Thanksgiving trickery

This is not my first Thanksgiving away from home.  Last year I was in northern India in a little place called Rishikesh.  If you recall, the Mumbai bombings had just occurred so it was a rather crazy experience.  Although, I had the opportunity to go whitewater rafting down the Ganges River so it wasn't all bad. 

This year I am in Bangkok.  I had to work today which makes sense since it isn't a holiday here.  This evening I headed up to one of the local night markets and wandered around.  It is a really nice market with a lot of great local designers and housewares and clothes and other things to look at.  It was fun wandering around and I picked up some gifts for Christmas. 

On my way back up to my hotel room I saw a sign for the hotel restaurant that they were having a traditional American Thanksgiving...I got really excited!  Turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie...I figured it wouldn't be great since I am in Thailand but thought it was still worth it.  So, I dropped my bags in my room and headed back down for my Thanksgiving meal.  I got a table for one and with a lot more excitement than I thought I'd have I went to look at the Thanksgiving buffet...I walked around the buffet and started reading the signs...lots of Thai dishes...fish...beef...steamed veggies...but no stuffing...no green bean casserole...no mashed potatoes...I did eventually find the turkey and it was actually the turkey breast they have in the deli to make sliced turkey for sandwiches...my excitement quickly disappeared...and I ended up with a sort of empty feeling...no Thanksgiving dinner for me...I had resigned myself to that when I knew I'd be in Bangkok but then the Thanksgiving trickery at my hotel occurred and I got my hopes up...for nothing...

I'm thankful for many, many things this Thanksgiving.  I have a great husband & family, wonderful friends, I get to travel around the world, I'm living in a foreign country and experiencing all of these new things and these things I am very thankful for...but...I wish I had some turkey and stuffing and some of Alan's wicked mashed potatoes.  I'm just feeling sorry for myself...I know that...but I think it is okay every once in awhile as long as I don't dwell on it for too long.

My Thanksgiving dinner ended up being a ham sandwich on walnut raisin bread...it was as close to a Thanksgiving meal as I could get.  I am now enjoying a beer and watching Superman and chatting with Alan on the computer.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving meals and especially your time with your family or friends this wonderful day!