Miew Noi (or little kitten) is now 12 years old.
Namfon (or rain) turns 9 years old.
Miew Daang ( or black-n-white kitten) is 11 years old.
2557/09/15
2556/01/23
The kind of real Buddhist temples that I knew was nearly in extinction
Bangkok
Wednesday, January 24, 2013
Last Sunday I joined my friend to take a day trip to Chacherngsao, a small province near Bangkok. Only an hour drive, we reached our destination. We actually intended to visit a famous temple called Wat Sothornwararam, better known as Wat Lhuangpor Sothorn. Its name was after the name of a very famous buddha statue, Lhuangpor Sothorn, at the temple.
I went to visit this temple every year when I was a kid. My father set this place as our family's annual trip. We usually traveled by train before transferring to tricycles or a small song-taew bus( a small roofed van-applied taxi with two rows of passenger seats facing each other at the back and a step to get in).
In my childhood memory, the temple was spacy and shady with its old but very respectable shapel. The compound included many big trees, a makeshift stage for traditional dancing performance by local dancing troupes who offered their service for temple goers, and some muddy pot-hole ground. Next to the temple was the bank of Bangpakong River, the main river of this province and the very river in which the sacred Lhuangpor Sothorn was first found. Several local vendors sold their goods near the river; most items were products from their orchads or households such as dried fish, fresh fruits, kanhom chaak( Thai dessert made of dark sticky rice flour mixed with sugar, salt, coconut shreds, wrapped with Nypa palm leaf and grilled), and nypa plam fruits. It was always my pleasant trip there despite the long hours round trip.
But my connection with that temple faded since later, my priorities shifted to study and work. I had a chance to visit this temple again almost two years ago. Such a big change, not a good impression for me, though. It was very crowded with temple goers and local people who made their businesses related to the temple as well as vendors. The image of peaceful temple and green environ was gone. The compound was full of new, castle-like marble chapel and several disorganized structures plus cacophony of noises from loud speakers around the temple. I could no longer see the bank of the river from the compound. Fortunately, I could find some parking space at that time.
Last weekend, however, my two years ago memory wasn't changed much. But worse. My friend and I could not find space to park our car when we arrived there around 10 o'clock in the morning. After driving around and stucking in the row of cars searching for their parking spot, we decided to pay respect outside the temple wallwhile driving past.
Being a real Buddhist is to practic good deeds, rather than to cling with materials or popularity.
Wednesday, January 24, 2013
Last Sunday I joined my friend to take a day trip to Chacherngsao, a small province near Bangkok. Only an hour drive, we reached our destination. We actually intended to visit a famous temple called Wat Sothornwararam, better known as Wat Lhuangpor Sothorn. Its name was after the name of a very famous buddha statue, Lhuangpor Sothorn, at the temple.
I went to visit this temple every year when I was a kid. My father set this place as our family's annual trip. We usually traveled by train before transferring to tricycles or a small song-taew bus( a small roofed van-applied taxi with two rows of passenger seats facing each other at the back and a step to get in).
In my childhood memory, the temple was spacy and shady with its old but very respectable shapel. The compound included many big trees, a makeshift stage for traditional dancing performance by local dancing troupes who offered their service for temple goers, and some muddy pot-hole ground. Next to the temple was the bank of Bangpakong River, the main river of this province and the very river in which the sacred Lhuangpor Sothorn was first found. Several local vendors sold their goods near the river; most items were products from their orchads or households such as dried fish, fresh fruits, kanhom chaak( Thai dessert made of dark sticky rice flour mixed with sugar, salt, coconut shreds, wrapped with Nypa palm leaf and grilled), and nypa plam fruits. It was always my pleasant trip there despite the long hours round trip.
But my connection with that temple faded since later, my priorities shifted to study and work. I had a chance to visit this temple again almost two years ago. Such a big change, not a good impression for me, though. It was very crowded with temple goers and local people who made their businesses related to the temple as well as vendors. The image of peaceful temple and green environ was gone. The compound was full of new, castle-like marble chapel and several disorganized structures plus cacophony of noises from loud speakers around the temple. I could no longer see the bank of the river from the compound. Fortunately, I could find some parking space at that time.
Last weekend, however, my two years ago memory wasn't changed much. But worse. My friend and I could not find space to park our car when we arrived there around 10 o'clock in the morning. After driving around and stucking in the row of cars searching for their parking spot, we decided to pay respect outside the temple wallwhile driving past.
Being a real Buddhist is to practic good deeds, rather than to cling with materials or popularity.
Bangpakong River
An escape from a box-like apartment to a nearby park
Bangkok
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
My December 2012 was occupied by a project of translation work. Actually, the project kept me busy until this mid January 2013. No complain, though. Just stated the fact. How should I complain about it when it is my way of living and brings me new information and knowledge some times, too.
But the one and a half month in front of the screen cannot be called fun or heaven period. Especially, the activity was working and its deadline was set for you to meet , if not outpace. It is mind-killing and very exhausting mentally and physically.
Thus, once I completed this work and clicked sent button to my customer, I hurried to take shower and ran outside. My destination for this quick escape was a small public park, just about 15 minutes walk from my small apartment. It is named Suan Santiparp or Santiparp Park.
This park once used to be just a shady empty space near Victory Monument in downtown Bangkok. Then, it looked scary and too dangerous for any decent people to walk by. Later, some twenty years back it was changed by City of Bangkok to become a city public park. Its landscape was renovated to become greeny and friendly for all visitors. The City also assigned a team of operation officials to look after the park and set some strict rules to ensure the public safety.
I first stepped inside the compound of Santiparp Park two years ago and that impressed me for how it has positively changed from my memory of its old, shady corner. Later, I usually drop by this park or take my escape from some daily stress to relax at the small park. Just a book in hand and I can spend hours on the green lawn under the shade of green canopies in this park. On a good weather day, I can enjoy nice, cool breeze and chatty noises of birds that maybe seek their escape from the busy world outside, too.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
My December 2012 was occupied by a project of translation work. Actually, the project kept me busy until this mid January 2013. No complain, though. Just stated the fact. How should I complain about it when it is my way of living and brings me new information and knowledge some times, too.
But the one and a half month in front of the screen cannot be called fun or heaven period. Especially, the activity was working and its deadline was set for you to meet , if not outpace. It is mind-killing and very exhausting mentally and physically.
Thus, once I completed this work and clicked sent button to my customer, I hurried to take shower and ran outside. My destination for this quick escape was a small public park, just about 15 minutes walk from my small apartment. It is named Suan Santiparp or Santiparp Park.
This park once used to be just a shady empty space near Victory Monument in downtown Bangkok. Then, it looked scary and too dangerous for any decent people to walk by. Later, some twenty years back it was changed by City of Bangkok to become a city public park. Its landscape was renovated to become greeny and friendly for all visitors. The City also assigned a team of operation officials to look after the park and set some strict rules to ensure the public safety.
I first stepped inside the compound of Santiparp Park two years ago and that impressed me for how it has positively changed from my memory of its old, shady corner. Later, I usually drop by this park or take my escape from some daily stress to relax at the small park. Just a book in hand and I can spend hours on the green lawn under the shade of green canopies in this park. On a good weather day, I can enjoy nice, cool breeze and chatty noises of birds that maybe seek their escape from the busy world outside, too.
2555/11/29
Kao Man Kai, an easy but yummy dish
I love Kao Man Kai , that 's what Thai people call the dish when we order at the restaurants. It is steamed rice toppled with chicken and served with dark brown sauce and a bowl of light soup. It is one of my favourite dishes.
You may find kao man kai available at food stalls on the street or at trendy restaurants in five-star hotels in Bangkok. Its taste surely satisfies a wide range of people here, from millionaires to beggars. The formidable secret seems lying on the sauce. You have perfect steamed rice and chicken but with plain or wrong-taste sauce, you can say goodbye to your customers soon, that was some friends told me and I agreed.
The sauce for kao man kai is mainly made of garlic, fresh ginger, taojiew(salty soybean sauce), sweet black soysauce, sugar and fresh chili chopped. Some people added lime juice to make it sour a bit.
Thank Jack, my good college friend, who invited me to have dinner at his place. I had a great chance to help him and his wife prepare kao man kai and its sauce during their preparation. That's how I quickly memorized all into my curious brain and later tried doing it myself at my apartment. That was thousands of miles across the earth away from my hometown and kao man kai was not available at the street corner. :)
You may find kao man kai available at food stalls on the street or at trendy restaurants in five-star hotels in Bangkok. Its taste surely satisfies a wide range of people here, from millionaires to beggars. The formidable secret seems lying on the sauce. You have perfect steamed rice and chicken but with plain or wrong-taste sauce, you can say goodbye to your customers soon, that was some friends told me and I agreed.
The sauce for kao man kai is mainly made of garlic, fresh ginger, taojiew(salty soybean sauce), sweet black soysauce, sugar and fresh chili chopped. Some people added lime juice to make it sour a bit.
Thank Jack, my good college friend, who invited me to have dinner at his place. I had a great chance to help him and his wife prepare kao man kai and its sauce during their preparation. That's how I quickly memorized all into my curious brain and later tried doing it myself at my apartment. That was thousands of miles across the earth away from my hometown and kao man kai was not available at the street corner. :)
My "bualoy" , a Thai dessert
It's Friday afternoon. Yeah, tomorrow is a holiday weekend and few people wants to think of heavy stuffs, except, heavy stuffs like what to eat and where to go for fun.
That's how I offer you who may want to stay home and get your kitchen utensils work a bit with this Thai dessert called bualoy. It is made from sticky rice flour and cassava flour as well as water, coconut milk, sugar and salt. But since I love pumpkin, I added some steamed pumpkin in the combination and I got pumpkin bualoy. Bualoy is long known as a popular Thai dessert among sweet tooth Thai people and some love adding eggs in this dish. I am one of the latter.
Here is my product to tempt your cooking skill.
That's how I offer you who may want to stay home and get your kitchen utensils work a bit with this Thai dessert called bualoy. It is made from sticky rice flour and cassava flour as well as water, coconut milk, sugar and salt. But since I love pumpkin, I added some steamed pumpkin in the combination and I got pumpkin bualoy. Bualoy is long known as a popular Thai dessert among sweet tooth Thai people and some love adding eggs in this dish. I am one of the latter.
Here is my product to tempt your cooking skill.
<Plain bualoy with egg>
< Pumpkin bualoy>
Rally for freedom of expression in Bangkok Nov 24,2012
November 29, 2012
Bangkok, Thailand
I joined a big crowd of Thai citizens who are sick of our current Thai government and its corrupt authorities on last Saturday, November 24, 2012. The gathering took place at Bangkok's Royal Plaza and on the roads nearby. It was a gloomy day with dark clouds that turned into dowpours later in the afternoon until late night.
The general public was invited to join the rally. The gathering was quite peaceful and not exciting except the times that the police simply used teargas, clubs and force with no warning to block a crowd from entering the rally ground. The police claimed that they found metal spears and bullets amid the crowd and arrested more than 120 persons including the press who were shooting and recording the situations.
Dozens of protesters and news reporters/photographers were injured by the police forces. Few free TV channels reported the situations there. Many people outside the gathering ground had no clue about what happened there. Others simply thought the protesters were such a nuisance for Thai society. That's pity how the truth has been covered and distorted to the world.
Looking back at the protesters that day, I must say the Thai police and the governent are a talented story teller team. They join hands well to create pictures opposite to the fact. At the rally, about 70 percent of protesters were middle-aged and senior people. Many were on wheelchair, aided by their children or maids. Some were healthy but enough to drag their own feets along and that's the end. Some protesters came in group while many others came by themselves. They were not hire-handed. I spotted several leading thinkers and academics amid the crowd. My friend and I went there with our mobile phones and wallets. Yes, those were the weapons we had.
Here are some pictures that I took from the rally ground.
2555/03/06
The world is burning.
Bangkok, Thailand
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
It is not actually real summer time but the temperature is rising quickly here. It 's hot. It's burning. It's killing me. It 's 38 degree Celcius and TV weather forecasters just told us audiences that the temperature is expected to rise beyond 40 C this April. God please helps us.
I remember that I still felt a bit cold in January and mid February. The winter prolonged from last year. Then, a couple days later after that cool air cringed, the air simply turned very warm. Once March arrived, that cool air was quickly out of my mind. Now that weather prediction is haunting me and many other audiences for sure.
Thailand used to have three seasons. Winter lasted from mid November to February. Next was summer from March to May or mid June. But some rain storms often showed up in mid April and we call it Songkran Rain. Songkran is Thai word for Thai New Year festival in April yearly. The rest period was rainny season when we would experience tropical storms, monsoons and heavy rainfalls until November. Those were then, now I no longer see such pattern of weather. It 's hard to tell which season we are facing at present.
The weather is simply hot and hotter all yearround. Then, unpredictable rain can arrive any time and flashfloods especially in provinces. My Bangkok city just endured huge floods last year and no one ever reamed that it could happen to us city dwellers. The scary flood was gone a few months ago and our life returned to normal. But that last year flood still clinged in our mind and what we are wondering is if we are facing it soon this year and what we have prepared to cope with the possible flood can save us this time , if it happens.
Gigi
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
It is not actually real summer time but the temperature is rising quickly here. It 's hot. It's burning. It's killing me. It 's 38 degree Celcius and TV weather forecasters just told us audiences that the temperature is expected to rise beyond 40 C this April. God please helps us.
I remember that I still felt a bit cold in January and mid February. The winter prolonged from last year. Then, a couple days later after that cool air cringed, the air simply turned very warm. Once March arrived, that cool air was quickly out of my mind. Now that weather prediction is haunting me and many other audiences for sure.
Thailand used to have three seasons. Winter lasted from mid November to February. Next was summer from March to May or mid June. But some rain storms often showed up in mid April and we call it Songkran Rain. Songkran is Thai word for Thai New Year festival in April yearly. The rest period was rainny season when we would experience tropical storms, monsoons and heavy rainfalls until November. Those were then, now I no longer see such pattern of weather. It 's hard to tell which season we are facing at present.
The weather is simply hot and hotter all yearround. Then, unpredictable rain can arrive any time and flashfloods especially in provinces. My Bangkok city just endured huge floods last year and no one ever reamed that it could happen to us city dwellers. The scary flood was gone a few months ago and our life returned to normal. But that last year flood still clinged in our mind and what we are wondering is if we are facing it soon this year and what we have prepared to cope with the possible flood can save us this time , if it happens.
Gigi
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