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Back of a tuk-tuk - primary mode of transportation
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Kim (Lisa's sister) and Steve (our brother-in-law) spent the holidays with us in Thailand!
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The Grand Palace
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One of the many elegant Wats (temples) in the Grand Palace compound
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Requisite Wat-garb: skirt, long pants, and covered shoulders
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Making an offering at the Wat
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Placing a gold leaf on the Buddha is part of the offering process
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The Wats are adorned with intricate and beautiful Thai cultural symbols
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The actual palace, once the abode of the current King, Rama IX
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Colorful tuk-tuks lined up outside the Grand Palace
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The prized Emerald Buddha (made of one piece of jade) at Wat Po
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The enormous and impressive Reclining Buddha at Wat Po
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Look at the size of the doorway!
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Bargaining for charcoal rubbings
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Fabulous Christmas lunch overlooking the Chao Phraya River
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Kim and Steve in their Christmas regalia
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We're never too old to believe in Santa Claus, are we?
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Some of Santa's helpers enjoying apres-lunch drinks by the river
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Cool boat
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The Walshs
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Michael enjoying his 3rd Christmas with the Fried/Patlis clan
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Cute, but silly
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Christmas Choir at the Oriental Hotel
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View of Wat Arun from a long-tail boat
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Local Thais live along the many khlongs (canals) off of the river
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Still feeling festive
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Our long-tailed boat driver
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Someone who WISHES he was our long-taile boat driver!
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Kim getting fitted for a traditional Thai dress
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Rot-tit maak!! (a lot of traffic!)
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On the way to Patpong night market
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There isn't much room to squeeze 4 people into the tuk-tuk
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At Patpong
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You can buy almost anything at the Chatuchak Weekend Market, including these bugs
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A good time is being had by all
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Brother-in-law Steve stands head and shoulders above all the other shoppers
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A little entertainment at the market
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The sisters at a bar called "Mountain Bike"
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Flat Logan and Mallory join us at a Muay Thai boxing match
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Michael and Steve pose with the teeny but mighty champion
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In Chiang Rai at the Golden Triangle, bordering Thailand, Burma and Laos
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We are standing in Thailand, Burma is to the left and Laos is across the river
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Steve poolside at our awesome hotel
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The Walshs sleeping by the pool
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Walsh lovebirds
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Towel-clad Kim and Lisa looking very monk-like
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Sunset from our hotel balcony
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Our hotel was really beautiful
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The grand lobby entrance
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On a hilltribe visit near Chiang Rai, Lisa's friend feeling no pain
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One of the many beautiful hilltribe children
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More cutie patooties
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Gorgeous hilltribe attire
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The very tall-looking Walshs
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I mean, how cute is that face?
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Buying some hilltribe crafts
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One of the beautiful children of the long neck tribe
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Michael, sans his neck coils
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A little daredevil speeds past us on the steep dirt hill
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Another mini Evil Knieval
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One of the women working on her loom
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Very creative plumbing system
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The Walsh/Kantor crew at lunch near the hilltribe villages
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One of the many resourceful Thais in Mae Sot
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In the Thai/Burma border town of Mae Sot
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Water buffalo right near our hotel
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Meeting the "girls" at the elephant camp
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Kim and Steve on their elephant with her mahout (trainer)
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All of us at the Golden Triangle
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Kantor lovebirds
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Driving past Laos on our long-tail boat
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We stopped at one of the Laotion islands on the Mekong River
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yuck
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Local Laotions bathing in the river at dusk
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Silly Americans
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Michael's arty photo of beautiful Lotus flowers
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New Year's Eve gala in Chiang Rai
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Monks are honored with a soft seat at the airport
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View from our room at the Layan resort in Phuket
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Lunch at a little private beach we found on Phuket
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Still silly
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Hangin' around
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Photo shoot of hot local model at private beach
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Just relaxing
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The sisters and their newly-purchased sarongs on the way to Phang Nga Bay
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Setting out to explore the caves on our sea canoes
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We had to lie down to pass through some of the caves
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Bats on the roof of the cave
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Second part of photo shoot with hot model
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The Kantors in their sea canoe
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Mangrove tree in one of the lagoons
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One of the monkeys wades near us in the lagoon
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Momma monkey
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Beautiful volcanic islands
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The Phi Phi islands
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On our scuba/snorkel boat
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Sisters enjoying their last sunset in Thailand
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Buddhist Monks on the river taxi
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So this is what it feels like to be tall
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The Chao Praya river from our room at the Sheraton
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While touring the royal summer palace, these Thai girls asked to have their picture taken with Lisa.
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Ruins of Ayuthaya - The ancient capital
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Ancient Buddha head that has been encompassed by a Banyon Tree
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Close up
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In the 1600's the Burmese sacked Ayuthaya and decapitad the many Buddhas
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Dogs roam free throughout Thailand
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Prayer candles
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Huge reclining Buddha
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River front property
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