OK, so I didn't really win any money. Just another one of those scams. At least now these guys from Nigeria have learned that we know about them and they are trying to pass themselves off as Chinese or some other kinda Asian.
Tony had the best response in his comment. Nothing like being scammed on a scam. Sorry I couldn't send the money Tone, Deeds has cut my allowance by 73% and I am struggling to have enough cash to buy pineapple on the street. Have to do all my drinking at home due to lack of folding money!!
Visitor update. We are soliciting more visitors for months as follows:
April - scheduled - none. Needed urgently as many as possible
May - scheduled - none. Needed urgently as many as possible
June - scheduled - none. Needed urgently one or two
July - scheduled - none. Needed urgently two and at least two relatives!
August - scheduled - daughter. Needed urgently one more relative. Otherwise could accommodate one or two
September - scheduled - none. Have a daughter now so request is not urgent but could accommodate one or two.
I will update the balance of the calendar year at a later date.
Cheryl, Mike and Ernie are here. They had their trip planned around Bangkok, north Thailand and Viet Nam. All was well until they went to VN. Them for some reason the weather turned funky on them. Cold like. Ernie and Mike had to buy a fleece to keep warm. It was only going up to 15 degrees in the daytime. This eventually caused them to cut the VN section of their vacation short and return to BKK three days early. So they have been kicking around here, typically underfoot as most guests are (just kidding, really! Just my sense of humour, or lack thereof. I enjoy the guests. As I have indicated above we need more. I am not sure if Deeds and I can cope without wondering what is going on in someones life. It has become so second nature to us! Strange but true.).
We will have a trip down the Chao Praya River tonight for dinner on the ole rice barge and then Wandee will make us a feast for Friday night, their last in BKK, before they head back to TO. We so enjoy these dinner parties that we have with guests. Fun for us for sure.
Work is going very well for Deeds, I have to tell you about this because she is to............. well, whatever, to blog herself. As was expected she has settled nicely into the role. Her changes, additions, influence, whatever you want to call it, have taken affect on the project. This of course means that she is a little less harried and a lot more comfortable these last few weeks. The project has taken on a rhythm. What needs to be done on a weekly basis to keep all informed of the progress of the project, etc is going according to Madame Brooks plan. There are a few irritants, like conference calls at 7 pm with Head Office and the team insisting that she participate from the office rather than call in from home. But these types of things are to be expected from time to time and you come to grips with it and move on as best you can. Which Deedles is doing. Very comfortable. Doing well, happy as she works. Not whistling, cause we all know she can't. But vely vely good madame. Good good.
It seems we now have our routines and adventures weaved into the fabric of our lives. Planning some trips out ahead of the day to day so we have them to look forward to.
In April we have a trip to Chiang Mai. This will be a hoot as it is scheduled on the Thai New Year (Lunar New Year I believe as the moon moves from Pisces to Aries!) and is dubbed Songkran. The "SONGKRAN" festival happens during the hot season in mid April. This festival happens in all Buddhist "THEREVADA" countries, i.e. Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma (Myanmar).
For Songkran festival, Thai people clean everything, i.e the house, the previous years bad actions, the Buddha statues, one's own spirit. Songkran festival is also known for its splashing water madness. Traditionally the ceremony was to pour water into the palm/hands in order that bad actions, bad thoughts flow away with the water. It was a way to purify oneself. Children show their respect to elders by performing this water ceremony. Scented water is also poured over the shoulder and slowly down the back of a person. While pouring the water in this manner, people say good wishes and words of blessing for the coming New Year.
This Thai New Year will usher in the year 2554 (as opposed to our 2011).
As times change however the Songkran festival has degenerated a bit into a time of foolishness. Apparently youths wander the streets of cities in pickup trucks throwing buckets of ice water at pedestrians and motorcyclists. Others stand on street corners shooting passers-by with high-pressure water guns or super soakers. A lot of this activity takes place up-country as the north of Thailand is called. Many people in BKK return to their home villages. It is probably the only time in BKK when you can make your way around and not worry about endless traffic jams.
The story of Songkran Day itself is shrouded in Buddhist legend and lore. That of having to deal with a Brahma and a wise man called Dhammabala. I will leave you to look up the details rather than repeat them here.
So we are back to a kind of normal.
Habs are losing 2 out of 3 just so that they can squeak into the playoffs in 8th place. That is kinda normal.
I am golfing, normal. Playing poorly I might add, normal. And I am blogging, which seems to be normal now as well. Thanks for following along, talk soon
Sawadee Krup
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
We could be here for awhile longer!!!!
Yeah, I know this is going to come as a surprise to some people and especially hearing it this way instead of directly from us or by phone call but it seems I have won a lot of money and we have decided to stay here to spend all of it. Look at this email I got!!!!!!
> From: winners@yahoo.com > Subject: YOUR LOTTO WINNING CONFIRMATION > Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:47:57 +0000 > > Your email address has won you US$250,000 from the Yahoo-Asia: (Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, China & Malaysia) free ticket email and online lottery promotions. Your winnings number is: YJP/YHK/YMY/YCN-44100. You can receive this US$250,000 either by cheque or ATM card. > > If you choose cheque payment, your name and winnings amount of US$250,000 will be on the cheque. If you choose ATM card payment, your name and winnings amount of US$250,000 will be on the card and the card's four digit pin code will be given to you. Send us your name, country and address for courier delivery OR mailing/postage of your cheque or ATM card. > > WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO KNOW ON ATM CARD MEANS OF RECEIVING YOUR US$250,000 WINNINGS PRIZE. > > -- You can receive the ATM card either by Mail/Post or courier delivery. > -- Administrative fee is US$75. > -- Mail/Post fee is US$95 and arrival time is 14 days or less. TOTAL FEE FOR MAIL/POST: US$75 + US$95 = US$170.-- Courier delive y fee is US$90 and arrival time is next day. TOTAL FEE FOR COURIER: US$95 + US$100 = US$195 > -- Maximum of US$10,000 per day can be withdrawn from the ATM card. > -- You can withdraw the entire $250,000 in the ATM card within the first 25 days after you have received it. > -- After you have cashed the complete US$250,000 in the ATM card, the card becomes INVALID and INACTIVE. > > WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO KNOW ON CHEQUE MEANS OF RECEIVIN G YOUR US$250,000 WINNINGS PRIZE. > > -- You can receive the cheque either by Mail/Post or courier delivery. > -- Administrative fee is US$75. > -- Mail/Post fee is US$95 and arrival time is 14 days or less. TOTAL FEE FOR MAIL/POST: US$75 + US$95 = US$170. > -- Courier delivery fee is US$100 and arrival time is next day. TOTAL FEE FOR COURIER: US$75 + US$100 = US$175 > -- You can cash the complete US$250,000 cheque within 3-4 days after you have deposited it with your bank. You will need a bank account with any bank of your choice in order to deposit and cash the cheque. > > You can confirm the validity and authenticity of the cheque with your bank before depositing it or after you have deposited it. It will take your bank less than 1hr to confirm the cheque for you. This will give you a personal guarantee that our cheque is genuine and will surely clear within 3-4 banking days and it will also make you feel relaxed while you wait 3-4 days for the cheque to clear. > > Deduction from the $250,000 was not made possible by the Lottery Promoters and we do not operate C.O.D (Cash on Delivery) or C.A.D (Cash after Delivery). > > Reply to: lotteriasiadraw@yahoo.com.my > > Congratulations on your winnings. > > Yours Faithfully, > Mr. Lee Morse. > Information Sector, > YAHOO ASIA LOTTO GROUP. | . | ||||||||||||
Friday, March 18, 2011
Down the stretch part two. With a stop at the Fox and Fiddle along the way.
Hockey is winding into the playoffs, which means winter is leaving the homestead. Last visitors through reported only a little snow in the backyard and nothing out front. I would be seeing crocus popping up around my front stair if I were home. And of course the beginning of daffodil and tulip plants in various flower gardens around the yard. Not that here. Hard to tell what season it is in Thailand. The bougainvillea bloom when they want to and everything else seems to as well. What was supposed to happen here is the weather was to get hot. Normal temps run around 28 to 32. March and April were to be 34 to 38 and a heavy hit of humidity to bring that up to around 40 to 44. HOT. Well we had the beginnings of that in early March. It was steamy. Golf equipment now includes an umbrella. And I believe I am the hardiest of sun worshippers, so you know if I am hiding then it is brutal.
All of this was unfolding according to the websites. Until yesterday. Now this may have been because Cheryl, Mike and Ernie were heading to Chaing Mai. It is further north and reported to be a little cooler there. Yesterday we awoke to cloud cover and a nasty wind blowing out of the NW. Temperature when we woke was 18. Unbelievable. I went to the course the temp in the car on the drive up at 10 in the morning was 19. Freaking cold. Thais were shrieking and cuddling themselves at the golf course. I wore a wind shell for the whole round. Temp could not have gotten above 20. Same same last night. Cold. Diane and I slept without air conditioning and windows open on Wednesday night. Last night no air conditioning again, but we had to close most windows as it was too cold. As I write this it is 10 in the morning and still only 19 degrees!! Global warming in reverse.
I have been playing regular at the golf course now for two months. Getting in three games a week. Monday and Thursday I have a regular game with 7 or more other members. A good time, a little money on the line and we have a few snacks and a pint afterwards. All are Americans except for the ring leader who is Thai. Doctor At, more on him later. The game I play on Wednesday is my typical game. As a single, join anyone just to get the game in. Last week I played with two groups. There were 5 in my group (I know the starters now and they look after me, when they see I am waiting for a game they will stick me with the first group of farang that go out).
The group had three yanks and a Canadian in it. Harold was a nice guy. Working as a consulting engineer in the mining field. He is presently flying in and out of PNG (Papua New Guinea) every third week for four. One of the fivesome was a part owner in a bar called the X Box, Sport Bar. (Meaning they have a number of TVs and people sit and watch soccer until there eyes begin to bleed). Harold told me that the next Sunday was Chili day and that I should make my way over around 1ish to have a bowl of Bob's world famous chili. How can you refuse? Now I knew it wouldn't match the other world famous chili I know, that being Snowman's World Famous Rattlesnake Chili but nonetheless worth the try. And hey, I can't turn down the opportunity to possible meet a few more lads to play golf with or just hand out.
So off I went. I found out that the lads are sort of members at BGC. Years ago a member had formed a group that is called the Hogs Breath Golf. They have a website and everything. And this group has garnered a discount to play at BGC. Not as good as being a member but still a decent discount from regular rates. Good to know. I asked Harold how you would become a member of HogsBreath (fear in my eyes when I asked) and he said, "Well you already are. Soon as you have a beer with anyone one of us you are in". That's the kinda club I always end up being a member of. Low or minimal standards and no initiation fee!!
So I arrived at X Box at 1:15 to find Harold and others sitting on a make shift patio in front of the pub. The pub is very small by our standards. About the size of our family room, five TVs in the place and only about twenty chairs around five tables. First thing Harold did was buy me my entry beer into the Honourable Golf Society of Hogs Breath Masters (The Honourable Golf Society of Hogs Breath Masters). Website is a little out of date but was a going concern at one time.
Well the day proceeded quickly. Harold swallowed his beer and ordered two more before I was half done mine. He was onto his third (since I had arrived) when I finished my first, so he naturally ordered me one. Same process for his fourth, me half done my 2nd. When I finished that one I tried to get the attention of the waitress to order another and finally pay for one beer for Harold. No chance, Harold beat me to it again. So I am sipping my third beer when Bob arrive with a huge pot of chili. Harold isn't even looking at me anymore when he orders his beers, he's figured me out as a little bit of a junior in the Society already.
Now these guys are all retired in some form or fashion. So some arrive with help, others are resting before they climb the four stairs into the bar. And it is an old boys club to say the least. Everyone knows everyone. People are moving about the bar from table to table. They've done this before I think!
Then it dawns on me. This is the Fox and Fiddle!
Back when Deeds and I first bought our house I would trundle off on Saturday or Sunday afternoons to meet Snowman and some other regulars at the Fox and Fiddle at Square One. (I stopped going when I started to have trouble with drinking any amount of beer or alcohol and as many of you know, I eventually quit drinking altogether.)
So there were some memories resurrected as I sat and ate my bowl of chili (Never as good as yours Snowman) finished off my beer and bid adieu to this new group of friends. I have looked for them on the course since then to no avail. I haven't been back to the X Box as pubbing isn't really on the "To Do List" here. Free time, like evenings or weekends I have are spent with Deeds. She works all day and the reason we are here is to share this place. We have our own little spaces and places but everything else we want to do together.
So another group of visitors are here. They have suit fittings this evening when they return from Chaing Mai, then we shall take them to Suda for many beers and Thai food. Hope it warms up. Or it may be cool to wear the jeans out for once.
Did I tell you what Jimmy told me about wearing long pants in Bangkok? First let me set this up. I had this friend for the first four months here who has returned to the States. He would tell me all these things about Thailand. So I would go home and in the course of conversation out would pop, "Well Jimmy told me" blah blah blah. I took this to the nth degree. To the point it would make Diane laugh. Really laugh. And all of the stuff was Thailand related. One of the things was a very serious conversation he had with me. He said, "Listen Jerry, I think you are a swell guy, but if you want to get any respect or anything accomplished here in Thailand you have to wear long pants. Thai people don't respect you if you are looking like a tourist all the time and they will never give you a deal or even an good price if you are always looking shabby and wearing shorts and sandals. Long pants and leather shoes. Then they will pay attention to you."
You can guess what my reply was. Well I think this one killed Diane. Cause I came out at some point in a conversation and said, "Well the reason we are having trouble with the chair supplier is because we weren't wearing leather shoes when we bought the stuff!!" Crazy stuff! Right!. Wrong.
Sitting at the golf course with a bunch of guys last night, boom. They tell me the same thing. All nodding their heads yes. No long pants, no respect from the Thai people. Want a good deal on wine by the case? Wear leather shoes when you go into the store! How weird is that.
So maybe if it is cold out today, I will wear jeans and leather shoes and see if I can cut a deal for some California wine!! Hehehehe.
Sawadee Krup
All of this was unfolding according to the websites. Until yesterday. Now this may have been because Cheryl, Mike and Ernie were heading to Chaing Mai. It is further north and reported to be a little cooler there. Yesterday we awoke to cloud cover and a nasty wind blowing out of the NW. Temperature when we woke was 18. Unbelievable. I went to the course the temp in the car on the drive up at 10 in the morning was 19. Freaking cold. Thais were shrieking and cuddling themselves at the golf course. I wore a wind shell for the whole round. Temp could not have gotten above 20. Same same last night. Cold. Diane and I slept without air conditioning and windows open on Wednesday night. Last night no air conditioning again, but we had to close most windows as it was too cold. As I write this it is 10 in the morning and still only 19 degrees!! Global warming in reverse.
I have been playing regular at the golf course now for two months. Getting in three games a week. Monday and Thursday I have a regular game with 7 or more other members. A good time, a little money on the line and we have a few snacks and a pint afterwards. All are Americans except for the ring leader who is Thai. Doctor At, more on him later. The game I play on Wednesday is my typical game. As a single, join anyone just to get the game in. Last week I played with two groups. There were 5 in my group (I know the starters now and they look after me, when they see I am waiting for a game they will stick me with the first group of farang that go out).
The group had three yanks and a Canadian in it. Harold was a nice guy. Working as a consulting engineer in the mining field. He is presently flying in and out of PNG (Papua New Guinea) every third week for four. One of the fivesome was a part owner in a bar called the X Box, Sport Bar. (Meaning they have a number of TVs and people sit and watch soccer until there eyes begin to bleed). Harold told me that the next Sunday was Chili day and that I should make my way over around 1ish to have a bowl of Bob's world famous chili. How can you refuse? Now I knew it wouldn't match the other world famous chili I know, that being Snowman's World Famous Rattlesnake Chili but nonetheless worth the try. And hey, I can't turn down the opportunity to possible meet a few more lads to play golf with or just hand out.
So off I went. I found out that the lads are sort of members at BGC. Years ago a member had formed a group that is called the Hogs Breath Golf. They have a website and everything. And this group has garnered a discount to play at BGC. Not as good as being a member but still a decent discount from regular rates. Good to know. I asked Harold how you would become a member of HogsBreath (fear in my eyes when I asked) and he said, "Well you already are. Soon as you have a beer with anyone one of us you are in". That's the kinda club I always end up being a member of. Low or minimal standards and no initiation fee!!
So I arrived at X Box at 1:15 to find Harold and others sitting on a make shift patio in front of the pub. The pub is very small by our standards. About the size of our family room, five TVs in the place and only about twenty chairs around five tables. First thing Harold did was buy me my entry beer into the Honourable Golf Society of Hogs Breath Masters (The Honourable Golf Society of Hogs Breath Masters). Website is a little out of date but was a going concern at one time.
Well the day proceeded quickly. Harold swallowed his beer and ordered two more before I was half done mine. He was onto his third (since I had arrived) when I finished my first, so he naturally ordered me one. Same process for his fourth, me half done my 2nd. When I finished that one I tried to get the attention of the waitress to order another and finally pay for one beer for Harold. No chance, Harold beat me to it again. So I am sipping my third beer when Bob arrive with a huge pot of chili. Harold isn't even looking at me anymore when he orders his beers, he's figured me out as a little bit of a junior in the Society already.
Now these guys are all retired in some form or fashion. So some arrive with help, others are resting before they climb the four stairs into the bar. And it is an old boys club to say the least. Everyone knows everyone. People are moving about the bar from table to table. They've done this before I think!
Then it dawns on me. This is the Fox and Fiddle!
Back when Deeds and I first bought our house I would trundle off on Saturday or Sunday afternoons to meet Snowman and some other regulars at the Fox and Fiddle at Square One. (I stopped going when I started to have trouble with drinking any amount of beer or alcohol and as many of you know, I eventually quit drinking altogether.)
So there were some memories resurrected as I sat and ate my bowl of chili (Never as good as yours Snowman) finished off my beer and bid adieu to this new group of friends. I have looked for them on the course since then to no avail. I haven't been back to the X Box as pubbing isn't really on the "To Do List" here. Free time, like evenings or weekends I have are spent with Deeds. She works all day and the reason we are here is to share this place. We have our own little spaces and places but everything else we want to do together.
So another group of visitors are here. They have suit fittings this evening when they return from Chaing Mai, then we shall take them to Suda for many beers and Thai food. Hope it warms up. Or it may be cool to wear the jeans out for once.
Did I tell you what Jimmy told me about wearing long pants in Bangkok? First let me set this up. I had this friend for the first four months here who has returned to the States. He would tell me all these things about Thailand. So I would go home and in the course of conversation out would pop, "Well Jimmy told me" blah blah blah. I took this to the nth degree. To the point it would make Diane laugh. Really laugh. And all of the stuff was Thailand related. One of the things was a very serious conversation he had with me. He said, "Listen Jerry, I think you are a swell guy, but if you want to get any respect or anything accomplished here in Thailand you have to wear long pants. Thai people don't respect you if you are looking like a tourist all the time and they will never give you a deal or even an good price if you are always looking shabby and wearing shorts and sandals. Long pants and leather shoes. Then they will pay attention to you."
You can guess what my reply was. Well I think this one killed Diane. Cause I came out at some point in a conversation and said, "Well the reason we are having trouble with the chair supplier is because we weren't wearing leather shoes when we bought the stuff!!" Crazy stuff! Right!. Wrong.
Sitting at the golf course with a bunch of guys last night, boom. They tell me the same thing. All nodding their heads yes. No long pants, no respect from the Thai people. Want a good deal on wine by the case? Wear leather shoes when you go into the store! How weird is that.
So maybe if it is cold out today, I will wear jeans and leather shoes and see if I can cut a deal for some California wine!! Hehehehe.
Sawadee Krup
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Thailand not affected by Japan quake
Wanted to do just a tiny post here to let everyone know that Thailand was not in anyway affected by the earthquake in Japan. There were no tremors, or tsunami impact to Thailand.
Japan it appears is far enough away that there wasn't even recognition here that a major earthquake had occurred. Why we didn't feel the earth move as it were is something else again, but I won't get into that here!!
So we are fine, living our life in BKK. New visitors arrived on Sunday and I am waiting for the next big story to come out of that process. You do know that these visitors are a source of material for me. Lets just wait and see what this new batch brings.
Sawadee Krup
Japan it appears is far enough away that there wasn't even recognition here that a major earthquake had occurred. Why we didn't feel the earth move as it were is something else again, but I won't get into that here!!
So we are fine, living our life in BKK. New visitors arrived on Sunday and I am waiting for the next big story to come out of that process. You do know that these visitors are a source of material for me. Lets just wait and see what this new batch brings.
Sawadee Krup
Friday, March 4, 2011
Speaking Thenglish
Spoken communication is one of those things we take for granted. Mostly because we live in the country of our choice and most people there speak your language. Deeds and I are temporarily out of our spoken element here in Thailand. It isn't hard to get by, in fact the Thai people make it very easy on you. The big reason why our vocabulary is limited to a half dozen phrases and 44 used words. The Thais try very hard to stay with you.
Now of course there are pockets in Bangkok where english will do you absolutely no good. It is rather useless in fact. Just go back a few blogs and look at Diane trying to find out what is in the soup at a small alleyway just down the street from our house. Or even in one of our favourite restaurants, try asking for asparagus!!
Now there is another level of spoken word that does occur here. What I cal ThaiEnlgish. Or Thenglish for short. (In Thai you never pronounce the "H" after a T. Thai = Tie. Not thigh. Got it. So Thenglish is pronounce tinglish.) Ok now that we got that straight the thing that happens in Thenglish is that vowels take on a different pronounciation. Usually the vowel sound is drawn out. And of course you put the emphasis on the wrong syllable. (Said the way Jean Chretin would say it, U putt the Mfasis on the wrong Celabl).
Thai women say a lot of drawn out sounds. Like when you are walking down the street and they call you over for a massage. Excuse me misssaaaaaa. You want to have massaaaggge. Or Madammmmmme you want maaasaaaaage.
So you have to be aware of this when you are trying to communicate with people to get your point across. You have to learn to understand and speak Thenglish.
Shelly and Carolyn were at our favourite hotel in Pattaya when they discovered the deal of the resort. You can rent a cabana for 1,000 baht per day and you get a bar / restaurant credit for 1,000 baht. This is good cause look at the place that you get to sit and relax. Especially for people who are still experiencing their honeymoon!!
The cabana is shown on the right and below.
A few of them have their own little sitting areas off to the side with big armchairs and coffee style tables so when you want to have a bite (using up that 1,000 baht) you can sit around a regular style table. Very civilized. Waiters come round with your drinks and make you feel above the hoi polloi who are seated out by the pool in cattle lines.
This was a brilliant find. Deeds, Lena and I utilized one the next weekend and it was truly fantastic.
Here is where the thenglish comes in.
Shelly and Carolyn had the misfortune to get rained on their second day there. So round about lunch time they were told no trouble, since you have paid for the cabana you can use the credit in any of the hotels bars or restaurants not just poolside in the cabana. They decided to have lunch in the restaurant above and to the right of the pool as shown in this pic to the left.
When they had there lunch brought over they explained to the waitress that they had rented a cabana for the day so the food bill will just work against that charge.
``Oh yes madame but vely vely lain today.``
Uh, no says Shelly `We rented a cabana for today and because it is raining, as you mentioned, we will use the credit for the cost of the cabana to offset the actual cost of the food and beverages that we will consume here in the restaurant.``
``Oh yes madame``.
``No, no, you misunderstand........... I.... HAVE.......PAID......FOR......A......C A B A N A.``
Ohhhh, Cabannaaaa madame. yes, yes cabannaaaaa. Vely good madame, cabannaaaa.
And as she walked away talking to the other wait staff you could hear off in the distance cabannaaaa, ahhh, cabannaaaa.
Thenglish.
There are more pics posted on Picasa for you to look at. This latest batch all comes from Lena, the folder is LenzinBKK. Here is the link ..... PICS.
One day I will put up the odds and sods. Photos of stuff that we just seem to have but hasn`t been published. Need to decide what to take down first.
Sawadee Krup
Now of course there are pockets in Bangkok where english will do you absolutely no good. It is rather useless in fact. Just go back a few blogs and look at Diane trying to find out what is in the soup at a small alleyway just down the street from our house. Or even in one of our favourite restaurants, try asking for asparagus!!
Now there is another level of spoken word that does occur here. What I cal ThaiEnlgish. Or Thenglish for short. (In Thai you never pronounce the "H" after a T. Thai = Tie. Not thigh. Got it. So Thenglish is pronounce tinglish.) Ok now that we got that straight the thing that happens in Thenglish is that vowels take on a different pronounciation. Usually the vowel sound is drawn out. And of course you put the emphasis on the wrong syllable. (Said the way Jean Chretin would say it, U putt the Mfasis on the wrong Celabl).
Thai women say a lot of drawn out sounds. Like when you are walking down the street and they call you over for a massage. Excuse me misssaaaaaa. You want to have massaaaggge. Or Madammmmmme you want maaasaaaaage.
So you have to be aware of this when you are trying to communicate with people to get your point across. You have to learn to understand and speak Thenglish.
Shelly and Carolyn were at our favourite hotel in Pattaya when they discovered the deal of the resort. You can rent a cabana for 1,000 baht per day and you get a bar / restaurant credit for 1,000 baht. This is good cause look at the place that you get to sit and relax. Especially for people who are still experiencing their honeymoon!!
The cabana is shown on the right and below.
A few of them have their own little sitting areas off to the side with big armchairs and coffee style tables so when you want to have a bite (using up that 1,000 baht) you can sit around a regular style table. Very civilized. Waiters come round with your drinks and make you feel above the hoi polloi who are seated out by the pool in cattle lines.
Here is where the thenglish comes in.
When they had there lunch brought over they explained to the waitress that they had rented a cabana for the day so the food bill will just work against that charge.
``Oh yes madame but vely vely lain today.``
Uh, no says Shelly `We rented a cabana for today and because it is raining, as you mentioned, we will use the credit for the cost of the cabana to offset the actual cost of the food and beverages that we will consume here in the restaurant.``
``Oh yes madame``.
``No, no, you misunderstand........... I.... HAVE.......PAID......FOR......A......C A B A N A.``
Ohhhh, Cabannaaaa madame. yes, yes cabannaaaaa. Vely good madame, cabannaaaa.
And as she walked away talking to the other wait staff you could hear off in the distance cabannaaaa, ahhh, cabannaaaa.
Thenglish.
There are more pics posted on Picasa for you to look at. This latest batch all comes from Lena, the folder is LenzinBKK. Here is the link ..... PICS.
One day I will put up the odds and sods. Photos of stuff that we just seem to have but hasn`t been published. Need to decide what to take down first.
Sawadee Krup
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Normal Is.............
I can feel a groove coming back to the house. I am actually sitting here at 3 pm having a cup of tea and blogging. Just like the old days back in October.
I feel like I have time now because I am not getting up to push someone into a taxi or make coffee for 7 people or............ hold on. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed every minute of our visitors and all the chaos that they brought with them. I look forward to the stories, comparing notes, adding tours to my list and also crossing them out because of bad experiences etc. But I also enjoy my life, our life. Having a cuppa and browsing or blogging. Doesn't get much better than that Martha!
Like today. Got the little woman off to work with a cup of coffee and a little bin of fruit to snack on then settled in and watched the Habs take down the Thrashers for a rare Canadiens road win. Man we gotta win some games on the road to make sure we don't have another last game of the year showdown with the Laughs. What a painful way to move into the playoffs, or not.
See this is where I totally agree with Burkie (Brian Burke, GM of the Loafs!!) NOT.
As he said nobody wants to finish 8th by the skin of their teeth and get bombed out of the playoffs in 6 calendar days.
Unless of course you play your heart out and then knock off the number one seed and then take out the number two seed as well.
Playoff experience is critical Brian. Wake up man. Team hasn't been to the playoffs for so long you might forget how to get in the building come playoff time. Geessh. Talk about a guy who blows smoke covering his butt for not being able to move the team up a notch in two and a half years.
Anyways, Habs have 18 left. 7 at home and eleven on the road. Gotta win 12 of those if we have any chance of catching the Bs. The way it sits right now we play the Bs in the first round. That is a blood bath. Winner comes out missing a few bodies and not likely to move on. Lets see what happens folks. That's why they play the games!
We are having a bit of a dinner party here tonight. Four work compadres are coming over for a Wandee feast. Chicken in Paneang sauce, Pad Thai with pork, Omelet Thai style, with jasmine rice underneath. Ummm, ummm. Gonna be delightful. Much wine on the balcony to start.
Speaking of wine we found the obvious go together with Thai food. Riesling. Or maybe even a Liebfraumilch. How can you not want to drink a wine called Beloved Lady's Milk. Now I know this conjures up ideas of bottles of Blue Nun and the sweet as sugar wines you started drinking 40 years ago. (Hey, I bought a bottle of Mateus for Dan Wright that I am sure he still has!!) Brings ya back to the good ol days. Hehehe. But nonetheless this is a great pairing for spicy food and we will see how well it works out.
Anyway, I have a few Rieslings in the beer fridge that will get tasted tonight. Along with a couple of Prosecco that I think will pair well with Thai.
A lot if it is about tasting. We get to do a lot because we do not know any of the wines over here. Or the ones that we do know are very expensive after duty is added and we need to find something we can enjoy.A comfortable price to taste equation.
Sorry you are going to miss dinner. Will be great.
Sawadee Krup
I feel like I have time now because I am not getting up to push someone into a taxi or make coffee for 7 people or............ hold on. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed every minute of our visitors and all the chaos that they brought with them. I look forward to the stories, comparing notes, adding tours to my list and also crossing them out because of bad experiences etc. But I also enjoy my life, our life. Having a cuppa and browsing or blogging. Doesn't get much better than that Martha!
Like today. Got the little woman off to work with a cup of coffee and a little bin of fruit to snack on then settled in and watched the Habs take down the Thrashers for a rare Canadiens road win. Man we gotta win some games on the road to make sure we don't have another last game of the year showdown with the Laughs. What a painful way to move into the playoffs, or not.
See this is where I totally agree with Burkie (Brian Burke, GM of the Loafs!!) NOT.
As he said nobody wants to finish 8th by the skin of their teeth and get bombed out of the playoffs in 6 calendar days.
Unless of course you play your heart out and then knock off the number one seed and then take out the number two seed as well.
Playoff experience is critical Brian. Wake up man. Team hasn't been to the playoffs for so long you might forget how to get in the building come playoff time. Geessh. Talk about a guy who blows smoke covering his butt for not being able to move the team up a notch in two and a half years.
Anyways, Habs have 18 left. 7 at home and eleven on the road. Gotta win 12 of those if we have any chance of catching the Bs. The way it sits right now we play the Bs in the first round. That is a blood bath. Winner comes out missing a few bodies and not likely to move on. Lets see what happens folks. That's why they play the games!
We are having a bit of a dinner party here tonight. Four work compadres are coming over for a Wandee feast. Chicken in Paneang sauce, Pad Thai with pork, Omelet Thai style, with jasmine rice underneath. Ummm, ummm. Gonna be delightful. Much wine on the balcony to start.
Speaking of wine we found the obvious go together with Thai food. Riesling. Or maybe even a Liebfraumilch. How can you not want to drink a wine called Beloved Lady's Milk. Now I know this conjures up ideas of bottles of Blue Nun and the sweet as sugar wines you started drinking 40 years ago. (Hey, I bought a bottle of Mateus for Dan Wright that I am sure he still has!!) Brings ya back to the good ol days. Hehehe. But nonetheless this is a great pairing for spicy food and we will see how well it works out.
Anyway, I have a few Rieslings in the beer fridge that will get tasted tonight. Along with a couple of Prosecco that I think will pair well with Thai.
A lot if it is about tasting. We get to do a lot because we do not know any of the wines over here. Or the ones that we do know are very expensive after duty is added and we need to find something we can enjoy.A comfortable price to taste equation.
Sorry you are going to miss dinner. Will be great.
Sawadee Krup
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