Friday: Fly from Cebu to Manila and from Manila to Bangkok.
Our hotel is Chatrium Hotel Riverside, and we are delighted with our accommodations.
View of the river and the modern skyline from our room on the 16th floor.
This is a view of the wharf and the outdoor restaurant on the ground floor.
Also, the pool on the 4th floor.
I need to include the very interesting sculpture in the residence building next door.
On Friday, we actually arrived about dusk.
Saturday: Shopping at the Chatuchak (locals call it the Jutujuk) Weekend Market - open only on Saturdays. This market is supposedly 35 acres in size.
Small walkways between tightly placed stalls - with everything imaginable for sale.
The food looked yummy, but we were cautious because much of what is cooked is prepared
early in the morning, and sold throughout the day.
We just didn't want to get sick.
This is "pancakes" fried in oil with vegetables on the top.
This man was cutting up fruit - very quickly - and putting it in bags to sell.
He did not touch the fruit at all with his hands, so we took a chance -
and the pineapple pieces, eaten with pointed sticks, were delicious.
After a couple of hours, Will sat and patiently waited for me to "shop a little more."
One shop owner, a young girl made sure she pointed to this sign, when he acted like he was going to take a picture of her. They were both enjoying the joke.
Between the signage on the roads,
and driving on the "wrong side of the road" - British style -
we were glad to ride in Tuk Tuks and cabs.
In the afternoon, we were glad to return to our hotel to enjoy the pool and soak our weary feet.
Sunday: Before traveling to Bangkok, we had researched the address of the Bangkok Ward - English Speaking. Our hotel called a cab, and we were on our way.
Our cabbie got us to the correct area, but try as we would, we could not find the church. Of course in our morning prayer, we had prayed we would be able to find the ward and attend church. During the search, we continued to pray in our hearts that we would find our desired destination.
We traveled down one street, finally turned around and went the other direction. Finally, our cabbie pulled over to the side of the road and went into a business to ask for possible help. Just as he was getting back into the cab, a policeman walked over to the car. Through the lowered window, he pointed to my missionary tag and asked, "Mormon church?" As we nodded, he spoke Thai to the driver, giving him directions.
"Thank you, thank you" - and we made a U-turn, and drove quickly down the street once more. This time, we spotted a sign:
About 1/2 a block away, there was the chapel.
Inside we were greeted by Sister missionaries from California and Utah.
Actually, there were 14 missionaries - both elders and sisters - at church. They had come especially to sing for Easter Sunday Sacrament Meeting, and they did a fine job! The entire meeting was very special with talks on the Atonement of our Savior, and a delightful musical number by two small girls singing about Jesus.
After Sacrament Meeting, a sweet sister, Melinda Little, a Filipino sister, came up and introduced herself. She said she had seen us in the temple in Cebu - as the witness couple - earlier in the year. Her husband has been ill, and they have come to Bangkok to get medical help for him, which is less expensive and better care here.
They are members of the Bangkok Ward, and she invited me to sit with her in Relief Society. Isn't the church amazing and wonderful!
In the afternoon, we relaxed and enjoyed the Sabbath.
HAPPY EASTER everyone!
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