Here's a photo of my family at Christmas in Whiting, Maine. My niece, Corina, Judy's husband Vern, brother Dave, Mom, Dave's wife Rob, Dad, Paul's wife Joyce, sister Judy, and nephew Paul. (More photos of snow in Whiting an end of this post.) Even though I am many miles away, I feel very connected to my family at Christmas when I see their photo each year. Part of me is still there with them (including sharing Christmas gin - see below). I don't know how to explain it, but I know if they were not all getting together, Christmas over here would not be the same for me. 
Christmas is very low-key in Thailand although the Thai people do make an extra effort on Christmas Eve - they love to party. Many of the small, local bars put out buffet food for their customers to enjoy - items include roast potato (a big hit!), barbeque chicken, sweet and sour soup, sticky rice, spicy papaya salad, white wonder bread and vienna sausages. Still can't figure out why these are such a hit here but they are often served with breakfast. (yuk) 
Jim wrote: I spent Christmas in Vientiane, the sleepy capitol of Laos. In the evening, drank some Beer Lao with a Kiwi couple and an Australian guy; then sat down with local high school students who were having a party. [Found out the legal drinking age for beer is 14!] Pretty quiet here. Am staying in a guest house not far from the Mae (River) Khong. Many backpackers roaming the streets. Met an American who moved here from San Diego 14 years ago. Said he was 50 at the time and could not find work, so headed to Vietnam. He was there during the Viet. War. and wanted to teach English, but could not get government approval. So, he ended up in Laos. There are many ex-pats here. 
Laos produces one beer, and only one and it is delicious. The Lao brewery was set up years ago by Germans. It's one of the best beers in the world and extremely cheap. There's a variety of good food in Vientiane: French, Thai, Lao, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese, Indian, etc. Great bread and wine.
Earlier, I had Tina and Don over for a special Christmas Gin & Tonic session. [I met Oregonian Tina here a few years ago. We traveled to Laos together the following year.]
.jpg)
These photos were taken by Judy in Whiting after the first snowfall.
"Your travel life has the essence of a dream. It is something outside the normal, yet you are in it. It is peopled with characters you have never seen before and in all probability may never see again. It brings occasional homesickness, and loneliness, and pangs of longing . . . But you are like the Vikings or the master mariners of the Elizabethan age, who have gone into a world of adventure, and home is not home until you return." Agatha Christie
