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4 - 5 January : LadyBoys

Day Trip to Ayutthaya & Late Night Show

Trippin'.
Our 3rd and final tour on this trip is a day trip to Ayutthaya and while the views are out of this world and the landmarks are rich with history, we can't help but wish we were back in Bangkok shopping. Sad as that may sound, you have no idea. However, we were appreciative and enlightened.
Once back in Bangkok, we were beat but washed up and got in some shopping time. G was able to purchase some great dress pants and khakis along with a few ties-- wonder when those will get put to use. Dinner was on the Shangri- La premises.

The one in the white-- G was crushing on her (him) during the whole show.

Afterward, I was extremely exhausted so naturally, I squeezed in a quick power nap. Not wanting to turn in early on our last night in Thailand, we decided to skip out on the clubbing nightlife and instead see a cabaret show. But not just any cabaret.. Calypso-- Bangkok's best ladyboys show! You would have never guessed that the entire show cast were all ladyboys. No way.. no how. We were fooled.
Had we known what an amazing time we would have in Thailand, we would have planned to stay longer. Completely bummed that we couldn't go to Pattaya and Phuket. All the more reason to come back next time!

More Photos.

View full gallery here.

2 - 3 January : Cabbages & Condoms

Morning Tour of Bangkok Temples

Trippin'.
Dinner was not planned at Cabbages & Condoms but when it took us 45 minutes in attempt to find our first choice, we needed a backup plan. And boy are we glad we did because this has to be by far the most bizarre and outrageously strange dining experiences. It's just any normal restaurant but completely decked out in condoms and "Safety First" guides and diagrams-- not sure where the correlation lies but it was interesting. We sat on the outdoor patio which was well lit with condom lanterns and trees. Having nothing to do with cabbages or condoms, we had a traditional and wonderfully spicy Thai meal. Guess what we received at the end of our meals? Nope.. not mints-- CONDOMS!
The next morning we continued our 2nd tour--
2) Temple Tours
Grace was on time, bright and early to take us on our morning tour of 3 of the most famous Temples in Bangkok-- Wat Suthat (Golden Buddha), Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha), and Wat Benchamabophit (White Marble Temple).

More Photos.

1 - 2 January : Bangin' Bangkok

Custom Suits & Gems

Trippin'.
We divided our time staying at the JW Marriott as well as the Shangri- La mainly because we, well G, had Marriott points which compensated the first two nights so we took advantage of it. So glad that we did because we enjoyed the Marriott more. Even though the Shangri- La was beautiful and great, the Marriott was tranquil and zen- like not to mention beautiful and centrally located near all the best shopping malls in Bangkok.
During our stay, aside from our morning tours, all we did was shop! G and I were in shopping heaven which were all a sky train ride away during our stay at the Marriott. For luxury and exotic shopping, we hit up Siam Paragon and for bargain shopping-- MBK! You ain't seen shopping malls yet until you've visited Bangkok. It's an orgasmic experience indeed.

Moving on. Before we arrived, we had booked morning tours for every morning during our stay-- 1) Floating Market
Grace, our tour guide for our first two days was great; a bit much on the religious talk and how she found her path, but other than that, she was perfect. We took a private boat ride along the river before reaching the floating market. A bit smaller than I thought, but nonetheless, a must.

Check out our first authentic Pad Thai freshly prepared on a boat in just minutes!

Grace took us to the Gem Factory.. talk about a girl's paradise! Ladies will love the idea of custom making your own jewels or shop among the millions of stones, carats and settings. I was able to sneak away with a pair of amethyst earrings.
G got to have his fun also when Grace took us to a local tailor where we were given the royal treatment as we selected some fine Italian fabrics for his custom made suit. Sooo many people fly in just to custom make clothes. We felt silly walking away with just one but one is enough to last a lifetime for G. With our short stay, they were able to finish it in 2 days and even delivered it to our hotel. Gotta love that!

Sleeping: 1) JW Marriott, 2) Shangri- La. Although.. JW Marriott far exceeds our expectations. Centrally located and easily accessible by sky train. Nearby to all shopping centers.
See It: Floating Market & Gem Factory
Skip It: Siam Niramit-- overrated, boring and waste of time and money.
A Must: Go get a custom- made Italian suit not just for the royal treatment experience, but the suit itself! It's the best deal you'll ever come across.

More Photos.

24 Dec - 4 Jan 2008 : Asia

HO CHI MINH CITY - BEN TRE - CHAU DOC - LONG XUYEN - HO CHI MINH CITY - BANGKOK


Hi Family & Friends

We're a bit sad we won't be here to celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year with everyone. However equally excited to experience the holidays in Vietnam and Thailand. It'll be G's first time back to visit his family he's never met along with some of mine. Below is a briefing of what we'll be up to while we're there.

24 - 26, 28, 31 - 1 December : Ho Chi Minh City
We're celebrating Christmas, attending a traditional Vietnamese wedding and ringing in the New Year-- in true Vietnamese style!

27 December : Ben Tre
A boat ride down the Mekong River and a visit to a coconut candy factory.

29 - 30 December : Chau Doc
A visit to G's Grandma and family on his mother's side.

30 December : Long Xuyen
Visiting Q's Grandma and family on her father's side.

1 - 4 January : Bangkok
Our days are packed with tours such as the Floating Market. We're also going to do some serious shopping and, of course, eating.