Trip to Bangkok for New Year's, and top 9 photos of Savannahket and Ban Pa Ao

So Sarah had never taken a sleeper car on the Thailand railway (it's awesome). We took one and she found it was awesome. We got to Bangkok and took some of the Chinatown "walking tour" in Lonely Planet. Drank fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice--very tasty. Then we took a commuter-boat up to near where our hotel is. Though the hotel was pretty awesome, the room was a little small (though stylish) and the roof/jacuzzi were closed--that was probably why the room was so cheap. We hoped to spend New Years Eve on the top of a skyscraper in one of Bangkok's famous sky-bars but it was very nice and needed tickets when we got there. We went to a nice little bar in Sukumvit where Sarah tried Amaretto for the first time and LOVED it.

On New Year's day we ate lunch at this beautiful seafood restaurant that is run by the Thai navy. It has a beautiful outdoor seating area where you can see the river, boats passing by and several Wats including Wat Arun along the other shore. It was quite beautiful, and the steamed mussels we got there were simply amazing! Later we decided to go see our first English movie in theaters in months. We decided on Mission Impossible which was awesome, and I believe we watched it in IMAX. I wish I had asked about the couples' love seats in the back of the theater because the don't usually cost much more money. The movie was at the "newist, glistiest" mall in Bangkok, Siam Paragon. It has the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia in the basement, a live band and fish tanks in the food court, as well as the largest English book store in Thailand.

The next day I got up really early and took the ferry to its northern-most stop Nonthaburi where the largest market in the area was, and got some awesome street dim sum. Then I took a nap back at the hotel before we checked out. We left to go to the longest-recommended restaurant in Bangkok by Lonely Planet, Royal India, but it was closed for New Year's so we went to the next one that we could find and it was quite good. Then we went to meet Kelly on Sukumvit Soi 11 to eat tapas (first time for me me and Sarah). The sangria was amazing. And then rushed to the subway (the only Bangkok mass transport system we had never used) to catch our train home.

Great vacation. Happy New Year!

Top 9 photos of Ban Pa Ao(village in Ubon Ratchathani province) and Savannahket (city in Laos where we went to get our working visas)

 A wat at Ban Pa Oa.

 Rice field is certainly beautiful. The ominous clouds are because this was taken during the rainy season.

 A little road between villages.

 Cow

 The Mekong River, view from Savannahket, Laos.

 The dusty, dirty street that goes along the Mekong.

 Sarah, having fun in the dinosaur museum.

Sarah, as Vanna White.