Diary of a farang in Isaan

[owl sees all]

23 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

One way to say he finished it with a machete as they do to kill a calf. 

He used a chog-chog; hoe.

 

This was at the farm. Lala was the last of the farm dogs. Lulu died last year after being bitten by a big cobra. And Poodon just died; natural causes was the consensus.

 

We still have 20 or so cats. We had rabbits too, but they didn't mix well with the other animals.

 

 

Four years ago, we had two buffaloes. But, couldn't have a day off from looking after them. Sold them at a small loss.

 

Raised four beautiful ducks. Kept them safe each night in a netted pen. Not well enough it seemed, as they just left without a trace, or saying goodbye. 

[Assurancetourix]

2 hours ago, Sandy Freckle said:

Can someone please translate ?

 

We often read worse on this forum, especially when it is written by a Thai who thinks he knows the English language but who writes English as he writes his native language, ie forgetting personal pronouns, sometimes even the verb. which is usually the essential element of a sentence ...
They are recognized almost immediately; it's called thaiglish ...

I am French ( nobody is perfect ), sometimes my English is not quite consistent; some false sense or nonsense in my sentences but I try to write as I learned when I was in high school; it was a long time ago, I am in my 71 * year and my 14 * in Thailand.

[sirineou]

8 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Isaan food sucks and people destroy his tools there...….I think.

I think he said Isaan tool suck ,and monkeys  steal his food, i think they use his ladders to do it.

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, sirineou said:

I think he said Isaan tool suck ,and monkeys  steal his food, i think they use his ladders to do it.

They use his ladders? Does that make this another tall story?

[roo860]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

They use his ladders? Does that make this another tall story?

You would have thought he could  have 'rung' them first.

[owl sees all]

Owl Log 20-11-2019

 

Took a pic of the bin that a couple of you lads were inquiring about. 

 

 

Most of the dogs try to get into the bins at night. This was the first time for ages that ours had been attacked. The green open one is used for leaves and twigs, so is not of interest to the dogs. There is a group of a dozen dogs in our short road. They have not formed into a pack; yet!

 

There was a slim, green tree snake in our fruit tree today. About half metre long. I tried to get a pic, but it was camera shy; and I wasn't fast enough. It's still there; harming no-one. Charkie, our house cat, will soon bring it as a gift to us. Hopefully it will still be alive.

 

The road between our village and the next, was a red dirt track until 10 months ago. Then, right out of the blue, funds were designated (3m Baht I'm informed) for a super-duper one; road markings and all. Drove down the road this afternoon to get a PVC pipe from a tool shop, and guess what (see pics)? What will happen to the road if we get a prolonged period of rain!? Keep 'em crossed; we need the wet stuff for the ponds, but I fear for the road in more than a few places.

 

 

 

 

The durian tree has well and truly kicked the bucket. Don't know why. Durian are difficult to grow up here. Although ours got a watering every three days. It's a mystery.

 

 

I have said to Mildred a dozen times; watch out for the hole between number 5 and 6 ponds. This afternoon I clean forgot about it, put my foot in it, and went for a tumble. Lucky not to break something.

 

That's it for today. Put my sore foot up and start sampling the reishi wine.

 

[bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Owl Log 20-11-2019

 

Took a pic of the bin that a couple of you lads were inquiring about. 

 

 

Most of the dogs try to get into the bins at night. This was the first time for ages that ours had been attacked. The green open one is used for leaves and twigs, so is not of interest to the dogs. There is a group of a dozen dogs in our short road. They have not formed into a pack; yet!

{snipped}

IIRC, aren't those bins in your photo above, tyres that have been forced inside-out?

Or was I hallucinating on your home-made dodgy Lao Cao?

[owl sees all]

7 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

IIRC, aren't those bins in your photo above, tyres that have been forced inside-out?

Or was I hallucinating on your home-made dodgy Lao Cao?

Bang on the money as usual bluesofa. Yes truck tyres.

 

'Or was I hallucinating on your home-made dodgy Lao Cao?'

 

You are obviously not a connoisseur of quality blended wine. But, to be fair, neither was I until I discovered its medicinal value.

[Sterling]

Owl, just wanted to say I love reading your Log entries. Thanks for sharing those with all of us.

[Odysseus123]

This is a great thread with plenty of photos,lots of wry humour and just the right amount of whimsy to give the "Isaan" rural experience a truly authentic feel to it.

 

I love the pothole in the new rural super-highway..I thought to myself "Yep-that's a real Isaan pothole,alright!"

[sunnyboy2018]

On 11/19/2019 at 12:53 AM, geronimo said:

I'm a publisher, send it over when finished .....

What have you published?

[sunnyboy2018]

23 hours ago, Sandy Freckle said:

Can someone please translate ?

An Arab or Scandi is disenchanted with Issan, the food and the people.

[geronimo]

10 minutes ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

What have you published?

tjpublishing.net    take a look

[sunnyboy2018]

Has the OP been to that shop in Nong Khai that sells glass balls? It might be near the Aquarium.

[sunnyboy2018]

1 minute ago, geronimo said:

tjpublishing.net    take a look

will do.

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

will do.

we are a newcomer on the publishing scene, but from acorns do big oak trees grow!!!

[sirineou]

41 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

This is a great thread with plenty of photos,lots of wry humour and just the right amount of whimsy to give the "Isaan" rural experience a truly authentic feel to it.

 

I love the pothole in the new rural super-highway..I thought to myself "Yep-that's a real Isaan pothole,alright!"

If you love Issan potholes you will love this

The whole road leading to our village from the ring road . at least a kilometer of it was like this, Driving it was like a video game. It has since being paved over,

[owl sees all]

On 11/18/2019 at 11:29 PM, neeray said:

The catfish would be good for the monks; no scaling, just pull the skin back and you got your meat.

I remember doing this as a teenager.

 

(catching catfish and cooking on a camp stove).

Sorry neeray! I probably didn't explain myself as well as I should have. The donated mekongs would be for their pond. If i thought they were going to eat them I wouldn't consider giving.

 

Went to the temple pond yesterday, and have changed my mind. There is so little water. No more than a metre deep anywhere. Another severe dry season and the mekongs would struggle.

 

When I bought them from a fish farm, they were just 5 cm long. Now the biggest goes 1.4 metres.

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

Sorry neeray! I probably didn't explain myself as well as Ishould have. The donated mekongs would be for their pond. If i thought they were going to eat them I wouldn't consider giving.

 

Went to the temple pond yesterday, and have changed my mind. There is so little water. No more than a metre deep anywhere. Another severe dry season and the mekongs would struggle.

 

When I bought them from a fish farm, they were just 5 cm long. Now the biggest goes 1.4 metres.

This was a 53kg beauty I caught. Released of course ...

[roo860]

11 minutes ago, geronimo said:

This was a 53kg beauty I caught. Released of course ...

I hope that's it's fin you're holding in your right hand!!!

[geronimo]

4 minutes ago, roo860 said:

I hope that's it's fin you're holding in your right hand!!!

That fish took 45 minutes to land and when I hooked it, the beast took off like a submarine, taking 100m of line on the first run. They have tremendous power and they fight like there's no tomorrow! I don't fish anymore (wife convinced me that while the fish survives, it hardly enjoys the encounter) but it was great to experience such raw power on the end of the line. The biggest I caught was 62kg and with 3 years of regular visits to that water, I landed 14 of these massive Mekong catfish!

[owl sees all]

2 minutes ago, geronimo said:

This was a 53kg beauty I caught. Released of course ...

Fantastic!

 

My biggest is 35kg from Bansumran.  Mrs Owl caught one weighing 33kg from the Pattaya fishing park. A long while ago now (12 years).

 

Hooked it at 17-50 and landed it in the dark at 19-05. Note the harness! I caught a 7kg common carp on the same day.

 

There was a decent fishing park at the end on soi 14 or 16 in Jontiem. I heard it had been filled in to create a bungee attraction; anyone?

[geronimo]

1 minute ago, owl sees all said:

Fantastic!

 

My biggest is 35kg from Bansumran.  Mrs Owl caught one weighing 33kg from the Pattaya fishing park. A long while ago now (12 years).

 

Hooked it at 17-50 and landed it in the dark at 19-05. Note the harness! I caught a 7kg common carp on the same day.

 

There was a decent fishing park at the end on soi 14 or 16 in Jontiem. I heard it had been filled in to create a bungee attraction; anyone?

I used to fish at Shadow Lake near Nakon Pathom, yet heard it has gone to the dogs.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 11/20/2019 at 12:28 AM, jimn said:

Each to his own life I suppose. But living in Issan like the OP sounds like a living version of hell. I take my wife up to the village twice a year and only spend 1 night there in a hotel. I cant wait to get away from the village. If she wants to see her family more I encourage her to go alone on the bus.

I didn't mind living in the village. I had planned to grow stuff, but the nephews that lived with granny put paid to that chapter of my life.

Anyone that thinks living in the country is quiet hasn't lived in a Thai village. Monks with amplified chanting extremely early in the morning, and the talking petrol pump put paid to any thought of a relaxing life.

[Halfaboy]

Don't forget the sounds related to ceremonies. Can be related to wedding, passing away from relatives, boys / men joining the monkhood, 100 days ceremonies and so on. To give the ceremony more 'prestige' very loud music is played, usually starting early in the morning and continuing till late. Then of course there is the sound of drunk people going home on their motorbikes.

[Xaos]

I would die from boredom. 

[gunderhill]

On 11/18/2019 at 12:17 PM, owl sees all said:

The big mekongs are in pond #5 (from the left).

Do you ever  see them? I had 4 but never  see them, understand they are  bottom feeders? They are in with other  fish, Tilipia, Silver  Barb, Jaramet, and normal catfish, they went in at 5 inches  long, havent seen them since 2-3 years ago? Maybe dead?

[Halfaboy]

1 minute ago, gunderhill said:

havent seen them since 2-3 years ago? Maybe dead?

 

Maybe stolen ?

[Isaanbiker]

On 11/19/2019 at 7:11 PM, sirineou said:

They are treated horribly.

And got their own swimming pool. Terrible life as a dog! 

[Isaanbiker]

26 minutes ago, Xaos said:

I would die from boredom. 

If you're bored, it's your own problem.

Do something that you like to do and the boredom goes away.