A big welcome home to my parents and Amin. 

Goodbye Bangkok

We were sad leaving Bangkok this morning. The sights, smells and sounds of the city are so familiar to us that we felt like we never left. But saying all that it was comforting to land at Bandar Seri Begawan and with the chaos of Bangkok behind us we headed back home where we are now enjoying our comforts, home chaos and familiar surroundings once again.

Christmas Lunch

The real benefit of coming to Bangkok was seeing our kids get to know Rohan and Rahul again after 9 months apart - it was like we had never left except that Jack is now talking a mile a minute and Ayden is involved in everything.
After years of preparing and cooking Christmas dinner, this year we decided to take the easy route and eat at the restaurant by the pool. Savita and her boys along with Roland joined us for lunch which worked out very well as none wanted to eat Turkey with only Donncha having something resembling a traditional Christmas lunch. Roland (who was working as it's a normal working day in Thailand) and Savita were dressed more formally, everyone else was in shorts and tee-shirts.

We did admit though that we missed the chaos of Christmas in Brunei with all the cousins coming for lunch - looks like the lure of Bangkok may have to be adapted to a post christmas visit next year.

Santa Found Us!

Thanks to last minutes efforts Santa found us in Bangkok and enjoyed a couple of glasses of milk and crisps left out by Iman before she went to bed on Christmas Eve.

Jack was very apprehensive about going out to see the presents - just in case Santa was still around - but he jumped out of bed when Iman brought in her new surf board to show him.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Bangkok to all our family and friends

Selamat Hari Natal

Nollaig Shona Daoibh 

News from Ireland is good with Granddad showing very positive signs of recovery - he will spend Christmas in hospital but we're all looking forward to talking to him tomorrow.

Introducing Rohan and Rahul

Yesterday we spent the day with the Sriram family. Rahul and Iman were at school together when we lived here and we eventually became neighbours and very good friends. It been great to catch up with Savita and Sriram but most of all its great to have the kids playing together again like we never left. 

A Tuk-Tuk Ride

If Jack and Iman were to have their way, their everyday mode of transport would be a tuk-tuk. We fulfilled their wishes yesterday and immediately afterwards Jack said "mau ladi" - again!

Lunch Across The River

Yesterday we went for an outing on the river taking the Marriot boat to have lunch there. It's a 10 minute boat ride - enough to excite the kids that they are on a boat. With the children so young we have not adventured the more hair raising klong rides on the long boats. I told Iman yesterday that we would do that when Ayden is older and she replied "Or when Ayden is away!".

Lunch was at Benihana. We did this once previously with the kids and it's very entertaining for them. The food was very good yesterday especially the prawns which Jack and Iman loved  and the steak which Donncha and I devoured. 

Donncha having a go at tossing a spinning egg which he did really well 

Bangkok Traffic

The Ascott is located on Sathorn which is the business district and is notorious for traffic jams especially the end of the day. I took this picture one evening and was thankful not to be sitting in a taxi waiting for the lights to change.

Interesting Name

On the way to meeting friends for drinks last night we walked through Washington Square and I had to take a picture of this bar sign owned by a Welshman. The rest of the sign does not need explaining.

A Chatuchak Friday

Donncha and I headed to Chatuchak market this morning. The massive market is associated with crowds and the heat and thats why the secret is to head there on a Friday. Only half the market is open but you still see more than you normally would on a Saturday or Sunday jostling with crowds in the market's narrow corridors. Of course with shopping on the agenda I completely forgot to take a picture.

For lunch we headed to our favourite Isan restaurant Cafe Chilli at Siam Paragon. We love the simply delicious Gai Yang barbequed chicken, spicy som tam and tom yam goong. The picture is above and we highly recommend it to anyone wanting to try Isan cusine which is the area of Northern Eastern Thailand. You will leave the place with your mouth on fire and wanting more!

In the afternoon we headed to Zen Central with the kids to try and catch Santa Claus and we were lucky that he was there when we arrived. However the kids were not keen to take a picture and just stayed on the side. 

Dinner with Fred and Judy

Last night we had a visit from Fred and Judy (of Wingsail) who are in Bangkok for a few days to pick up their visiting granddaughter Candice. We are very fortunate to be here at the same time. They came to visit us at the Ascott and helped the kids decorate the christmas tree. They also very kindly brought early christmas presents with the kids which they were delighted with - thank you again Fred and Judy.

Later we went to dinner round the corner at Le Lys which is a homely Thai restaurant run and owned by a French man and his Thai wife. We first went there with my parents back when we were living here and found the home cooked thai food fantastic. And we weren't disappointed last night. We had a duck red curry and a massaman beef curry which were both winners but what I really enjoyed was the carrot som tam and the smoked eggplant salad which we had to get seconds of.

The restaurant is both outdoors and indoors and has a lovely bohemian feel to it. They even have petanque / boules at the back - look closely at the back of the restaurant on the picture below. This place is a real gem and a must visit for visitors who want to stray from the tourist trail.

First Day in Bangkok

Donncha is spending the day in the office so this morning I loaded the girls and the kids into a taxi and headed to Carrefour and Tesco Lotus on Rama 4 to get things that we will need for the week. The traffic was heavy by the time we left and it took us ages to get there. Then the shopping was hectic with the kids running all over the place. But we got all we needed including a christmas tree so to make it feel more like christmas. I also stocked up on yogurt and fresh milk. Thai dairy is fantastic ad even Jack was excited to see the yogurt in the shop. And the fruits..... it was nice not having to pay a fortune for a pack of jambu rose apple, guavas and a couple of Thai mangoes! It's great to be back.

The apartment is really nice - very spacious, clean and homey. I will take some pictures soon and post them.

All thoughts are on Donncha's Dad who is having a triple bypass this morning. Hopefully we will have good news tomorrow that the operation has been a success.

My own parents and Amin are in the second day of the pilgrimage rituals. I hope they perform their tasks without any complications.

Right I must get on with the shopping!

City of Angels

We're Back - Landed and just settling into the Ascott which by initial impressions is excellent. It will be nice to return to familiar places, restaurants etc and catch up with some good friends.

Sarah & Nick Bersanding

Sarah and Nick had their bersanding wedding reception at the Empire today. It was an enjoyable event. I sat on a table with my sisters and Sarah and Nick's friends from the UK so we had a laugh. It was a full sit down meal with starter, soup and dessert served. Main course was help yourself from the dome on the table. I've never been to the Empire for a wedding and I thought the formal setting and service was great.  

Unfortunately I did not take a single good picture of the couple but here are some pictures anyway.

The menu card. The design on the front was by Sarah.

Well done to Zimar for decorating the beautiful pelamin with fresh flowers

Gift with orchid added by Iman

The bouquet - also by Zimar

A Late Dinner

A normal evening for the kids and I would be dinner by 6 and start winding down for the evening. But the reader will note that if last night was anything to go by the kids are not too keen to wind down too early. I therefore welcomed an invite from my sister Jasmine to have dinner at her place with her in-laws and Hanna's family. My guess was the kids would have a hoot and tire themselves out. But as it turned out the kids were tired by 8, went home ahead of me and crashed into bed - at least Iman and Ayden did.  

Perfect....I was able to have a peaceful meal without anyone on my lap or wanting this or that. Dinner was steamboat which I have not had for a while. A tom yam broth, loads of seafood, vegetables, noodles, soya sauce and a heap loads of chilli. For me it was a late dinner but well worth the wait.

And for dessert....local yellow durian. I am no longer a big durian fan as I used to be. I think I used to eat too much and not feel too good afterwards. I also reckon it has a high GI. I did have two small pieces this evening and enjoyed it.

I got home from my saturday night out by 9:15 and no points for guessing who was still awake!

Smile....We're Wide Awake!

Donncha's missing the boys but I'm sure not the bedtime battle that we have most evenings. During my first pregnancy I read "The Contented Baby" book at least twice to try and "master" the art of making your babies sleep when you want them to. Nearly 5 years on my kids - especially Jack - have mastered the exact opposite sometimes putting me to sleep first.

By quarter to 9 this evening Jack and Ayden still had no intentions of going to bed still bouncing around the room. I was starting to loose it and made them both lie down in front of the tv in an attempt to wind them down and they looked very cute together. Probably not the best thing to do but I grabbed the camera and took these pictures. 

Mr. & Mrs. Rawson

This afternoon we went over to the Ibrahim family home to witness the Nikah of Sarah and Nick Rawson. I have known Sarah most of my life and it was great to see her very beautiful and radiant. It was a lovely nikah ceremony and not like any I have been to before - not that I have witnessed too many. 

It brought me back to our own Nikah in 2000. Donncha said our vows and the talak in english (and he did them very well) and the ceremony to an extent was conducted in english. The difference today was that the sermon was also conducted in english which I found very helpful - and I am sure most of the guests there did too.

It was also very nice that it was a small intimate gathering which one almost craves in Bruneian weddings. I think there's an extra special feel to it when it's a small venue with just your close family and friends witnessing your vows.

The bride with her mother Datin Ludwine, her mother-in-law and niece Nadiya.

Congratulations to the happy couple

Splash Afternoon II

Apologies for the recurring theme but this holiday the paddling pool has become a big part of the kids' afternoons. Today Jack was not interested in joining the girls lying down for the picture but he quickly spotted something else he could do!

Our Racetrack

And that was what it felt like this afternoon. It was raining outside and the kids were bored of the tv so they turned to the cars. 

This was Ayden's birthday present from Hanna and family except Jack has claimed it as his. Most of the time they are fighting over it but this afternoon Ayden was kind enough to let Jack ride with him. Thankfully they are both still small enough to fit (but just).

Jack then thought it was a good idea to help push Iman round and round on the tractor going as fast as his little legs could take him.

Ayden was all along following them from behind and when Jack got bored thought he would have a go as well.

Splash Afternoons

It has been very hot here in the afternoons giving the boys excuses to go for the garden hose. Ayden makes a break for it every time he's out the front door and Jack Mr. Cuci-Cuci (washing up man) does not need to be encouraged. The pictures of Ayden and Jack were taken yesterday afternoon.

The theme this afternoon was hujan (rain). They initially wanted umbrellas but I was by the front door to stop them and Fatin had the idea of using the buckets which we had used to empty the paddle pool of rainwater from last night. And this was all after a swim at the pool.