A Very Merry Christmas (and a visa run)

Hello there loved ones --

Had a really great extended Christmas with the Mastache family here in Bangkok.

Lots of really yummy food (mashed potatoes, ham, and some Thai) as well as a trip to the hospital to visit Mr. Mastache (who is healthy and home again - but we got to go caroling down his hospital corridor with champagne and dessert to make sure he had ample holiday cheer).

Also went to Cambodia for about 2 hours on the 24th to get my visa stamped.

Here's what the border looks like:



Beyond that the only parts of Cambodia that I saw were the morning-regulars at a seedy casino and an outdoor cafe.. not the best preview, but hopefully I'll do justice to the country sometime in the near future.

It was so nice to be able to hear some of your voices on Christmas day, and I'm thinking about all of you lots!

Going to go to Ayuttaha tomorrow which is a former capital of Bangkok, and so I'm really excited about that.

Oh! Also made Mom's egg nog, and the fanbase of that recipe just keeps on growing, ha.

Love to you all!
-Paige

Getting in the Spirit

I've been hearing a lot of people throw around the ole "It just doesn't feel like Christmas when it's 70 degrees out" of late, and honestly.. I couldn't agree less. Nothing says Christmas to me quite like hanging lights in shorts and a t-shirt - and that's exactly what someone at my apartment complex did this past weekend.

So now my apartment's front walkway is decked out in white lights (which is great), and it made me realize that I hadn't shown you guys a picture of the spirit house at my apartment which always has sparkly little lights on it:



Spirit houses are veryvery common here - and most homes and businesses have one -- usually in a corner of the property where shade is least likely to hit it. The houses are shrines to animist spirits, and people leave offerings at the houses to keep spirits that could cause them trouble happy.

I see a lot of drinks left at spirit houses - water, Fanta soda, milk - and flowers and incense are also common offerings.

The spirit house at my apartment complex is actually one of my favorites - and maybe I'm biased, but hopefully the spirits are happy with it too.

Love to you all,
Paige