the worst in half a century

before the onset of the flooding in Bangkok, people desperately parked their cars on elevated highways and expressways

Mr.Varachai's Power Now office wasn't spared from the flood

Fix&Wash and A-dress offices were also inundated.based on the watermarks on the walls you can see how high the floodwater was

the way back home

this area was once surrounded with luscious bushes and trees

the government provided military trucks to transport people to and fro

the very busy streets were transformed into a vast lake of floodwater

Ladawan Village

looks like venetian canal

people who preferred to stay in their houses had to take the boat going in and out of the village

this dalmatian seemed comfortable to be surrounded by water

the family's fourth house

finally were home after roughly a month

thank God the floodwater didn't reach the house..the photo looks nice but the smell of the murky water was awful.

four abodes in two months

during the monsoon season-as early as July, Thailand was hit by the worst flooding in half a century. undeniable the worst in terms of the total damage to people's lives and properties.northern provinces first experienced the deluge and in late October areas around our village were already inundated.our house is actually located west of Bangkok.and so on October 26, we decided to find refuge in their family's condo in Hua Hin (south of Thailand)

Grand Cha-am Condotel

view from 34th floor

people flocked along the beach shore in the afternoon

with Pa Taew

Ply and I challenged ourselves to take the stairs up to the 34th floor and this was the consolation

the library

Holiday Inn Hotel (shared room with Prouder)

we spent most of our time watching Star World

softest pillow...zzzzzzzzzz

at hotel lobby waiting for the van to take us back to Hua Hin

after a day in Hua Hin, we were summoned back to Bangkok.they feared that the only route going to the city would be inundated,too.we stayed at Arnoma Hotel just across CentralWorld

chow time!Ply's on risotto.Proud's on steak and mine's penne pasta

our last abode--The Prime 11 Condo @ Sukhumvit Rd where we spent roughly a month

good morning Bangkok :)

Bangkok is more beautiful at night

Hua Hin is now a very remarkable place for me...when i think of the endless sea, i remember that someone out there is meant for me!<3 babe

understanding thailand flooding 2011

found this video very informative and creative in educating the residents of Thailand especially the expats on the flooding situation.

flashbacks

i was staring at my fancy wall decorated with hearts, postcards and cute nothings, then i was directed to this photo of me taken three years ago.apparently this photo was taken with my ex-boyfriend.fate was surely playing on me.since my laptop was within my grasp, i typed in his name on facebook search.lo and behold, his page popped up--displayed on his profile picture was a photo of him and his girlfriend?wife?in a sudden whim, sadness struck me.it's not that i'm still bitter over what happened.i have accepted my fate long time ago.if only my long-term memory could let go of  whatever stored flashbacks of him.he has surely moved on with his life and seems to be happy.but here i am, still miserable.well, i try not to and just embrace whatever life offers me but during solitary moments when i am emotionally fragile, a pang of regret would strike me.what if i accepted him back?what if i agreed to runaway with him?what if i fought for my love?what if i threw my dreams away and just stayed with him?would things get better?would i be here in this foreign country trying to chase my dreams?..which unfortunately not the case.would i still be miserable?i have loved somebody with all my heart but sadly i did not have a strong heart to fight for that love.i failed and i'm afraid that i'll just keep on failing every time.he was probably right when he said that i didn't really know what i wanted to do with my life.i always say that i  just want to love and be loved in return.however, that idea seems so vague and so unreal.as i glanced at this photo, i realized,that everything i had been through in the past was meant to happen.God is good because he gave me the chance to love and be loved.love is the best thing that can ever happen to you.when everything makes more sense.though it was not the ending i was hoping for, i continue to find peace in knowing that i was capable of loving somebody.i remain optimistic that somehow,i will find my rightful place in somebody else's heart.

we don’t need to be faced with death in order to appreciate and realize the value of life. in a non-ordinary way, solitary moments can lead to such realization. especially when the serenity and calmness become deafening. we are unable to hear the audible sounds of life’s true meaning. we have lost our senses because our life is mundane and seeing those people having the fun of their lives only makes us so insignificant and hopeless. it's as if we're doomed. we are left with two options, whether to remain in the corner, feeling sorry for ourselves or go on with our lives without giving a damn. oftentimes, the person to be blamed for living such a pathetic world is no less than ourself. we have imposed misery on our lives. we are aware that with such nuisance, we have become the culprit! those who may not be aware of this tend to point their fingers on somebody else. it depends whether you allow someone into your life---freeing that person from future finger pointing or you take full responsibility on whatever you do and whatever you feed your mind and heart with. 

a fluffy trip

 the sheep is the very symbol of Suan Phueng

Proud's penchant for sheep brought us to the incredibly gorgeous and serene Suan Phueng district in Ratchaburi province (central Thailand). I woke up early enough to prepare for the trip only to be informed at first that we would  have to postpone the trip since it was raining in the morning. Feeling disappointed, I went back to bed and minutes later, I was told that we would be leaving in half an hour..And so, we were off to Suan Phueng..

Ban Hom Tian (The House of Scented Candles) was our first stop. The place is consists of cottages--mostly restaurants and shops. However the main attraction here is the shop where you can find a wide array of scented candles.

sheep everywhere...

didn't expect to see the bearded man in KFC here...lol

want to bring this home.just wondering how long will this one last

 

refreshment shop adorned with figures of fictional characters

they also offer workshop where you can design and create your own candles

i love how the toilets are decorated with vintage photos hanging on the walls

refreshing ice cream served in bamboo

before heading to our ultimate destination, we stopped by to eat lunch here

Swiss Valley Resort Restaurant--provides a Swiss ambiance

Swiss Valley Hip Resort

At last we arrived to our ultimate destination, The Scenery Resort and Farm.Any visit to Suan Phueng  would not be complete without spending  few minutes feeding the hungry herd of sheep..you don't have to pay an entrance fee but with 40 baht, you get to feed the sheep and shoot as many photos as you want with these fluffy creatures.amidst the scorching heat of the sun, we played with the sheep, ran around as they were chasing us and of course cuddled the very cute lambs.

 

 

the only brown sheep in the herd..good thing racism doesn't exist there..lol

Proud is soo fascinated with sheep.. :)

To wrap this trip up, our last stop was the Suan Phueng Resort where you will be delighted to see hotel rooms carved after the characters of the famous cartoon sitcom The Flintstones...

Our one-day trip to Suan Phueng was really memorable.visiting the place gives you the feeling that you are in a foreign country...maybe somewhere on the land down under.since it is quite far from Bangkok, Suan Phueng is absolutely a conducive venue for retreat and meditation.despite its location, i was surprised to discover that there are numerous best hotels to choose from.with its tranquil atmosphere,unexploited and luscious forest, it is truly another perfect getaway..

special thank goes to Mrs.Chatchareepun (my ever-generous boss), Proud-for her fascination with the fluffy creatures, Pe Deng and Pe Khun (the unbeatable tandem) for accompanying and driving for us and to the fluffy creatures.. :)