Being the jet set kindergarten teachers that we are, we came back to Hong Kong Sunday evening and left again for Malaysia on Wednesday. But not before we could properly celebrate Tripp’s birthday—some of his colleauges treated the both of us to an incredibly extravagant traditional Chinese dinner! I thought Tripp was going to cry when they presented him with a fancy chocolate cake and card they all signed in Cantonese. The very next night, a friend from Columbia got in touch as he was on business in Asia. Todd took Tripp and myself for an unbelievable meal in Soho, the ritzy European style area of Hong Kong Island. The chicken risotto was so good and the company even better. I thought the taxi’s clock was broken when we left the boutique restaurant. We had a blast. I will continue my monologue in another post—I have some six year olds needing some attention! Love to all and thanks for reading. Kung Hei Fat Choi—Happy Chinese New Year!
Thailand
We are so blessed. I was going to put into words the awesomeness that is Thailand and Malaysia, but Tripp’s pictures did the talking, I think. I’ll mention some of the highlights of our ridiculously sweet South eastern Asia adventure. The first weekend of Feb. I surprised Tripp with tickets to Bangkok. We had to cram a ton into that Saturday, but I daresay we succeeded. We started that weekend off with a killer dinner in the airport. Weird, I know, but it was absolutely incredible. For those of you who have spent any time in a kitchen I inhabit, you’ll appreciate that my meal was the appetizer gnocchi drizzled with pesto and mozzarella fondue. YUM. There was a trio of live music overlooking the departures gate. I’m telling you, the HK airport has got it goin on. (Let me use my soapbox to reiterate that Beijing does not.) Thailand really was the Land of Smiles and City of Angels—all the city slogans they have, they are all true. We hit the temples first thing. In the center of the city, Wat Phra Kaew stands out among the modern landscape. We saw the emerald Buddha carved from one piece of jade. The Golden Palace architecture was awe-inspiring and the glittering decoration like no other. Imagine thousands of pieces of coloured glass and pottery adorned with intricate structures gilded in glaring gold. Just incredible. I was going to take a photo but my camera broke, so until I determine it absolutely necessary, I’m learning to use Tripp’s D40. Moving on to do what we had set out to do—eat our way through the city, of course—we found a fantastic restraurant on the water and split fried noodles with papaya and these incredible homemade spring rolls. Then we chartered a private long boat to take us through the canals of the city. I never realized Bangkok was like Venice in that regard. The canal market was so unique—old ladies with the stereotypical pointed hats canoed up beside us cooking on woks (in the boats!) and selling drinks and gifts out of coolers beside them. We bought a beverage for our navigator and were in awe of the way these canal folks live. I sampled fresh pineapple a street vendor cut before my eyes—sweet, juicy, icy cold and on a bamboo stick. The Chatachuk Weekend Market was calling my name—it’s allegedly the world’s largest market and covers some thirty five acres. Between two and three hundred THOUSAND people pour in the park at weekends. We took a local bus to get there—Mexicans and Hong Kongers have nothing on the Thais cramming in. I went straight to work picking up elephants, chopsticks, trinkets, cheap clothes, bargaining for jewelry, buying a knockoff North Face backpack… Tripp opted for a foot massage and we topped off the shopping with fried bananas—WOW! I have a new business idea for the SC State Fair. We found our way through the more questionable parts of town, stopping for sweet milk roti bread (I told you we ate our way through!), rode the Bangkok undergound, checked out Jim Thompson’s famous silk shop, and settled on dinner in an area perfect for people watching. Green curry never tasted so good. Our buddy Geoff recommended a place we should see—Banyan Tree’s 61st floor rooftop restaurant and bar. To get their, we hired a tuk tuk, an extreme adventure ride on the highway amongst mainstream traffic on a three wheeled motor bike. Complete adrenaline rush. Then the view at Vertigo (aptly named) was nothing short of spectaular, and I only hope I can return again. 
Being the jet set kindergarten teachers that we are, we came back to Hong Kong Sunday evening and left again for Malaysia on Wednesday. But not before we could properly celebrate Tripp’s birthday—some of his colleauges treated the both of us to an incredibly extravagant traditional Chinese dinner! I thought Tripp was going to cry when they presented him with a fancy chocolate cake and card they all signed in Cantonese. The very next night, a friend from Columbia got in touch as he was on business in Asia. Todd took Tripp and myself for an unbelievable meal in Soho, the ritzy European style area of Hong Kong Island. The chicken risotto was so good and the company even better. I thought the taxi’s clock was broken when we left the boutique restaurant. We had a blast. I will continue my monologue in another post—I have some six year olds needing some attention! Love to all and thanks for reading. Kung Hei Fat Choi—Happy Chinese New Year!
Being the jet set kindergarten teachers that we are, we came back to Hong Kong Sunday evening and left again for Malaysia on Wednesday. But not before we could properly celebrate Tripp’s birthday—some of his colleauges treated the both of us to an incredibly extravagant traditional Chinese dinner! I thought Tripp was going to cry when they presented him with a fancy chocolate cake and card they all signed in Cantonese. The very next night, a friend from Columbia got in touch as he was on business in Asia. Todd took Tripp and myself for an unbelievable meal in Soho, the ritzy European style area of Hong Kong Island. The chicken risotto was so good and the company even better. I thought the taxi’s clock was broken when we left the boutique restaurant. We had a blast. I will continue my monologue in another post—I have some six year olds needing some attention! Love to all and thanks for reading. Kung Hei Fat Choi—Happy Chinese New Year!
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