Python at school

This python was found Friday at ruamrudee by one of the gardens inside the school. Not a small snake!

Google Maps-The Villa

If you would like to see where our home is on google maps, the address to put in is:

Muban Bua Khao - Soi 72, Minburi Bangkok. 

This gets you to the Villa. From what I have heard the mail system is pretty good here, so if you need to mail a letter you can to our house at:

48/137 Soi Ramkham 174 

Min Buri, Bangkok 10510

Thailand

If a package needs to be mailed, the safest way would be to send it to the school:

ATTN: Colby Hood, 3rd Grade Teacher

Ruamrudee International School

6 Ramkhamhaeng 184

Minburi-10510

Bangkok, Thailand

Floating market

Here are some pics from the floating market near our house. It's quite interesting, you walk through a Wat to get there, and it is POPPING when you get in. Again, there are no Farang at this market, just locals. Tons of food, crafts, animals, etc. Great energy in the place.

Pomegranate tree. The other day in China Town I had fresh pressed Pomegranate juice. Delicious.

Pad Kee Mao

Big mental win today, I was able to whip us up our first homemade meal. For the most part we have been very busy, and have been eating out most evenings. It's great, because is so cheap and you get to try many different dishes that you usually may not get. But today I went to the market and picked up fresh ingredients (with the help of some very sweet Thai ladies). I think she asked what I was making, and I replied "Pad Kee Mao." 

This has been one of my favorite dishes, and translates into "Drunken Noodles" which they for some reason found very funny. In Thailand, I guess if you drink more than 14 drinks in a month, you are considered and alcoholic (so the doctors told the new staff at their physicals).

At first I wasn't sure if we'd get used to cooking here because the kitchen is so different. The great thing is that most thai dishes are stir fried, and already cut into bite sized pieces, so it really doesn't require intensive kitchen effort. 

All the ingredients were found at the market, fresh and delicious. I think the whole thing was 90 baht, and we have lunch tomorrow. I used Tofu this time because I still have not bit the bullet on buying the street meat. I'm sure its fine, cleanliness and quality control is just "different" here....

Railay

We had a three day weekend (thanks to the Queens birthday) so we escaped to Krabi, and took a long-tail boat over to Railay.

 The places were little bungalows in the forrest. Very secluded and pretty.

 Longtail boats. They are everywhere here.

Shrine worshiping the fertility gods (so I was told).

 Hike over to gorgeous beach.

Hiked out there at low tide, then storm was coming in. Everyone left, high tide came in, leaving us the only ones on the beach. Amazing water, very pretty spot. 

Mango

So apples are expensive for obvious reasons, but mango and pineapple are very cheap, and delicious. So much different. 

Lake on the way from house to school.

Motorbike purchased!

Yamaha mio fino 115. Only 15,000 baht, although I'm not sure I'm legal on it. More of a "mooban cruiser"

Colby's Classroom

Tomorrow if the first day with my new 3rd grade kiddos!  With meetings all week and so much to learn, I'm as ready as I can be.  Below are some photos of my room.  Check out the names of the kiddos :)

More to come after our beach trip this weekend.