Thailand in Pictures
Though we’ve been in the country for several weeks, the first three of them were basically spent with family. For me, this meant eating, bobbing my head a lot and smiling for my Thai-speaking relatives, and trying to get a handle on G’s family tree. She has no fewer than 10 uncles and aunts and who knows how many cousins.
Oh – this is funny. Our computer, long our trusty companion, gave out a couple of weeks ago. Probably not its own fault – since it was he chosen site for an ANTS NEST! You heard it. Our keyboard became home to an ant colony. I’m not sure if they were attracted to the heat or the food…but they certainly were attracted. And they certainly made the keyboard useless…you may have noticed not a lot of posts lately.
Anyway – I’m in an internet cafe now and have posted a bunch of stuff to Flickr – here’s the highlights:
View from G's mom's house in Phra Pradeng - note the encroaching jungle and the flooding, which happens on a tidal basis every day during the monsoon.
View of G's dad's family's house
How cheesy is this? F&G party symmetrically at the King's Summer Palace near Ayuttya
G, her sister Tida, and Pa Soy at the night market in Ayuttya
F with G's dad, Nat, at a fish restaurant on the water in Bangkok
One of our cousins prepares for his monk ceremony. This event brought the whole family to temple...all two hundred of them or so! I was encouraged to "lum" or dance Thai style. I washed out in embarrasement...
"Dong..."
Nat got a little scratch on his toe which became realy infected...here you see it pre-Cipro...
Requisite pic of G and dogs at the artesanal market near Ayuttya
HI!
G's grandma can't really get around too much, so she spends her time on the cool tile downstairs. It is amazing how hot it gets in Ayuttya...and this was the cool season! All we could do was lay around and be still with her all afternoon...
G's uncle raises fighting cocks...
The blody carcass of one of our many tormentors...here seen in soup.
Tida, G's mom, Pai, her Grandma Ya, and G.
G's uncle brings a HUGE bunch of betel nuts to Ya. She spends all day eating them, an involved ritual which has her cutting nuts, scooping them out, spreading paste on a leaf, making a package, and then chewing on the whole wad while preparing the next one. YUM!
This is super interesting. There is a huge hive of bees in G's uncle's room. He doesn't kill them, though, saying that since they don't hurt anyone often, he really sees no call to do so. Can you imagine this in the States? Live and let live? I don't think so!!
Strange as it may seem...this is not an uncommon pose for G. She can't pass an animal without taking a picture. Maybe you noticed.
I’ve been reading you blog all along, and nothing has disturbed me as much as the beehive in uncle’s room. Seriously, that’s going to give me nightmares.
jay
1 November 2009 at 3:11 pm
Oh the blog is back
Thought you guys disappeared. So when are you heading to S’pore?
Oliver
2 November 2009 at 6:54 am
Love these pics!
Leigh
3 November 2009 at 5:57 pm
OMG.. the beehive is scary!!! I don’t think I’m brave enough to even get into the house!
Oh, I love the thing that u two r wearing. And the photo of G taking picture of the turtle..
Snowy
22 November 2009 at 6:03 am