One quick food pic

Can't help but post a food pic today as well.  We didn't actually eat this when we saw it, but only because we had just eaten and weren't hungry, otherwise we totally would have!

(who wouldn't eat grilled frog on a stick?)

Buildings

It's been noted that a lot of the pictures we've posted thus far are about food, and that's certainly one of our passions.  But we'd also like to show you the town we're living in, since it's very unique and interesting.  So here are a couple scenes of some buildings and streets around Bangkok.  Mostly these are back alleys off the main streets - you don't need to go far from the traffic to get into very peaceful streets.  It also hopefully gives a little taste of how even right in the middle of the concrete and asphalt, Bangkok is a very green town where trees and plants grow easily.  We'll try to take more pictures of what it looks like when you wander around town, and post them here, so you get the idea.

Even from these pictures, though, you can see the contrasts - very new buildings (and Western restaurant chains) right next to cramped back alleys, concrete apartment complexes, and gated houses.  The two flags of Thailand (the national flag, and the royal flag) are definitely evident as you wander as well.

What a friendly country

I think this picture from the Bangkok Post yesterday says a lot about Thailand.  I'm not sure exactly what yet, but it definitely is representative of the country somehow.  You certainly wouldn't see this in America.

Be sure to read the caption...

Christmas day at Wat Pho

We spent our Christmas day walking around Bangkok, checking out the Chinatown area, taking a boat up the main river (Chao Phraya), and wandering around the Wat Pho temple complex, where there is a famous (and enormous) reclining Buddha statue.  Wat Pho is a very tranquil place, and just the thing after navigating the hot urban jungle.  We ended with a one-hour massage at the Wat Pho massage school - it was wonderful, and afterwards we both felt like jellyfish.

These pictures are from Wat Pho.

Merry Christmas from Chris and Sam!

A little holiday spirit from us to you, Bangkok style.  Sam wore a special bow in her hair for the occasion.

We are truly fortunate to have such wonderful friends and family.  Thank you especially for all your love and support over the last six months, we could not have accomplished so much change in so short a time without you!

Love,

Chris and Sam

Fruits at market

Here's your Christmas dessert - fresh tropical fruit!  Three you should know about:

1. Durian - 'the king of the fruits' - looks like a spiky football, smells like old sweaty socks and fermented sewage, tastes wonderful.  But it's hard to get past the smell to get to the tasting, so a lot of folks don't eat it.  Many hotels and some mass transit prohibit taking them on the premises.  That's my kind of fruit!

2. Mangosteen - 'the queen of the fruits' - thick purple shell around delicate, segmented white fruit.  Tastes like heaven itself.  I believe Queen Elizabeth once promised a king's ransom to anyone who could bring a fresh one to her in England, but no one could because they spoil too quick for that long of a voyage.  Thus, you don't see them much outside of Asia.  They are one of the best things about moving to Bangkok, and I cannot wait until they're in season and everywhere.

3. Rambutan - 'red hairy sphere' [that's the literal translation from the Chinese] - like a hairy lychee - soft (but intimidating looking) red hairs on a thickish shell cover a sweet white fruit around a pit.  Also delicious.

So there you have it - a quick tour of some of the heavy hitters for tropical fruit.  Merry Christmas!

Seafood market

You get some food pics for Christmas -- we went to a 'wet' market after Chatuchak market, and saw some fresh seafood. I liked how the squid had 'lost their ink'. Also - note the sheer size of that prawn - bigger than a bottle of water! The bags of dried seafood were fresh, if that makes sense - fish and seafood was being dried on site.