“Will you go to the toilet next week?”!!!!
Yes I did actually say this today!! Surprisingly this is not what I went! What I meant to say was “ Are you going to Hang Naam” (a place where there’s a Church children’s camp next week)
How did I do that? Cause obviously these two statements are very different in English but not in Thai!!!! The word for toilet is “Hong Naam”, so it’s kind of similar, just a subtle o-a interchange! So we had a good laugh: ) The answer to the question is yes on both accounts!!!!

P.S. this is not a photograph I took b/c I haven’t taken a photograph of a toilet yet and I can’t be bothered to go and do so just at this moment in time, but I have used a toilet similar to this. Maybe I will take one when I get to my house in Sukothai that will be something to look forward too!!! Cause I actually have a western style one at the mo! Very spoilt!

P.P.S. I have no idea why there are two images!! But I know that if I try to delete one i'll probably delete both so I'll put it down to artistic styling instead!!!

"HAPPPY EASTER"

First two pictures taken at Church yesterday.

Picture above me at school explaining about Easter back home.

Motor bikes and Brahminism
Today started with a motor bike lesson at 7.30 (with helmet). This is my second practice it was kind of fun today. The first time I was just scared and thought that this would never be possible. But today I have hope. Even ventured onto and main big road today!! That was a little bit scary but I’m glad I’ve done it.
Then at 9 am we went to see a religious ceremony at the Buddhist temple. However the first part of the ceremony was something separate from Buddhism something called Brahminism. The man in the white with the pointed robe is the Brahmin priest. The whole ceremony lasted for three hours. In which time (in brief) they called upon the good spirits to come upon this image. This is a special image of the messianinc Buddha which they believe will come in the year 5000. There was lots of merit making activities. Many people poured water over the images hoping for blessing in the coming year. The people then pulled this image (and two others) throughout the city so that they can receive the blessing also. Well this is what I understand.

I have now successfully completed module 3 – hurray. So now I have moved on to learning to read/write Thai. So it’s like being back in primary school. It’s a bit like a coded puzzle!! So here’s the pictures as promised.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR”
No I haven’t got sun stroke I am completely sane I think!! It’s the New year (Songkran) in Thailand 2050 I think (not sure if that’s correct) but it’s not 2006. The year of the dog has passed and the year of the bull has come in. It’s quite a celebration!! For three days (Thurs, Friday, and Saturday) the streets are filled with people throwing water at each other and covering each other with powder and wishing everyone a happy new year. Here’s some photos of the festivities yesterday(Thursday). There was also a huge parade in the city centre, with free food afterwards!!! I hid indoors today!!!

Aroy Aroy (delicious delicious)

A few weeks ago we had a Thai cookery lesson from one of the ladies at the Church in Lopburi (lady with colourful shirt at front of picture. She took us to the market and we bought the things, cooked, and ate. We made Tom Yum which is a coconut curry I like it very much and another curry with potatoes : ) I know I always complain about eating potatoes at home, but I have to admit it’s nice to have a spud

IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS!!!Little piece of advice!! If you ever find yourself in Thailand and it has been very hot weather and it cools down slightly do not think oh it would be nice to go for a little bike ride and eat out somewhere!!!! Don’t do it, go home immediately do not go outside, and perhaps take all valuable items to the highest area of your house.
Yes I foolishly did the above taking my poor house mate with me.
Piece of advice number two, when it starts to rain do not think if you wait for ten minutes it will get better.
In ten minutes there was a full scale lightning and thunderstorm outside. Hmm maybe we should wait until the lightning stops. Is it safe to ride a bicycle during a lightening storm – I don’t know Northern Ireland isn’t exactly a tropical country so I’m not familiar with this protocol.
One and a half hours later the street outside had become a river and the river was beginning to come into the restaurant.
Eventually decided it was time to go thunder or no thunder and whether it was safe or not to take ones bicycle did not matter by this stage as it wasn’t possible to cycle through, so off came the shoes and off we went on our little feet (well rather big feet especially by Thai standards)!!!Yes we were quite a sight whenever got home – sorry to disappoint no photographical evidence!!! Oh the table to the left is were we were dining but we gradually moved further and further back!!! Oh other piece of information this is actually a very nice restaurant it is close to language school and it is very tasty so I eat here often.