We are back from our trip to Thailand and we had a great time. We stayed at the very affordable Alliance Guest House in Bangkok. We were there 5 days and 6 nights. We had a few days packed with sightseeing and walking and a couple days that we mostly relaxed. The humidity and heat were a little unexpected, as it was supposed to rain everyday. But we had a good time, even if that ment that we were hot and sticky all the time. (The climate is so nice right now in Taipei.)

Our first day we went to the weekend market, as it was the only weekend day that we were going to be in Bangkok. The market was huge and there were so many different and similar shops. It was packed with tourists and locals alike. That made it really difficult to get around with Lydia in the stroller. It was also extremely hot and humid even though it was only mid morning. We made the majority of our trip purchases at the market, and that made us a little nervous as it was only our first day and had a budget to try to stick to. Thankfully the food was even cheaper there than in Taiwan and the transportation (tuk tuk, taxi, sky train) was also very cheap.

The second day we enjoyed seeing some of the river and taking a tourist taxi type boat up the river to see Wat Pho (home of the reclining buddha), Wat Arun (temple of dawn), Wat Phra Kaew (home of the emerald buddha) and the Grand Palace. We then took a river taxi back to our starting point. Unfortunately it rained a lot while we were at Wat Arun, because it was incredible even in the rain but very hard to get good pictures of. We could have done a lot more exploring and looking around had it not been raining.

It was kind of strange that many of the places you could take pictures, but there were some that you couldn't. So we don't have any pictures of the emerald buddha that's at Wat Phra Kaew and inside a couple other temples or later of the throne room that we visited.

We were amazed at all the buddhas that we saw. There were so many. Also the architechture was very interesting and beautiful; there was so much detail in practically everything at these places we visited. We also couldn't believe how many foreigners there were. In Taipei, there really aren't that many. You'll see some most places you go, but you don't see tons of foreigners here. Everywhere we went, even just to the local store there were always lots of foreigners and many different languages being spoken.

The next day we went to the zoo. It took us quite a while to actually get there, as we read the map wrong and ended up on the opposite side of the street going in the wrong direction. Thankfully we realized this as soon as we got down, but then didn't want to carry Lydia all the way up the stairs (in her stroller) to go down on the other side, as we were a little tired already. So we jumped in a taxi and ended up having to wait in traffic for 30 minutes just to get headed in the direction we needed to go and then a little longer to actually get to the zoo.

The zoo was nice, but it was layed out kinda strange and the maps were all a little hard to read. Lydia had lots of fun seeing the different animals and all the school kids that were there on field trips. Other than the school kids, there really weren't many other people there as it was early on a Tue.

The zoo was close to a couple mansions and museums that we were hoping to get to, but everything closes around 3 or 4, so by the time we got to the mansion, there wasn't much time to see it and all the other things near by. So we just paid to see the throne room, and it was a little disappointing (couldn't take any pictures). I got a picture of the building, but once we got in the gate, I could even take a closer picture of some of the sculptures. Alan and I had to take off our shoes (as we did in most temples) and we need to wrap a cloth around our legs as we weren't wearing pants and I need a shawl around my shoulders since they were showing. We did all this and locked our stuff up in a locker before going up to see the throne room.

The throne room was massive and virtualy empty, with extremely high vaulted ceilings that were painted. There was gold leaf on almost everything and intricate paintings on the walls as well. The tapestry and carpet were beautiful and in deep, rich colors. There were statues of naked people, and there were paintings of buddhas on the walls/ceilings. The throne itself was easy to miss at first glance, as it was empty and everything else so large and impressive. The throne wasn't like the thrones we think of in castles in movies or Europe, it was very different. I think it was like a large beautiful cushion with something above it/hanging over it. (I'll have to ask Alan what he remembers it being like, I was more interested by the paintings and such.) Overall it took us maybe, maybe 10 minutes to see all this, perhaps 15 since it was harder to push Lydia on the thick carpet.

We did walk past the mansion we wanted to see, but with the way the path went, we're not sure what we saw. But the grounds were beautiful and we enjoyed walking along the well manicured lawns and flower gardens.

It's really late, so I hope this makes sense (spelling errors and all).

We leave for Thailand in 3 days! We are excited to finally be going somewhere outside of Taiwan. We will have around 5 days in Bangkok and are hoping to see lots of different things (if Lydia will let us). Then we will have about 5 days before we fly to Minnesota. So that means that we only have like 7 1/2 days left to get everything packed and the apartment ready for the next renters. Wow! I still seems like we have plenty of time, but we don't.

Alan teaches his last class tonight. It has been nice having him around more to get things done and packed. After tonight we can concentrate a little more on packing and cleaning and doing some family things.

We are really going to miss the nice weather here. I would guess around 70-low 80's on the days when it's not raining and humid and in the low 70's on rainy days. Most days we can still wear shorts and a t-shirt and might need a light jacket in the evenings. And it should be even warmer in Thailand. I don't think that's going to help us adjust any better to the cold we will be facing when we get to MN a few days later. Oh well, we will still enjoy the  beautiful weather.

I can't believe that it's already November! It's amazing how fast time goes by, especially since it seems like it's taking forever some days. We move in 30 days! and we leave for Bangkok, Thailand in 18 days!

We have been going through our things and getting some things packed. I've been working on going through all our clothes, trying to figure out what still fits Lydia and what we should just leave here for her friend Christina. I've also had to do the same thing. I can't believe how many things I've already grown out of and I'm only 20 weeks (around 5 months). But I guess I am at the half way mark of the pregnancy and everything has already been stretched once before.

Lydia and I had appointments on Mon. and they both went well. I went in first and we saw the doctor and had an ultrasound done. During the ultrasound we were looking at the baby and watching the heart beat and watching the baby move an arm, then the legs, and before we knew what we were really looking at the nurse blurted out what we were having. And then I realized that we hadn't even been asked if we wanted to know. I had forgotten that they were just going to tell us unless we insisted over and over that we didn't want to know. So it's good that we hadn't decided if we wanted to know or not. It was really nice to have Alan along (they had dropped his earlier class and he only had to teach his later class) and Rachel again to help translate and help with Lydia after Alan left for work. After I was done with all my stuff we took Lydia to the pediatric dept. and got her checked in and saw that they were only on #28 and she was #45. So we went down to the bakery and had a snack. Lydia really did well with being at the hospital so long and having to wait for me and then for her turn.

Lydia is 19.8 pounds and 30 inches tall at 15 1/2 months. She did really well, but didn't like having to be held for the doctor to look at her and then for her shot. I was amazed how well she did, the main reason she was crying and upset was because I had to hold her still. As soon and the nurse was none with giving the shot Lydia was fine. By the time we were done with everything it was 5:30, and we had gotten to the hospital around 2:30! I can't believe how long some things take, but when it's so cheap, I guess it's not so bad.

We had a great weekend at the northern coast of Taiwan. We stayed at a hotel/resort for one night and then spent the day at the beach and pool. It wasn't a very long trip, but it was great to get away and see more of Taiwan. The ocean is so beautiful and calming.

This was Lydia's second time on a beach, but the first time was in L.A. and she was mostly sleeping. This was Lydia's first time in the ocean and pool. She was a little scared of the water moving and the waves, but she did great if we were holding her. She didn't seem to mind being out in the ocean with Alan or I, but would sometimes get a little frightned if the wave was bigger or stronger than we expected. She was a great sport about it all.

We had an big umbrella and 2 lounge chairs, so Lydia had fun playing in the cool sand, but then she would see that there was so much sand everywhere and start walking off to play in the sand somewhere else (in the sun). Then she would start screaming when she realized that the sand was exteemely hot and hurt her feet. Poor little girl.

After a light lunch, we went to check out the pool. I had been wondering why everyone had swim hats that matched their swimsuits, and we found out that you couldn't be in the pool unless you had a swim hat on, even the babies. So we had to buy some swim hats and Lydia's was pink and white with fins and a fish tail in the back (so cute!). Lydia really like the pool. It took a few minutes to get her used to it, but she was soon very excited to be "swimming" with lots of other kids. We took lots of pictures, so those will be posted hopefully in the next week or so.

We've been married for 5 years! It seems like it was just yesterday that we were walking down the aisle as Mr. & Mrs. Alan Clipperton. Time has, for the most part, just flown by. We've lived in 4 houses/apartments and worked several different jobs and graduated from college again. Now we live in a different country, learning a new language, and raising our first born.

Alan and I were able to go out for the first time last week since Jan. It was so nice, some friends who are here with AYMissions (Michah and Shawn) were able to watch Lydia for us. We had a wonderful time. We went to a movie and had dinner. It was great to have a few hours together, away from Lydia. It was just what we needed.

Last night a couple from church had a Taiwanese wedding reception, and we were invited. It was really really nice. We had to leave early so Lydia could get to bed at a descent time, so we didn't get all the courses that were served. Before we left we were able to try lobster potato salad, little rice balls, shark fin w/mushrooms and other sea food soup, chicken medicine soup (with the whole chicken, head included), crab and veggies, mushrooms, shrimp and pork dumplings, sea cucumber, beef, sticky rice w/eel, and I might have missed 1 or 2 dishes, and the feast wasn't even over when we left. They probably ended with some fruit and maybe cake, if not more soup and meat dishes.

We have been in Taiwan for just over 3 months now, and it still amazes me what people will offer Lydia to eat. They don't really seem to care what they give kids or maybe just other people's kids to eat. (Though I don't think it's quite like this in the normal Taiwanese home.)

On Sunday, after church, one of our friends was walking around with Lydia. When I caught up with them, I saw that someone had given her a marshmallow to eat. A marshmallow! I couldn't believe it. When I tried to take it away, they said "It's ok, it's soft. Just wash her mouth out with water when she's done with it." It made me laugh and wonder if they normally give little kids such sugary things so young, or just once in a while. Needless to say, she dropped it and I didn't give her any more.

Some other things that Lydia has been give to eat are cake  (several different kinds), chocolate, cookies, baby crackers, fruit, and several other sweet, sugary or sugar coated things . Some of them think that because there is a picture of, say a strawberry or milk on the wrapper, that it is perfectly fine to give a bunch of it to a little baby with very few teeth. And none of the people seem to care that I don't want her to have some of these things just yet. I wonder if this is why there are many people that have rotten or missing teeth?