Bangkok Week 81

January 14, 2010

M&C's annual New Years party, this year in the mountainous countryside of Ratchaburi Province. Week 81 -- another square milestone. See you in 19 weeks!

Our first stop: lunch on a river! (Our personal driver on the left.)

Nicole sizes up our technician's Harley Davidson.

Trying out macro mode on some plants at the resort.

A huge banner at the resort welcomes our company by name (although you'd never know it, right?).

A really huge old-school tricycle at the entrance to our "Boutique Resort".

My room! It's just like being back at Oconto!

Two beds and an A/C... fancier than camp was, for sure.

One of the resort's short-legged dogs got lots of attention from our group.

One of my co-workers has the same camera as we do!

The afternoon's activity: sheep feeding at a nearby farm.

The sheep had a definite preference for these leafy greens (over the grassy ones).

These guys never stopped moving! They zoomed from person to person, targeting fresh leaves.

A seasoned shepherd!

Perhaps she shouldn't have entered, if she's afraid of them? (She looks young, but she's also from the company!)

They reminded me of Pepper!

Hey there, Mika. What's up?

Colleagues Tui, Boy and Jojo... chillaxin' with the flock.

Smokin' his grass...

You, too, can have your very own fluffy lawn mower. These guys are probably less effective though.

My colleague Aor (in pink), and her 6' 2" boyfriend, who plays on Thailand's national basketball team.

Back at the resort, the mountains are a beautiful backdrop.

A room that was much posher than mine -- complete with concrete walls and an indoor bathroom!

The accommodation was alright, but the location was nice.

Nicole and Chompoo gawk at something.

Nice landscaping, if a bit artificial.

Really ugly alligator-like fish filled the artificial pond... along with 1 or 2 carp.

Some color, finally! Beautiful blossoms had fallen from a big tree.

The theme of this year's New Years dinner: Cowboy Night! Yee-haw!

Some more colleagues, dressed for the ho-down.

Nicole and Chompoo don plaid in the dinner queue.

I was surprised how many people could throw together a cowboy get-up. These are the nominees for the best-dressed contest.

This guy is one of our data processers!

He was dancing to "I'm a Barbie Girl." What courage! (He's normally very quiet.)

Everyone was shocked!

Fab Four.

The next morning, the lily blossoms outside my tent had opened up in the morning sun.

I waited for breakfast to start outside the tent. View's not too shabby.

Tables around the dining area. Cuter than Oconto.

On the way home, we stopped at a famous candle-making place... I tried an ATV instead.

These waxy sheep are really giant candles!

Different waxes with which you can dip your own. Sound familiar?

Free bananas for all visitors. (An odd concept.)

Lunch at a famous seafood restaurant on a river. The one veggie dish!

Cute egg cups. Didn't buy any, so will have to look at this photo for greenery instead.

Stopping at a famous floating market. I was coerced into trying the "World's Best" lychee smoothie.

A woman makes Pad Thai on her floating food stand.

Not only does the floating market have floating vendors, but its sides are lined with old shop houses.

Boatloads of fruit! Literally.

The market is only open after 3pm. And by 3:30pm, it's packed with crowds.

You almost wish you could escape the crowds by jumping in! (Chicken skewers or coconuts?)

A view from one of the very few bridges spanning the river.

Part of our group stopped for the fish-eat-your-dead-skin foot massage. I'm not convinced.