Today, I checked my email and found an e card from my sister in my inbox. I was really surprised and thought she was sending a type of “thinking of you” card. When I opened it I was astonished to see it was a happy anniversary card! I checked the date and realized with a shock that it was my 31st wedding anniversary which I had TOTALLY forgotten about, and by the looks of it Hubs had too! Shame on us!
So I gave hubs a ring in work and he answered with a cheery “Happy anniversary”…….I think he must have realized at some point in the morning……and will no doubt creep home early with his arms overflowing with flowers!
Now, yesterday hubs went to the dentist as a prominent tooth had fallen out. He was told that he needed an implant and this would cost…….. drum roll please……..£2.000!!! yes…. honestly! £2.000, just for one tooth! Hubs is far from vain but the gap is annoying him and he really wants it fixing, so today on the phone he suggested we explore cheap package holidays abroad where the cost of tooth implants are considerably cheaper, and double it up as an exotic holiday for our anniversary, which holiday included, will still be much cheaper than the original £2.000, and as daughter is now living at home for a year, she would look after the dogs…..and the cat and the hog.
I began to think of all the wonderful places we could visit that are also competent at dentistry. Hong Kong and Singapore immediately sprang to mind as when travelling for six weeks last year I fell in love with Bangkok and Kuala Lumpa, they were so different from the UK and very exotic. It gave me a real urge to explore countries that have different cultures.
In Bangkok the culture was extraordinary and so different from anything I’ve ever experienced. I spent several days touring the city, the countryside and the Buddhist Temples, but it was the floating markets that completely stole my heart.
Bangkok’s bustling floating markets are a feast for eyes, and an assault upon the senses. Vibrant, colourful, exotic, crowded and beautiful. For an artist like me my first instinct was to whip out my sketching pencils.
We spent a day meandering down the beautiful canals on a slow speed boat, passing the waterside homes of the local people which provided me with a glimpse of everyday life in Old Thailand when much of the day to day trading and living centered around the waterways.
As we approached the floating markets, boats laden and overflowing with exotic fruits, fresh vegetables and wares of every description began to appear. In times gone by local people exchanged goods without the use of currency.
I enjoyed the milk of a fresh coconut and bought some delicious fruits….I had no idea what they were though!
Many boats were cooking food which was relished by the local people….I ate some caramalised banana fritters…..my oh my….utterly fabulous they were, just melted in the mouth they did!!!
Gradually the waterways and the sidewalks began to get more and more crowded and congested, resulting in the most incredible traffic jam I have ever seen! How the boats managed to manoeuvre at all was astonishing……trust me …there is order in chaos!!!
The traffic jam of the century.
At the markets, the local people told us to only pay a third of the price for any goods and that haggling was the norm, so I took to haggling with a vengeance, in fact I took to haggling like a duck takes to water!
A lady was selling postcards for 400 bahts. After a 40 minute bartering session in which I ran the gauntlet of her scorn and had to walk away three times, I finally bought the aforesaid postcards for 60 bahts.
Later while smugly sitting at a cafe, enjoying a coffee with some excellent homemade bread, and basking in the glory of my victory, a little boy approached my table.
He never said a word….but in one hand he held the postcards that I had just bought, and written on his other hand in bold letters was…..postcards 50 bahts!!!!
I almost wept! John, reveling in my defeat said I had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!
So…..here’s to planning a wonderful trip! This is Hubs, me and beautiful daughter.
Of course sweetie….you are a tiny little thing that fits so naturally into my suitcase…always and forever.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ahh I’d forgotton about that picture of us all – The floating markets were so fabulous! I think you should try Singapore for the tooth issue… although can I creep into your case? xx
Ooh, I love a good haggle. I think the idea of tying in a holiday with a dentist trip is a great one. Implants can be a bit painful though, my mother (an inveterate smoker of many years) has had one done recently and she complained bitterly about it. Maybe plan the appointment towards the end of the trip.
Lol….you just can’t beat a good haggle! It gets the blood flowing faster that’s for sure!
Oh….thanks for the tip re implants being painful, I hadn’t even thought about that!!!!xxxx
What a colourful place, I’m surprised any of those boats can move.
Good luck tooth hunting I hope you find somewhere wonderful.
Thanks Dessie, I too was amazed how the boats moved, but they did and pretty fast too!xxxx
I hadn’t thought about the language barrier Shimon, you have a good point there.
I’m very honoured that you are keeping the piccie of us all, and yes, you have daughter down to a tea! I think she was born funny, I’ve never known a child laugh as much as her!!! xxxx
A wonderful post. I loved the pictures. But I wonder about doing dental work in a place where you’re not permanent, and don’t know the language. In any case, I wish you a beautiful trip. That picture of the two of you, and your wonderful, super funny daughter is something I’ll keep!
A happy, if rather belated, anniversary!
That amount for a tooth is just ridiculous , I’d put up with having a gap.
Terrific photos showing an exotic and interesting place. xx
Thanks Flighty. The price of a tooth is a scandal isn’t it? It’s really cheap abroad so why are they hiking the price up here? xxxx
Lol….this is why I love you! Every word you say makes me smile! Yes…..thanks. Bangkok is such a beautiful place and I will never forget some of the people I met there….I’m still in touch with our wonderful guide.xxxx
Your vivid photos and descriptions had me nearly smelling the aromas of foods and spices and water and crowds of boats. You obviously had a wonderful time exploring — how adventurous you are to eat whatever’s put before you! And that last photo? I’m sorry. I think you’ve mistaken that young lady for your daughter — you look like you can’t be but a few years older than she! Happy anniversary.
Happy belated anniversary. That looks like a fabulous holiday, and right up your street with the boats involved. So did you decide which country is the best and cheapest at dentistry? My son knocked his front tooth out whilst fainting in to a door during his biology lesson. Needless to say, he won’t make a doctor. He’s had a temporary crown fitted but is now needing a permanent one and it’s going to cost even though he’s still at school, so I sympathise. Everything’s so expensive these days. I can’t wai to hear where you’re going on your holiday.
Thanks Jo, I think I loved the canals because of our ones here as you say and I love all things boats and water.
I think hubs is eyeing Singapore up and I must say it’s a place I would love to visit.
I can’t BELIEVE your son has to pay for a crown while still at school…..dentists have been putting their prices up for years and now suddenly it’s beyond the pockets of most people……it really is just plain and simple greed and a captive market. They need to wake up and smell the roses.xxxx
Just gorgeous, exciting photos; the life flows right through them! Happy belated anniversary and happy hunting for a new adventure and tooth! You’re beautiful, as I imagined, and your daughter is, too…your husband looks like a grand partner in your wonderful life! 🙂 Joy in the journey!
Awwww, thanks Kitty…..hubs had a false tooth concreted in his gum to tide him over and it’s just fell out so we may be going sooner rather than later.
If only I really was beautiful…..sighs I….an old girl I am now!!! But I love the compliment, and I’m so pleased I’m as you imagined I’d be, it’s odd on the blog isn’t it, we have only our words and personality to show who we are, then often the pic goes up and people are surprised and even disappointed.
Daughter is a little gem, inside and out and hubs is a real treasure, I’m lucky to have them both in my life.xxxx
Happy anniversary! Hope the tooth situation gets sorted. The cost of dental treatment in the UK is a nightmare (Italy is even more so and best to go private – but at an outrageous price) so I hope you can find an alternative solution. Lovely photos of your holiday in Hong Kong and Singapore – six weeks – what an experience!
Happy Anniversary! A close friend of mine went to Germany for a mini-break/dentistry trip but a longer holiday to somewhere exotic sounds fabulous. Your lovely photos show a fascinating world-on-the-water and it sounds an amazing place, too. I love the last photo of you all; hope you have a great holiday.
Now I never thought about Germany, they have some beautiful countryside there, so thanks for that. It’s a shame how many people are driven abroad by the rising costs of dentistry isn’t it?
I really loved the waterways of Thailand, it gets a bad name for obvious reasons, but Thailand is an exotic and beautiful place with the most gracious people……thanks Wendy.xxxx
Fab photos – looks like a really interesting place to visit – hope you get the tooth situation sorted out – dentistry abroad just sounds like an excuse to me for an extra holiday! My hub and I are famous for forgetting our anniversary – I don’t think either of us have remembered once. lol.
Lol….dentistry is as good an excuse as any eh? Hahahahaha….you’ve never remembered your anniversary ONCE???? REALLY????? Wot are you two like!!!! That certainly makes me feel better!xxxx
Lovely photos, hope you have fun planning something nice.
I will, thanks Steph. Hoping you’re feeling better now and work is sorting itself out.xxxx
Oh wow, wow. Talk about clouds having silver linings!
Lol…..silver linings indeedy!xxxx
Wow- what comes out of a tooth-fairy experience.
I was told in Italy that if I bargained, rejected the price, then returned, I would have lost all leverage. It was better to stay away having walked away. It is interesting to hear that you had the opposite experience with the postcards, till…..
We regularly forget our anniversary; our aide memoir was a relative sending us a card a day or two before. Now, we salvage our embarrassment with saying we have ‘senior moments’.
Have a great time. x 🙂
Ahh….now when I say I walked away Menhir, I mean I turned and shrugged and stuff, then pottered back while the lady kept a sharp eye on me.
Glad to hear it’s not just me who has a dreadful memory for dates…….I have FAR too many senior moments for my liking!
Thanks hun xxxx
that’s the Thailand I remember 🙂
thinking about that for them, 100 bath means “meals for a family”
and a smile of their faces…
Unforgettable souvenirs…
this is what I call Life…
:-)claudine
Thanks Claudine. Yes money goes a long way in Thailand which is why I made sure I gave the beggars a decent sum.xxxx
Happy Anniversary! I think you’re hubby had a great idea! I need a couple of caps on two of my teeth. I should show hubby this post and see if he’s inspired to plan a trip for our 30th anniversary coming up where I can get my caps! ;v)
Oh Susanne…..yes! Get you a holiday AND new caps, the price here is plain silly. If everyone went abroad dentists may start getting more realistic. And a 30th does need to be celebrated with a bang!xxxx
By the way, I know it’s not exotic, but Hungary was favourite country for dentistry when we lived in Romania!
I suppose Hungary would be good with teeth – sorry 🙂
Hahahahahahahaha….LOVE it!xxxx
Thanks for the tip Gilly, I told hubs and he said lots of people said the same to him, I’ve never been there so a definite possibility.xxxx
What a fabulous post – so full of life and amazing photos as well! Happy anniversary – you’re a rather beautiful couple and your daughter is the proof 😉
Thanks Gilly…..re me being beautiful…..if only! You need to clean those specs of yours!!!! But thanks anyway! Daughter is a gorgeous little thing though…..xxxx
Fancy forgetting your anniversary ! Glad you both found out in time.
I love the photos of the markets. What local colour. And that is a good idea to combine a new tooth with a holiday. Look what the tooth fairy bought me- a holiday !!
That last photo is gorgeous. A really lovely happy family pic.
Thanks for sharing this. I really enjoyed reading it, especially the story about the haggling for the postcards. I reckon you did well to get the price you did, being a tourist and all. xxx
Lol…..I’m hopeless. Turns out hubs hadn’t forgot, he came home with two beautiful olive trees, so I’m hopeful for olives at some point!!!
The floating markets really are unique, I love the boats and the variety of goods for sale and a chance to see how people got by without money. Yes….god bless the tooth fairy eh!
I’m glad you enjoyed the story of my dismal haggle!xxxx
Happy anniversary !!!
Wishing you both a life that’s filled with moments of love and happiness.
Beautiful photos and beautiful family too. Love xxxxx
Thanks Debb, I’m sure you’ve been to Bangkok, it’s a fantastic place isn’t it…xxxx