THE HONEYMOONERS

We started off the trip to Bangkok from Ko Samui with a few hiccups. First our plane was delayed SEVEN hours!!! The airport in Ko Samui resembled a tree house and consisted of a book store, a restaurant and some chairs for the terminal. Thankfully they also had a massage place so that took up an hour. Then, once we arrived in Bangkok our cab driver took us to the wrong hotel. Finally we settled in to the Best Western "Swana," which is actually really nice. We wandered out around 8 PM to Ko San Road. This is a road full of backpackers, street vendors and bars. We were starving and decided to get some falafal from a street vendor, (not a good idea.) Bradley got VERY sick and we left about 10 because of his first signs of sickness.
We woke up today the latest we have on the trip, about 11. Bradley is fine now after lots of water and some pills from home. We wanted to find something the most Western we could so we found a Pizza Hut and had lunch. From there on our day became very "lucky." We took a tuk-tuk (a small type of motorbike/taxi) to a famous temple. The temple was closed while the monks were praying so we started talking with a local Thai that was waiting also. He was very friendly and KEPT talking about this place Blue Dragon. We had no idea what he was talking about but were being polite and trying to carry on a conversation, but he wouldn't stop saying you go, you go to Blue Dragon. There was a "Lucky Budda" there that we "paid our respects to" then we went on our way back to the Tuk-Tuk. There was another Thai guy there that we talked to while waiting for our driver and he had been to Seattle. Coincendentally, he was talking about buying presents for his family and we mentioned the Blue Dragon, and he was shocked and said "How you know, thats where I get." From him we better learned that it is a jewlery wholesale store open only once a year to the public and today was the last day of the promotion, no tax and no need to be an exporter, etc. We also learned that Sapphires are Thailand's prized gem export. How could we not go??? Bradley and I decided that this was our "lucky day" from our "Lucky Budda." In the end, we went to this amazing place and bought what we hope to be a family heirloom of ours forever. It is an absolutely beaultiful necklace of three diamond encrusted sapphires!! I know some of you probably think it's a copy or a scam, but its the real deal.
We ended up having a great day in Bangkok. We are exhausted after a day of shopping and touring. We are leaving tonight on a 2 AM flight to Shanghai, China. We'll be meeting up with my parents, sister and her fiance!! We can't wait to see what adventures we'll find next!!!