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Weblog Thailand March 11

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Snert

I guess because of the low temperatures Christina got inspiration to make 'snert'. It's Dutch green peas soup normally served when temperatures drop below zero in the Netherlands. Although we experience 20 degrees celcius it's much the same. It's a cold period so you eat 'Snert'. I have to be honest, it tasted great. (posted by Jitze, 30/03/11)
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Climate changing?

I already wrote about that day, just more than one week ago when the temperature dropped to only 17 degrees celcius in Bangkok. I looked at the weather forecast and coming Monday gives us:

Monday 3/28/2011
Cool with rain
High Temperature: 24 degrees Celsius
RealFeel: 25 degrees Celsius

This should be the hot season. So far it has not been hot at all. This morning started with drizzle and 26 degrees celcius.

Thailand climate

If you look at this chart the temperature should be different. Anyhow, it's our first whole year in a tropical climate so we cannot compare it with our own experiences. Charts tell the truth I guess. (posted by Jitze, 26/03/11)
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Earthquake felt in Chang Rai and Chang Mai

last update A powerful earthquake that toppled homes in northeastern Burma has killed at least 74 people, amid fears that the toll will mount as conditions in more remote areas become known. (posted by Jitze, 26/03/11)

update 2 At least 25 people were killed and dozens of buildings destroyed when a strong earthquake struck Myanmar near the Thai border, according to information from officials in both countries on Friday. (posted by Jitze, 25/03/11)

update 1 Police in Thailand's Mae Sai district, the northernmost area on the border with Burma, said a 52-year-old woman was killed after a wall of her house collapsed during the quake. (posted by Jitze, 24/03/11)

An earthquake with magnitude 6.8 hit Myanmar, just some 89 kilometers away from Chang Rai. It was also clearly felt in Chang Mai with some people leaving hotels at the moment of the quake.

earthquake myanmar

Reports of damage are not know yet besides from some broken telephone wires around Chang Rai. (posted by Jitze, 24/03/11)
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Bang bang

Because I used to practice shooting in Belgrade I just searched on google for shooting in Bangkok (keep your filter on moderate search).

Well, they can pick me up at the sky train station which conveniently is located very close to our house. Still I think a pick up doesn't sound professional, it gives you the idea that they will bring you to some kind of mysterious alley where shooting might happen (if you don't give your wallet :-p) Anyhow, I guess I should contact these guys to see what real kind of shooting alley they have. (posted by Jitze, 22/03/11)
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Camera

Once more our invitation. If you want to operate our remote controlled kitchen webcam, click here to access it and here to ask us for the username and password. It's just that I want to test some more before I finally mount it on a wall. (posted by Jitze, 20/03/11)
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Good books

Today Christina and I went to Central World for some shopping. It's still one of our favorite shopping malls despite all the other fancy malls in Bangkok. It's just big and you can find almost everything you need. What more do you need from a shopping mall.

At B2S I saw this book with that strange title which I already know for a long time but I never got to buy it. Now I finally bought the whole series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's indeed as funny as I expected and I am almost sure that Terry Pratchett got inspired by these books as well. Some of his mind blowing stories resemble parts of The Hitchhiker's series unexpected story lines. This Saturday I read the first part and started with the second one, I recommend it to everyone who likes fiction/fantasy books. (posted by Jitze, 19/03/11)
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Busy day, cold morning

Today I left home at 06.00 in order to catch the morning flight to Phnom Penh in order to attend a meeting at 10.00. Not that special but the temperature this morning was quite special. Only 19.2 degrees celcius when I left home! During the day it even dropped further to 17 degrees in Bangkok. Incredibly low and it didn't happen for 10 years and really not during this time of year. It is supposed to be the hot season.

In Phnom Penh temperatures were normal, but when I got back around 22.00 again this chilling temperature at the airport. Our friend Addy planned his holidays wrong. He should have stayed a couple more days because he sure would have liked 17 degrees celcius. (posted by Jitze, 17/03/11)
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Last weekend

Our friend Addy arrived one week ago on Sunday. Next Thursday he will go back to the Netherlands so we had last weekend to show him a little bit of Thailand.

After some discussion we decided to first go to Pattaya on Saturday. Not because it's the best destination in Thailand but it would give him an impression of a part of Thailand which is all that some tourists ever see of this beautiful country. After lunch in central festival festival which is located at the same place as Pattaya Hilton we went for a walk.

Very soon it became clear to him that that a part of the tourists of Pattaya are only up to one thing. Seeing is believing, I am sure he will write more about it in his travel story.

We decided to drive back to Bangkok as close to the coast as possible. Therefore we first drove towards Chonburi. To our surprise we could stay close to the coast for a long time. Our map is for sure not very detailed because most roads did not show up on the map. It turned out to be a very nice trip. We paused at several occasions to admire the view or to search for shells.

At one of the stops Addy decided to buy a drink from a local vendor. He came back utterly surprised because he didn't know that sometimes they poor the drink in a sandwich bag with a straw. The picture says it all.

Addy in Thailand

Anyhow, I can recommend driving along the coastline from Pattaya back to Bangkok. Nice small cities and villages. Plenty of things to see and even some nice beaches mainly occupied by Thai people. It's always a hundred times better than the beach at the main beach road in Pattaya. (posted by Jitze, 14/03/11)
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Recipe for bami

One of my colleagues knows that I publish recipes on our website. She gave me a recipy for easy to prepare bami Thai style. She claims it's great so just try it because she might give me more recipes :-) (posted by Jitze, 12/03/11)
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Oudejaarconference 2010 Guido Weijers

In Dutch because impossible to explain properly in English.

Addy had ook nog een kadootje meegebracht. Een DVD met de oudejaarconference 2010 van Guido Weijers. We hebben dat natuurlijk helemaal gemist terwijl we ons nieuwjaar in het zuiden van Thailand vierden. Dus op 7 maart 2011 hebben we zojuist genoten van onvervalst Nederlands cabaret.

Het was leuk maar voor elke cabaretier is het moeilijk voorgaande voorstellingen te overtreffen. Ons schoot tenminste nog onderstaand fragment te binnen, toen lagen we dubbel van het lachen. Bij deze conference was het meer grinniken.

(posted by Jitze, 07/03/11)
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Radio

Every morning and evening when I am trying to get through traffic in my car I listen to Wave FM 88, a radio channel broadcasting in English in Thailand. Every half hour I get BBC's world news and it's quite ok. Just listen to it via internet if you want to get an idea what many foreign drivers are listening when they are stuck in traffic. Besides from the music the Thai commercials sound funny too. Another typical Thai thing, every day at 18.00 sharply they broadcast the National Anthem.

Furthermore our friend Addy arrived. With a minimum of luggage but with the new bullbar for our car. A real piece of odd sized luggage but it will help us in the battle against all the motorbikes who try to scratch the front of the car when wrestling themselves through traffic. Addy is getting over his jet-lag and I am sure he will contribute to the website with his story and pictures. (posted by Jitze, 06/03/11)
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Funny pictures

This week I received some very funny pictures in my email. Thanks for sending them.

What do you think about this bloke, the latest Egypt riot helmet protection, retro style from the 70's. The famous 3 bottle model.

Funniest picture by far and if it's up to me the one and only candidate for the Egypt liberation 2011 award. 2 loafs of bread on the side and a chicken club sandwich wrapped in foil on his forehead. I would feel much safer hiding behind this guy...

And the result of all this Middle East turmoil, your computer probably has to uninstall some bugs...
Dictators

(posted by Jitze, 03/03/11)