Saturday, April 30, 2016

Random BKK Pics

Past and future 


Must be a new record - for stupidity



BKK from the International Space Station



Thursday, April 28, 2016

Fresh Meat

On the way to work this morning, I got behind the local butcher


It's no wonder I have felt better in recent months after reducing my intake of Thai food - except the occasional Singha


My Little Alien

That's what Nuch started calling the cyst on my back that had become infected.  

Last night, I decided that ET and I needed to part ways, so I headed down to the local hospital.  As typical with Thai doctors, my doctor didn't spend much time on the details.  She told me I had a "something" cyst and I should go lie down on that table.  The next thing I knew, I was shaved, stabbed, sliced, roughed up, patched up and told that I need to come back every day for a week to dress my wound.  I thought she was just going to pop a big zit.  

Apparently, the sac had burst.  If you think this is disgusting, you should see the small tin of hollandaise sauce they pumped out of me.


Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Rib Hog

For my last few BBQs, the local shop has been out of ribs, so I've had to buy them downtown.  The butcher says that he has a regular customer that has been taking them all.

The other day Nuch was their early and caught the culprit red-handed.  Quite the appetite for a gray-haired granny


Monday, April 25, 2016

The Waiting II

More examples of the ingenious ways Thais have avoided the tedium of line waiting.



Sunday, April 24, 2016

It's Cool To Be Hot

Pics of people and animals trying to stay cool is now a fad on social media. Here are some more samples




This puppy is not trying to stay cool.  It's actually somebody's dinner in Northeast Thailand.



Just kidding

Friday, April 22, 2016

The Art Of Social Networking


Nuch's Songkran

While my mom and I were in Burma, Nuch spent a more traditional Songkran with her family.

Washing the family shrine...


Visiting her Aunt



Cleaning the shrines at her mother's family's temple



It wasn't all work


Sawasdee

After buckets of sweat, mountains of food, and enough temples for the 300 lives of a reincarnated Buddha, it was time for my mom to go home.  See you next time!!!






Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Yangon Circular Train

Warning - not very exciting


Sunday, April 17, 2016

Yangon

We finished up our trip in the capital, Yangon.  After a hot and dusty start to our trip, we were happy to get back to civilization and an upgrade to two suites.



We didn't have a lot of time in Yangon and with their New Year water festival in full swing it wasn't easy to get around, so we decided to take a leisurely ride on the local train to explore the outskirts of town.


The first train to arrive brought about 30 people carrying loads of nuts on their heads - must be great for building correct posture



By the way, they weren't carrying nuts - these were all bags full of bugs to be sold as snacks





After the train ride, we headed back to the hotel and got caught in the crossfire of one of the many water fights that lined the streets.


There was no A/C, so our driver drove with the windows down.  Fortunately, he had covered his entire interior with plastic because he was a bit slow getting his windows up at this particular stop.


Saturday, April 16, 2016

Bagan

After Mandalay, we took a treacherous drive through the Burmese countryside to Bagan.

More temples...



We were supposed to take a balloon ride over the ancient capital, but it was cancelled due to high winds.  The next best option was the Bagan Tower



Not as awe-inspiring as the view from a balloon, but it was a good way to see the thousands or stupas and temples the cover Bagan.






 Our last stop on the way out of Bagan was a lacquer ware shop that had at least one famous customer.


In a never-ending attempt to reach new superlatives, Bagan has one of the world's smallest, emptiest, and hottest airports.


Friday, April 15, 2016

St. Donald

Someone tell the Pope - Donald Trump's first miracle!!


Mandalay - Old Capital's

On our second day in Mandalay, we took a ferry across the Irawaddy River to visit the old capitals Mingun, Sagaing, and Inwa



Kitten resting at the pier



At Mingun - This was going to be the world's largest pagoda until the king ran out of money.  An earthquake in the 70's finished it off.



Next to the unfinished world's large pagoda is the world's largest bell



Next stop was Sapaing


View from atop Sapaing hill



Here's the abbreviated version of the world's largest book - just one tablet




The last stop was Inwa where we took a horse and carriage around the dusty capital, which has it's own version of the leaning tower of Pisa


and more temples