Bangkok Week 701

December 2, 2021

We spent the Thanksgiving weekend at the Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa. It was a lovely 3+ days away, and had activities aplenty to keep us busy the whole time.

Here we are! We've arrived in Rayong.

Arlo wastes no time getting comfortable in his new room for the next 3 nights.

This is a nice place to sit!

Exploring the hotel property: he doesn't remember coming here over a year ago.

What a nice, large lawn!

One of two amphitheaters, plus the long pool beyond.

Entertained by one of the aquarium maintenance people -- who suddenly vanished into the tank!

Underwhelmed by the beach. It's so sandy!

Yay, time to swim!

We're well into winter now: and you can feel it in the water. Brr!

Group shot: Arlo's enjoying himself!

Swimming with Mum to the very end of the pool.

We've reached the end! We swam all the way to the sea!

Peeking over the edge to see what's down there.

Oh, hi Arlo!

All together now, with a nice early-evening ocean sky.

Out of the pool, and onto the sand: Arlo's here to check out what this beach business is all about.

Well, that didn't last long. He prefers to be carried.

It's a cloudy winter sunset.

But oh my, so many shells to look at!

Big ones, small ones, smooth ones, twisted ones...

Overwhelmed by the choice!

A colorful sunset, despite the clouds.

The boys have had a productive evening.

Heading back, and looking for any final shells worth stopping for.

Arlo couldn't resist: one last dip in the pool on the way back.

And then we really had two cold burritos on our hands!

Enjoying dinner and a sunset.

This is the most comfortable way to read bedtime stories.

Up so early the next morning, we manage to catch the sunrise!

Arlo's wondering why he feels so sleepy already.

Proudly claiming his spot atop the rocks in the lobby.

Not sure about this giant nest chair.

Walking downstairs to the ground level, to play some...

...football!

Arlo knew what to do with the ball right away.

Kick it! Toward the net!

Can Mum still play?

Making sure it goes into the net, real good.

Then Arlo worked up the courage to ride the swing with Dad.

I guess this *is* fun.

And trying by himself.

This could be fun, too.

And riding a see-saw: less fun.

And saying hello to the resident bunnies.

The morning sea.

Already pooped after a morning walk around the hotel property.

Will we be too tired to swim?

Stopping in the lobby to admire the elephants.

What large elephants!

We seem to have the pool to ourselves again this morning...

... maybe the other guests know something we don't.

Dad tests the water slide to see if Arlo can go down. Conclusion: too rough!

Arlo was more interested in seeing the "bubbles" at the bottom of the slide anyway.

A self-portrait by Arlo.

And a group shot, courtesy of the GoPro.

Another Arlo burrito: too much time spent in the frigid winter waters.

Taking a seat at the wheel of a golf cart on the way back to the room.

Hey! Look what's waiting for us back in the room!

After much promise, finally getting to ride the golf cart.

To the Kids' Club. Where they have a ride-on excavator now! Bonus.

And a smaller excavator -- with tracks. (Most toy excavators replace the tracks with wheels.)

Arlo wastes no time identifying the good toys.

Just to be sure no one else takes them, let's bring the trucks inside this protected, walled area.

Trying the excavator again for good measure.

He's a natural.

Arlo found a helmet to match his shirt, and a car to boot.

Finally getting in some afternoon pool time, after the sun's gone down a bit more.

Group shot.

Look, no hands!

Woah!

And playing the classic, "Swim under Arlo" game.

Extending his legs, just to make it a little harder.

It's a clearer sunset tonight.

But still lots of shells to inspect.

He's got Dad trained well, holding the bucket for him.

Which shells pass the Arlo test?

And it's time to be picked up, enough with this sand.

Group shot with sunset...

... and this time, smiling with your teeth!

Nice lighting; windswept hair.

Enjoying the sunset before heading back.

The boys, enjoying their chips and dip.

Saturday morning, up early to inventory his shells.

And another round of soccer.

Kicking the ball into the net...

... and making sure it's really in there. As far as it can go!

Practicing shooting from a little farther back now.

Checking out the big, colorful fish.

Brr! Water's still cool!

Up through the water surface.

Arlo can stand in this area, which he finds amusing.

Practicing his kicks

And running into the water from the "beach".

Pool all to ourselves again.

Waiting patiently while Dad goes and gets lunch.

Inventorying his shell collection: are they all still there?

Trying to nap on Mum, while she eats lunch.

Now that's more like it.

Aww. What a deceptive little napper.

Another afternoon, another ride on the golf cart.

Dad's got this Kids' Club thing figured out: he brought his Kindle.

Arlo is drawn to this fire truck...

Arlo's protective of his trucks: today there are other kids in the Kids' Club, too!

Exhibit A: all the trucks have found their way inside Arlo's protected play area.

Lounging with Dad on the giant bean bag.

Taking advantage of the giant digger, while its free.

And doing some coloring while he's here. Because, why not.

Enjoying some cookies and juice back in the lobby.

The water's feeling especially chilly this afternoon: are we sure we want to go in?

Going to check out the aquarium.

Swimming "with" the fish.

We're getting good at "no hands"!

It's another picturesque sunset tonight.

Posing with the sun.

And the boys.

One more, after the sun's gone down.

Arlo's up bright and early, and ready for his morning soccer game!

He wastes no time getting down to business.

Kicking the ball down the length of the field.

And shooting from afar.

Goal! And chasing the ball into the net for good measure!

Showing off his nice hat from Granny.

Lots of morning beach-goers.

There are even shells in the morning!

Standing on the rock to avoid the sand...

And one last swim before hitting the road.

This morning, we're playing "Throw the Arlo!"

This is how you play the game.

Up he goes!

Here, they're practicing their figure-skating moves.

Taking a rest break.

And Arlo's ready to try again.

Um, is Dad planning to catch him this time?

One final splash at the "beach".

And we have a cold, tired Arlo burrito. Better go get him dressed.

Arlo's helping to check out.

And one last bye-bye to Arlo's favorite golf cart.

And that's a wrap, folks. Asleep after less than 5 minutes in the car.

A belated "Thanksgiving" dinner (?) back at home.

K. Noi is Bella's new best friend after this long weekend.

Going to Emma's Cafe, to meet Alba for a play date.

But first: checking out all the trains and trucks.

Sorting buttons with Alba, whom Arlo hasn't seen since April.

And slicing pizza: Arlo really look to this activity.

Bed time stories with Dad.

Improvised Baked Ziti. Not bad.

Someone looks like he's up to no good.

Reading his Zamboni book from Great Aunt Chris.

Hey hey hey, what's this?

Mum's newest toy. This will keep us busy until next week; see you then!

Bangkok Week 700

November 25, 2021

Week 700! Another hundredfold milestone! Although this is literally a short week (we’ve moved part of Thursday into Week 701), it was still packed full of activities for our social butterfly: swimming, a visit to P’Kate's new house, and even an attempt at Messy Play!

Hello to all my swimming friends!

Very enthusiastic about kicking today!

Getting better at diving onto the noodle and kicking.

Kick kick kick!

And learning to paddle with his arms too.

Walking across the floating iceberg.

And jump to Mum!

And trademark standing jump.

Winding down the day with Mum and baby.

A nice light dinner. With fresh challah!

An artistic morning for Arlo.

Really putting the silky crayons from Granny to the test.

And trying out some messy play.

He was really very dainty about it. Poked and prodded everything with a utensil only.

Wanted nothing to do with this green spaghetti!

He much preferred to play downstairs with all the toys.

Like this shopping cart!

And this kitchen.

One bonus of going to Messy Play: got to walk back behind a cement mixer.

Look at it!

On Sunday, Arlo got to visit P'Kate at her now house. Here, she shows him a giant snail.

Arlo's almost the same hight as her.

Arlo also helped to finish hanging the Christmas ornaments in their trees outside.

Enjoying their large yard.

Arlo still hasn't decided whether he'll share his volleyball.

P'Kate is showing Arlo her tree and asking Arlo to please not shake the tree.

This is a pretty funny photo. It really doesn't need a caption.

Cooling down inside, and doing some coloring. (It's the first time Arlo's used markers.)

Arlo gave P'Kate a copy of the "little helpers and the red button" for her birthday.

Here's Arlo, "watching TV" (his words).

Looking pretty settled on the bean bag chair.

Playing a matching game together.

Poor Arlo couldn't keep up with P'Kate's speed. I think he made 1 match in the time it took her to match the rest.

He did better with the vehicles.

Although he didn't understand what the rush was all about!

After the rains let up, the sun came out, and there was time to run around once more.

Arlo felt at home by the time we had to leave.

Racing to the driveway.

And 5 minutes after getting back in the car!

We have 4 solid pumpkin sprouts now. (These need to be repotted soon.)

Monkey Arlo realized he can drink water from his plate. So here we are.

Arlo's getting good at opening the straws attached to his milk cartons.

What's that!?

Happy Birthday, P'Noi! Arlo made a card for you.

But Arlo was really sad for some reason. So much for the birthday mood!

Bangkok Week 699

November 18, 2021

What a big week for Arlo! A staycation at the Shangr-La; his first haircut!; and even a visit from his Bu. Wow!

Another Friday, another morning of kicks and splashes.

This is a new activity: using the noodle, unknotted.

And sitting on the giant floating ice berg: get ready to jump off!

Arlo still needs to get comfortable floating on his back.

Who's this alien from another planet!?

Oh, that's just Dad, finally getting a new pair of glasses.

Celebrating Friday night with Mexican food: burritos and a quesadilla from around the corner.

Arlo starts his weekend in style!

And then it's off to the Shangri-La, where we'll spend one night.

Our room: it's ready for us.

And what a welcome gift: can't complain about still having status.

We even have a nice balcony, overlooking the river.

Pointing out all the boats. What a view!

Our balcony view.

The single best thing about this hotel: it has an escalator!

Paying a visit to the pool.

Relaxed yet, Arlo? This is a vacation!

Much better!

Into the water we go!

Enjoying splashing around with Dad.

The water was on the cool side! But Arlo didn't seem to mind.

He quickly figured out how to make the fountain shoot far.

Jump!

Attempting to drink the entire pool.

Cheese!

And altogether now!

Arlo's thrilled that the plate he's been given for "afternoon tea" has a tuk-tuk on it.

Drinking soda water like a big boy.

Ooh! Look at this tower of treats!

Enjoying our river view.

Arlo works meticulously to remove all the seeds from the watermelon.

In case you were wondering, this was Arlo's chair setup.

A river-level pano of the view.

Oh! I think this is Arlo's first time on a boat.

Checking out all the sights from the water level.

There's our hotel. (And the famous State Tower in the background.)

Getting back on, to cross back to the other side of the river.

Final verdict about boats? Neutral.

But this escalator back at the hotel is a winner!

Woah! Still impressed by what he can see from up here.

Even checking out the view from inside.

And this telephone is pretty neat, too! But it looks nothing like Dad's phone...

The sun is setting over Bangkok now.

Time for a river-side dinner! (Arlo brought his own cocktail nuts to the happy hour.)

A little too dark out for Arlo's taste.

There may not be many tourists, but the dinner cruises are back in action!

They certainly help add color to the night skyline.

Arlo's up at the crack of dawn (literally).

Anything good down there today?

Hey look! The Gold Line actually does operate!

It's never too early to ride the escalators.

Breakfast bonus: fish at eye-level!

Dad's excited for breakfast, but Arlo would rather be elsewhere.

Trying a chocolate croissant. More like, scraping out the chocolate from inside the croissant.

"Hold it up for the camera," said Mum. Arlo obliged.

Well, if we don't want breakfast, at least we can play with trucks.

There are even tiny snails in here: bonus!

Right there!

These tugs work in teams of 3 or 4 to steer the heavy loads upstream.

Here comes said load.

Busy Sunday morning on the Chao Phraya.

Since the morning is young, there's time for one last swim!

Oohhhh. I think this is even chillier than yesterday!

Nevermind, Arlo is enjoying himself.

Swimming to mum.

And swimming under the fountain tunnel.

Last time!

Arlo can't decide if he's cold, or having fun.

Mum had to bail first; Dad and Arlo didn't last much longer.

Arlo Burrito, with purple lips. Time to warm up.

And someone conked out at only 11:30 on the drive back. That's what happens when you wake up at 5!

Back at home, we have to measure up: it's the 14th!

That also means it's Auntie Erika's birthday. Happy birthday, Auntie Erika!

(Just in case you thought Arlo is always into having photos taken...)

And dinner with Arlo's friends at an open-air German restaurant on the khlong.

Well, Arlo didn't socialize much, but he did enjoy the fries.

Arlo hosted his friend Ronan for a play date on Monday.

Checking on the new pumpkin sprouts.

Cheese! A big grin for Mr. Big Hair -- for the last time!

The moment we've been waiting for (for years): Arlo's first haircut! Turns out, it was on Mum's lap...

And after. What a transformation.

We brought home a different boy entirely!

Same boy? Or did we accidentally take the wrong one home?

If that wasn't excitement enough for the morning: then Bu arrived!

Admiring Arlo's new t-shirt.

Bu brought grapes for Arlo. He wasted no time with them.

Showing Bu how he can use his walker... like a big boy?

Listening to the radio together.

Hey! Arlo hasn't had his hair brushed in ages!

Time to go already?

A good-bye hug. See you next month!

And winding down the day with a cement mixer. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 698

November 11, 2021

Lucky Arlo spends a long weekend with his family in Trat! First time since June.

Ugh. Do I have to swim, Mum?

And then it's off to the races!

Uh oh! We're a little wild in the noodle today.

But at least we're having fun!

Pretty sure the exercise is: Mum pours water on Arlo's head!

Still have to work on our back float.

Saturday morning road trip!

Everyone in? We're off to Trat!

Lucky Arlo! His Aa Top has some really awesome presents for him!

Aa Top can't open the box fast enough.

Hug for his Yaa. Almost the same size!?

What entertainment: a digger, a bulldozer, a dump truck, and a yard full of gravel!

Creeping up on his Pu while he naps.

Indeed, Arlo can spend the whole afternoon digging!

Look, more gravel!

Spinning the twirly cans. Uh-oh! Arlo is too heavy for Yaa to pick up now!

Helping to water the plants.

And vroom-vroom! Trying his hand at driving Pu's tuk tuk.

Wait, where did Dad go?

Arlo's not quite sure what the order of operations is.

Well, he got the lights on!

Coloring and drinking bedtime milk: what a multi-tasker.

Waking up (nice and early) from his cool night's sleep.

Good morning, Tong!

Checking out the fish...

... they're still there!

Day 2: take two!

Tossing out rice for the birds to eat with his Yaa.

Lazing around.

This is a pretty nice place to scooter.

Arlo is enamored of his Aa Top!

Arlo is literally the center of attention here.

Oh yay! it's coconut time!

Watching studiously as Yaa hacks open the coconut.

Cheese!

Laughing about the coconut water.

That's pretty funny! You want Arlo to drink it himself?

Here, it's better that Yaa helps.

Entertaining himself.

The fish are very colorful this visit.

Getting in close to take a good look.

It's not possible to count the fish!

Time to actually go for a ride!

Just a short ride though. That's enough for Arlo.

Watching his Yaa make waffles.

Watch -- but don't touch!

Dinner time for Arlo: although you'd think it's dinner time for everyone, by the looks of things.

Good morning, Tong. Are you feeling any better yet?

A portrait with Yaa before leaving...

...and one with Pu...

... and one with Aa Top!

All three generations!

Settling in for a long ride back. Actually, it was pretty efficient.

And once back in Bangkok, time to get the dirty car washed. It's red car day!

Having a splashing time with K. Noi.

This is fun. But wet for K. Noi!

Star-gazing. It's a really great night for that...

... from Left to Right, you can see Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon, and Venus!

If it's too hot to play outside, we'll pretend right here.

Reading his new Elephant and Piggie book.

And we end this week on a splashing note. See you next time!

Bangkok Week 697

November 4, 2021

We enjoy a lovely long weekend at the I-Love-Phants lodge, part of the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. Highly recommended!

It's Friday. You know what that means! Time to kick kick kick!

Practicing floating and balancing on his own, with the noodle.

And diving into the water off the board.

And jumping into the water with abandon.

Saturday, we set off for a long-weekend in Petchburi. Here's our lunch stop: at a pomelo farm.

Arlo enjoyed pointing at all the pomelos. Practically a spitting image of our pomelo plantation at home.

Lunch in the hut wasn't half-bad, either.

And here we are at I-Love-Phants lodge...

They have almost 70 Ha of area, home to 25 rescued elephants and over 700 animals in all.

Our room is definitely in the middle of the jungle, but hopefully some visitors will pass by! Arlo is waiting...

There goes someone!

View from where we park our car, with our room in the background.

A few of the elephants liked to hang out right here: by our car.

Well this was a new site: giant jungle ants, carrying away entire pieces of kibble.

And off they all go, to feed the family. It'll be a feast tonight!

Too hot to swim: so let's enjoy an ice cream in the lobby first.

An elephant walks buy, and makes her way toward the swimming pool.

There she goes, trundling right past the edge of the pool. I guess we should head over there too!

The pool, overlooking one of the large elephant areas (with multiple gibbon islands).

Arlo's happy to be back in the water.

This has to be one of the nicest pool views in Thailand!

Getting ready to jump.

Someone's having fun.

Reluctantly taking a rest.

And more jumps!

And we're done just in time for the elephants' dessert time!

It's not a misconception that elephants like bananas. They really do! They pop 'em whole.

These ladies are not shy to ask for more.

Quite pleased with this evening's haul.

Satisfied and full, they head off to walk off their dessert.

Dinner time! It's a western buffet tonight - yum.

Arlo scarfs down a bowl of sticky rice for dessert.

The next morning at breakfast, someone came to say hi to Arlo.

Maybe she's looking to see if he has any more bananas.

Hello, lovely lady.

It is also not a myth that elephants like to throw dirt onto their backs. This one might start growing trees soon.

The morning gossip group convenes.

Mid-breakfast photo, yoghurt face and all.

Can't beat this breakfast view.

The wall was a perfect height for Arlo.

After a short chat, they decide to come back over to see if anything new is happening.

Linking trunks.

Sorry ladies, no more banans yet.

A great opportunity to study the elephants up close.

And off they go again, to see what else is happening this morning...

... except for this gal, who stayed behind to scratch her bum on a tree.

Waiting for our tour of the foundation to start. Arlo's never seen such a large camera!

Going cross-eyed trying to figure out how to use this thing.

The highlight of Arlo's trip: riding on this special safari bus!

They've got a whole lot of rescued gibbons staying with them: these are some of the newer arrivals.

This one is the youngest, and still waiting to be introduced to older gibbons.

Putting on a great swinging show for us.

This gibbon is content to just watch us back.

And here's Jan, a rescued puma, enjoying her shade and keeping a close eye on the visitors.

Another gibbon family, putting on a show.

And this is Canoe, a rescued Chimp who lived in a tiny cage outside a school for almost 30 years. He only drinks filtered water.

Showing off his climbing skills.

And one of the many rescued Malayan Sun Bears who now lives there.

They also have a lot of rescued otters, believe it or not.

Here's one, begging for attention.

Meanwhile, back on the bus, Arlo is quite keen to stay right here thank you.

Definitely the highlight of his trip.

Here's Mami, a Siamang gibbon, who doesn't like to spend time in the trees.

He's the loudest species of gibbon; we could hear him in the morning from our room.

A few more gibbons just hanging out in the trees (where they're meant to be).

I see you, tourists.

Putting on a swinging show.

And here's a Cassowary: considered the deadliest bird because of it's sharp and strong claw. (It can rip open a human abdomen in one strike...)

And this is one of 5 rescued iguanas living at WFFT.

And a giant Hornbill - one of a few.

Arlo's very hungry after a busy morning tour. For lunch? Only grapes, thank you.

He must have had about 50 grapes though...

These two were waiting for us back at our parking spot.

And we were in for an afternoon treat, back at our balcony.

Who's coming?

Two elephants have come to say hello.

And we have front-row views to watch their feast.

They crush and pop the banana trees (not the fruit, the entire tree trunk) like they're cookies.

The inside of the banana trunk is apparently delicious.

What a great view.

Just crushing and popping, crushing and popping.

Elephants? What elephants? Arlo's fascinated by the giant red ants walking across the balcony.

Here comes a third one!

Forget the banana trees, she says. I'm here to get a good back scrach.

And then off she goes, to check out the other guesthouses.

Oh, now Arlo sees the elephants.

Can't beat this balcony view.

Those two in the back are eating as if they've not eaten all day.

Posing with our lady friends.

They came to say hello and good-bye up close, before heading off.

Bye-bye, friends!

It's late afternoon. So that means it's swim time!

Arlo's happy as a clam (or a banana-fed elephant?) to be back in the water.

Hi, Dad!

Sitting on Mum's shoulders. (It took a few tries.)

Hey, there goes an elephant!

Here we go again.

Arlo asked to swim underwater. So this time: without waterwings!

Always a big smile on his face.

And it was his idea to dive in off the stairs.

What a fun way to jump into the water.

Doing his best impression of Dad.

Trying on his Dollarama hat from Granny. It fits.

And a colorful sunset, as a backdrop to dinner.

No buffet tonight, since the "crowds" are gone. So it's a la carte, just for us.

The next morning at breakfast, Arlo made a new friend!

A tiny puppy who was picked up only a few hours ago.

The puppy followed Arlo around.

Puppy knows a fellow kid when he meets one!

Arlo could barely sit at the table. Where's Puppy?

Recalling his Dad impression from the night before.

Getting in one last swim before heading back: this time at the pool villa pool, since they were draining the main pool.

Group shot.

And one more.

Getting ready to throw the Arlo.

And up he goes!

Sitting on Dad's shoulders. This water is much more shallow, so Arlo's much taller.

And down he goes!

Cute little surfer boy, modeling his new WFFT t-shirt.

Cheese!

Before we go, Arlo wants to say goodbye to his new friend: the bus.

Bye bye, bus! See you next time!

Lucky Arlo! Meanwhile in Bangkok, the cement mixer and steam roller that Dad ordered have arrived!

Practicing sitting on his special toilet seat. Although... something doesn't look quite right.

Having a delicious "fish" burger for special dinner.

Hooray! Arlo's 5-year passport is ready for pick-up. Let's celebrate the Canadian way!

This is a boring book!

And then Pu arrived! Everyone wants a hug with Pu!

Reading Picturepedia together.

Looking at all the different trains.

What's for breakfast, Pu?

And listening to Pu's radio.

Hanging out with his sister.

Night night! See you next week!

Bangkok Week 696

October 28, 2021

A long weekend filled with lots of exciting new activities: train rides, bike rides, car rides.

It's Friday. So you know what that means!

Time to kick our legs!

Arlo also practiced swimming the length of the pool floating on his own in a noodle.

Everyone: time to pour water on your children!

Arlo's favorite part of the class: jumping time!

And another!

Surprise package from Trat!

Freshly baked challah, and a variety of salads for lunch.

Special Saturday treat. How it Started...

... and how it's going.

Time to ride a train! Arlo hasn't ridden the BTS in a very, very long time!

Woah! And just like that, here's the train.

We're on our way to Kheha, the last stop on the Sukhumvit line.

The end of the train is the best place to stand: not only is it the emptiest, but there are no ads plastered over the windows, blocking the view.

Arlo was looking for cement mixers down below the whole time.

The masked family.

The view approaching the Erawan Museum, famous for its massive 3-headed elephant.

Said Three-Headed Elephant.

The screeching wheels as the train took the sharper turns was a bit loud for Arlo.

And the view approaching Kheha, the final station.

Feels like we've reached the countryside indeed.

Here we are!

Now it's time to turn around and do it all over again.

Another escalator! This afternoon is not only about trains!

Rehydrating for the long ride back to Ekkamai.

Great view out this unobstructed window.

Sunday: another bike ride, this time at Rot Fai [Train] Park.

The park used to be the golf course of the State Railway of Thailand, so it's a nice, big, green space.

They have massively improved the bike path since we were last there (12 years ago?)

The 3km bike path goes along a canal for a while.

Stopping at the Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. Arlo liked the waterfall.

And we saw lots of bees...

... but there seemed to be more butterflies outside the butterfly garden than inside it!

Back on our bikes, which pleased Arlo.

Nice and shady most of the route.

Uh oh! Who's at the wheel now? Arlo, you'd better hang on!

Enjoying the shade, which helps lower the temperature, too.

Group shot.

Hello up there!

Yee haw! (With one hand on the bell, ringing it at all times.)

Arlo asked to stop at the playground. Climbing up to the platform.

And sliding down the slide on his own accord.

Climbing up this ladder.

Hello up there?

And climbing up onto another platform.

And for his grand finale: climbing up a slide! (He saw another kid do it first.)

He made it!

May as well slide back down, now that we're up here.

Pool time!

Special Monday dinner: burritos!

Watching the medley of truck videos: our new nightly routine.

And after 6 long months, Arlo has his first play date: chez his friend Ronan.

The highlight of the playdate? Getting to drive the car afterward.

Arlo will be here pressing all the buttons; see you next week!

Bangkok Week 695

October 21, 2021

Arlo finally goes back to the fountains to play; and has a very artistic painting session, the first in a while.

Arlo fires up his bike with enthusiasm, to celebrate Friday.

Time for another swimming lesson!

Look at the speedster, flying by as he kicks.

Getting better with the back float.

And the teacher shows the more advanced hold for the back float.

Someone just jumped in! But who?

And measuring in for his 2 year, 1 month photo. (A day late, whoops.)

A special dinner of fresh salads to ring in the weekend.

Arlo listens to Granny read a Gerald and Piggie book, with rapt attention.

Visiting the park at Mega Bangna for the first time in many months.

Arlo works up the nerves to walk on the treetop walk on his own.

Cheese! (Can't you tell?)

The fountains still haven't been turned on for the day, so we'll go find Dad in IKEA.

Dad's done shopping, but that doesn't rule out an ice cream.

So cold!

And now, the fountains are on!

It's wet!, exclaims Arlo.

Waiting patiently, for the water to turn on around us.

Knowing the ticking time bomb is going to go off soon...

Now waiting for the water to come on with Dad.

And here it is!

This park is also great because it has escalators!

Up and down, up and down.

Late afternoon art session.

Arlo is a very serious painter.

And now, he must even control where the paint is laid on the paper.

Showing K. Wan his artistic method.

It's a squeegee party!

Lazy, rainy Sunday morning.

Enjoying kicking the "soccer" ball around at the sheltered outdoor space in EmQuartier.

Action shots! A professional soccer player in the making.

And much to his delight, Arlo gets to ride a glass elevator all the way back down to the ground floor.

Uh oh! What did Arlo discover in the toy section?

This motorcycle is pretty good too, if we can't bring the blue car home.

And before we head back to the car: stopping to watch the new skateboard park inside EmQuartier. At what age do they begin lessons?

Arlo's very serious about his truck videos these days.

He asked Dad to make him an ice rink for his Zamboni. This Zamboni is practicing first, before entering the rink.

Wondering how the durian's been doing?

Quite well; lots of leaves!

Arlo's really into selfies these days: especially the video kind.

Before and after! Only 6 months later than originally planned.

Showing off his overalls. Arlo has't tried these on in months.

Very intently trying to peel a banana.

Cheese!

Arlo does Picasso Puzzles these days.

Everyone, hang out with Dad!

And winding down the week with more truck videos.

Bye bye! See you next time!

Bangkok Week 694

October 14, 2021

So much swimming for Arlo this week. Plus, he goes bike riding for the very first time. Exciting!

We start this week with a giant shipment from Trat.

Arlo wastes no time digging in!

It's Friday! You know what that means!

Warming up for our swimming lesson.

And practicing our kicking.

This week, Arlo learned how to grab the underwater sinkers.

And here we are, floating quietly and relaxed, practicing an important survival technique.

And a big jump to end the lesson!

Trying a new meal option: fresh "salads" through a special delivery service.

Saturday morning. Dad ordered Thai donuts. Arlo is excited.

He tries one bite from each donut...

You can read his mind.

Special weekend activity: biking at Nong Bon! Arlo's loving it!

Group shot!

Here they come, ding-a-ling-a-ling.

Arlo's doing his part to steer the bike and ring the bell.

Riding a bike is serious work!

Oh my goodness, a digger! Up close, in real life!

Family shot!

And walking the bikes over the big suspension bridge.

Not sure if they've reopened their other water sports yet.

Getting off the bikes to stretch our legs.

Getting a great view of the digger from across the water.

And cycling back through the shade of the trees, and the nice cross-breeze.

Hi guys!

Arlo looks tired after all that hard work cycling! Enjoying a cold drink before heading back.

Arlo got Mum a whole bunch of birthday presents, even though she didn't need anything!

Here's a ring light, to make Mum look beautiful on all her calls.

Exhibit 1.

And an Arlo desk calendar!

Thank you, Arlo and Dad!

And dinner is South Indian: we haven't had Dosa in a while.

Arlo and Dad, enjoying The Snowman together on Sunday morning.

And a trip to the park, to see who's out-and-about.

The volleyball court is empty for once! Let's check it out!

It's nice and smooth. Perfect for scootering. (Or, scooting, as Arlo says.)

Just have to remember to stay in the shade, Arlo.

Ice cream break for everyone.

Chomp.

Not so sure about this ice cream!

The family that eats its ice cream together, stays together!

Okay Arlo, time to pick up the pace!

And taking advantage of all the Veggie-Festival sellers for dinner tonight.

Arlo decided to wear his tractor PJs all day long.

Here he is at the end of the day, scraping the blueberry jam off of dad's PB sandwich.

And inspecting the Zamboni video up-close.

It's a holiday Wednesday! Time to clip our toenails!

Better yet: time for a swim!

Arlo gets to try out his new water wings.

Learning how to kick-kick-kick on his own.

Big jump!

Big smile!

And another big jump!

And learning to float.

That was tiring! Time to rest up.

Waiting to enjoy a warm lunch now.

But wait, there's more!

Not-so-subtly trying to walk out with the cement mixer.

Well, if he can't take them home, he'll make a new home right here!

Practicing drinking from Mum's giant cup.

Thursday morning: annual trip to immigration at the big Government complex.

We were racing the new elevated electric line for a good part of the drive.

And followed the monorail construction for another good chunk. Lots of new train lines!

Bangkok Week 693

October 7, 2021

Yay! Arlo’s swimming class finally resumes. But Boo Hoo! It’s also Granny’s last 5 days with us!

Arlo's excited. His swimming class resumes today!

Are we going to remember how to swim?

Whee!

Kicking is fun.

Okay, enough of this kicking!

Chasing after a ball... just like on land.

And practicing kicking on his own. How tiring!

Back on land, and enjoying a nice big cookie.

Granny starts up the beaters again, to make a cheesecake for lucky Mum.

Meanwhile, Arlo practices his baseball technique.

A swing and a miss!

Lazy Saturday morning, lying in bed reading a Kindle.

Went to meet his friends Quinn and Rohan for an early lunch and playtime, at Inn Train.

Arlo wasn't very interested in the playground. Just this trike.

Poor Dad did a lot of laps around the yard, behind this slow driver.

Finally persuaded Arlo to climb up the jungle gym. And now, to slide down?

Playing "with" Quinn in the sand.

Full house. Cheese!

Getting tired, but not wanting to leave.

Making Dad ride the big kids' tricycle with him.

It's Pu's birthday today. Happy birthday, Pu!

Two ladies, helping themselves get through a thunderstorm together.

It's birthday cake time for Mum! And Arlo's excited!

A fire on the cake again!

Thank you, Granny, for the delicious cheesecake!

Arlo's not so sure about it...

Playing with Arlo's newest toy: a dump truck!

Birthday dinner that evening, too: trying out Munchbox by Nidhi, which just opened.

Granny's double-decker burger.

And the spiced chicken burger for Dad.

Next morning, a trip to Rama 9 park. We hadn't been here since last time Granny came to visit us!

The playground was a little bit sad, but Arlo didn't mind.

Saying hello to the turtle.

Waiting for a bus?

No! Waiting for the giant watering truck to go by. Wow!

Inside the geodesic cactus dome!

Look at these tall cacti!

Arlo can't believe his luck. So many cacti!

Resting under some cool shade.

My, what big leaves you have!

Arlo shows Granny around the greenhouse.

Over a steep bridge. One of the high points of the park, for Arlo.

Palm shadows.

Baking under the midday sun. Literally.

No park visit is complete without a bit of scootering.

Go, Arlo, go!

Enjoying cake and Each Peach Pear Plum.

Master Arlo shows off his artistic skills.

What a brilliant blue!

Arlo calls this piece, "The Tunnel and the Sun."

Waiting patiently for the dentist, on Monday morning.

Arlo did so well! He sat through a fluoride treatment and everything.

Not everyone can end the day with a case of Lucille Ball head.

I'd say the similarities are very striking!

It's Granny's last supper. Boo hoo :( At least it's delicious Chinese food.

Granny took Arlo for one last hurrah around the park before leaving.

Watching the turtles together; and the basketball.

And having a bitter-sweet picnic under the shade, in front of the skytrain.

Showing Granny his favorite flower.

And strolling the empty cobblestone paths together.

Looking for bees in the lotus flowers.

Reading one last book together.

There's no one better than Granny to read about Jack's Granny's Moozles.

And saying bye-bye to Bella.

Group shot!

One last kiss for Arlo.

Well, at least the check-in was empty.

And she's off! See you next time, Granny.

A box of Tims to celebrate Granny's departure... I mean, Arlo's passport application submission.

Hmm! This Maple Dip is not half bad!

Maestro Arlo shows off his skills.

He can play and sing at the same time!

Our first J mean for vegetarian week.

The fried pork and sticky rice was nice.

Highlights from our annual visa renewal photos.

Well, at least Arlo says "cheese" on command now.

There's the camera!

What a tall tower!

Helping Boy down the slide.

Another line-up of tasty J-dishes, these ones from Chinatown. Bon appetit and see you next week!

Bangkok Week 692

September 30, 2021

A rainy, but still busy, 3-day weekend. And all the adults in the house are now vaccinated against COVID! Yay!

We start the week with some good news: Dad got an AZ booster shot!

On a much less positive note however, Arlo's (up until now, resilient) lime tree was completely devoured by 3 hungry caterpillars. Not sure it can overcome this setback.

A late-afternoon visit to Benjasiri Park.

All the turtles in the pond came over to see Arlo!

Continuing our march around the park.

Watching the basketball players. How mesmerizing!

Arlo could've watched them all afternoon.

Next stop: watching the skateboarders.

And as a final treat before heading home: one round-trip on the Emporium escalator.

Selfie smiles!

This is also a great way to examine our tongues...

Bringing a bite of Canada to Saturday breakfast.

Ooh! Arlo approves!

This powdery one is not so bad, either.

A rainy morning trip to the "park"... i.e. the green space at the top of EmQuartier.

Mimicking Hugless Douglas.

Resting on the boulders.

Getting some rooftop running in.

Run, Arlo, Run!

Oh boy! Extra bonus excitement on our way out: a shiny yellow motorcycle, just the right size for Arlo!

And a police motorcycle!! With so many buttons inside!

This one wins!

And stopping to sit in the Tuk Tuk, on the way back to the car.

Time for some art! Trying the new "crayons" that Granny brought.

What nice, vibrant colors!

Apparently they can also be water colors...

It's a blustery winter morning in Bangkok.

Quick trip to Nong Bon park. Poor Bella's not allowed in anymore!

Can Granny keep up with Arlo?

Resting in the Sala on the water.

And then a late afternoon trip to the urban farm we last visited on Arlo's birthday.

Observing the ducks... and making duck lips?

Not really in the mood to scoot this afternoon, thank you anyway.

Wow, look at all the bananas!

Who would guess that we're in central Bangkok, right next to the expressway?

Getting a close-up look at these Muscovy ducks.

And running through the lettuce, to see the chickens.

The chickens are out in the open today, for all to see.

Not only that, they were all talking to Arlo!

So many chickens!

And -- oh my goodness -- it's a construction site, up close in real life.

Having fun riding the escalator....

... but we're not quite ready to stand on our own.

Granny's delicious dinner: sesame crusted tofu with a sour-spicy dressing. And her special rice.

All bundled up. It must indeed be winter.

Someone realizes he's not supposed to be under there!

Practicing typing with Granny.

Wednesday morning, Mum finally gets her second vaccine shot, too. And with minimal side effects this time!

Arlo's excited to show Granny his bag of German cookies.

Granny asked, Where did the cookie go? Arlo wonders, that's a good question!

Practicing for his passport photo.

And the real deal.

Practice paid off!

Bangkok Week 691

September 23, 2021

Arlo enjoys another fun week with Granny. And as a bonus: we all got to go swimming, too!

"I found my way upstairs, the gate was open. May I come in now, please?"

Granny, Arlo, and K. Noi all work together to catch a giant spider under the couch. (I think the spider won this round.)

A high-intensity search for Wally (aka Waldo).

Saturday morning: two surprise guests in my bed! Arlo and his giant elephant.

Trying swimming (and snacks) at Grandma's Terrace, just around the corner.

Arlo hasn't been swimming in months! Brushing up on his under-water skills.

Happy to be back in the water!

This water jet at the deep end was the highlight of the pool.

The water was a little cooler than all of Arlo's swimming lesson pools, but not too bad!

Practicing his kicking.

Not so sure about swimming with Dad.

Flying high with Dad. So fun!

Hey, this restaurant even has utensils for Arlo. This place is a winner!

Checking out the slide.

Wow, and they even have this neat cement mixer. Arlo's only regret is not finding it sooner!

Back home, Arlo gets to open the last of his birthday presents.

How to get this pesky paper off?

Oh my! It's 5 kilos of duplos!

Learning about Stephen Hawking with Granny.

Sunday morning trip: Lumpini park! We barely got out of the car, before Granny found fish to feed.

Arlo's on a mission now: let's go, guys!

Granny's friend! Let's all stop to look.

Practicing his scootering.

Getting better at it.

Not sure if he should be looking around at the scenery, looking ahead, or looking down.

Another of Granny's aerodynamic friends.

Giving him a good inspection together.

Group investigation: who else lives around here?

Very well-landscaped, this park.

Taking a break for a cold drink. Arlo tries Ovaltine for the first time!

And with his new-found Ovaltine energy, Arlo stops to pick all the leaves off a fallen branch.

Enjoying Piggie and Elephant with Granny. This book is a hoot!

And time for some drawing.

Concentrating hard, with Zamboni in hand.

Granny made a delicious stir-fry for dinner. Yum!

Look at these two crazies.

Arlo tries a "hamburger" for the first time, inspired by his "You and Me" book.

Oh! What's Granny making?

This looks interesting...

... and *this* looks delicious!

Yum! Peanut butter cookies taste as a great as they sound! Arlo approves.

Arlo's mastered finding an extra seat on this chair next to Granny.

Hugless Douglas: full of surprises!

And for her final act of the day (as if Peanut Butter cookies weren't enough): Mac and Cheese! Yum!

More Elephant and Piggie. What a hoot!

Arlo's newest entertainment: a box of rice.

And the weekly Durian update: still looking healthy.

Bangkok Week 690

September 16, 2021

Our little baby Arlo turns two years old this week! How did that happen!? Happy Birthday, Arlo!!!

We start this week with another HUGE delivery from Trat. Lucky us!

Arlo shows Granny how he likes to play outside in his pool.

Splash! Granny will need to change her clothes after this activity.

Hey, what's going on down there? Keep it down!

Granny knows how to read "Room on the Broom", too! She's really great!

Deluxe dinner: all the leftovers, plus the dishes from Trat.

Visiting a new place on Saturday morning: Pumpkin Art Town, northwest of Bangkok.

Checking out some of said pumpkins.

Testing his balance by walking on some logs. A for effort!

We stayed too long: Granny turned into a Pumpkin.

The property is on the west side of the Chao Phraya river. Nice views.

Exploring a treehouse together.

"Smile".

Granny treated us all to cold drinks and some cookies. Arlo's waiting patiently.

Cheese!

Here are said cold drinks and cookies. Yum!

This is worth sitting on the edge of your seat for!

Continuing to explore.

Wow, look at this great playground!

Wait, what's this? A dump truck?

Let's fill the dump truck with sand, dump it out, and repeat. For 45 minutes!

And Arlo never actually sat down in the sand during those 45 minutes. Just executed a very stable Asian Squat.

Anything else good in this standbox?

Nope, this dump truck is the best. Fill and dump, fill and dump.

Wash hands after all that sand!

Back home, reading Gruffalo's Child with Granny over lunch.

The next morning, it's scooter time at the park again!

This time, Arlo wasted no time joining the bigger kids in the skate park.

Wondering if he needs this chaperone...

Scooting on the cobblestone walkways is not as easy as in the skate park. But a valiant attempt!

Enthralled by a guy playing basketball.

Reading a new book about Opposites from Granny and Auntie Erika.

Enjoying a special Monday breakfast treat: green custard and donuts. Well actually, just the green custard.

Arlo and Granny, practicing yoga together. Who's more flexible?

Chef Granny busts out all the moves for a special dinner tonight: eggplant parmesan!

The finished product!

It's Arlo's birthday morning! His first glimpse at the special balloons that have made a return this year!

K. Noi gives Arlo his first birthday present.

Excited by his new book, and his Mickey doll.

Let the birthday fun begin!

Checking out the Santa Sack full of gifts that Granny brought him.

This Tonka card is a great start!

It's a Zamboni!!!

Look, guys!! It's a Zamboni!!!

Best birthday ever! Arlo got his own Zamboni!

Measuring up! We'll find out the verdict tomorrow.

Happy 2nd birthday, big boy Arlo! Can't believe you're 2 years old already!

Taking a good look at that giant cake... and where did the fire go?

The fire had been right here!

Smile!

Posing with the special balloons that Granny brought for him.

And an impromptu afternoon trip to Sansiri Backyard, a nearby city farm.

Wow, this lime tree is doing really well! A little better than ours...

Looking at the limes... but not pulling at them.

Chickens!

Look at all the chickens in there!

Arlo stayed for a real good look.

And lucky Arlo even got to touch a chicken. Look at all the eggs they laid today!

And onto the ducks.

Muscovy Ducks, to be exact. This one looked even homelier than the others.

Arlo's not so sure about these ducks.

Bye-bye, ducks!

Enjoying the shade of the trellises.

Taking a close look at the big bumble bees enjoying the pollen from these flowers.

One last present waiting for Arlo when we got home: from his friend, Sally!

Elephant and Piggie books!

These are really funny! Thank you, Sally!

Next morning, it's time for Arlo's 2-year check-up. He's clinging to Dad.

Helping the nurse measure his height.

Washing his hand in the Doctor's house, while waiting for her to arrive.

Rub your hands together really well!

And a special lunch at home: bagels! Arlo's never had a bagel before. Looks like a donut, but tastes worse.

Special dinner: fresh falafel, hummus, pita, and more. Yum!

More reading with Granny. Granny is really good!

And Arlo's new favorite sport: balloon volleyball!

Anyone can play!

Closing the week with a durian update: its leaves a re getting big!

Bangkok Week 689

September 9, 2021

The moment we’ve all been waiting for, for 18 months: Granny comes to visit!! And, Arlo starts seeing some friends again.

Bella's really not digging the new door at the top of the stairs. "Let me in, Mum!"

Not sure if we're talking to Granny or watching the daily Zamboni video.

Arlo talks to his grandparents in Trat, before bed.

A special dinner: vegan Taiwanese food, all the way from Ari...

... and this is part 2, an hour later. (They accidentally sent the wrong dish, and replaced it at their own expense.)

Saturday morning trip to the newly-reopened park. Yay! Look at all the people in the skate park!

Arlo's content watching them, but not quite ready to try himself.

Hey, it's Sally! Arlo hasn't seen Sally since April!

A few hours later, with a much emptier skate park, Arlo is ready to try out his wheels.

Slow and steady, for the first outing. Good first try, Arlo!

Back at home, trying my Arlo backpack -- inspired by Sally and her mom.

And then it's an afternoon visit to Granny. Hello up there, Granny!

Just sitting "at the park".

Another day, another visit to Granny: this time, snail-spotting.

It's good luck Monday! Nailed by a bird, on both the head and shirt.

Waiting for my annual Work Permit doctor's check-up. Lucky to have access to the premium lounge this time, thanks to Dad's new credit card.

Here, we have a winner for the prestigious Worst Innovation of 2021 award: Au Bon Pain's Tom Yum Earl Gray Tea.

Back at home, Arlo reads "The Carrot Seed" to himself.

The day has come! At last! The day we can take Granny home! Arlo is thrilled.

He wastes no time, and asks Granny to read him some books.

Granny's quite a good reader, it turns out.

Arlo also wasted no time training Granny: this is how to fetch the toys that Arlo pushes under the couch.

Showing off his new hair band.

And his new Bella Ears.

Everyone reading the book. Even Bella!

Showing Granny how wonderful his Picturepedia is.

And lucky Granny gets to feed Arlo his bedtime bottle, even on Day 1!

And lucky Mum and Dad, get to enjoy Granny's cooking, even on Day 1.

Entertaining us all with, "Down at the station, early in the morning!"

Daily Zamboni video.

Delicious home-made pasta -- we lucked out, two nights in a row.

And bringing in the rear: weekly Durian update. See you next time!

Bangkok Week 688

September 2, 2021

Granny’s completed one full week in Quarantine! Less than one to go! And parks are still closed, so Arlo’s getting inventive with other green spaces.

Happy Friday! Arlo models his pensive pose.

The little sumo after his sauna.

Parks are still closed: on Saturday morning, we drove up to Dad's workplace to enjoy the green spaces at his campus.

Flowers! It's been so long since Arlo's seen flowers in the wild.

These are pretty tall flowers!

These ones look fluffy.

Inspecting all the flowers.

No roses to stop and smell, so these will suffice.

Dad gives Arlo a tour.

Smiling with the robot, and the BIOTEC sign.

Arlo's upping the ante: scooter time!

It's his first time scootering outside; the ground is rougher than in the house.

Still figuring out how to control the steering.

Getting better.

Hey look, a steering wheel on this water hydrant!

Smile! Arlo's having fun exploring.

Granny's friends heard that she's nearby! They've come out to look for her.

Long ride back; can't quite stay awake.

Next stop: Granny! Look up! There she is! Hi, Granny!

Can you spot the Granny, too?

And it turns out Granny's hotel has a little park, complete with a fish pond.

From here on out, Arlo will refer to visiting Granny as "going to the park".

Inventorying his diaper basket. Everything is still there!

Arlo can't comb his own hair, so he's practicing on Girl, the duplo.

Wow! What a healthy lunch, Arlo!

The pomelo sprouts are still going strong, in case you were wondering.

Splash splash time!

Watering the plants is half the fun.

Mr. Cutie, eating his lunch.

And taking an afternoon break to talk to Granny.

Oh my! Another delivery from Trat. How spoiled are we?

Yaa sent some yellow flowers for cooking: Arlo tries a handful raw.

New favorite fruit: lamyai (or Dragon Eyes). So sweet!

Arlo heard the neighborhood kids playing in the street, so he came up to get a better look.

If only he could go play with them!

Getting ready to have a sleepover with Bella.

No week is complete without an update on the durian: lots of healthy green leaves now that it's in full shade!

Bangkok Week 687

August 26, 2021

Granny has arrived in Bangkok! Only another 2 weeks until she can move onto her final destination. Until then, we’ll just be here!

Arlo starts this week with a charming smile and a meticulous man bun.

Who can resist these sweet cheeks.

Working on our "smile"!

Stealing Mum's lunch. Whatever it is, it's always better than Arlo's.

Highlight of Arlo's day, everyday: watching 2 minutes of a Zamboni driving around a rink. The only screen time Arlo gets.

Oh boy, where has this green sauce been all my life?

I'll just work on this cup, guys. You go on and enjoy the donuts.

Donut (n) : a vehicle for eating the sweet green sauce.

Napping together.

Watermelon break!

Aha! You hold the green handle and eat the pink part.

Like this?

Dad is very proud of his long rainbow car; Arlo couldn't care less.

Rainy season has arrived in Bangkok! It beat the tourists.

Enjoying a walk around the block, during a dry patch. (Well, mostly dry.)

Ice cream time!

Painting time! Arlo hasn't done painting in a few weeks. And he's "comfortable" using his fingers this time.

The brush is preferred though, despite the facial expression.

That big blue blob? Arlo squeezed it out of the paint bottle himself.

Making use of the entire canvas!

And after painting: there are no clothes left to wear.

Arlo found the most comfortable seat in the house.

This is the best way to read a book.

More duplos means.... taller towers!

Arlo says, nope! Not partaking in this nonsense!

Families that pop bubble wrap together, stay together.

Concentrating really hard.

Talking to Granny mid-day! She must be nearby!

And going to visit our soon-to-be-guest at her new abode.

There's Granny up there!

And our weekly durian update: lots of leaves, and now much more comfortable in full shade.

Bangkok Week 686

August 19, 2021

Arlo turns 1 year and 11 months this week - uh oh! And we were fortunate to receive not one, but two deliveries from Trat! Otherwise, it’s another week at home.

Arlo turns 1 year and 11 months old today! Uh-oh. Only days left until we have ourselves a terrible two!

Leisurely stroll around the block. (Spot them?)

One of Arlo's home-grown sports: bounce the volleyball with the stick!

It requires a really good wind-up.

And a whack!

Another new sport: toddler-lifting.

You score points for height, giggles, and hanging on.

Arlo had almost forgotten how enjoyable it is to watch K. Wan wash the windows.

Breakfast on Mum's lap, hmm?

Cherry Tomatoes, with a side of the Tiger Who Came to Tea.

Check out this masterpiece: the Ekkamai Ice Resurfacer.

Nice, cold watermelon.

Learning that the green part is the handle.

Unimpressed by the tall car of his own making.

Delivery from Trat! All sorts of prepared foods and chilled goodies.

Arlo digs into one of the egg dishes that Yaa sent, right away.

And Mum has the just-received Green Curry with Roti -- the traditional accompaniment.

Mop-mop-mopping the floors. He's getting good!

But wait, there's more! A second delivery from Trat: this one with room-temperature things.

Arlo wastes no time sinking his teeth into the apple.

In case you were wondering: not only is the Durian still alive, it seems to be sprouting some branches.

Arlo's new Big Boy dining chair. He approves!

Peeking into the kitchen to direct the activities.

Talking to his Puu and Yaa; see you next week!

Bangkok Week 685

August 12, 2021

NotALockdown still in effect; but Arlo has plenty of toys at home. And we celebrated our second Mother’s Day this week, too, with special brekkie and a special outing. Thank you, Arlo and Dad!

Arlo's learning how to take photos on the phone! Here's one such masterpiece.

Celebrating Friday night with Indian; we haven't had that in months.

Enjoying a Saturday morning (Thai-style) donut.

This one's not bad either.

And doing some arm exercises with the band.

We can send this band to Granny when she gets here.

Sunday morning stroll around the block.

Enjoying black bean ice cream.

Cheers!

It's railroad construction time!

A fancy figure-eight!

Watching the train go round-and-round.

And finally, it's time for Operation Pomelo.

Good thing I had my trusty helper with me!

Over 30 seedlings had sprouted!

The finished product: let's see how many survive the trauma.

Arlo is getting really skilled with his cleaning techniques.

Lazy morning!

All smiles.

It's pool time!

Arlo takes his pool time very seriously.

Lucky Arlo got a new book; absorbing all the details.

Enjoying fresh-from-the-cob sweet corn.

Arlo ordered Mum fresh croissants from Paul for Mother's Day. And he can't wait to dig in.

Yum!

Wishing Granny a happy Mother's Day too.

Thank you, Arlo and Dad!

But wait, there's more: a healthy serving of watermelon, too.

And requisite morning stroll around the block.

Special activity for a special day: toenail painting!

Arlo's intrigued.

Showing off his new toe nails, and nibbling corn-on-the-cob. What a holiday!

And a late-afternoon trip to Sweet Poppy, to get some outdoor time.

It's a lovely, surprisingly shaded, large property up in Nonthaburi.

Arlo's very enthusiastic about the slide.

Again! Again!

He even discovered a snail living inside a hole at the top of the slide.

Checking out the house.

He even met a little girl who was very interested in playing together. But our pandemic boy didn't really know what to do.

Arlo was interested in trying the big slide, but isn't yet coordinated enough to climb up on his own.

He made it up!

And happily slid back down the big slide!

That was fun!

And then he did it at least another 5 times.

More! More!

Taking an ice cube break.

A nice place to spend the afternoon; too bad it's a bit of a hike.

Procrastinating as we head back to the car.

And the week wouldn't be complete without an update on the Durian. Still alive!

Bangkok Week 684

August 5, 2021

Another week in NotQuiteLockdown. Arlo gets some exciting new arts and crafts supplies!

Enjoying a Friday reading of "Jack and the Flumflum Tree" with Dad.

Arlo can't believe his luck: ketchup for lunch again!

Savoring every finger tip.

Double-whammy! A blizzard in the afternoon!

Reading the latest Technology Review issue with Dad. Dad's starting him young.

Arlo insisted on measuring his height with Mum. Who blocks out the entire tree.

Sunday morning stroll.

Arlo's curious how Bella suddenly got so tall.

Getting good practice with Bella on the leash.

That blob of blue paint? You want me to touch that one?

There! I did it!

Always much more comfortable with a paintbrush.

Indeed, with a paintbrush in hand, this artist runs free.

Hello, Mum. Can I help with your lunch?

Arlo is getting very good with his Duplos.

Peeking under a neighbor's garage, to see the "sleeping car" inside. The highlight of Arlo's walks.

Arlo got a new colored pencil set! These are so much better than crayons!

Evening treat: a spatula of peanut butter.

Even Arlo is a little stunned.

Pool time.

Impulse buy from the ice cream man: black bean popsicle. Arlo ate the entire thing.

In case of any doubt, Arlo picked his outfit today.

Reading about Clifford over lunch.

Now that Arlo has a step stool, he can casually chill at the kitchen counter and see what everyone is up to.

Arlo's new favorite game: stripping all the covers off the couch to reveal "Arlo's bed". (Uh oh.)

Pineapple popper!

Bedtime snack with Dad: peanut butter.

Meaning, Arlo will just scrape off the peanut butter, thank you very much.

Yep, that's the best part.

And a quick overview of how the pomelo sprouts did this week.

Can't say the durian is showing as much progress... but at least it still seems to be alive!

Bangkok Week 683

July 29, 2021

At long last, K. Noi is back and everyone is happy. Meanwhile, the fruit garden is making a comeback…

We begin this week with Arlo's signature Bella Bum Hug.

The most ergonomic way to use a skateboard.

Wait! Mum has an even better idea.

Zoom! What a fun game! (Maybe Arlo should be wearing his helmet...)

By some miracle, Arlo's limes have found another life and grown some healthy, fresh leaves.

This one, too! Only full sunlight and lots of water from now on.

Saturday morning stroll around the block.

Sitting on the step ladder. Arlo's wondering why he's never seen this before.

Reading books with Dad...

...and enjoying a hearty snack of pumpkin pancakes.

Lying on the "Mum Bridge".

Showing Grandpa how he can zoom around the table over-and-over.

Pizza, and a gold medal match (on a very tiny screen) for Thailand.

Sunday morning breakfast treat: French toast.

The toast isn't bad...

...but Arlo was all about the maple syrup. ("Sauce", as he calls it.)

Here, Arlo demonstrates why he likes going for walks after the rain.

Getting so good about wearing his mask.

Arlo wants to walk Bella.

He got the hang of it pretty quickly.

Bella came to help caption the photos.

Practicing his stacking skillz.

Between his twinkle toes and butter fingers, it's a small miracle the tower is that high.

Ohmygoodness, Arlo got a scooter! We were going to sneak it into the house, but Arlo spotted it right away.

Barely let Dad assemble it first.

Squirmy monkey.

Enjoying pink noodle soup; he'd been talking about it for ages.

Uh oh! Dad got desperate.

Before and after. Thoughts?

Everyone watching the outside activity attentively.

Arlo thought the vegetable Dad was cooking with looked just like the carrot tree in "The Carrot Seed." He was right!

Lazily talking to his Yaa.

A little assistant, here to help with the slides.

And the Arab man is back, to inventory our books.

Here, you see how much our Pomelos have grown from Friday to Friday!

And this is the Durian over 5 days.

Bangkok Week 682

July 22, 2021

We survive a week without K. Noi, as she stays home after crossing paths with a household full of COVID cases. And I spoke too soon about the parks still being open. They closed again indefinitely this week. Oh well, so it goes…!

Friday morning entertainment: the coloring page in the monthly BAMBI magazine.

Arlo did what was asked of him: he made it a colorful page!

Driving his trains along the track he built all by himself.

Hop on Pop: what an enthralling read.

Arlo likes this story too, about a lost mule, but the moral is a bit questionable.

Eating pizza bones (a new word he learned from Sally) for lunch.

And trying on the new big boy shoes that his friend Kate just passed onto him.

If the shoe fits, wear it!

Afternoon self-entertainment.

Saturday morning park, before it gets too hot!

Plodding around in his new shoes.

Checking out the daisies... "funny flowers", as Arlo calls them.

Chasing after the tennis ball.

Playing catch with dad. (Meaning, Dad fetches the ball from every which direction.)

Giving his new shoes a rest.

Turtle-spotting.

What a natural selfie pose.

Inspecting this palm fruit that he found bobbing in the water. (He called it a coconut.)

Yes, there are indeed turtles.

Great view of the trains; if only we were facing the other way!

Great views from up here, Arlo concurs.

It's fun to ride on Dad!

Stopping to say good-bye to the life preserver before heading home.

What's waiting for Arlo at home?!

This fat, juicy Polish goodie.

Painting: slightly more willing to touch the paint with his fingers... but he's asking for the paintbrush.

Arlo specifies exactly which colors he wants, and where.

Finally, the paint brush!

The last step to complete his masterpiece: roll the brush around over the painting.

Shucking the baby corn that Yaa grew in Trat.

Ta-daa! Exactly what you would expect inside a baby corn husk: a baby corn!

Selfie with our other child.

Sunday morning, books and breakfast.

Getting ready for a walk around the block.

And he's off, with lightning speed and record airtime!

Oh wait, that's a neat plant.

Good job Arlo, keeping your mask on the entire time!

Enthusiastically sending birthday wishes to Uncle Chad!

Dad got Arlo a new pool toy: a swimming whale.

Very pleased with how the whales swims.

Afternoon park visit this time. Walking along the railroad, says Arlo.

Getting better as he goes.

Stopping to say hi to his favorite life preserver.

Admiring the beautiful lotuses.

Although he seems to prefer sticking his hand deep in the murky water.

Puddles are all the craze now, too.

In fact, they're so neat, we have to touch them.

Excuse me, did someone forget his mask?

This pretty much sums up every minute of every day.

More turtle spotting.

In fact, 4 turtles came over to see us at once.

Getting a good look at this millipede.

Yes Arlo, you may touch the fountain before we go home.

New week, new tattoo!

And another masked walk around the block.

Sitting patiently, waiting for the bus.

Bella, doing her impression of a rotisserie chicken.

Arlo's new tummy time pillow.

Counting the bounty he was just sent from Trat.

And this lunch, Arlo learns what ketchup is! How come he's so comfortable sticking his fingers in this red gooey sauce, but not finger paint?

And enjoying the raising + cranberry bread that Quinn and Rohan's mom sent.

Here, just to make a point: we have a whole spread on it, in the Picturepedia.

Delish!

Hmm! The tummy time pillow is up on the couch today.

Finally, Mum let me out of the house! In celebration of the Olympics, going for a sprint around the block.

Matching!

Home stretch.

Inspecting the latest addition to his garden. He approves, I guess.

And Arlo's helmet has finally arrived!

Now he's all ready to bike, scoot, rollerblade... or just walk around the house.

Matching!

One last, impromptu visit to the park on Wednesday afternoon, since they just announced the parks will be closed again starting tomorrow!

Good-bye, my favorite waxy red flowers. See you again sometime.

What cuties!

Well, the smile is hit-or-miss.

Trying some home-made lemon cookies that a colleague sent over. Arlo approves!

Teeth shot!

And having fun with the filters. See you next week; we'll be here!

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