Jackfruit - the one that looks like giant kernels of corn, but tastes like banana with citrus undertones. Mouthfeel: calamari without breading.
When I tell people that I’m going to be away for five weeks, I get a lot of head shaking and incredulous looks – but listen, one) a 20-flight is a loooo-oong ride for a 2-year old, so I’d better make it worth it; and two) five weeks feels like hardly anytime at all at the end of it all.
Now that I have five days before I leave, I’m thinking about all the things I want to fit in or experience ONE MORE TIME before I go. Tonight I got the pad thai and mussel omelet crossed off my list and yesterday I finally tried that famous duck noodle soup – but there are so. many. more. things. Massages for instance, I’ve only had two (granted, one was two hours long); more fresh jackfruit and durian for another; and yes, I want to go back to chattachuk for a fourth and final time this weekend (I found my favorite t-shirt stall last weekend! A real chattachuk achievement to be able to repeat find). And I need to get back to Chidlom Central, a regular mall, to buy more wooden Plan toys (they are 40% cheaper here since Plan is a Thai toy company – we’re getting Christian the double story garage for his birthday).
Fresh vegetable juice stands have become popular. We often get one with carrot, beet, and apple to start the day.
I laugh when people wonder about how much I reveal about my life. There is so much that gets unsaid – even stuff that I want to write about – or that I’ve already written in my head – that I’ll never have time to put down.
Buying veggies early on in the trip. When Sue saw this picture, she said, "That's strange, a photo makes it look SO FOREIGN."
For instance, my sister took me to a fabulous birthday brunch at the Shangri-la hotel this weekend. It was all-you-could-eat cuisine from around the world. I ate my way through a mountain of raw oysters on the half shell, and then tried a plate of chocolate desserts while Christian alternated between watching the barges passing on the Chao Praya River and the clown in the kids’ room.
The next day we went to see a fantastic traditional puppet show (rod puppets – each puppet requires three puppeteers).
Yesterday, Christian and I went with Joss’s cousins (the two kids and wife) up the river on a riverboat taxi to Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn.
Today, we all were treated to a delicious brunch at Crepes and Co by aforementioned cousins.
All of these deserve their own post.
And then I’ve been meaning to do a craft post, a protest-destruction post, a massage post, etc, etc.
In the hospital room the morning after Leela's birth. I think Songbae actually read all those pages before Noi naa nodded off.
But in the end, it’s more important to spend the actual face time with family, right? Even family from my brother-in-law’s side.
We are enjoying the company of the cousins (with two kids and they’ve already been traveling in India for three months) and grandparents (en route to England, Italy, and Greece). Clearly, both sides of the family have a thing about traveling.
The whole sofa. This is the sofa where Christian and I slept. Joss, Songbae, and Noi naa were on the floor between the sofa and Sue's bed.
Christian, in particular, is really riding the family vibe and joyfully greeted Noi naa’s grandma and granddad this morning (a little to Noi naa’s dismay, I think). He loves the cousins also, who’ve often been swimming and eating with us.
Joss taking a turn with the kids in the garden at Crepes & Co, this morning.
But, he will be happy to see his own Daddy, sister, and grandparents very shortly!
