March '11 Celebrations and Company

Carnival

We kicked off March by celebrating Carnival and Mardi Gras in a little different fashion this year.  Lilli was invited to a Carnival party hosted by a family from Brazil.  She enjoyed games, food, and a parade.  Smyth was invited to a Carnival party hosted by a family from Portugal.  He enjoyed loud music, dancing, and a pig roast.  And for our celebration here at our house I made my first ever King's Cake.

My first King's Cake.  The only difference between mine and an authentic New Orleans King's Cake is I didn't have the traditional little pink plastic baby to put inside mine.  So I had to use a little white plastic Polly Pockets teddy bear.



Foreign Friends

Finally, people are starting to take us up on our offer to visit us here in Thailand and to use our home.  Our first visitors for 2011, The Fusco Family from Nixa, MO, stayed with us nearly a week.  Tamara and I have been friends since 4th grade at Forest Heights Elementary School in Harrison, AR.  She and her family had spent 7 months in Australia and New Zealand and were heading back to the states via Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.  They scheduled some time in Thailand and we were happy to host them in our home.  The visit was just too short, but Tamara and I are already laying out plans for their next, and longer, visit to Thailand.

The Fuscos visit the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya

Friends since 4th grade!

Here we are having a fish spa. Hundreds of fish nibble away the dry skin on our feet.

Rob Owen, a colleague of Robert's, is a British guy living in Brussels.  He came for work for a few days and we enjoyed having him for an afternoon and dinner.  He and Robert have known each other for many years and I finally got to meet him.

Jal Dadabhoy, originally from India now living in Brussels also came to Thailand for work.  Jal also works for Solvay and was in town for a week.  Again, he spent the afternoon with us and stayed for dinner.

This leads me to another open invitation to all.....  Please come see us!  We love having company and we would love to share Thailand with you. 

March 26, 1988

Do you remember where you were on this date?  I remember it well and even remember what I was wearing!

Robert and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary with a night out to see The Tiffany Show, a local cabaret show where the performers are kathoeys.  Kathoeys are the recognized third gender here in Thailand.  They are also known as Ladyboys.  You can read more about them at this link, it's just too hard to describe.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathoey 

The show was very entertaining appealing to all cultures with the music and songs that were performed.  After the show we had the chance to take pictures of the performers.

Robert looking a little nervous to be so close to a beautiful "ladyboy"

All the performers in this picture are kathoeys.

After the show we had a wonderful dinner at Cafe Pascal, a local international restaurant here in Pattaya.  The beef and lamb were cooked perfectly, the wine selection was vast, not usually the case here in Thailand, and the atmosphere was perfect for a quiet celebration dinner.

Crepe Suzette prepared at our table.  Aroy!  (Thai for delicious!)

Robert's parents sent this beautiful flower arrangement to us.  I always love receiving flowers but this one particular arrangement and delivery will long be remembered.  Delivery trucks and vans are not common in Thailand.  A refrigerator or couch or some other big item might be delivered in the back of someones pick up truck.  The flowers, on the other hand, were delivered by two guys on a motor scooter.  One guy was driving the scooter and the other was sitting on the back holding the flowers.  They didn't have any identifying clothes or signs saying what florist they were from.  I wonder if the flower shop person just went outside and flagged down a scooter and paid the guys a small amount to deliver the flowers?

Although March was not as busy for us, it was a good month!