Sunday, July 11

Well, one of the news sources I read was wrong, and the lockdown (which the Bangkok government is very pointedly not calling a lockdown) won't go into effect until Monday (tomorrow).

Which means we got to have one last weekend out in the world!

On Saturday, we went to the Emporium mall and Roman picked up a fancy short-sleeved dress shirt as an early birthday present to himself. We bought a couple bao buns at the mall and took them to the nearby Benchasiri Park. We sat on a bench and ate our bao and drank sodas until it started pouring rain, when we took cover and watched the local pigeons.

We tried to wait for a break in the rain to hop back on the BTS, but we were not very successful at staying dry.

In the afternoon, I met Emma at a temple near Chinatown, and we went wandering all around the back alleys. I asked her questions about all the food items that have been a mystery to me, she pointed out tiny hidden places to get Bhutanese and Burmese food, and we talked and talked and talked (I realized afterwards I hadn't talked to anyone except Roman in...many days, and may have talked her ear off a little). We also ate and ate and ate...we picked up samosas from a cart next to the Indian Emporium, little fried peanuty balls from a cart near the canal, tiny purple coconut pancakes, and roasted chestnuts. I also brought home some sesame peanut brittle and dried sheets of pork that Emma recommended.

Sunday was Roman's birthday, which mostly meant we ate all the things Roman wanted to eat—and we did all the things Roman wanted to do that we were able.

We had cinnamon pecan pastries from the Bangkok Baking Company for breakfast and Facetimed with different family members. Then we went out on a mission to the Villa Market near Phrom Phong, since they have Cheez-Its that aren't as close to their expiration date as the Cheez-Its at the Villa Market near our house (I also kinda love the Phrom Phong Villa Market, as it's the original 1970's market and it is small and crowded and full of expats and imported goodies and I feel like I've been transported to Bangkok in the 70's, when it was probably the only place in the city to find peanut butter and cheddar cheese).

Anyway, then we headed home, and I ordered us some carnitas nachos from La Monita Taqueria, which I'd been told is the best Mexican restaurant in Bangkok.

They were delicious. In the afternoon, I gave us both golden sparkle pedicures...

Roman's birthday toes

Then we went out and got massages and bought some sweeties, and I ordered us a pizza.

 And then we had cake and Roman opened his presents.

We actually bought his birthday cake (red velvet with cream cheese frosting
and fresh fruit) on Friday and started eating it early

For Roman's actual birthday, we bought a second small cake (peanut butter
chocolate gateau) so he'd have plenty of sweets

Make a wish!