Ants, Cow Dung, Cashews and Chillis, Isaan Thailand.

We visited Noot’s grandfather, Khun Da out in the village last week and on the last afternoon we ventured off with two aunts as they were going to pick some water vegetables for us to take back with us to the city.

About 5 kilometres down the road from the village we arrived at the farm and the elder ladies said hello to our niece Ja.

We then walked and walked and Miss Noot and Nong Ja fell a little behind.

One of the main crops in the area is cashew nuts; there are thousands of trees growing on properties about the area. I know I am pretty stupid anyway but before I saw the trees here a few years ago I didn’t know this is how cashew nuts looked before you bought them in packets at the shops.

I also didn’t know that the fruit the actual nut is attached to is edible; it is called a cashew apple. I also found out quickly that the shell of the kernel contains a nasty acid that can burn the skin very badly. The villagers get 59 baht per kilo for unshelled kernels.

The ladies arrived at the small wetland and started picking the vegetables. I asked Noot if the vegetable was delicious and she said ‘I don’t know, I have never eaten it before.’

Noot and Ja relaxed in a hammock while the ladies toiled away.

There were red ants everywhere on the ground; many were all over the cow dung on the ground. Noot’s little cousin and me played a great game were you would pick an ant up and then try and get it to bite the other person. I sucked at this game and got bitten many times by her ants and also the ants I was picking up.

I have said before that it is very dry in Ubon Ratchathani province with all areas being declared drought disaster areas. It is a little strange to see this crop that is so green.

Chilli and Thais go hand in hand.

These chillis are hot; I can tell you now that they have a lot of bloody kick. I used two small chillis the other day and I had even scrapped out all the seeds but it still was extra hot, hot as in your lips swell up and you start to sweat hot.

Also the girls picked green mangoes, they are bitter and tangy the way Thais love them. You add salt and chilli or fermented fish sauce and the Thai girls are so happy.

You will see this all over Thailand. A rooster inside a bamboo made dome. These roosters are many farmers' pride and joy. Cockfighting is huge here in Thailand with magazines dedicated to the sport. Some roosters are worth big amounts of money.

Cock fighting is legal here in Thailand and usually held twice a month, I think it is the last two Sundays in every month. I have seen cockfighting and found it really boring. I couldn’t believe how excited the Thai men were getting but they were also all gambling so this obviously egged them on.

The next morning we packed up and headed home to Ubon but will be back in the village late next month for a few days before my holidays finish. I am sure I will need a few days to recharge my batteries again by then.

Brunty

Isaan Village Temple and Bath, Thailand.

While on my Isaan village trip I had always wanted to venture to a temple that has been under construction for over 3 years. It is easy to spot the temple from the main road to the village because of the large Buddha statue that sits atop of the building.

It has slowly taken shape over the years, Noot doesn’t know who has funded the temple and she couldn’t find out from anyone we knew in the village who was funding its construction.

The statue is still surrounded by bamboo scaffolding though it looks complete.

The building is very big; from floor to ceiling in the main hall would be 20 plus feet.

At the steps leading into the main hall are these mythical Nagas Serpents.

These Naga Serpents are huge and surround the entire base of the temple. The temple still has a lot of work to be done before finished. The main hall is still bare and barren but as funds become available they will continue their work I am sure.

If you look at the larger size picture, you can see how small the person looks who is painting the base of the statue. The hand gestures of the statue is known as;

Varada Mudra – Which is Symbolizing Charity or Gift.
The hand lowered with the palm facing outward is the gesture of bestowing blessings or of giving charity. The hand is extended downward, palm out. Mostly on standing Buddha images, but sometimes also represented in the sitting position.

Lining the way into the temple are frangipani trees. I have seen frangipanis in many colours but never this vibrant.

They were just so vivid when everything else around the area was dull in the dry times.

We headed back to the village at around 1pm, it was hot and most people spend times out of their houses. Most will be under their house in hammocks or in small thatched huts under the shade of trees. It is much cooler and also the breeze is very pleasant. Here Khun Da is resting, recharging his batteries.

Our niece Ja was a little hot and bothered so she had an Isaan shower.

The water is cool and a very lovely relief from the heat.

Ja was having a great time in her private pool.

Ja likes to stand up when ever she can now. Also she loves the water and splashes and screams with delight when in the bath or pool.

Ja thinks life is great.

After her bath it was time for a mid afternoon nap, so into one of the hammocks and then swung off to sleep.

I crept down to the river and went for a relieving swim; I too then had a small afternoon nap. Another tuff day in an Isaan village.

Brunty.

Isaan Village Sunrise and Street Market, Thailand.

I just blogged about our trip out to Noot’s grandfather’s village. After a night of not a lot of sleep due to the quietness, I was up early as in the village the wives usually start preparing breakfast for their husbands and kids who are off early to work the land or go fishing. To view any picture in large sizes just click on one and go to my Flickr page.

I like to go across from Khun Da’s house and sit on the bank of the Mekong River and watch the sun rise over the small mountains in Laos. So while Noot and Ja slept peacefully I sat on the bank of the river and enjoyed this sight.

It was a hive of activity already at 6am. Boats were heading up and downstream and the sound of motorbikes could be heard heading off up the road to the farms to work the land. I just kept enjoying the view.

The sun finally peaked its head over the small mountain to start what looked like was going to be another beautiful day.

I headed back to Da’s house to wake Noot as I wanted to wander to the once a week street market that was already in full swing.

The longboats were arriving to shore carrying many Laotians, they make the boat ride from their villages across the river and also bring goods to sell as well as purchase what they need.

They fit a fair few bodies in a boat, I have been for a ride in one and it is an interesting ride. They do sway side to side with the slightest of movement and when you see fishermen standing and casting nets you have to admire their balance.

While I was waiting for Miss Noot to remove the sleep from her eyes and make herself presentable I was wishing these mangoes were ripe. Thais love them green, they are bitter and they still dip them in salt and chili and sometimes add fermented fish sauce as well. Absolutely disgusting to me.

Finally we headed off on the very short walk, maybe 150 metres down the street. Ja was still asleep and being monitored by Khun Da, her great grandfather.

The butcher was set up and trading well. Plenty of fresh beef and even bones on offer.

The smell of grilling meat filled the air; here some chicken is being grilled for the hungry market shoppers.

I was surprised how many people were there. Noot said most were from villages close by and also many from Laos as well.

Noot, with her cousin near her side stopped to buy some grilled chicken.

Then they bought some processed meat balls as well.

This was the local tobacconist; he had 3 bags of different strength tobaccos. I bought a large bag of each for my mate John. At 10 Baht per bag I believe this was a bargain.

Chili is something that is nearly added to every dish, here dried chili, garlic and small red onions were up for sale.

Noot still hadn’t bought enough food, well she bought this breakfast sweet.

On top of the bank some of the Laotions had gathered organizing there goods for sale.

There are concrete steps halfway up the bank from the river. Here some people are arriving and others are leaving.

Noot’s last stop was at the vegetable truck. There was virtually any vegetable you could need. Noot had already bought some freshly killed beef and pork, so some vegetables were purchased for lunch and dinner later in the day.

We headed back to Da’s house where Nong Ja was awake and sitting and playing. So the early start to the day had begun. While Noot did this and that I crawled back under the mosquito net and lay down to rest my eyes for a few minutes. When I woke up at around 9am our day started.

That is another blog though.

Brunty.

Visiting an Isaan Village, Thailand.

Noot and I just spent a few days at her grandfather’s village just over 120klms away from our home. It is on the banks of the Mekong River; it is pretty isolated and is a good place to recharge your batteries.

View Larger Map
Khun Da’s to the far right, the markers are things to see there.

I have blogged a few times about the whole of Ubon Ratchathani province being declared drought disaster area. This above picture is from October 2008 when we visited. To view any pictures in larger sizes just click on them and go to my Flickr page.

This is from yesterday; the river is a lot lower now. I have seen it lower a few years ago but again the Thais just think that it will pour rain every year, fill the river and dams and all is good again until the next wet season. The year when the rains don’t come will be a real eye opener for many.

Looking downstream in October, there were no rocks to be seen. The river was an orange colour from all the runoff from the rain.

Now the river is much clearer, I some places there would be 20 metres of water separating Thailand to Laos. You can walk out on the rocks and throw rocks onto the bank in Laos, I did this.

This is Noot’s grandfather’s house, Khun Da. The house at the back is Da’s. Like many village houses it has an open living plan, open to the elements. The house at the front is Noot’s aunts. This was built for them a while back and is a little more western style, as in it has walls.

We had not long arrived and we were off, off in search of food that is. The girls were hungry as it had been at least 2 hours since they last ate. This is the typical village food shop.

We had taken our niece Ja with us. She was of course the centre of attention.

This shop does a variety of the Thai staples. Here in the village it is much cheaper than in Ubon. Each plate of food is at least 5 Baht to 10 Baht cheaper.

I think every shop or house in rural villages have a dog. This was the shop’s dog. Very placid and was eager for any leftovers that might have been left. I bought it some processed meat balls for being such a lovely dog.

Ja, Ben and Noot sat and waited for their orders. Ja tucked into her formula. She had rice soup, ‘Joke’.

After eating we went visiting, this is a village Elder. She is a really lovely lady who suffered horrible burns from a lightning strike. During a terrible storm the lady was sleeping in bed with an electric fan near her. The lighning hit the house and apparently blew the hell out of the fan. Her husband died and she received these burns and also lost her leg. This is one of the reasons Noot is petrified during storms and unplugs many things.

We then set off to visit some other friends in the village.

This is the village temple. It is basic but serves its purpose. The monks live back in the foot of the mountain in little huts.

This is the village school. It is for primary school children only. Secondary students have to travel about 30klms to the nearest school.

The afternoon was shaping up to be very beautiful.

Here a lone fisherman heads off upstream.

Cotton grows along the banks of the Mekong everywhere. Here a lady is rolling or I suppose ginning it.

In the afternoon I headed off for my jog. It was a lovely afternoon and the scenery was a really good change. Mountains were to my left and the Mekong River was to right. Also the hilly road was a good change. There were plenty of small inclines and downhill sections which I enjoyed.

The main reason for visiting the village was this man, Khun Da. He is a great guy and cannot do enough for Noot. He has looked after his entire family by providing them with everything they needed. His farm is now worked by his family but he still does what he can around the house. He is very active and healthy for an 85 plus year old. He doesn’t drink, apparently never has I was told but does enjoy the odd cigarette.

At night, moths are attracted to the florescent light. Thankfully we sleep behind a huge mosquito net well away from all the bugs of the night.

The first night after I turned off the laptop after watching a DVD at around 11pm, it was pitch black and also so silent. The only sounds were crickets, cicadas and the odd bird or something running across the tin roof.

I actually had trouble getting to sleep because of the quietness. The sounds of Noot and Ja breathing heavily, seemed to be amplified in the silence. I laid there waiting for a motorbike, dog or a person to break the peace and quiet. It didn’t come.

It did come at about 4am, I checked my telephone when some stupid roosters got dawn mixed up with complete darkness and started having a crow off. This thankfully didn’t last too long but not long after this people started getting up and the sound of motorbikes and chatter started to echo out through the house.

So for all the tranquility I didn’t get as much sleep as I would have at home in Ubon. We were up at 6am and off to the local market in the street. This will be another blog, which is coming soon.

Brunty