The Siamerican

At last, the legacy of Siamerican ancestors unfolds into the next wave of destined manifest; A branch of the Siamerican Wanderer’s Thai American’s beloved kin has finally ventured to the motherland for their first time–not to be the last and only according to the scriptures.

This trip had been in planning for years on end (if not decades in accordance with the dreams and wishful visions of his Thai American’s half sister who, like the Wanderer, grew up in the fatherland, USA–inspired by dreams and proud yet distant wonders and images of the motherland passed on from maternal genes, tradition, and experiences- via passionate anecdotes)

Seasoned and filtered with all that 6 intensive years in the motherland might culture, the Siamerican, along with his 20 month old son, Naret, executed phase one of the itinerary–to greet and welcome his sister, Mary, brother in law, Dave, 11 year old niece, Chase, 6 year old nephew, Don, and 2 year old, Nate at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on the eastern flank of Bangkok metropolis.

Plans don’t always go exactly to to the pen’s stroke; In Phuket Wednesday evening, the Wanderer and his son half-patiently waited with the dozens of other passengers on the Nok air 737 flight, originally scheduled to accend towards northern Bangkok at 20.35.

Aparently due to some VIP movement on Phuket runways, the flight was behind schedule for precisely an hour and by the time the Siamerican and his son loaded the taxi at Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, it was rapidly approaching 23.00. 40 minutes and 350 baht later, the surcharged taxi arrived at Suvarnabhumi international airport on the Eastern flank of Bangkok metropolis, only minutes after receiving a phone call from his sister confirming that the family had safely arrived and checked through customs and immigration.

The anticipation was over–the moment when thoughtfully prepared plans and goals sprout into reality was here. As it was exactly four years since last departure from stateside, this was the first time that the Siamerican Wanderer would meet his nephew, Nate, and the first time the stateside based kin would meet their Thai American nephew and couzin.

It was agreed that suffice would do for a 1500 baht van transfer to the Marriott Resort & Spa on the Western shores of the might Jao Phraya river in south central Bangkok. In the late hours of Wednesday (early hours of Thursday) one united Thai American family happily checked in and settled down for the travel twisted up moment’s temperal retirement.

9 am Thursday, Nate’s yearning for action displayed through his cries–a rooster alarming the coup to awaken–initiated a late morning start out for a full international brunch at ‘The Market’ restaurant. After the batteries were temporarily charged, we embarked on the Marriot’s complementary transfer ferry, which brought us to the heart of South central Bkk at Thaksin bridge.

The skytrain brought the bunch through Silom’s business artery and on into shopping central at Siam central station, where they continued on foot for a quick peak at Paragon and Central World via the skywalk. Around, the corner at Panthip plaza, Bangkok’s prime IT center, the gang loaded up on cheap DVDs and CDs. All the walking and jet lag gradually began to take a toll, and so it was time to head back.

Friday, December 28th was decided to be spent recouping / recharging around the resort–swimming, feasting, and laxing. The first meeting-reunion with Thai relatives was set for Friday evening at a north Bangkok restaurant.

As the timing and location chosen were prone to a potentially devastating traffic trap, it was decided to take ferry to skytrain to subway, which brought the gang near the Lad Prao / Ratchada intersection, where it was thought a few taxis would easily be caught the remaining 3-4 kilometers or so. Bad mistake. The rush hour jam was backed up ensuring all the taxis were either full or had no desire to go in the direction we were going.

After stressing in the Bangkok night traffic heat hooking a taxi to no avail, the faulty plan had to be altered. The Siamerican’s Thai couzin agreed to have his mom, who was on her way, pick us up at the Lad Prao subway station which meant we had to go back underground and get to the next station.

Crammed in my uncle’s wife’s car, we picked up one more couzin on the way, who sat on the Siamerican’s lap in the passenger side as the back was crammed already. Finally, they made it to the restaurant on Choke Chai Si, and the family formalities and initial impressions could be made.

By noon the next day, hotel check out had been executed and the hired van Cheufuer was on time to proceed with plan. An hour and 80 kilometers later, the gang unloaded at Tesco Lotus in Samut Songkhram province for a grocery pit stop before proceeding on to Ampawa district to visit the Bin Sawan Bencharong pottery factory before checking in to their canal side floating market homestay.

After a filling lunch-dinner, the Siamerican, along with his son, sister, niece, and nephew embarked on an hour long night canal tour to check out the featured fire fly and other attractions at various spots via their motorboat.

Bright and early Sunday morning, the van loaded up and head north for the famous tourist ridden Damnoen Saduak (Dum nern Sa-duak) floating market. By lunchtime, they were on the road again, heading eastwards to Jantaburi via Bangkok.

After a wonderful yet gory film by Mel Gibson, Apocalypto, by evening time destination of Bpong Nam Rawn had been reached. The long awaited introduction of half brother to half sister had been happily made.

By Sunday evening, the Siamerican’s oldest living siblings, Bancha and Mary would fulfill a life-long curiosity by uniting physically for the first time in both of the siblings’ three plus decades lifetimes.  Not only were the three half-siblings brought together– including the Siamerican Wanderer–but more importantly, the next Siamerican generation sparked to initiate their first impressions of a welcomed communion of future family waves.

Naret Django, Donovan, Nathan, Chaselyn and Ploy (Bancha’s 7 year old daughter) were ever excited to play as cousins. Bpe, Bancha’s wife cooked a grand welcoming meal including crab, chicken, fried rice, and stirfry.  The next day after stirfry and steamed rice breakfast, the entire bunch ventured to Pleow Waterfall, while Bpe stayed back to prepare for Aunt Sombat’s scheduled evening arrival.

The waterfall featured thousands of Thai tourists who go to swim with and feed the abundances of fish in the protected state park.  All the kids had their fun playing in the waterfall, while only Uncle Steven and Chaselyn ventured out into the deep water at the base of the main waterfall. Aunt Mary, Uncle Bancha, and Uncle David, sat back and watched over the young kids playing in the shallow fish pool.

After changing, a few pictures, the bunch was feeling hungry and decided to have some Isarn (Northeastern Thai) grub, which included Gai Yang (grilled chicken) Kao Niaw (sticky rice), Som Tam (Pappaya Salad),  and Laab (Meat Salad).

On the way back to the Ranch, the van stopped to fill up petrol at the PTT stop near Tup Sai intersection.  By sheer coincidence, Aunt Sombat’s van was also making a pit stop. The two vans parked side by side, and Siamerican family unity would initiate yet once again.

Sombat came with her second oldest daughter, B, who is 39 years old, a year older than her cousin, Bancha. B brought her two daughters, Gee, 12 and Gail, 7.  The ice was broken on New Years Eve, though after dinner and conversation, everyone was too tired and emotional to stay up for the countdown.

The New Year was started with eased pace. Bancha, Mary, and Steven went to the Cambodian Border Market, between Pailin and Bpoang Nam Rawn. By noon, the entire group loaded in one van and went to survey all of Sombat’s 10 rai of mountain orchard property.

The land featured a stream with small water fall, and grand steep hills, with various fruit trees such as Turian, Lomyai, Lychee, Pomello, Kamkwat, etc. After hiking around the property and a lax break by the mountain-orchard stream, the bunch stopped for a simple lunch at a Thai joint in Jantaburi. Finally, on the way home, they stopped at a fairly new mountain temple to make an offering / blessing for the new year.

Packing up at the Sombat-Bancha Ranch, the Siamerican, Sister and company had to load up and prepare for a departure, to make aPattya hotel reservation for that night (or lose out on some 6000 baht). Everyone hugged goodbye vowing to meet again soon.

By mid evening, the group arrived safely in Pattaya, checking in to their hotel. Everyone, had dinner in their room, and relaxed to showers and television. Wednesday morning, walked out to the beach, took some pictures and came back for swimming and breakfast buffet.

Soon, everyone loaded up the van, and headed to the Elephant Camp in South Pattaya, outside of Jomtiem. After taking pictures with and riding elephants, the group hit the road again.

Stopping briefly in Central Pattaya for cash exchange, the group headed north towards Bangkok.  An hour later, the driver made a stop on Rama 2 for some errand, and then they continued north towards the next destination, Lopburi.

But not before an American lunch @ A&W Petrol Station branch. Arriving in Lopburi, the group headed straight for old town, to check out the monkey action at the ancient Hindu-Buddhist three spire temple, Pra-Braang-Sam-Yord, that several hundred monkies have made their dome.

Now it was on to meet Aunt Chailai at her primary-secondary school campus dwelling, where she lives and works as a teacher.  Meeting couzin, Bplai again and his older brother, Bpalm, the united family went to the Lopburi Resort to check in.

The place was decent, with the rooms named after the different provinces in Thailand. The main feature was all the various monkey and ape mega sized statues. went for dinner at a decent open air Thai restaurant.

After dinner, it was on a large temple and then back to the resort for sleep and relaxation to prepare for the flight the next day.  Thursday morning, had buffet breakfast and waved goodbye to Chailai, and departed punctually, heading for Don Muang airport in North Bangkok.

Got checked onto the flight, and headed for Phuket. Phuket was just as it was intended, to rejuvinate and relax. Ended up going to Koh Phi Phi, and Coral island on two seperate days, of which the latter included both snorkleing and fishing, while the former only had sight seeing and snorkeling.

Several days later, touched down back at Don Muang, and headed to Banyan Tree Hotel on Satorn road for a final night in Bangkok. Went to the Night Bizarre and did some shopping as the Siamerican was met by some university friends, Jussi and Jermi, whom he continued home with as his apartment was near his friends’.

The final day was dedicated to going to visit Aunt Sombat’s factory and house on the West flank of Bangkok (Bang Bon Thonburi). Aunt Sombat showed off her factory, career, life in the sculpting and reproduction Arts as the day wind down.

A dinner of fried rice, Tom Yam Kung soup, raw shrimp, and fish cakes followed before heading to pick up the luggage at Banyan Tree Hotel, and than on to Suvarnabhumi International Airport to send Mary, Chaselyn, David, Donovan, and Nathan off.

Aunt Sombat dropped the Siamerican off at Victory monument and she continued back to her life, as did the Siamerican wander back to his responsibilities on the east side, and the stateside based Siamericans well on their way back to the states via Japan.

To be continued…