Diary of a farang in Isaan

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/2/2020 at 6:20 PM, owl sees all said:

I used the ultra sticky silver tape for the repair. It has done a good job and much quicker and cheaper than replacing a whole section.

 

I had a similar problem caused by a palm branch falling down and hitting the roof. I did a permanent repair by sliding a piece of tin shaped to the roof panel UNDER the damaged panel. It has to extend to the bottom edge of the panel as water just runs under the good part below the hole.

I was too heavy to walk on the roof and my wife was too scared to.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/2/2020 at 6:20 PM, owl sees all said:

Milly was thrilled to have two flowers open up in her cat-fish pool. And another bud on the way.

I remember being excited when my ( paid for ) flower opened in our fish pond. I'd given up on it for ages.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Not sure I understand what you are saying; but welcome.

As I understand it he grew up on a farm and hated it.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/2/2020 at 6:20 PM, owl sees all said:

I am beginning to hate windows 10.

Not as much as I. 7 is far superior to 10 for what I do. I also hate MS as they won't support perfectly good older software so they can get richer. I hope there is a circle of hell reserved for them.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yes..I was standing on the footpath when they came streaming along so I just took a few snaps.

If I tried to do that in Australia it may have gone wrong very quickly.

WOW. Has Oz gone THAT bad?

Makes me wonder which is the third world country and which the first world?

No wonder I loved LOS.

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 04-04-2020

 

Didn't go to number 4 market today. Some serious thunderclaps and some rain last night. Perhaps the traders got the same as we did in the village, and decided to give it a miss. Most of us want all the rain that's going.

 

This particular market used to be in Bang Dung central but it moved a couple of years back. This present site can get muddy. They put planks down but it's a bit skiddy. Seen a couple slip over in the past.

 

Fed the fish as usual this afternoon. The catfish were lively but the carp were very subdued. Carp respond to thunder and lightning. It triggers a mating response and they go off their food for a while while they concentrate on other stuff.

 

#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%

 

The wife informed me that Don Chillit ( a village about 10k from us) has been in lock-down for a few days. I have a friend over that way. I'll give him a ring.

 

#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%

 

The Buddha pond construction is romping ahead. The steelwork for the columns is in and this afternoon they were erecting the formwork.

 

 

At the rear of the Buddha they were cutting down trees and sawing them up. When I took a pic a thought crossed my mind. Kadilo would be having kittens.

 

 

 

Good to see you've got your safety gear on.

 

 

Watch those toes dear!

 

#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%

 

A new use for building blocks at the farm

 

 

Cows in the number 4 farm again. Can't let them in once we start on the eucas. Dear me; don't bear thinking about!

 

#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%#%

 

Mildred was quiet. Meditation!?

 

 

No! Making mud pies.

 

 

Common up love. You have to help me with the new tree project.

 

Now all we have to do is keep these eucalyptus cuttings moist and we will get big trees. That's your job Mildred. They all do it on You Tube. It will be great.

 

 

Mrs Owl has not got my confidence or enthusiasm. We will see.

 

Had a big row over the farm trees today. I want to put in a dirt road through the coming plantation. What that means is no trees for three metres across the farm. The dirt is already there. Access for a big vehicle (fire truck) and could act as a fire break. People in Isaan do not do this rubbish thing; stupid farang. But, but, but!? Waste of land; stupid farang.

 

Sp there we go. Not even purchased the trees and we can't agree on the technical details. Happy, but interesting, times ahead.

 

More to follow.

[CharlieH]

Reported post removed.

[owl sees all]

10 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Reported post removed.

Dear me. Some poster upset 'cause their local is closed. Everything OK in a few weeks.

[Assurancetourix]

15 hours ago, owl sees all said:

The wife informed me that Don Chillit ( a village about 10k from us) has been in lock-down for a few days. I have a friend over that way. I'll give him a ring

Hello Owl, hello everyone,

Mine told me this morning that Amphoe Charoen Sin was closed by the mayor of Sawang 1 or 2 days ago because of a woman who returned from bangkok with the Covid-19 in her.
So route 2280 from Sawang to Kham Ta Khla is certainly closed or very guarded;
I did not go to see to confirm it.

 

This morning I decided to go see my German friend, David, who lives in Ban Plouak, 20 km from my village.
When I got there, his wife said to me: David left for Germany 5 days ago.
No luck; David speaks fluently german, french, english , thai and thai-lao ;

with him I can know about everything which happen in a large circle  around his village and even in Sawang .
She added, do not go to Thung Fon, there are three cases of Covid-19

 

So a litle balade , 49 km on my MTBike ; much wind in the face coming back home 

 

Not far ban Plouak on road 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

When I got there, his wife said to me: David left for Germany 5 days ago.
No luck; David speaks fluently german, french, english , thai and thai-lao ;

with him I can know about everything which happen in a large circle  around his village and even in Sawang .
She added, do not go to Thung Fon, there are three cases of Covid-19

Was 'David' lucky to get out of Thailand at this time? I'd heard it was difficult. Kadilo did it, but only by using a taxi to go to BKK.

 

I went to Thung Fon 10 years ago. Have a very big pond in the middle of the village; if I recall correctly. Some beautiful ladies in that area.

[Assurancetourix]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

Was 'David' lucky to get out of Thailand at this time? I'd heard it was difficult. Kadilo did it, but only by using a taxi to go to BKK.

 

I went to Thung Fon 10 years ago. Have a very big pond in the middle of the village; if I recall correctly. Some beautiful ladies in that area.

I do not know if David was forced to get to Bangkok by taxi or other means of transportation.
I only stayed a few minutes with his wife and two children.
What I do know is that he is in Germany.

Right, in Thung Fon there is a nice pond in the village; I even think it's behind the big police station.

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

Hello Owl, hello everyone,

Mine told me this morning that Amphoe Charoen Sin was closed by the mayor of Sawang 1 or 2 days ago because of a woman who returned from bangkok with the Covid-19 in her.
So route 2280 from Sawang to Kham Ta Khla is certainly closed or very guarded;
I did not go to see to confirm it.

 

This morning I decided to go see my German friend, David, who lives in Ban Plouak, 20 km from my village.
When I got there, his wife said to me: David left for Germany 5 days ago.
No luck; David speaks fluently german, french, english , thai and thai-lao ;

with him I can know about everything which happen in a large circle  around his village and even in Sawang .
She added, do not go to Thung Fon, there are three cases of Covid-19

 

So a litle balade , 49 km on my MTBike ; much wind in the face coming back home 

 

Not far ban Plouak on road 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice photos, but would benefit from taking them in FRONT of your bicycle.

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

When I got there, his wife said to me: David left for Germany 5 days ago.

Must be hard for her not knowing if he'll return. Bit like a wife seeing her husband go to war and not knowing if she would be a widow or wife when it was over.

[Assurancetourix]

40 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Nice photos, but would benefit from taking them in FRONT of your bicycle.

I do what I can ... sir "never happy" 
Be happy, on 50% of these photos you can see my mountain bike .

I estimated that the second photo would be more beautiful without my MTBike in front ..

and about "never happy" or " never satisfied "  with instruction for those who don't know (I'm thinking of POTY 2019)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jamais_Contente

[Odysseus123]

10 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

I do what I can ... sir "never happy" 
Be happy, on 50% of these photos you can see my mountain bike .

I estimated that the second photo would be more beautiful without my MTBike in front ..

and about "never happy" or " never satisfied "  with instruction for those who don't know (I'm thinking of POTY 2019)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jamais_Contente

Well..you had to learn the hard way..????

 

I have been thinking of my reluctance to take casual photos of people in my home country-something to do with higher levels of social and cultural aggression,I think.

Thailand..

Australia..

 

[Assurancetourix]

Thanks to your comment, I realize that it is exactly the same as far as I am concerned.
On the rare western photos that I saved from a "shipwreck";
in fact a somewhat hectic move .. there are very few people while there are many of my photos taken in Thailand.

 

About your second photo, we can see the same thing in France, many ruminants grazing on a very beautiful grass ..
While in Thailand, I have never seen a meadow dedicated to buffalo and cows.
These animals must be content with a meager grass which grows here and there, in the rice fields;
no wonder cows are undernourished in this country.
In addition, farmers feed them straw mixed with sugar cane residue, molasses;
while with us the straw is only used to make their litter which, mixed with their "poo" will make an excellent fertilizer.

[owl sees all]

After me posting that a village near us (Don Chillit) was under lock down #669), and I would give my friend Fritz a bell, he arrived at the farm on his Kwacka yesterday afternoon.

 

Mrs Owl was there, and asked about the mounting body count in his village. He knew nothing of the virus lock down and didn't know of any casualties.

 

The Mrs blamed the misinformation on simple village gossip; while drinking copious quantities of Loa Khow (just how is this spelt?).

Edited April 6, 2020 by owl sees all

[Bredbury Blue]

7 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

While in Thailand, I have never seen a meadow dedicated to buffalo and cows

Get yourself down to khao yai. Lots of grazing cows in fields.

[Assurancetourix]

8 hours ago, owl sees all said:

while drinking copious quantities of Loa Khow (just how is this spelt?).

Lao khao = เหล้า ขาว

 

https://flipside-travel.com/lao-khao-rice-alcohol-chiang-mai/

 

not to be confused with lao-lao which is handcrafted on the farm in Isaan .
It is not very strong, about 18 *, yellowish, slightly sugar;
it seems that it is drunk like whey;
the problem is that when you have drunk too much you fall backwards like a mass and you wake up several hours or even two days later with a huge headache.

We can compare it to the chouchen which is made in Brittany; alcoholism and equivalent results

Edited April 6, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 07-04-2020

 

Very quiet w/e. Off to town today. Had to pay the internet, pick up the tax disc and get a bit of shopping.

 

First port of call was the service station just outside Ban Dung. Had a bit of a sweat on when the ATM rejected my Baht request twice, before seeing sense and sliding out the dosh.

 

Into 7-11 to get my buns. I have a bun most mornings with my cuppa (or two); only 15 Baht each. The Misses does them nicely with cheese and jam. Luckily my favourite check-out girl was at the till. She always has a cheeky smile for me, but more importantly gives me a decent size plastic bag. This particular bag fits onto the kitchen bin perfectly. I notice that the new 7-11 bags are plain.

 

Then it was a wander over to Cafe Amazon to see the waterfall and fish.

 

 

Very nice. And the view from the little bridge is even nicer.

 

 

Lovely!

 

################################

 

Very quiet on the roads. No such thing as week ends around here; but it felt like a Sunday. Only saw a dozen people not wearing a mask.

 

The MOT test centre is to the north of Ban Dung. Outside there is a quite innocuous cage. Could easily walk past it without even noticing.

 

 

There is a surprise for anyone looking in.

 

 

Two beautiful iguanas (one was asleep under the log).

 

################################

 

Can't eat in Big C at the mo'. But there's a restaurant just along the road. Expensive though; 195 Baht for the three of us. Bic Care was as quiet as I've known it for three in the afternoon. There were more bottles of gel than customers. No bargains on cat food, but pringles were 3 tubes for 110 baht.

 

Have to pay for the internet by putting money in a machine now; which rejects anything with a crease, or with gel on it. I just couldn't get the hang of it. A pretty, and helpful True lady came to my rescue and soon everything was sorted. All the while the Mrs muttering words of derision.

 

################################

 

Called into the garden center on the way back. Nicely set out and inviting.

 

 

 

 

Mrs Owl looking for bargains! Milly? Who's taken your trilby?

 

################################

 

Onto the farm.

 

Milly took an interesting pic'. "Dad why is everything round the wrong way? And upside down?" "Tell you tomorrow Mil'."

 

 

It seems that the ucas are back on the programme after our tiff a couple of days ago regarding a fire break.

 

The little ucas that we are growing, are looking good. Milly thinks a month before noticeable growth. Make her right there. Getting roots established is the first thing, and then they take off (hopefully).

 

Found a eucalyptus tree near number three farm that has deep purple leaves. I've read that there are hundreds of varieties, This purple one is quite different. I didn't have the snapper with me, but next post I'll put it a pic or two, and I'm sure someone will know all about it. I'll take some cuttings off it anyhow.

 

################################

 

Couldn't resist a report on the Buddha construction.

 

 

Getting there it seems.

 

People seem to be at their farms a lot more the last couple of days. Probably due to the rain.

 

More later in the week. Bye y'all.

 

Edited April 7, 2020 by owl sees all

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, owl sees all said:

She always has a cheeky smile for me,

No mask then?

 

7 hours ago, owl sees all said:

But there's a restaurant just along the road. Expensive though; 195 Baht for the three of us

I'm assuming that's a joke? Cost me more than that for two when I took the once upon a time beloved out to dinner ( not including drinks )

 

Your garden center photos took me back. I spent a lot of time in them once upon a time.

 

Keep 'em coming.

[owl sees all]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No mask then?

 

I'm assuming that's a joke? Cost me more than that for two when I took the once upon a time beloved out to dinner ( not including drinks )

 

Your garden center photos took me back. I spent a lot of time in them once upon a time.

 

Keep 'em coming.

You are right. Before the mask came on the scene she would give the smile. Now I have to see the smile by looking at her eyes. She never winks at me or anything like that. She probably wishes I was her dad.

 

Meal was 195 Baht for three. With the food also three small (375ml) bottles of cola. So not too bad. The food in Phen is cheaper. In the eating houses either side of the road just past the river, three meals are usually 120 Baht, but without the cola. Went into a posh place in Bang Kapi (BKK) once; I think it was a Japanese joint, spent 500 Baht for the two of us and was hungry two hours later; and had the runs next day. I've learnt since then.

 

We spend a fair bit of time in garden centers. Have enough fruit trees to keep me in vit' C for years. Mango season almost with us. I like the mangoes to be sweet. The Thais seem to prefer them sour with a spicy dip. I lived in Jamaica for a while and the mangoes there are simply magnificent. Dark rum and mangoes. That's all ya need. And some decent calypso. And a lovely lady by your side. Just like Thailand in fact but with Lao khow.

 

 

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by owl sees all

[Assurancetourix]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm assuming that's a joke? Cost me more than that for two when I took the once upon a time beloved out to dinner ( not including drinks )

It's not a joke ;

A few weeks ago , in a restaurant in Sawang on the left side of the first light coming from Sakon Nakhon, khao pat khai ( chicken )  or hmu ( pig )  was 35 baht ; now it's 40 baht as nearly all other restaurant in Sawang and the villages around.

 

Today a very little MTBike balade : 27 km on red roads .

The photo of the century (  but thai people love to make their country as an open garbage can ) 

 

 

 

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

It's not a joke ;

A few weeks ago , in a restaurant in Sawang on the left side of the first light coming from Sakon Nakhon, khao pat khai ( chicken )  or hmu ( pig )  was 35 baht ; now it's 40 baht as nearly all other restaurant in Sawang and the villages around.

 

Today a very little MTBike balade : 27 km on red roads .

The photo of the century (  but thai people love to make their country as an open garbage can ) 

 

 

 

That is a quite disgusting pic. Well, not the pic but what's in it. Can't run down the Thais so much as Essex (England) won the award two years running for fly-tipping.

 

I saw on Aljazeera TV that there is a floating raft of plastic off Borneo (or somewhere) as big as the Isle of Wight.

 

 

The whole world needs to wake up to this filthy, unsightly menace.

[HighPriority]

Owl, I was quite disappointed to find that we have no photographic evidence of your 7/11 girl ????

please tell her some hansum farang friends of yours would like to see her picture ????

[owl sees all]

30 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

Owl, I was quite disappointed to find that we have no photographic evidence of your 7/11 girl ????

please tell her some hansum farang friends of yours would like to see her picture ????

OK. I'll try to get a couple of pics.

 

I tend to strike up these special relationships for very selfish reasons. With the 7-11 girl it's for a nice white, plastic bag. With the lady in the petrol station it's to get winning lottery numbers. When I go into my favourite hardware shop the pretty, young assistant gets me a chair, and she sorts out the pipe connectors while watch. There was a heavily breasted lady checkout girl in Tescos a couple of years back. No perks with her. Just seemed to get into her station a lot. Don't go in there now. Big Care opposite has my custom. And the Misses says Tesco isn't what it once was and has gone downhill. Anyway their trolleys were difficult to handle, so I'm not too upset.

 

Of course Mrs Owl is fully aware of these - 'friendships' - and watches closely at all times. But there are no sexual overtones. or even undertones. I've had enough cats thrown at me.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

It's not a joke ;

A few weeks ago , in a restaurant in Sawang on the left side of the first light coming from Sakon Nakhon, khao pat khai ( chicken )  or hmu ( pig )  was 35 baht ; now it's 40 baht as nearly all other restaurant in Sawang and the villages around.

 

Today a very little MTBike balade : 27 km on red roads .

The photo of the century (  but thai people love to make their country as an open garbage can ) 

 

 

 

Thais don't seem to care about anything outside their property. Sad.

I went to a local hot spot waterfall somewhere on the MHS loop and it was a garbage tip. Samet, the last time I went was a garbage tip end to end.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

A few weeks ago , in a restaurant in Sawang on the left side of the first light coming from Sakon Nakhon, khao pat khai ( chicken )  or hmu ( pig )  was 35 baht ; now it's 40 baht as nearly all other restaurant in Sawang and the villages around.

Considering it was probably 25 baht 40 years ago that's still pretty cheap.

[HighPriority]

8 hours ago, owl sees all said:

OK. I'll try to get a couple of pics.

 

I tend to strike up these special relationships for very selfish reasons. With the 7-11 girl it's for a nice white, plastic bag. With the lady in the petrol station it's to get winning lottery numbers. When I go into my favourite hardware shop the pretty, young assistant gets me a chair, and she sorts out the pipe connectors while watch. There was a heavily breasted lady checkout girl in Tescos a couple of years back. No perks with her. Just seemed to get into her station a lot. Don't go in there now. Big Care opposite has my custom. And the Misses says Tesco isn't what it once was and has gone downhill. Anyway their trolleys were difficult to handle, so I'm not too upset.

 

Of course Mrs Owl is fully aware of these - 'friendships' - and watches closely at all times. But there are no sexual overtones. or even undertones. I've had enough cats thrown at me.

Yes, understand Owl, sometimes I need to remind my wife that it’s the hansum farang’s burden... ????????????

????

[Odysseus123]

20 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

It's not a joke ;

A few weeks ago , in a restaurant in Sawang on the left side of the first light coming from Sakon Nakhon, khao pat khai ( chicken )  or hmu ( pig )  was 35 baht ; now it's 40 baht as nearly all other restaurant in Sawang and the villages around.

 

Today a very little MTBike balade : 27 km on red roads .

The photo of the century (  but thai people love to make their country as an open garbage can ) 

 

 

 

Good photo Asterix*-it certainly shows it how it is at times-there were certainly plenty of dumps like that around my neck of the woods..