there were delighted to see our little blondies coming and going. They caused quite a stir.

 

 

My handsome somewhat-bearded hon.

 

Oh, and if you wonder what kinds of paradise are out there, here's one example for ya.

Four pools. Yes, FOUR pools to pick from.

So one day we tried this one.

 

The next day we dabbled in this one.

And so on and so forth.

Scenes from Khao Yai

Wow, my apologies! Has it really been almost a month? Time flies when you have to go back to work! Since my last update we have been SO busy: I had a week of CLO training here in Bangkok, my beloved had a 5K to plan in connection with the National Police Week 5K held annually in D.C., we chilled out at an Earth Day concert at Benjasiri Park, shook our tail feathers at the Brazilian Society of Bangkok's annual ball, and zipped off to the beach at Hua Hin for a working weekend.

 

Before that, I was still riding high on our fantastic trip to Khao Yai, so let me do a quick re-cap!

 

 

 

Khao Yai National Park is GORGEOUS. And fun to drive, with all its twisty turns and steep inclines. The viewpoints are phenominal. The trails are lovely too. We went on two hikes that weekend, and stretched our legs on some challenging trails. Here's Little P flexing for us.

 

We drove through gorgeous towns, and by traditional homes that made us stop and stare.

 

We ate delectable food-whether we knew what we were ordering or now, it was all win-win.

There must not be a great deal of farang vacationers to Khao Yai, because there was very little English spoken or written. It didn't matter really. But it led to a few surprises.

 

My boys had some quality time together, away from the rush of Bangkok life.

 

I love how this is always present whenever you see a hilltop in the distance. Back home that would be a cell phone tower or something...

 

We stayed HERE. And enjoyed this view from our private villa every morning and after dinner. And at night you could hear music from the people celebrating Songkran wafting from a distance. But only until the respectable hour of 10, and then it was quiet and still.

 

We visited three vineyards, and were welcome to walk around them all as we pleased.

 

We sampled wine. Before lunch, even!

I'm crazy like that.

 

Cute villa. There it is. Simple, small, but perfect for a family of four and their canine companion.

 

We leapt over small waterfalls.

 

We conversed with nature.

 

It was fantastic.

Songkran in Khao Yai

Songkran arrived at last, and with it the heat of summer. Now, you may think we are city folk, but actually we are not. Because I honestly would rather have a hot poker in the eye than spend Songkran getting pushed and shoved and firehosed in downtown Bangkok. I know, I know-usually I just embrace the event wholeheartedly and throw myself and my boys into the occasion. This time. not. so. much.

 

So we packed up the car, dog and all, and headed north. About two hours north to the hills. And about that embracing? We did that too.

You see, when you get out of the city, they still celebrate Songkran like its New Years Eve, because for them it is. It just happens to last three days. And like almost everything the Thai's do, they do it well-meaning and in the nature of kindness. So we were pleasantly surprised to find we could roam and venture north of Khao Yai National Park past lovely little villages and find the festivities in full swing, minus the sweating and firehoses and drunk farang.

So it would start like this. And you would drive up to small crowds or families hanging by the side of the road with a tell-tale plastic barrel presumably filled with water. There would be dancing, loud music, children.

If you slowed down like these guys, they would splash you gleefully or wave you over to gently pat white paste on your face and say a blessing. Yes, that's a mickey mouse water gun pack. Mickey Mouse. And four guys clinging to a ceramic barrel of water in the back of a pickup truck, a sight which was repeated all three days.

 

We had packed our arms as well.

Enough for all of us.

So not only did we get the lovely experience of cool fresh air, scenic mountain and valley landscapes, but we also had a lot of fun and laughs. The Thais we battled with water were so amused to see a carload of farang cruising around, getting soaked. My husband was even offered a beer and ice a few times. Right in the car window. No joke.

 

Sometimes we left the windows up, but mostly we did not.

This cute kid got a little creative with his paste.

 

And this happened to me all weekend long, so I feel VERY blessed.