a walk in the park

Happy Friday, guys! Did you know that Bangkok has a giant park in its city center? It was a nice surprise during our visit last week. Our awesome little hotel was just up the street from Lumphini Park so we took a morning stroll through it on the way to the metro station. There were school groups playing games on the basketball court, three old couples dancing to swing music underneath a giant tree, and plenty of locals getting in their tai-chi exercises for the day. It definitely felt like a proper civic park.

Aside from people watching, a few colors, patterns, and textures caught my attention. Particularly a large type of palm tree that was unlike any I had ever seen. It looked like the palm fronds were cut off as it grew, leaving sturdy slanted stumps begging to be climbed. And yes, I did climb one. Just a few feet up (ssshhh)!

If you can this weekend, do take some time to go for a walk and see what you see. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed doing that.

Something I can't forget - announcing a winner for the Gin & Jacqie Love Malaysia Collection giveaway! Congrats to Alicia - you're the lucky pick! Please keep a lookout for an email with details.

I'll be Instagraming (and blogging) from Rio next week...hopefully I'll have some news to share after that trip. Have a good one!

a year's worth of wanderlust II

This time of year always makes me reflect and one of the things that I'm most grateful for are the opportunities we've had to travel. We set out to live internationally for many reasons but traveling was/is priority numero uno. Looking back, I think we did a good job a sticking to our plan even though some days it feels easier to just veg out at home! Here are my fave moments, sights, and thoughts from our 2012 travel adventures....

Breaking away from Europe and landing in Marrakech. High hopes and expectations were met with a chaotic Medina with a character all its own.

Passed Berber Villages in the Atlas Mountains and seeing nothing but beautiful vistas. And snow. Who would have thought Africa had snow?!

Sipping on fresh mint tea while picking out our new/old Berber rug...the perfect souvenir!

Our first LA visit together and indulging in three things: In N Out burgers, Mexican tacos, and fresh American donuts. This photo was from our morning binge session while doing loads of laundry next door.

Re-discovering the cool designs and colors found in LA

Taking a quick break from LA to Anchorage, Alaska for a visit with Joe's parents. It was so awesome to be in the house he grew up in and see his childhood town.

a day-trip to Oxford - LOVED it there. For you Hogwarts fanatics - their cafeteria is just off to the left.

Stopping in Florence en route to Chianti. It's so true that the entire city is a museum.

enjoying an impromptu lunch overlooking vineyards near Greve Chianti. Hands down my fave meal of the trip...for sentimental reasons, mainly, because the other meals were aawweesooomme.

a "booze and chocolate tour" of Brussels with some sight-seeing on the side. A flea market was also involved - this one was one of the most legit I've been to.

Leaving our love-lock in Paris as we wrapped up our time in London.

Our first trip after moving to KL: Penang. So colorful and vibrant.

and with charming old character everywhere you look.

Piggy-backing on one of Joe's business trips to Bangkok and exploring by boat.

Visiting Singapore for the first time and wishing we had moved there instead since it was so clean, organized, and seemingly perfect. It was during a rough point in my new-home adjustment but now love and appreciate the imperfect and real character of KL.

The beach holiday that ruined it for any other ones in the future. Con Dao, Vietnam was utter perfection. Honeymoon is done and done.

Going back to LA to give these little ones hugs and kisses and begin research on my new venture.

Making a long-weekend out of Joe's business trip to London. We'll take any amount of time there, no matter how long the flight. Plus, Joe needed to stock up on his favorite Whisky and you can pack more with two people + checked bags than you can with one ;)

The unexpected layover in Abu Dhabi from London. I did my best to make the most of my 48 hours there despite major jet-lag (I was only one week back from LA!)

Getting to know and love the bits of Melbourne that give it it's reputation as a hub for good coffee shops and interesting street art.

Hanging out in Bondi Beach where I used to splash around as a toddler. Can't believe that we used to live just down the road. Part of me wonders what it would have been like to grow up there and be a little beach bunny...

... or just dance around The Opera House all the time...

...and with Australia, that brings us to a wrap!

But we won't be idle for too long. With the US, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa covered in one year (that is cray cray!) it's only fitting that we kick off 2013 with South America in February. Yep, I cannot wait to visit my parents in Colombia and say our "I Do's" with family, friends, and buñuelos!

I'm so thankful for this beautiful year....and to you guys for sharing it with me. I'll stop before I get all sappy but know that interacting with you via this blog, twitter, instagram, email is such a joy. And if you just joined me this year, you can catch up on where we went in 2011 by clicking here. Oh, the places we will go......

bangkok by boat

So remember when I busted my toes just days before a scheduled trip to Bangkok? Well, those banged up toes were a blessing because if I couldn't walk to do the exploring I had planned, I could certainly sit in a boat.

I let my hotel doormen suggest a spot and a twenty minute cab drive later I find myself at Suan Phlu Pier, a tiny little end of the road operation for longboat hires next to the Shangri-La Hotel. It was exactly what I was hoping for and even better, the boats are hired out individually so I had the entire thing to myself! There are public water taxis that are significantly cheaper but what the heck - it was worth the forty bucks to have uninterrupted views for my one day out.

The ride was about an hour and a half and I happily snapped photos of the canal, or khlong, homes and temples as we sped by. I love taking flyby shots because it all happens so fast and you only have a second to capture what you want. To my surprise, however, there was one stop at Wat Khun Chan temple. I freaked out when I saw the giant figure towering over the canal. The captain then laughed at my excitement when he told me we'd be stopping there to [motions with fingers] walk around.

I'm not even going to try to put that place into words because as you can tell from the photos, it's incredibly awesome. I throw the word awesome around like pancakes during Sunday brunch but truly, I was in awe. The detail, the sparkling tiles, the stories of each figure (which I don't know yet but assume are amazing) and the man in the corner dunking his foot into hot water to massage a lady laying on the floor - there was so much to take in. Unfortunately I couldn't stay long and once I was back inside the boat I realized that during my fifteen minutes there I didn't think once about my busted toes, I don't even know if I limped. Something that I had been so aware of for days and cautious to not overdo apparently didn't faze me while in such a special place. Back at the hotel, well...that's a whole other sore story but the cause was totally worth it.