— July 12,

First off… to my sister and B-I-L…

           Happy Anniversary!!!🎉🥂

Awoke and over our coffee/chocolate milk, we decided we wanted to go to a local place for brunch. The name of the place may be “Wicked Food.” This is how Google Lens translated it, anyway. When we walked in we were warmly greeted, and the cook made recommendations. We took up his offer and had a Chicken Fried Rice and a Beef Pad Krapao. Wow! So. So. Good!! The beef was super tender as was the chicken. Both were brimming with flavor. YUM – this is why we have come here!!

Finished with our brunch, we went to local mall. We walked there by way of a elevated walkway above the road – didn't need to take the BTS, but this walkway connects with the BTS as well. It beats walking on the sidewalks right next to the traffic. Once inside the mall we walked all about, some to get steps and some to explore.  Then we bought stuff we “needed”  at our place, at a “dollar general”- type store. We also found a Decathlon store, like we had shopped at in India, and I bought some shorts. (I had to throw away a pair that I had bought in Goa, India.) As we were walking about more, we were offered a sample of a mango smoothie. Well, we had to buy one. We also saw some potential eating places here (but this will probably be a last resort as we have quite a list from some You tubers). Now we found some Chilean wine, and a Brut- sparkling wine, in a wine shop that we bought.

Now we headed back, we had to get out of this mall!  First out of the mall we, stopped at a street vendor for some grilled chicken and rice with a nice Sunnyside up egg. Now to our place, Moniiq- I love the name. I blogged, Jeff ordered stuff (rest of stuff we needed online). Then we went to to workout at the gym here. Not too bad, but not a Planet Fitness. After a session, we went to the pool. 😊Nice. Back at our room. Had our chicken, egg, and rice; also last of baguette and hummus, with the wine from Chile- Paso del Sol, a Cab Sav. It was a good wine- best we've had in quite awhile.  Then we watched some You tube…   Good day. Thai people are so nice!

— July 13,

We awoke and had our morning coffee/hot chocolate. Looking at places to go today, we decided on some Pad Thai. Our favorite You tuber, The Roaming Cook had a couple of videos on Pad Thai. We skimmed the videos and chose one. To get there was taking Moniiq's shuttle – to the BST; riding this to a local bus stop and waiting for the bus; then riding it; and lastly walking a bit. Total was 15 miles away, but it took us around two hours to get there. The place was Pad Thai Baitong, a very local mom and pop ran shop. It was established in 1980. The cook was a lady and she did not speak English. Her husband spoke English and Jeff told him two Pad Thai's, but no shrimp due to allergy. He understood and told his wife, the cook. She set to work on our order using a Wok over HOT-flaming charcoals. She let me take a picture of her working. Fantastic. As she was finishing it up I showed her husband The Roaming Cook. I think he understood that was how we came to be here. The food was again so good! I love me some Pad Thai!! And this was, to coin a phase, next level! 😂 We were also served a bowl of Thai chives, bean sprouts and banana flowers, which you can add on top. It was beautiful, but even better eating. Finished we thanked everyone, paid, and left so happy (we also had X2 small waters). It was 150 baht ($4.15).

More than satiated (we were happy) we left and went to a nearby mall to find a new sling bag/backpack as our old one is having issues with the main zipper. No luck, but we found a coffee roaster and I was able to get some great smelling coffee. Finished we left here and took a seemingly unending local bus (it took almost 1.5 hrs), close to our place. We stopped at the nearest large supermarket, the Big C. We picked up some light meal stuff for tonight and future. Loaded down – mostly water/drinks – we went to catch one more local bus, getting us closer to our place. While waiting for the bus we saw a “dragon parade” coming down the very busy street. I asked a local what it was about, and she did not know the English words but was able to relate going to the temple. Cool!

Caught the next bus, and just as we start the short walk back it started to rain on us, not monsoon rain, but definite rain. We made it back and up to our place. We unloaded, dried off, and put stuff away. Whew! Nothing like getting caught in rain, but it can be refreshing and that was how I found it to be… well, mostly! 

Supper was some tzatziki and rosemary bread, an assortment of melon type fruit, and a bit of dark chocolate – all with the Chilean sparkling wine we had bought yesterday. I did forget to mention Thailand has a ban on selling alcohol from 1400-1700 (which seems to be the time we are trying to buy it). This brings something else to mind, we tried durian fruit two days ago for our first time. It was not as pungent smell or taste as it was hyped up to be. It was not a flavor I detest, but I won't go out of my way to have it again.

Anyway, that's a wrap for now.