meeting Bangkok

Since Sunday afternoon we've been living with our friends Chris and Jacci (and their two kids, Max and Siena).  Although we've spent quite a bit of time in Thailand, we've never really seen it from the perspective of "people who really live here", so it's been fun.

Monday we walked to Lumphini Park for a picnic lunch and saw lots of monitor lizards - big ones - just lazing in the sunshine, walking across the grass and swimming in the ponds.  Last year in Indonesia we saw one (they are also called comodo dragons) but I think these were bigger, the largest one was about three feet long.  They are pretty intimidating looking creatures, kind of a cross between an alligator and a lizard and they don't seem like park-friendly animals to me, but no one paid them much attention.  America's parks have squirrels, Thailand's parks have monitor lizards.  Same same, but different :) 

Last night Chris and Jacci's helper (who has been graciously washing two weeks worth of our dirty laundry!) cooked meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  My kids had been asking for "English food" and dinner certainly met their standards!

After the kids were in bed Matt and I walked down to the Vertigo Restaurant at the Banyan Tree Hotel (click for the link) which is one of the tallest buildings in Bangkok.  It was SO COOL!  The restaurant is on the top of the roof - totally open air with just a railing, nothing else.  60 stories above the streets of Bangkok. 

This place is now on my 'must see' list for Bangkok.... it was amazing.

This morning we went to Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) on the bank of the Chao Phraya River.

Julianna and Lydia dressed up like Thai princesses :)  

and then we took a family photo too

Isaac loved riding the boat across the river, and these fried bananas were a hit with all three kiddos (and their parents too!)

Tomorrow is the big day.... noon departure, two flights (each less than three hours long) and we'll be landing in our new HOME!  Big stuff for our little family.  Next update from there!