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I was off from school for two weeks. Half of the time we stuck around Phichit and were lazy.
Halfway through the vacation we decided to go to Bangkok with Ton, Tang and Ake. We got to travel down there for free with them and have a free place to stay. Plus we got out from Phichit and had a little change (which is good for me). Tang and Ake were going to IKEA to get a bunch of stuff for the new school and I love IKEA!
We left the school around 3:45 on Friday. We went to the garden home and then finally got on our way around 4:30! We stopped about halfway to Bangkok and had Thai food for dinner. I tried some fried, crispy baby fish (that was cooked with the little bones inside). I also had some of an omelet (that I think also had fish, because I got a bone). I didn't care for those very much. I really liked the cashew chicken, fried rice and broccoli.
Once we got to Bangkok we dropped Tang, Ake and Flynn off at Ake's parent's. Ton, Tanner and I headed to the other home. I went to sleep shortly after we got home. I didn't even stay up to ring in the New Year. I was in bed by 11:00!
New Year's day Tanner and Ton went to JJ market and to run errands. I went with Ake and Tang to IKEA! I love that place so so much and it did not disappoint! We were seriously there for about 8 hours. They got a bunch of stuff for the new school and their apartment by the new school.
We took a break for a late lunch and dessert. It was a day filled with really great food. Lunch at this Italian restaurant was divine. I shared a chicken Caesar salad with Tang and Ake. Then I had French onion soup. And then I had a ham and mushroom pizza. Yum! I also tried the ribs and duck liver spread that they got.
After You is this really cute, delicious dessert place. Tang raved about it and she was right to do so! I got toffee toast. It was a 4 inch tall piece of toast with delicious toppings and two little scoops of ice cream. Tang got the strawberry crumble and Ake got a skookie (skillet cookie). The crumble and cookie came in these super tiny cast iron pans that were only 2 ½ or 3 inches across.
After stuffing ourselves we went back to IKEA. When Tanner and Ton finished with their stuff they joined us. Tanner and I looked at some rooms and got some ideas for our home/apartment. I love that in IKEA when you get tired there are so many places to sit or lay down and rest. I found one bed that I was especially fond of.
After dinner at Carl's Jr. we took a couple pictures in front of a HUGE Christmas tree. When Christmas is over I like to take the decorations down and move on. I love Christmas and live in every moment and soak everything up! But the when it's over I like to clean up and put decorations away quickly. Tanner has started calling me the “after Christmas grinch”. Haha.
Saturday we watched Kung Fu Panda when we first woke up. We slept in, but that's a good part of vacation
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We went to 7-11 with Ton for breakfast and for him to buy some offerings for the monks. Thai people like to give offerings at the very beginning of the year. It's supposed to bring luck for the rest of the year. Tanner and I went with him to the temple with Ton. He went inside to give his offering and pray. We watched from outside, through the window. The monk prayed and sprinkled them with water to “drive away the bad things” as Ton told us afterwards.
That afternoon we went to Siam Paragon. It's the biggest shopping mall in south east Asia. It was really huge! It was extra crowded because so many people were on holiday.
We parked at the BTS station and took the BTS to the mall. The parking lot at the station was so full!!! People parked behind the spots in rows. I asked how the people in the spots got out. They said everyone leaves their cars in neutral and they just push the cars out of the way!
We separated from Ton for dinner. He got Japanese food and Tanner and I got Subway sandwiches. They were Thai good. (I feel like that phrase has become a staple in my vocabulary! Haha!)
Ton thought we might go to the aquarium. But the line was REALLLLLLLLLY long. And it was only 450 baht for Thai people and 950 for foreigners. So then we thought maybe he would go and we would go to the movies. But he didn't want to wait in the line. So Tanner and I went and saw Star Wars while Ton walked around the mall and shopped a little. I bought the movie was good. I haven't seen the other movies on my adult life, but I felt like I was able to follow it and enjoy it just fine.
After the movie Tanner and I walked around a little. We went to a gourmet market store. We found quinoa! I have been wanting some and bought it even though it was way overpriced. We got some frozen yogurt which I really enjoyed. The mall has all kinds of stores. It felt like America. There were so many of the stores we have there.
Sunday we went to church in Bangkok! The taxi dropped us off a little ways from the building, but Tanner was able to connect to the Internet on his phone and help us get here (that felt like a tender mercy). We were a few minutes late, but got here just in time to sing the sacrament hymn.
It felt so nice to be in a WARD, with more than a hundred people! And it was in English! The sacrament prayer was in English and I could understand the speakers. There were families. There are young children and I forgot how nice that is. In the Phitsanulok branch there are two kids that are about 10 years old, but no young kids. There I could hear babies making noise and see parents taking little ones out. There was a young boy passing the sacrament. I could tell that he was new to it. He stood at one row for a couple minutes, looking like he didn't know what to do. I was a few rows back and knew that she had already had the sacrament. She had her eyes closed and the boy didn't know what to do. His dad got up from a few rows ahead and helped him. The dad tapped the lady and asked if she had already had the sacrament. She said yes and the dad directed his son to go get in line. It was sweet to watch. I feel like in our branch we are just lucky if we have enough brothers to be on the stand and bless and pass the sacrament. It was such a normal thing, but something I've missed out the last year and a half. Overall it just felt so great to be there! I also really enjoyed attending Sunday school and Relief society. I have never loved relief society, but this last Sunday I truly did!
That night I ate at a Japanese BBQ. They bring super hot coals to the middle of your table and then you order what you want. It was a buffet and Tang ordered for us. She ordered one of EVERYTHING! and we ate it all. I was so, incredibly, uncomfortably full when we were done.
It was a really fun trip and it was nice to get out. Hop you all had a great New Years! now it's time to get caught up on here now that it's already February!
Once we got to Bangkok we dropped Tang, Ake and Flynn off at Ake's parent's. Ton, Tanner and I headed to the other home. I went to sleep shortly after we got home. I didn't even stay up to ring in the New Year. I was in bed by 11:00!
New Year's day Tanner and Ton went to JJ market and to run errands. I went with Ake and Tang to IKEA! I love that place so so much and it did not disappoint! We were seriously there for about 8 hours. They got a bunch of stuff for the new school and their apartment by the new school.
We took a break for a late lunch and dessert. It was a day filled with really great food. Lunch at this Italian restaurant was divine. I shared a chicken Caesar salad with Tang and Ake. Then I had French onion soup. And then I had a ham and mushroom pizza. Yum! I also tried the ribs and duck liver spread that they got.
After You is this really cute, delicious dessert place. Tang raved about it and she was right to do so! I got toffee toast. It was a 4 inch tall piece of toast with delicious toppings and two little scoops of ice cream. Tang got the strawberry crumble and Ake got a skookie (skillet cookie). The crumble and cookie came in these super tiny cast iron pans that were only 2 ½ or 3 inches across.
After stuffing ourselves we went back to IKEA. When Tanner and Ton finished with their stuff they joined us. Tanner and I looked at some rooms and got some ideas for our home/apartment. I love that in IKEA when you get tired there are so many places to sit or lay down and rest. I found one bed that I was especially fond of.
After dinner at Carl's Jr. we took a couple pictures in front of a HUGE Christmas tree. When Christmas is over I like to take the decorations down and move on. I love Christmas and live in every moment and soak everything up! But the when it's over I like to clean up and put decorations away quickly. Tanner has started calling me the “after Christmas grinch”. Haha.
Saturday we watched Kung Fu Panda when we first woke up. We slept in, but that's a good part of vacation
We went to 7-11 with Ton for breakfast and for him to buy some offerings for the monks. Thai people like to give offerings at the very beginning of the year. It's supposed to bring luck for the rest of the year. Tanner and I went with him to the temple with Ton. He went inside to give his offering and pray. We watched from outside, through the window. The monk prayed and sprinkled them with water to “drive away the bad things” as Ton told us afterwards.
That afternoon we went to Siam Paragon. It's the biggest shopping mall in south east Asia. It was really huge! It was extra crowded because so many people were on holiday.
We parked at the BTS station and took the BTS to the mall. The parking lot at the station was so full!!! People parked behind the spots in rows. I asked how the people in the spots got out. They said everyone leaves their cars in neutral and they just push the cars out of the way!
We separated from Ton for dinner. He got Japanese food and Tanner and I got Subway sandwiches. They were Thai good. (I feel like that phrase has become a staple in my vocabulary! Haha!)
Ton thought we might go to the aquarium. But the line was REALLLLLLLLLY long. And it was only 450 baht for Thai people and 950 for foreigners. So then we thought maybe he would go and we would go to the movies. But he didn't want to wait in the line. So Tanner and I went and saw Star Wars while Ton walked around the mall and shopped a little. I bought the movie was good. I haven't seen the other movies on my adult life, but I felt like I was able to follow it and enjoy it just fine.
After the movie Tanner and I walked around a little. We went to a gourmet market store. We found quinoa! I have been wanting some and bought it even though it was way overpriced. We got some frozen yogurt which I really enjoyed. The mall has all kinds of stores. It felt like America. There were so many of the stores we have there.
Sunday we went to church in Bangkok! The taxi dropped us off a little ways from the building, but Tanner was able to connect to the Internet on his phone and help us get here (that felt like a tender mercy). We were a few minutes late, but got here just in time to sing the sacrament hymn.
It felt so nice to be in a WARD, with more than a hundred people! And it was in English! The sacrament prayer was in English and I could understand the speakers. There were families. There are young children and I forgot how nice that is. In the Phitsanulok branch there are two kids that are about 10 years old, but no young kids. There I could hear babies making noise and see parents taking little ones out. There was a young boy passing the sacrament. I could tell that he was new to it. He stood at one row for a couple minutes, looking like he didn't know what to do. I was a few rows back and knew that she had already had the sacrament. She had her eyes closed and the boy didn't know what to do. His dad got up from a few rows ahead and helped him. The dad tapped the lady and asked if she had already had the sacrament. She said yes and the dad directed his son to go get in line. It was sweet to watch. I feel like in our branch we are just lucky if we have enough brothers to be on the stand and bless and pass the sacrament. It was such a normal thing, but something I've missed out the last year and a half. Overall it just felt so great to be there! I also really enjoyed attending Sunday school and Relief society. I have never loved relief society, but this last Sunday I truly did!
That night I ate at a Japanese BBQ. They bring super hot coals to the middle of your table and then you order what you want. It was a buffet and Tang ordered for us. She ordered one of EVERYTHING! and we ate it all. I was so, incredibly, uncomfortably full when we were done.
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| Tang stood up on the bench to get this shot! |
