Random BKK Pics

Past and future 

Must be a new record - for stupidity

BKK from the International Space Station

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.

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

The Waiting II

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

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

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!!!

Yangon Circular Train

Warning - not very exciting

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.

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.

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