My grandma got up every morning at 3am. She would put food on the table and also light incent for my grandpa. Well, here she is up there with him. Rest in peace.
I guess it was just a coincidence, but my grandma's funeral just happened to also be the Thai new year. This is pretty much the biggest party week in Thailand, everyone is celebrating and people throwing water at each other.

The whole week that Kenny and I were there, we went back and forth between my mom and my dad's place. So here is my dad's side of the family. I believe that my dad also grew up with 4 other siblings with my dad being the oldest. One of my aunt had passed away and I'm not sure what happen to the other aunt. Starting from the left, my youngest aunt and then my grandma and me. My dad, step mom, 2nd aunt and her husband, Ken, and my 2nd aunt's daughters.

This is Ann, my youngest aunt's daughter. Just like my mom's side, she grew up with Ken and I when we were younger. Last time when I saw her, she was real little, but now she's just hit the party age. She was talking about what clubs she goes to and Sean Kingston was also there performing at a club that particular night. Time had really flew by.

Once again, I remember these 2 when they were still walking around in their diapers. Now they're going out with bf and party.......

Ken and my cousin.

Ann and me

We played golf with my dad and my aunt in the morning. We all gather at a restaurant for lunch and my grandma request that I seat next to her. It has been a decade since I last saw her. I guess it's the dynamic of my relationship with my dad's side of the family. A lot of things happened in the past that at time had made me opt to not see them.

My dad and his wife

My 2nd aunt and her husband

Ken and the cousin

My aunt and Kenny

I guess what ironic about this picture is that when I was little, my grandma was never nice to me. She had cause me a lot of physical and emotional pain, but I guess that's the way they raised kids back then. I thought for the longest time my grandma hates me because of my mom, but turns out, I'm her favorite. I went and see her on the last day before I came back to the US. She put her head on my shoulder and cried. Maybe the next time I see her, it'll be just like my grandma on my mom's side. This trip was a real emotional roller coaster for me. No matter what my grandma had done in the past, my heart still hurts when her tears were on my shirt.
I know that I'm here on this Earth to never hate. I learn to forgive and maybe some people think that I'm naive for being this way. It's part of growing up. It's not one way or the other, it's the way you balance between the 2.

My aunt, grandma, and me

Of course we visited a mall for shopping. As you can see, there's quite a bit of foreigners walking around so Thailand ain't all about what you usually hear about here in the states.

Kenny and Maria ready for some donuts!!!

Another shot of the mall

Hot pot lunch with my mom, step dad, and cousin

This is how they entertained themselves waiting for the food to be served

It's steaming!!!!

Step dad, mom, and me

The kids just couldn't get along.

My mom and step dad lives in the condo so on the bottom floor, they have an area where it's like a little park and that's also where the pool and work out room are at.



PWNNAGE post

Me and my mom



Mom and Kenny


Mom and the siblings

This is my step brother, Ben. Both of my parents remarried. Maria is from my mom's side and Ben is my half brother from my dad. Unfortunately, I am closer to Maria since she grew up with me. I'm always at a distant when it comes to Ben. I guess for awhile it was kind of weird the relationship that we have. With this trip I was glad to be able to be closer to him and get to know him. After all, he is my brother and I sure don't want us to be strangers.

We were about to do some funny pose and Ken took a pillow and wacked Ben with it. Just a silly picture, but I'm glad we got closer as brothers.

Since I'm in Thailand, who can forget about the homies. I didn't get too much chance to hang out since I was spending most of my time with the family. This is one of my homeboy who I've known for almost 12 years. I've visited him when he was here in NYC. Back then we use to rock jersey to school. He got the Dave Robinson and I'm rocking Grant Hill. Now we all working professionals. LoL. Time had really changed us.

Beside me is another homeboy who I've known for just about as long. I remember the first time we met. He's this punk rock guy with the chain to the wallet and black rock t-shirt. I'm this thug with baggy clothes had just got back from Vietnam. We were all as different as anyone could be, but we were best of friends. On the right is my Taiwanese friend. I knew this guy since middle school so technically, him and I go back the longest. We hang out a whole lot back in HS, but we lost contact. He told me that he would never thought of being in Thailand after HS, but here we are.
We went to a little quiet bar and talked. I heard a bunch of interesting stories of the other homies. Thailand is a very different place now. Everything closes at 1AM so even though I went to the bar, I ended up home at midnight. It's just too bad since crime had got out of hand and that's their solution to make the city safer for folks.

On the last day with my mom, Maria, and Papa. Papa had suggested that we go to the beach, it's only an hour away from Bangkok. I love the idea, last time I saw the beach in Thailand was a very long time ago.



What's different about Thai beach is that a small group of villagers ran the place so you paid them for the seats and the table and they provide the food and etc. These are fresh grilled prawns. Man, they're awesome with the hot sauce that it came with.

Other folks in the area also offer massage service on the beach. My mom and Maria were getting feet massage while I got upper body massage.

Maria enjoying her feet massage.

My dad enjoying all the food and beer.

Of course the food at the beach didn't really make a dent to our hunger. We drove up to beach a few miles for this sea food restaurant by the beach.

Me and Maria

Papa and Mom



These are the view from my mom's condo. If you think Thailand is a farm land, think again. LoL.
Over all, the trip felt way too short. I wish I could be there a little longer. Interesting thing is that in that 1 little week in Thailand so many things had happened. Everyone remembered me as a kid and this time around they were surprised at how mature I've become. I guess they can now be confidence with me as one of the leader in the family. I definitely had came back more mature than I even had realized.
Ken and I have always been the middle between the 2 families. Both side have always pushed and pulled and the force had always had a lot of effect on Kenny and I. Maybe one day we will be able to unify the 2 sides. There's no reason why the kids should hate one another. Only adults can teach hate, kids just don't learn hate out of thin air.