I am now with my other sister, Katherine and her husband, John who reside in Tranent a little bit to the south of Edinburgh on the Firth of Forth. Tranent is a traditional mining community but thanks to a certain Mrs Thatcher, there is no mining here or anywhere else in the UK.
The star of the show here is Dorothy, John's 96 year old mother who lives here. She was born a handful of days after the Titanic sank and her earliest memories are of uncles and their friends returning from action in the Great War. She told me she has had a total of three addresses in her near 97 year life, living in her first house for 64 years. A native of Carlisle, Dorothy has recently experienced some health issues so moved up here and is well looked after by Katherine & John.
The weather is typically spring like, strong winds, showers and very variable. I am freezing and long for the heat of Thailand! The forecast is for the temperature to plunge to -4 overnight. Ouch!
I have organised my trip home and am flying south to London Monday morning and then Tuesday morning I am flying from Stansted to Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia, then connecting with a flight to Bangkok.I am really looking forward to being reunited with Luna and to returning home.
Back again to St Andrews today for a barbeque to mark my nephew Daniel's birthday.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The East Neuk of Fife
My sister Christine and her husband Sandy live just to the south of St Andrews in the Kingdom of Fife, on the main road to Kirkcaldy. St Andrews is possibly the most interesting city in Scotland if not the UK with its status as the home of golf, home of the renowned Old Course plus a plethora of other great courses, home also of a famous university, a seaside resort and add on a fair sprinkling of medieval ruins. In real terms it is tiny. It has been nice to spend a few days here with Christine & Sandy, very relaxing.
The area is loaded with happy childhood memories. Whatever faults my mother and father may have had we always had a sumer holiday and in particular I recall very happy times in Crail, just to the south of St Andrews at the northern boundary of the East Neuk of Fife. I think 'neuk' is Scots for 'nook', meaning corner. It is a beautiful area overlooking the Forth estuary with the Isle of May and more distant Bass Rock dominating views. Crail is a picture post card fishing village with a traditional harbour that has featured in movies and adverts; in particular I recall a Paul Hogan/Crocodile Dundee advert for Fosters Lager where a local is very pleased with landing a small fish which the Hogan character takes saying something like:" Let me borrow a piece of your bate" and duly hooks a shark!
Yesterday I was in Cellardyke & Anstruther further to the south of Crail. When I was last there Anstruther had a working harbour. As kids we often walked along the cliffs from Crail to Cellardyke and then into Anstruther, (pronounced by the locals as "Ainster") which merge together seemlessly. If I am right I believe Christine on one occasion fell and broke her leg on this walk. Anstruther's harbour in those days was a hive of activity as it housed a small fishing fleet and fish and crabs were landed there and sold. This has all gone as the harbour now operates as a pleasure marina and the town has been gentrified.
We had a fine lunch in the much lauded Anstruther Fish Bar which currently holds the laurel of Best Fish & Chips in the UK 2008/9. I had delicious haddock with perfect chips and my nephew Dan had a fine looking prawn and salmon salad. But I must tell you something you might find strange: the restaurant sells the best cup of tea I have had in recent memory. You can sit in or you can take out and sit down by the harbour and watch the watery world go by.
I wIll start heading south in next few days and will head for home on Tuesday 31st March via Kuala Lumpur courtesy of Air Asia from Stansted AIrport.I miss my wife and am ready for the next chapter in my life, Gerry as Teacher and Parent....can you believe it?!
The area is loaded with happy childhood memories. Whatever faults my mother and father may have had we always had a sumer holiday and in particular I recall very happy times in Crail, just to the south of St Andrews at the northern boundary of the East Neuk of Fife. I think 'neuk' is Scots for 'nook', meaning corner. It is a beautiful area overlooking the Forth estuary with the Isle of May and more distant Bass Rock dominating views. Crail is a picture post card fishing village with a traditional harbour that has featured in movies and adverts; in particular I recall a Paul Hogan/Crocodile Dundee advert for Fosters Lager where a local is very pleased with landing a small fish which the Hogan character takes saying something like:" Let me borrow a piece of your bate" and duly hooks a shark!
Yesterday I was in Cellardyke & Anstruther further to the south of Crail. When I was last there Anstruther had a working harbour. As kids we often walked along the cliffs from Crail to Cellardyke and then into Anstruther, (pronounced by the locals as "Ainster") which merge together seemlessly. If I am right I believe Christine on one occasion fell and broke her leg on this walk. Anstruther's harbour in those days was a hive of activity as it housed a small fishing fleet and fish and crabs were landed there and sold. This has all gone as the harbour now operates as a pleasure marina and the town has been gentrified.
We had a fine lunch in the much lauded Anstruther Fish Bar which currently holds the laurel of Best Fish & Chips in the UK 2008/9. I had delicious haddock with perfect chips and my nephew Dan had a fine looking prawn and salmon salad. But I must tell you something you might find strange: the restaurant sells the best cup of tea I have had in recent memory. You can sit in or you can take out and sit down by the harbour and watch the watery world go by.
I wIll start heading south in next few days and will head for home on Tuesday 31st March via Kuala Lumpur courtesy of Air Asia from Stansted AIrport.I miss my wife and am ready for the next chapter in my life, Gerry as Teacher and Parent....can you believe it?!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
An Old School Buddy
Largely at my mother's insistence and as a testament to her determination I was educated at one of the top Catholic independent schools in Scotland, St Aloysius College, situated in Glasgow. In my time it was boys only and it was and still is run by the the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, which was tasked at inception in the sixteenth century by the then Pope to spearhead the fight back against the Reformation. St Aloysius' status as a top school is perhaps more modern because in my day it was a fairly primitive, unreconstructed sort of place, though even then there was some kudos in sending your sons there...so much so that my mother had me sporting the blazer at mass before term began!
On Saturday night I went out to dinner with an old friend from that school, Stephen, whom I haven't had any dealings with for over 25 years. His brother David, another former pupil of the school joined us together with Stephen's wife Sheila and David's partner Mary and Stephen & Sheila's two teenage kids, Stephen Jnr and Lucy. What a delightful evening it was! Great reminiscences on people and situations and we even managed to listen to Elton John's Good Bye Yellow Brick Road and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Stephen and I were also great fans of Derek & the Dominos and I seem to recall we sat through three plus hours of the movie of The Concert for Bangladesh. Lovely to see Stephen and his family and to see that he is very well and happy. I hope we keep in touch.
I am very pleased I made contact with Stephen and equally pleased he came back so positively. Really pleasant evening and good that his brother David was able to join us. Joke for obscurantists; the difference between the Jesuits and the Dominicans? The Dominicans were formed to fight the Albigensian Heresy, dating back to the 12th century and the Jesuits to counter the Protestant Reformation. The difference between the two orders is that no one ever met an Albigensian in the street!
A pleasant Sunday with my friend Tony involved mass at St Aloysius Church Glasgow, a fine lunch in a Kurdish restaurant in the West End, followed by a spin down to Lochwinnoch where among other exciting birds we watched a Great Spotted Woodpecker, some Tufted Ducks and Golden Eyed Ducks. Then briefly to Largs where a terrible gale was howling and back to Deniston in the East End of Glasgow for a fine supper at Coia's Cafe, where I ate a very pleasant fish & chips preceded by an outstanding plate of home made minestrone soup. I enjoyed visiting Deniston: this is where my father grew up and on my way home to Hamilton we drove past my mother's family home in Carntyne. Dear Old Glasgow Town.
On Saturday night I went out to dinner with an old friend from that school, Stephen, whom I haven't had any dealings with for over 25 years. His brother David, another former pupil of the school joined us together with Stephen's wife Sheila and David's partner Mary and Stephen & Sheila's two teenage kids, Stephen Jnr and Lucy. What a delightful evening it was! Great reminiscences on people and situations and we even managed to listen to Elton John's Good Bye Yellow Brick Road and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Stephen and I were also great fans of Derek & the Dominos and I seem to recall we sat through three plus hours of the movie of The Concert for Bangladesh. Lovely to see Stephen and his family and to see that he is very well and happy. I hope we keep in touch.
I am very pleased I made contact with Stephen and equally pleased he came back so positively. Really pleasant evening and good that his brother David was able to join us. Joke for obscurantists; the difference between the Jesuits and the Dominicans? The Dominicans were formed to fight the Albigensian Heresy, dating back to the 12th century and the Jesuits to counter the Protestant Reformation. The difference between the two orders is that no one ever met an Albigensian in the street!
A pleasant Sunday with my friend Tony involved mass at St Aloysius Church Glasgow, a fine lunch in a Kurdish restaurant in the West End, followed by a spin down to Lochwinnoch where among other exciting birds we watched a Great Spotted Woodpecker, some Tufted Ducks and Golden Eyed Ducks. Then briefly to Largs where a terrible gale was howling and back to Deniston in the East End of Glasgow for a fine supper at Coia's Cafe, where I ate a very pleasant fish & chips preceded by an outstanding plate of home made minestrone soup. I enjoyed visiting Deniston: this is where my father grew up and on my way home to Hamilton we drove past my mother's family home in Carntyne. Dear Old Glasgow Town.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Back home in dear old Glasgow town
I had a helter skelter time in London and saw heeps of people and even managed to shed a few tears. I was really signing off because I have just been issued with a Non-immigrant "B" Visa which will enable me to work in Thailand. Our future for the forseeable future will be in the Land of the Smile. Moreover I have been offered employment as a teacher in Ratchaburi and subject to clearing some more formalities I am scheduled to commence in May. So I am saying good bye to some people as I really don't have a return date in mind.
A number of people in London in recent years have greatly assisted me in getting out of a terrible rut that actually threatened to end my life prematurely. So it was joyous to be reunited however fleetingly and to be able to share my continuing good news story. My visit was very much about people, not places.
I did visit my favourite church,Westminster Cathedral. I thought I was going to a bog standard evening service but it turned out to be a full sung Latin mass, possibly Mozart,and as some of you know I have a love of sacred music. A very pleasant surprise.
I travelled to Glasgow Friday by coach. God, it was a long trip but my main issue was cost as flights and trains were starting at about £90.00. The coach left London at 0800h and made it to Glasgow at 1915h, two hours late, due to an accident and roadworks in the Preston area. In additon the service stopped in Manchester and Preston which I didn't know at the time I booked but apart from the length of time it was fine and exactly what I expected for £17.00.
Staying with Tony who some of you know has just got back from visiting us in Thailand. We had a fantastic lunch at an Indian restaurant called Mother India in the West End of Sauchiehall Street. I have eaten here many times before and would include it in my top five India restaurants. We had the lunch menu at £10.90 for two courses and the portions were not only delicious but huge. I had a truly scrumptious haddock pakora with a spicy sauce followed by an exquisite Butter Chicken and Tony had fried aubergine with a beautiful lamb gosht of which he said after one bite:"I wish I could cook lamb like this." Excellent and highly recommended.
An afternoon wandering round the busy Glasgow world of retail. Quite cool weather. Miss my wife!
A number of people in London in recent years have greatly assisted me in getting out of a terrible rut that actually threatened to end my life prematurely. So it was joyous to be reunited however fleetingly and to be able to share my continuing good news story. My visit was very much about people, not places.
I did visit my favourite church,Westminster Cathedral. I thought I was going to a bog standard evening service but it turned out to be a full sung Latin mass, possibly Mozart,and as some of you know I have a love of sacred music. A very pleasant surprise.
I travelled to Glasgow Friday by coach. God, it was a long trip but my main issue was cost as flights and trains were starting at about £90.00. The coach left London at 0800h and made it to Glasgow at 1915h, two hours late, due to an accident and roadworks in the Preston area. In additon the service stopped in Manchester and Preston which I didn't know at the time I booked but apart from the length of time it was fine and exactly what I expected for £17.00.
Staying with Tony who some of you know has just got back from visiting us in Thailand. We had a fantastic lunch at an Indian restaurant called Mother India in the West End of Sauchiehall Street. I have eaten here many times before and would include it in my top five India restaurants. We had the lunch menu at £10.90 for two courses and the portions were not only delicious but huge. I had a truly scrumptious haddock pakora with a spicy sauce followed by an exquisite Butter Chicken and Tony had fried aubergine with a beautiful lamb gosht of which he said after one bite:"I wish I could cook lamb like this." Excellent and highly recommended.
An afternoon wandering round the busy Glasgow world of retail. Quite cool weather. Miss my wife!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
London England UK
Eva Air did a splendid job of getting me to London landing 30 minutes early and I have never known a smoother, more expeditious process through customs and baggage reclaim. Just a long flight.I was clear by 1930h and my mate Danny was there to pick me up.
I have been busy seeing people, drinking tea and doing things since I got here. Incredible really as I haven't been on the ground for 24 hours yet but I was out of bed by 0500 this morning. Friday I am heading to Glasgow. So far so good and the weather in London today is absolutely fantastic, bright, sunny, blue sky and warmish. Perfect really. I have just been to visit my demon barber, Rosario, on the Greenford Road in Hanwell and great to see him and also to get a very decent haircut.
I sense a lot of my friends are under serious financial pressure....work drying up, no work or just a struggle. I read a statistic that there are currently 30 people pursuing every job that is available in London job centres. But every one seems to be coping reasonably well.
OK more to follow so watch this space.
I have been busy seeing people, drinking tea and doing things since I got here. Incredible really as I haven't been on the ground for 24 hours yet but I was out of bed by 0500 this morning. Friday I am heading to Glasgow. So far so good and the weather in London today is absolutely fantastic, bright, sunny, blue sky and warmish. Perfect really. I have just been to visit my demon barber, Rosario, on the Greenford Road in Hanwell and great to see him and also to get a very decent haircut.
I sense a lot of my friends are under serious financial pressure....work drying up, no work or just a struggle. I read a statistic that there are currently 30 people pursuing every job that is available in London job centres. But every one seems to be coping reasonably well.
OK more to follow so watch this space.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Suvarnabhumi Blues
I am in the concourse of the concrete jungle known affectionately as Swampy and thanks to Cathay Pacific I have been able to piggy back onto their wifi connection. Due to board the 1310 Eva Air service to London at 1240, the time now is 1130 approximately. An early start today in Ratchaburi and we treated ourselves to the luxury of a taxi to the airport. I like being driven and Khun Thawatchai is one of the best. I recommend him to you if you are coming.
So I said farewell temporarily to my dear wife. When I organised my ticketing Luna was planning to go home to the Philippines and I was going to join her there. She subsequently decided she would stay at home in Ratchaburi when the docs told her to rest due to low lying placenta. So I am not exactly wild about leaving Luna behind and nor am I exactly delirious at the prospect of going back to the UK, much as it will be nice to see my sisters and friends.
Feel a bit sad really.
Now I decided against buying tobacco products in duty free as gifts. The anti-smoking campaign here is hard hitting. In the first instance shops and other retail outlets are prohibited from displaying cigarettes; they must be covered up. Some shops have a notice to say cigarettes are for sale. I like this as a serious addict and one time 60 a day smoker.....gulp, yup, three packs a day. I used to quite literally chew them at times and I loved a strong smoke......Camel Plain or in my youth I was known to smoke filterless Gauloises. I haven't smoked for over three years now. So having cigarettes out of sight is a real help for those of us who have these strange sudden notions that tell us that contrary to all wisdom that smoking is ok and there would be nothing better than to buy this sweet blue and white pack.
I guess the duty free zone here at the airport must be exempt from the ban on public display. However, in the second instance, the packets contain vivid images of the effects of smoking......ulcerated mouths, rotten teeth, throats with holes and other images. I don't know whether the packets in shops carry the same graphic images. Anyhow this worked on me because I decided against buying cigarettes as a reaction to the images.
Smoking is a frightening business. Of all addictions it clearly has the least going for it and yet for me personally I could easily start at it again. With drinking, drugs, gambling and everything else there appears to be some sort of benefit however ephemeral and in the case of gambling the possibility of winning a lot of money however elusive that may prove. Cigarette smoke just makes you stink. I mean you wouldn't lick an ash tray with a view to making yourself attractive to the opposite sex or to impress at an interview! Yet my experience of smoking is it has exactly the same effect. Thank God I am free of it today and long may it continue this way. Sadly, however, in the recesses of my slippery head there is a notion that suggests smoking will relax me and make me look sophisticated and sexy!
Soon time to board so better get going. Thank you Cathay Pacific for letting me use your wifi!
So I said farewell temporarily to my dear wife. When I organised my ticketing Luna was planning to go home to the Philippines and I was going to join her there. She subsequently decided she would stay at home in Ratchaburi when the docs told her to rest due to low lying placenta. So I am not exactly wild about leaving Luna behind and nor am I exactly delirious at the prospect of going back to the UK, much as it will be nice to see my sisters and friends.
Feel a bit sad really.
Now I decided against buying tobacco products in duty free as gifts. The anti-smoking campaign here is hard hitting. In the first instance shops and other retail outlets are prohibited from displaying cigarettes; they must be covered up. Some shops have a notice to say cigarettes are for sale. I like this as a serious addict and one time 60 a day smoker.....gulp, yup, three packs a day. I used to quite literally chew them at times and I loved a strong smoke......Camel Plain or in my youth I was known to smoke filterless Gauloises. I haven't smoked for over three years now. So having cigarettes out of sight is a real help for those of us who have these strange sudden notions that tell us that contrary to all wisdom that smoking is ok and there would be nothing better than to buy this sweet blue and white pack.
I guess the duty free zone here at the airport must be exempt from the ban on public display. However, in the second instance, the packets contain vivid images of the effects of smoking......ulcerated mouths, rotten teeth, throats with holes and other images. I don't know whether the packets in shops carry the same graphic images. Anyhow this worked on me because I decided against buying cigarettes as a reaction to the images.
Smoking is a frightening business. Of all addictions it clearly has the least going for it and yet for me personally I could easily start at it again. With drinking, drugs, gambling and everything else there appears to be some sort of benefit however ephemeral and in the case of gambling the possibility of winning a lot of money however elusive that may prove. Cigarette smoke just makes you stink. I mean you wouldn't lick an ash tray with a view to making yourself attractive to the opposite sex or to impress at an interview! Yet my experience of smoking is it has exactly the same effect. Thank God I am free of it today and long may it continue this way. Sadly, however, in the recesses of my slippery head there is a notion that suggests smoking will relax me and make me look sophisticated and sexy!
Soon time to board so better get going. Thank you Cathay Pacific for letting me use your wifi!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tony's Trip to Thailand
I have been very busy recently with my friend Tony visiting us from Scotland. Tony and I go back almost 30 years. I am amazed by the longevity of this friendship. I, for one, am not very good at relationships! The Edinburgh Cyrenians brought us together in the late 1970s.
Like many others we both owe a considerable debt of gratitude to a Catholic priest, the late Anthony Ross, a member of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans. Among other things he was founder of the Edinburgh Cyrenians, which provided supported housing to young homeless men. He was also a university chaplain and I was referred to him when my young adult life started to disintegrate. Anthony might perhaps best be described as a modern day Simon of Cyrene, seemingly able to help carry the burdens of so many desperate people. A truly remarkable man, may God bless his soul.
I owe a further debt to Tony as he helped me to recover confidence in my reading and writing skills. No doubt this is a factor in my ability to produce this blog. Tony’s life story would make particularily good reading. I am glad that he, like me, appears to be enjoying a much greater sense of peace and happiness in his life.
Tony’s visit served to underline what a great place Thailand really is. He had never been here before and now that he is back in Scotland I think it is safe to say he had a great time and that he will back. I would like to think I gave Tony an experience of Thailand, a vignette of how people live their lives here. This was not an exercise in ticking off sites visited.
The highlight was probably our visit to Kaeng Krachan National Park for three days accompanied by Luna and by my friend Montana and her daughter Meena. Kaeng Krachan is birding central with just under 300 species recorded there. We saw just under 100 species over two days of birding thanks to the services of Khun Peeyat, spotter/driver extraordinaire. Highlights? As we entered the park at about 0630 on Monday morning we almost bumped into a crested serpent eagle parked on a branch and the birds just continued to roll as we climbed up to the higher ground….asian barred owlet, greater & common flameback, great hornbill, emerald dove, rufous woodpecker, orange breasted trogon, orange bellied leafbird, sultan tit, coppersmith barbet, blue eared barbet, dollar bird, flavescent bulbul, scarlet backed flower pecker, white browed scimitar babbler, collared owlet, silver breasted treepie…… and on and on and on! Wonderful plus lots of other animals like gibbons, a king cobra, giant black squirrel, and on and on the list could go. Tigers, elephants and leopards are also seen on a regular basis.
Definitely recommended and I would strongly recommend you stay in Ban Maka. They can organise a driver/guide such as Khun Peeyat who appears to know the park like the back of his hand and was absolutely wonderful at finding birds as well as being really gentle and good natured. Ban Maka has its own resident pied hornbill rescued from captivity. We called him Billy and we learned he loves omelette as he swooped down brushing my forehead....what a fright! Billy also appears to have foot fetish as he had a peck at Luna’s toes! The grounds are reputed to contain approximately 110 species. It is a really great place, I cannot praise it enough, really comfortable accommodation, great food including packed lunches.
The cross billed sandpiper still eludes me notwithstanding Tony’s telescope. I may not get to see it now until later in the year when it returns as I expect it is going to be heading back to China/Siberia imminently. There have been recent sightings but I am not sure I am going to be able to get back to those areas before my own trip back to the UK.
During Tony’s trip we also went to other birding sites: Ban Laem, Laem Pak Bia, The Kings Project, Pak Thale (210 Asian curlews), the Deserted Building, the Mahai Research Station, Khok Kam, Ban Bu, & Phuttamonthon Park, ( west of Bangkok). Locally in Ratchaburi there was also some excellent birding. A black-shouldered kite was hovering behind Tesco on Thursday, above waste ground adjacent to Daruna School. It was brilliant to watch the bird hovering in the thermals. In the same area we also got the binoculars on the diminutive white rumped munia. There are reputed to be coppersmith barbets in the trees at Ratchaburi hospital! We saw painted stork above us in the sky on a couple of days plus our usual friends in the trees opposite our house.
In between the birding we made trips to some local temples, notably Wat Norng Hoi on the same day that HRH Princess Srirasmi, wife of the Crown Prince, visited. I really enjoyed this temple with its strong Chinese influence and a huge sitting Buddha which can be seen for miles around. We also ate some great food, mainly sea food, and Tony reckons I should create the Thailand good food guide! Add in some trips to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market( yuk, but just what you would expect!), Wat Pleng, Hua Hin and Cha am ..... a fairly hectic schedule without any time in Bangkok! In addition we had our house blessed during Tony's visit together with a mass by Fr Siripong followed by a party afterwards. Our thanks to Serge, one of Luna's filipino colleagues who organised the catering and took us on an unforgettable tour of Ratchaburi market where we had a great time buying prawns, crab, fruit etc. I learned how to sex crabs!
I am heading to the UK for a couple of weeks next week to visit family and friends. It will be interesting to see how I fare back there for the first time.It will be nice to see people but you know, Thailand, Ratchaburi,in particular is now my home and I will be sad to leave my wife.
Like many others we both owe a considerable debt of gratitude to a Catholic priest, the late Anthony Ross, a member of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans. Among other things he was founder of the Edinburgh Cyrenians, which provided supported housing to young homeless men. He was also a university chaplain and I was referred to him when my young adult life started to disintegrate. Anthony might perhaps best be described as a modern day Simon of Cyrene, seemingly able to help carry the burdens of so many desperate people. A truly remarkable man, may God bless his soul.
I owe a further debt to Tony as he helped me to recover confidence in my reading and writing skills. No doubt this is a factor in my ability to produce this blog. Tony’s life story would make particularily good reading. I am glad that he, like me, appears to be enjoying a much greater sense of peace and happiness in his life.
Tony’s visit served to underline what a great place Thailand really is. He had never been here before and now that he is back in Scotland I think it is safe to say he had a great time and that he will back. I would like to think I gave Tony an experience of Thailand, a vignette of how people live their lives here. This was not an exercise in ticking off sites visited.
The highlight was probably our visit to Kaeng Krachan National Park for three days accompanied by Luna and by my friend Montana and her daughter Meena. Kaeng Krachan is birding central with just under 300 species recorded there. We saw just under 100 species over two days of birding thanks to the services of Khun Peeyat, spotter/driver extraordinaire. Highlights? As we entered the park at about 0630 on Monday morning we almost bumped into a crested serpent eagle parked on a branch and the birds just continued to roll as we climbed up to the higher ground….asian barred owlet, greater & common flameback, great hornbill, emerald dove, rufous woodpecker, orange breasted trogon, orange bellied leafbird, sultan tit, coppersmith barbet, blue eared barbet, dollar bird, flavescent bulbul, scarlet backed flower pecker, white browed scimitar babbler, collared owlet, silver breasted treepie…… and on and on and on! Wonderful plus lots of other animals like gibbons, a king cobra, giant black squirrel, and on and on the list could go. Tigers, elephants and leopards are also seen on a regular basis.
Definitely recommended and I would strongly recommend you stay in Ban Maka. They can organise a driver/guide such as Khun Peeyat who appears to know the park like the back of his hand and was absolutely wonderful at finding birds as well as being really gentle and good natured. Ban Maka has its own resident pied hornbill rescued from captivity. We called him Billy and we learned he loves omelette as he swooped down brushing my forehead....what a fright! Billy also appears to have foot fetish as he had a peck at Luna’s toes! The grounds are reputed to contain approximately 110 species. It is a really great place, I cannot praise it enough, really comfortable accommodation, great food including packed lunches.
The cross billed sandpiper still eludes me notwithstanding Tony’s telescope. I may not get to see it now until later in the year when it returns as I expect it is going to be heading back to China/Siberia imminently. There have been recent sightings but I am not sure I am going to be able to get back to those areas before my own trip back to the UK.
During Tony’s trip we also went to other birding sites: Ban Laem, Laem Pak Bia, The Kings Project, Pak Thale (210 Asian curlews), the Deserted Building, the Mahai Research Station, Khok Kam, Ban Bu, & Phuttamonthon Park, ( west of Bangkok). Locally in Ratchaburi there was also some excellent birding. A black-shouldered kite was hovering behind Tesco on Thursday, above waste ground adjacent to Daruna School. It was brilliant to watch the bird hovering in the thermals. In the same area we also got the binoculars on the diminutive white rumped munia. There are reputed to be coppersmith barbets in the trees at Ratchaburi hospital! We saw painted stork above us in the sky on a couple of days plus our usual friends in the trees opposite our house.
In between the birding we made trips to some local temples, notably Wat Norng Hoi on the same day that HRH Princess Srirasmi, wife of the Crown Prince, visited. I really enjoyed this temple with its strong Chinese influence and a huge sitting Buddha which can be seen for miles around. We also ate some great food, mainly sea food, and Tony reckons I should create the Thailand good food guide! Add in some trips to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market( yuk, but just what you would expect!), Wat Pleng, Hua Hin and Cha am ..... a fairly hectic schedule without any time in Bangkok! In addition we had our house blessed during Tony's visit together with a mass by Fr Siripong followed by a party afterwards. Our thanks to Serge, one of Luna's filipino colleagues who organised the catering and took us on an unforgettable tour of Ratchaburi market where we had a great time buying prawns, crab, fruit etc. I learned how to sex crabs!
I am heading to the UK for a couple of weeks next week to visit family and friends. It will be interesting to see how I fare back there for the first time.It will be nice to see people but you know, Thailand, Ratchaburi,in particular is now my home and I will be sad to leave my wife.
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