Wedding in Bangkok

A few months after the announcement of the intended marriage of brother Joost Marijes Tata with his girlfriend, we step on January 28 than actually on the plane to Bangkok. Normally we drag   on our dive trips for many kilos (about) luggage over the world, but this time in addition to the gear bag is also some neat sets (party) clothing and shoes.

After a stopover in Singapore Thursday the ²⁹ th we arrive around 10 o'clock in the morning in Bangkok. We feel it is over 2 hours at night, especially since we both have hardly able to sleep on the plane. In the hotel the previous day Aly & Dirk already checked, but they appear to be along for the civil wedding of Joost and Tata when we arrive. Civil marriage is a Thailand only an administrative act and there is further no party involved. But if Aly and Dirk in the course of the afternoon back at the hotel let them do some pictures of the signature ceremony, where Joost and Tata ten times their scribble have put the two mothers as a witness a few times but there are especially many stamps are put by the officer.

Joost and Tata come back to the hotel where we all dive into the refreshing pool, just in the Jacuzzi in the Spa lie down and take a nap on a beach bed beside the pool. Then we go with the bride, for that they are official after the signatures, and   Aly and Dirk Thai food in town. Tata looking out of the restaurant and order the dishes that we all share. We also need to buy a little wine and champagne for the party on Saturday, that does not required at the hotel where the party is, and the largest shopping mall in Bangkok, we find few bottles of Moet & Chandon and good Chardonnay.

On Friday, we still have some chores to do in the city as a spare battery for Marije buy her new camera. Marije also stores some vigorous shoes at Nine West, her favorite shoe store which unfortunately has no place on the European continent. At the end of the afternoon we went diving in the pool and then we make our toilet for dinner with Tata's parents. In a Thai restaurant on the river again, we eat delicious Thai food and we meet Tata's parents. After dinner we make a cross with the ferry to a local night market on the other side of the river where Tata us around. Back at the hotel we drink a drink in the Mets, the nightclub of the hotel. Juriaan orders a Bloody Berry, a sweet version of a Bloody Mary while Aly and Marije the Caipirinha, and Dirk gals red wine order. The order of the Bloody Berry did not work correctly explain the barely English speaking staff of the club by the pounding music through works not very good. Marije decides Bloody Mary for her and to bring to the Caipirinha Juriaan it. Unfortunately, the Bloody Mary is not very well done, there's more than Tabasco Tomato and after a small sip is her mouth, esophagus and lower ablaze. The next round takes everyone for convenience Caipirinha and red wine.

Saturday should Marije her speech during the wedding and we still write decisions in the shade at the pool to do. If the story is ready we ask the Business Center of the hotel or they hand-written story in Thai so that we can translate a copy of the story to the non-English speaking families of Tata could be read.   In the meantime, Dirk and Juriaan to the hotel where the party is the technology of our karaoke act later that day testing. After an afternoon sweating is approximately 17.30 Marijes translation of the speech ready and we are preparing for departure to the hotel where the party starts around 18 hours. Located in the same street where our hotel but it is very hot and we wear a suit or dresses with high-heeled shoes so we decide to take a taxi. Ultimately, the taxi back and forth 3 times because Dirk is his speech, which he has made ​​in the Netherlands did not find, and possibly there is a version of the explanatory key for the karaoke act already been brought to the party hotel. Dirk, however, without doing things and we jump back in the same taxi to not mind being late.

In the hall of the mansion are Joost and Tata under a large arch of flowers to welcome the guests: about 120 Thai and 4 Dutch (us). We are supposed to remain in the hall because the 4 photographers and the video man calling us into different groups again and again to make to get the picture. Other guests are welcome for guests and 1 time the pictures are put away upstairs, and when we get there an hour later, also shows that the custom is that the guests themselves down the buffet open, and about 100 Thai are as tasty to eat. On stage and Joost Tata exchange rings and they cut the huge wedding cake with a large saber. Afterwards, we called four of the stage. Dirk speaks to Tata and Joost from the notes he between photo shoots by a few loose leaves that he has torn out his agenda. It is then Marijes turn and we have no time to catch your breath because directly below our surprise act announced a karaoke version of the YMCA where we have made ​​in your own text. A large screen comes down from the ceiling and a few tables directly lustily singing along with us!

After the karaoke act is also food served at our table, while a number of friends and relatives of the Tata karaoke activities directly   continue with the karaoke machine on stage. After a few songs we have Thai food and there are more and more English songs which one of us used a microphone in the hands get pushed. It is a big party, especially when the two fathers Yesterday rendering and Marije several numbers together with Tata's youngest aunt performs. After the party we take a nightcap in our hotel's nightclub, where the music is slightly softer than the night before, and we can chat a bit.

On Sunday morning breakfast the four of us in our hotel and then we grab our bags to fly to Phuket and then to travel to Khao Lak early Monday morning we embark on a 3-day liveaboard to the northernmost waters of Thailand.

[Photos of the wedding of Joost and Tata will follow, because with 4 photographers and a video man, we have our cameras in our bags but left these days]