Yesterday I had my first 'exploration' trip away from Songkhla. Some of the SSA (schlum. spouses association) ladies offered to take me over to Ko Yo to look at cottons. Ko Yo is an island on Songkhla lake, connected by bridges, which is famous for cotton. So off we went!
First I was picked up by a driver. I find this concept very odd - that someone spend their day driving me around and carrying my bags and such. I'm not very important, so I really do need someone to trail after me. Plus - since they drive on the left here, I end up sitting in "the drivers seat" but with no controls! This is very disorienting!
The cottons were absolutely lovely. We visited a spot to see how they make them. Sort of looks like the old looms and stuff my mom and family have in their attics! But what comes out is just lovely. They said it takes 2 hours to weave just 1m of cloth. Wow. And then the price they sell it for....is just nuts. At most I paid $8/m and usually more like $3. They also have lots and lots of clothes. Of course in Canada they would only be practical in the dog days of summer, but they are very fun. Some are completely outlandish and fit for some sort of tacky party, but lots are great. Definitely wish I had some neices to buy the dresses for! (hint hint! hello sisters-in-law - cook me up some neices!! hahahaha)
Then it was off to lunch at a seafood restaurant by the water. I think this is one of my favourite spots so far - partly because of the lovely breeze. It is indeed completely stifling most of the time here, but so long as a bit of air is moving it doesn't seem so bad. We sat right at the waters edge, watching boats and fishermen, while we feasted on fresh snapper, soft shell crab, prawns, yellow curry served up in a coconut and blender drinks. There was a long discussion about whether or not it was in fact "5 o'clock somewhere" given that we are getting close to the date line here...but after a couple drinks none of us seemed to care anymore whether or not somewhere in the world was at an acceptable drinking time! hahaha
Life in the SSA is interesting for sure - I love the outtings, the commeraderie, the site-seeing and the meals, but I will be happy to have an interview next week about work here. As always - I am torn between the desire to be a wife, to keep a lovely home, to make everything I can by hand, tend gardens, walk to the store, and "lunch" with the ladies....with my passion for knowledge, for tangible change in the world and in those around me, and for academic acheivement.
Oh well...one step at a time....and today's step is off for lunch and coffee with the ladies again...hahahaha. Hopefully Ray comes home tonight from offshore! I love it here, but I love it most when I have my partner in crime at my side to enjoy it with me :)
Lots of love
Pamela
ok what you need to do is invent a blender that hs a clock on the side of it where the second hand is always going around, but the time is set to 5:01. Also you will need a carring bag that looks like a styish purse. Then when someone says "It must be past 5 somewhere!" You can say I don't know. Lets check." then you whip out your blender/clock, yell "hoot there it is"" and get the waiter to filler up! MD
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