I know you'll never believe this, but Patti and I got stuck in customs and have been having our bags examined for six straight weeks!!! (Hmmm. Maybe that's not so unbeleivable after all?)
Actually, I probably need to have my head examined for taking so long to do this. (Or at least my time management!)
Yes, we made it back and, yes, we had a great time! Mike, Morgan and Aidan were gracious and patient hosts and never once threatened to throw us out of the house. Of course, the fact that we brought several bags of Cheetos over for them may have influenced their tolerance somewhat.
OK. Some highlights and pictures.
Right after arriving we got to enjoy Aidan's third birthday party. There was a nice crowd of friends on hand.
Everybody enjoyed the cake, especially Aidan.
We saw a lot of the sights of Chiang Mai including a huge Buddha (or is it Buddhette?):
We learned that even Buddha (Buddhette) takes it easy once in a while.
Chiang Mai from the mountaintop:
Stinky fruit at the market: (We didn't try it and because it was wrapped in plastic we didn't get to smell it. We're told we were very fortunate!
Lots and lots and lots and lots of motor bikes:
In fact, this picture just doesn't do it justice. There are thousands of these things around all the time. It is the preferred form of transportation. We saw bike drivers on cell phones, with babies in their laps, and as many as four (though we heard about five) on a single bike. It is a bike culture in Chiang Mai!
Here's another example. For those of us used to overwhelming government control of the comfort and condition of kids in the car, this was a little different!!
The ancient wall of the city of Chiang Mai. It was mostly destroyed during WWII by Japanese bombers.
There was always something beautiful to see in Chiang Mai and the surrounding countryside. This was a waterfall where we had a picnic.
This was an even bigger waterfall we visited a few days later.
We wondered where all the water for this one was coming from, so we looked around and, sure enough, we found the source of all that water......
Too bad there was a leak in the hose. Who knows how much bigger the falls would have been?
What trip to Thailand would be complete without a visit to the elephant camp! This was so much fun! I had no idea elephants were so friendly. Makes you think about getting one for a pet!
We also had a blast at the Chiang Mai Zoo. Below are the animals we got to see and, in the case of the Giraffes, feed!!
There are two videos that I want to pass along. The first was taken when Mike Jr. and I were out playing golf. We had the opportunity to feed some fish in a pond. It was fun! Watch what happens!
The second video was taken in Japan as Patti and I were waiting to ride the bullet train back to Tokyo from a tour of Mount Fuji. I always wonder why we don't have things like this in Texas!?!
During the tour in Japan it was a very rainy and foggy day. The picture on the left is what we were supposed to see on the tour. The picture on the right is what we did see!!
Fortunately the clouds lifted a little later and we got to see the mountain briefly.
But, enough of Japan!
What we really came to see was family. You really don't understand how much you miss and appreciate your kids and your grandkids until you go to visit them. We had an absolutely wonderful time throughout the trip. God blessed us with easy travel and safety and the ability financially and timewise to be able to go. Patti covered more and different kinds of terrain than I think she thought possible, but did it with ease and joyful determination. But in the end, this is what we came for and, what we enjoyed the most.
Mike, Morgan, and Aidan - Thanks for a wonderful time! We will never forget it!
Mimi and Pop
