Bangkok Weekend

We had talked about going up to Chaing Mai this weekend but couldn't really ask Georgie and Ben to look after the cats two weekends in a row so we decided to spend the weekend in Bangkok. So on Saturday, after a ridiculously long breakfast/lunch at Crepes and Co, we headed over to Khao San Road which is the backpacker area of Bangkok. We had such a giggle - we sat at The Buddy Restaurant and Bar and people watched......the sights you see!!! (We didn't manage to get a photo of the punks or the man with feathers in his ears but did manage to capture this little beauty!!). Then I nearly fell off my chair laughing......there was a noise that sounded a bit like an ambulance siren and suddenly about 10 Thais pushing various food carts ran past us which was funny enough in itself but then Derek commented 'I wonder if that's the traffic police' and sure enough about two minutes later a van marked Traffic Police drove past!! (the vendors came back about five minutes later but we all agreed that it was very nice of the police to give them some advance warning!!). After that we went and had some dinner then went to the Hippie Bar - it was a good night!!

On Sunday we were up and about reasonably early so headed over to Chatuchak so that Jo, Tracey and Derek could get whatever last minute things they wanted to get. I do love that market....it truly has everything you could ever want and every time we go I wish I had unlimited means!! We grabbed some lunch and then Derek and Chris went to the pub and Jo, Tracey and I went to Khun Dao's for a fitting. That evening, in our new togs, we headed out to Mambo to see the Lady Boy show......IT'S NOT FAIR!!! God those guys are gorgeous!! (ok, not all of them as you will see from the photo of Derek but most of them!!) Chris and I had seen them before in Manchester with Tom but we had not been to the show here - It was fab!!! I don't know what was more entertaining....the show or the look on Derek's face!! We got some great pictures as you can see!!
















We then went to the pub to recover!!!

The St George's Ball - (Chris wore his kilt!!)

This was the first proper ball I have ever been to - I had an amazing dress made for me by Khun Dao which was based on a John-Paul Gaultier design - she did such a good job of it. (I bought a lovely little black bag to go with it and Chris treated me to some sparkly earrings). We had really good fun and although it was the St George's Ball us Scots outnumbered the English on our table!! (Which was quite funny when it came to the singing and flag waving.....)

I have to say that I have never laughed so much in my life!! Before we had even left the apartment I had inadvertently managed to traumatise Dawan (although I think perhaps I was the more traumatised of the two of us) - Chris was getting ready in the other bedroom so we didn't get in each other's way (Moon doesn't work on a Saturday) so when there was a knock at the bedroom door I assumed it was Chris. No, it was Fa and Dawan and all I was wearing was a pair of pants!! (Dawan's eyes were out on stocks - I don't think he had ever seen boobs that big before!!). Then it was Chris's turn for the humiliation - he appeared (looking very handsome in his kilt) and Moon took one look at him and roared 'Same Same Katoey', which means same same lady boy, and proceeded to double up with laughter .

Then, when we were leaving the apartment, the security guard took one look at him and started laughing. Normally there are taxi's going up and down our Soi all the time but there were none at all so we had to walk to the main road to get one. I toddled along behind Chris giggling as I watched a wee man on his bike nearly crash because he was so busy staring at the weird Farang in a skirt. The people that were sitting down to eat their dinner (Most Thai's eat at stalls on the street) stopped eating and stared open mouthed (and then started laughing) and then a man walked past Chris and cheerfully announced 'Suai' (which means beautiful) to which Chris replied 'Come on - it's law surely' (law means handsome). I have never seen Chris look so happy to see a taxi in my life - it was very funny!!

The ball itself was brilliant and the food was fantastic - Smoked Salmon salad, Roast Beef with all the trimmings, Bread and Butter pudding and then cheese and crackers (Yummy). (Actually was surprised that I didn't burst out of my dress given all the food we ate!!). Our friend Belinda got a major fit of the giggles after a couple of glasses of wine and just could not stop laughing (not helped by the fact that Chris kept making derogatory comments about people that were very funny!!), Rodger, who was sitting next to me, had me in stitches with his dancing (That's him and Louise on the right), Grant (Gordon's son - Gordon was the one at our dinner party with the hair-dryer!!) was horrified by the fact that I discovered that he was a Donna Summer fan and Julie (The Chair of the BWG) really got into the singing and flag waving as you can see. The band they had were really good.......Chris got up and danced - he actually offered (and he did it more than once) although he couldn't compete with Snake Hips and Son (which is what we are now calling Gordon and Grant after witnessing their bum wiggling). Still full from dinner neither of us could face the breakfast that had been served so we called it quits at about 2am.