For the benefit of the American readers.

A legged pot about a foot across filled with very hot coals. On top goes another piece shaped like a angle food cake tin (instead of a hole in the center it is rounded over and ringed with slits). In the circular troff goes water which presently boils. Plates are distributed with small raw seasoned cuts of pork, chicken, beef, squid, etc. Greens (cabbage? and another) and torn to small pieces and put in the water. The meet is placed either on the top to "grill" or in the "soup". Keep the top covered with meat and greens in the soup and eat all you can! Of course I’m from the states. We run thousands of miles of fences through the back yards of our towns and villages to Keep THEM Out. (THEM being our friends and neighbors.) Food is no different. You get a plate, if you pick from someone else’s it’s a minor sin to be done craftily. Here it’s a free for all. Mikey’s timid at first. Have you ever seen eagles stuff food down the gullet of a chick? Well those in the know made sure I didn’t starve at first. By the end I was pretty deft at this form of food and could hold my own. And that was supper.

The next day- Up and out, headed to the mountains. We visit waterfalls mostly. Believe it or not there are insects specifically adapted to live on the rocks "in" the waterfall. Not the pool below or above, but in the area of the rocks that the water is flowing vertically. They have a tight grip! We sample the pool above and below of course.

Let me introduce you to one of the common damselflies; Aristocypha fenestrella (this is a tentative identification, but I’m fairly certain its correct). These are at most sites we’ve collected at so far.

Here are some of the sights along the way to and from the site.

Later that day we went in search of books again. This time we hit pay dirt! I got Dragonflies of Thailand for exactly half what it would cost in the States. This book is a compilation of the papers written by a man in Japan giving keys to the adults (few pictures) to all the known species of dragonflies in Thailand. Additionally I picked up Atlas of the Dragonflies of Thailand, which gives ranges for all the known species, and has photographs of 120 species. Very helpful. Also I picked up a very nice book on the trees of Northern Thailand, and a great big book on the Beetles of Thailand (Its mostly nice pictures, and not much else, but it outlines the common families). Needless to say, I was very happy.