Oddball Update

Greetings, gentle beings. Chief Oddball here, with another update from GMT +0700. (Thailand time, by any other name.) It’s been a few days since I’ve posted, not because I’ve been overwhelmingly busy or distracted, but because I wanted to get my latest photos off my digital camera first. Because I was a doof and forgot the camera’s USB cable, I need access to my brother-in-law’s computer in order to do that. Couldn’t find a chance to get at it until tonight; he’s not at home at the moment.

So the Chinese New Year has wound down, the firecrackers have stopped going off, and it’s back to business as usual here in the Land of Smiles. While Apple’s father’s print shop hums with activity during the daylight hours, I’m usually to be found in the (very thoroughly) air conditioned loft, working away on my laptop. Prior to that, though, we spent one more day celebrating the new year by going out to a Chinese festival where they have a variety of traditional stage shows, and a big street fair where you can buy all manner of food, trinkets and other stuff.

A stage was set up in the courtyard of a rather large high school, and there were numerous acts on display. A troupe from China, who visits Hat Yai every Chinese New Year to put on this show, was the last event of the evening. Their performances ranged from traditional dance and acrobatics to puppetry and a magic show, but the most interesting was the last show — wherein a pair of Chinese dancers performed almost magical “face changes.” They’d spin around, or bob their heads, and their masks would completely change in an instant. Pretty cool to watch. I shot a video of it, and although my camera doesn’t take very high-res movies, it came out pretty well.

(You may have noticed in the background of the photo above that the year is “2550.” That’s 2007, according to the Buddhist calendar.)

Since the New Year festivities have wound down, everybody’s gone back to work, including me. I haven’t been quite as productive as I might be at home; contacting our company’s various servers is a little slower than usual, and the ergonomics of my working space aren’t quite as friendly. Still, I’m working the usual eight hours a day and getting some stuff done, so I’m satisfied enough.

We’ve eaten at home the last few days, which I like. It’s simpler, and the food is always great, usually Chinese in style. Lately we’ve had fried fish, chicken, stewed tofu and vegetables, cashew nuts, a vegetable dish called “Morning Glory” and lots of other stuff that’s tasted excellent. Also, after dinner, we usually head out to get some snacks or other “mini meals” as is traditional in Thailand. Tonight it was dim sum, but last night we went to this truly unique cafe called “Chill Chill.”

Chill Chill is like a coffee bar, but not western/modern like The Coffee Maker was. The design of the place is truly awesome. The whole thing is made to look like a jungle, with wooden tables, seats and bars made out of tree trunks, and vines and plants hanging down everywhere. You wind your way through this outdoor (but thoroughly covered and walled-in) eating area and find your own table nestled within the lush greens, or you can go upstairs to the sort of tiki-bar like area and enjoy coffee and cakes. We had frozen fruit drinks with orange and almond cakes. (The almond cake was identified as “Almond Tard,” rather than “Tart,” which made it difficult to keep my laughter in check.) I hope we get the chance to go back to Chill Chill while we’re here. If anything, I’d like to take some pictures of the place. And I want another Almond Tard.

More food: Yesterday we went to The Pizza Company, which is the same Pizza Hut-like pizzeria we visited during our last trip to Thailand. They have great pizza there. This time we ordered the “Cheesy Sausage” and “Cheesy Aloha” (Hawaiian) pizzas, breadsticks with bacon inside, pasta alfredo with ham, and onion rings. Most of the portions here in Thailand are far smaller than what you’d get in America, except for the onion rings. Good lord, but those things were huge. I could barely eat more than one!

The weather has remained humid and mostly hot, with cooler temperatures in the evening. The mosquitoes are bothersome, but manageable. Apple went out shopping with her sisters today while I stayed at home to work. Later, Apple said it was a good thing I stayed behind, because the police raided the shopping center during one of their routine, but unannounced “illegal material” crackdowns. A lot of the shops here sell black- or gray-market DVDs and music, and every so often the police show up to give them all a good scare. Immediately there were shouts of “Close it! Close it!” as the shopkeepers rushed to close up their shops and hide their wares; meanwhile, panicked customers fled the scene. It sounded like chaos, so it’s just as well my big American bulk wasn’t there to get in the way of anybody’s escape, including my own.

Back at home, my boss is gearing up for his own trip to China. Early next month, Apple and I plan to fly there to meet up with him and his wife, see what China is like and visit our company’s Asia/Pacific office. We’re quite excited out it, since it will be a new experience for both of us — and since my boss packed his Xbox360, I’ll get to satiate my video game cravings for a little while. Afterwards, my boss and his wife plan to come to Thailand with us for a few days.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I heard that Apple’s family is procuring me a cake made to my specifications (chocolate cake with vanilla cream). Excellent!

Categorized as Life