After a few relaxing days of sand and sun in Phuket, we were ready for more sightseeing! So off we went to Bangkok, where we had so much fun (as usual)! Here are the highlights (remember, two asterisks indicate a “must-do”):

** We hired a terrific guide who grew up in Bangkok. He goes by Jerry, although his Thai name is name Sivawong Therdthounthai. (If you’d like to use his services, you can contact him at siva0079@hotmail.com). He took us all around Bangkok—to the local farmers market, out to lunch, on the water taxi, and to the local shopping mall, where we browsed through traditional handmade crafts. We used the public “sky train” (like S.F.’s BART) to go everywhere. Jerry was absolutely great and knew how to get to many places in a short amount of time. I highly recommend him as a guide! He was a Buddhist monk for two years and has a terrific personality.

The view from our 18th floor hotel room, vendors and craftspeople on the street, and Keri, Kara, and Angela on the sky train with the ever-patient and accommodating Jerry (he's carrying Kara's backpack!).

** On our second day in Bangkok, Jerry took us to the best Floating Market in the area. It was about an hour south of the city. There were lots of vendors selling crafts and local fruits. We tried the fried bananas and mini coconut pancakes—yum! Word to the wise: if you go to this Floating Market, go early because it gets very crowded!

The Floating Market, and the woman who made us delicious coconut pancakes!

* Wood Carving Factory — The craftspeople here carve intricate elephants, bears, trees and landscapes for furniture and wall hangings. The work is unbelievably detailed.

Elephants outside the woodcarving factory, and a worker executing the incredibly detailed carving.

** Fishing Village — Jerry took us to a fishing village near Bangkok, where we went out on a local fisherman’s boat. He showed us his cockel farm during low tide. Then we went out to the oyster farms in the deeper waters. On the way back, we rode through the mud flats on the boat—it was so fun but very dirty!

Here I am with Jerry and our fishing village driver, Reid. A fisherman hard at work harvesting oysters.

** Monkeys! Next our boat driver, Reid, and Jerry took us to feed wild monkeys. We arrived at an inlet, turned off the boat’s motor, and then Reid did a monkey call. Wow! Dozens of monkeys appeared! Big ones, babies, you name it. They swam out to the boat, where we threw hundreds of bananas to them. They were SO happy, and it was a really fun experience! You will laugh the entire time!

Reid called the monkeys. and I cracked up the whole time because the monkeys were so entertaining as they enjoyed their banana snacks.

** The State Tower Sky Bar — We went here on our last night. The Sky Bar is on the 63^rd floor of the State Tower and overlooks ALL of Bangkok. The views are absolutely spectacular! But be sure just to have a drink because the food is outrageously expensive!

What a fantastic two weeks, and how fun to share the experience with my mom, sister, and niece. We four gals took Southeast Asia by storm and had a complete blast doing it!!! Now I want to go back…