New Years Day: Part I

01.01.2012

WHITE RABBITS everyone!

New Years day was action packed!  I took so many pictures that I decided to spread it over two separate blogs to make things a little more convenient for myself.

2012 started early.  Fon, her mother, her little sister (named Fun), Kathleen, Sugar and I rose at 6 am to "make merit" at the local temple.  Making merit is the act of donating to the temple, but more specifically this day we donated packages of food to monks.  It is traditional for Thai families to do this in the morning on the first day of the year.

 

Yellow carnations are a traditional offering to monks

Some type of lake near the temple

Waiting for the monks

Sending good thoughts/wishes

"When you wish upon a ramen..."

The monks arrive and donation collection begins:

I gave all my loot to this guy.  He looked nice.

Being a good Samaritan works up an appetite.  Time to get breakfast!

A building near where we were waiting to pick up the food.  Thailand power lines are always in some state of convolution.

The Canadian gets a little lesson in American culture.

Ranong is surrounded by beautiful forested mountains

Fun is a happy little girl, and enjoyed hanging out with us despite the obvious language barrier.

I know I've already mentioned this, but EVERYTHING seems to come in a little baggy in Thailand.  This is yellow curry.

Jackfruit and sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf.  To die for!

With contented bellies, the whole family set out on the road for adventure!

Wan was eager to start the journey.

All pups accounted for.

The first stop was a grave site / mini-temple of a long deceased resident of Ranong.  He was apparently a very wealthy Chinese man who was a large influence in the city.  Almost all cars/mopeds that drive past this site honk their horn as a sign of respect and to say "hello" to him.

The style of the entire site was Chinese

Offerings of drinking water

The grave built into the hillside

Fon's mother paying respect and saying a prayer

I was really fond of this cat statue

Sugar and Lookmoo never fail to please the camera

Lookmoo chases Fai

On the way to the jungle we make a stop to overlook the Andaman Sea, and Myanmar (Burma).

Observation tower

There's Burma!

Thailand side of the Andaman Sea

In the observation tower:

H2O contemplation

Lots of Burmese people come to Thailand illegally in search of work and a better life.  Here we witnessed a deportation truck full of people being sent back to Myanmar.  It was a chilling and sad sight.  The side of the truck says "Deportation Ranong Immigration"

Just for the sake of making a stark juxtaposition, here is a cute picture of Fai with her chihuahua.

New Years Day to be continued...