Daily Report: Chinese New Year

Food laid out for the monks.I was up nice and early today. Since today is Chinese New Year, Pui had all kinds of activities planned today. First, she put out some food for the monks. (I'm not completely clear on this, but it's my best guess.) There were 2 whole chickens, a pile of noodles, some fruit, and pastries, water and burning incense. Set out front of our house on the living room table, the karma of our entire Soi went up a notch.

I put in an okay morning of work, and then called it a day.


Pui, Pot, and Go make merit.In the early afternoon, Pui, Go, Pot, and I went to a Chinese temple in Naklua where we bought 3 coffins. Apparently this is a very good way of making merit, as the coffins are for people with no family to provide them with a proper funeral. After we paid our 500 baht, we went up to the temple and lit incense, prayed, rattled joss sticks, burned prayer sheets, and set some birds free. (Pot and I spent most of the time playing with toy cars actually.)


The Thai version of an ambulance. Very
good for cardiac patients, as the ride to
the hospital is as good as a defibrillator.We also made a donation to the temple's coffin corrollary, an ambulance service. As you may or may not know, most people injured in Thailand arrive at death's door — or the door of the hospital emergency room — in the back of a pickup truck of some sort. That crude and rudimentary service is all going to change, as the pickup trucks will now have pretty stickers on them.


Pot is a french fry fiend.After the temple, we went to McDonald's were we... I especially... proceeded to stuff ourselves. McDonald's in Thailand is, give or take, about half the price of McDonald's in America. So the fact that I spent $10 for 3 people and 1 child is the equivalent of having purchased (and ate) $20 worth of food in America. Pot stuffed himself sideways on french fries as per usual. Maid Go had fast food for the first time in her life, and enjoyed herself thoroughly, though she started off quite unsettled by the fact that I was spending so much money on her. (Both of the ladies in my house are — really, honestly, always — like that.)

Once we got back home, Pui took a nap, Pot and I went swimming, and Go went shopping. She brought back beer, and I bobbed around in the pool and drank 2 liters of beer (to add to my already stuffed stomach).


The all-you-can-eat buffet at
White Night on Soi VC.After swimming, at 6:00, Pui and I went down to Bai Hali pier to watch the Chinese New Year Show. Unfortunately we were an hour early, and had other business to attend to, so we left. We went to Walking Street, to Dang's Bar and had a beer there. Then we met up with Stan at White Night for yet another all-you-can-eat buffet. Tonight's smash-hit dishes were blue-cheese soup, vegetables in an apple-tamarind curry, and a sherry trifle for dessert. After McDonald's and beer... yes... I stuffed myself once again. I was now stuffed beyond any reasonable comfort level. Oh well.


The Pattaya-Addicts crowd at TQ2After White Night, it was off to TQ2 where Alf was having a "Naughty Nightie Praty". (The spelling error was originally on the monstrous banner that Alf ordered for the event, and was humorously transferred onto the SMS messages regarding the event, and hence to my blog.) The party was actually held for the Pattaya-Addicts.com crowd.

Pui and I called it a night just before 10:00 after a long, full day.