Today/tonight was the reason for most people’s visit to these islands. The restaurants along the beach didn’t disappoint – with each one trying to outdo the next with fire acts, food and drink specials, and a generally relaxing and festive time.
We met a group of teachers – an American and two Brits– who are in their first year of teaching at a private school in Bangkok. Our conversation reinforced the view that teachers everywhere face the same challenges – wide diversity of students, questionable instructional material, and conflicting pressures on assessment and accountability. Corporal punishment in the schools seems to be still in general practice here.
During the course of the evening, we met and chatted with a Finn, a Norwegian, a Dutch couple, two Russians, and a Dane. All spun interesting tales – the Norwegian’s views of Texans, based on colleagues in Houston, where he occasionally works, were amusing. The carousing gained steam through the night but was generally tamer than the stories I’d read. We lasted until 4am, so we didn’t quite see the first sunrise of 2011.
In addition to the fireworks set off on the beach -- to Caroline’s surprise sometimes only a few yards behind her --there was a traditional Thai celebration of the New Year, paper balloons fueled by kerosene-soaked paraffin rounds. As the balloon fills with the hot air from the fire, the balloon rises at first slowly and then more rapidly into the air. All of the balloons drifted over the ocean, into which they plunged after the fuel was expended. This is not a sight that you’ll ever see in California, but we must have seen several hundred of them up in the night sky, floating away from us until they eventually blinked out. Quite a way to welcome in the New Year!
As I write this, it’s just turning midnight on the east coast of the US. Caroline and I wish a healthy, happy, and fulfilling new year to each of you.
We’re off to a Thai cooking class now – perhaps there will be some pictures to accompany the next post.
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