Cowboys and Ladyboys

You may be thinking that half of my social life involves street festivals.  Well you are half right.  The other half involves shopping and eating, which are not always photo worthy.  I do have some cool scarves though.  Because it’s hot here.

No really, Thai people are wearing jackets and sweaters right now in the evening when it’s in the 80’s.  At night.  Not low 80’s either.

We went to a “cowboy festival” which involved many leather goods made by Thai’s wearing jeans, cowboy boots, and long hair.  Having been to Texas myself a few times I appreciate their nostalgia for all things Western including Westerns.

After some light “American” shopping we gorged ourselves on various types of meats on sticks and foods we don’t want to know how they are made they were too good. 

When I asked my coworker who eats these bugs she said nervously “I do, when I see them.”  Apparently it’s a snack you just get used to like fruit cake, I’m guessing pregnant women don’t crave them.

Christmas here is going to be weird.  After swimming in the pool, as usual, with the clear blue sky dotted by palm trees, I went to shower in the locker room when I heard Elvis regailing me with some Christmas droning.  It’s going to be painful listening to all the music this season, especially since Thai’s seem to pick some pretty dreary renditions of classics.  The Mall plays acoustic renditions of popular American songs by the likes of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, really sets the mood.

The best part of the evening was a competition on the stage of choreographed teenagers dancing to John Denver’s “Country Road” and then a song of their choice.  I heard the song about 6 times and although their costumes changed the quality of dancing did not.  One of the groups was quite racy, and living in a pretty conservative part of Thailand, I wasn’t used to seeing all those shoulders and knees.  From a distance the performer showing the most skin looked like a tall Asian Barbie Doll but during the interview portion of the show she was revealed to be a ladyboy.  We were then lulled to sleep by a Thai singer, in a cowboy outfit, singing some classic Mexican ballads.  I guess you have to do something with the horn player in your band.

A nice visit to the Flamingo farm.  There were live goats too I guess bringing live flamingo's would have been silly.