A Christian Nook of Bangkok

We had a pilgrimage of sorts today for Jim who wished to visit the very first Catholic church in Thailand.



That church, the Immaculate Conception, was built in the mid 1600s by the Portugese who sailed and settled in Thailand.



The church started out as a small building, more like a house than anything else. From there, a larger church was built in front of it.



Today, the church still stands tall, amidst a small Vietnamese Christian community in the older part of Bangkok, not too far from the Grand Palace.



The church is just nestled into the village, next to the Chao Praya River - the main thoroughfare for Bangkokian for many centuries now.



We walked by a lady decorating what looked like a sponge cake.



"This is what the Christians give to each other during the Christmas season," she said. She even offered to cut the kids a slice to taste. We politely refused, but I did snap a photo of this pretty (gaudy?) cake as a souvenir from our little adventure.

Loi Krathong

Before we left Ohio, the children's teacher assigned a little project for them to bring back to their classmates: a presentation about celebrations in Thailand.

With no doubt in my mind, I knew that one of the celebrations that we needed to cover is Loi Krathong. It used to be my favorite 'holiday' even though I have not been in Thailand for the actual Loi Krathong for as many years as I have been away (going on more than 20 years now).



As a child in school and at home before Loi Krathong, we would be busy making our own 'krathongs', a small float traditionally made with banana trunks and leaves made into the shape of a lotus flower. Each krathong would be decorated with fresh flowers, a candle, and whatever else one would like to include during the day to celebrate and thank the waterways (a widespread tradition in southeast Asia, adopted from traditional Indian culture, we believe).



Loi Krathong occurs each year on the full moon in November...so we are a month late. No matter, the river house is full of banana trees and of course there is a river to float the krathongs on.



And so, the kids got to make their own krathongs, just like I did as a child. Another Thai traditions has been passed down to the next generation. Next November, however, we will have to find an unfrozen river somewhere in the midwest to relive our tropical days.

The Stupa

The River House is in the town of Banglane, the province of Nakhonpathom, just north of the capital. When we go there, it is a ritual to visit Prapatomjedi, the oldest stupa in Thailand.



I have been going here since I was younger than these youngsters, long before our River House existed. I remember hearing the myths about the temple, the little caves that surround the circumference of the stupa, the birthday buddhas that stand in a row. Now these children get to do the same things, under the same warm sun rays.

Christmas by the River

It sure does not feel like Christmas around here. The heat, the humidity, the tropical greens...BUT, today is Christmas around the world. And because they are so loved, and despite this being a mostly Buddhist country, these kids found Christmas presents under their beds this morning!

And even the cookies and milk got eaten over night...

Hmmm....

Merry Christmas to all.

JJ Market

There is no more question why my life is rather food-centric. When I am back in Thailand, I am reminded of the fact that the Thai culture itself is all about food. Everywhere you go, or look, there is food. Someone is either preparing food, selling food, eating food -- seriously, at any time of day! The variety of food here is mind-blowing. I think I can eat different things, for different meals and snacks, for three weeks, and not repeat once.

We visited the JJ Market yesterday, in the heat of the tropics. The kids were melting, physically and psychologically. I saved them by asking some vendors for small blocks of ice for the kids to hold. Surely, the solid blocks quickly became liquid water...no matter, it gave them a bit of relief, and gave me a little sanity.

We are heading out to the river for a few days. Christmas will be celebrated there...Thai style.

Post Pool Rest

The Beast

This prehistoric, cold-blooded beast showed up by our house yesterday. He had a few friends with him frolicking about as well. Can you imagine our son's excitement upon seeing their little heads floating through the water? Oh, it was better than a bag of Halloween candy!



These monitor lizards are considered "lucky" by the locals. Well, I think it may be more of a Chinese superstition, but it's been part of our culture for so long that their nickname in Thai is : Tua Ngen Tua Tong (translated to be Silver and Gold).

They are common residents at ponds and parks and waterways around here. People seem to co-exist with them without much trouble...except if you have a yappy little dog who start provoking the beast... soon enough that little dog may become history...

Happy Solstice!

The Thai Elephants

The kids were in awe of these sweet Thai elephants who could do everything from giving us rides, dancing to music, walking on two feet, and...painting a self-portrait!

I think these animals have been the highlight of their trip, so far.

Tropical life

Thailand was forecasting to have the "coldest winter in 30 years", before we arrived. Well, so far, it's as balmy as ever, with the day time temperatures hovering 80s and 90s. This is a quite a (nice) shock to our system that was trying to survive in frigid, below zero degrees days in the mid-west.

Everywhere I walk in the garden, I am hit with a new wave of perfume from several blooming flowers. Life keeps on living here in the tropics; no need for hibernation.

The kids enjoy living the coat-free, flip-flop life for now. And ice? Here, ice only goes from the freezer to a glass of water, thank you very much. None of that stuff on the wind shield of a car, or the front steps of the house! Can you tell I am not missing winter...at all?

From Temperate to Tropical

Thanks to Case and Maude, we had a wonderful lay-over in Los Angeles on our long journey from Ohio, to Thailand.



We left Columbus in the middle of another winter storm, after being de-iced.



And to get to spend a few hours in the California warm sunshine, with
a visit to the horse, and a few hours of frolicking in the sun. It was heavenly!



And then...we hoppped on our last, long leg of the trip. I gulped when
I heard the captain announce that we were in for a 17.5 hour direct flight.
Thinking about that still makes me gulp!





But we made it...all in one piece, and quite uneventful, actually.
Seventeen hours seemed to stretch out like a never-ending tale.
After three airplane meals, multiple movies, several hours of sleep,
games, stories, and back scratches, we landed in what Claire declared as...



Paradise.



She's right. How lucky we are to be in paradise for a few weeks...bathing in warm sunshine.

Before we go

Before I go thaw my feet that I have not felt in the last few days, I will leave you with these bright winter pictures.



What a difference the sun makes. Who cares if it was 11 degrees outside, and my fingers froze as I hit the shutter?



I think I might have even started humming a holiday tune, with all that sun and that brilliant blue sky above me!



What I won't tell you, though, is that it didn't last very long... (oh, I just told you). The grey clouds replaced my blue sky later that morning... But it really was beautiful and brought up my spirits while it lasted.

I will be back with warmer looking pictures soon, I promise!