Party likes it's 2012

Because Thailand did not have enough malls, there was a new one opened while I was gone: the mall Seacon.  Their decorations for the winter:

Enormous white gummy bears in dress up of course!  I had to get my picture with them because I Know a gummy bear when I see one.  While they look a bit like blow ups, they're hard plastic to the touch.  Wouldn't it have been something if they really were made of gummy, hee hee... Dayanna thinks I should go into marketing :)

 

Additionally they had pictures of pictures you could take a picture behind.  Everyone catch that?  So Dayanna and I had to take pictures!

I decided to go for sweet for a change.

 

Inside Seacon.

Four or five (I tend to lose count) glossy, sparkly floors all decked out for the winter/holiday season.  That's right, even though it's Thailand (and I had thought I'd so cleverly escape Christmas) the malls are all decorated for Christmas and New Years and often play all the classic holiday favorites.  I didn't take a pic, but there are booths set up with polar bears, penguins, sleighs and snow on top. 

 

Here I couldn't help but focus on the fact that this mall has a DINOSAUR!  The whole top floor is a kids area (as is the case as the mall Bangkae also).  The dinosaur is part of a dig where they bury a prize in the sand for the kids to find.  There's also rides, dress up, a theater and a mirror house.  All in a mall.

 

But most exciting...

 

 

 

MCDONALDS!!!!

Or Mackers as our Aussie calls it (took me a bit to realize she'd been referring to McD and not some other burger joint).  For a mere 100 baht I can have a taste of home.  And it really is almost identical - they even have Coke Zero.

The sauce choices are: Tomato, chile and American Ketchup.  Although a smidge off, in this instance the American choice is my favorite.

So I thanked Ronald on my way out.

 

Okay so this was actually on my way in, but I couldn't pass up a chance to get a shot waing back to good old Ronald McDonald.  Unfortunately Dayanna was being ridiculously slow with the camera while the Thais pointed and laughed...

 

And for B's photo op, we go to another Land Mark in Thailand.  Siam Center:

 

And a carriage drawn by a unicorn and lit by pink fountains.  Oh yes, this is UN -doctored.  Did I say only in Thailand yet?  Oh I did?  Well it deserves to be said a few times :)

 

After seeing all the fuss for Christmas, Dayanna and I decided to dip our toes in the city to see what was going on at Rivercity Bangkok and what their idea of New Years was.  My favorite part: After hitting a market, we took a boat.

On our way there Dayanna declares we must take a "selfie".

 

And on the way back.

 Another "Selfie" in front of River City.  It's a pretty posh mall with antiques taking up the top floor and lots of tailors and expensive name brands.  People in fancy clothes were signing up for a river cruise to be on the water when the fireworks went off.  Dayanna and I, in tennis shoes and flip flops, were a little worried we'd be kicked out at any given time.

 

So we headed on home.  Regardless, it all was just lovely at night.

At Midnight, safely ensconsed in my apartment, the noise of the fireworks was really something.  It came from literally every direction and it left me unsure of which way to look for the best show!  Thailand does love it's fireworks!  A side note: in Thai the word for firework translates into Fire Flower.  I just loved that - the beautifully descriptive nature of Thai helps to overcome the difficulties in learning it.

 

Additionally they released wish lanterns - not sure if that's the official name, and I know they're pagan (as is the celebration) but never having seen them aside from in Tangle, they really are beautiful, looking like fireflies ascending into the atmosphere.  Sorry no photos of any of this, but it just wouldn't have done it justice and it went on for at least half an hour.

 

Better than all this, Dayanna had over a group of sisters.  We sang Kingdom songs in Thai (Day and I need the practice!), each choosing one (I accidentally chose a fast one).  We ate sweets and fruit, Saki did Candy's hair and then we played spoons.  It was a fantastic day, and Dayanna and I are discussing doing it again with a different group so we can get to know all the ones in the cong.

 

To remember the occasion we took a group shot using the timers on our cameras (between us we had 4 different cameras and lots of posing).

 

Here's a candid shot as everyone laughs at Dayanna and I setting up our respective cameras.  On the first attempt I used the timer but Dayanna accidentally did immediate.  Second attempt I took an instant pic and Dayanna used the timer.  As they say, Third times the charm:

Clockwise from me: Saki, Appun (Apple), Brooke :), Sayaka, Dayanna, Candy and back to me.