Jim Thomson's House + MBK

We had another action packed day today!! (I'm knackered already so I have no idea how my Mum's feeling!!). We had a lovely Thai breakfast to start the day today.....Mum wasn't so sure about the Khao Dome which is coconut sticky rice in banana leaves but everything else went down well!!

Then we jumped on the Skytrain and headed along to National Stadium and headed along to Jim Thompson's House. You know something......this gets kinda hard to write about when it's the fourth time you've been. (You can read the history of the place here). Mum absolutely loved it (as I knew she would) and we had a really lovely, leisurely morning plootering about the gardens. We did some shopping and then had a gorgeous lunch - Chicken Spring Rolls, Crab Cakes and Prawn Spring Rolls followed by Thai roasted chicken with sticky rice and stir fried vegetables. Oooohhhh it was divine!! (We both got the giggles - I had just finished saying that I had never seen anyone I knew here when someone I know passed the window and waved in!!). Mum was most impressed by the Rice Wine Tea Pot that you fill from the bottom as it doesn't have a lid (Jim Thompson had one and we were shown it on the tour) so after lunch we went on a 'Hunt the teapot' expedition.....I am happy to say that we managed to find one (Go Us!!)

After JT's we went along to MBK and I think Mum was quite impressed by it.......it's very Thai (One of the floors seems to be completely dedicated to mobile phones and smelly fish substances!!) but you really can get everything you ever wanted (and probably a few things you didn't know existed). She treated herself to a stunning lamp made out of silk worm cocoons (which sounds horrible but isn't!!) and managed to pick up a few wee bits and bobs as presents (so I'm not going to say any more about the shopping!!). You know.......the best thing about having lots of guests is the excuse to take them to great places where you can buy yummy food - yep we ended up at the cake place!!! (Tell me that doesn't look great and I'll call you a liar!!)

We grabbed a cab back home (I had decided there was no way I was carrying Mum's shopping any further!!) and whilst we were stuck in traffic Chris called to say that he had just left the office. We could see him from the cab!! Much waving ensued but he declined to join us in the cab cause he reckoned he'd be quicker walking.....and he was......after another five minutes we gave up and decided to walk back too. We were just passing Time Square when Mum spotted Chris sitting at one of the tables with a beer......so guess who decided to join him!! It was really good fun - it's now into the cool season here so the tables and chairs are back outside the mall and there is live music (The same band as last year).....Moon came and joined us and we had a beer or two (or five) outside listening to the Thai rock band do ACDC cover tunes amongst others. I am ashamed to say that we got Moon drunk AGAIN and I ended up having to put her to bed!!!

Jo, Tracey and Derek

We have been having an absolute hoot.....I don't think we have stopped laughing since their arrival!! The plane arrived on schedule and I went and picked them up at the airport (no wrong day's this time!!) when we got home Moon had made the most amazing lunch - Tom Yum Gai, a lovely fish dish which sounds something like Chock Chai (I really need to get the proper name from her) and steamed rice. Jo, Tracey and Derek brought us loads of wine, some Pimms and a Cat toilet!! (It's called Litter Kwitter and it trains your cat to use the toilet.....how cool is that!! I can't wait to watch the DVD). We then went a wee wonder up Sukhumvit Road, met up with Chris in our local bar on Soi 8 then headed to Cabbages and Condoms for dinner (Yes the lights are made of condoms and the man's clothes from birth control pills!!). Jo was most taken with the fact that we had ordered blue/purple food and just had to take a photo!!







The following day we headed out to Jim Thomson's house (Jo bought the most beautiful bag.....I have bag envy) we had lunch there and then went over to MBK where we did a bit of shopping then went to the food court for pudding. (Jo took a photo......this is starting to become a habit!!). Then we went to the mobile phone section - for those who have not been this really is a sight to behold.....I didn't know that you could get so many phones!! - and Jo bought the most truly....erm....actually words fail me.....here is a photo so you can see for yourself!! (I do not have phone envy!! Oh and I will explain the story of the pig fan at a later date!!). We headed home and then went into the new spa, Lavana, that has opened across the road.....we all decided to go for the full body massage with hot herbal ball. It was divine although Jo and I creased up when we saw the black net pant things that we had been asked to wear!! I think we all slept like logs that night!!

On Thursday they headed out on their own - I had a BWG Committee meeting and had to take the cats to the vet (That was traumatic....lugs still has ear mites (He had them before we got him) which means that we have to clean his ears morning and night for the next two weeks and they both had to have blood tests and shots). When I got home they had gone for a look around, had eaten at Crepes and Co (and could now recommend a few dishes that I had not tried before) and Derek was having a little nap. We then headed out to the Night Market and the Joe Lewis Puppet Theatre - Chris joined us after the show and we all laughed at the incredibly dense waiter that was serving us (actually, serving is technically correct but not what actually happened.....it was a little experience). We got Tuk Tuk's home.....Jo and Derek loved them....Tracey was not so sure but I think that had more to do with the fact that the air con is playing havoc with her sinuses and the pollution wasn't actually helping!!

I think it's time for some Culture

I got a phone call from Khun Dao to say that she had bought three different lots of fabric and would Sadie come in and pick the colours she liked best so we started our morning back at the Tailors discussing fabric's. The decision was made and we spent the rest of the morning relaxing with a cuppa (or three) at Jenny's apartment (She lives about....oohhh....two mins walk from the tailors....so, you know.....it would have been rude not to!!). It was lovely - Sadie and Margaret got to meet Robin and Hattie (It was half term) and her husband David (who had the day off work but was actually working so it was a very quick Hi and Bye). Hattie and I spent the time fighting with her counted cross stitch - It's a sad day when a bit of fabric and some thread can confuse the bejesus out of a 31 year old woman and a 10 year old girl. The two colours she is using are so similar that it was really difficult to see where she was on the pattern.....i am happy to say that, between the two of us, the fight was won and she is now back up and running.

We got a cab from Jen's over to Jim Thompson's House and had an absolutely fantastic lunch at the restaurant there. We decided that we would share some starters - we had chicken spring rolls, spicy crispy pork and prawns with flowers wrapped in batter followed by Roast Chicken Salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing (for me) and Chicken with Cashew nuts with steamed rice for Sadie and Margaret. Sadie and I ended up with the giggles.....we couldn't help overhearing the conversation between the couple of American Business men sitting next to us - one of them was telling the other that their son had bought them the best present which was a clock that counts down the time till George Bush is out of office (I nearly asked him where his son got it - there are a few people i can think of that would appreciate one!!). After lunch we went on the tour of the house (See the posting 'Adventures of Tomato in Thailand - The Sights and Sounds of Bangkok' for more information) - It is so beautiful that I don't think I will ever get fed up visiting the place. (Tom - I'll see your yogic flying and raise you!! What do you think of my levitating?)

Later that evening when Chris got home from work we headed out to Cheap Charlies for a couple of drinks (only water for me.....sigh) and then over to Charlie Brown's for some (non-spicy) Mexican food. It was a lovely night and really nice for Sadie and Margaret to see some of Chris who has been working his butt off since they arrived - not helped by the fact that he had to take a day off when I went into hospital (I did tell him to go in but he told me I was more important....Ahhh, I knew there was a reason I loved him!!). Chris, the manager of Charlie Browns, suggested that we take Sadie and Margaret to a club in Nana Plaza (Which is one of the seedier parts of Bangkok) that features a bucking bronco - maybe another night........