In the next few days I’ll be moving Rice Queen Diary to a new web hosting service. In theory the transition should be seamless, but things sometimes don’t go as planned, so I thought it best to let everyone know in case you see some strange things happening.
Before we went to Korat I bought Leo and I new cameras, something a little bit more than a pocket point and shoot, but not a full fledged professional class SLR. We both have an interest in rekindling our life long passion for photography and see it as a good way to share a common interest that doesn’t depend a lot on language skills. Most of our plans for sharing time together now center around going places we think might provide good photo opportunities.
It’s kind of funny. Being the college educated expert that he is, Leo thought the old man didn’t know much about photography. When I suggested we get the cameras he even said this would be good, because we can now see who takes the best pictures, a not so subtle hint at his self proclaimed prowess. Our first day of serious shooting put an end to that debate. He came back with nothing usable and asked if I’d let him use mine to show friends and family. I didn’t make a big deal about it and he openly admitted his photos were no good. Actually, it was so bad I was seriously concerned he’d lose interest. As it turns out, Leo now listens to my advice and is bringing home some nice shots. I get the distinct impression he doesn’t have a lot of experience with a camera that requires more skills than point and shoot.
This led to another shared activity I had not planned on, selecting and editing photos. When I have two photos of the same subject, and can’t decide which is best, I ask his opinion. He is a very honest critic with an artistic eye, but voicing his opinions does tend to challenge his English skills. Leo often gets frustrated when he can’t find the words in English to express himself, but when working with photos he does not let it get to him and really pushes harder to get his ideas out. So this activity has the added benefit of helping to perfect his English skills.
I hope this isn’t too boring for everyone. The main reason I’m writing about it is I’ve read countless opinions stating relationships between Thai and farang, principally when there is an age difference, have difficulty surviving because there isn’t any common ground at an intellectual level. I would suggest the real problem is with the farang selecting a BF because he’s got a nice ass and never taking into consideration what intellectual common ground the two may have. I was fully aware of Leo’s training and interest in photography and cinematography before we entered into a relationship.
This isn’t a new concept. Most people realize the importance of finding someone with common interests. But for some reason when guys come to Thailand they forget about all that and just focus on physical attributes. Back home its common knowledge this approach is a recipe for disaster.
After returning from our day trip to Phimai we dropped Little and O off and stopped at our hotel just long enough to freshen up. From there it was off to the family home for a BBQ dinner. We got to the house around 5pm and some of the women and kids where already preparing food. There was enough meat on a skewer to feed an army, plus a tray of chicken, and about 5 or 6 whole fish.
They had already lit the grill, but it wasn’t cooking evenly so Leo stepped in and started instructing everyone on what to do, as he made things right. It was at this point I began to notice Leo is the dominant member of the family. His father is very soft spoken, but when he talks everyone pays attention. Yet, throughout the evening Dad rarely issued any orders. For the most part, he only got involved when Leo wasn’t around to deal with it himself. Leo is the eldest son, so maybe this is typical in a Thai family unit…I don’t know.
The autistic male cousin is 22 years old. He helps Leo’s Mom at her work, and this evening he was in charge of going on his bicycle to get more soda, coke and ice when they needed replenishing. Between supply runs, he was also given the responsibility for keeping everyone’s glass of whiskey full. He is very shy, but always has a big smile on his face. This would only change if things got a little too exciting for him, at which point he would quickly withdraw.
Leo’s two autistic aunts rarely showed them selves. The single room home that had recently been built was occupied by one. There is a small fence that separates the front of here home from the rest of the open common area. Leo told me she was free to go anyplace, and I could see there was nothing restricting her from walking out to the main road, so I suspect the fence was there to create a sense of security or separation. A difficulty with social interaction is the most common feature of autistic individuals, so I didn’t find this arrangement unusual. Every once in awhile she would come out of her room and stand at the fence to watch what was going on, but never engaged. Later I asked Leo about the fence and he said the aunt requested it, but he didn’t know why.
I thought it interesting that Leo’s parents never once got involved with the preparation and serving of food or drinks. Well, it was actually no surprise Dad didn’t, as this would not be one of his responsibilities. I didn’t think it appropriate to ask Leo why this was, but assumed they were concentrating there efforts on being a good host.
Early in the evening I noticed the 22 year old cousin had returned with a big banana leaf. He started to cut it up when one of the aunts took it from him. I assumed they were going to wrap fish in it for cooking. As it turns out, the ladies needed a basting brush, and strips of banana leaf tied to a stick would do just fine.
As the evening progressed, and never an empty glass of whiskey to be found, things started to lighten up a bit. Leo had asked that I go slowly with the whiskey consumption, because we still had the gay disco on our agenda for later that evening.
Things went well, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Once all the cooking was done two of the aunts seated themselves on either side of me. Both were a bit aggressive, to the point I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Leo saw what was happening and quickly announced we needed to get going.
It was a bit early for the disco, so Leo decided we should pick up Little and O and spend some time at the Khunying Mo monument before heading over to the club.
I’ll save those two experiences for my next post.
DISCO BALLS AND MIRRORS
The first night we were at Leo’s home I noticed several small disco balls hanging outside the homes. On the second night my curiosity got the best of me, and I asked Leo what the deal was with all these disco balls hanging everywhere. He explained that some Thais believe mirrors will scare away the bad spirits, and a disco ball has MANY mirrors. Next Leo pointed out all the small mirrors stuck to walls and pillars outside every door. He then said the larger mirror mounted outside his home was also good for one last check of your hair before leaving.
The other day, while out socializing with a small group of boys, a Volkswagen Beetle/Bug pulled up in front of the restaurant we were at. It reminded me of a popular game people play in America called Slug Bug. Variations on the name of this game include Slug Buggy and Bug Slug.
It’s usually played to pass the time on a long car trip, but some like to engage all the time. The game is about who can announce the spotting of a VW first by saying “slug bug”, which is accompanied by a usually gentile punch to the shoulder of another player. The one scoring the most slug bugs, within a defined period of time, is the winner. There are many variations to this game, but that’s basically how its played. I told the boys about the game and Leo said Thais play it, as well. However, instead of punching another player, a gentile pinch is given. I asked him what Thais call the game and he said this, like many other things, does not have a name.
Then I explained what slug and bug meant, and Leo said Thais often call it an Animal Car. Princess chimed in adding some also refer to it as the Turtle Car.
While in Korat, the BF pointed out a flowering tree that is common in Thailand. He said they call it the Crying Tree.
He went on to say that while the flowers it produces are very beautiful no one would think of bringing them inside. To do so would mean the house is sad.
I don’t know if this belief is regionally specific (Isan) or one shared by all Thais.
From the banyan tree we headed back toward Korat with a planned stop at a Buddhist store and shrine. It was on the opposite side of the highway going out, so we decided to take it in on the return trip. This place is about 30 minutes outside Korat and so striking one can’t miss it as they pass by.
I don’t pretend to understand establishments like this. It’s not a wat or temple. The boys told me it is a store for purchasing Buddhist related items, but did not offer any more detail. I’ve been in plenty of Buddhist shops before, but none were as extravagant as this. Everything on display is clearly high-end and many items are obviously targeted at the wealthy consumer or those needing something large for a commercial building.
Items inside the store are quite impressive. There was even a large ship carved entirely out of bone, and another made from ivory. But the store is just a small part of this amazing place. Up on the roof is an enormous exhibit of very large statues, all of which are in someway related to the Buddhist faith. A boy that looked at my photos said it is a mix of Thai and Chinese Buddhist icons, along with some statues of the historically famous Khunying Mo who saved Korat from an invasion.
Behind the building there’s another structure, which is also dedicated to Khunying Mo. Behind it is a small man made lake that appeared to be in final stages of construction. There is a path around the lake and seating areas, so I assume it is intended as a place for meditation.
Everything appears to be privately financed. There are donation boxes scattered around the grounds, mostly in the form of large safes. I assume most, if not all, of the money collected in them goes to the local wat. I don’t really know much more about this place, but it’s definitely worth visiting, if in the area.
By the time we arrived the sky had become nothing short of picture perfect. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time and got some truly spectacular photos.
Before heading out, the boys wanted to powder their face. This photo catches Little just after applying the powder, but before he had time to wipe off the excess. And FINALLY Leo decides to take off those bloody sunglasses.
Next, a BBQ dinner with the family, followed by an evening at the only Gay disco in Korat.
The other night I was visiting with a couple of boys and the subject of adhesive bandages came up. The boys told me they call them “plasters”. The pronunciation of ER in the word is spoken the same as Thais do with computer.
I thought the boys were trying to tell me plaster comes from a popular brand name adhesive bandage with the same name, no surprise as we Americans call them Band-Aids, which is a brand name.
So I went out on the Internet looking for a photo of Plaster brand adhesive bandages, but nothing surfaced. However, I did notice several web sites referring to adhesive bandages as plasters, adhesive plasters, wound plasters, or sticking plasters. This suggested to me its origin was from something other than a popular brand name.
Further investigation revealed this Wikipedia reference…
An adhesive bandage (called a sticking plaster, just plaster, or Elastoplast (a trademark) in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa; often called Band-Aid (a trademark) generically in the United States, India, Canada, and Australia) is a small dressing used for injuries not serious enough to require a full-size bandage.
Apparently I misunderstood what the boys were trying to say, but it makes no difference as I ended up learning something new.
From Phimai Historical Park it was a short 2 kilometer drive to the largest banyan tree in Thailand. The enormous tree has a canopy of leaves measuring 85 m (279 ft) in diameter, and needs to be supported by concrete pillars. There is no admission fee, so the only expense is for any tourist trinkets or food and drinks one buys.
Eating lunch was first on the agenda. This place is apparently well known for serving up good food, and I would be hard pressed to disagree. Meals are prepared by a group of outdoor style restaurants; all located under one large covered area that overlooks the famous tree and other grounds. The tree is situated on an island surrounded by a small lake. In addition, there are a few attractive structures on or next to the water. So, the combination of great food, a nice view and the company of three adorable Thai boys made for an enjoyable lunch. As this is a tourist stop, food prices are slightly higher than you would pay in other places, but all things considered it was not unreasonable at all.
After eating, we headed straight for a look under the big tree. Access is provided by a small foot bridge over a narrow strip of water that separates the island from higher ground. There’s a series of paved paths snaking around under the tree, making it easy to explore. For some reason the boys only wanted to look at one side. I read someplace people live under the tree, so it may be they didn’t want to enter into that area.
Older banyan trees are characterized by their aerial prop roots which grow into thick woody trunks which, with age, can become indistinguishable from the main trunk. Old trees can spread out laterally using these prop roots to cover a wide area. (Source: wikipedia) Thus, it looks like dozens of trees, but there is really only one main trunk.
The main trunk is adorned with flowers and other offerings, and has a Buddhist shrine in front of it. In the past I have noticed the same practice with other old trees in Thailand. When I’ve asked why Thais do this the answer has always been “for good luck” a typical response one gets from queries of this nature.
A couple of days ago I was walking in the park with Princess and noticed another old tree covered in offerings. Princess speaks pretty good English, so I thought this might be a good opportunity to learn some more detail. He said Thais believe that good spirits live in the old trees. Even good spirits can be mean if not cared for, so people give gifts to keep them happy.
After a satisfactory number of photos had been taken of the tree, and Mr. O, we headed out from underneath the canopy. By now the overcast sky was beginning to break up, making conditions even better for those taking pictures. We wondered around the lake photographing it from every possible angle. Actually Leo and I took pictures of the grounds while Little concentrated on capturing more images of O. AH…to be young and in love…how sweet!
The lake is well stocked with very large cat fish. Food can be purchased to feed the fish, something Thais, couples in particular it seems, like to do. So when Leo and I rejoined the two love birds they where shoulder-to-shoulder feeding the fish. The fish feeding thing is another one of those “for good luck” items I’ve yet to get more detail on.
Before leaving we all sat down for one last look at the lake, and a cigarette for the road. Little isn’t afraid to show affection in public, something most Thais won’t do. While sitting there he started to get very touchy with O, and then tried to give him a kiss. The kiss was apparently outside O’s comfort level and Little was gently pushed away. I saw this as a good time to suggest we get on our way.
The sky continued to improve, and by the time we reached our next destination it was simply spectacular, as you will see in my next post.
This was a full day of activities, way too much to cover in one post, so I’ll break it up in to 3 or 4.
After showers and breakfast, the first item on the agenda was to pick up Little and O who where joining us for the day’s outing. Little is one of Leo’s closest friends, a relationship that started back in high school about ten years ago. Best I can determine he ranks number three on Leo’s top ten list of friends. Little and O live in BKK and decided to join us in Korat.
Little is quite the character. I think I could dedicate an entire blog just to writing about him and his life. Little is….little, and when his hair is at the right length, and styled a certain way, you might guess this 26 year old is only 14. Little is from Korat, has a college degree and holds down a good job in BKK. Compared to Princess and Leo, Little’s English skills are not that great, but we manage to communicate fairly well. He’s an adorable little guy with the most captivating eyes I’ve ever seen on a Thai boy.
Little’s boyfriend O is from the BKK area. He is a 22 year old university student, pursuing a degree in the microelectronics field. O is an intelligent young man with very good English skills. I think Little is lucky to have met O. He’s an incredibly sweat and friendly guy, with a fantastic personality. That and drop dead gorgeous looks make him a prize catch, in my opinion. As you can see, he’s also a total ham in front of a camera. O is a recent addition to Little’s life and a huge improvement over the previous BF, whom I did not care for.
After picking up the boys we were off to our first destination, which was Phimai Historical Park, about one hour outside of Korat. The boys seemed to enjoy climbing in and over the ruins. Everyone had a camera, so a lot of pictures were taken, and this is when I discovered just how big of a ham O is.
I’m often amazed by how quickly the boys tire of the heat. You would think I’d be the one complaining, but they are always first to say it’s getting too hot and we should go. So, after about an hour and a half of Phimai we headed back to the car. Later I learned they where also getting hungry and lunch was to be had at our next stop just a couple of kilometers down the road.
Has anyone ever seen one of these that actually works?
