Sawaadee kha,
Thailand's hottest season is upon us now. Temperatures most days reach 37 degrees with the hottest month yet to come. In April Bangkok tips the thermometer at 40 degrees. Thankfully it's also the Thai New Year and a time when many people including ourselves will take some holidays and head to one of Thailand's beaches.
One has to be careful though when sleeping under a coconut tree :)
One has to be careful though when sleeping under a coconut tree :)
We had fun celebrating the Chinese New Year at the end of January. Every year, many people in Thailand with Chinese ancestors, celebrate the Chinese New Year with elaborate ceremonies. This Year is the year of the Ox. Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that 
animal's personality. Those born in ox years tend to be painters, engineers, and architects. At 
Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits. Firecrackers were heard for several days and offerings were made to the deities and to their ancesters. The offerings include steamed duck, chicken, pork, fruit, Chinese cake and vegetarian food such as dried mushrooms, bean cakes and edible Chinese flowers. Bangkok's Chinatown District was bright with festivities and parades honoring Chinese traditions. One of the highlights is the dragon dance. The dragon is made of silk, paper, and bamboo. The dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets.
animal's personality. Those born in ox years tend to be painters, engineers, and architects. At 
Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits. Firecrackers were heard for several days and offerings were made to the deities and to their ancesters. The offerings include steamed duck, chicken, pork, fruit, Chinese cake and vegetarian food such as dried mushrooms, bean cakes and edible Chinese flowers. Bangkok's Chinatown District was bright with festivities and parades honoring Chinese traditions. One of the highlights is the dragon dance. The dragon is made of silk, paper, and bamboo. The dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets.A picturesque landmark on a stretch of road heading south are the salt fields on both sides of the road. This area is the biggest producer of brine salt in Thailand. Their main season is from about October to April as salt farming works better without the heavy rains as it needs the strong sun. The farmers invite the sea water into their fields. They aren't very deep. They have wind pumps to help move the water from field to field. In a hot sun it takes less than ten days for the salt water to evaporate. They then use a kind of squeegee to push the salt residue into piles around the field. From this they are loaded into wheelbarrows or carried by hand and taken to another bigger pile near the road awaiting collection. So when we saw them "harvesting", we stopped to chat and take a closer look.
Recently I participated in a study group on Thai politics and democracy. I've been increasingly interested in Thailand's struggles to move toward a democracy and yet military coups have been quite common in Thailand since absolute monarchy ended in 1932. Although people want democracy, there were many instances where although a democratic government has been elected, the military has intervened and toss out those governments often on the basis of corruption . Through my research and discussions I've come to gain a better understanding how Thailand's culture and history influences these matters.
Thailand's identity is shaped by "Sakdhina" in which all Thais are socialized into a view of their identity in which their status or place is given to them from birth. Reinforcement of this ideology comes by means of several rituals including the traditonal form of greeting, the "wai" in which the "inferior" initiates the traditional greeting to which the "superior" may or may not repond. 
I'm left reflecting on whether the present culture and what makes up "thainess" will enable a "western style" democracy to evolve that is inclusive of values of empowering people through equitable development, education, rights and participation.
Thailand's identity is shaped by "Sakdhina" in which all Thais are socialized into a view of their identity in which their status or place is given to them from birth. Reinforcement of this ideology comes by means of several rituals including the traditonal form of greeting, the "wai" in which the "inferior" initiates the traditional greeting to which the "superior" may or may not repond. 
I'm left reflecting on whether the present culture and what makes up "thainess" will enable a "western style" democracy to evolve that is inclusive of values of empowering people through equitable development, education, rights and participation. We continue to travel at every spare opportunity.
We particularly enjoy the villages where the Thailand of old lives on, and it's there that one can best appreciate the unique spirit of the Thai people. 
During our travels we visited one of Thailands snake farms. We were astounded with the show as the snake charmer played and got intimate with these amazing creatures. Michel was excitedly up close taking photos while I could be found scrambling for the nearest exit. There are about 163 species of snake in Thailand alone, 85 of which are venomous. Larger snakes such as pythons are found in jungles, while the smaller ones spread out to the grasslands. The largest snake ever discovered was a 32 foot long python, found in the jungles of Thailand. The blood of a snake is held to have healing and strengthening properties in many Asian countries, and snake's 
blood rice wine is a popular beverage in many areas!
During our travels we visited one of Thailands snake farms. We were astounded with the show as the snake charmer played and got intimate with these amazing creatures. Michel was excitedly up close taking photos while I could be found scrambling for the nearest exit. There are about 163 species of snake in Thailand alone, 85 of which are venomous. Larger snakes such as pythons are found in jungles, while the smaller ones spread out to the grasslands. The largest snake ever discovered was a 32 foot long python, found in the jungles of Thailand. The blood of a snake is held to have healing and strengthening properties in many Asian countries, and snake's 
blood rice wine is a popular beverage in many areas!
As many things in life, the revelation of Ban Chiang started as a accident. In 1966 an American was wandering around a small village in Northeastern Thailand when he tripped on a tree root and fell. On the ground he saw rings, which turned out to be pottery shards. Further investigation revealed more fragments which had been exposed by gradual erosion. The Fine Arts Department of Thailand teamed with a University in the US to begin the excavation of the site. Major excavations in the early 70s turned up the evidence that made anthropologists rethink the development of human civilization in Southeast Asia. 
The civilization discovered is 5,000 years old and there were artifacts found that were believed to only exist 3000 years ago. The museum has tools, pottery, artifacts and human skeletons on display. We spent some time looking over the site and then took a leisurely walk around the village.
During a recent trip to the south we found our way to a Sea Gypsy village. The Sea Gypsies origins are unknown, they speak their own language, and have their own beliefs. The sea gypsies live in small settlements around the mangrove forests and earn their living from fishing and shell collecting. They’ve lived for hundreds of years on the islands off the coast of Thailand and Burma. And, many miraculously survived the tsunami because they knew it was coming. It's their intimacy with the sea that saved them . They’re born on the sea, live on the sea, die on the sea. They know its moods and motions. 
While they now stay in one community, in the past they were nomads, moving from island to island, living more than six months a year on their boats. At low tide, they collect sea cucumbers, and catch eels. At high tide, they dive for shellfish. They've been living this way for many generations. We were told that kids learn to swim before they can walk. Underwater, they can see twice as clearly as the rest of us, and by lowering their heart rate, can stay underwater twice as long. In this photo they welcomed me into a game played with tree pods. The sea gypsies keep close relations to other villages but do not integrate into the Thai population. 
On the Burma border we stopped at a fishing village and watched as the locals brought in their catch. Labour costs are inexpensive so boats are unloaded using human power rather than technology providing employment for the local residents.
Shopping in Bangkok is an experience to thrill and delight the fussiest of shoppers - whatever it is you're looking for.
From towering size of modern, air-conditioned malls, to the hustle and bustle of its famously buzzing street markets bursting with bargains, Bangkok has all kinds of places to blow your Baht. With everything from antiquities and the latest pair of trainers to designer jewellery to quality copies of designer rolexes, birkenstocks, gucci's etc.... available. 
The civilization discovered is 5,000 years old and there were artifacts found that were believed to only exist 3000 years ago. The museum has tools, pottery, artifacts and human skeletons on display. We spent some time looking over the site and then took a leisurely walk around the village.
During a recent trip to the south we found our way to a Sea Gypsy village. The Sea Gypsies origins are unknown, they speak their own language, and have their own beliefs. The sea gypsies live in small settlements around the mangrove forests and earn their living from fishing and shell collecting. They’ve lived for hundreds of years on the islands off the coast of Thailand and Burma. And, many miraculously survived the tsunami because they knew it was coming. It's their intimacy with the sea that saved them . They’re born on the sea, live on the sea, die on the sea. They know its moods and motions. 
While they now stay in one community, in the past they were nomads, moving from island to island, living more than six months a year on their boats. At low tide, they collect sea cucumbers, and catch eels. At high tide, they dive for shellfish. They've been living this way for many generations. We were told that kids learn to swim before they can walk. Underwater, they can see twice as clearly as the rest of us, and by lowering their heart rate, can stay underwater twice as long. In this photo they welcomed me into a game played with tree pods. The sea gypsies keep close relations to other villages but do not integrate into the Thai population. On the Burma border we stopped at a fishing village and watched as the locals brought in their catch. Labour costs are inexpensive so boats are unloaded using human power rather than technology providing employment for the local residents.
Shopping in Bangkok is an experience to thrill and delight the fussiest of shoppers - whatever it is you're looking for.
From towering size of modern, air-conditioned malls, to the hustle and bustle of its famously buzzing street markets bursting with bargains, Bangkok has all kinds of places to blow your Baht. With everything from antiquities and the latest pair of trainers to designer jewellery to quality copies of designer rolexes, birkenstocks, gucci's etc.... available. 
With over 15,000 stalls and more than 200,000 visitors every Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is the mother of all markets - and possibly one of the biggest and most famous markets in the world. A bargain-hunters paradise this market is a head-spinning experience. Walking through this massive market is not easy. The reward, if you have a lot of patience - together with a bottle of water - is that you can find pretty much anything here.
Around 4.00 pm of the 1st and 16th of each month, Bangkok is all about the lottery numbers. Lists of the winning numbers are sold everywhere. Some Thais consult fortune tellers in search of finding some auspicious numbers that could reap success. Ticket sellers are often found outside of the temples. Often they are more likely to buy tickets after they have done some act of good (merit-making.) The karmatic belief is that good begets good and the hope is that a good deed such as a visit and making an offering at the temple will be rewarded.
The Canadian Club of Thailand women recently hosted their monthly bookclub meeting at our home. We enjoyed discussing the book " The Secret life of Bees"as well as munching on some delicious treats with a honey theme.
A trip with the children from the orphanage to a Bangkok aquaruim was a fun filled time. For the children an opportunity to get out and explore an unfamiliar world. Philippine, an active energetic little girl crawled under my legs as I was taking pictures obviously desiring to be photographed. She is one of our regular children who is able to go outside of her ward with volunteers. I have joyfully watched her become more social and engaging over the past year.
We enjoyed seeing and spending some time with Sean when he stayed in Bangkok. Sean lives in the Canning area and is a regular visitor to Thailand . He always makes the most of his trips here, exploring the city and surrounding areas and enjoying the unique culture. Our trip to the Floating Market took us back in time to a traditional way of Thai life. Several floating markets in and around Bangkok offer the a picture-postcard image of the Thai way of life. Small wooden boats laden with fruits, flowers, vegetables and other produce from nearby orchards and communities make a colorful and bustling scene at market time. The boats are usually paddled by Thai women often in blue farmer's garb and flat-topped conical hats called 'muak ngob', which are characteristic to all parts of Thailand. The floating markets are still important commercial centers for those living along the banks of 'klongs' with no road access.
We plan to be home for our vacation in June. Time has flown by. It's hard to believe we've been here almost two years. This experience continues to form us in new ways. Sometimes the changes have come with great challenges, as we at times have found it necessary to let go of some of our western ideology. I'm not sure how we will integrate it all when we return to Canada. That's not important right now. True to the Buddhist belief the important thing is to be mindful of the moments.
A trip with the children from the orphanage to a Bangkok aquaruim was a fun filled time. For the children an opportunity to get out and explore an unfamiliar world. Philippine, an active energetic little girl crawled under my legs as I was taking pictures obviously desiring to be photographed. She is one of our regular children who is able to go outside of her ward with volunteers. I have joyfully watched her become more social and engaging over the past year.
We are so fortunate to meet people from all over the world. Teaching English as a second language (ESL) as well as facilitating workshops to the field supervisors of the refugee camps is an educational and cultural growth experience. One of the groups I enjoy teaching are the French who have moved to Bangkok and are learning Conversational English.
Learning two language has it's challenges. Continuing to learn Thai as well as French finds me at times hilariously mixing the languages causing confused expressions on the faces of people I'm speaking with. At those times I'm thankful for the tolerance and politeness the Thais are famous for.
Kelsey's graduation is on May 7th. She is in the process of applying for a one year program in Hospitality and Tourism during our last year in Thailand. Her relationship with James seems to be going well.
Michel has been taking some awesome photos on our travels throughout the country. Not unlike many companies, Michelin in Thailand has been experiencing some pains from the global financial crisis, resulting in some cost savings measures. Indications and hopes are they will weather it without employee lay-offs.
We enjoyed seeing and spending some time with Sean when he stayed in Bangkok. Sean lives in the Canning area and is a regular visitor to Thailand . He always makes the most of his trips here, exploring the city and surrounding areas and enjoying the unique culture. Our trip to the Floating Market took us back in time to a traditional way of Thai life. Several floating markets in and around Bangkok offer the a picture-postcard image of the Thai way of life. Small wooden boats laden with fruits, flowers, vegetables and other produce from nearby orchards and communities make a colorful and bustling scene at market time. The boats are usually paddled by Thai women often in blue farmer's garb and flat-topped conical hats called 'muak ngob', which are characteristic to all parts of Thailand. The floating markets are still important commercial centers for those living along the banks of 'klongs' with no road access.
We plan to be home for our vacation in June. Time has flown by. It's hard to believe we've been here almost two years. This experience continues to form us in new ways. Sometimes the changes have come with great challenges, as we at times have found it necessary to let go of some of our western ideology. I'm not sure how we will integrate it all when we return to Canada. That's not important right now. True to the Buddhist belief the important thing is to be mindful of the moments.Hope you enjoy your moments.
Until next time.
Go well,
Love Dorothy, Michel and Kelsey
Dorothy, Michel and Kelsey
Sawaadee kha,
Well we're entering into the hottest season of the year. Daily temperatures of 34 degrees make it difficult for walking in the streets of Bangkok so it's been a wonderful respite to escape the city on the weekends. Temperatures will reach 40 degrees in April. April is the Thai New Year or Songran so it is a month of much celebration and a time when many take their annual holidays.
