Sakon Nakhon Visit (Part 1), August 2008

We've just gotten back from a visit up to Sakon Nakhon, with my wife's family. This was the very first time our son, Little Nio, would meet all his relatives up country. And we felt it was also very important that he find his roots on his mother's side as well.

DAY ONE

Our trip started out early in the morning to catch a 9:25 AM flight last Monday, August 11th.



Here he is all cramped in the economy class of flight TG-1002 bound for Udon Thani airport from Don Muang airport in Bangkok. Sitting on his Mom's lap with a nice bottle of milk makes the trip a lot more comfortable.





Little Nio with his Daddy at the arrival lounge of Udon Thani airport an hour later. From the airport we hired a car and driver to take us to the village of my wife. Ban Nachalern is in the Ban Muang district in the province of Sakon Nakhon, which is a two hour drive from the airport at Udon Thani. It might seem like a long drive, but the airport at Udon Thani is actually a lot closer than the airport at the Sakon Nakhon provincial capital.

We get to the house of my wife's parents after lunchtime and we pretty much just unwind and relax.

DAY TWO

The next day, Little Nio wakes up in a whole new world and he just realizes the big change in place.



Here he is standing in the middle of the common room in the middle of the house. He's not quite awake yet, but that doesn't mean he isn't hungry already.



At the side of the house, in the dirty kitchen area, sitting on his grandmother's lap, Little Nio gets his first taste of life up country — a simple hardy meal of fish and sticky rice. His elder cousin, Pi Toon, looks on to make sure he gets enough to eat. Little Nio makes short work of breakfast and puts away a healthy portion of food.



After breakfast, his grandmother bundles him up in the traditional northeastern way, carrying him around Issarn style.



A cool morning bath and a change of clothing and we're ready to go to the flea market next to the village temple. Here's Little Nio and his Mommy posing in front of the gate to the house. The day was a bit overcast with a chance of rain, so Little Nio donned his hoodie before heading out.



In front of the rice fields just across from the house, with his Daddy.



At the flea market near the temple, from left-to-right: Little Nio's grandmother, then Little Nio carried by his Mom, then his cousin, Pi Toon. Pi Toon is the eldest child of Loung Rin, and older sister to Pi Aeh.



Checking out the stuff at the market with his uncle, Loung Rin. He is the eldest brother of Little Nio's Mommy. He usually doesn't go with strangers, specially not with men he doesn't know. But within a few minutes of meeting Loung Rin, Little Nio was very comfortable with him.



With Mommy, on the way back to the house.



Here's Little Nio and his Mom, sitting in the small sala at the front of the house. This is literally a "bahay-kubo".

Bahay-kubo

Bahay-kubo kahit munti
ang halaman doon ay sari-sari;
singkamas at talong,
sigarilyas at mani,
sitaw, bataw, patani
kundol, patola,
upo't kalabasa
at saka mayroon pa
labanos, mustasa
sibuyas, kamatis,
bawang at luya
sa paligid-ligid
ay puno ng linga.

These are the lyrics to an old Tagalog traditional folk song. It's a song about a simple country cottage made out of bamboo and thatch, and about all the many plants and vegetables that grow all around it. It's a bit lively, but I sing it to Little Nio as a lullaby.



After the hectic morning schedule, Little Nio takes a power nap on a hammock set-up in the bahay-kubo. Very much like the Filipino duyan, this is used to rock a baby to sleep. And it works too. It never ceases to amaze me that in cultures throughout the world there are so many similarities.



Some of the family gathered round for a meal. From left-to-right: Loung Rin, his wife Pa Goh, their daughter Pi Toon, and Little Nio's grandmother with the hands-free device in her ear as she speaks to a friend on a mobile phone. My wife's family may be humble farmers, but they are not completely isolated from the impact of technology.



Awake from his power nap, Little Nio enjoys a bit of local television programming.



A childhood friend of my wife, Kanittha, comes to visit. Seated from left-to-right: Mae Aew and her son Nong Leo, who is only a few weeks younger than Little Nio, My wife with Little Nio in her lap, and Mae Aew's niece, Pi Taengmo.