And now the early afternoon was upon us. We packed up from the temple and headed back to Amaan’s home to prepare for one of their friends birthday party. The ladies went to the market to grab up all the needed ingredients for a large feast that was planned for the evening, while the men stayed back at the homestead drinking weak mixtures of soda water and whiskey. Here it was now about 1:30 in the afternoon and we still had a good ways to go before the blanket of evening fell upon us. Now I was among a group of Thai men that spoke maybe just a smidge of English and so I just continued to raise a glass to my lips while taking an intermittent draw on a cheap Thai cigarette to pass the time. Still, as the day began to pass and the weak drinks began to create a nice since of repose. There was a little back and forth between myself and the others; mainly it was just these guys teaching me the correct pronunciation for the words that I was saying. I have to say, it sure is a painful thing when trying to use a word that I could have sworn I had down, just to find faces clinched in consternation all around me. This Thai language is so very subtle; inflection, the length of time that the breath is exhaled and even the pitch, will change the entire meaning of the word that is trying to be said. The word, beautiful, is a great example of what I am talking about. This word is spelled suuai in my Thai English dictionary; the thing is that if you want to say something is beautiful in Thai, you have to say the word in a high almost questioning voice and hold the eeee sound at the end. Without following these steps the word actually becomes the opposite and means not beautiful. Subtle, I tell you, very damn subtle.
Although I was frustrated with my inability to grasp these nuances – I was only a tiny bit frustrated – I still enjoyed all the assistance from those around me in trying to help me get a better grasp of the language. Anyway, we went on like this until the large bottles of whiskey were vanquished – I think that there were 3 large bottles or there abouts. Once we had finished these off, we headed to the
bar of the man whose birthday we would be celebrating. Oh and one note about Thai culture, the person having the birthday pays for everything. That’s the food, the drinks and any gifts for the guest; there is no way my cheap ass self could survive such an expectation.
When we got to the bar, I was given a small golden icon of a god that has an elephant head and another glass of whiskey and soda. The time now was around 5:00 PM and I would think after drinking straight since 1:30 in the afternoon and after having a few in the AM, I would be a little over myself and stumbling around, but nothing of the sort seemed to be occurring. After a few minutes at the bar the food stuffs arrived and the prep began for the birthday dinner. Setting up the tables and chairs was the next step in the process and at least with the manual labor I could be of some assistance. Once the darkness began to outweigh the light, invited guest began to arrive with more bottles of whiskey and dark rum in hand. Introductions were made and glasses rose in celebration of the nights and days events. Upon bringing our glasses to one another’s, I was taught a new toast; it went like this, roy roy hang hang, I am not sure how it translates but we sure said it a lot. Oh, I’ve forgotten to describe the bar where the festivities were getting underway. When I say bar, it was more like a little store front that had a breeze way with just a few tables and in the back were located some sort of cross between pachinko, pinball and soccer games to play. The parking area is where the chairs and tables were set up in order to provide a seat for the many people from this small town that were beginning to spill in. Even a Karaoke machine was set up and it sure was put to use. Once a good number of people arrived, the food was served and Amaan even went out of his way to create a dish that he prided himself on doing well, Pad Thai. Amann is a supervisor of the kitchen at a local hotel in a posh part of town and from what I saw earlier in the day, he could cook a mean anything. And sure enough I was not disappointed. Just watching him fry up the noodles, vegetables and what have you’s in this large wok was creating a Pavlovian experience. Prior to getting this hefty helping of Pad Thai, I was also given a good amount of another dish that I forget the name of and so here I was gorging on some very delectable dishes laid in front of me. Maybe, it’s all the eating in tandem with weak mixtures of alcohol and water that kept my spirits so high. Well, I am sure that the company that I was keeping sure was having something to do with the smile that was stretching across my face that night.
A few distinguished guests also arrived to the party; the mayor of the town was there and was given much fan fair upon his arrival, the leader of the local temple, and a man that owned several cockfighting arenas in and near the town. I was introduced to each of these individuals; these introductions seemed to be pretty much standard practice throughout the evening and day. Cockfighting is not something that I am much into but this guy, who owned the cockfighting venues, wasn’t having any of my objections and requested that I go to one of the fights. He said that I would be treated as VIP, which would include free entry, free food and drink and a personal agent to take my bets. Politely, I said maybe another time and we clinked glasses and laughed. Next, he introduced me to his daughter, who I think may have been about 19. And in this case, I also politely said maybe another time, this statement was followed by a good deal of back slapping, laughter and of course more whiskey. Finally around 10:30 PM, after releasing paper lanterns into the clear evening, shooting bottle rockets the size of large children at invisible targets in the night, singing karaoke, and drinking more whiskey than I think I have ever consumed; my ride was finally ready to exit the event. Surprisingly, I still had my wits about me and was able to say my many good byes. Everyone at the party seemed to make it a point to put there pressed palms together and bow their foreheads to their up raised fingers in a gesture of good bye and nice to meet you. There has never been a time in which I felt so welcome at a party in which I barely knew a sole. They may have thought more of me since I couldn’t find the chance to put my foot in my mouth; this language barrier may be more of blessing than a curse after all. My arrival to my room at around 11:20 in the evening was simply followed by a quick brush of the teeth and then to a much wanted slumber.
In the morning I was to be picked up at 9AM for an adventure into the Mountains of Chiang Mai. I was so very happy the next morning when I awoke and found no ills hung over me from the night before. There were several guest that were up until 3 in the morning but I will tell you about them when I write about the great fun I had in the lush forest.
And now the early afternoon was upon us. We packed up from the temple and headed back to Amaan’s home to prepare for one of their friends birthday party. The ladies went to the market to grab up all the needed ingredients for a large feast that was planned for the evening, while the men stayed back at the homestead drinking weak mixtures of soda water and whiskey. Here it was now about 1:30 in the afternoon and we still had a good ways to go before the blanket of evening fell upon us. Now I was among a group of Thai men that spoke maybe just a smidge of English and so I just continued to raise a glass to my lips while taking an intermittent draw on a cheap Thai cigarette to pass the time. Still, as the day began to pass and the weak drinks began to create a nice since of repose. There was a little back and forth between myself and the others; mainly it was just these guys teaching me the correct pronunciation for the words that I was saying. I have to say, it sure is a painful thing when trying to use a word that I could have sworn I had down, just to find faces clinched in consternation all around me. This Thai language is so very subtle; inflection, the length of time that the breath is exhaled and even the pitch, will change the entire meaning of the word that is trying to be said. The word, beautiful, is a great example of what I am talking about. This word is spelled suuai in my Thai English dictionary; the thing is that if you want to say something is beautiful in Thai, you have to say the word in a high almost questioning voice and hold the eeee sound at the end. Without following these steps the word actually becomes the opposite and means not beautiful. Subtle, I tell you, very damn subtle. Although I was frustrated with my inability to grasp these nuances – I was only a tiny bit frustrated – I still enjoyed all the assistance from those around me in trying to help me get a better grasp of the language. Anyway, we went on like this until the large bottles of whiskey were vanquished – I think that there were 3 large bottles or there abouts. Once we had finished these off, we headed to the bar of the man whose birthday we would be celebrating. Oh and one note about Thai culture, the person having the birthday pays for everything. That’s the food, the drinks and any gifts for the guest; there is no way my cheap ass self could survive such an expectation. 
When we got to the bar, I was given a small golden icon of a god that has an elephant head and another glass of whiskey and soda. The time now was around 5:00 PM and I would think after drinking straight since 1:30 in the afternoon and after having a few in the AM, I would be a little over myself and stumbling around, but nothing of the sort seemed to be occurring. After a few minutes at the bar the food stuffs arrived and the prep began for the birthday dinner. Setting up the tables and chairs was the next step in the process and at least with the manual labor I could be of some assistance. Once the darkness began to outweigh the light, invited guest began to arrive with more bottles of whiskey and dark rum in hand. Introductions were made and glasses rose in celebration of the nights and days events. Upon bringing our glasses to one another’s, I was taught a new toast; it went like this, roy roy hang hang, I am not sure how it translates but we sure said it a lot. Oh, I’ve forgotten to describe the bar where the festivities were getting underway. When I say bar, it was more like a little store front that had a breeze way with just a few tables and in the back were located some sort of cross between pachinko, pinball and soccer games to play. The parking area is where the chairs and tables were set up in order to provide a seat for the many people from this small town that were beginning to spill in. Even a Karaoke machine was set up and it sure was put to use. Once a good number of people arrived, the food was served and Amaan even went out of his way to create a dish that he prided himself on doing well, Pad Thai. Amann is a supervisor of the kitchen at a local hotel in a posh part of town and from what I saw earlier in the day, he could cook a mean anything. And sure enough I was not disappointed. Just watching him fry up the noodles, vegetables and what have you’s in this large wok was creating a Pavlovian experience. Prior to getting this hefty helping of Pad Thai, I was also given a good amount of another dish that I forget the name of and so here I was gorging on some very delectable dishes laid in front of me. Maybe, it’s all the eating in tandem with weak mixtures of alcohol and water that kept my spirits so high. Well, I am sure that the company that I was keeping sure was having something to do with the smile that was stretching across my face that night.
A few distinguished guests also arrived to the party; the mayor of the town was there and was given much fan fair upon his arrival, the leader of the local temple, and a man that owned several cockfighting arenas in and near the town. I was introduced to each of these individuals; these introductions seemed to be pretty much standard practice throughout the evening and day. Cockfighting is not something that I am much into but this guy, who owned the cockfighting venues, wasn’t having any of my objections and requested that I go to one of the fights. He said that I would be treated as VIP, which would include free entry, free food and drink and a personal agent to take my bets. Politely, I said maybe another time and we clinked glasses and laughed. Next, he introduced me to his daughter, who I think may have been about 19. And in this case, I also politely said maybe another time, this statement was followed by a good deal of back slapping, laughter and of course more whiskey. Finally around 10:30 PM, after releasing paper lanterns into the clear evening, shooting bottle rockets the size of large children at invisible targets in the night, singing karaoke, and drinking more whiskey than I think I have ever consumed; my ride was finally ready to exit the event. Surprisingly, I still had my wits about me and was able to say my many good byes. Everyone at the party seemed to make it a point to put there pressed palms together and bow their foreheads to their up raised fingers in a gesture of good bye and nice to meet you. There has never been a time in which I felt so welcome at a party in which I barely knew a sole. They may have thought more of me since I couldn’t find the chance to put my foot in my mouth; this language barrier may be more of blessing than a curse after all. My arrival to my room at around 11:20 in the evening was simply followed by a quick brush of the teeth and then to a much wanted slumber.
In the morning I was to be picked up at 9AM for an adventure into the Mountains of Chiang Mai. I was so very happy the next morning when I awoke and found no ills hung over me from the night before. There were several guest that were up until 3 in the morning but I will tell you about them when I write about the great fun I had in the lush forest. 
Keep 'em coming. Roy Roy Hang Hang
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