After completing a successful Women's Ministry Christmas luncheon on Thursday, December 4th, Staci Rainwater, Heather Tignor, and I (Kristin) jetted off to Bangkok, Thailand for the weekend. We were the guests of Dawilai (Da), Na (her sister), and Teay (friend) at their private home in a gated community on the outskirts of the city. During the weekend, we enjoyed their warm hospitality and the amazing sights and sounds of Thailand.
Elephants are revered in Thailand, and are featured everywhere--here as a center median statue.
We ran into our friend Cheryl Newman, who recently relocated from Singapore to Bangkok!
Partners in crime. We always seem to be up to our elbows in flowers!
Finding just the right knobs to add to our handmade wooden stands with traditional brass bells.
Street market shopping!
Food presentation is so lovely. This is pineapple rice served in--what elses?--a pineapple!
Cashew chicken served in a crispy sweet potato bowl over crispy fried greens.
Intense, detail-oriented, on task.
Da and I enjoying refreshing Thai iced tea.
It was the Thai king's birthday, so all the medians on the major streets were decorated with multitudes of flowers, flags, and pictures of the king. Interestingly, the pictures look circa 1970. Apparently, he has since lost an eye and aged considerably. Best face forward, you know!
They love their elephant, as the one pictured here, carved from shrubs.
Have you ever seen such a large rubber ducky?
We had an elegant dinner at the top of the Central World Plaza, with a spectacular view of downtown Bangkok at night.
They mean business at the temple of the Emerald Buddha! We saw many people turned away for inappropriate dress or behavior.
A statue of greeting
The Grand Palace--a fascinating mix of Thai and British architecture.
An old master standing guard
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Many militias came out in full dress that day to celebrate the king's birthday.
Look at all this porcelein and gold-plating! Glamorous, like us, eh? ;)
Notice the three very different styles of temple roofs.
One view of the Jim Thompson house. He was an American who moved to Bangkok after the war and, fascinated with Thai architecture, melded three houses together into one open-concept home.
He reinvigorated the locals in silk production and export.
Silk production is a time-consuming art,
Jim Thompson was also passionate about preserving Thai culture and art. These highlight their wood and brass carvings. He also collected many silk paintings.
Taxi!
Life-sized Hindu sculpture in the Suvarnabhumi Airport.
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