Dear family and friends,
Happy Songkran to you all! April 13th - 15th is the Thai New Year National Holiday! Everything shuts down and there are celebrations everywhere (mostly with water fights)! I will talk more about it in the pictures that follow.
As I mentioned last week, John came home from the hospital on Friday evening, the 10th. Michelle and family left early Saturday morning, the 11th. Saturday and Sunday we spent watching General Conference, resting, and recuperating at home from the past 2 crazy weeks. Monday - Thursday, we had doctor's appointments (follow up for John), work in the office (lots to catch up on), a senior missionary Songkran field trip to a giant park across from the Grand Palace (we went there last year at Songkran too - John opted out this time), and a house inspection with the Calls!
I will post this Thursday since we have to go to immigration at 4am Friday morning (to renew our visa's) and then John's brother Rick and Belle arrive for a 3 day visit with us.
This post will include part 2 of Michelle's family visit to Thailand as well as a picture of two from this week.
Before I start in with the pictures, I will update you on John. He is home and doing much better. His stomach still bothers him, but that is to be expected with the amount of inflammation he is dealing with. And he is working on building his energy back up.
We are so grateful for all of you, for your love, support, kind words, encouragement, and prayers!
With love,
Elder and Sister Brady (mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, John and Shelly and so on)
This portion of the pictures goes back to Thursday, the 9th! We started our morning with coconut smoothies and a boat taxi on the Klong to the hospital to visit John. We normally walk along the Klong, but the weather is HOT and we knew we would be doing a ton of walking today. Plus the kids were excited to ride on the water! Do you see the excited kids in the picture above?
After we visited Grandpa, we got back on the boat and headed back to Asoke road where we stopped at the local university market to see all of the cool foods and goods for sale! We had to stop to try the coconut drinks and coconut pudding!
The next stop was the local market where you can get lunch among other delicious foods and goods! We ate an early lunch here! This is truly where the locals eat! It is warm inside, but fans are funning to try and cool us down. Drew had Kao Soi. I had Pad Thai and Michelle tried a rice dish!
Looking cool after a yummy lunch!
The restroom on the Istanbul had a hot air balloon theme!
San Francisco 49ers Bathroom!!August and Audrey throw the football!
It was time to head back outside and walk through Lumphini Park! This is the money shot! I love this bird flying across the pond!
There were so many water monitors swimming around! The Vernons loved to see them!
Here is one swimming closer to shore!
This fellow was just a few feet from us. He was covered with leaves that were floating on the water.
These guys are cooling in the shade!
Mommy - daughter photo!
Lumphini park is so beautiful. It is a little oasis in the busy city!
Iconic escalator photo spot!
Central Park roof top gardens overlooking Lumphini Park.
Drew, Audrey, Jenna, Michelle, me, and August!
Taking a picture of taking a picture of the gorgeous view!
Audrey and August dancing in the garden fountain!
Next stop, is the tallest building in Bangkok!
The Mahonakhon Building! It loos like a giant Jenga game!
The elevator ride up to the 84th floor has a fancy video playing on all of the walls!
More of the Bangkok Skyline!
Dance on the glass floor hanging of the 84th floor - if you dare!
Have a seat when you are tired of dancing!
Another amazing view of Bangkok!
Back on the ground level of the building, we walked through the lasar light show rooms!
And there were some crazy mirrors!
Five of me!
More mirrors!
Thursday evening, I stopped in the office to get a little work done and found these beautiful flowers and card for Elder Brady from our many friends in the Country Office!
Friday morning, we took off to go on the Hop on Hop off boat tour along the Chao Phraya River.
We took the MRT (underground subway) and then walked 3/4 of a mile to get to the river. We came across this beautiful Banyon tree hanging over a klong.
Then we caught the ferry across the river to the Icon Siam Mall where we would buy our tickets for the hop on hop off boat.
I had to show the kids where grandpa and grandma stayed last summer for the YSA conference. The beautiful Millennium Hilton Hotel overlooking the river!
Icon Siam Mall!! (Getting ready for Songkran)!
We walked around the ground floor where the theme is a Thai floating market. We found a Korean food booth that was selling "smiley fries!"
We also found a cool booth where you could make your own refrigerator magnets!
Finally we hopped on the Hop On Hop Off Boat!
We stopped at Wat Arun! This is a stunning ancient ruin!
Here is a brief history from the google:
Wat Arun, the "Temple of Dawn," is a 17th-century Buddhist temple on the Chao Phraya River, originating from the Ayutthaya period as Wat Makok. It became a major landmark after King Taksin rebuilt it as his royal palace temple in the late 18th century and housed the Emerald Buddha here. Its iconic spires were built under Kings Rama II and III.
I love the intricate details!
Audrey soaking it all in!
On to the Grand Palace! John posed by this very same statue back in the 70s when he was first a missionary in Thailand.
Some that glitters here is indeed gold!
More beauty at the grand palace.
Smile!
Taking pictures of people taking pictures (Michelle) is my favorite thing to do!
The mosaic designs are stunning!
The temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The sun peaks behind this structure.
The Grand Palace! We brought umbrellas to stay shaded!
We took a tuk tuk ride! You have to at least once!
Smile!
Our last stop was Wat Pho! The Temple of the Reclining Buddha!
This Buddha was very large!
I love how people come to these temple grounds and dress up and take pictures!
Audrey chilling with the chimps!
Friday late afternoon, after our Bangkok touring, I went to the hospital to pick up John! After two weeks, he was finally able to go home!
We were almost home when I noticed our Grab driver had a contraption to hold up a second phone.
So he could watch a show while he was driving!!!!!!
Home at last!
Michelle, Drew and the grandchildren August, Jenna, and Audrey come over to say their final goodbyes to grandpa! :( It was such a wonderful, but short, visit. And it certainly was not the trip we had planned, but we are so grateful they came to Thailand. It was fun to show them where we live and what we have been doing and it lifted our spirits to have them here.
Friday evening, we went back to the SW1 market for dinner. John stayed home and rested.
I had a banana and Nutella Roti! And it was out of this world!
Smile!
Some last minute souvenir shopping.
Saturday morning at 6:30am waiting for the train to the airport.
On the train, feeling a little sad to be apart again. Audrey's blue eyes are brimming with tears.
John got so many nice notes, flowers, and some cookies!
Saturday and Sunday were spent resting, relaxing, recuperating,
and catching up on General Conference!
Good morning Tuesday!!! 100 degrees!!
Tuesday afternoon, the Senior Missionaries gathered in front of the temple to take a photo and then head out to participate in some Songkran activities! We were dressed for the occasion and most had water guns! Pictured are: the Justensens and Meekers (from the West Mission Office), Calls and me (East Mission Office - Elder Brady stayed home), the Popes, Burminghams, and Hoers (from Pakistan - displaced because of the war and working on their humanitarian projects long distance from Thailand), and President and Sister Rich (West Mission Leaders).
The subway was PACKED! Three trains went by before we could even squeeze on!
I made some new friends! They wanted me to airdrop them this photo after I took it!
Heading up the escalator!
Charlie's Angels! I inherited the tiny squirt gun from the Belnaps!
Don't you worry! It packs a punch!
Watering the orchids!
The party has begun! Do you see the clay on my face? People run up to you during Songkran and pat your face with clay. Here is what the google says:
The white powder or clay paste applied during Songkran, known as din sor pong, symbolizes blessings, good luck, and protection for the new year. Traditionally mixed with water and applied to faces, it represents purification and acts as a cooling agent against the April heat.
Here we are absolutely drenched! Let me tell you about it. This year Songkran was a little different! Last year we went to a family friendly event with big inflatable teddy bears and kiddie pools! We got splashed with a little bit of water here and there. Well, we headed across town to the park across from the grand palace only to see it was empty! No Songkran festivities were there! (We found out later that in honor of the Queen Mother's passing, the festival was not being held there but at a park that was much closer to where we actually live!) We walked past the park and followed the crowds to a street that was roped off and you had to walk through security to get on the street! Then it was chaos and medlum! Well maybe not that bad . . . but we were like herded cattle walking this street jammed with people and loud music and dancing on the sides! And we were sprayed with squirt guns, hoses, buckets of water! My tiny squirt guns were useless! Haha! We got thoroughly soaked! It actually felt good in the 100 degree heat! We finally found an exit after about 45 minutes of being doused! It was a blast!
We survived Songkran!
Thursday - today - The Calls joined me for a house inspection in Chachoengsao. Here we are waiting for the train! John normally drives to this house inspection because it is far enough away that it makes the most sense to drive. There is one other way to get there and that is to take the train!
This rail line is not one of the new sky trains or subways! This rail line opened in 1903. When John was here in the 70s, you could take the bus or the train to get around. This train runs right behind where we live. The airport Sky train runs above this train. I have been wanting to ride it since we got here! Today was the perfect day for it! Look at these cute benches at the train station.
The train arrives!
We are smiling because we just paid for our fare! Only 12 Baht each. That means for the 3 of us, we paid just over $1 to travel 33 miles!!
This little girl was so cute to watch! She loved looking out the window!
So did I! The landscape was beautiful! Here you can see some of the rice fields!
This old train station was abandoned. You don't buy tickets at the station, a conductor walks through the train and collects your Baht.
We made it to Chachoengsao station.
We were still 3 miles from the Elder's house so we planned to take a Grab (taxi).
But this tuk tuk driver matched the grab fare, so we said, "why not?"
When in Thailand, you should definitely take tuk tuk ride!
We made it to the missionaries' house and they had a successful inspection!
Way to go Elders Nielsen, Park, Clark, and Jones!
After the inspection, we walked 1/3 a mile to the mall for lunch. The Elders wanted to go to Korean food! I had Bulgogi! It was delicious! The cheese looking topping was actually egg!
Smile! We are full and happy! We caught a grab home because we missed the 2:05pm train and didn't want to wait another 2 hours!
I am back in the office now! We missed having John with us. He stayed home and worked in the office and took a little nap! We want him to get well and be back to 100% as soon as possible!
I am getting this out a day early, because tomorrow is immigration! We will be up at 3:30am to begin our day! Wish us luck!
Thanks for reading!
We love you!
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