Som Tam Sunday

.
.
My Sunday visitors arrive shortly afternoon (12:34).
The pool is way too cold these days. I need a pool heater in Thailand !?
PlayStation on my front porch is the alternative to swimming.
A mother collects her son, she's got chores in mind for his Sunday.
He comes back later.

The visitor crowd increases.
Some wait their turn at PlayStation watching the big screen T.V.
I'm in my Command module (computer, T.V., easy chair, window on the porch).

A quick phone call to Mr. Bob's house.
He's on the road to Khon Kean, half way there.
I call his mobile...
I wish him the best and hope to see him on Christmas day.
By then he should be recovering from one of those balloon artery operations.
You know, artery rototiller.

I'm in the kitchen refilling my drink. There before me is Joeys lunch.
The Som Tam looks really good.



Just a pinch between two fingers, first impression, tasty salad.

Ten seconds pass: I'm in a cold Thai Chillies sweat.
Nonstop hiccups included.
Half an hour later, after eating a handful of steamed peanuts I regain control.

MEMO TO SELF:
NO SOMTAM, unless especially made for farang (ONE THAI CHILI ONLY).

Remember? Pool too cold for a swim.
300Baht of coins in the pool changed that thought instantaneously.
There's a load of towels in the wash machine.

5 p.m. plus two large bottles of coke a pack of cookies, assorted nuts and candy
"I go home" It sounds like a motorcycle convoy leaving my home.

Saturday Morning Parade

I do live about a city block from one of Sakon Nakhon's parade routes.

I heard uninterrupted drum beats this morning.

Some sort of kids parade












The sun was shining, but morning temperatures were on the nippy side. Plenty of goose bumps.

Thailand's children's day is not until January 10.
Were they celebrating early, or was this a rehearsal ?
My sources tell me: "Like Sport Day"

Virus in my wardrobe

A local purchase. Most likely not an export item
Quality is surprisingly good.
Been wearing them for three years now.

"Ya'll come on Back, ya'll here"

Thailand bekons The Tourism Recovery Saga

"The Monster New Years Bash Pattaya"

Nightly New Years celebrations for a Week.
Thirteen Bands,
1 million vacancies

source The Nation Business > Monster NY bash to revive tourism



"Free for sale"

• They are "selling" 100000 "FREE" airline seats to Thailand at Air Asia (you pay fees&Taxes)
  
• "..it is now safe to travel back to the ‘Land of Smiles’."
  

Papaya

Right: this years crop - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - left: July 2007



Eaten green in a salad known locally as som tam.
Local variations are spiced with volumes of Thai chilli pepper

Sweet Dessert "It's Delish..."

Rice in a stick

Sticky rice, prepared with coconut milk, sugarcane,
with added variations of blueberry, strawberry or other more exotic flavors.


They call it.
ข้้าวหลาม khaao laam

The ingredients are folded into young banana leaves, stuffed into bamboo, and then roasted on an open fire.



Four star dining in my book

Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat Students win

National-level business plan writing contest,
held in Taiwan

081215 Sunday Brunch at Ned's

I always like to arrive early
They where doing last minute chores at Ned's place when I arrived.

Larger View Here Blog

Graham "The Chef Of The Day" probably had an early day preparing the day's special

Roast Beef
Roast Potatoes
Yorkshire Pudding
Carrots and Gravy
with Apple Pie & Custard

Larger View here Blog

Larger View here Blog

Yorkshire Pudding was a new experience taste experience for me.
Quite tasty, probably somewhat adictive and fattening (in my opinion)

Larger View here Blog

Graham was overjoyed by compliments of his cooking skills.
I ordered a second helping of Apple Pie with Custard.

All visitors to Ned's participated in a friendly pool competition.

The event was well planned for maximum enjoyment.

Thai Toilet Etiquette

I was brought up in Germany right after the big war.
Toilet paper in those days was capable of sanding wood splinters.

In the late fifties I moved to the U.S. when squeezable softness reigned.

Now I am in Thailand.

The home toilet is the "Water Room - Hongnam"
Most Thai toilets are squatting toilets. They do have some benefits:
No physical contact with the seat, thus contagious contact is eliminated.

Not being used to those things,
I once lost my balance and caused severe back injuries,requiring emergency room treatment




I have avoided asking for instructions how it's done with a bowl of water.

• My Home Toilet is "Thai Modern,'
  
• Most Thais need special instructions on their use

Pot scrubbers are a healthy alternative to toilet paper.
They do the required cleanings job and flush the toilet.

As with anything else "foreign" it's a learned skill unless you prefer
Pot scrubber enemas

We use toilet paper as Kleenex or napkins.
Don't be surprised seeing a roll of the paper on a restaurant table for use as napkins