Saturday, 7/31
KANTOKE DINNER
After we took our pictures, we hurried after the group to get to the bus and go
to the kantoke dinner.
Wat had told us a little about the dinner, but I don't think he told us enough. He told us that they would keep bringing food out and refilling empty containers until we we stopped eating and he told us that sticky rice would be served with the meal. Unfortunately, he didn't tell us how we were supposed to eat the sticky rice, so we were confused when we were served both sticky rice and regular steamed rice. I had asked him if the sticky rice was eaten by hand with a small amount of an entree because I thought I remembered Craig telling me this once when we'd had northern food at home, but Wat said no.
We were one of the first groups there. After taking our shoes off, we sat at a table to one side of the raised stage area. The tables were low to the ground with an opening underneath. You basically sat on the floor and put your legs under the table.
Musicians played before and during dinner.
The ceiling of the stage area.
Group picture
Besides the sticky rice and steamed rice, we also had a fried banana appetizer
which was pretty good. Then came a round lazy-susan type tray with bowls of pork
curry, fried pork rind, fried chicken, stir-fried vegetables and fruit for
dessert. I didn't particularly care for the meal and thought that Vorachak had
probably been right, but I was still happy I had come for the experience.
There was also a hilltribe cultural show. I was having some problem with my camera and thought it wouldn't shoot because of the spotlight that shown right into my lens every time I tried to capture the dancers. I finally figured out that my camera wouldn't work because the battery was dead when I moved to take pictures from other locations. Amy and Tim had brought an extra camera battery and offered it to me, but I couldn't use it because it was the wrong size. I was pretty worried about not being able to use my camera until I was able to get a new battery (in Bangkok?), so I kept my fingers crossed that the film developing shop would still be open (AND have the battery I needed) when we returned.
I switched over and used the panoramic camera for a few shots, but I was still a little worried about the lighting. The pictures came out better than I expected.
After the show finished, the dancers came out to the tables and picked people to
come up and dance with them. Tim was the only person from our group who went --
what a trooper!!
Wat had told us to gather outside after the performance for the fireworks
display, so we all rushed outside as to not miss it. I don't know about anyone
else, but I was expecting something like our 4th of July fireworks displays.
Instead it turned out to be a small one-shot display (they actually did it twice
in case anyone missed the first one). It would have been disappointing if it
hadn't been so comical.
John complained about cold rice. I wondered if he has ever liked ANYTHING when he travels.
