Sawasdee!

Greetings from Thailand to all those in blogland. We're here with my moms, Nonna, and Nonna's frient Cindy. At the end of the week Mama's cousin Beth is getting married on Koh Samui here in Thailand, and we've been exploring the country for a few days beforehand. It's been a busy few days. On Thursday we started an over 24-hour journey by way of LAX and Tokyo to Bangkok. It was a bit tough on my moms, but I seem to have come out okay. On Japan Airlines, we had these great shell seats which extend to 6 feet long and almost flat. I may have to adopt this first/business class lifestyle!! Mama and I could both fit in it together to snooze. More important than the seats, I was soooo good, barely crying and sleeping or happily playing most of the time. One of the women behind us commented on how good I was and that I was the first baby she'd ever flown with who was that good. I amaze even myself sometimes!

We landed in Bangkok at around midnight Bangkok time (noon back home) and headed out to the Peninsula hotel. Wow. The bathroom was probably half the size of our uentire upstairs at home and the service was fantastic- they met us at the car upon arrival and checked us in in our room. Too bad I'm not on solid foods yet because they gave us wonderful fresh exotic fruit every day. The service was incredible- best I or my moms have ever seen. Don't know if it is Asia, Thailand, Bangkok, or the Peninsula, but it is service to appreciate. Despite the comfort of the hotel and the oppressive heat and pollution of bangkok, both broken only temporarily by the sudden downpour of thunderstorms almost everyday, we did venture out of the hotel. I'll post pics when I get home, but we had a great time seeing the sights of bangkok, including the grand palace, the golden buddha, and the monks bowl village. We rode almost every form of transportation they had except buses- taxi, subway, skytrain, private limo, water taxi, longtail boat, paddle boat, express boat, tourist boat, etc. We also ventured out of town to the floating market and did a tour of the area's canals. It was really interesting. (Mommy still wants to go to venice though. )

One thing I've noticed about Thailand is that they love babies. Or at least me. They say I look like a doll, which is probably true. I have made many friends here in Thailand, and my moms say I am a ticket to special treatment, like an airconditioned minivan from the plane to the gate instead of a regular crowded bus, skipping the immigration line altogether and getting checked in to thailand at a desk where the airline crews check in (with comfortable seating and no lines!), etc. I get smiles wherever I go (and give them back of course), and have even met some other babies here from Thailand. Nonna thought it might even be good luck in Thailand to touch a baby, the way folks keep petting me and wanting to hold me (drives Mama up a wall, of course).

We spent 3 nights at the Peninsula, rated one of the top 5 hotels in asia, and we had a bit of culture shock when we boarded an overnight train to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Whoa. What a difference- an adventure, but you could probably fit both our compartment and Nonna and Cindy's compartment in the bathroom at the Peninsula. But it was an adventure. Squat toilets and all. We arrived in Chiang Mai this morning, and went to a ""handicraft village to learn how they made silk, silver products, and umbrellas. Then we went to Doi Suthep and saw another Wat complex. So many wats (temple complexes) that my first word might be Buddha!! I gave an offering to the Buddha and got a blessing by a monk (who loved me and cooed and made faces at me just like all the other Thai folks here!!). We're staying at a guesthouse which is no peninsula, but fun in it's own way. And way cheaper, which means more money for souveniers. That's why I waited so long to post- the internet at the Peninsula = 10 baht per minute, here it is only 2 baht per minute. Chiang Mai is also easily walkable and we're able to find more good restaurants and stores so in a way it is more fun than Bangkok which is so huge you have to know exactly where you are going to get there!

Tomorrow we ride an elephant.