I want to share some highlights from the annual Dragon Boat Festival, held on the last weekend in July here in Denver. Although, there are several different cultural events highlighting several different Asian countries, each year they put more emphasis on one country, in particular. This year the focus was on Thailand! So, we were very excited to see LOTS of Thai dancing. This year Penny invited a new friend of hers from Homeschool Etc. It was fun having Emily and her mom come to join us. This was the first year that it wasn't like a furnace outside. The weather was actually quite pleasant, especially in the shade. Penny loved the Thai dancing. But, the one part that she did not care for, was the chanting of the priests. For her, it stirs up negative images from her childhood, when she was forced to sit still and straight and chant for hours, or else be hit over the head. But, it was fun to see her get excited about the positive elements of her Thai culture and share them with a friend. We also saw some friends who have a daughter adopted from Vietnam, along with another home-grown daughter, there. They brought along a Japanese lady, so I had fun speaking in Japanese again. Well, here are a few of our better photos to give you a glimpse of what we saw.
The only thing that Penny was really disappointed in, was that this year there was no Lao-style papaya salad. So, afterward, we stopped at a Thai restaurant to buy some, but it still didn't quite pass the grade of being Lao-style in Penny's mind. The reason she likes the Lao-style, is because that's what she's used to, being from northeastern Thailand. Udon Thani is right across the Mekong River from Laos and so is really more like Lao (or Isaan) style in much of their culture. We all thought that the Isaan style of dancing was our favorite. It was a VERY humorous dance about this guy and girl trying to get honey and being attacked by red ants. The music was very upbeat as they danced and tried to get rid of the red ants, even by swatting them off each other. Speaking of Thai food, I'm going to try and make some Isaan style pork soup tonight. We'll see if it passes the grade with Penny. Probably won't quite make it, but I'll try. I think I'm getting closer, gradually, at pleasing the picky connoisseur of Thai food.
The only thing that Penny was really disappointed in, was that this year there was no Lao-style papaya salad. So, afterward, we stopped at a Thai restaurant to buy some, but it still didn't quite pass the grade of being Lao-style in Penny's mind. The reason she likes the Lao-style, is because that's what she's used to, being from northeastern Thailand. Udon Thani is right across the Mekong River from Laos and so is really more like Lao (or Isaan) style in much of their culture. We all thought that the Isaan style of dancing was our favorite. It was a VERY humorous dance about this guy and girl trying to get honey and being attacked by red ants. The music was very upbeat as they danced and tried to get rid of the red ants, even by swatting them off each other. Speaking of Thai food, I'm going to try and make some Isaan style pork soup tonight. We'll see if it passes the grade with Penny. Probably won't quite make it, but I'll try. I think I'm getting closer, gradually, at pleasing the picky connoisseur of Thai food.
2 comments:
Yum! Pork soup as in 'Tom Saap'? My husband is from Isaan and that's his favourite soup :) Som Tam papaya salad is mine, so I sympathise with Penny!
Yes, it was Tom Saap and Penny liked it! Woot Hoot! I passed the test!
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