Like New Vigo in Ubon Ratchathani

You have a chance to get yourself a like new Vigo here in Ubon for a great price. 

One of the side benefits of maintaining this website is I have occassion to meet some of the visitors. One such occassion was when Jay came to Ubon. 

Jay is from UK, he lives and works there with his Thai wife and 2 sons. They had plans in the future of living here in Ubon. To that end Jay invested in a nice house and  a nice new lovely blue Toyota Vigo.

I was invited to visit at the house on the outskirts of Ubon and had a nice time talking. I met his wife and sons. I also got a good look at Jay's Toyota Vigo. It could have just be driven off the showroom floor. It looked brand new. I never would have guessed it was almost 3 years old. 

Often times in life things don't go as planned. One of Jay's sons was born with a condition that needs constant quality medical care. Jay and his wife did some research and investigating but found that the needed medical care wasn't available here in Ubon.

Somethings are just more important than your geographical location and Jay came to a realization that more than likely he and his family would not be living in Ubon long term and their visits would a lot less frequent.

Knowing this it didn't make sense to keep a vehicle that would only be driven maybe every three years for a week or two. Jay made the decision to sell his lovely Vigo. He is also considering selling his house if the right offer is made.

If you go to a Toyota dealer now you are going to pay almost twice what Jay is asking for his truck. It is not new but it is like new and the km accumulation is barely more than broke in.  Jay paid 900,000 Baht for it and is asking only 600,000 Baht. So basically he paid 300,000 Baht to break it in for the new owner. 

If you are looking to buy a quality second hand truck you should check this one out. If you are thinking of buying a new truck you should check it out as well. You will be pleasantly surprised. 

If you are interested click here to get contact number and more information. Tell him Darwin sent you. 

Ubon Ratchathani Sign of the Zodiac

Ubon Ratchathani has a Zodiac sign and it's not Gemini, like me. It isn't Taurus, Leo or Virgo either. It's attached to a wall at Ubon International Hotel and directs visitors to the Ubon nightlife spot known as Zodiac Pub.

There are several Ubon nightlife spots scattered around the city and Zodiac Pub is one of them. It is located on the Ubon International Hotel compound. If you are in front of the hotel facing it, walk to your right, passed The Terrance restaurant, turn left and there it is.

I have been by the pub many times but haven't done anything more than take a quick casual peek inside before opening time. I finally decided I needed to experience Zodiac for myself. It opens at 19:00 for happy hour but no music. Not wanting to just sit and drink I got some dinner and found something to do for a few hours.

Arrived around 21:30 and walking in found a cozy dimly lit area with around 12 tables filling the space. Maybe there is one table for each sign of the Zodiac. Just a thought. There were no signs on the tables designating it as a certain sign. Not wanting to sit by the door I walked through and was asked if I was looking for "hawng nam" (toilet). "No, I am looking for a table." I found a nice one by the back wall opposite the entrance with a side view of the band on stage.

The seats at this table were comfortable cushioned seats, which was great. It was Saturday night but seemed a bit slow. Besides me there were maybe 6 other customers. This didn't affect the band as they continued to play as though it was a packed house.

The band played mostly English songs. I did hear a few songs in Thai but that isn't their forte. The singing was clear and the music was good, but they did seem to be stuck in the 60's. Many of the songs I had never heard before. I did mention this to the manager and he said they were working together to correct the matter.

I sat sipping my beer, listening to the music, and taking everything in. It was quite pleasant. The music wasn't so loud that you would be unable to talk to your friends. So it seems a good place to go and be social. If you want loud music and a crowd The Rock Disco is nearby. The staff seemed a bit leary of me at first, but after a time one came to talk to me. After that they all seemed friendlier.

I stayed until closing time 01:00 at which time they promptly turned on the lights and said thank you and good night. My impression is that it is a good place to relax, socialize, have a few drinks and listen to some good music. If you want to rock out then it's not the place for you. If you are not staying at Ubon International Hotel or Nevada Inn a good point is there are always tuk-tuks hanging around so it's not an adventure trying to find a safe way home.

Drop by and make your own judgement. They do accept all Zodiac signs so can go and enjoy no matter which month you was born in. If you do go tell Jar, Nina, Chompoo and Gai Darwin said hello. They are all waiting to serve you at Zodiac Pub in the lower section of Ubon International Hotel.

P.S.
I was informed that 15-17 August Zodiac Pub and Johnnie, Johnnie Walker that is, are sponsoring an Elvis theme mini-festival. It is schedule on what I believe is the 30th anniversary of his passing. The intent is to honor the man and his music. They plan mostly Elvis songs sang by a live band, Elvis movies on the video, Elvis theme contests with prizes, which include a trip for two to a resort in Laos.

If you like (or love) Elvis or just enjoy a good time this might be worth experiencing.

Ubon Ratchathani N-Joy Gets New Flavor

If you ever been to Ubon Ratchathani you might have visited N-Joy Bar and Restaurant on Phalochai Rd, west of the Ubon prison. You might have even met and talked with Louie. It's a great place where some expats hangout in Ubon.

Sometimes it's great when things happen right and there was no plan. Today I just had the urge to head over to N-Joy and talk with Louie, and catch up on things. It had been some time since I last visited him.

I immediately noticed a change. Louie's front lawn had been converted into a dining garden. It looks very nice and cozy. Within a few minutes of arriving Louie told me he needs a break from the commitment and N-Joy is being leased out.

So tonight when N-Joy closes the Aussie flag will be lowered for the last time. Tomorrow morning July 1, 2008 a Union Jack will be hoisted at opening time.

A British expat who has been living in Det Udom will take over operations of N-Joy. His name is Lance and has been around Ubon province for quite some time. I understand he has also be associated with running a pub before.

I don't think things will change too much. It should still be a good place to go hangout, talk, meet some new friends, enjoy a cold one and satisfy your hunger with some good food. Since the bar is in front of Louie's house he will probably still be a frequent fixture there.

If you have been to N-Joy head on over and welcome Lance to the Ubon expat community and enjoy all the good things you have come to expect there. If you have never been this is a good time to get acquainted and also welcome Lance to Ubon.

So tomorrow when the good ship N-Joy sails it will be flying a British flag but Mai Pen Rai it will still be Aussie, American, European, Scandinavian and New Zealand friendly. Begin the month of July and get prepped for the Candle Festival at Lance's, now British flavored (whoops it's flavoured), N-Joy Bar and Restaurant here in Ubon Ratchathani.

Ubon Ratchathani Update

Ubon Ratchathani is a living entity of sorts and as such it is subject to constant change and evolution. The Ubon of yesterday is different than the Ubon of today.

This post is just to let you know a few things that have happened and a few things that are going to happen.

• Oliva Italian Restaurant has closed it's doors for good. This is very disappointing. I enjoyed eating there. The place was small but the food was authentic, the service personable and the environment relaxing. I am thinking maybe their out of the way location might have forced them to close.
  


• Cozy Restaurant has gone out of business. No more Scandanavian cuisine in town now. This place too might have been a victim of location. They were sandwiched between some other Thai food shops. Also the opening of Nana, Black Canyon and S&P might have had some influence.


• Nok Air will be suspending service to Ubon Ratchathani July 1-31, 2008. No specific reason was given for this stoppage. However, Nok Air is a subsidiary of Thai Airways International and July is peak tourist month in Ubon because of the Candle Festival. Maybe Daddy closed down the service so Thai Airways can get maximum utilization of its capacity.
  


• There will be Candle Festival activities in Ubon July 1-31, but with the main activities schedule around the full moon so 14-20 July.


• Zodiac Pub at Ubon International Hotel is planning to sponsor an Elvis theme festival to celebrate the life and honor the passing of Elvis Presley. The dates for this event are 16-18 August.

That's about it for now.

Ubon Ratchathani Morrakot Restaurant

Morrakot Restaurant is primary restaurant at Ubon International Hotel (formerly Nevada Grand Hotel) here in Ubon Ratchathani.

Over the eight years I have lived here I have eaten there many times but not much lately. I also have eaten there before I was living in Ubon when I stayed there in 1999 during some military training here in Thailand. It was one of the few Ubon restaurants I had time to eat in then.

In the past the Thai cuisine has always been good there and they have had some great lunch buffets. However it has been a challenge getting any western cuisine that was on the menu.

This post is to tell you that has changed. I was contacted by Tommy, the Food and Beverage manager at Ubon International Hotel. He asked me if I could come by and check out the new menu at the restaurant.

Tommy is Thai but has lived in the US for many years living and working in the restaurant and hotel industry. He is knowledgeable about what western foreigners like. That new attitude he brought is evident in the menu.

I went early before any crowds came. A lovely polite waitress brought menus for me and my wife and the change was immediately evident. An assortment of steaks and seafood, several pasta dishes and even some sandwiches.

I tried the tenderloin and my wife had the round steak. The meals come with fresh salad and bread, with french fried potatoes and vegetables on the dinner plate. My steak was tender and delicious. The sauce was savory with a touch of sweetness. I would have to say it's the best steak I have eaten here in Ubon Ratchathani.

The meal was extremely satisfying and to my surprise, reasonably priced. The western cuisine ran from 120-450 Baht. I love Thai food and eat it most of the time. But occassionally I get a craving for a steak, a cheeseburger or some other western dishes and in the past the availability has been limited. Well now there is another option in town.

If you get hungry for a good meal and want a change from eating Thai food I would highly recommend you go visit Morrakot Restaurant at Ubon International Hotel. If you do ask for Tommy and tell him hello. After your meal give him some feedback on how you enjoyed it and any suggestions to make things better. Maybe one of the better Ubon restaurants now.

P.S. I also think Tommy wants to visit with English speaking folks to keep in touch with that part of his life. So if you do go tell him Darwin sent you.

Dieaw May He Rest In Peace

Ten months ago I made a blog post about a strange day for me here in Ubon Ratchathani. I entitled the post, "A National Geographic Day". On that day I discovered a small turtle had magically appeared in my small cement pond in my front yard.

Sadly, I must now report that after nearly 10 months of hanging out here, the turtle has died.

I named this particular turtle, Dieaw, Thai word for "alone". I named him this because he was the only turtle around here. I have no idea where he came from or how he came to be inside that pond.

When we moved to this place the pond was full of water but had several months that it was totally dry. Can turtles survive outside of water? I know tortesoises can.

Dieaw became a passive member of the family. Whenever we were leaving we would look for Dieaw sitting on a rock or just poking his head up to get some oxygen. When we didn't see him for a time we would become concerned over his well-being.

One time I came home to find him on his back laying on a ledge in the pond. I guess he tried to climb up and fell over backwards. Seems he accepted his fate because he wasn't fighting to rollover. Another time I found him lodged between two rocks. He has misjudged the clearance and was stuck.

I was trying to clean up his home and also the water had mostly evaporated so I fixed him up a temporary residence while I took care of business. Unfortunately, I seemed to have cracked the cement and the pond would no longer hold water.

He seemed at home and would spend time sunning on the rock I supplied him with. At night I would take him inside to protect him from birds and snakes.

A few days ago, Dieaws habits changed. He appeared to be floating with one of his legs in contact with the rock. Then yesterday in the morning he was just floating and wouldn't move when I tapped on him home. I could see air bubbles arise from time to time but no movement.

Nature must have decided he have been on this earth long enough. Early afternoon, he moved no more, he breathed no more. I was saddened.

I am grateful for the time Dieaw hung around. He brought many smiles to my face and also was the topic of many conversations between me and my wife.

I have no idea what caused Dieaw to leave us. At the petshop we were told that turtle often die for no reason. Maybe the water is contaminated which creates a virus or infection. We shall never know for sure.

Yesterday afternoon I went out back in the shadow of a large mango tree and created a final resting place for my friend Dieaw. I placed the rock he spent many hours on at the site so he would have something familiar near him. I also placed a clay turtle we had bought at last year's Candle Festival to give him the impression there might be other turtles around.



I don't know if it means anything but the day I discovered Dieaw in the pond I saw a snake having a frog for breakfast. Yesterday as I was sitting at my PC I heard a bird screeching just outside my window. As I looked up I saw the reason for the birds antics, a snake was crawling along on top of the cement brick fence. Hmmmm, an omen?

So I know Dieaw was only a turtle but I believe it is a good thing to be grateful for anything in our life that makes it better. In his small turtle way he contributed value to my life.

Good-bye Dieaw, may you Rest In Peace.

Ubon Ratchathani KhongJiam Mekong

Not long ago we made a weekend trip to Khong Jiam district of Ubon Ratchathani. It is the easternmost point of Thailand and Ubon Ratchathani. It is framed by the Mekong River, or Mae Nam Kong to the east and Mun River to the south.


Being there make me think I had entered a time machine and went back in time maybe 40 years. Life is lived at a slow pace. Traffic is sparse with the near total absence of the high-pitched whine of small cc motorcycles.

Children on bicycles ride around the streets playfully yelling at their friends and laughing a lot while their pet dogs ran along behind them.

I had some free time as my wife was busy fulfilling her duties and obligations at the English Camp. I was out and about doing what comes natural and I enjoy very much, exploring and experiencing.

After 15 minutes of walking I found a place to get some breakfast. It was the local market down on the main street. It seems to be the place everybody in town socializes in the mornings. Looking around it appeared I was the only farang in the vicinity.


A good breakfast in my stomach I headed off in the general direction of the Mekong River. It came into view 10 minutes later. I found myself beside the Thai Customs house, which was at the top of the steep riverbank fronting a market.

The slopes of the riverbank was dotted with people carrying goods up and down. From the long tail boats docked at the riverside goods and agricultural items were carried to customs and the market beyond. From the market goods were carried down to the boats emptied of their Laotian goods. I could only image that the exact scenario was being played out on the Laos side of the river as well.


This must be what free-trade is all about. People trading excess goods they have to others who need them and in turn getting goods they need in return. Maybe a good portion of our world has it wrong and this is how things should work.

I spotted a small bamboo kiosk with a sign advertising coffee that was calling me. With the approval of the vendor I took the hot coffee in a porcelain cup and sat on a bench overlooking the river. As I sat taking in the sights and sipping my coffee, a small dog came and sat in front of me. I looked around and didn't see anyone who might be with him. He looked as though he could use a pet or two so I scratched behind his ears.


The dog sat there for a few minutes staring up and me and then squeezed between my legs and layed down under the bench I was sitting on. Maybe it was his place on the river. But he seemed happy enough to share with a curious farang.

Looking around at my surroundings, I saw people who looked comfortable and secure. It must be a good feeling having the mighty Mekong constantly in view. It made them know they are at home. I tried to experience that feeling as I turned my focus back to the river.


What came to my mind is that even though the Mekong appears to be constant it is constantly changing. This river full of history and ghosts is never the same from moment to moment. The muddy water I see now will be a ways down stream by the time I take another sip of coffee.

When I was sitting there the waters of the monsoon had long been gone. Out in the river islands were visible. A big difference during the rainy season when the waters would end a few meters from where I was sitting.

The waters of this river started their journey far to the north. There are many ways each drop of water found its way to be part of the mighty river for a short time. Some came from melting snow, some came from rains, some came from other lesser rivers connecting to the Mekong as part of a network of waterways.

The water flowed without thought, crossing borders without need for passport, visa or documents. No taxes were levied on any water that was part of the river. Some of the water would pass through Laos and Viet Nam, doing its part to resupply the South China Sea. Some water would be used for irrigation, some water would be drank by buffalo or dogs.

The cotton-ball looking clouds might have been formed from water that was previously part of this river. Even though the Mekong is a comforting and familiar sight, it is constantly changing. But for the residents I am sure it has forever been and forever will be the same.


I was mesmerized by the scene and my thoughts but I got an internal nudge to move on. As I got up from the bench I had occupied my new friend gazed at me with those sad puppy eyes and said not a word. I slowly meandered over and returned the coffee cup, when I came back to the bench on the pathway my K-9 friend had left. Maybe he just wanted to share the moment.

The brick path along the top of the bank runs from the customs house south to the Mun River. In sections it is lined with shops and restaurants. Down in the water are two floating restaurants and long tail boats you can hire for a ride on the river.

It had been a peaceful relaxing morning and a satisfying time. But now I had to head back to the guesthouse and meet my wife for lunch and to checkout in preparation for returning to Ubon Ratchathani.

I enjoyed my visit to Khong Jiam. It is a wonderful place for reflection and relaxation. Try it, you might just like it.