Happy Birthday in Bangkok

Well, this is the first birthday in a number of years that I was forced to break tradition and celebrate without Laura and my Sis. Laura and the girls celebrated her birthday without me in Toronto, but Ibi assured me she took a picture of me with her so I could be there in spirit! And Cari and Owen had their own "Happy Birthday Auntie Kris" party, so I wasn't left out there either! Even in Barrie, my cute little niece and Amie made me a happy birthday video of the card Amie and Abbie made. In addition to all the birthday cards, emails and phone calls received from everyone back home I have to say celebrating my birthday in Bangkok has been pretty great - plus my hubby made sure it was extra special!
I woke up in the morning to a delicious French Toast breakfast (after Ryan ran out twice to pick up ingredients he forgot!) and then we had a nice relaxing morning before heading down to the gym and for a dip in the pool. After that it was out for an iced cappuccino and a walk in the park where we stopped by the pond to watch the kids feed the fish and turtles (and whatever else lives in that water). We sat at a nearby bench and watched this one poor little turtle struggle and struggle to pull himself out of the "lake" (it is surrounded by a concrete ledge). After about 5 minutes of watching this little guy try and try again Ryan finally reached in to rescue him. Then, of course, we had to watch with baited breath every time a kid walked by because we were sure the turtle was going to get tossed back in! Surprisingly the kids just came up to him curiously and then left him alone . . . we were both positive that if we were back home that poor turtle would have been poked with a stick, flipped upside down, and suffer through a number of other curious kids before being tossed back in the lake! Finally a police officer came by and nudged the turtle back in with his toe. Our entertainment gone, Ryan and I continued on our walk and headed for home to get ready for dinner.
Ryan had made reservations for us at Piman, a Thai Dinner and Theatre restaurant nearby. We had walked by it a number of times and heard it was definitely an experience to be had.

Every night there is a 6-act show of Thai dancing and a short play. The atmosphere of the restaurant is authentically Thai: red from floor to ceiling with tables on the floor with cushions to sit on. Again, the floor was cut out under the table so you could stretch your legs if you chose not to sit cross legged. Shoes had to be removed at the front door, and there were antiques dating back to the 13th century on display to complete the ambience.
We weren't sure what to expect for dinner - there was no menu, you were just served several Thai dishes. However, after the server brought out our first dish: Thai-style spring rolls, we knew we were in for a treat. Our server brought out several other dishes including shrimp, chicken curry, steamed jasmine rice, Tam Yam Koon (very yummy Thai soup), sweet sticky-noodles, and some warm Thai salad. Everything was amazing! Then our server returned and brought 3 more plates! This time she brought Morning Glory (warm and spicy Thai salad - kind of spinach-like; very tasty), a spicy pork dish, and Thai omlette. Our server said these dishes were special for us, and looking around we saw that no one else was served these extra dishes . . .

I asked Ryan and he swears he had nothing to do with it, so perhaps we received extra because we didn't pay the "tour group" price (a bus full of tourists had shown up while we were eating), or maybe they just mistook us for someone else (we were looking extra fabulous that night!!), either way we enjoyed the treat!
After being served a dessert of mixed fruit and tea, we settled down with our wine to enjoy the show. Our hostess brought out some dancers in Traditional Thai dress who demonstrated a variety of hand gestures and movements, each signifying different feelings. Our hostess then explained each of the dances we were about to see (which was then repeated in 5 other languages) and the show began.
Accompanied by traditional Thai music, we watched a number of different dance styles and enjoyed the rhythmic movements and costumes of each performance. Most were simple dances, but we also got to see a re-enactment of a famous battle, and a deer hunt.




While the Thai music can get a little . . . twangy . . . at times, the show was really neat and helped complete my Thai birthday experience.

Just Another Night in Bangkok

Well our lives have returned to our normal busy schedules: work, eat, sleep, repeat.
We hadn't been out with our Canadian crew for a while, so Friday night after a hectic week we all met up at Woodstock's, a pub nearby that is owned by an American (the pub also sponsor’s Clem's hockey team). We enjoyed some Thai-style nachos: deep fried bread instead of chips, but the salsa was excellent, and some Happy Hour specials before heading off to find a new restaurant for some dinner.
We walked a little further up the Soi and found an interesting Thai restaurant that looked like it was in the middle of the jungle. It peaked our curiosity (or perhaps we were all starving) so we wandered in to find a table. The restaurant had a dark atmosphere and we were surrounded by a variety of live palm trees. The bar was made to look like a Tiki hut, and there was a lagoon with a fountain situated a good 10 feet below our table. I was seated next to the drop-off so I held on tight to my purse, 'cause there was no way I was going in that water after it! The mosquito coil under our table topped off our "authentic jungle dinner", although it didn't prevent Steph from being attacked! My trip to the bathroom was an adventure in itself: I asked our server where it was and he pointed down a dark wooden pathway. I followed the path into the darkness with leaves brushing against me on either side. I came to a fork in the path and looked around for some direction. Out of the darkness another server turned on his flashlight and pointed left. Walking a little further I was directed once again and finally found my way. The walk back to the table was much easier as my eyes had adjusted to the dim light by this point in time.
We ordered in Thai fashion, ordering a number of dishes and sharing them among us. The portions were pretty small, but the food was excellent. Plus, the margaritas and Mexican music (yes, we realize this doesn't really fit the Thai-jungle theme, but this is Bangkok, go with it!) brought us back to our Mayan Riviera days so we had a great time!
We weren't ready to call it a night, so after dinner we decided to check out a place that Ryan and Clem pass everyday on their way to work. The front entrance has a giant Zeus-like statue holding a beer in either hand, so we knew the "Coliseum Brew Arena" would be a spectacle to behold.
Steph and I grabbed a table while the boys made a quick detour home to drop off work bags and change (there was no air conditioning in the jungle). We were shown to a table overlooking a large stage in the middle of a massive room lined with tables, bars, lights, and lasers. The band on stage seemed pretty decent, but after their 5th mellow song in a row Steph and I became a little weary of the entertainment. The men showed up and ordered a Beer Tower, holding over 3L of Heineken - they were spoiled, as soon as their glass was under the halfway mark our server rushed over to refill their glass. Steph and I stuck with the coolers; it was just not a beer kinda night.
The entertainment livened up as the night continued, featuring lip synching and dance moves that rivals anything seen at Canada's Wonderland. Ryan said it reminded him of the shows in Mexico that are put on for tourists, but here the spectacle was for the locals (we were the only white people in the place!) As the music got more upbeat more and more people started to dance. However, instead of opening up a dance floor, everyone just pushed their chairs back and danced at their tables! We, of course, joined in!
Perhaps the strangest part of the night was when the guys left for the bathroom (yes I do realize this is the second time I have talked about the facilities). They came back and informed us that while they were doing their business some men approached them and tried to massage their shoulders!! Of course our guys were quick to recoil and say "no massage!" Steph and I went into ours wondering what we would find, but we only got a lady handing out toilet paper. That’s all right though; I think it would get a little crowded in the stall!
With a little liquid courage the guys headed back to the washroom with tip in hand for the complete "bathroom experience". One man came up to Ryan while he was at the urinal and began massaging his shoulders, and then continued to massage his upper arms joined by another man while Ry washed his hands. Clem got the bonus of a chin grab as the Thai man rubbed his goatee saying "so cute". We are not sure if he was talking about the goatee, or if he was propositioning him, but the guys were quick to tip the men and hurry back to our table. Their next trip they were once again forceful with their: "no massage".
After a night of crazy entertainment, exceptional service, dancing, drinks and shisha, we headed for home (but not before we took a Coliseum glass with us for a souvenir).
We started walking home, losing the slow pokes Clem and Steph on our way. We heard some strange singing and turned to see them S-L-O-W-L-Y pass us on motorcycle taxis waving and singing Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye! (It was about a five minute walk, so we let them have their glory!)
Ryan and I continued on our way enjoying the sights of Bangkok at night, when we saw an Elephant turn the corner and start walking down the sidewalk on the other side of the street! Had we not been on Sukhumvit (a crazy-busy main street) we would have crossed over to get a closer look and maybe feed him, but we opted out of car dodging and continued home.

Wat Arun

After the Grand Palace, we hopped on the ferry across the river to check out one of Bangkok's best known landmarks: Wat Arun, or the Temple of the Dawn.

This was the Grand Royal Temple to King Rama II, and housed the Emerald Buddha until it was ferried over to the Palace. It was definitly worth the trip, but they no longer allow you to climb to the very top (at 67 meters I am sure it would have had a spectacular view of the river). We read the rules on our ticket this time and learned that we were also not allowed to "dangle any doll" . . . ? (Perhaps something is lost in translation here, or maybe Bangkok truly does have a doll-dangling problem. Kids just don't take care of their toys these days!)




Walking up to the Wat, Ryan and I stopped to take a "touristy" shot of the wooden Thai dancers - the kind where you stick your face through the cut out for a goofy shot. . . luckily our camera didn't go off, b/c as we walked away a woman tried to charge us 40 THB! That is about $1.30 for a picture! We scanned through our pics to prove to the woman we didn't take a picture, then went on our way before we could fall on any other unsuspecting tourist traps (there was a crowd around a fluffy little Thai bunny, but we were betting is was at least 20 baht each time you pet it!)
We have learned quickly that nothing is free in Bangkok!
We headed back across the river for a quick bite and then hopped on the river taxi to bring us home.

The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo

Well, I have finished my second week teaching and am still alive! My little ones are getting used to their new routine and are settling in nicely to their new classroom. Not sure if I would want to do this forever, but I am enjoying it for the time being (I suppose it helps that they are all super cute and haven't learned to talk back yet!)
This weekend Ryan and I felt up to another touristy excoursion, so we planned a trip to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). This is a HUGE tourist hot-spot, so we knew we were in for a day of crowds and scams. Trying to scam the tourists is a lucrative job for many Thais. Although it is discouraged by the government, there is little anyone can do to stop it unless it is reported. It is such a problem that Thailand has a special Tourist Police that are trained to deal with victimized tourists, and we have been told to call them if we encounter any problems. Knowing this going in (having been suckered once before) we were a little more weary when a nice gentlement informed us on our arrival that there was a special ceremony at the Grand Palace today and only Thais were allowed in. He recommended a number of other temples we should go visit, and we are sure he would have found us a nice Tuk-Tuk driver to take us around town for a "low low price", but not wanting to have to stop into a tailors (the scam is the driver takes you to a number of temples and then to a tailor - he gets gas money, and the tailor hopefully sells us a suit or two) we continued on our way to the main entrance, where, sure enough, the Grand Palace was open to the public. There were several signs at the main gate asking tourists to be weary of strangers, and stating that the complex is open daily.
While no longer where he resides, the Grand Palace was the king's official residence from the time it was built, in 1782, until 1946. To enter the grounds all tourists must be in appropriate dress. While it states this for entrance into all temples, the Grand Palace is the only place where it is enforced. Everyone wishing to enter the grounds must wear appropriate dress at all times; basically this means knees and shoulders covered, and no open toed, or open heeled shoes. They have sarongs for people to borrow if need be, but Ryan and I were prepared. Unfortunately for us, this also happened to be one of the hottest days in Bangkok since we arrived, so we were pretty hot and sweaty by the end of our day!


We couldn't enter any of the buildings, but the spectacular architecture and design of the exteriors of the throne halls and royal residence, as well as the artwork in the Ramakien Gallery, led you to believe the interiors would be equally immaculate.



This last picture is of Phra Si Rattana Chedi. It is said to contain a piece of the Buddha's breastbone.
Featured within the walls of the Grand Palace is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It is the most sacred building in the complex and remains the most revered Buddha image in Thailand. Circling the bot are 112 garudas (mythical half-man half-bird creatures).

Cameras were not allowed in the building, but we were able to take a picture of the Emerald Buddha through the window from the outside (hence the poor photography).

The legend surrounding the Emerald Buddha states that in 1434 lighting struck the CHEDI of Wat Phra Kaeo in Chiang Rai (Northern Thailand) and the flaking plaster revealed a jadeite image beneath. When the king learned of this he sent an army of elephants to retrieve the image, but the elephants would not carry the Emerald Buddha to Chiang Mai. Taking it as a sign, the king rerouted the elephants to Lampang where it was moved several times until taken to Laos. It was not returned to Thailand until 1778, where it stayed in Wat Arun before crossing the river to its final resting place in 1785.
The Emerald Buddha sits encased in glass, high on top of a golden altar, and is actually carved from Jade. It is quite small, especially when compared to the other Buddha images we had seen recently, at only 66 cm high. It was dressed in one of its three costumes, according to the season: summer, winter or the rainy season.
We finished our tour walking past Chakri Maha Prasat Hall, where we spotted guards in white uniforms. Most people took a picture with the guards, but we decided on a more descrete approach. No one tried to make them laugh, as they do with English Bobby's but they did look pretty stern and did not crack a smile for anyone passing by.