Back to the temple again

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Geo: 16.3833, 103.933

Jai gets back to the house at about 3am and although disturbing me a little doesnt really wake me up. By the time have eaten breakfast the sky is black and it is really sticky and unpleasant and looks decidedly like rain is coming again. I decide to head into Phon Thong anyway and take my chances. Bad move, as the rain starts just as I am passing Elton John. I am quite lucky as it doesnt come to much until I have arrived, damp, at the internet but then the heavens open up. The internet is playing up this morning as well, maybe weather related, but I get my updates completed and a few e-mails sent.
On the way back to Khamnadie I pass a few fields where they are burning off the stubble from the sugar cane and there is thick smoke blowing across the road. I thought that burning stubble was illegal in most countries now but obviously not Thailand. Get back to the village to find that they have not had any rain at all. Jai has the laundry out and has resumed her mat making.
Mid-afternoon Jai's daughter Jiap and her husband toi be Gay (even in these enlightened times rather an unfortunate name) arrive. They bring sacks of vegetables from his family farm and a big Mekhong fish that Jai then has to clean and gut. Even had to cut it up into pieces because it was too big for our freezer compartment ! Jai's son and grand daughter arrive soon after so out comes the beer and lots of food and we sit outside eating and drinking until quite late. German John and Erm also call unexpectedly so join us for an hour.
The serious stuff at the temple has finished, or so I understand, and toinight there is more of a fairground atmosphere. Lots of small stalls to take the locals money, a mobile cinema and a stage set up for a morlam concert. We all walk down for a look around. The cinema projector is a lot more interesting than the movie they are showing. It is huge, sat in the back of a lorry and looks ancient but is still doing the job it was made for quite well. We watch as people lose there money at various stalls then go to watch a bit of the morlam. I am not a fan and can only stand about 30mins or so before leaving them to it and heading back to the house with a few spots of rain falling. To be fair, the music wasnt too bad tonight but the dancing girls looked exhausted and disinterested before they had even started !!

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