December 15, 2024 – Phimai to Ban Nong Hong – 60 kms – Pimaka Resort
December 16, 2024. – Ban Nong Hong – Chaloem Phra Kiat – 58 kms – Smart Resort
Ruth: We have been making our way slowly through Isaan, the region that makes up the northeast of Thailand. It is the poorest region of the country and very few tourists venture into it much further than Khao Yai National Park. In the past two days we have rolled into remote and rural Isaan, and Gord and I both love it.
The majority of the Isaan people are ethnically Lao, and speak a dialect that is very close to that of their Lao neighbours. There is a laidback, friendly vibe here and we are enjoying our interactions with the people we meet. I’m putting my five sentences of Thai to good use, and when that falls short there is Google translate.
We have seen a number of water buffaloes, even though they are no longer used in farming. I have read that people keep them now as status symbols and will stroll with them through town. I’m looking forward to that sight.
Today ended with my favorite part of village life – a night market. We chose to pass on the plates of larvae and crickets and instead headed right to the vender making round custard cakes. Marvelous.
the picture with the gal with green face mask – is it religious or too much dust or she has a cold???
and what it the red vegetable – fruit that she is selling?
Lots of people, both men and women, wear these sorts of head coverings. I’m not sure of their purpose. Light skin is valued (sunscreen is sold as whitening cream), or it may be because of the dust. I believe the vegetable is a beautiful little purple onion.
In 1967, my family drove from Calgary to Montreal for Expo, and the first pavilions we went into were Burma and Thailand. Thirteen years old and absolutely gobsmacked. I was a boy from the Canadian prairies and I had never seen anything like it before. Of course! I passed through Thailand when I was 24 and I kind of wish I had stayed. I’m sure I would have had gorgeous children. :-))
My family also made the pilgrimage to Expo 67. We were living in California at the time, and we drove to Saskatchewan and took the train to Montreal. I too remember the graceful Thai pavilion.
One could certainly do worse than living in Thailand; the people are so kind. Ruth was reading an article about how marriages with foreigners are still an important part of the economy in Isaan. But as for attractive children, I’ve seen pictures of you as a young man; you could have had them anywhere.
Your family had an adventure, that’s for sure, travelling all the way from California. We pulled a tent trailer behind the old Mercedes-Benz 190D–a slow but unstoppable diesel tank of a car. On the way back we were going to go through Detroit but we had to divert because of the race riots. I’m glad they got that sorted out. 🙁
As for the children–haha, you made me blush–but I managed to get a couple of good ones anyway. I think I might come to northeast Thailand in search of, not a wife– but a caregiver!