Friday, March 02, 2007
2nd March Noodles, monks, water
Another hot day here - but then that's not news is it.
We all woke up late - I was not up until about 9 o'clock.
Mam went off to tax the motor bike which had just run out.
Jamie, the children and I pottered at home until midday at least.
There had been plans for the day - but what with the heat and the hour of the day gradually they were mostly pushed to one side.
Lunch ended up at the local noodle shop - very tasty.
Then we drove south to the southern tip and round towards Promthep the viewpoint by the lighthouse that I have visited before - but we turned off before that to go to what is deemed to be a meditation centre with very fine views over the cape and some little islands.
It would be nice to meditate at that point - but far too hot today to sit for long under the blazing sun.
Most temples are beautiful with some peripheral things that I find both odd and a little ugly. Most Buddhas seem to be surrounded by plastic bottles of water and half drunk cans of coke. I am sure Buddha gets thirsty but I feel he might deserve an attractive cup!
I have said to people before that I don't understand the concept of Buddhism as I see it practised and lived here.
At this meditation centre the buildings were shacks really with corrugated metal roofs. There are plans to build something better.
My confusion over Buddhist principles was increased as I realised that Mam and the monk in the temple had been rowing.
It seems he had actually demanded money for the new centre and when she said she had given some for the incense and things she had used, he realised that there were no riches coming his way. At this point he said if she wasn't giving money she could P--s Off, or words to the effect in Thai.
Now Mam has been deeply shocked by such an attitude. I am not surprised by it all because a monk is a man and some men are greedy and foolish. Of course a monk should be above sin, but naturally many are not.
I accept this. Mam is having difficulty and says we should not forgive bad people and is carrying hate and anger in her heart this evening that she had been treated like his.
Maybe it was this confrontation or maybe the heat but the proposed trip in a boat to one of the small islands was postponed.
Instead we went to the housing village where the lovely swimming pool is.
First Jamie and Mam went to the housing sales office and we went to view a house they could just afford. The house was very nice, though the living space downstairs was smaller than they have in their house. Bedrooms were good. On the surface it seemed well finished off. The garden was smaller which is not too important. But what I immediately didn't like and they later realised too, was that the houses are crammed vey close together and I, for one, would have felt quite claustrophobic there.
The village they live in is slightly strange because the plans of the developer have not been fulfilled and very few new homes have been built - but this leaves a sense of space. There are plans afoot for somebody new to invest in the swimming pool and open up a restaurant and maybe run other activities.
Today I wore the swimming costume that I bought at home - leaving me wondering why I bought another one. OK - so it reveals more body, a body that is overweight (but not by too much) and is growing old, but I didn't feel too uncomfortable being seen that way. I enjoyed a nice swim with Jessica - she is still using arm bands.
Then we drove for 5 minutes to the restaurant called Danang where I have eaten on every trip. It is nice by the edge of Chalong Bay.
It is the first time I have been there in day light - though as we finishd eating, dusk was falling and a bright near full moon was rising in the sky. John loves the moon.
John had not slept all day and so of course when we got back in the car he was out like a light.
Unfortunately when we got back he woke up. Jamie went to lie down with him to encourage him back to sleep - and maybe he, too, has fallen asleep, for he has not appeared again.
Mam is watching TV, Jessica is still wandering although she too had dropped off in the car.
I will make a cup of tea soon and I will have an early night too, though it is still only half past nine.
Plans for tomorrow have been changed.
The trip to Phang Nga is off because there is a worrying noise in the car. The car is something I do feel sorry for Mam over for she has to deal with all the repairs, because Jamie's Thai is not up to such negotiations and the garage people of course tend to treat Mam as a silly woman!
So, I shall get up in the morning and wait and see.
Whoops - Jamie is up and will give Jessica a quick shower and then she is supposed to take herself off to bed whilst Mam and Jamie go to Tescos.
We all woke up late - I was not up until about 9 o'clock.
Mam went off to tax the motor bike which had just run out.
Jamie, the children and I pottered at home until midday at least.
There had been plans for the day - but what with the heat and the hour of the day gradually they were mostly pushed to one side.
Lunch ended up at the local noodle shop - very tasty.
Then we drove south to the southern tip and round towards Promthep the viewpoint by the lighthouse that I have visited before - but we turned off before that to go to what is deemed to be a meditation centre with very fine views over the cape and some little islands.
It would be nice to meditate at that point - but far too hot today to sit for long under the blazing sun.
Most temples are beautiful with some peripheral things that I find both odd and a little ugly. Most Buddhas seem to be surrounded by plastic bottles of water and half drunk cans of coke. I am sure Buddha gets thirsty but I feel he might deserve an attractive cup!
I have said to people before that I don't understand the concept of Buddhism as I see it practised and lived here.
At this meditation centre the buildings were shacks really with corrugated metal roofs. There are plans to build something better.
My confusion over Buddhist principles was increased as I realised that Mam and the monk in the temple had been rowing.
It seems he had actually demanded money for the new centre and when she said she had given some for the incense and things she had used, he realised that there were no riches coming his way. At this point he said if she wasn't giving money she could P--s Off, or words to the effect in Thai.
Now Mam has been deeply shocked by such an attitude. I am not surprised by it all because a monk is a man and some men are greedy and foolish. Of course a monk should be above sin, but naturally many are not.
I accept this. Mam is having difficulty and says we should not forgive bad people and is carrying hate and anger in her heart this evening that she had been treated like his.
Maybe it was this confrontation or maybe the heat but the proposed trip in a boat to one of the small islands was postponed.
Instead we went to the housing village where the lovely swimming pool is.
First Jamie and Mam went to the housing sales office and we went to view a house they could just afford. The house was very nice, though the living space downstairs was smaller than they have in their house. Bedrooms were good. On the surface it seemed well finished off. The garden was smaller which is not too important. But what I immediately didn't like and they later realised too, was that the houses are crammed vey close together and I, for one, would have felt quite claustrophobic there.
The village they live in is slightly strange because the plans of the developer have not been fulfilled and very few new homes have been built - but this leaves a sense of space. There are plans afoot for somebody new to invest in the swimming pool and open up a restaurant and maybe run other activities.
Today I wore the swimming costume that I bought at home - leaving me wondering why I bought another one. OK - so it reveals more body, a body that is overweight (but not by too much) and is growing old, but I didn't feel too uncomfortable being seen that way. I enjoyed a nice swim with Jessica - she is still using arm bands.
Then we drove for 5 minutes to the restaurant called Danang where I have eaten on every trip. It is nice by the edge of Chalong Bay.
It is the first time I have been there in day light - though as we finishd eating, dusk was falling and a bright near full moon was rising in the sky. John loves the moon.
John had not slept all day and so of course when we got back in the car he was out like a light.
Unfortunately when we got back he woke up. Jamie went to lie down with him to encourage him back to sleep - and maybe he, too, has fallen asleep, for he has not appeared again.
Mam is watching TV, Jessica is still wandering although she too had dropped off in the car.
I will make a cup of tea soon and I will have an early night too, though it is still only half past nine.
Plans for tomorrow have been changed.
The trip to Phang Nga is off because there is a worrying noise in the car. The car is something I do feel sorry for Mam over for she has to deal with all the repairs, because Jamie's Thai is not up to such negotiations and the garage people of course tend to treat Mam as a silly woman!
So, I shall get up in the morning and wait and see.
Whoops - Jamie is up and will give Jessica a quick shower and then she is supposed to take herself off to bed whilst Mam and Jamie go to Tescos.
