In and Around Bangkok

The sights can be quite amusing, entertaining, or just plain odd, so I thought I'd post some sights of Bangkok at a glance.  Above is a video from a tuk tuk ride in Bangkok.  Notice the oncoming traffic as there are no strict rules in Bangkok about motorcycles or carts driving in the wrong lane going the opposite direction.

Pink eggs for sale!

Or partially fertilized ones?
These are sold on the streets of Bangkok and yes, people actually eat them.

And if that didn't make you lose your appetite, there's always....pork uterus. (thankfully the label is in English too)

Though Jason will try just about anything, he even has his limits.

Now those giant piles of chicken at Makro, Costco's equivalent, don't look so unappetizing.

If all else fails, there's always McDonald's.  Who knew Ronald McDonald knew how to say Hello in Thai "Sawatdee kraup"?  In all seriousness, there is wonderful food here in restaurants, markets, and on the streets.

There are 7-11 stores on every corner where you can purchase a slurpee just like in the US, but in Thailand, you can pay your bills here too.  

To deter intruders, some people strategically place broken glass along the top of their wall.  I've gotten used to seeing this since this house is en route to the mall.  What I'm not accustomed to seeing once I arrive at the mall is

A fake dead body.  Apparently they shoot films here sometimes.  I stepped over this lady while exiting the parking garage.

In case there is a real crime, Spiderman is nearby.

It's curious that in a land with so much poverty there is something called Super Car parking. When I first saw this, I thought it was for large cars like my minivan.   I quickly learned BMWs and Mercedes Benz aren't even allowed to grace these spots with their presence.  Though I have no clue the brand of this car, it has to have a pretty hefty price tag to be worthy of this parking spot.  We also saw a car that said Bullet Proof on the windows.  Carston thought that was pretty cool.

Though some may think this is a pretty cool sight, I do not find it at all amusing.  This is a picture of our guard capturing a python that was in the middle of the road right outside our neighborhood.  I actually saw this taking place (though I did not take this picture) on my way to pick Austin up from a playdate.  Yikes!  I know I will offend members of PETA by saying this but unfortunately they don't kill the snake; they just bag them and release them outside the community.  And there's a good chance they'll find their way back someday.

As I mentioned earlier, they're a little loose on rules here.  Don't send your teenager to this joint!

Anything goes regarding road rules.  Check out these guys chillin' (more like sweating profusely) in the back of a laundry truck perhaps.

These pictures do not even begin to cover the strange sights around Bangkok.  Motorcycles often come at you from the wrong direction carrying multiple passengers, one of whom may be riding sidesaddle while another is a wee toddler wearing no helmet.  Though the below picture is not one I myself took, it is not a far stretch from the typical way some travel in Thailand.

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Activities at a Glance

It seems hard to believe that we have been here for over 4 months.  The time really has flown, and yet I feel like we've been here much longer.  I tried not to busy the kids with too many scheduled activities, but they did participate in some and had a blast.

The boys both played soccer this past fall and are looking forward to starting up with training in January.  They had one practice a week and both had games on Saturday at 8:00 am, which meant Jason and I had to split up to watch them.   Austin really improved and in the off-season is working hard to keep up with Carston.  While trying to get the ball from Carston, he runs his little legs off with a most determined expression on his face.  Though they don't have goalies at Austin's age, he seems to like that position as he enjoys defending the goal.  

One of Carston's favorite moments was when there were torrential downpours at the end of one of his tournament games.  Consequently, unlike in the US, a little rain with some thunder and lightning doesn't scare those Thais off the field.  Carston exclaimed that the best part of playing in the rain is that he doesn't have to take a shower!  What????  Since when does sweat mixed with a lot of water constitute a valid cleaning agent?

Carston's coach referred to him as an "animal" on the field.

Camryn wanted to try gymnastics this year and had the opportunity to participate in her first competition.  She even went to extra Saturday practices to prepare for the event.  We got up at 5 am to catch a van into the city since the competition began at 7 am.  She had a bar, beam, vault and floor routine.  Unfortunately I messed up the videoing of the floor routine, which was her favorite, but got everything else.  Her least favorite, the beam, was her best score.  She was so pleased to receive a participation medal!  

Camryn and Carston both participated in one additional after school activity.  Carston shot some hoops while Camryn knitted some scarves.  Camryn absolutely loved her knitting class, so much that she took her knitting on her field trip with her.

Knitting as her bus takes off for her overnight field trip