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TOP: Our 'taxi' Bangkok to Surin... comfy!
BOTTOM LEFT: Our young son, Jack with his Grandad, after 2 years.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Nipping out to do some shopping in the farm tuk-tuk wagon... a "lethal" bit of machinery!
Sunday 5th:
VERY hot both yesterday on the trip from Bangkok and today. 39ºC and 38ºC.
A very important event is taking place my wife's family household. In true Thai tradition, the new house has to be blessed. The event is supported by an enormous party attended by 100's of family members, friends and local people from the surrounding villages. A number of monks will attend to carry out the religious bits early in the morning, followed by a long drawn out feast from 09:00, with incredibly LOUD Thai music, and, of course, copious amounts of food and booze.
So, from the word go it was the family and helpers rushing about to ready things. Typically, last minute jobs abounded with Aom's father getting it in the neck from Somjit and daughter for leaving everywhere covered in dust and crap.
Monday 6th:
Up and about at 05:00 before dawn. Everyone rushing about readying things for the monk's arrival.
The first part of the house-blessing ceremony involves the whole family and two monks walking around the outside perimeter of the house THREE times with the lead monk chanting prayers.
This is followed by a lengthy prayer session inside the house. Gifts of money are presented to Chet & Somjit (my inlaws). The whole ceremony is blasted out thru an enormous speaker system outside. The louder the better for Thais; more noise, more family power.
Later on, around 09:00, guests started to turn up and occupy the hundreds of tables that had been set out. Food and drink a-plenty served up. This early session went on for several hours followed by a break before the mighty evening party.
Live stage show for entertainment and copious amounts of alcohol. I bagged sitting at at a table with 4 of Aom's lovely Thai girls; well why not?
The only thing that marred the evening was a fight breaking out between a couple of very drunken "boys". It was a prudent move that we paid to have 2 policemen on standby as it was such a large gathering. The quickly marched the offenders off and normal service was resumed. Things wound down relatively early at around 01:00.
TOP ROW: The ceremony starts with the family in procession headed by the two monks. They circle the house three times chanting payers.
SECOND LEFT: The procession culminates with washing of the feet of the two monks and the heads of the household.
SECOND RIGHT: Once in the house, the ceremony starts in earnest with food and drink being offered to Buddha.
THIRD ROW: Prayers
FOURTH ROW: Money is given by family members as a blessing and string is tied around the wrist as a blessing of good fortune in life.
BOTTOM: A panoramic view of the tables being laid out prior to guests arrival.
Some shots of the evening big party:-
TOP LEFT: My wife, Aom and me on the left. I always seem to manage to get myself on a table full of beautiful Thai ladies. Must be a gift??
BOTTOM: Again, I get in with the girls. This one is Aom with friends she's known from early school days.
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