7/7 Life Rule # 73: Never order the Seafood Pizza

After being home in Taphan hin literally for one hour after my trip to Khao Kho, we were back in the family van! I need to name it now that I think of it...hmmm this will be a project. Now, Crystal and I were going with her host family to Bangkok for 2 nights.

After a long drive, during which we watched a Barney DVD for 2 hours - I think the loudest possible volume setting (Crystal's host sister is 2) and I started to get a serious migraine (Barney is seriously obnoxious)- we finally arrived at Crystal's host Dad's house. Our host parents are 2 of 9 children, and most of the family lives in Bangkok. Mink, Crystal's host Dad, goes to Bangkok about every week and has a house there next to the Central Plaza, which is a HUGE shopping mall. It reminded me of America :) Oh excessive consumerism...So we unloaded ye old family van and collapsed after eating noodle soup (I love that you can run down to the corner street vendor andget good food at any time of night or day, it's the best) and got up super early the next morning to head to the temple!

The reason we had such a long holiday was that for Buddhists, these past few days have been the beginning of their "lent" period. Ages ago, Buddha (or someone...my Buddhist theology is really fuzzy) decided that because of the rainy season (which has just started), Monks had to stay at their home temples instead of traveling around so their food wouldn't get spoiled. So, this is a 3 day holiday to celebrate the beginning of that period, during which apparently Thai people try to correct something about themselves (if they're an alcoholic, they'll try to stop...etc). So essentially it's lent. Either way, we headed to the temple where there were literally THOUSANDS of people. Everyone brings the monks food and gifts, and the monks had a procession line set up, where you kneel down, bow 3 times, put your gift in their silver bowl, and they have helpers lined up behind them to organized the food into enormous bins. I have never seem so much food in my life! Everyone brings them something, and especially because its a holiday people were going crazy. Apparently they give the leftover food to smaller temples and the needy in the community, but man they were stocked. It's so funny to see all of these monks wrapped up in their orange robes, sitting on platforms and surrounded by modern stuff-toilet paper, washing detergent, Thai iced teas, rice, desserts...everything! They were all surrounded by mountains of food.

So we joined in the procession, knelt and gave our offerings, then listened to the sermon. Afterwards, we got to go shopping in the make-shift market that was set up outside the temple for people who didn't prepare food. I got my iced coffee-yessss-and we got yummy dumplings, corn and all sorts of stuff for breakfast. After having breakfast back at home, we took Crystal's host sister, Bui Fai to "Brain School". Of course, Bui Fai is subjected to "Brain School" at the age of 2 every week, one of the reasons their family comes to Bangkok. It pretty much looked like a normal preschool to me, but her parents kept calling it "Bui Fai's study time to become smarter". That girl will have all sorts of pressure growing up...she is already the quintiessential only child with a princess complex and a full time nanny running after her...i don't envy her parents when she is a teenager.

After Brain School, we ran around Bangkok doing errands with our host fam and met up with our host grandparents for lunch at Siam Square, a super busy and fun shopping area downtown. We went to Hong Kong noodle, and I got to have my absolute favorite dim sum-steamed pork buns! Ohhh they were fabulous. I crave these little wonders. Afterwards, we asked if we could get our hair washed and blow-dryed, b/c you can get it done for super cheap in Bangkok. Next thing we know, we are at the Shisedo salon having a hair spa because some relative had "free tickets". Ahhh that was the life. Nothing ever seems to be simple with our host families, they are always going above and beyond. Having someone massage oil into my hair and steam it, and then finally straighten it! I felt like a NEW person. I could barely even recognize myself. I finally felt less like a country bumpkin. The girls in Bangkok are all super thin, stylish and dressed to the nines. In my clothes, which would have put me way above the bar in Taphan hin, I looked like a mess. Too bad I left all my make up at home. Oh well...Crystal and I decided that we absolutely had to go back to Siam Square another time to shop!

After some more errands, we got in the family van again and we thought were going to get pizza (yay American food!). After 45 minutes of driving however, we show up at this "National Office of Buddhism" outside of Bangkok where there were again, thousands of people. Apparently we were going to walk around a huge statue of Buddha 3 times (part of the lent celebration). Of course, it was raining though, so I ended up getting soaked and of course my nice straight hair ended up a curly frizz ball. Sighh oh well. I guess I'll sacrifice my hair for Buddha. But just this once!

After our surprise side trip, we did end up going to get pizza. I warned Crystal that pizza outside of the states, especially in Asian countries, is never the same. They always come up with interesting combinations, and you see things on pizza that you would never expect (or ever want to eat). I stayed with the safe option-veggie, but Crystal decided to be bold and go for the Seafood pizza. Always a mistake-it came out with huge chunks of imitation crab meat, shrimp and fish balls with a spicy weird sauce as the base. Luckily, there were breadsticks and other things to snack on, and as with everything here, lesson learned. Crystal used our code word "interesting!" (meaning absolutely awful-don't try it) to describe it with a pained smile.

After dinner, our host Dad asked us if we would like to get a Thai massage-um of course! It was exactly what I needed after 4 long days in the car...so relaxing. I am so spoiled it's really unfair and awful considering I'm supposed to be a volunteer. I just justify it in my head that I will be a much better volunteer if I'm happy and comfortable :) Ok I secretly love it and am enjoying the royal treatment.

All for now, lots of love!