Thale Noi; A Life In A Day

Thale Noi Bird Sanctuary, Thailand, January 29, 2006

This was a day that encompassed a lifetime of beauty.

Jook's sister; 'Ten' invited a bunch of us to Thale Noi Bird Sanctuary, near Phattalung. This is a world heritage site on a huge lake that drains out into the Gulf of Thailand. The water is actually fresh water and salt water combined.

We stayed in these wood huts on the water. They are reserved for staff only, but Ten is a government Nurse with many connections so we were given permission to stay here for a night.

We got up around 7am and sat drinking coffee on the dock while we watched the sunrise.

As it warmed up, the lotus flowers began opening up all over the lake.

Jookie got us a 'Long tail Boat' and pilot, to take us into the wetlands.

Ten brought her son; Chip; along. We call him the little monkey and he lives up to that name. He's always exploring or eating something. He's a sweet little guy.

We saw a wonderful array of birds, flying and nesting, but the most amazing sight for me was the sight of so many lotus covering the lake around us.
When we got back to the dock, we stopped for a great 'aroi mark mark' Thai breakfast. Then Jook's brother drove me to town to take a mini bus to Hat Yai where I got on yet another bus to take me to Songkhla. It was only 11am.

Phattalung Plantation

Phattalung, Thailand, January 29, 2006

I have been working my way South to Malaysia to meet up with my buddy, Ted and his wife Bee. My very dear friend Jookie invited me to visit her home town; Phattalung; and see the rich countryside and plantations there.

This is a fertile area of Thailand with many rice paddies and rubber trees. The land tends to be relatively flat with huge rocky deposits like this one.

We started by bringing food for the monks at the local Temple. After they ate their meal of rice, fruits and vegetables, we bowed our heads while a monk sprinkled a blessing of water on us.

Then we had our own lunch. From left to right this is: Jookie, Jookie's brother 'On' and her sister 'Ten'.

You may remember these two; 'Red' and 'Green' (I promise, I'm not making their names up.) They live in Bangkok with Jookie. Jook always calls them her sisters but they are really her cousins. But what I love about Thailand is that there isn't really a distinction made between sisters and cousins. They actually act as if they are Jookie's daughters.

I tell you this because these are their parents; Aree and Pak. The family have a rubber tree plantation and have worked it for several generations.

Jookie also has her own plantation. Her sister; 'Ten' manages it for her.

Here is a tub of the rubber as it looks when it has been collected and poured into aluminum containers. The rubber is dumped out while it is still pliable and it is pushed flat like home-made bread. It is then run through those presses you see, to flatten it out.

Finally, it is hung to dry. It looks like long car floor mats when it is done. Later it is sold in this form and can be melted back down to be made into tires or whatever the manufacturer chooses to make of it. A typical family plantation like this one earns about fifteen thousand baht per month ($500 Canadian Dollars).

The other thing you see here is Water Buffalo. They use them to do some of the physical labor and for their milk (I think).

Pak is harvesting their other crop; Somo; a fruit that tastes like a mild version of a grapefruit.

Ayako Explores Calgary

After Ayako san had a well-deserved sleep, I picked her up at Geeta's and we took the LRT (Light Rail Transit) to Calgary's city centre.

Even though Calgary has had some cold weather lately, we managed to find some flowers still in bloom.

I took Ayako to the Calgary Tower so she could get a view of the whole city at once.

We both had the 'Tower Club Sandwich' in the revolving restaurant. Just after we sat down, Ayako san asked: "Is room moving?" When I affirmed that it was she looked very relieved. "Oh, I thought maybe just still too tired from flight."

I have noticed a special glow about Ayako since she's been in Canada, and now I think I know why. I think she's in love. I caught her with her arm around one of our favorite Canadians, the Beaver. Ayako's father would approve I think. He's a dentist. Just look at that tooth!

While we were touring the City, I got a call from my old friend Malcome. He had a car for sale at a great price. So the next thing we knew, we were whisked away to get a safety inspection. So here I am with my new car. It's a 1985 Lincoln Town Car. It runs great.

Then it was a trip to the Supermarket so Ayako could get some treats for her friends and family. She was very excited to find that Safeway carries 'Hamutaro' spaghetti. He's a very popular cartoon character in Japan.

Perhaps the real reason for Ayako to be looking so happy here, is this Thai amulet. My very dear friend Jookie sent me some special amulets for Thailand, a few weeks ago. They have been blessed by the monks. I gave this one to Ayako san to give her the luck of the Buddha and to keep her safe in her travels. This amulet will have been all around the world by the time she returns to Japan.

Private Eyes

It seems that all my skills as a renovator have come together in the last little while. I never thought of myself as a taper, but when a Private Investigator asked me to help him put his offices together I decided to give it a try.

I took this picture at 9pm the other night as I was finishing putting the mud on the walls. Jookie in Thailand, asked me what taping was. I told her it's what we use to finish drywall. Then she wanted to know what drywall was.

So I hope this gives you some idea, Jookie.

Pina, (Pronounced 'Pee-nah' is the office administrator for the Private Investigation firm, and a very skilled renovator. She is one of staff who helped put this complex together. The whole job will take me 7 days to complete, including gyprocking, taping and finishing carpentry. It's easy to focus on work here in Calgary when I have no distractions.

My Day Off

Since arriving in Calgary I have been working six days a week. So here's how my day off went. I woke up at 8am and walked out into the backyard to see about cutting the lawn. This is a beautiful Garden, as you can see.

I met my landlady and friend, Lillian. She asked if I could help her with a couple of things so I went inside and moved two mattresses and adjusted her computer for her.

Then I went back down to my computer and caught up on my emails. This is my room here in Calgary. It's very simple and I really do keep it this neat every day.

While I was on the computer, my Friend Jookie from Thailand popped onto MSN and we had a wonderful talk using our Web cams. I told Jook I was going to cut the lawn and she asked what a 'lawn' was. I hope this Blog helps my friends in Thailand to see how we live in Canada.

When I was finished on the computer, my room mate and new partner in Construction, Teddy, asked if I would like to join him at Smitty's for breakfast. I love the Eggs Benedict.
As soon as we got back, the phone rang and a new customer asked us to do an estimate for him. We got that job, installing doors and baseboards for later in the week.

Then we noticed that one of Ted's tires was low so we changed it. Then I came home and designed a Website for selling Thai amulets and silk; a business I am pursuing with several friends around the world.

I finally took a bit of time to read before going to bed early. While I was reading, my cellophane rang and I had a wonderful talk with my dear friend Kitty, from Cape Cod. She was driving home in a terrible storm so her cell phone kept cutting out. I said to her: "Kitty, if you don't want to talk to me just say so." She is a joy to talk to.
I find I have tremendous energy these days because my life is so simple and focused. But most of all I have wonderful friends around the world.

The Package Has Landed

Thanks to my dear friends, Vivyan and Dorian in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada, I now have my tools with me in Calgary.

Yesterday I showed this picture of me lugging my bags to the Airport and I commented that the picture made me look as if I was 4 months pregnant. My dear friend, Jookie, in Thailand, wrote in the suble Asian style: "Today I have read your blog...... Very funny your picture... look similar 6 month. Not 4 month.......... tooo beeeeeeeek."

So I had a picture taken tonight to set the record straight. So now what do you have to say for yourself Jookie jing jing???
Ted and I have teamed up to do Home renovations together for a few months here in Calgary.

This is Geeta. She hired us to rebuilt her basement after she had some flooding from the recent Calgary rain. She is pleasure to work for. She makes us tea every morning as we discuss our plan of attack for the day. Geeta is also a fan of the Movie: 'What the Bleep Do We Know', and we have had some very interesting discussions about the meaning of the Universe, Synchronicity and the value of Orange Cake with Tea. Thanks very much Geeta, for making my new start in Calgary such a beautiful experience.

ไทยสมรส (Thai Wedding)

I met Tig while visiting Bangkok. She just got married this weekend to her fiancee', Johanne from Holland. I understand that there are an enormous number of men from Holland who marry Thai women.

วันนี้เป็นวันวิวาห์มงคล ของติ๊กกับโยอัน หลังจากที่มีการคบหากันมายาวนานแล้ว เป็นวันดีที่ทุกคนรออวยพรให้กับทั้งคู

The wedding took place in Angtong Province near Ayutthaya. Virtually the whole town came out for the event, starting with a parade by the local children.

พิธีงานแต่งงานจัดขึ้นที่จังหวัดอ่างทองบ้านของเจ้าสาว เมื่อได้ฤกษ์ดีของขบวนขันหมาก ในตอนเช้า เริ่มนำขบวนโดยเด็กๆน่ารักรำฟ้อน และขบวนกลองยาว นำไปบ้านเจ้าสาว

The food is made by the men for this ceremony. Each dish includes a gift of money attached by rods above each plate.

นี่เป็นเครื่องขบวนขันหมาก จัดเตรียมโดยฝ่ายเจ้าบ่าวได้อย่างมมโหฬาร ซึ่งประกอบด้วยขนม ผลไม้ อาหาร และสุราเบียร์ เพื่อนำเอาไปบ้านเจ้าสาว

The Banquet is carried in by the attendants.

ขบวนเกียติยศ โดย ผู้เชิญขบวนขันหมาก ดูแล้วหน้าตาสวยงามหมดจด สดใส ร่าเริง เดินตามหลังกลองยาว ที่ตีได้สนุกสนาน และโห่หิ้วไปด้วยว่าเจ้าบ่าวกำลังจะมาแล้ว

Johanne is dressed in a traditional Thai sash as he is escorted by his family to the ceremony.

โยอันอยู่ในชุดไทยประยุกต์ สีงาช้าง ที่เหมาะเจาะเหมาะสมกับเจ้าบ่าวมาก ดูดีมีสง่า พร้อมทั้งเฒ่าแก่ และญาติของฝ่ายเจ้าบ่าว เดินขบวนกันไปบ้านเจ้าสาว

Here is the wedding party just after the ceremony.

เพื่อนๆซึ่งส่วนใหญ่จากที่ทำงานเดียวกัน มาร่วมในพิธีงานแต่งงานแบบไทย ที่สืบทอดกันมาตั้งแต่โบราณกาล เป็นประเพณีที่รื่นเริงที่ผู้มาร่วมแสดงความยินดีกัน มากหน้าหลายตา และหาดูได้ง่ายในไทย แต่อาจจะหาดูไม่ได้เลยในแคนนาดา หรือแถบยุโรป

Tig has a great sense of humor and a wonderful grasp of English. And all her friends were unanimous in saying that Johanne has a 'jai dee'; a good heart and they all agree that he will make a very good husband for Tig.

ภาพคู่กันของเจ้าบ่าวและเจ้าสาวในหมู่ญาติๆ ที่ ดูเด่นเป็นสง่า เหมาะสมกันดังกิ่งทองใบหยก ทั้งหน้าตาและนิสัย ที่ทุกคนเห็นเป็นเอกฉันท์ว่า เป็นผู้มีมากด้วยใจโอบอ้อมอารี เพราะฉะนั้นจึงไม่แปลกที่มีผู้มาร่วมแสดงความยินดีกันคับคั่ง ในวันวิวาห์มงคลครั้งนี้

Tik and Johanne received their guests for a Buddhist blessing after the ceremony. Thai call this ceremony “Rod nam sang” and the couple use a conch shell to pour water into the hands of their guests as a symbol of fertility.

อาจจะหลังจากทำบุญตักบาตรผ่านพิธีทางสงฆ์แล้ว ก็ถึงพิธีสำคัญคือพิธีลดน้ำสังข์ เป็นการหลั่งน้ำมนต์อวยพรคู่บ่าวสาวจากภาชนะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ที่เป็นริมงคล เรียกว่าหอยสังข์ โดยญาติผู้ใหญ่ทยอยกันมารดน้ำสังข์ตามลำดับ ซึ่งส่วนใหญ่ มักจะอวยพรว่า ขอให้มีความสุข ครองคู่กันไปให้ยาวนาน ถือไม้เท้ายอดทองกระบองยอดเพชร มีลูกเต็มบ้าน มีหลานเต็มเมือง ในที่สุดเราก็ได้คำถามว่า ...เมื่อไหร่พวกเราจะได้อุ้มหลานนะ...

JP. just reminded me that I forgot to mention: Tig will be moving to Holland to live with Johanne. She is excited to be with him but she is also very sad to be leaving her friends and family in Thailand.

Note: My dear friend Jook sent me these pictures from the wedding. I asked her to translate this story so that my Thai friends can also share in the blog. Kohp khun krup Jookie!

Khao San Road; There And Back Again

Bangkok, Thailand, May 2, 2005

So here I am, back where I started from; Khao San Road.

But before experiencing the madness of this place, I climbed to the top of a building to experience a sunset.

Then I did some final shopping before my return.

This is the courtyard of a very nice Hotel I have been staying in the last couple of nights. I decided to treat myself to a slightly better place but I kept having bad karma here. Yesterday the air conditioning quit. So I had it recharged. Then when I got back at the end of the night, it had quit again, so after 5 phone calls and no action, I finally had them move me to another room. But the air con only barely worked there. Then this morning the lights wouldn't turn on. That wouldn't have mattered except my room has no windows. So I chalked it up to Feng Shui and moved across the street the the Khao San Palace Hotel, which is very nice but only had a twin room available.

So if anyone wants to fly in for the last two nights and join me, here's your chance!

These are some friends who came for dinner to join me before I leave for Canada. They are: 'Boi'(who is an account executive at Samsung Electronics), 'A' (who I call 'Eh' in honor of my country, who is a computer programmer at an International Insurance Company in Bangkok),his girlfriend 'Lehk'(Who runs Portugal) and 'Jook'(Who is President of Samsung Electronics for Bangkok). They all kept asking me the same question all night; 'When are you coming back?' The people of Thailand make me feel very welcome. This bunch have decided to adopt me as their family.

This is 'Juu' who joined us a bit later, and 'Boi'. I promised 'Boi' I would show a decent picture of her this time. The Post on 'Monkey's Birthday' had a very poor picture of her. I find the Thai people have eyes that seem to sparkle. And they really are like family when they get together. There is such a genuine love between them.

As you can see, I finally picked up my suit, so I'm ready to leave now. You may remember that I ordered that suit the third day I was in Bangkok. It is an Armani suit with two pairs of pants, three custom shirts and three silk ties for about $500 Canadian. The same suit sells for about fifteen hundred dollars back home. Armani's factory is just outside Bangkok. Thais make the suits and then they are shipped to Italy and other destinations around the world.

I will try to post more articles before I leave Bangkok on Wednesday but it's possible you might not hear from me until I return. Either way, it's Blogging as usual when I return. The greatest adventure is the answer to the question: 'What do I do next?'
I'll leave it to Jookie to give you the final word here.

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