Adventures In Thailand: Feel

Hi,

A very light sprinkle teased us this morning. It kept looking like rain, but it never happened. We had a balloon sighting, a visit from a monk, and a chance encounter with friends.

Looks like 'Easy Monday' was a winner. There is a classic line from the song that should bring back memories:

"...I'm gonna be with him on that __ __ __ __. I'd rather live in his world, than without him in mine." Hint: Does anybody know what a 'pip' is? Just askin'. Did you really expect another real hint?

This morning I looked out to the north and saw a hot-air balloon rising in the sky. It was far away, but it was clear that it was going up. Our skies are getting interesting. I wonder what some people in the countryside were thinking as this giant bag rose skyward.

Today was 'Constitution Day'. Schools were closed as were many businesses. Cat was going to join us on our morning adventures until she got a call from her uncle that he was coming to visit. His name is Pra Som, the 'Pra' being a designation for monks. He was traveling with Cat's young brother Ling Ling. When they arrived we sat and talked a little and then walked around the yard. He is a very gentle man with a beautiful smile. He is a monk at the temple in Cat's village. Ling Ling had been to the house before and wanted to swim, but the water is much too cold. Pra Som and Cat talked while we went shopping.

With any new vehicle there are always a few things that you would have designed differently. I love our new Ertiga, but because of the angle of the windshield and the color/finish on the dashboard, there is a reflection that can be distracting in bright sunlight. This morning we went to HomePro to get some material that I thought would solve the problem. When we got home I did some cutting and put it on the dash, only to see it reflecting back at me. Oh no. I think I need a flat, non-reflective material like black felt. The search for a solution continues.

This afternoon we took Cat to Chivit Tamma Da, a coffeehouse by the river. We had coffee and she had an ice-cream shake. While sitting in the patio, a large group of 'visitors' filed in and went down to the riverside seating area. A few minutes later a large group of Thais walked by. We got curious as to where all these people were sitting so I got up and strolled over to the top of the area. As I started down the steps to the river, a woman waved and came toward me. It was our friend Khun Om from Chiang Mai. She and her husband Khun Yute are the promoters of the Chiang Mai balloon festival and they were there with a group of ballooners. That explained the balloon we saw this morning. Khun Om was very helpful when Lisa had her last exhibit in Chiang Mai and they visited our house several months ago. I had a fun conversation with Yute about the balloons. I ask him about getting blown off course over somewhere like Burma, and what would they do. His reply was to get out the passports and visas. We had a good laugh and then he told me that one of the balloons had to set down this morning on the military base near our house. The soldiers were very suspicious of these foreigners with cameras floating down on their base. Khun Yute had to rush over and straighten things out, but it will be a story that will be told by both sides for quite awhile. He and I also had the same idea about having a hovercraft taxi service on the river. Hmm.

There is an afternoon market in Ban Mai, the village next to us, but we usually don't go there since the parking is a bit crazy. Today we decided that if we could do an easy park, we would go in for a few things. We found a great spot and entered the outdoor market at the height of the dinner shopping crush. As we walked down one aisle I remembered why I don't like this market. One minute you're looking at fresh vegetables and the next thing you know, it's meat products in the open air looking like leftovers from a dissecting class, and, well, things that made me turn my head. We did find the organic vegetables Boot had told us about, and we got some 'treats'. There are vendors who have assembled little packages that make up a complete meal for those who don't want to cook. There was also the spicy food aisle that gripped my nose. Cat and I both laughed at how strong it must have been, and she likes spicy food.

Behind the pool waterfall there is a bee hive. It seems to be inside the rocks and this photo shows them while they were still sleeping this morning. At this point, we have no idea what to do, but I'm sure someone can get them to move without harming them.