สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sawatdii pimaï)

สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sawatdii pimaï) is Thai for Happy New Year. For those following the Gregorian calendar welcome to the year 2011. For the Buddhists welcome to the year 2554.
December 31st is a public holiday here. It makes some sence to me, when I harken back to my working days and the staff who would be lining up to go home early to get ready to go out for New years. I figure very little actual work got done anyway as they were hard to find after 11AM, and I think if I had a choice I would prefer to have December 31 and January 1st instead of December 25 and 26. Most businesses are closed today except for the shopping malls. Like idiots we decided to go to the mall today.

First Christmas in Thailand

Central World looking down from the 6th floor

Well the Christmas season has been upon us. Unlike our experiences in living in North America, the fact that it was Christmas could easily be forgotten, were it not for the interest that has been generated in this foreign concept. Thailand is largely Buddhist in it's religious practices and beliefs. On previous trips, I recalled being in Bangkok on Christmas Eve in  a balmy 34 degrees Celsius and seeing one of the Christian churches singers, decked out in Olde English costumes, singing Christmas carols. Most of the local people watched in fascination at this procession, sometimes going through the go-go bar streets and bars with patrons at tables lined up three deep into the street.

Welcome Finland

Welcome to the newest country listing for readers of this blog. Finland!

Bangkok and Christmas

I am just back from a week away in Bangkok. I love that city and have photos to upload on how they dress the city up for Christmas, in a country that is 95% Buddhist! If that spirit of celebration crossed nationalities and beliefs, maybe we could have peace on earth. Best wishes to you the readers of the kites from Phuket.

Welcome Singapore

Welcome to the newest reader, from Singapore. Now joining readers from 17 other countries.

Patong Carnival + Phuket Street Festival

The Patong carnival and the Phuket Street Festival are both underway. I am working on the blog to cover the experience. In the interim, photos are on the Flickr site. I had hoped to be able to provide links, but it is proving frustrating to find that, let alone in English.

Welcome Slovenia

Welcome to the newest country to be reading this blog: Slovenia.

 Joining readers from: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, USA and Vietnam.

What WAS That!?!?!

The Scene of the Crime

 
Coming to Phuket, we knew would be different than being back in BC on many different levels. From the food to the language and customs, there is also the wildlife. My biggest concern would be to see a snake. But in the area of Canada where we lived, the most dangerous would be the typical garter snake. It's biggest threat was a heart attack from jumping out when you least expected it. We had many many spiders, and I never paid them much attention, except to go through the house on a regular basis and raze their webs, only to run into a newly spun one the next morning, usually across the doorway as I was headed out to work.

Thailand has a large concentration of creepies and crawlies. Some of them just on sight alone are enough to cause you to steer a clear berth, others look so benign they almost invite close-up inspection. This is a habit that I am learning is probably not a good idea.

A Cat Named Pancake

I am always constantly amazed at the lack of evident presence of cats here. Mostly because I know there is generally no attempt to spay or neuter and I know that cats, like rabbits like to breed. I suspect that the lack of cats on the loose is a direct result of a number of factors that are not in their favour. They make easy prey for the soi dogs and snakes. Poison as a control method for the dogs, must surely be effective with cats as well. For a short time, we had neighbourhood cats that would wander into the back yard in search of particularly filled dog food dishes, that the bassets had decided that had their fill. I would watch in amazement as the cats would deftly walk along the top of the cement wall, that is topped with broken bottles, hop in, do a survey, eat and hop back up and out. I expected to find one slashed or impaled, but that never happened. I am sure that if I was to actually count the number of cats I have seen, it would not be above 12 in all the time I have been here.

I had noticed one of the visitors coming in for a late night snack, was heavy with kitten and I had not seen her for a few weeks now. So yesterday, as I was working on refurbishing Thunderbird three, as the weather takes a heavy toll on paint, and the salt water and air are pretty good at forming rust in record time. I heard a kitten crying,

Garbage As Art Updated

I have updated the entry Garbage as Art with information following our visit to the exhibition at Nakhonnai Museum.

Welcome India

Welcome to the new readers from India!!

Austria and Sri Lanka

Welcome to the newest readers, from Austria and Sri Lanka!