Bangkok week 861

December 26, 2024

This week had it all! We spent 3.5 fun days in Rayong, and then came back to Bangkok in time to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Merry Christmas, everyone! 🎄🎅🎁

Welcome back, from goofball Lucy...

... who also turns 2 years and 9 months old today!

Here's another goofball, trying on this orange net for size.

Enjoying the last slices of Grandpa's birthday cake together.

And we're off to Rayong! Lucy is happy at this rest stop.

And Arlo is inspecting the bugs in this bromeliad.

Here we are at everyone's favorite hotel! Welcome drinks for all.

The hotel is all decked out for Christmas. Check out this gingerbread house in the lobby.

"Why this fish is sad?" Lucy asked.

And here's the fish. Indeed, it looks like he's having a sad day.

A visit to the Kids Club while waiting for the sun to pass its peak.

Lucy's workin the kitchen today.

Food's up!

Lucy, have some decency!

Arlo's reuniting with his friends, the rabbits.

And here's Lucy's favorite activity...

... swinging!

And they tried this old-fashioned see-saw for the first time this visit.

Grandpa helped make it fun!

And a really nice treat from Grandpa: Guss Damn Good ice cream for all!

Arlo discovered that there's an even larger gingerbread house in the main restaurant! Wowza!

Strong Granny braved the pool with Arlo & Lucy.

Brr! Purple lips upon entry.

Granny also took Arlo & Lucy down the waterslide for the innaugural slide.

One time for Grandpa, too.

Thank you, Granny, for taking the plunge...

... so that Mum & Dad can stay nice and dry on the shore.

Here come the Arlo+Grandpa duo, riding the slide like a luge track.

Onto the beach for a beautiful sunset.

This became Lucy's swing for the weekend.

Playing in the sand; Lucy's clearly gotten lots of practice at school since last visit!

Arlo really enjoyed playing in the waves and the sea.

Beautiful sunset!

Arlo enjoyed collecting seaweed this trip, too.

Group shot!

Sunset shot, take one.

Trying to get one good shot with my children...

... we'll have to settle with this one for now.

Knocked over by the wave!

They really enjoyed playing in the ocean this time.

Family shot.

Look at this cute burrito with purple lips.

Watching the sunset and her brother, from her favorite place: a swing.

Sun down on our first day in Rayong.

Dinner in the bar tonight...

... means it's a great opportunity for Lucy & Arlo to learn foosball.

What a tiring day. Ready to crash.

Up bright and early for brekkie the next morning, after a rough night in bed. (Everyone in the same bed, to be clear.)

Pancakes, whipping cream, and sprinkles: breakfast of champions.

Someone learned from her brother yesterday, and wanted to walk along the stones in the lobby.

Tried to get a Christmas photo in front of the tree. Here's where we landed.

Playing on the obstacle course in the garden.

They had a fun new scoreboard at the football field. And look: the score is Arlo!

An early-morning beachside swing for Lucy, while it's still shaded.

She's not sure if riding on Grandpa is an improvement or not.

King of the morning seaside.

Checking out all the newly-exposed seashells.

The seashell search team.

Lucy enjoyed the ocean, too.

Arlo, wandering off on his own, looking at shells and the waves.

Checking out the crab holes, and tiny crab balls.

Inadvertent yoga move while running from the waves.

Children of the sea.

And of course, someone required a ride back to the hotel building.

Our destination for the morning: Rayong Botanical Garden.

It was even cooler and dryer than when we went in late-May.

Arlo was a great sport, and did the whole 3.5-km walk. Also, despite not feeling 100% that day.

Wefie with the lotuses.

Walking through tall, thick (but slightly manicured) jungle.

Arlo remembered well that this path was flooded when we were here in May.

Made it to the "Rak Samet" bridge.

Arlo enjoyed this bridge again, and was excited to see the kayaks pass underneath.

A sign board about mushrooms! There must be mushrooms around here somewhere.

Walking to an area we'd not visited on the previous trip: the paperbark trees.

It was really very picturesque!

Lucy tried her hardest, too, and did do a bit of walking.

But much of the walk for Lucy looked like this, if not strapped to Mum.

What we walked all this way to see.

And here they are! Carnivorous pitcher plants!

Another kind, growing along the ground.

To the extent that he still had attention to give, Arlo was very interested.

Arlo the mushroom-spotter also found several mushrooms.

Back at the start, and enjoying a well-earned ice cream from a passing Walls cart.

And chillaxing back at the hotel with the Helpsters.

Mid-afternoon dip with Dad and Grandpa -- the brave ones today.

And a few more rounds on the water slide for Arlo (and his luge sled).

Dad, Lucy, and Granny checked out the kids pool area for an oh-so-fleeting moment.

But, rather sensibly, she'd rather sit in the shade and eat cookies.

After trekking half way around the hotel in the hot sun, a few promised runs on the slide to cool off.

And no trip to Rayong Marriott is complete without a swim "with" the fish.

It's almost sunset again; that means it's time for Lucy's beachside swing.

Lucy means business. (Construction business.)

This was *her* swing as far as she was concerned.

Beautiful sunset for Lucy and the grandparents.

Truly an infinity pool here! (With a yacht!)

Dad thought Lucy & Mum were matching. Yes?

This morning, the score is in Lucy's favor!

Another early-morning visit to the beach.

Taking in the calming ocean vibes.

Still at home.

Playing football on the sand with Dad.

Lucy's happy place!

Express trip back.

Checking out and sorting the haul for the morning.

We're heading out for a morning trip, and Lucy's still the score!

At Thung Prong Thong mangrove forest, taking a boat tour of the mangroves.

This is apparently the largest mangrove forest in Rayong.

Great view out the front of the boat.

And we've made it to the open waters.

These birds perched peacefully atop the sticks that break the waves.

These two enjoyed being out in the ocean.

Our resident comic, asked to give a smile. This is Option 1.

And Option 2.

Nice peaceful mangroves...

... with huge communities of sleeping bats!

There were many of them; and they were huge!

Getting out of the boat to walk along the boardwalk for a while.

Look at the roots, and how tall the plants are!

Posing for his Learning Journey.

And a photo for Lucy, too, who was very particular about when she wanted to walk or not.

Heading up to the top of the observation tower.

Beautiful views.

But the railing was dangerously open for Lucy. (And oddly short for anyone taller than Arlo.)

Checking out the "Shinkansen fish with a light at the end of the nose".

Here are said needlefish.

And how the mangroves replicate.

Some Instagrammable photos on our way out.

Mangroves!

And riding in the side car of a motorcycle back to the parking lot. Definitely the highlight of Arlo's day.

Lunch at one of our two "go-to" places in Klaeng.

The head of the table, and she knows it.

They both ordered pink milk. Yummy yum!

"Oh! Ducks!"

Enjoy the feast!

Splurging on a bag of fish food after we finished our meal. (Time to fatten up the fish.)

Look at that momma catfish!

Back at the hotel, poor Granny was trying to rest.

Another afternoon of swings. Lucy's fave!

Perhaps she'll become a trapeze artist.

And having a good time on the traditional see-saw.

"Why I so high?"

An ambitious endeavour: teaching Arlo (and Lucy) how to play pool.

One last dip in the pool, and the requisite hotel shot.

And here's Arlo with purple lips...

... and Lucy with purple lips.

Smile, Lucy!

The cold burrito enjoying himself.

Time for one last splash in the ocean at sunset.

Beautiful colors, Arlo.

Poor Dad, there's no letting go now.

Searching for the tiny little crabs again.

One last sunset shot: better luck than the first evening!

Our last beach sunset for 2024.

Here's our little comic, entertaining over breakfast again.

(That's more like it, Lucy.)

Last hotel brekkie!

Arlo wanted to take a photo with the giant Santa set up outside the lobby.

Lucy and Granny headed to the giant swings for one last go-round...

...while we headed to the beach.

Arlo can't help himself; he needs to head into the water, swimsuit or not.

Arlo, that's awfully deep for normal clothes!

Our winning sibling shot for the trip!

And our winning family photo.

Happily skipping along the beach.

Checking out our shell haul for the morning...

... the unicorn horns were the focus.

Arlo was making a mushroom out of shells, but later decided it was actually an umbrella.

Surprise treat on our way out: Arlo's new car!

Back to Bangkok in time for Christmas Eve dinner: Indian food, that is.

And it looks like Santa has come, so we're all set for tomorrow morning!

Merry Christmas! Arlo is up early, and the first one downstairs.

Oh my! Santa brought the Tesla Cyber Truck that he asked for!

Genuinely happy! (Bonus that all the doors, the trunk, and the hood can open!)

And what did Santa bring for Lucy?

The airplane she asked for!

Looks like it's a Thai Airways 777-300, the same plane Lucy flew to and from Tokyo.

Arlo can't help but "help" Lucy open her gifts.

It's a beading kit!

Everyone, let's get beading!

Lucy has enlisted Granny's help to open this one.

Teamwork!

Giant Tokyo metro puzzle for Grandpa! (Only 1000 pieces; a breeze.)

And a new 2025 wall calendar for G&G.

Wasting no time playing Lucy's new board game.

Hey, Granny got the thermos she was looking for!

Merry Christmas, P'Noi!

(Now, come bead with us!)

Uh oh! Arlo's decided to start working on the 843-piece Lego fire station from Granny & Grandpa.

Learning how to read the instruction booklet...

... and he's off!

Oh! There's one more unopened gift.

A stomp rocket!

It's an instant hit!

Mum couldn't resist trying... for the first, and last time.

Lucy modeling her new Moo Deng shirt. Stylish!

And trying Arlo's new board game -- Ticket to Ride.

Arlo's already completed his Lego fire truck, so he's using it to rescue people from the burning house.

Going for a late-afternoon Christmas walk/bike.

Lucy is getting very confident on the monkey bars now.

"I don't need help!" she makes clear. And can get herself down.

Merry Christmas from this duo.

The peanut gallery.

The completed fire engine, plus a veterinarian offering cookies... as they do.

Christmas feast of sushi for all.

Pulling the Christmas crackers with all his might. It's the first time to have the loud ones.

The three Christmas queens.

And here's Lucy, showing off her new penguin pajamas. She loves 'em!

This guy's up early to play with the fire engine that he built yesterday.

And completing three large puzzles. Cause why not?

Arlo got his first, very own bank book!

And a boxing day dip. Brrr!

Little Miss Blue Lips didn't last very long.

The shivering duo.

Wrapping up this busy week with our evening dance. See you next time!