Scroll through the Sakon Fair

Sakon City Web board has some great photography worth looking at

What Price Thai Virtue

It's like watching a never ending soap opera.
The plot with just minor changes is like a continuous rerun.
Only the actors change.

Episode One:

.

Teenage boy and teenage girl are in love and they move in together.
They share an apartment.
He just turned eighteen, she's a few years younger, just shy of being of legal age.
All parents are aware of the affair and don't seem to be concerned.
Eventually the affair turns sour and the girl moves back home.

The girls parents want justice and file a police complaint.
The police verdict is in favor of the girl.
The young man must pay Bt 60,000 to the girl's family as restitution.

A few days later, the boy witnesses the girl with a new boyfriend.
He photographs the intimate moment.  He's off the hook. No money needs to be paid.

Episode Two:

.

Plot is the same, except this time the parents demand the young man marry their daughter.
Wedding plans are made.
But then the young lady is seen repeatedly engaged in intimate affairs with various young men. A regular lady of the night.  Wedding canceled.

Episode Three:

.

The plot is repeated.  A Thai string wedding ceremony is held.
Less than six months later the marriage is dissolved.

I've been in the audience to many such dramas here in Thailand.
The plot is always the same with  three ending variations.




This is an old song. I had a copy of it in the early 90's

Fair Night

An hour before the nightly concert begins foot-traffic peaks. 
Concert goers are making their way through the leisurely fair goer crowd.
One hand on my wallet, the other on my camera.
Plenty of uniformed security was reassuring.
At the concert entrance, opened juice and soft-drink bottles were sniffed to insure a ALCOHOL FREE FAIR
You could say this night was teenage concert night

Mobile catering at the main entrance to the fair, seemed to be quite lucrative

I still  GOT IT

One of my favorite spot to visit is the air rifle range
I was somewhat of a marksman during my military career (1963-1975).
Makes me feel good that I still got it.


The rifle had been used all day and was overdue for a cleaning.
It jammed after every shot and had to be cleared and reloaded.

I was told I'm doing it all wrong.
Five bullets, five targets.
I explained I wanted to see how closely I could bunch them together.  I received an approval nod.

Before arriving at the fair I attended a
family birthday dinner at one of the newer 69 Baht all you can eat restaurants.



Something new for me on the menu.  Glass noodles made from seaweed.
Crunchy noodles.  I got to get some of those.

Worth Reading

My Thai Village Life...  

"Social Networking"

You'd think the guy read your mind.
Scroll down the page after you've pondered
the article and you'll be rewarded with EYE CANDY some really great photography


Sakon FC on FACEBOOK 

Beware at the Sakon Nakhon Fair

	...	Beware at the Sakon Fair Reader writes: ...she went for a walk round the fair last night. She got pick-pocketed, her phone has vanished BEWARE
Eat your Broccoli  Broccoli Fights Cancer		Sakon FC faces Mukdahan  in the first game of the season next month

Bollywood Action

You dont need to speak Bollywood to enjoy this film

Things you can do while driving

Photo Album Update

I'm doing a bit of catching up editing and uploading photo albums.
Here's a few of the albums I just finished.

060725 Jul 25, 2006 photos: 7 (Lilys)	060710 Jul 10, 2006 photos: 6 (Lilys)	090127 ToonArmy Jan 28, 2009 photos: 29	080202Parade-pm Feb 2, 2008 photos: 130
080202Fair-am Feb 2, 2008 photos: 37	060127 Red Cross Fair Jan 26, 2006 photos: 8	030228 RedCrossFair Feb 28, 2003 photos: 68

Don't know who's doing it, but I LIKE

There's been a recent major change on GOOGLE Earth.
Someone has been taking the time to plot restaurants, bars, pharmacies and other business establishments.
You have to activate the Layers on the left sidebar of the map.

Now That's what I call Fine Dining

After visiting a local college earlier in the morning,I was invited to a luncheon at a place I had never heard of or noticed before.

 
The Fapron Restaurant.

As soon as we arrived I was impressed by the place.
Reminded me of a fine Mediterranean restaurant.
Extremely clean and tidy and beautifully designed gardens.






When I saw blueberry cheesecake in the display case I didn't care what else was on the menu.  Wasn't the cheesecake I'm used to, much lighter. but hmmhmm good.









Next came the omelet.
Again, not what I expected.
Little stuffed egg balls.
A real palate teaser.

By the time the fried chicken bits arrived I was already running on pleasantly full.
It was such a huge helping. Three people ate from it, and there was plenty left over for takeout.

From this first visit I'd rate it 5 star, and yes I plan to eat there again.  The menu is in Thai and English, with photographs.

Did note one young lady at a nearby table having a dessert lunch.  Started on her second piece of pastry when we left.

It's located just down the street from the Elegant Hotel (The tent on the card)

When will this cold spell end

I was recently asked when this cold spell will end. As if I was a soothsayer.

I took some introductory meteorological courses  in college, which classifies me as a novice in the field.

My interest in the weather at the moment:

• I'm hoping for rain so I can fill my pool, instead of having to pay for the water.

• It gets warm soon so I can use the pool.

From looking at various charts, we may see a warming trend near mid-month February.

German Kitchen in Seka

Been a few years since I took a trip to Seka.
Spent a delightful day at a very pristine lake in the area.
Had always wanted to do a rerun of a very pleasant experience.
Now I have found a reason:

"The German Kitchen"  
in Kham Ta Kla.

I know they have handcrafted sausages: "Fränkische Wurst."
Haven' seen the menu yet, but as soon as I confirm schnitzel  on the menu, I'll make travel plans.
Closed Mondays, the German Kitchen is open daily from 9 AM to 7 PM

Sakon Nakhon Red Cross Fair starts tomorrow

Many booths are still setting up, while others are already doing business

Watch out for this motorist.  He might be in the drivers seat, but the car is remote controlled

New Alcohol Law Effective February 1

The English language article appeared at NNT  concerning the new drunk driving laws               
Blood Levels can not  exceed 50 milligrams for drivers and Passengers.
Comments at Thai Visa seem to imply that there may be an error in translation.

 Thai Fighting Cock export industry in trouble... NNT

Love Google Translate

Computer generated translations really create a language all of it's own.
This translation really leaves me chuckling, (and so does the wedding picture) :

Nakhon Phanom raise young bride married two thousand ladyboys at Sakon Nakhon

Fumigating the neighborhood

I was aware of the fact that they were coming.  But I wasn't expecting 'em that early.
I had just stepped out of the shower at 7:30 AM when I heard the distinctive sound of the sprayers.

I looked out of the window, the street near my residence seemed to be the starting point.
Just lucky I had all my doors and windows closed due to the cool weather.


Normally I would have opened my gate and let them spray the entire property, but I wasn't dressed for the occasion.

Half an hour later I had to walk through that stuff to catch my ride on ITU.

It's not really an eradication.  Only flying mosquitoes are annihilated.  The eggs  are undamaged and will be active mosquitoes in a matter of hours.

In the early evening hours the fumigation seemed almost unnoticeable.  Plenty of mosquitoes out for blood

They are building "The Great Wall of SakonNakhon."

If you're driving into town on highway 22, you can still see the golfers and other sights.  But not for long.  Very soon you'll only see a very long wall

 




Think this Highway sign was fairly recently installed.
At least I hadn't spotted it till recently.
It seems to be gaining fame as a tourist attraction.
Seen pictures on Facebook and a number of personal photo albums.

The area does have a large Vietnamese population and it probably makes them feel closer to home.

Savannakhet

Had to take some remedial geography on that one. 
Wasn't at all where I thought it would be.

Cool weather reduces some local farm yields

"Sakon Chili farmers weep..."  ...is the translated headline at naewna.com.



Local yields of chilies and turmeric have been drastically reduced by the extended cold temperatures according to the article.

Knowing how much Thai's enjoy their chili, it may seem like a minor catastrophe to many.

My own plants seem to attest to the truth of this news item.  Chilies are stunted and shriveled.
Peppers produce for an average of three months.
Most plants will need to be replanted after the cold spell


Other plants in my garden also seem to be suffering.
Only half of the banana fruits survived and seem much smaller than usual. Some smaller coconuts are prematurely falling from the tree.
On the other hand, my radishes, zucchini and orchids seem to be doing quite well



Related news
 Soaring food costs hitting homes   THE NATION