Down South

We are staying in our friend's caravan in what Western Australians call 'Down South' which generally means the lovely Margaret River area of the SW of Australia.  We are in a caravan with an built in annex and ensuite bathroom about 50 metres from the main house high on a hillside near Dunsborough.

Looking out of the window bright sunshine I can see Geograph Bay in the distance and we are in easy reach of many lovely beaches and vineyards.

So far every time we go to the beach we have a problem with our baby Adam.  He normally loves splashing in water but he is afraid of the sand and even the shallow flat water of Geograph Bay he pulls his legs up and cries whenever we try to put him down on the sand.

Its such a huge change for him having been brought up in the inland areas of NE Thailand where babies are taught that they must never wear shoes in the house but but always wear them outside.  Here it is almost the opposite with people wearing shoes in the house and going barefoot on the beach.  Confusing.

I have much to do, starting to paint again, helping some friends design a greeting card, the possibiliy of running a workshop in Perth in few weeks time, moving my paintings around and fixing up my web site.  Then there are endless beaches and wines to taste to visit.  Such is life.

Christmas Day 2005

I am in Perth in Western Australia now with my partner Waree and our lovely 14 month old boy Adam.

I normally stay with my parents in Mount Helena but currently we are housewarming for my daughter Kyla and her husband Michel while they are on holiday.

We are in a large house in a suburb fairly close to the city.  Its a new subdivision and the houses fill their small blocks.  There is paving everywhere and almost no privacy in the tiny back yards as the houses overlook each other.  You rarely see people outside and all the houses have their blinds drawn.  Every door and window is locked or double locked and alarmed.  The concern about security is paramount at all times. The contrast with Ban Pho could not be greater.

Recently we have celebrated Christmas down here at Kyla's but as they are away this morning I will be driving up to my parent's place in the Hills to cook a brunch for the family and exchange presents.

Very quiet here.

My life - Thailand - Temple Market Day in Ban Pho

On the 9th and 23rd of each month the Wat Ph Ti-ya-lam has a market. This is one of the three temples in Ban Pho. We take the motorcy about 1km to the market to buy minor items as prices are cheaper in the cities. There about 10 stalls with brightly coloured canopies to create shade. As always it is very noisy as several of the stalls have trucks beside them belting out Thai music trying to drown each other out. You get used to it after a while. The stalls mainly sell trinkets, clothes or kitchen/laundry/personal hygiene products. Today I took several photos outside but none inside as I was relegated to holding the baby while Waree shopped.
  Temple Market Day

A stolen phone

Yesterday somebody stole Rat's (Waree's sister) mobile phone. It was an expensive one camera and all for her eldest son Edt (who has five fingers on one hand) to stay in touch when he is at technical college in Nong Khai. She can afford it as her husband Adt is working as a farm labourer in Israel.

So today we had to go to a Wat near Nong Khai about 40 kms away to see a monk who for 1 baht (about 3 cents) will tell your fortune and who we hoped would tell Rat who had stolen her phone. Unfortunately the Wat appeared to be abandoned so we didn't find out who stole the phone.

I tried to help by looking into the past with the aid of the silver side of an old CD but I could only identify the perpetrator as being dark and having black hair, which applies to almost everybody in the village so Rat would not reward my efforts.

Today I frightened several babies. Its really strange as soon as they see the huge white bloated farang they burst into tears. Obviously they think I am a pii (ghost). Maybe I am.

Losing a phone and looking for a fortune teller

Yesterday somebody stole Rat's (Waree's sister) mobile phone. It was an expensive one camera and all for her eldest son Edt (who has five fingers on one hand) to stay in touch when he is at technical college in Nong Khai. She can afford it as her husband Adt is working as a farm labourer in Israel.

So today we had to go to a Wat near Nong Khai about 40kms away to see a monk who for 1 baht (about 3 cents) will tell your fortune and who we hoped would tell Rat who had stolen her phone. Unfortunately the Wat appeared to be abandoned so we didn't find out who stole the phone. I tried to help by looking into the past with the aid of the silver side of an old CD but I could only identify the perpetrator as being dark and having black hair, which applies to almost everybody in the village so Rat would not reward my efforts.

Today I frightened several babies. Its really strange as soon as they see the huge white bloated farang they burst into tears. Obviously they think I am a pii (ghost). Maybe I am.

Tying the houses together

I am back in Thailand after a difficult and sad time in Australia when my brother Andrew passed away from cancer.

The weather has been hot and humid but dry here in Ban Pho but at last a storm came and flooded all the dry rice fields. Since the monsoon has broken we have rain most afternoons.

After the rain there was much fishing and many insects to eat. People here catch the insects overnight with florescent tubes over sheets of corrugated iron at an angle so the insects are directed into a container of water. In the morning they fry them up and during the day delicately eat the bodies taking off the wings. They even eat the termite nymphs which they collect in their thousands.

There has been great excitement as after a long hot dry period many small round mushrooms appeared. They are mainly underground and have no stem looking a bit like small round truffles. It’s quite unusual they tell me to have these delicacies and everybody has been eating them for several days. On the way to Phom Pisai we saw many people with baskets coming out of areas of bush carrying mushrooms they had collected.

Yesterday was a special temple day and all the houses in our section of Ban Pho (Moo 7) tied their houses together with the white ceremonial string I call magic string. Then late at night people and monks came around the houses and through earth on the roofs. Fantastic that the community should bind itself together with long continuous strands of string.

Today Waree's mother sprinkled water which had come from the temple over us. We are very blessed and have good luck I am sure. A sort of miniature Thai New Year. Did I tell you about that? Well another time maybe.

Tying the houses together

I am back in Thailand after a difficult and sad time in Australia when my brother Andrew passed away from cancer.
The weather has been hot and humid but dry here in Ban Pho but at last a storm came and flooded all the dry rice fields. Since the monsoon has broken we have rain most afternoons. After the rain there was much fishing and many insects to eat. People here catch the insects overnight with florescent tubes over sheets of corrugated iron at an angle so the insects are directed into a container of water. In the morning they fry them up and during the day delicately eat the bodies taking off the wings. They even eat the termite nymphs which they collect in their thousands.

There has been great excitement as after a long hot dry period many small round mushrooms appeared. They are mainly underground and have no stem looking a bit like small round truffles. It’s quite unusual they tell me to have these delicacies and everybody has been eating them for several days. On the way to Phom Pisai we saw many people with baskets coming out of areas of bush carrying mushrooms they had collected.

Yesterday was a special temple day and all the houses in our section of Ban Pho (Moo 7) tied their houses together with the white ceremonial string I call magic string. Then late at night people and monks came around the houses and through earth on the roofs. Fantastic that the community should bind itself together with long continuous strands of string. Today Waree's mother sprinkled water which had come from the temple over us. We are very blessed and have good luck I am sure. A sort of miniature Thai New Year. Did I tell you about that? Well another time maybe.