Another Group Of Strangers In Another Strange Land

      I write today to send specific wishes to specific people. I'm missing out on quite a few milestones while I'm away. And I know that it's easy to presume that I don't remember or care, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Though I freely put myself in this situation, by no means should it reflect that which does or does not hold value in my life.

      Starting with the obvious – Thanksgiving – I'm highly aware that I missed out on the opportunity to enjoy family, friends, food, and fun. I received your pictures and heard the retellings of your feasts; I'm envious to say the least (except for your Thanksgiving, Brandon). Nothing puts turkey, gumbo, oyster dressing, even bread into a category of "luxury" until you're in a locale where it doesn't exist. Undaunted however, my American co-workers and I sought to make the best of a Thanksgiving in Thailand by enjoying rare (and expensive) "Western" food. So while it wasn't the customary fare, our mashed potatoes, hamburgers, salads, club sandwiches, salmon steaks, and mixed vegetables made for an enjoyable evening.

Guess who ate too much, too quickly.

      I also find humor in the fact that I've been here before, for this very holiday. What's changed since then? What will be different going forward, if anything? Being familiar territory, do I already know how this undertaking ends?

      Outside of Thanksgiving, I've also thought about the other endeavors that I'm unable to partake in...

• Birthdays. I'd like to offer up the happiest of birthday wishes for those born on the 28th of November.
• Initial openings. The introduction of Rye Canteen, Luling's newest (and soon-to-be greatest) restaurant took place with some of the most amazing people I know attending. I really would have enjoyed being present.

      So Happy Thanksgiving / Birthday / Grand Opening!

Loi Krathong!

     Last Wednesday, the 25th, was the full moon of the twelfth month according to the traditional Thai lunar calendar (More on the Thai calendar in the near future...over here the year is 2558. Not sure why but I intend to find out.). That meant one very important thing – Loi Krathong! A traditional festival dating back to the mid-13th century, Loi Krathong typically falls on the evening of the full moon in November according to our Western calendar. The festival is said to have originated from an ancient ritual which paid respect to the water spirits. Loi (ลอย) means “to float” and krathong (กระทง) roughly translates to “floating crown”. A traditional krathong is made from a slice of a banana tree trunk, banana leaves that are impressive and elaborately folded, and is adorned with incense sticks, a candle, and a coin as an offering to the spirits. Thais launch their krathong into a river, lake, or a pond while making a wish as they do so. This symbolizes the release of anything old, negative, or pent-up. There's something quite impactful about that notion. Just letting go.

Origami krathongs folded to imitate lotus flowers.  Mine didn't turn out as well.

     Modern krathongs can often be made of bread or Styrofoam. A bread krathong – shaped like a turtle – will decompose after a day or two and is meant to be eaten by fish. However, Styrofoam and banana trunk krathongs will pollute the waters and take years to decompose with all of their ornaments. The irony of paying respect to these particular spirits by contaminating the very waters they honor is lost on most Thais.

Unfortunately Thailand is a poverty-stricken nation and an opportunity to take money
that someone has freely parted with does not go without notice.

     This year I was lucky enough to not only be in Thailand for Loi Krathong, but was actually invited to participate in the festivities. This included a small parade complete with nine floats, a marching band, the wearing of traditional garments, and a five mile route to our krathong launching point – Nong Han Lake. As I was attempting to take my place in line towards the back of the parade, I felt a sudden jerk on my arm and was abruptly yanked to the first row of marchers. It happened so violently that I still don't know who grasped me and put me in place. I like to think that the Thais could sense my experience and expertise on all things Mardi Gras, but it's much more likely that they just wanted a foremost white face for the news cameras.

Here we are with our Mamas and krathongs...

...and dressed in traditional Isan silk garments.

     What follows are a few photographs that describe my night of Loi Krathong 2015...

My New Neighbors

       Buddhism is undeniably the main religion in Thailand.  It's vastly spread and my town, Sakon Nakhon, is actually a settlement for several Buddhist monasteries.  Each monastery is home to numerous monks varying in age, with many surprisingly younger than you'd probably guess.  As a matter of fact, my accommodations are next door to a monastery and I can take an easy stroll to another seven or eight.  While life next door to a Buddhist commune may sound intriguing and pleasant, I regret to inform you that it is not.

Grave Sites Built In The Traditional Khmer Architecture

Due to a lack of familiarity with a Buddhist monk's daily life, I have been exposed to some surprising rituals which take place rather frequently.  The first of which is a daily gong sounded between 6:00 and 7:00 in the morning.  It's rung in the pattern of one, two...three, four...five, six...seven.  And it's loud.  Loud enough to be heard over the mangy dogs fighting, the dozens of roosters cackling and squawking back and forth, or the local male peacock who struts the dusty streets of the area.  Needless to say, sleep doesn't come easily.  But these aren't the worst of it, oh no.  There are sacred holidays that – for no rhyme or reason beknownst to me – require chanting to be performed for the duration of the entire night.  I'll assume that you're thinking "How loud can chanting monks be?  Especially if they aren't near you, but are next door??"  Well, these chants are broadcast unto the world over a loud speaker system to offer blessings to the entire town.  I assure you, I do not need these blessings for twelve consecutive hours once the sun goes down.  Apparently the locals are accustomed to this; I however, am not.

Handmade Prayer Banners Blessed By The Monks

But alas, there is nothing that I can do about my "neighbors" except to embrace it.  So while walking past a monastery a few nights ago, I stumbled upon the festivities of what appeared to be a "fundraiser" for this particular temple.  There was traditional Thai dancing, live singers (just singing along to a music track a.k.a. glorified karaoke), a raffle, prayer sessions, and blessings occurring all over the temple grounds.  Fortunately, I was toting my camera along so I proceeded to wander in.  The interactions between myself and the natives have all followed the same paradigm –

     1. Walk around aimlessly and draw as many stares as possible from all men, women, and children.

     2.  Go about your desired business until the bravest child decides to get close enough to investigate you, then smile and wave at them.

     3. As they panic and cower to the safety of the other children, realize that you've just initiated a "peek-a-boo" game.  Continue to periodically look back to smile and wave at all of the children.

     4. Win the children over and in doing so, you've won the women over.  The men are slightly more difficult but politely speak to them in Thai and bow out of respect and you should be golden.

     5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 during your next endeavor in awkward foreign/native interactions!

Trinkets Pay Homage To Buddha Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree

The Native Thai Children

Can New Places Truly Feel Like "Home"?

As soon as I had slightly established this thing bearing resemblance to a routine in Bangkok, my time was up.  I had to depressingly remind myself why I was here in Thailand.  This was no vacation; I was here to work.  Amidst the new stimuli, I lost sight of that fact .  So off to the small town of Sakon Nakhon I went.  In the Esan (or Isan or Essan) region of Northeast Thailand, Sakon Nakhon is a rural province located near the Laos border.  Imagine a move from New York City to Luling, Louisiana.  This was a much greater disparity than that.  But I'm hoping that what Sakon Nakhon lacks in a contemporary art and music scene, trendy restaurants, and convenient public transportation, it more than makes up for by providing a glimpse of authentic Thai life, a chance to truly help students in need, and a culture steeped in history.

Here's what I've discovered about my new home so far...Sakon Nakhon is just a hair over 400 miles from Bangkok and has an area of 3,700 square kilometers.  Most of the area lies in the Phu Phan mountain range.  Currently a Buddhist town with five Stupas (sacred buildings which house the remains of the holiest of monks) and several temples, Sakon Nakhon has been inhabited for the past 3,000 years.  Originally named Nongharn, this region was settled by the Khmer in the 11th century according to lore.  The Khmer lost their power to the Laotian Kingdom (or Lanxang at that time) and with the town under this new rule, it was renamed Muang Chiang Mai Nongharn.  The settlement later joined what was at the time, Siam, and was renamed again to Sakon Thavapi.  In 1830, during the reign of King Rama III, it was renamed Sakon Nakhon.

The Sakon Nakhon Region On A Map Of Thailand

Unlike the dialects spoken in Bangkok (Central Thai) and Phucket (Southern Thai), a blend of Thai and Lao is spoken in Sakon Nakhon and throughout the Esan region.  The most notable difference that I've been able to dial in on is the lack of pronouncing the "R" sound.  In the Central and Southern regions of Thailand, "Thank you" is pronouced "Korb Koon Krup".  However, here in the Northeast, it would be pronounced as "Kawp Koon Kup".  General differences in regional dialect are nothing new (think New Orleans vs. Houma), but I've counted it as an achievement that I was able to pick up on it.

An Extremely Large Entrance Monument Located On The Only Highway Into Town

More information to come shortly, likely in the form of photographs from my initial explorations around town.  Stay tuned.

To Eat Or Not To Eat

There are an infinite number of reasons to travel.  To relax in a stress-free atmosphere, to experience a different culture, to discover something new, to retrace history, or – my personal favorite – to experience unfamiliar and exciting cuisine.  My philosophy when traveling has been, and always will be, to eat any and everything that is not at your disposal back where you reside.  My apologizes, but I don't want to eat McDonald's in Paris, Subway sandwiches in Barcelona, or Chili's in Tokyo.  Nor do I want something basic and generic.  Don't offer me a hamburger or a slice of pizza.  Please entice me.  Or challenge me.  Or disgust me.  Either way, I'll be intrigued to try whatever it is that's been prepared.

The food scene in New Orleans seems to be thriving because of this very concept.  While steeped in traditional ingredients, there is a seemingly fresh desire to be creative.  To fuse new flavors or textures in an uncommon way.  It's even acceptable to cross over the boundaries which define genres.  I can see how one's palette could get spoiled in a gastronomic Mecca such as New Orleans.

Still, I'll continue to seek all that Bangkok has to offer.  There seemed no better place to start than the incredibly large farmer's market, Klong Toey.  If ever there were a place to experience all that the locals could propose, this would be it.

Able to walk amongst thousands of Thais, I witnessed farmers trucking in their recently harvested crops, fishermen hauling in the morning's catch, and merchants hacking, cleaning, preparing, and cooking the wildest of creations.  The market is so large that it feels like a town.  Row after row after row mimic the crowded streets of Bangkok; there are narrow lanes and endless human traffic.  And like Bangkok itself, this "town" isn't clean.  Picture a post-apocalyptic refuge camp.  The walkways are filthy and flooded with mud, water, feathers, scales, blood, and the occasional fish or octopus that's managed to escape from its bucket.  This entire compound exists beneath a canopy of rusty sheet metal and giant umbrellas which cast their colors upon the market and its vendors, patrons, and goods.  I understand the concept of why one would construct this quasi-roof but what they've unintentionally done is create a furnace.  With no moving air, the stifling heat and humidity incubate in this inferno.  It's unbearable.

But I went there for food, and food I would get.  Thailand's produce selection is phenomenal.  There is no end to the peak growing season in this tropical climate.  The pineapples...oh, the pineapples!  Here, they are skinned and sliced freshly upon being harvested; I can assure you that you haven't experienced a pineapple such as these.  The taste is truly unrivaled.  And the carrots are enormous!  You'd be hard-pressed to find one less than 12 inches and under a half pound.  The selections of leafy greens are vast as well.  Now granted, most of these are what Westerners would consider grasses – and the Thais pick them as such – but they're wildly popular in soups.  Produce wasn't why I was there however.  I made sure to seek out the oddest things to eat and did just that.  There were all types of fish, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, and mussels – both alive or freshly cleaned – available (which was impressive given that we're not really near the coast).  Numerous chickens and ducks caged next to the open flames that will eventually roast them would drive any animal rights activist to tears.  And – as if I were back home – there were frogs, turtles, hog's head and feet, chicken hearts and gizzards, and turkey necks.  The stars of this adventure however were the insects.  Crickets, worms, grubs, water beetles, and grasshoppers were all available... and raw.  For a moment, I imagined being in a old fishing bait shop.

Foreshadowing From Above

Before

After

I stared at a piece of styrofoam placed atop a mound of yellow grubs and attempted to read what was written on it.  There were two numbers and some Thai words.  Was this a certain amount of grubs for a particular price?  Unsure, I stood there awkwardly staring and pondering if I was about to spend 3.50 Baht for 20 grams of grubs or 20 Baht for 3.50 grams. Surely this couldn't be kilos, right?  During this moment of lengthy confusion, the woman selling the insects finally grabbed a black cricket and presented it to me.  I attempted to offer her some pocket change as compensation but she refused.  Our charades back and forth drew a crowd around her and me – the only farang at the entire market – to see whether or not I'd eat this raw cricket.  In one fell swoop, I munched it down.  Not bad, surprisingly so.  Neither were the brown crickets, nor the grasshoppers.  This insect buffet took a turn for the less-desirable with the consumption of the yellow grubs.  These squishy and oddly cold grubs burst their liquid-filled abdomen across my tongue with the first bite.  Chewing and swallowing became a much more labored task.  But I did it; I ate one of every bug in front of me.  And upon finishing, I was met with applause from the gathered crowd.

My mission for this outing was now accomplished, but there are still additional delicacies I'd like to sample.  Hopefully the scorpions, snakes, birds, and lizards will be next.

Bangkok: A Photo Essay

     The following photographs document a day spent lost in Bangkok.  This is a mere sample of the landscape, traditions, means of transportation, history, the people, and the cuisine it has to offer.

Traveling down the Chao Phraya River

The night skyline

A raw carrot, broccoli, and walnut salad

A shrine for good luck on a rooftop

The Chao Phraya River

The Reclining Buddha - 45 ft. tall...

...and 150 ft. long

Wat Pho

In Good Company

Fortune is an odd universal concept to me.  Good fortune especially; what a foreign idea.  Typically, I feel like a walking example of Murphy's Law.  But during this brief residence in Bangkok I have yet to get lost, pick-pocketed, mugged by a monkey, get in a bar fight, lose a finger, or become the damsel in distress of Taken 4.  Actually, it's been quite the opposite.  I suppose I could argue that I've been blessed.

One of these blessings have been the strangers I've met.  I really couldn't have been more lucky with meeting the most sincere, intelligent, and good-natured people.  This all began one night at the Suda Palace Hotel.  While downstairs in the lobby, a conversation was struck between a few Thai teachers and myself, and I took a seat on the bench for the piano near our gathering.  Naturally the question of "Do you play?" arose followed by my response of "Only a little." with the hope of the conversation moving along.  It didn't.  Somehow I became the evening entertainment for the entire lobby; its staff and its guests.

During my set list, down wandered Amanda – one of many farang (foreigners) – looking for the just the slightest signal of Wi-Fi.  You'd think that a developing country in Asia wouldn't have any issue with the internet.  Wrong.  It's spotty at best.  Looking for some solitude to write, little did Amanda know that she was walking into a piano-fueled cacophony.  Fortunately for her, I didn't entertain the Thai teachers much longer so the peace and quiet she was searching for became available.  A conversation was struck based on mutual interests – writing, art, music – and a kindred spirit was found.  A friend made.

Left to Right - Katy, Amanda, Kelly

My new friendship with Amanda offered the opportunity to meet the others that would be sent to the town of Khon Kaen with her.  Kelly, Rebecca, and Katy completed this Fantastic Four.  All of whom are strong, independent, talented, intelligent, self-identifying feminists.  They each offered varying personality traits however.  Optimism, sarcasm, patience, intuition.  This connection came to fruition after a mishap involving my luggage being accidental stolen.  Once I tracked it down, I landed at the same hostel as the girls.  Over the span of a few days, conversations were had that offered intrigue, challenges, insight, and enlightenment.  Opportunities that I sincerely appreciated.  How often does one truly get a chance to establish genuine relationships, especially in what could be considered a dire or isolated scenario?

Kelly and Rebecca

As our time together ended and we went our separate ways, but not before discussing America's Northern states versus its Southern states, vegetarianism, gender roles, animal rights, contemporary music and art, and humanity.  I can only hope that I've offered them a fraction of what they given me.  Perhaps our paths will cross again in Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon, or somewhere in between.  Thanks always; it is much appreciated.

Katy, Thai Guy, Kelly, Amanda

An Observation Of...

It seems that I've stumbled upon the habit of drawing comparisons of Bangkok to Busan and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that yet.  On one hand, I dislike the feeling of labeling people, customs, places, actions, etc. Could that set an unfair precedent from one variable to another?  Conversely, I suppose it's only natural.  Could an isolated experiences exist if it weren't for others to relate them to?  How would I know which is the best steak I've ever eaten if it weren't for the lackluster ones?  Or which location on the human body is the most painful spot to be tattooed?  Or who are the greatest friend if it weren't for the assholes?

I'll interrupt myself here with what I feel would be a common rebuttal; "Those examples are subjective.  My tastes are different from yours.  My pain may vary from someone else's.  But when comparing Bangkok to Busan, these are two things that can be quantified."  Absolutely correct.  However, in both cases, these are merely my observations to the world around me.  I'm not commenting on the population density, the year that democracy was established, or the square mileage which each country covers.  I wander in observation of how the world and I interact; this perspective is no one's but my own.

So without further adieu, some thoughts...

-One of the more interesting things to me is the race of the population of Bangkok.  There are native Thais (darker skin, shorter in stature, and distinctly harsh features) and there are Chinese Thais (pale skin, taller stature, and smooth, subtle features).  There's a slight divide between these groups based on the perceptions of social status and class, with the pale-skinned Thais thinking that they're of a higher status.  This is much different than Busan whose population is over 90% pure Korean decent.  It's a much more racially homogenized city.

-Both cities aren't the cleanest; there are just too many people taking up too much space.  Without any open-air landfills to take the massive amounts of garbage produced by the large populations, it get highly stacked on every street corner.  With this amount of rank trash out in the open, one can naturally expect roaches and rats.  Now here's where the cities differ – Bangkok is over-run with mangy, wild dogs and Busan is over-populated with feral cats.

-Traffic is worse in Bangkok.  Drivers are worse in Bangkok.  The rules of the road do not exist in Bangkok.  In essence, if your mode of transportation can fit in a space, you go there.  If your vehicle is too large to fit in said space, you force yourself there anyways.

-While residential spaces in both cities contain the customary Asian-style open bathroom (tiled floor and walls, a drain in the center of the floor, a shower head mounted on the wall), Thailand plumbing leaves a lot to be desired.  Though South Korean toilets can handle toilet paper being flushed, Thai piping can not.  Cue the "Bum Gun".  This is a high-pressured spray nozzle mounted next to every toilet which is used to wash exactly what you think it washes.  You then dry yourself with toilet paper (which is more on par with the single-ply tissue Stateside) and dispose of it in the garbage can.

 -Lastly, Thailand has adopted the British rules of driving.  The steering wheel is on the opposite side of the vehicle from South Korea and America.  Also, the opposing lanes in the road are used when traveling.  Be careful!  Americans will look to their left first but the cars will be speeding at you from the right!