Engagement Dinner! (800th Post)

I like to save my "centennial" posts for big adventures or major life events. This 800th post will be both, as today I start my biggest adventure yet: my 5-year girlfriend and I are now officially announcing our engagement!

Well... actually we technically got engaged about a month ago, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, we weren't able to go out to celebrate or take our engagement photos until this week.

To celebrate, we decided to head across the river to Thonburi, Bangkok's quieter twin city for a nice riverside dinner. We sort of stumbled across a narrow alleyway that looked interesting, and decided to head down it for whatever sort of meal awaited us.

It turned out to be a really nice restaurant right on the water. Because the city is still under partial lockdown, we were the only customers at the time. The staff was super attentive (there were only three people working there at the time), and treated us great. We had been their only visitors all day. Because of the lockdown, they couldn't serve their regular menu, but handed us a hand-written menu which they prepared for us to choose from. Pinky ordered, and then we set about taking some photos to celebrate our engagement.

The restaurant was located just next to the royal temple Wat Rakhang, just upriver from Wat Arun, and directly across from the Grand Palace. It was a perfect location! And due to mass closures because of the lockdown, the river was the quietest I've ever seen it. I have never known the Chaophraya River to be so still and silent or so clean! 

There were almost no boats at all on the water, and it was so quiet that we could even hear hammering from someone doing some work on the other side of the river. It's a pretty special moment that I don't think I'll ever see again.

Our meal was quite fancy! The first course was a spicy Thai salad made from tart green apples and stewed soft pork served over a bed of chili, cilantro, and tomato.

Next, we had a spicy and sour hot pot of chicken and tons of veggies which we ate over rice.

Finally, the dessert was a traditional Thai dessert made of rambutan, lychee, and longan served in a sweet syrup with slivers of ginger and young mango over crushed ice.

As for our engagement photos, here they are!

For years, Pinky told me that my one rule was that I shouldn't propose with a Ring Pop, so of course when a Ring Pop landed at my feet during the Clifton, TX Christmas parade last year, I knew I had to save it for this very moment.

And please enjoy this video clip that my fiancee made!

For those who are still following this blog and keeping up with my life after 800 posts, thank you!