Wat Thamkrabok & Ayutthaya

Sunday, April 15, 2001

Last night we slept at Aunt Jim's home. For the first time since I've been here, Cat and I finally got a whole room to ourselves. Before we went to bed, she was talking on the phone with one of her friends. When she hung up the phone, she told me that she told her friend she can't talk long because she has homework to do. I hope you know what I mean by this?

Her mom, Uncle Q, and his nephew came to get us in the morning to go to Wat Thamkrabok. Uncle Q's nephew wants to marry a Hmong girl. He thinks Hmong girls are not lazy. The last time Cat and them came to pick me from there, they met this girl, named Mee. They spoke with her briefly and asked if she would like to marry a Thai man and move to live in Bangkok. I'm guessing at the time, she was being kind and responded "yes," and they mistakenly took her seriously.

We got to Wat Thamkrabok around noon. I guided them to Mee's house because I remembered the way. When we reached the house, her father was right outside the door, so I asked if we could speak with him. Cat's mom and Uncle Q did the talking then asked if he could call for Mee to come.  Mee came shortly and sat with us.  Mom and Uncle Q politely asked her if she wants to marry his nephew. She said she doesn't know if she wants to or not and she repeatedly gave them the same answer each time they asked her a question.  I understood what she was trying to do and I knew she didn't want to marry him because he was too fat but she couldn't say it. I didn't want to tell mom and Uncle Q what I knew. Mee could have made things so much easier if she could just tell the truth because Cat's mom and Uncle Q are two of the most generous and understanding persons I've met in my life. They will not pressure anyone into doings. Mee stood up and walked away when mom and Uncle Q went back to talk with her father. We asked her mom where she went but she said she didn't know where. I knew she lied to us because I saw and heard her whispered to Mee to run away.

It was useless with Mee gone and her father being dishonest with us, so mom and Uncle Q gave up. I asked to stop at my uncle's house to pick up my bracelets that I sent back to him for resizing. When I got to their house, no one was there, they had moved. A little girl showed me to their new house which was only a few houses away. My uncle didn't start on the bracelets yet! I'm pretty sure he'll just keep them along with the money I paid him too. I took pictures of their family and their house to bring back to my mom's mother to see.

We left Wat Thamkrabok around 1 pm and drove to Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya is the ancient capital of Thailand located 90 km from Bangkok. Ayutthaya was completely burned and destroyed in 1767 when the Burmese invaded the city. Today some of the monuments are restored and still standing.

We toured the ancient city which is now a historical park. We stayed about an hour.

Cat -"I hope I am not dreaming"