Photo Gallery & Impressions V

PHOTO SAMPLER FROM FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2003
We were up early and over for breakfast before leaving on our big holiday trip. We found out that Mrs. Boon Lom (who is in charge of the kitchen) has a daughter in Hua Hin that owns a restaurant. We get directions and plan to visit the daughter. There is something about "the best laid plans" ... just after breakfast, we received an emergency phone call from our friends in Ban Pong. The trip to Hua Hin was cancelled because our hotel reservation at Hua Hin got lost in cyberspace and we could not find any other hotel accommodations there because of the holiday. We also found that we had to be in the procession in Ban Pong that day to help Rotary take the "candle to the temple."

The very friendly and helpful kitchen staff pose here for a picture we had planned to take to Hua Hin.

Mrs. Boon Lom & Peg pose for another picture we had planned to take to Hua Hin to show Mrs. Boon Lom's daughter.

Our trip to the sea cancelled, we now were hurried in to downtown Ban Pong to join our friends in the big parade. Here is the banner carried by the local Rotary group through the town to the temple.

A close up picture of the Rotarians. President Supanis, (on leave as a hospital patient & still wearing his IV hookup) welcomes Keith. Ted is on Keith's left.

We should have brought hats, but we didn't know this was going to happen. Some hats were found later. The school group follows us down the main streets. 

The children (from a school supported by local Rotary) on their drums perform a song and display a banner saying the Rotary theme for the year about lending a helping hand. Rotarians pose for a photo op beneath the banners with Ban Pong clock tower in background.

The school where Ted and Susan teach with the wat on the right. This is the destination of the procession which included several dozen local groups and schools.

The parade ended on the grounds around the wat. Here a group performs a traditional dance.

Photo op for Rotary group & the kids they support.

We were pleasantly surprised to meet the float decorated by our nursing college. The flowers are real. You can see Rotary in the right background.

Here are some of our students dressed in costumes we think are meant to illustrate the ying & yang (good & evil) of the world. They enjoy pretending to be scary.

A slightly more sedate photo of the nursing college participants of the day's festivities.

Two representatives from the college in Thai traditional costume. Pretty classy ladies and an unclassifiable gent.

Next we go with Rotarians to a very simple wat. The purpose of the festival is to take supplies to the monks who will not leave the monastery for 3 months. Here is the unloading of ceremonial candle and the supplies.

This unusually non-ornate temple was some distance out of town in a very peaceful setting among shade trees. The nuns in white dress provided a nice lunch of soup, fruits and dessert. Here Ted and Peg stand in front of the wat.

Inside the Rotarians pose with the monks after we all participate in the religious ceremony and the offering of supplies & a money tree. More goods will be supplied throughout the 3 month period.

Later in the day - Keith & Ted with the tailor at his DoDo shop across from the hospital in Ban Pong. Both guys had suits and a Thai shirt ordered.

Still later, Keith & Ted take a walk along the river. Keith takes this picture of the local version of a Norwegian fish farm. Note the 55gal. barrels as floats.

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