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Derek
and I met when we were employed by the same software vendor in New
York. We, along with another coworker, Ken, became fast friends
when we discovered we had many things in common ... like good food
and travel. We soon formed an informal gourmet club and were often
found spending the weekend at someone's house enjoying lavishly
cooked gourmet meals and superb wines. Unfortunately the group was
broken when Derek relocated to Bangkok and Ken to Florida, but we
managed to keep in touch and visit when we can.
During
our last trip to Bangkok, 1994, Derek was unemployed at the time
and looking for something to do. That came when he became involved
with restoring the Tahsaneeya Nava rice barge and
establishing it as the premier rice barge offering dinner cruises
to tourists and locals along the Chao Praya, the River of Kings,
in Bangkok. I must admit he couldn't have found a better calling
as he is perfectly suited to lavishly entertaining friends and strangers,
as if they had been lifelong friends, in such beautiful surroundings.
His taste are impeccable and anyone taking a cruise with Loy
Nava Dinner Cruises will surely enjoy the
evening as it will be memorable.
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Tahsaneeya Nava, made of beautiful teak wood, has been
painstakingly restored and is in excellent condition. Various seating
arrangements for up to 42 people can be arranged. For more information
about Loy Nava Dinner Cruises please go to their Internet site by
clicking here
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The
Tahsaneeya Nava as it approached
to pick us up |
To
our surprise and delight Derek arranged to host us for the evening
on a private dinner cruise. He made all the arrangements to have a
driver pick us up at the hotel and deposit us at the dock near the
Shangri La Hotel where the boat would pick us up. We waited patiently
for the boat to arrive enjoying the scenery as we stood by the water's
edge. |
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Aboard
we enjoyed a lavish Thai meal
Left to right: John, Derek, Alicia, Art, Anne, and Carol
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Derek,
our host |
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addition to enjoying a typical Thai gourmet experience Derek also
managed to talk the entertainers into staying for the additional voyage
doing traditional Thai dances. We enjoyed watching the girls as they
danced and used their arms and hands in such an expressive way that
only the Thai people can do. |
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Anne,
John, Derek and Alicia
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Dancers
dressed in colorful Thai costume entertained us
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Wouldn't
you know it? My brother-in-law,
John coerces me into taking his picture
with two of the dancers (the third had
more sense and ran off before John could
grab her for the picture). When the night
was over I wondered why he didn't
reciprocate and take my picture with
the dancers? |
One
of the beautiful, young Thai dancers |
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Alicia
enjoys a glass of wine and samples some
of the traditional Thai dishes that were served |
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As
always, Anne and I enjoyed our time spent with an old friend and
were saddened when we left and knew it would be years before we'd
be able to once again get together and lift a glass in friendship.
Thank goodness for e-mail so that we can easily and quickly keep
in touch with all the good friends we've made through work and our
travels around the world.
Join
us on the next page for an excursion to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital
of Siam ...
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