Circle of Cultures

Today has been a very busy day. We started early and went out to Ban Tawai a wood carving area in Chiang Mai. This was great as we picked up some very nice bedside lamps at a steal, a load of wooden toys and know where we can go for anything we might need if/when we move into a real house. From here the plan was to head to Dorklag's land, yet on the way we got completely lost and ended up at a temple watching a procession of offerings to do with Buddhist Lent. Families put baskets of everything together that they offer the monks who are confined to the temples for up to 3 months in hope they will look after lost ancestors. The kids thought this was great, I found it a little materialistic for a religious gathering. We ended up at Dorklag's land and did the cooked chook sandwich picnic thing as we fished and made sure our boat and Trev's home brew was all still in order. Good news on all parts except the gardener has not been in eons and everything is overgrown again. Tom got in his row boat and is pretty stable in it now, and able to almost get in and out without help now - this will be scary as he will go MIA I'm sure and we'll find him out in the middle of the lake. The beer is definitely doing the second stage fermentation as all the bottles are tight and in a new shape. The taste test will have to wait until they are chilled. We made it back home in time to see the Doggies Saints game on Australia network to realise it was a one sided affair, Tom asked if we could play cricket so we headed down to the grassy area beside the Ping. Claire in her girly way needed to do her hair before we left, Tom had to be told to get some pants on. But Tom is coming along in leaps and bounds in his motor skills. He may even be a lefty batter, but definitely a right handed bowler. And this brought us to Saturday night food, which we agreed we'd try a new place, so we went to a place I'd been to, but the kids haven't which is Pum Pui on the same road as the Top North Guest House. Kids were well behaved in the nice little garden restaurant we shared some pasta dishes and bread, Tom tried to share my carafe of red, but was convinced a lemon shake would be better and this was finished off with them being spoilt with gelato by the Thai staff and Claire breaking out in the Thai National Anthem with enough correct they understood what she was singing.

Please please please Thai teachers at school play repetitively at 8am some useful phrases over the loud speakers and Grandpa may soon get his translator.