Sometimes You Just Gotta Get Away From It All...

In Thailand there are so many beautiful beaches it is easy to get away from it all and pop down for the weekend.  Well our friends were in town and that is just what we did.  We did all the things like snorkeling, hiking (even down a sheer cliff down to a secluded lagoon), exploring a bat cave, and hanging on on the beach at sunset. 

Here are some photos....

  

Bridges, Tigers and Waterfalls Oh My ...

Our friends were visiting from California and we all went out to Kanchanaburi which is known for three main things: 1) the bridge over the river Kwai (a.k.a as the Thai-Burma Railway, a.k.a. the Death Railway), 2) The Erawan Waterfall and 3) Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua (a.k.a. the Tiger Temple).

Here are some photos of  our trip: 

A family getaway to Chiang Mai

We decided we want to do a quick weekend getaway (It was Areesa's first airplane ride - not the happiest air traveler). Since Ramiro was in Chiang Mai for work we decided way not. So Bonnie and kids came up. We found an interesting hotel called Mo Rooms. Each of 12 rooms is decorated in the theme of one of the Chinese zodiac - we got to stay in Dog room and Monkey rooms. Both of the children loved the beds.

Dog Room

Monkey Room

While in Chiang Mai we went to the night safari. Many of the animals we free to come up to the tram including some hungry deer, pigs, zebras and even the baby giraffe. The kids absolutely loved the animals - mom was not so sure about the zebra sniffing her shoulder (especially since the zebra came up to her right after the guide said "Please do not touch the zebra's - they have already bitten several people this year").

We also went to the winter palace. This was a return trip for Bryce, but a first of Areesa. Here are some of the pictures from the beautiful gardens.

Bryce from the 2008 visit

Of course we also rode the elephants, ox carts and bamboo rafts while there.

You think the kids had had enough?

We did get one more out of Areesa, though.