VacAsian Day Twenty (Thursday, 22 May, Bangkok and Hong Kong)

HAPPY BIRTDAY*, ROBIN!!!

Today is Robin's "birtday" - we won't say which number, but she was born after The Watergate break-in and before Nixon resigned over it - and our last day in Thailand. To celebrate this incredibly special day, she took a much-needed break from Huey's shenanigans and opted for some solo adventures. And what better way to spend one's birthday than getting up early and spending the morning outside in hot, sticky, gritty Bangkok?

Robin hired a private water taxi to chauffeur her to various temples and other places of interest along the Chao Phraya River. Among the sites she visited were The Temple of Dawn (Wat Aurn), The Royal Grand Palace, where she saw The Emerald Buddha (emerald is her birthstone), and Snake Farm, where she saw a cobra show, held a six foot snake, and played with a monkey in a diaper (the monkey, that is). While on her private boat tour of Bangkok, Robin was approached by a floating market - literally, a woman selling goods out of a boat to passersby - from which she felt compelled to buy whatever random flotsam was for sale. (She's benevolent like that.) Robin returned to the room a sweaty mess, brimming with excitement to share her morning (and her photos) with Huey.

The next part of Robin's "birtday" celebration came courtesy of Federal Express. In an effort to ship some of our many purchases back to The States, thereby avoiding further diplomatic near-meltdowns at the airport check-in counters of Southeast Asia, we endured a nearly two hour ordeal (ne administrative torture session) at a FedEx office adjacent to our hotel, filling out forms, sealing boxes, and checking various rates and contingencies for shipping from Bangkok to Texas and Pennsylvania. (Note to fellow World travelers: DON'T EVER SHIP ANYTHING INTERNATIONALLY!!! If it doesn't fit in your suitcase, you or your loved ones back home probably don't need it, so toss it overboard like so much jetsam.) By the time we escaped the FedEx office, we were already late for our "late checkout," so we rushed back to the room, re-showered (see "sweaty mess," above), packed, and checked out.

The "birtday" extravaganza continued with our chauffeured BMW ride to the airport, where, thanks to our "party" at FedEx, we succeeded in staving off another baggage debacle and had a tasty pasta lunch at Reef Antipasti Bar before boarding our flight for Hong Kong.

Our first lesson upon arriving in Hong Kong: there are no taxis at Marco Polo International Airport. (We pause to note the irony of this situation: we had pasta for lunch, which Marco Polo is credited with introducing to the New World, on our way to the airport named for him. Once there, we could not find a taxi - though we did find a bakery aptly named "CAKE" - forcing us to begin a Marco Polo-like odyssey throughout his namesake.) Ultimately, we took a shuttle bus to our hotel, the recently renovated and ultra-modern Novotel Nathan Road Kowloon, where we arrived around 12:30 AM.

All in all, a thoroughly unconventional "birtday' for Robin, but tomorrow we celebrate big time. "Why? Because we LIKE you!" ("After all," it's still her "birtday" at home in The States.)

* No, that's not a typo (this time). "The Birtday Movement" was initiated in 1987 by Huey and his high school classmate and close friend Otto "Sporto" Strunk. Why, you ask? It's a long story, so let's just say it involves one of Sporto's many high school crushes, a SpinArt t-shirt, and a rare, but irreversible spelling error by a young(er) Huey. In any case, "The Birtday Movement" is sweeping the Nation (and now the World) thanks to Huey and Sporto, who strongly suggest that you "get on the bus" now because, to quote Sporto, "The Birtday Bus don't stop for ____!"

ALIVE AND WELL IN TOKYO: HueBin Survives Godzilla Attack!

Okay, not really. We ARE alive... but there was no Godzilla attack (as far as we know; we have been known to be oblivious to massive natural disasters).

For those of you keeping score at home, we realize that we (ne Huey) are a full week behind in our blogging. We apologize for any inconvenience, but we have just been having too much fun, you know, VACASIANING. We (ne Huey) PROMISE to have the blog fully caught up before this weekend is over.

And that's the truth... or our name ain't HueBin!

VacAsian Day Nineteen (Wednesday, 21 May, Bangkok and Kanchanburi)

There are those very rare occasions in Life when something seems too good to be true and it isn't. Today was one of those occasions.

Flying from Singapore to Bangkok on Thai Airways, Huey flipped through the in-flight magazine and came across an article on Wat Luang Ta Bua Yanna Sampanno, better known as "The Tiger Temple." At this Buddhist monastery in 1999, a young tiger abandoned when its mother was killed by poachers was adopted and the monks began to raise it. Word spread quickly, and soon other abandoned or unwanted tigers were adopted at the monastery. In an effort to continue to care for the tigers and to build better facilities for their housing, research, and interaction with the tigers, the monastery began accepting donations in exchange for photo opportunities and physical interaction with the tigers. Needless to say, a place like The Tiger Temple becomes a tourist haven (or trap, depending on your point of view) quickly. And who are we to buck the trend?

Upon our return from Chiang Mai last night, we booked a basic car and driver for 10 hours to take us to The Tiger Temple and other attractions in and around Kanchanaburi. After breakfast, we practically ran down to the porte coche expecting to be whisked away in a Toyota Camry. Instead, we were informed that we had been upgraded (again!) and would be rolling up to the big cats in a Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan. (We, of course, said "OK.") Huey worked on this blog as we drove, while Robin read and napped. The two-and-a-half hour drive from Bangkok took us through a number of small towns and villages, none of which managed to escape the influence of Western culture, no matter how traditional or provincial they appeared. We saw KFCs, 7-Elevens, and Esso (Exxon) stations in almost every town, and as in the US, McDonald's and Starbucks are omnipresent.

The turnoff for The Tiger Temple was marked with a not-so-special billboard, like any you'd see along the roadside driving through Florida. Continuing down the road toward The Tiger Temple, our anticipation mounted, and though we’re not sure what we expected to find once we arrived there – thirty foot walls with guard towers and snipers with tranquilizer darts? Exxon and Kellogg’s billboards? Siegfried? – the entrance to The Tiger Temple was not as exciting as what was inside. We paid the fee and were directed to walk through a grove of trees that lead to the action. Emerging from the trees, we saw a monk and a volunteer walking with a full grown tiger in the direction of Tiger Canyon, followed by a group of guests. As they passed, three more tigers came in to view tethered to trees in a shaded area, waiting to be walked down to Tiger Canyon. We took our place in the queue of guests waiting to escort a tiger to and interact with the tigers in Tiger Canyon, and as we joined the queue, we casually passed well within pouncing distance of the lounging tigers, as if they were our own cats Stanley and Stella. Our turn came to follow a monk and volunteers to Tiger Canyon, and each of us had the chance to go to the front of the group with the monk and walk alongside the tiger, while a volunteer grabbed our cameras and took pictures for us.

Once at Tiger Canyon, all of the tigers – about 10 or 12 of them – were tethered to trees or otherwise secured and volunteers tended to and played with them, as one would play with a house cat laying in the sun. And just like a house cat in the sun, these big cats became extremely relaxed and far more docile. It was at this point that we were permitted to get “up close and personal” with the tigers, and that’s just what we did. Both of us had the opportunity to not only pet several tigers, but also to get down on the ground and interact with them, in some cases, wrapping our arms around them or laying their heads on our laps.

If The Tiger Temple sounds like a petting zoo for big cats, that’s exactly what it is!

The experience was mind-blowing, like nothing either of us have ever done, on the VacAsian or at any other time. The experience is made even more special when we consider that we walked and sat and posed for pictures with and among as many as a dozen tigers, but at no time did either of us feel the slightest bit of fear or apprehension. Make no mistake: these ARE wild animals we spent the day with, wild animals with all the teeth and claws and innate tendencies they were born with. But the tigers at The Tiger Temple are raised by the monks, who treat them at all times with the dignity and humility and respect for their power and pride that the tigers deserve, so the tigers grow up not fearing humans. The tigers live and play and eat and sleep in a very tranquil and angst-free environment, and the monks and volunteers work hard to make sure that nothing disturbs that environment. As such, the tigers learn to treat the monks, the volunteers, all other humans, and the other animals at The Tiger Temple in the same gentle and peaceful way they are and expect to be treated. It’s a careful balance that works very well at The Tiger Temple.

And speaking of other animals, The Tiger Temple is home to many other species of indigenous animals, all of which roam freely about the grounds, including deer, cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses. All of them share the tigers’ calm demeanor and rapport with humans. For example, as we watched a herd of cattle pass us in the grove as we were leaving, one of the younger members of the herd broke away and nonchalantly walked up to Huey (who incredulously captured video of the encounter), as if asking for directions. (See video below.)

Our driver was waiting with the car on when we came out of the front gate, so we jumped in to the VERY COOL car, where he offered us chilled face towels and bottled water and asked where we wanted to go next. We told him we wanted to see Erawan National Park and its renowned waterfall. He agreed to take us there and also suggested that we might enjoy visiting the nearby Elephant Camp. We already had the makings of a Wild Animal Encounter Theme Day developing and if there’s one thing HueBin enjoys, it’s a good theme day. (COMING SOON: Wear Your Shoes On The Wrong Feet Day and Guess Your Co-Workers’ Weights Within 50 Pounds Day.) So Elephant Camp it was!

The relatively short drive to Elephant Camp took us through small towns and residential neighborhoods before we turned down an unpaved road that lead to a stream or tributary. Our driver jumped out, spoke to the proprietor in Thai, and motioned for us to come on out. We paid the fee and were directed to the top of a platform next to a clearing in which a half dozen or so Asian elephants were corralled. We stepped off the platform and on to the canopy on the back of one of the elephants and we were off. Our ride, which lasted about 45 minutes, took us “over hill and dell,” in and out of the murky stream, and through various patches of dense vegetation. The latter, of course, was at the elephant’s election – did you know elephants eat in excess of their body weight each day? – and we were rather entertained as the elephant driver, who sat in front of us just behind the elephant’s neck, alternated between instructing the elephant when and where to move and submitting to the elephant’s gastronomic whims. What was NOT entertaining was the oppressive heat and humidity and the sheer numbers of bugs we managed to attract (probably with some help from our pachyderm pal). We are pretty sure we were sampled by every bug in Kanchanaburi and that bugs from neighboring towns dropped in to check us out too. When it was over, we almost literally jumped off the elephant’s back and ran for the sanctuary of our climate-controlled sedan.

Right about now, a cool, beautiful waterfall sounds like just the ticket, doesn’t it? That’s what we thought.

We told our driver we were now ready to go to Erawan National Park, only to have him tell us that the park closed in 45 minutes and it would take us almost a half hour more than that to get there. That being the case, you may wonder (as we did) why our driver didn’t take us to the waterfall FIRST, then bring us to Elephant Camp. Our guess is it had something to do with the conversation our driver had with the proprietor of Elephant Camp, in Thai and out of earshot, when we arrived there. In other words, there may have been some “enticement” for him to bring us to Elephant Camp, while there was no admission, and therefore no similar enticement, at Erawan National Park.

Our next stop was The Bridge on the River Kwae, on the way to which we encountered a group of wild monkeys by the roadside. (They appeared to be either missionaries or hitchhikers. In either case, we didn’t stop.) Also known as “The Death Railway Bridge” and also in Kanchanaburi, the bridge is the subject of the multiple Academy Award-winning movie of the same name. This famous World War II site of numerous Allied attacks during the Japanese occupation of Thailand has been rebuilt several times and still carries railroad tracks across its span. It is a major tourist destination, and since you can’t swing a tourist's camera without hitting one, there is – you guessed it – a market adjacent to the bridge. Never one to pass a market without darkening its door, we stopped “to look” and walked away with a handful of goodies.

Our “entrepreneurial” driver returned us to the hotel, where we showered, dressed, and enjoyed fruity drinks at the 63rd floor rooftop Sky Bar. (Original, hunh?) The views were amazing and the night was cool and comfortable. From there, we went up in to the dome atop our hotel to the Italian restaurant Mezzaluna. Mezzaluna is the kind of place that suffers under the self-fulfilling prophecy in which the prices bear no rational connection to the amount or quality of food you get, so nothing is as good as it should be. We scratched our heads, paid our inflated check, and moved on. At this point, we hoped our “old faithful” Café Mozu could renew our faith with a particularly appealing dessert (or desserts). No such luck.

We packed it in and returned to our room for the night. Tomorrow is a very special day, a day of which Robin has seen a few and of which Huey is about to experience his first of many.

HINT: There’s a CAKE named after it.

VacAsian Day Eighteen (Tuesday, 20 May, Chiang Mai and Bangkok)

Our wakeup call came at 8 AM today, and we jumped out of bed pumped for the day ahead. Breakfast, included in the already ridiculously low room rate, was one of the best we’ve had on the VacAsian so far. (Go figure.) We checked out after breakfast and waited in the lobby. And then it arrived: the van to Flight of the Gibbon Canopy Tours (FOTG).

Canopy tours, also known as “ziplining,” involve strapping one’s self into a rock-climbing type harness, popping on a helmet, climbing (or in our case, driving) up into the treetops, and “flying” between the trees on thick lengths of wire by means of the carriage apparatus attached to your harness. (Imagine how a cable car works. Now imagine you ARE the cable car, only you’re traveling at much higher rates of speed. THAT is ziplining.) Huey had tried ziplining before at the much lower, but no less exciting Cypress Valley Canopy Tours outside of Austin. For Robin, however, this was a first. A first for both of them: FOTG’s Flight Three, the highest zipline in the World.

The drive took over an hour, as we climbed high in to the mountains above Chiang Mai and into the clouds. We passed village after village, each one different than the last, yet seemingly self-sufficient and obviously proud. What was most remarkable as we climbed higher and higher, farther and farther away from "civilization," was that all of the roads were paved and power lines followed them all the way to the top. We disembarked at the FOTG office in one of the villages, met the manager of FOTG and our guides, and pressed the "FUN" button.

If oblong is a shape, that perhaps best describes the "shape" Huey is in physically. There was a time - back when Huey "played college ball [SNIFF]" at Penn State and North Carolina - that he was a "man among men," a time when he would do a triathlon, pause for a Snapple and a banana, then do the triathlon backwards. His intramural greatness (he has the "Carolina Intramural Champions" t-shirt to prove it!) having long since abandoned him, the Huey of today is, in a word, a creampuff.

Our canopy adventure began as most canopy adventures begin: with a climb up a waterfall. The Maekampong Waterfall, to be exact. Like an instant replay of her scaling of The Great Wall (see VacAsian Day Ten), Robin sprinted to the top like Sir Edmund Hillary and struck her victory pose. Similarly, much like his disappointing showing in Badaling, Huey once again collapsed in a puddle.

Literally.

Returning to the FOTG office, we had a traditional Chiang Mai meal - and several electrolyte drinks - at the cafe next door, then strapped on our harnesses and helmets for the main event. Flights One and Two - the first two ziplines - were "for practice." Flight Three is the highest zipline in the World. We're not sure where this sort of logic comes from, but it's a bit like teaching a baby to walk, then expecting her to pilot The Space Shuttle. In any case, that we are posting this blog is evidence that we lived through Flight Three and all the others, as well as the several canopies from which we had to rappel down to the ground or to a lower canopy. If, however, you require additional proof, please check out the photos, or better yet, this video.

Among the many new and different experiences we had today, we tasted tea leaves right off the tree and learned the word for "Tiger" in a regional Thai dialect. (Foreshadowing.)

As luck would have it, just as we rappelled down from the final canopy and touched terra firma (we're not sure how that translates in Thai), we learned precisely why they call them "rainforests." The sky opened up and we ran for cover in the "hospitality gazebo" at the end of the tour, where we waited for the rain to stop. Of course, this being a RAIN-FOREST, the rain did NOT stop, and our guides tore banana leaves off trees to cover us as we dashed for the waiting van. We returned to the FOTG office, took pictures, said goodbyes, and began our drive back to the hotel, which drive conveniently coincided with rush hour in Chiang Mai.

From the hotel, we made our way to the famous Chiang Mai - you guessed it - Night Bazaar. We proudly and amply contributed to the local economy of Chiang Mai and that of the US, as we also patronized Starbucks and Burger King. (Long live the King!) Our Night Bazaar trip ended with our first tuk tuk (a motorcycle taxi) ride through the streets of Chiang Mai and back to the hotel.

Our tuk tuk ride highlights a few interesting points that we believe deserve to be made, particularly for anyone planning to visit Thailand. First, like Singaporeans or those wacky Britons, Thais drive on the LEFT - or as we self-centered Americans refer to it, the "wrong" - side of the road. More importantly, lane lines in Thailand are merely a suggestion. Street decoration is really all they are. We didn't think it possible to drive in four lanes at once, that is, of course, until we came to Thailand. Similarly, traffic lights and turn signals are more optional advice than statutory admonishment. All of these facts, which we had more or less taken for granted when were riding in enclosed cars, became glaringly obvious to us as we rode in the back of the tuk tuk. If you ever played the video game "Frogger" and wondered what the frog felt like, try riding in a tuk tuk in heavy, fast-moving traffic.

From the hotel, we shuttled to the airport for our 10:20 PM flight. Back in Bangkok, we taxied to the hotel and made travel arrangements for our next great adventure. Before turning in for the night, Huey wondered to himself what it is that turns a once fine human specimen in to such a common pastry - soft and sweet on the inside, crusty on the outside. Pondering this not-so-age-old question, Huey arrived at a simple answer.

"Love."

That says it all.

VacAsian Day Seventeen (Monday, 19 May, Bangkok and Chiang Mai)

Rule Number One of Massage (and/or Greco-Roman Wrestling): Always, ALWAYS drink plenty of water afterward. Huey forgot this important rule, and consequently woke up very early, aching from head to toe. He downed an entire bottle of water in about 20 seconds flat and returned to bed to wake up later, refreshed.

Upon waking up, we booked roundtrip airfare (US $120 for both of us) to and a three star hotel (US $48, with breakfast) in Chiang Mai for that evening for an excursion we have planned (more on that later). After breakfast, we looked in to shipping some of our stuff home to avoid further diplomatic conflicts in the airports of Southeast Asia. (We have really accumulated a lot of stuff.) Then we taxied to Pratunam Market because, well, you know. When we got there, the combination of the heat, humidity, and smells was too much. Huey already wasn’t feeling well, and but for a few specific items she still needed to pick up, Robin was still over shopping for a while. We taxied back to the hotel and watched the movie “Dangerous Beauty” on DVD (which, incidentally, we also watched on our third date) to conserve our energy for the evening’s and the next day’s excursions.

We packed for Chiang Mai, then the tailor’s driver picked us up for our final fitting, after which the tailor’s driver dropped us at the airport for our 8:20 PM flight. We arrived in Chiang Mai at 9:30 and taxied to our hotel, the Novotel Chiang Mai. We checked in, went to our room, and debated hitting the Night Bazaar, but opted to get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow promises high-flying adventure in the rainforests of Northern Thailand.

VacAsian Day Sixteen (Sunday, 18 May, Bangkok)

Today began with a spectacular breakfast buffet at the hotel (suffice it to say, after the chauffered car, VIP check-in and fireworks last night (see VacAsian Day Fifteen), we didn’t expect stale bread and water) as we prepared to spend the day at the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Can you guess which half of HueBin was more excited than the other? (See VacAsian Day Seven.)

Having only our Beijing Silk Road Market foray as a reference, we were not prepared for the blissfully disorienting shopping experience that is Thai market shopping. Stall after stall with every saleable item (not to mention some that probably shouldn’t be sold) known to humankind was available for the right price at Chatuchak. What could possibly be wrong with that, the shopping enthusiasts (and/or possession obsessed) among you may ask?

The answer: no organization.

Whereas the Silk Road Market was organized by floors, which generally grouped related items for ease of comparison and purchase, Chatuchak hinted at organization, but offered only a pleasingly distracting menagerie of hungry vendors as eager to peddle their wares as the shoppers were to find bargains. Imagine a t-shirt vendor next to a food vendor next to a silk vendor next to an electronics vendor next to an exotic bird vendor next to a shoe vendor next to a lingerie vendor next to a housewares vendor. Then imagine that if you wanted to get the best deal from any of them, you’d have to push your way through the crowds, tight passageways, and rain at this expansive bazaar in hopes of accidently encountering another vendor offering the same merchandise, only to hope you might be able to find the first vendor if the next vendor’s price wasn’t right. Of course, as Murphy’s Law of Market Shopping would have it, when you’re looking for a specific item, there is not a vendor in sight who has it for sale, yet you can’t swing a smoking incense decanter without hitting a vendor with every variety of every useless bauble you’re NOT looking for. Such is the joy of the Thai bazaar.

We were but three hours in to the Chatuchak consumer chaos, with bag after bag of bounty to show for it, when Robin uttered the words Huey thought he would NEVER hear:

I’m done with shopping.

“I’d rather play video games than read,” perhaps. “I have ENOUGH shoes,” maybe. On her WORST day possibly “No, thank you. I don’t want any CAKE.” But never did Huey expect THESE words to cross Robin’s lips. Quickly checking the air temperature and skating conditions in “H-E-Double Hockey Sticks” and confirming that Robin was, in fact, conscious and not delusional, Huey was confronted with an unsettling reality.

He was NOT finished shopping.

Perhaps it was the stifling humidity slowly soaking through his dura matter or maybe it was just those gosh darn cute Buddha marionettes, but Huey was ENJOYING unfettered, mindless, full contact, blatant consumerism at its best (worst?)… and he wanted more. But, as with his affinity for Blackjack (and “Judge” reality shows), Huey knows when to say when.

We taxied back to the hotel, where we took much needed showers. (We forgot to mention how utterly dusty and gritty bazaar shopping can be.) We had lunch at Café Mozu, where we had our first night’s dinner and breakfast this morning, then we went to the shopping center in State Tower for massages at Spa Royal Botanic (we presume no relation to Spa Botanica (see VacAsian Day Fourteen)). Robin had a ONE HOUR foot massage, followed by a ONE HOUR manicure, which included a head and shoulder massage; Huey had a ONE HOUR traditional Thai massage and a ONE HOUR foot massage, with a head and shoulder massage thrown in for good measure. The cost of all this corporeal manipulation? Less than US $50 for both of us.

A quick note about traditional Chinese v. traditional Thai massage. The former is akin to deep tissue Western massage with the addition of very intense acupressure. The pressure is extreme, even painful at times, but it leaves one feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and with a clear head. Thai massage, by contrast, is more like Greco-Roman wrestling where only one competitor knows the rules. It is performed on a platform or low table, rather than a massage table, and the therapist (opponent?) is, at times, on the platform with you, pulling your arms, legs, torso, head, or neck this way or that and running you through various sleeper, half-, and full-Nelson holds. It leaves one feeling relaxed, but confused and a bit violated. In the end, though, the Thai sparring match is markedly cheaper than its Chinese counterpart.

From the spa, we taxied to Embassy Tailor for our first fittings. Huey was ecstatic with the fit of his new togs, and with some minor adjustments, Robin, too, was pleased with her custom gear. (We even added more to Robin’s order.) The tailor’s driver returned us to the hotel, and we packed it in for the night.

Final score: Team Spa Royal Botanic 1, Team HueBin 0.

VacAsian Day Fifteen (Saturday, 17 May, Singapore and Bangkok)

We said goodbye to Singapore and Clarke Quay this morning and looked forward to our passage to the third country on our itinerary, Thailand, formerly Siam, made famous by, among other things, the book Anna and The King, which, of course, begat the play and movie "The King and I," which, as everyone knows, saw its modern adaptation in the form of the "Rush Hour" trilogy.

Yet again, US diplomatic relations with Asia came within seconds of being severed forever, as we played the game that is quickly surpassing "Deal or No Deal" as the most popular game involving suitcases filled with valuables, namely, "How Many Bags Are We Allowed?" The answer changed several times (again) before we were permitted to check four of our five bags and treat the final bag as a carry-on. Alas, the US State Department did not have to intervene, and the US Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore did not have to be pulled away from her Warm Tibetan Oil and Healing Clay Massage and Wrap at Spa Botanica. (You're welcome, Honorable Ms. Herbold.) Per usual, we were fed extremely well on our flight. (Editorial Note: We have had an exceptional meal on every leg of every flight during the VacAsian, and we can't help but think that if US airlines put as much effort in to customer service (and catering) as their Asian counterparts, there might be fewer bankruptcies.)

Upon arriving in Bangkok, we were met by a representative of our hotel, lebua at State Tower, offered orange-scented cold face cloths and bottled water, and whisked away in a chauffeured BMW 700 series sedan. At the hotel, we were met immediately by another representative, who escorted us past the front desk and directly to our room on the 59th floor. "Check-in" took place on the sofa in the living room of our two room suite, while we scarfed down the complimentary box of "Welcome Chocolates." Before she left, our representative unlocked the door to our stunning marble balcony overlooking Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River. (If we don't return to the States, you know where to find us.) Believe everything you have heard about how inexpensive Bangkok is. Despite all these amenities (not to mention the many others not mentioned here) and the five nights we'll be spending here, this will be the least expensive of our five stays on the VacAsian.

About an hour after we arrived and settled in, our hotel driver chauffeured us to Embassy Tailor, Bangkok's only British tailor, where we were measured for and ordered custom suits and shirts. "Our driver" waited for us outside the tailor shop and returned us to the hotel, where we had a great dinner on the outdoor patio of Cafe Mozu. Apparently, someone phoned ahead with the news that HueBin was in town because an impromptu fireworks display erupted about 15 minutes in to our meal. Or maybe His Majesty King Bhumibol has been reading this blog.

Long live the King!