July '11 An American Family in Siam

 Celebrating Independence Day 

One of my favorite events of summer is celebrating America's Independence with family and friends.  We have always had family celebrations at my mother's home and at Robert's parents' home.  Another activity we have participated in over the years is the First Federal Bank's Turtle Races on the square in our home town.  What a sad feeling I had when thinking about the coming holiday and not being on home soil under the Stars and Stripes to celebrate the holiday.  However, I was quite excited to receive an invitation from the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok for the Annual American Independence Day Celebration.  I contacted our high school friend Boyd Barker, who lives in Bangkok,  and made plans to meet him at the celebration.  We had a great afternoon listening to bands that are made up of Americans living in Thailand, eating food from "American" restaurants in Bangkok, drinking imported Sam Adams beer (American beers cannot be found in Thailand.), and meeting other Americans living in Thailand.  I bought a book of raffle tickets and was lucky enough to win a 500 Baht gift card to Siam Winery and a new Blackberry Curve.  Of course with my aging eyes and the fact that the keys have both the English and the Thai alphabet on them, learning the new phone is quite difficult.

Robert and Chloe make muffins together.

Chloe and Lilli paint at the plaster booth.

Boyd Barker and Robert enjoy Hurricanes from Bourbon Street Restaurant.

This is what happens when you ask for an American flag from a Thai face painter.

Back in Bangkok

The girls and I were back in the city to spend another day of sightseeing while Robert worked in the Bangkok office.  We enjoyed a trip to Bangkok Dolls, a collection of dolls from all over the world as well as a factory of handmade Thai dolls.  We went to the Royal Elephant Museum which was originally the stables for the rare white elephants that belong to the King.  We shopped for Catholic religious goods at two Catholic churches.  Then we met Bob and went for a dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Bangkok, Kuppa.

Some of the dolls representing many aspects of Thai life.

All the dolls are handmade by 7 people.

Thai style Nativity

Walking to the elephant museum.

These two buildings once stabled the Royal White Elephants.  They now make up the Royal Elephant Museum and the white elephants are stabled on palace grounds near Hua Hin and are not open to the public for viewing.

Holy Rosary Church

Beautiful little Grotto outside of church

Assumption Cathedral

Kuppa Cafe and Restaurant

Slides

Our pool was drained and regrouted.  The whole process took about 15 days.  This was a perfect time to try out the slides at the Pattaya Park pool.  We took along our neighbors Cobin, Saffron, and mom Ali. They are a British ex-pat family that moved here from Australia.  The pool is small but has slides as well as a lazy river.  It's right on the beach so you can leave the pool area and dip in the gulf waters if you want.

The regrouting of our pool.

Chloe tries the more tame blue slide.   We both had just gone down the yellow slides.  I became airborne and flew out of my swimsuit when I hit the water.   Chloe lowered the level of the pool water with the amount she sucked in her nose while flailing into the water. Fortunately we don't have either spectacle recorded!

Saffron, Cobin, and Lilli come down the red slide while some random guy walks in my way.

Lilli

Saffron, Cobin, and Chloe

Lightning Lilli on the yellow slide.  Her only complaint, "It gave me a wedgie!"

Happy Birthday Khun Dowan

Chloe baked cupcakes for our maid's birthday.

Welcoming New Neighbors

We were happy to have new neighbors move in this month.  The Kirsch family is from Michigan.  Steve works for General Motors and daughters Alexa and Gillian will attend school at ISE with Smyth, Chloe, and Lilli.  To introduce them to Thailand the girls and I took Jackie, Alexa, and Gillian out for a day of sightseeing, food, and fun.

Alexa and Chloe at Sanctuary of Truth

Gillian and Lillian

The girls release birds at the foot of the Giant Buddha Statue in Pattaya.

The girls had fun at the Floating Market, Lilli tries ziplining.



Songthaew

Chloe's first ride on a Songthaew (Baht Bus),  an inexpensive way to get around Pattaya.

This party Songthaew passed us on the Motorway on the way to Bangkok.  People pile in the back of this truck, crank the music high, and dance all the way to Bangkok!  Is it even legal to ride in the back of a truck in the U.S.?

Bowling Day

The girls and I decided to try bowling in Thailand.  Again, we got the Kirsch's to go with us.  The bowling lanes were bright, clean, and fully automated with very high tech scoreboards.  We had a waitress assigned to us the whole time.  She measured our feet and got our shoes for us, she picked out balls for us to use, and she took our drink orders, blended watermelon juice, ice lattes, pineapple smoothies, etc....  She also provided nail clippers, nail file, and band aid when I broke my nail.

Pet Care

The girls learned that with pet ownership comes pet care responsibility.  Some aspects of pet care are more appealing than others.  Pet care that involves paper towels, disinfectant, and plastic bags isn't the most fun part of having a new puppy.  However, bathing a 2 pound pup and making homemade dog treats makes up for some of the drudgery of poop patrol.

Just 2 pounds soaking wet.

Making homemade peanutbutter dog biscuits.

Getting into the Swing of It

Always looking for something new to try that all of us can participate in, I decided that the girls and I needed golf lessons.  My Kiwi neighbor, Kerrin, was ready to learn too.  I found an English chap at a local driving range and he had enough open spots to take all of us.  Kerrin and I took a lesson together and then Chloe and Lilli took a lesson.  We then went and played on a par 3 course as we were certain after one lesson we were ready for actual play...... HA!!!  We did have a good time, and we have continued with our lessons.  Kerrin and I have even made it to some of the regular golf courses now.

It's no fun playing in the sand!

An 8 year old's birthday party. 

Hard Rock style!

Lilli's friend, Jazzy, had her birthday party at the Hard Rock Hotel here in Pattaya.  The party started at 11 and went until 6.  There were non-stop activities for the whole family.  I'll show you a few pictures, but not too many, as Lilli has already told us we are having her party at Hard Rock in November.



Yes, that's Bob and Chloe in what appears to be a giant bubblebath.  I'll give more information on the foam party in November when I write about Lilli's birthday party.

Although it was hard being away from home, family reunions, and fireworks on the 4th, and having Smyth so far away, we had a good July.  We saw some museums and places that we had been wanting to see, I won a new phone, we started a new sport, and we met new friends.  July turned out to be a good month for us.