Back to the Zoo, September 2008

My wife Kanittha's mother, my mother-in-law Khun Tiab, came to visit and stay with us for a few weeks bringing along Little Nio's cousin, Pi Toon. We took the opportunity to spend a family day at Dusit Zoo.



From left-to-right: my mother-in-law, Khun Tiab; Little Nio and his Mommy; his cousin, Pi Toon and of course my sister-in-law Pa Khut. Little Nio is complaining that his Daddy is not in the photograph and gets very vocal about it.



Here's another group photograph, but this time with Daddy carrying Little Nio. Notice how he's not too upset about Mommy being the one who is taking the photograph. Perhaps he thinks that Mommy takes better photographs and knows his good side.





Just like on "Animal Planet", but with much better reception — and no commercial breaks. We all get treated to a real slice of nature as we watched a monitor lizard catch a live fish, and then successfully evade as another competing monitor lizard attempted to steal his catch.



Posing with a stuffed crocodile, Little Nio cautiously attempts to pet the snout.



Here's Little Nio with his Daddy, who is pointing out and meticulously trying to explain all about the ostriches.



And here's Little Nio explaining to his Daddy that he shouldn't talk too much about everything and simply enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the day.



A shrill shriek from Little Nio brings this troop of meerkats to attention.



Here's Little Nio sharing a moment with his Mommy, while posing in front of some very cool elephant statues.



Little Nio sandwiched between his Mommy and Daddy with this very noisy fountain right behind. The noise is making him restless and annoyed. We had a great time that day, but less than an hour after these photographs were taken there was a tremendous downpour of rain and we had to cut short our visit to the zoo. We're not too upset about this because we know that we will all have another opportunity to visit again soon.

Efficient Feeding, September 2008

So here we are.



One very rare family photograph with all three of us together — Daddy, Little Nio and Mommy. This was taken with some of my colleagues from the office, when we went out to have dinner sometime last week, at a Japanese restaurant called "Zen".

Here's Little Nio feeding himself some boiled rice and egg, with a spoon. Our son isn't even two years old yet and he's already mastered the fine art of dining with a spoon.







Despite the obvious skills with the spoon, Little Nio decides there is a much more efficient way of getting good food down into your tummy.





Just pour it all down your throat.

Civil Unrest and Peace, September 2008

Despite all the news in Thailand and the international media exposure about what is going on in Bangkok today, we are all safe and life goes on as usual.

For now, at least.

The traffic is still as bad as it always has been. Not any worse because of the "State of Emergency" declared and as luck would have it, not any better either. Essential utilities of electricity and running water are working perfectly. Other things like television and cable TV, phone lines and the internet are all up and running.

So far, so good.

The family is eating well and we are all in good health. Just had some minor laser surgery to remove a few unwanted warts and had a dental appointment last week. My wife, Kanittha, is radiant and beautiful as ever and the joy in our lives, Little Nio, is growing bigger, heavier, taller and more confident with each passing day.



Here's Little Nio dunking a chicken nugget into a glass of water.



Our son, Antonio, wearing an "elephant hat".



Seriously digging in to his dinner while seated on his Daddy's lap.



Playing with Samuel, our Siamese cat, while biting into a new juicy cherry tomato.



A new favorite of Little Nio, boiled corn on the cob.

Don't worry about us. We are all doing very well here.

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.

Sakon Nakhon Visit (Part 2), August 2008

Perhaps I should have split this post sooner, but I realized that the number of images in these blog entries would make the loading time extremely slow.

DAY THREE

A slow start to another very laid back and relaxing day.



Here's Little Nio sitting with his Mommy in another hammock. He's finishing off his post-breakfast bottle of milk and getting another power nap before we go off to visit the farmlands of my wife's family.



Less than ten-minutes away on the back of a motorbike, the rice fields and farmlands of my wife's family are a beautiful shade of green. It will be several more weeks before the harvest, so until then the family has some time to relax and do other things.





Here's Little Nio and his Mom on the dirt road leading up to the bahay-kubo at one end of their property.



With his Dad up on the farm. Little Nio had so much fun splashing about in the puddles of rain water and running all around on the red earth. It was difficult to persuade him that it was time to get back to the house.



On the way back to the house with Mommy.



Back near the house, just a few streets up from where we were staying, we brought Little Nio to meet the other children in the village.



It was truly heartwarming to see how he was welcomed and accepted by the entire community. All the children knew him by name, but sadly I couldn't name them all even if I tried.





Unsure about how the neighborhood games are played, Little Nio puts on his curious face and watches how things are done. His Mommy and a watchful village elder both look on to supervise the children at play.



We all take turns having our photograph taken with Little Nio at a bridge that spans a small stream, just a short walk away from the house. First with his Daddy.



Then another picture with his Mommy.



And then another one with Mommy, but this time joined by his cousins, Pi Toon and Pi Aey.



The flags and the signpost in this picture mark the geographical end of the village. My wife's family home is right behind the sign and their house is literally the last house at the very end of the village.



Later that evening after dinner, Little Nio discovers a new play thing. A traditional cylindrical basket containing sticky rice — khao niew makes for a wonderful pull toy.







Here's Little Nio dragging the basket off to one of the rooms inside the house.