Forget all the others: Catfish Laab is the best.

Put your ลาบหมู / Pork Laab and ลาบไก่ / Chicken Laab to the side. It turns out that the tastiest laab of all is ลาบปลาดุก / Catfish Laab. Who knew? (Probably just about everyone in Northeast Thailand.)

20220418 

New Year festival preparations: Removing monitor lizards from the moat.

In preparation for the New Year festival beginning on April 13th, it was necessary to remove the monitor lizards from the moat. Photos at Korat Next Step (Facebook page).

20220406

Watch your step

A blessed rainstorm brought in cooler temperatures (18 degrees now). But because of the rain, you have to watch your step. My photo provides not much sense of scale, but these snails are big!!!

20220402

One must coexist with the จิ้งจก / jingjok.

It needs some discipline. Yes. You saw the จิ้งจก / jingjok moving about. But still you must sleep. Still you must eat. Still you must live in your house.

The จิ้งจก / jingjok were here long before you arrived. The จิ้งจก / jingjok will be here long after you are gone. Late at night, when everyone else is sleeping soundly, it's just me and the จิ้งจก / jingjok. I think I would miss จิ้งจก / jingjok if they didn't show up.

20220322

ตลาดเทิดไท ตาลคู่ / Theutthai Dankoo Market: Fruits, Vegetables, and Seafood

We finally made it over to ตลาดเทิดไท ตาลคู่ / Theutthai Dankoo Market on this Sunday morning. It has at least three big buildings: one for fruit, one for vegetables, and one for seafood. I couldn't take many pictures because I was serving as a pack mule, and believe me when I tell you that I was loaded down. I hope two people can eat all that we bought before it goes bad. 

With the exception of ขนมไข่หงส์ / swan eggs that I was "forced" to purchase because of a fond memory of a ยาย /granny-related ไข่หงส์ / swan eggs experience at the สถานีขนส่งเชียงราย / Chiang Rai bus station, everything we bought was healthy. Nice market. Nice sellers. Decent parking. We will go back.

When you buy the live shrimp, you get to scoop them up yourself as shown in the video below: (Note: You'll probably have to click a Play button twice to make the video play.)

Eureka!!! โรงแรมโคราช โฮเต็ล / Korat Hotel

I did it!!! I finally made it into Old Town, and I finally found the Korat Hotel. I stopped in and had a cup of tea. Nice place. Nice staff. Not enough customers in these Covid times. I am happy to support.

I like Old Town. It's much nicer for riding around. I think I can do it on a bicycle as well.

20220319

20220319

I went for a motorcycle ride instead.

I suppose, in an alternate universe, I could have been on United Airlines flight 7968 this morning from Bangkok to Narita, then onwards to San Francisco. Instead, I went for a motorcycle ride over to อ่างเก็บน้ำห้วยยาง  / Huai Yang Reservoir. I saw a lot of birds, and my first-ever small herd (approximately 10) of water buffalo. The Yamaha T155 RC does okay on gravel and dirt.

Despite my purchase of flight insurance and explanation of Covid-related travel concerns at this time, Expedia did NOT let me cancel my ticket for a refund. And the only way they were willing to let me change the ticket to a later date was if I paid them an additional USD 250 for another flight that I might not be able to take. FTS!!! I see exactly who you are Expedia and United Airlines, prideful American corporations that you are.

20220316

Motorcycles I have known

Here they are in reverse chronological order, all the motorcycles I have known.

• 2021 Yamaha T155 RC (Exciter/Sniper)
  Bought in นครราชสีมา / Nakhon Ratchasima.
  This is my smallest bike ever. But utility in the city is primary. This bike delivers.
  It will deliver even more after I add a top box. (Shad SH40 Cargo)
  Might have to replace the mirrors, or extend them higher, or something.
  
  
• 2014 Honda CB1100 - "Black Beauty"
  Bought in Roseville.
  Superior to the CB750 because of its excellent performance on highways/freeways.
  Such a beautiful bike.
  Smooth as silk.
  Definitely had a wild side.
  The best bike I ever had.
  Sold it to a wonderful young rider up in the Redwoods.
  
  
• 2003 Honda CB750 Nighthawk
  Bought used at A&S. They run a good business.
  This was the last model year for the Nighthawk.
  Currently in Joe's shed.
  It may yet ride again on the roads of Southern Indiana.
  
  
• 198X Suzuki GS850G
  Shaft drive.
  Bought it used for USD 800 from a guy in Folsom, without complete paperwork.
  Not a good ownership experience due to my lack of motorcycle repair skills.
  Still, this was a great bike in its day.
  Sold it for USD 200 after it had flames coming out of it by Thunder Valley Casino on an attempted Thanksgiving Day ride to Marysville. Note that it still got me home despite the flames.
  
  
• 198X Honda CB650
  Bought it in Laurel, Maryland.
  Rode it in Maryland, Indiana, and California.
  It always had an alternator issue. Just could not / would not keep batteries properly charged.
  Honda let me down on this one, but there were some very good rides nevertheless.
  The stranding (dead battery) at Alum Rock Park has not been forgotten.
  But neither has the trip to James Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton.
  Left it to Pete, who couldn't trust it to ride it because of the alternator issue.
  Last known location: Somewhere in the Santa Cruz Mountains between San Jose and Santa Cruz.
  
  
• 198X Honda XL250
  Bought in Boise.
  Had at least one good day of riding it in the hills north of Boise with Joe and his buddy.
  Shipped it to Korea in 1980, but its crate was dropped in transit.
  Insurance paid me the full price for it.
  
  
• 197X Honda Elsinore 250
  Bought it used in San Angelo, TX.
  Parked it on the street near the bus station when I took a bus to Dallas or San Antonio.
  Somebody stole it off the street in that residential neighborhood.
  
  
• 197X Honda CB200 or maybe a CL200
  My first bike.
  Bought it used in Monterey from another Navy guy.
  Passed my riding test at the DMV in Seaside.
  Had some very good rides, including Jack's Peak Park and Big Sur.
  Nearly died in the Lighthouse Tunnel, sliding and sliding and sliding...
  Who knew about slippery wet pavement at the first rain?
  Who knew about first rain?
  Thank you, higher powers that be, for letting me live.
  It would have sucked to have died in that tunnel at age 18 as a brand new motorcycle rider.
  Sold it to another Navy guy when I left Monterey because that's the way that works.
  

Motorcycle number 8 (I think)

I rode my new 2021 Yamaha T155 RC (Exciter/Sniper) home from the dealer yesterday. This morning I took it out for a 30 km run. It is unlike any motorcycle I've had before, but I think I like it. We shall see.

P.S. If anyone has a link to the actual meaning of "RC", I would greatly desire to have that link.

20220308

Living large with my pond, of sorts.

20220304