We're safely back in Bangkok and we've stock piled some junk food and have made plans to go out to a movie in the early evening. We'll probably see "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler. Later this evening we plan to play some games and eat our chips and chocolate and ring in the new year with just the four of us. Vaughan went out of town so we weren't able to get together with him tonight. Shadow, whom we met in Yasothon, is in town. She may join us for the movie, but she and some of the other young folks will likely be heading into town for celebrations there.
Our flight back to Bangkok was uneventful and we have our visas for another 30 days. Tomorrow evening we leave on the train for Chiang Mai. We plan to be there for a week or so and then head to Krabi in the south of Thailand and enjoy the beaches. We still have to do a bit of planning for that, so it's nice to have Internet and a phone to use. Such small things make us happy these days!
CM
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Adventures in Cambodia
We took our time getting started this morning and browsed through some guide books as we did so. Before we knew it our plans changed completely. We had planned to bike to the temples in the morning and see a cultural centre in the afternoon. Instead we ended up heading off to see the flooded forest and village on stilts called Kompong Phhluk.
Half the adventure was getting there. We started out by tuk tuk. The tuk tuks here are just a motorcycle with a wagon attached to the back. It was quite a comfortable ride and we enjoyed the sights along the way. Initially we saw the city streets and the people working in shops etc, but soon we got into the country and it was a bit of a shock to see the poverty and lack of what we consider the basics. No electricity, no running water, grass huts, and barefoot children. Although the government-run schools are free, many Cambodians don't send their children because they can't afford the books and uniforms.
First we traveled a wide paved road, then a narrow paved road, then a dirt road, and eventually we had to get off the tuk tuk and switch to motorbikes as the road was too rough for the tuk tuk!
The road was very bumpy and I would not have wanted to drive it myself, but Roya and I trusted our lives to a young Cambodian fellow (I think he wasn't more than 15 years old), and Nadim and Yasmin had a slightly older driver and off we bumped down the road for about 20 minutes until we reached our boat.
From there we boarded a long tail boat that looked like it had seen better days. The engine was pretty noisy, but it chugged along just fine. First we went through a narrow water path through thick bushes. If you ever got lost in there, I think you'd never find your way out!
After a half hour or so it opened up into a village of houses on stilts. In the wet season the water rises about 4 metres! Some of the houses were made of palm leaves, others from corrugated metal, and others from wood. I've never seen such poverty. Yasmin asked, "Where do they brush their teeth?". I think her thoughts reflected my own in that these people don't even have the basics.
The kids all smiled and waved to us. Many were swimming or bathing in the water. Most people are fishermen, and they even build fish farms. They have some bamboo platforms where we saw a couple of pigs in their cages, and a few chickens too. It was very strange to see them on their platforms in the middle of the water.
We stopped and went ashore in one little part of the village. They asked us to buy books for the kids. We did of course, even though we were pretty sure that our books for the kids would be resold to the next tourist coming through. None the less, we were happy to leave a little of our money behind in this struggling community.
Half the adventure was getting there. We started out by tuk tuk. The tuk tuks here are just a motorcycle with a wagon attached to the back. It was quite a comfortable ride and we enjoyed the sights along the way. Initially we saw the city streets and the people working in shops etc, but soon we got into the country and it was a bit of a shock to see the poverty and lack of what we consider the basics. No electricity, no running water, grass huts, and barefoot children. Although the government-run schools are free, many Cambodians don't send their children because they can't afford the books and uniforms.
First we traveled a wide paved road, then a narrow paved road, then a dirt road, and eventually we had to get off the tuk tuk and switch to motorbikes as the road was too rough for the tuk tuk!
The road was very bumpy and I would not have wanted to drive it myself, but Roya and I trusted our lives to a young Cambodian fellow (I think he wasn't more than 15 years old), and Nadim and Yasmin had a slightly older driver and off we bumped down the road for about 20 minutes until we reached our boat.
From there we boarded a long tail boat that looked like it had seen better days. The engine was pretty noisy, but it chugged along just fine. First we went through a narrow water path through thick bushes. If you ever got lost in there, I think you'd never find your way out!
After a half hour or so it opened up into a village of houses on stilts. In the wet season the water rises about 4 metres! Some of the houses were made of palm leaves, others from corrugated metal, and others from wood. I've never seen such poverty. Yasmin asked, "Where do they brush their teeth?". I think her thoughts reflected my own in that these people don't even have the basics.
The kids all smiled and waved to us. Many were swimming or bathing in the water. Most people are fishermen, and they even build fish farms. They have some bamboo platforms where we saw a couple of pigs in their cages, and a few chickens too. It was very strange to see them on their platforms in the middle of the water.
We stopped and went ashore in one little part of the village. They asked us to buy books for the kids. We did of course, even though we were pretty sure that our books for the kids would be resold to the next tourist coming through. None the less, we were happy to leave a little of our money behind in this struggling community.Beyond the village was a forest of mangrove trees. It was flooded as it always is, so it looked a little strange to see all these trees, with boats paddling in among them.
We made the reverse trek home without incident, but then rented bicycles to head back to the temples one last time. We didn't make it to the temple we wanted to see because as Yasmin was riding on the back of Nadim's bike, she swung her legs and caught her foot in the spokes. She had a terrible scare, and as I ran towards them, I feared a broken ankle, but it wasn't too serious. She has a nasty bruise and scraped some skin off her foot, but nothing that won't heal within a few days. We took her to the clinic and they cleaned and bandaged it up for us. We are a little extra cautious here because we are so afraid of infection. She is feeling fine now, but I'm sure we'll be taking it a bit easier for the next few days.
CM
Monday, December 29, 2008
Temples and Talent
We started this morning with Prasat Kravan. It is a brick temple with some very unique bas reliefs in stone. It is from the early 10th century. Hard to believe we were walking around such ancient civilizations.
The restoration work is really quite amazing. Where much of the brick had crumbled away they have replaced it and fashioned it so perfectly that if it wasn't for the special symbols on the brick, you wouldn't realize which ones were old and which ones new.
We spent the morning visiting various temples. Water seemed to play an important role in some of them. In one temple there was one main pool that would overflow into four smaller pools. Each pool had a special meaning - Earth, fire, wind, and water. The Cambodian people believed that the water in those pools had special healing qualities.
Of course there were many more dancing girl bas reliefs. We saw one example in the dance hall of one of the temples. Nadim and the girls tried to make some of the dance poses from the carvings. Do they look like the ones on the beam above their heads?
In the afternoon we took a break from the temples. We visited Artisans d'Angkor, a school that was set up especially for village people. It teaches how to carve stone and wood, do silk painting, and other art work. I thought it interesting that they claim that this has helped stop the flood of villagers to the cities. They are now able to use their skills and remain in the countryside. Below we were all quite interested to see how they carve the stone, add bronze leaf, and create an antique look.
After the tour of the art school we headed into the market. There were so many things to buy! Of course we could not escape empty handed. The bargaining was so much fun that it was really worth it. Nadim and I managed to come away with Cambodian pants that we really didn't need, but they are very comfortable! We also bought a few other little things, but were tempted by so much more. We'll see what tomorrow brings....
The restoration work is really quite amazing. Where much of the brick had crumbled away they have replaced it and fashioned it so perfectly that if it wasn't for the special symbols on the brick, you wouldn't realize which ones were old and which ones new.
We spent the morning visiting various temples. Water seemed to play an important role in some of them. In one temple there was one main pool that would overflow into four smaller pools. Each pool had a special meaning - Earth, fire, wind, and water. The Cambodian people believed that the water in those pools had special healing qualities.
Of course there were many more dancing girl bas reliefs. We saw one example in the dance hall of one of the temples. Nadim and the girls tried to make some of the dance poses from the carvings. Do they look like the ones on the beam above their heads?In the afternoon we took a break from the temples. We visited Artisans d'Angkor, a school that was set up especially for village people. It teaches how to carve stone and wood, do silk painting, and other art work. I thought it interesting that they claim that this has helped stop the flood of villagers to the cities. They are now able to use their skills and remain in the countryside. Below we were all quite interested to see how they carve the stone, add bronze leaf, and create an antique look.
After the tour of the art school we headed into the market. There were so many things to buy! Of course we could not escape empty handed. The bargaining was so much fun that it was really worth it. Nadim and I managed to come away with Cambodian pants that we really didn't need, but they are very comfortable! We also bought a few other little things, but were tempted by so much more. We'll see what tomorrow brings....CM
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Angkor Temples
Sensory and information overload! Angkor Wat is 1 km square, Angkor Thom is 3 km square, and there are over 50 temples in the area! So much to see and only 3 days - we decided to hire a guide and driver. Our guide, Siya, seemed to know exactly where to take us, and he also was able to take us to all the right spots at the right time of day to avoid the tour bus crowds. He told all sorts of stories about the temples and life in Cambodia, and we felt that it really enriched the day.
Our first stop was Angkor Wat. It is over about a thousand years old, and there are tons and tons of intricate carvings in the stone. Some are of battle scenes, but many just seem to be tributes to Hindu Gods, mainly Vishnu.
The girls liked the hundreds of dancing girl carvings that seemed to be everywhere. Apparently the King liked his girls! Each one is different and has a different hair style.
Next we went to Angkor Thom. It used to be a royal city, and our main stop within it was the Bayon, a temple that is famous for its many smiling faces carved into the stone. We thought the name was particularly nice because we have a nephew of the same name! Same of the smiles on these faces were really beautiful.
We also visted a few lesser ruins and some magnificent terraces. I think by the time we returned to the hotel, the girls were completely exhausted and we were pretty tired too. Tomorrow we plan to do only a half day of temples and see a bit of Siem Reap in the afternoon.
CM
Our first stop was Angkor Wat. It is over about a thousand years old, and there are tons and tons of intricate carvings in the stone. Some are of battle scenes, but many just seem to be tributes to Hindu Gods, mainly Vishnu.
The girls liked the hundreds of dancing girl carvings that seemed to be everywhere. Apparently the King liked his girls! Each one is different and has a different hair style.
Next we went to Angkor Thom. It used to be a royal city, and our main stop within it was the Bayon, a temple that is famous for its many smiling faces carved into the stone. We thought the name was particularly nice because we have a nephew of the same name! Same of the smiles on these faces were really beautiful.
After lunch we headed to Ta Prohm, which is a temple famous for the trees that have taken over many of the structures. These trees start on the roof of these buildings and they feed off the moss. Their roots grow to be quite enormous and eventually they completely surround the building.
We also visted a few lesser ruins and some magnificent terraces. I think by the time we returned to the hotel, the girls were completely exhausted and we were pretty tired too. Tomorrow we plan to do only a half day of temples and see a bit of Siem Reap in the afternoon.CM
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Arriving in Cambodia
The Bangkok airport was a breeze. We even got priority in the passport control queues because we are traveling with children. Thanks Yasmin and Roya!
Arriving in Cambodia, was strange. We also got priority, but this time they take you straight to the baggage claim, ask for all your papers and passport and of course the visa fee, then they run off with all of this and you're left wondering if it is some sort of scam, but sure enough they return with your passports and visas after a 15 minute wait and off you go.
We were supposed to be met by someone from out guest house, but no sign with our names greeted us. So we gave them a call and they rushed to get us. The owner had been setting up wireless Internet so he lost track of time and forgot about us. I'm just glad for the Internet, although it is a bit slower than back home.
The guest house is fine, and we are settling in with a game of table pool and some dinner. They seem like a friendly bunch here.
CM
Arriving in Cambodia, was strange. We also got priority, but this time they take you straight to the baggage claim, ask for all your papers and passport and of course the visa fee, then they run off with all of this and you're left wondering if it is some sort of scam, but sure enough they return with your passports and visas after a 15 minute wait and off you go.
We were supposed to be met by someone from out guest house, but no sign with our names greeted us. So we gave them a call and they rushed to get us. The owner had been setting up wireless Internet so he lost track of time and forgot about us. I'm just glad for the Internet, although it is a bit slower than back home.
The guest house is fine, and we are settling in with a game of table pool and some dinner. They seem like a friendly bunch here.
CM
Packing up again
We're leaving for Cambodia today. We need to leave Thailand and re-enter so that we can renew our visas. It seemed like the perfect excuse to head across the border to visit Ankgor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It is supposed to be huge. It's a series of temples and ruins. For those of you who might have seen "Tomb Raider", some of that movie was shot there.
Our flight is at 3:10, so we're just about to head off to the airport. We aren't expecting trouble, as things have settled down now. We plan to come back on Dec 31, and then we're going north to Chiang Mai.
CM
Our flight is at 3:10, so we're just about to head off to the airport. We aren't expecting trouble, as things have settled down now. We plan to come back on Dec 31, and then we're going north to Chiang Mai.
CM
Friday, December 26, 2008
Ko Kret
Ko Kret is an island famous for its pottery. Lucky for us its nearby where we're staying in Nonthaburi (north of Bangkok). We had tried to visit the island when we were here in early November, but it was flooded and so we really didn't see much.
This time the water had receded and we were able to visit some of the shops. I picked up a few things and the girls were happy to find some pottery dishes that were miniature sized and perfect for their Barbies. Nadim of course had to bargain a bit so we walked away with a good deal, or at least we hope we did!
The pottery was mostly unglazed and intricately carved and decorated. They had pots, lamps, candle holders, and much more. It was kind of fun to shop around a little. It might have been nice to buy some larger pieces, but I was afraid they wouldn't make it home in one piece.
The girls were quite fascinated with the pottery factory. They watched as one fellow smoothed out some bowls, and a woman carved down some pots. I'm pretty sure that the few things I bought were hand made on the island. We've seen "made in China" stickers on some souvenir items in particularly touristy areas.
This time the water had receded and we were able to visit some of the shops. I picked up a few things and the girls were happy to find some pottery dishes that were miniature sized and perfect for their Barbies. Nadim of course had to bargain a bit so we walked away with a good deal, or at least we hope we did!
The pottery was mostly unglazed and intricately carved and decorated. They had pots, lamps, candle holders, and much more. It was kind of fun to shop around a little. It might have been nice to buy some larger pieces, but I was afraid they wouldn't make it home in one piece.
The girls were quite fascinated with the pottery factory. They watched as one fellow smoothed out some bowls, and a woman carved down some pots. I'm pretty sure that the few things I bought were hand made on the island. We've seen "made in China" stickers on some souvenir items in particularly touristy areas.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
I hope everyone back home is having a wonderful Christmas in the snow. We had a great Christmas day. Roya could hardly sleep. She got me up in the middle of the night (actually a couple of times) to ask if it was morning yet!
We started our day with a few gifts wrapped in newspaper and some wrapped in plastic bags. They don't seem to have much Christmas paper here. We had each bought one or two things for the the others, and each gift was so lovingly selected that it made it extra special.
We did our usual tradition of covering the presents and rolling dice to see who gets to pass out the next gift. It was a tradition that was passed down through my father's family. I think it was meant as a means to draw out the fun of Christmas morning, particularly in lean years. I was so thankful for it this year, because it made it seem so much like at home. We didn't have a Christmas tree, but the girls cut out and decorated paper ones and set them out in a circle along with stars, and snowmen.
After presents and phoning my sisters - it was still Christmas Eve for them - the girls played with their new Barbie dresses, and toy cell phones. I couldn't help overhearing some of their conversations. Roya was a doctor and Yasmin was a bossy patient trying to get her check-up in before she had to go to the ball!
We headed to Siam Water Park for most of the day. It was very quiet and in the morning we were almost the only ones there. In the afternoon some school groups came so it picked up a little, but still no lineups. We all went down the slides, but the girls outlasted us by a long shot. They went down the water slides until their legs hurt from climbing the stairs at a run too many times! They especially liked the ones that twist and turn, but the one that went straight down was fun too.
We also enjoyed the huge wave pool that was done up like a beach. The waves were pretty calm though. There was also a pool that had a bit of a current in it. For the most part, the current was very slow, but in one spot, it was fast, and we all played there for a bit. I kind of felt like the otters in the zoo that keep sliding and turning in the water.
We stayed a little longer than planned at the water park, and when we got home we had to rush to get ourselves cleaned up for dinner. Back into a taxi and downtown for our Christmas dinner at the Bourbon Street Restaurant. They had a fantastic spread. Buffet tables were full with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, gravy, and a table full of all sorts of desserts, pumpkin, apple, and lemon pies, brownies, chocolate cake, carrot cake, cheesecake, puddings, and so much more. I'm still too full and we finished eating almost two hours ago!
We started our day with a few gifts wrapped in newspaper and some wrapped in plastic bags. They don't seem to have much Christmas paper here. We had each bought one or two things for the the others, and each gift was so lovingly selected that it made it extra special.
We did our usual tradition of covering the presents and rolling dice to see who gets to pass out the next gift. It was a tradition that was passed down through my father's family. I think it was meant as a means to draw out the fun of Christmas morning, particularly in lean years. I was so thankful for it this year, because it made it seem so much like at home. We didn't have a Christmas tree, but the girls cut out and decorated paper ones and set them out in a circle along with stars, and snowmen.
After presents and phoning my sisters - it was still Christmas Eve for them - the girls played with their new Barbie dresses, and toy cell phones. I couldn't help overhearing some of their conversations. Roya was a doctor and Yasmin was a bossy patient trying to get her check-up in before she had to go to the ball!
We headed to Siam Water Park for most of the day. It was very quiet and in the morning we were almost the only ones there. In the afternoon some school groups came so it picked up a little, but still no lineups. We all went down the slides, but the girls outlasted us by a long shot. They went down the water slides until their legs hurt from climbing the stairs at a run too many times! They especially liked the ones that twist and turn, but the one that went straight down was fun too.
We also enjoyed the huge wave pool that was done up like a beach. The waves were pretty calm though. There was also a pool that had a bit of a current in it. For the most part, the current was very slow, but in one spot, it was fast, and we all played there for a bit. I kind of felt like the otters in the zoo that keep sliding and turning in the water.
We stayed a little longer than planned at the water park, and when we got home we had to rush to get ourselves cleaned up for dinner. Back into a taxi and downtown for our Christmas dinner at the Bourbon Street Restaurant. They had a fantastic spread. Buffet tables were full with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, gravy, and a table full of all sorts of desserts, pumpkin, apple, and lemon pies, brownies, chocolate cake, carrot cake, cheesecake, puddings, and so much more. I'm still too full and we finished eating almost two hours ago!
The restaurant was filled with others wanting some Christmas cheer, and it was the first place in Thailand that I can say that I really felt the joy and love of Christmas. We had a great time eating and singing along to the Christmas carols. Food is so much of our tradition. It was wonderful to have Christmas dinner that wasn't so different from what we would have had at home.
CM
CM
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Planes, trains...
It's sooo nice to have our Internet connection back. We've called our travel agent to finalize our plans for getting to India, we've booked a flight to Cambodia, and we've made hotel arrangements for Cambodia and will soon make them for Chaing Mai too. It's so great to be able to look things up and makes some plans.
We couldn't book train tickets online so we headed off to Bangkok train station. We were a bit worried about availability. I'm glad we went in and booked the tickets because the first class sleepers were already booked up for the dates we wanted and I'm sure the second class ones would have been gone soon too. We settled on second class sleeper tickets which I think should be fine.
I get a kick out of the traffic in Bangkok. You see tuk tuks, motorcycles, old buses, new buses, taxis of all different colours, and regular cars too. I thought I'd share the picture to illustrate.
Back in Nonthaburi, our part of town, we went to the newly completed Central Plaza. It is absolutely huge! It has seven floors. One floor has movie theatres, games, and other entertainment type shops, another has tons of restaurants, another is mostly technology related, yet another is dedicated to beauty and weight loss shops, and of course there are lots of clothing shops and things as well. We finished off our Christmas shopping and then went to the movie theatre.
Looking around the shopping centre was a bit strange. With it sunny and hot outside it doesn't seem quite right. I also find that although the decorations are up, people don't have the same Christmas spirit that we have back home. I miss strangers wishing us "Merry Christmas!" It seems quite phony and commercial to be honest. They have this huge Christmas tree that is three stories tall in the mall, and they have "Frosty the Snowman" playing, but I can't quite believe that tomorrow is really Christmas.
We couldn't book train tickets online so we headed off to Bangkok train station. We were a bit worried about availability. I'm glad we went in and booked the tickets because the first class sleepers were already booked up for the dates we wanted and I'm sure the second class ones would have been gone soon too. We settled on second class sleeper tickets which I think should be fine.
I get a kick out of the traffic in Bangkok. You see tuk tuks, motorcycles, old buses, new buses, taxis of all different colours, and regular cars too. I thought I'd share the picture to illustrate.
Back in Nonthaburi, our part of town, we went to the newly completed Central Plaza. It is absolutely huge! It has seven floors. One floor has movie theatres, games, and other entertainment type shops, another has tons of restaurants, another is mostly technology related, yet another is dedicated to beauty and weight loss shops, and of course there are lots of clothing shops and things as well. We finished off our Christmas shopping and then went to the movie theatre. 
Looking around the shopping centre was a bit strange. With it sunny and hot outside it doesn't seem quite right. I also find that although the decorations are up, people don't have the same Christmas spirit that we have back home. I miss strangers wishing us "Merry Christmas!" It seems quite phony and commercial to be honest. They have this huge Christmas tree that is three stories tall in the mall, and they have "Frosty the Snowman" playing, but I can't quite believe that tomorrow is really Christmas.CM
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Back in Bangkok
So we made it back to Bangkok. Yesterday was just relaxing and finding our way to the post office. We had made the mistake of stopping at a branch office near the tourist areas, and they were going to charge us about $30 for one package of letters that we had been meaning to mail to one of the classes in Canada. We decided to bike over to the main office and there they charged us only about $3.00! Strange how things work here.
We did really enjoy our stay at the Thai Garden Inn. Our flamboyant host regaled us with all sorts of funny stories. Stories of a cobra in the pool pump house, stories about British celebrities, and stories about the wicked local Thai woman that lives on his property. Nick was really great. He had the perfect personality for running a hotel. He has another in England, but it is a bit out of the way from our planned travels. Hmmm.... you never know!
Today we decided to forgo the train and take the minibus back to Bangkok. It was a bit stuffy, despite the air-con, but it only took about 2 hours instead of 3 or 4 and it was much quieter than the clackety train.
We are now back at Vaughan's spare room and we have our Internet connection again! We've really missed it. This laptop has been our life line to family and friends back home, and with some planning work that we've been putting off, it's great to have the connection once again.
So is everyone back home ready for Christmas? I've not put up a tree, or decorations, I've not planned for guests, I've not planned a Christmas dinner, and I haven't wrapped any gifts! Hope everyone has a great Christmas and I must say that I really do miss some of the hype. We're off to the shopping centre that just opened at the end of the street. Maybe I'll feel a bit of the Christmas spirit there. Vaughan says that there has been more celebrations at the new shopping centre than at the local church!
CM
We did really enjoy our stay at the Thai Garden Inn. Our flamboyant host regaled us with all sorts of funny stories. Stories of a cobra in the pool pump house, stories about British celebrities, and stories about the wicked local Thai woman that lives on his property. Nick was really great. He had the perfect personality for running a hotel. He has another in England, but it is a bit out of the way from our planned travels. Hmmm.... you never know!
Today we decided to forgo the train and take the minibus back to Bangkok. It was a bit stuffy, despite the air-con, but it only took about 2 hours instead of 3 or 4 and it was much quieter than the clackety train.
We are now back at Vaughan's spare room and we have our Internet connection again! We've really missed it. This laptop has been our life line to family and friends back home, and with some planning work that we've been putting off, it's great to have the connection once again.
So is everyone back home ready for Christmas? I've not put up a tree, or decorations, I've not planned for guests, I've not planned a Christmas dinner, and I haven't wrapped any gifts! Hope everyone has a great Christmas and I must say that I really do miss some of the hype. We're off to the shopping centre that just opened at the end of the street. Maybe I'll feel a bit of the Christmas spirit there. Vaughan says that there has been more celebrations at the new shopping centre than at the local church!
CM
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Pool & Sun
Today was more pool, more sun, and more relaxed! After breakfast we headed straight to the pool. We all took a dip, but of course the girls wanted to stay in much longer than Nadim and I. That suited us fine as we enjoyed the sun and our books.
We headed into town for some lunch and did a little shopping and browsing through the shops. We soon got hot and decided to spend the rest of the day at the pool. There were a bunch of kids at the pool so Yasmin and Roya enjoyed playing with them on the big tube. The water was really refreshing.
At supper tonight we were talking with the staff and of course they asked if the girls were twins. Yasmin told her that she was 37 minutes older than Roya, and the girl said that in Thailand the one that is born second is considered the older sister because she lets the younger sister out first! Of course Roya enjoyed that story. It is custom here to call your sister with the title P. for older sister, and Nong for younger sister, so of course we had P Yasmin and now P Roya too!
CM
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Kanchanaburi
This morning we slept in until 8:00, had a leisurely, complimentary breakfast, and chatted with Nick, the owner of our guest house. He’s done a fair bit of traveling and is a bit jealous of us and our continuing travel plans. He was a bit like a mother hen, ensuring that we were comfortable, suggesting an evening BBQ, and giving the girls yogurts later in the morning for snack. Yasmin has started reading Harry Potter, and really loved the first book. She’s now on the second book and looking forward to the third. At one point we were talking about books and Nick said he had an extra copy of the third book of the Harry Potter series and he actually hunted around for it and gave it to us! Yasmin was very happy about that.
We hadn’t done much home schooling all week so we had to get a few lessons in today. Hard to swallow on a Saturday, but it’s not so bad when we’re doing our work outside under a grass hut!
Lessons were finished before lunch and off we went to the Bridge Over the River Kwai. We had a little look at the bridge and thought of the hard work and history surrounding it. It’s nice for us all to see history, rather than just read about it.
Near the bridge there were all sorts of little shops so we did a bit of shopping. We wanted to buy a few small things for each other to exchange on Christmas day. It’s quite a trick to make purchases while your kids are with you and still have them a surprise. I think we succeeded though.
We hadn’t done much home schooling all week so we had to get a few lessons in today. Hard to swallow on a Saturday, but it’s not so bad when we’re doing our work outside under a grass hut!
Lessons were finished before lunch and off we went to the Bridge Over the River Kwai. We had a little look at the bridge and thought of the hard work and history surrounding it. It’s nice for us all to see history, rather than just read about it.
Near the bridge there were all sorts of little shops so we did a bit of shopping. We wanted to buy a few small things for each other to exchange on Christmas day. It’s quite a trick to make purchases while your kids are with you and still have them a surprise. I think we succeeded though.
We finished off our day with swimming at the pool. It was really quite a relaxing day. I think tomorrow we may have more of the same. Nice to recharge a little.
CM
CM
Friday, December 19, 2008
Waterfalls & more
We skipped school again! We're such delinquents. The tour got underway early so we had a full morning at Erawan Park. It is a national park known for its waterfalls. It has seven tiers and Nadim and Roya climbed them all. Yasmin and I were tired after the fifth tier and decided swimming would be more fun, so we climbed back down to the second tier. Each one was gorgeous and of course the pictures don't do it justice. Along the way we saw a baby snake, and a couple of monkeys. Nadim found a walking stick to ward off danger and protect us, but didn't find reason to use it.
The water wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. It was pretty refreshing after the hike. It took a bit to get in, not because of the cold, but because of the fish! There were a bunch of them swimming along the water's edge and they would nibble at your feet when you put them in. It didn't hurt, but it was too weird! Eventually we got in and Yasmin and I swam to the falls and back a couple of times. Nadim and Roya joined us and we had to cheer Nadim on, to get him in the water, but eventually he made a quick trip out to the falls too.
After lunch the tour took us elephant riding. The girls loved it, but after our first elephant ride in Bangkok, this really didn't seem much different. None the less, it was a fun way to spend part of the afternoon.
Bamboo rafting was next. The river was quite calm, so it was a quiet float down the river. I had an interesting chat with a fellow who was from Holland. We talked about his current trip and ours, and a previous trip he had taken through Brazil. Nadim flaked out and enjoyed the sun and the girls dipped their feet in the water and listened to a few stories that Nadim told.
When we got off the raft, we had to walk across this rickety old foot bridge. There were several places where planks were missing and Roya managed to fall between the boards! She only fell up to her thigh, but it gave us a scare and her a big scrape. She's okay though.
The next stop was the railway. We rode the train for about 20 minutes. It was similar to the one we had arrived on, but this part of the railway was part of the Death Railway. Parts of it went through rocky areas, and I could imagine the poor workers digging and blasting their way along.
The water wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. It was pretty refreshing after the hike. It took a bit to get in, not because of the cold, but because of the fish! There were a bunch of them swimming along the water's edge and they would nibble at your feet when you put them in. It didn't hurt, but it was too weird! Eventually we got in and Yasmin and I swam to the falls and back a couple of times. Nadim and Roya joined us and we had to cheer Nadim on, to get him in the water, but eventually he made a quick trip out to the falls too.
After lunch the tour took us elephant riding. The girls loved it, but after our first elephant ride in Bangkok, this really didn't seem much different. None the less, it was a fun way to spend part of the afternoon.
Bamboo rafting was next. The river was quite calm, so it was a quiet float down the river. I had an interesting chat with a fellow who was from Holland. We talked about his current trip and ours, and a previous trip he had taken through Brazil. Nadim flaked out and enjoyed the sun and the girls dipped their feet in the water and listened to a few stories that Nadim told.
When we got off the raft, we had to walk across this rickety old foot bridge. There were several places where planks were missing and Roya managed to fall between the boards! She only fell up to her thigh, but it gave us a scare and her a big scrape. She's okay though.
The next stop was the railway. We rode the train for about 20 minutes. It was similar to the one we had arrived on, but this part of the railway was part of the Death Railway. Parts of it went through rocky areas, and I could imagine the poor workers digging and blasting their way along.
The last stop of the day was the Bridge Over the River Kwai. It is fairly close to where we are staying so we will probably go back and take a closer look without so many tourists around.
It was an extremely busy day, and I think it's time to get the girls off to bed! We're all pleasantly tired.
CM
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Trains
Yesterday was spent on various trains getting to Kanchanaburi. The first one was pretty normal, if a bit dilapidated, but the second one was like stepping back in time. The benches were all wooden. The windows were wide open. I’m sure some safety rule in Canada would forbid that. No A/C but there were fans on the ceiling. As we clattered along, you could hardly talk to each other for the noise. We did manage to get our home schooling done though! The ride was a bit dusty at times and we arrived a bit late, but made it here in one piece.
Our first choice of guest houses was all booked up, so we tried a few others and eventually settled for one night in Sam’s House. It was unique in that it was right on the water, but I think the floating disco noises would have bothered us on the up-coming weekend, besides it was a bit small for us.
Our first choice of guest houses was all booked up, so we tried a few others and eventually settled for one night in Sam’s House. It was unique in that it was right on the water, but I think the floating disco noises would have bothered us on the up-coming weekend, besides it was a bit small for us. 
Sam's House
This morning’s hunt for a guest house ended when we found Thai Garden Inn. It doesn’t have Internet, but it does have a pool! I guess we’ll have to make do with Internet cafes for a little while longer.
Thai Garden Inn
Thai Garden InnThis afternoon we went to Death Railway Museum. It covered a bit of the history of why the Japanese wanted to build a railway between Thailand and Burma (a safe land passage, because the seas were not in their control), and it also covered the 15 month construction period. During that time about 60,000 prisoners of war (POW) were forced to work on the railway and about 10,000 of them perished in appalling conditions – not enough food, not enough medical supplies, and unsanitary living conditions. But it wasn’t only the POWs that worked on the railway. There were many Asians that were forced to work the construction and about 100,000 deaths in total.
After the railway museum, we walked across the road to the war cemetery. Approximately 7,000 are buried there. We read many of the headstones. Things like “In the garden of memories I will meet you every day”. Very sad. In fact the whole afternoon was overwhelming. Tomorrow we are taking a tour and part of it includes seeing the Bridge Over the River Kwai and a ride on the railway. I’m glad we did the museum first as it will deepen our appreciation tomorrow.
CM
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Ruins and Elephants
We did not have internet access last night, so I am posting this morning. We rented bikes again yesterday and found our way to Wat Mahathat, the ancient temple, built around 1300 A.D. It always feels so surreal to be walking among the ruins where kings, monks and others walked and lived 700 years ago! This wat, like others in the city was destroyed during the war with Burma. In fact, the Burmese army used one of the towers of this wat to fire a canon at the palace, killing the king.
The main attraction at this wat is the face of the Buddha surrounded by the roots of a Banyan tree. No one knows what happened to the body, only the head remains. Typically, after the war, the winning side would cut off the heads of the statues in the temples, etc. to defeat the spirits of the conquered people. In this case though, the head escaped and found its way to the tree roots.
After the visit to the wat, we came back to the guesthouse and the girls started doing some school work while I biked to the train station to find out about the trip to Kanchanaburi. Of course, by this time it was 11:45 and the staff at the station was at lunch, and the counters were closed! I went into the waiting hall and looked at the boards with arrival / departure times, trying to figure out how to get a connection in Bangkok. I noticed someone in a train officer’s uniform looking at me while having his lunch, so I went over and said “sawadee krap” (formal hello) and asked about getting to Kanchanaburi. He interrupted his lunch and gave me the information I was looking for, and I thanked him profusely and left him to his lunch.
The main attraction at this wat is the face of the Buddha surrounded by the roots of a Banyan tree. No one knows what happened to the body, only the head remains. Typically, after the war, the winning side would cut off the heads of the statues in the temples, etc. to defeat the spirits of the conquered people. In this case though, the head escaped and found its way to the tree roots.
After the visit to the wat, we came back to the guesthouse and the girls started doing some school work while I biked to the train station to find out about the trip to Kanchanaburi. Of course, by this time it was 11:45 and the staff at the station was at lunch, and the counters were closed! I went into the waiting hall and looked at the boards with arrival / departure times, trying to figure out how to get a connection in Bangkok. I noticed someone in a train officer’s uniform looking at me while having his lunch, so I went over and said “sawadee krap” (formal hello) and asked about getting to Kanchanaburi. He interrupted his lunch and gave me the information I was looking for, and I thanked him profusely and left him to his lunch.Visiting the Elephant Kraal was a good incentive for the kids to finish their school work quickly. The Kraal is a historic site where they used to round up wild elephants and the king would then choose the ones he wanted for himself. Today it is used to breed elephants and train them. They do still have webcams for the king to oversee the operation when he chooses. It is very important to the Thai people to keep elephants as part of their culture.
We were in for a real treat because last night a baby elephant was born! It was so cute. The mother was a little protective, but she would let us get fairly near and even touch her baby before she would manoeuvre the baby so it was beneath her and out of reach.
We met a family who was on vacation at the Kraal. Apparently they have little bungalows and you can stay for a week and feed, wash, and care for the elephants. It was tempting to look into it further. In talking with them we learned that the baby elephants roam free around the farm until they are about a year and a half. Then they are put in pens with their mothers until they are about two years old. They are then separated from their mothers for a short while. I guess they go off to elephant school, but eventually they return to their mothers.
I was surprised to learn that elephants can live to be 80 or 90 years old! Some of the elephants were retired, but others were still working elephants. They were lifting load of sugar canes with their trunks and tusks and bringing it to feed other elephants. It was like watching a small fork lift, but much more graceful.
Some of the elephants are used in shows around Thailand. While we were there they took some of the elephants to the river for a bath after their long day. Pretty cool to see the elephants duck under the water but not so far that they would lose their trainers.
We were in for a real treat because last night a baby elephant was born! It was so cute. The mother was a little protective, but she would let us get fairly near and even touch her baby before she would manoeuvre the baby so it was beneath her and out of reach.
We met a family who was on vacation at the Kraal. Apparently they have little bungalows and you can stay for a week and feed, wash, and care for the elephants. It was tempting to look into it further. In talking with them we learned that the baby elephants roam free around the farm until they are about a year and a half. Then they are put in pens with their mothers until they are about two years old. They are then separated from their mothers for a short while. I guess they go off to elephant school, but eventually they return to their mothers.I was surprised to learn that elephants can live to be 80 or 90 years old! Some of the elephants were retired, but others were still working elephants. They were lifting load of sugar canes with their trunks and tusks and bringing it to feed other elephants. It was like watching a small fork lift, but much more graceful.
Some of the elephants are used in shows around Thailand. While we were there they took some of the elephants to the river for a bath after their long day. Pretty cool to see the elephants duck under the water but not so far that they would lose their trainers.
The elephants are very social. There were several little elephants roaming around, and one in particular was known for getting into trouble. Funny to watch him chase dogs, or get into the food that was meant for someone else. The girls loved seeing so many elephants. They could pat many of the smaller ones and even some of the bigger ones. We also enjoyed feeding them. It was pretty cool to see how smart they were. They would snap sugar cane into elephant sized bites by stepping on one end and lifting the other end with their trunk, or they would crack the cane by stepping on it and wiggling their foot. Really amazing creatures!
This morning we are catching the train to Bangkok, then switching stations and going to Kanchanaburi. We will get there around 5 p.m. today. We have not booked a place to stay but I’m sure we’ll find one. We heard that about 2 million tourists cancelled their Thailand vacation plans because of the problems at the Bangkok airport!
NM & CM
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monkeys & Buddhas
Monkeys were on the agenda today. Lopburi is known for its gangs of monkeys that hang around some of the temples. We hired a driver to get us there and he showed us around a bit. First stop was a temple and park where the monkeys seem to hang out. They were everywhere. Nadim had one jump on his back, I had one jump on my hip, and Yasmin had one grap her ankle. Roya had one chase her, but she escaped untouched!
One lady bought some peanuts to feed to the little critters. After watching the monkeys race toward her, climb on her, and try to grab her bags we decided watching other people feed the monkeys might be more fun than feeding them ourselves.
After watching the monkeys play for a bit we headed across the street to Pra Prang Sam Yot, a very old temple. We could go inside and the monkeys were barred from entering so it was nice to look around and the girls had fun feeding some of the monkeys sunflower seeds, through the safety of barred windows. The monkeys were very gentle in taking the seeds, and their fingers were very soft.
Our driver suggested that we head off to another site. He said there was a big Buddha there. Why not... so off we went. This is the largest Buddha I have ever seen! You could see it from the highway towering over the trees and other buildings that surround it.
The temple was another beautiful temple, but the temple grounds were kind of strange. There were statues of people with different animal heads, there were people in chains being forced to kneel and show respect, there were various gory fight scenes, and there was even someone roasting a child over a fire! Very strange!
One lady bought some peanuts to feed to the little critters. After watching the monkeys race toward her, climb on her, and try to grab her bags we decided watching other people feed the monkeys might be more fun than feeding them ourselves.
After watching the monkeys play for a bit we headed across the street to Pra Prang Sam Yot, a very old temple. We could go inside and the monkeys were barred from entering so it was nice to look around and the girls had fun feeding some of the monkeys sunflower seeds, through the safety of barred windows. The monkeys were very gentle in taking the seeds, and their fingers were very soft.
From the outside there were lots of monkeys climbing on the temple. I thought it funny to see the monkeys climbing on a statue of a Buddha. Very spiritual monkeys, I guess.
Our driver suggested that we head off to another site. He said there was a big Buddha there. Why not... so off we went. This is the largest Buddha I have ever seen! You could see it from the highway towering over the trees and other buildings that surround it.
The temple was another beautiful temple, but the temple grounds were kind of strange. There were statues of people with different animal heads, there were people in chains being forced to kneel and show respect, there were various gory fight scenes, and there was even someone roasting a child over a fire! Very strange!Tonight we plan to hit the night market. Last night was a lot of fun too. We had planned to go to a children’s theatre festival, but something got lost in translation and we ended up at a different festival and didn’t realize it until it was too late. We enjoyed watching a theatre production called “Glory of Ayutthaya, Great Kings Who Declared Independence”. We didn’t understand it because it was in Thai, but still interesting.
The main attraction, however, was the food. They had all kinds of stalls set up and people were dressed in traditional Thai clothes. We then had to exchange our Baht for ancient money. Apparently they used “bullet” money in the past. It was metal rolled up and then covered with clay. Queen Victoria gave them their first minting machine to replace that system! So last night we exchanged our Baht for “bullet” money and bought all sorts of good things to eat with that currency. The girls particularly enjoyed the Pad Thai, and Nadim and I really enjoyed a green curry served with small pieces of roti bread. All dishes were served in banana leaf plates, or bowls.
CM
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Ayutthaya Ruins
We arrived safely in Ayutthaya. It was a bit early (4:30 am), but we made our way to the guest house and I'm afraid we roused the keeper from her sleep. She had marked am in her book, but thought we were coming in the afternoon.
After some additional sleep we headed off to find bicycles. We spent the rest of the morning biking through Ayutthaya and marvelling at the ruins. We stopped in the ancient city historical site to take a closer look.
These are ruins from about 600 years ago before they moved the capital to Bangkok. The three points (chedis) are among the most photographed in Ayutthaya.
It was hot, but in the shade it was okay. There weren't too many tourists around, but we do find it funny to see westerners again. We haven't seen too many in the last month.
We headed back to the guest house for another nap (we really didn't get much sleep on the train last night). The guest house is quiet and comfortable and the owner is very helpful. So are the other guests. In fact we met a retired professor from Vancouver and he pointed us to a children's theatre festival that is on tonight. So that's where we are off to this evening.
The only thing that we don't like so much about the guest house is that it doesn't have Internet. But here we are enjoying a cup of tea at a cafe with wireless access, so that's not so bad either!
CM
After some additional sleep we headed off to find bicycles. We spent the rest of the morning biking through Ayutthaya and marvelling at the ruins. We stopped in the ancient city historical site to take a closer look.
These are ruins from about 600 years ago before they moved the capital to Bangkok. The three points (chedis) are among the most photographed in Ayutthaya.
It was hot, but in the shade it was okay. There weren't too many tourists around, but we do find it funny to see westerners again. We haven't seen too many in the last month.
We headed back to the guest house for another nap (we really didn't get much sleep on the train last night). The guest house is quiet and comfortable and the owner is very helpful. So are the other guests. In fact we met a retired professor from Vancouver and he pointed us to a children's theatre festival that is on tonight. So that's where we are off to this evening.The only thing that we don't like so much about the guest house is that it doesn't have Internet. But here we are enjoying a cup of tea at a cafe with wireless access, so that's not so bad either!
CM
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Leaving Today
This morning we packed and did some cleaning. The girls got out for a bike ride and played for a bit in the school yard. It was good for Nadim and I to have them out from under foot while packing and good for them to have a bit of play time without us around.
For lunch we headed off to Wee's house. She wanted to have us over before we left so she suggested lunch today. The food was delicious and once again we had Som Tam, or green papaya salad. The girls learned how to make it. It's very popular here, but they usually make it with tons of chilies and it is sooooo HOT!!! The girls just put half a chili in it and it was good for us.
Shadow, who has come here to volunteer from the United States was helping to show the girls how it was done. It's kind of fun to make because there is a lot of smashing to do.
Now we're doing our last checks and are about to head of to Ubon to take the train to Ayutthaya. That is the old capitol so there are lots of ruins and wats to see. We are only there for a few days before heading off to Kanchanaburi which is west of Bangkok. Our train gets in at 4:00 a.m. so we aren't looking forward to that, but that's the only train we could take so one early morning won't kill us.
For lunch we headed off to Wee's house. She wanted to have us over before we left so she suggested lunch today. The food was delicious and once again we had Som Tam, or green papaya salad. The girls learned how to make it. It's very popular here, but they usually make it with tons of chilies and it is sooooo HOT!!! The girls just put half a chili in it and it was good for us.
Shadow, who has come here to volunteer from the United States was helping to show the girls how it was done. It's kind of fun to make because there is a lot of smashing to do.
Now we're doing our last checks and are about to head of to Ubon to take the train to Ayutthaya. That is the old capitol so there are lots of ruins and wats to see. We are only there for a few days before heading off to Kanchanaburi which is west of Bangkok. Our train gets in at 4:00 a.m. so we aren't looking forward to that, but that's the only train we could take so one early morning won't kill us.CM
Friday, December 12, 2008
A busy day
This was our last full day in Yasothon and it was packed! We made burritos with the other grade 5 class. Some of the boys became experts at frying tortillas. It's a pretty good recipe for keeping the kids busy. First they have to make the bread dough, then they make the cut vegetables and squish the beans for the filling. Next is cooking the filling and then they roll out the dough and cut tomotoes and lettuce for the toppings. We had three batches of the recipe going so there was lots to have the kids do. Naiyana was back so it was nice to have her help with translation.
Yesterday when we did the cooking the class ran late and we were left with no helpers for dishes, but today some of the girls volunteered to help. We had a real assembly line going and it didn't take long to clean up.
During lunch break we stayed at the school and got out our jump rope. The kids love the skipping song that starts "Mexico, Texico, over the hils in Mexico..." because there are actions that they have to do (turn around, touch the ground, etc.). At first they weren't too sure about having to do these challenging stunts, but pretty soon, I would be walking through the school yard and the kids would make a motion of swinging a skipping rope and ask "Mexico, Texico?". My hand is not quite blistered, but pretty tender from swinging the rope for them. I left them the words to the song, but I'm not sure if they'll continue without us.
The afternoon was busy too. Nawarat asked us to make pancakes with a younger grade, so of course we agreed. The younger kids were so well behaved! Much less rowdy than the grade fives. The little kids enjoyed our stunts of pretending not to know how to crack an egg. We got out the scissors, and they were all laughing.
We rushed home and were in the middle of cleaning up when Goli came by to pick us up. We were going for chocolate cake and tea at a friend of Goli's. Off we went again. The couple we visited have a Chinese background and they had recently visited China and bought tea that was ten years old! They invited us to have some. We were a bit afraid to drink it, but of course we couldn't resist. The tea was good, but I especially liked the cups that they were served in. The cups had blue dragons on the side of them, but when the hot tea was poured in them and they heated up, the dragons turned red! Perhaps I'm easily amused, but I quite enjoyed that.
This was not the end of our day though. We came back home in time to be picked up again. Naiyana wanted us to come to dinner for our last evening in Yasothon. So we all went out to dinner. We had delicious Thai food. Naiyana is an expert in ordering all the best things. I no longer even bother to open the menu when I'm with her. We have complete trust that whatever she orders will be great.
After dinner we went back to Nawarat and Naiyana's house. The moon was full and so we enjoyed it in the garden outside their house. Of course the stories were flying. Naiyana told a couple but the one we enjoyed most was about Nawarat going to Cambodia about 20 years ago when the border between Cambodia and Thailand was quite dangerous. She told of Nawarat being detained for givng Baha'i books out, and how she had to rescue him. I think it was quite dangerous at the time, but as everyone was safely sitting in the garden with us, it was quite funny to hear her tell of getting angry at the Cambodian guards and refusing to pay bribes and then getting mad at Nawarat for getting himself taken into custody in the first place! I thought it quite funny her line about telling him and his friend they were as stupid as water buffalo! Poor Nawarat shrugs his shoulders and grins.
Left to right: Nadim, Nawarat, Ninyan, Christina, Yasmin, Shadow, Roya, Naiyana
The kids generally liked the burritos, but a few weren't big fans of the beans. Can't please 'em all! The boys got into the flour and before you knew it there was a white hand print on the back of a couple of the boys' heads! At least it washes off.
Yesterday when we did the cooking the class ran late and we were left with no helpers for dishes, but today some of the girls volunteered to help. We had a real assembly line going and it didn't take long to clean up.
During lunch break we stayed at the school and got out our jump rope. The kids love the skipping song that starts "Mexico, Texico, over the hils in Mexico..." because there are actions that they have to do (turn around, touch the ground, etc.). At first they weren't too sure about having to do these challenging stunts, but pretty soon, I would be walking through the school yard and the kids would make a motion of swinging a skipping rope and ask "Mexico, Texico?". My hand is not quite blistered, but pretty tender from swinging the rope for them. I left them the words to the song, but I'm not sure if they'll continue without us.The afternoon was busy too. Nawarat asked us to make pancakes with a younger grade, so of course we agreed. The younger kids were so well behaved! Much less rowdy than the grade fives. The little kids enjoyed our stunts of pretending not to know how to crack an egg. We got out the scissors, and they were all laughing.
Before we left the cooking class we still had to give a puppet play. Yasmin and Roya had practised a play that we found online so we gathered up a bunch of kids and had a little show. The kids seemed to enjoy it, but the younger ones don't understand English too well, so I'm not sure if they got the plot. It wasn't long so I think they enjoyed it in any case.
We rushed home and were in the middle of cleaning up when Goli came by to pick us up. We were going for chocolate cake and tea at a friend of Goli's. Off we went again. The couple we visited have a Chinese background and they had recently visited China and bought tea that was ten years old! They invited us to have some. We were a bit afraid to drink it, but of course we couldn't resist. The tea was good, but I especially liked the cups that they were served in. The cups had blue dragons on the side of them, but when the hot tea was poured in them and they heated up, the dragons turned red! Perhaps I'm easily amused, but I quite enjoyed that.This was not the end of our day though. We came back home in time to be picked up again. Naiyana wanted us to come to dinner for our last evening in Yasothon. So we all went out to dinner. We had delicious Thai food. Naiyana is an expert in ordering all the best things. I no longer even bother to open the menu when I'm with her. We have complete trust that whatever she orders will be great.
After dinner we went back to Nawarat and Naiyana's house. The moon was full and so we enjoyed it in the garden outside their house. Of course the stories were flying. Naiyana told a couple but the one we enjoyed most was about Nawarat going to Cambodia about 20 years ago when the border between Cambodia and Thailand was quite dangerous. She told of Nawarat being detained for givng Baha'i books out, and how she had to rescue him. I think it was quite dangerous at the time, but as everyone was safely sitting in the garden with us, it was quite funny to hear her tell of getting angry at the Cambodian guards and refusing to pay bribes and then getting mad at Nawarat for getting himself taken into custody in the first place! I thought it quite funny her line about telling him and his friend they were as stupid as water buffalo! Poor Nawarat shrugs his shoulders and grins.
Left to right: Nadim, Nawarat, Ninyan, Christina, Yasmin, Shadow, Roya, NaiyanaTomorrow we are leaving and it feels like we are leaving behind family. This has been a great month and we have made some wonderful friends. Yasmin and Roya are already talking about coming back after high school.
CM
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