Back story: We met Jarunee in 2020 in Phuket at the elegant Woo Galley/Hotel that we treated ourselves to in old town Phuket. She helped visit an original house/museum that was not open that day (she was married there!) when she heard us in the town saying we were disappointed. I noticed her guitar case and asked if she’d like to play music later in the evening. Mrs. Woo was also interested so we had a gathering in the lobby and sang and played for a couple of hours.
Today Jarunee Pimonsathean, her husband Mai and friend’s daughter (Ayaka) visiting from Japan picked us up at the hotel and took us to tour a bit of old China town. Both of them work in Community Preservation (which was why Jarunee was in Phuket in 2020) and know the area so very well. The markets, the remedies, the food was different than anything we’ve seen on our trip. I’ve been fighting bronchitis and laryngitis and bought Chinese remedies for both! I think they are helping.
Next we visited Mai’s childhood home where his father still lives and they stay many weekends. It was on a lovely street and the house was beautiful. Lunch from the market was interesting and good and it was nice to talk about random subjects. One interesting topic – their nephew won a Fulbright scholarship for school in the US, Canada or Singapore. Jarunee asked about the danger of gun violence in the US and whether it be safe given all the killings. It was on my mind too.
OK – then we got out our instruments and had fun playing and singing (I didn’t sing). A few random songs were recorded in spite of me croaking some of it but the guys joined in and Ayuki sang … for us.
A great day!
2023 Travels of Pat and Dirk in Vietnam and other S.E. Asia countries 