"No mat­ter how slow you go, you are still lap­ping every­one on their couch." ~ Pinterest

Lumpini Park...

 is Bangkok's version of Central Park...
Same same but different!

 Where there is never a dull moment...

 for its visitors...

who enjoy its 142 acres...

of green space.

Smoking is prohibited...
and dogs are not allowed.

photo cred: faranginbangkok.com

However...
these guys are!

Meanwhile, 
there are fun runs taking place most every weekend,

so when friends mentioned they were running the Care for Cancer 5k/10k,

Ren Man (who was much more prepared) and I decided to give it a go.

The spirited cheerleaders encouraged us from the start...

to the finish.

As I ran... jogged ... okay, 
moseyed really fast around the 5k course, 
I noticed a few guys lap me...
1, 2, 3, 4!!!! times.
They were of course running the 10k.

Fortunately, I was able to hook up with them after the race...

 and tell them their public shaming had inspired me to finish the race.  
After they stopped giggling,
we introduced ourselves and they told us they were from Kenya. 
 They ran the marathon in Khon Kaen,Thailand a couple of weeks before, 
so the 10k was definitely a fun run for them!

This new friend wanted a more formal photo 
so I took the chance to teach him "Hook Em"!
Valuable life skill!

Lumpini Park wishes you...

a Happy Valentine's Day! 

"We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are." ~ Bill Watterson

A free, unscripted weekend in Bangkok

allowed us the freedom to explore our own neighborhood.

We love the area of Bangkok we chose to live in,

but have not made the time to enjoy its many sights and sounds.

We finally took the opportunity to visit the Vertigo Moon Bar

 on the top of the Banyan Tree Hotel

 for a bird's eye view of our home and Lumpini Park.

Of course this...

is another very good reason to start your night off on the 61st floor.

Be there when they open, at 5:00 p.m. 

for a good selection of viewing seats.

After the sun disappeared, 

we traded the crowded rooftop 

for a quaint French bistro,

RenDez-Vous,

located a few streets over. 

A relaxing meal, 

where we were encouraged to linger,

reminded us of our visits to the French countryside.

When the owner frequents the tables filled with guests,

the amazing food becomes secondary.

It seems the hospitality of Thailand

 mixes very well with French food and will lure us back often.

Every 'winter', the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra...

brings its talented musicians to nearby Lumpini Park 

on Sunday evenings for...

and there are a few concerts left in February 2016.

Check out the link above, get your picnic basket ready 

and don't delay like we did.

It took us a year to finally enjoy the show.

Ren Man and I made some amazing discoveries on our 'staycation'.

"Bangkok's easiest green getaway, Ko Kret is an artificial 'island', the result of a canal being dug nearly 300 years ago to shorten an oxbow bend in the Chao Phraya River. The island is also one of Thailand's oldest settlements of Mon people, who were a dominant tribe of central Thailand between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. Today, Ko Kret is known for its rural atmosphere, its distinctive pottery and its busy weekend market." ~ Lonely Planet

Since moving to Bangkok seven months ago, 

we finally had a weekend of exploring closer to home.

Realizing we had not even been on the Chao Praya River 

was nothing short of a travesty.

So, off we went.

An adventure like Planes, Trains and Automobiles...

except our day trip consisted of...

Skytrains, Riverboat Taxis' and Long Tail Boats.

Same, same but different as they say here in Thailand.

We hopped on the nearby Bangkok Transit System (referred to as the BTS skytrain) station

 and traveled a mere four stops away to the Saphan Taksin station, 

where we then took an Orange flag taxi...

to the northernmost stop...

Nonthaburi.

Some travel guides suggest traveling to this point by taxi or bus

 but why would you miss the excitement of life on the water.

The tugboats on the river are like traveling bed and breakfasts;

complete with families and chickens.

The trip north on the river took about an hour.

At that point we were on our own to find a Long Tail Boat and driver

to take us to our destination of Ko Kret.

Of course, this was no problem...

they saw us coming a mile away.

Fifteen minutes later we were on the island 

with two hours to spend exploring before our driver would return to pick us up.

Alrighty then.

As we meandered our way along the narrow paths,

any stress from zipping across the river at 15 knots,

melted away as we met the locals...

and tourists alike biking through the jungles of this rustic village.

There are a few motorbike taxis but not many.

Most travel is on foot or bicycle (which you can rent) around the island.

There are a few new businesses on the island filling the desire for a slower pace.

We enjoyed visiting with the young employee of the Gong Coffee Gallery and Cafe 

where you can leisurely DIY your own cuppa.

From roasting to sipping.

And then there is beer.

Another example of youthful desire to share an experience with others,

Chit Beer holds weekend brewing classes 

where you return a few weeks later to pick up and enjoy your creation.

Ko Kret is known for its hand thrown pottery...

and I could already see Ren Man shaking his head

 as I slowly accepted the reality

 of holding one of these large pots between my legs on the 

long tail boat ride, 

river taxi ride, 

and skytrain ride home.

I will treasure some smaller pieces purchased instead.

The creative spirit is packed into every corner

 as business owners turn their bare bones establishments into cozy enclaves.

October, two years ago, most of this island was underwater, 

as the Chao Praya river had no where to go but inland 

after heavy rains in the area.

You would never know it by the smiles we encountered on this island.

Meanwhile...

our two hours were clearly not enough time to see the entire island 

and enjoy its residents, 

although a place we will most definitely return.

I do have to admit my welcomed surprise 

when our long boat captain was waiting happily...

 exactly where he told us he would be.

"Life is nothing without a little chaos to make it interesting." ~ Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Just so you know...

I have not been sitting around eating bon bons, 
watching Thai TV since my last post...
 way back in April.

I have however...

welcomed the new Thai year by riding an elephant...

and since we were in Chiang Mai...

spent some time shopping for treasures...

to embellish our new home in Bangkok.

(more on Chiang Mai in a future post)

While home for Mother's Day and dad's birthday...

I also experienced a kitchen redo and lived to tell about it.

Ren Man finally had the chance to enjoy the details of my world during a move...
 for the first time in nine moves!
Yes, we have moved nine times in our married life,
and since there is packing up and unpacking,
that is 18 times dealing with moving companies.
But who's counting? Ha!

The Thai New Year celebration delayed our shipment
 and did not arrive before my scheduled trip home,
so he had the pleasure of supervising the delivery and unpacking.

Needless to say, since my return to Bangkok 
I have been busy filling all of the empty spaces with our belongings.

Although these last few months have been chaotic,
it is so comforting to be greeted by our Sewadee Lady 
and all our stuff.
Readily admitting they are just things...
these familiar treasures 
sure do help turn a leased condo on the other side of the world 
into our home away from home.

Meanwhile, there has been travel here and there 
and I look forward to sharing more with you soon, very soon.  

"The traditional Thai house is ideally adapted to its environment. The open high-pitched roof facilitates air circulation. Open windows and walls in combination with a large central terrace provide ideal ventilation and offer relief from the hot and humid climate. Wide overhanging eaves protect the house from sun and rain. Rainwater runs off the steep roof quickly and falls through the permeable terrace and house floors. The use of wood and bamboo reflects the once abundant forests that provided these materials ubiquitously and cheaply. In the past, an agricultural society existed in relative harmony with its natural environment." ~ Asian Historical Architecture

Khun Preeda opens his 'living Thai House museum'

 every once in a while, 

offering others a chance to explore the practicalities of Thai homes.

So many of the beautiful potted plants…

and floating flowers…

provide feng shui harmony for the front door…

(something about not facing the right direction)

while enticing visitors to buy some of the beautiful porcelain and celedon pieces from his factory.

Ten years of researching and collecting, 

like a conductor of the symphony bringing together the sounds of each instrument, 

Knun Preeda has orchestrated a harmonic home... 

for his children and grandchildren.

Always on the prowl for distinct pieces to incorporate into the home,

he came across a chicken coop with intricate details.

When told he had to buy the chickens in order to buy the coop,

he left as the proud owner of beautifully carved pieces and its inhabitants.

Rooster pillows now grace the bed in the room where the coop was installed.

Love.it.

Each of the four houses... 

surround a central terrace where he has fond memories of his boys playing.

Khun Preeda is also a collector of antiques...

and shared tips on how to tell the difference... 

between something old looking and a true antique.

Continuing my infatuation with elephants…

this lovely celedon lamp now lights up our home.

Meanwhile…

this weekend kicks off the Thai New Year with the Songkran Festival,

and Ren Man and I are headed to Chang Mai with water guns on hand.

Sawadee Pee Mai.

Happy New Year Thailand!