Aladdin's bird watching adventure in Sweden May 2024

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

Flying to Copenhagen with Thai Airways flight TG 950

Wednesday 15 ^th of May 2024 and I had to skip my yoga and session with The Red Devil (ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์) at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. I still have pain in my right knee. But I will have to get to my friend's house to wash my scooter before going to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

My friend is preparing tea when I arrive and I start to wash my scooter while he do the tea.

Washing my racer

Washing my racer

Washing my racer

Washing my racer

Washing my racer

We finish the tea and we bring the last of two paper boxes that I will bring to Sweden to my apartment. Antiques that I brought from Sweden to Thailand 30 years ago.

And I do not have many years remaining so it is better that my nephews and niece can take care of it. We left the stuff at my apartment and we took off to Big-c to look for silver.

We order silver cover for our amulets and they will be ready in a couple of hours. So, we spend the time waiting in my apartment drinking soda water and tea. I book a taxi to come pick me up at 9 o'clock in the evening.

They deliver the silver at 8 o'clock, a little late, but they had covered 7 amulets

We go down to pick up the silver and we return to my apartment. The taxi will soon arrive and we brought my stuff down to the reception.

A lot of luggage

A lot of luggage

A lot of luggage

Coming down in the reception and we had to wait for about 15 minutes before the car arrived. And the car arrived 20 minutes before 9 o'clock.

I always go with AOT Limousine to the airport. But as I had a lot of luggage, I decided to book a GRAB car and I selected a SUV to make sure I could bring all my luggage.

We loaded my stuff in the car and I said good bye to my friend. He went back home and we took off towards Suvarnabhumi International.

Waiting for the car

We say good bye

It takes about 40 minutes to reach Gate 1 at Suvarnabhumi International and my driver helped me to load my luggage on a cart. I was very happy with the GRAB service, for sure, I will use it again if I have plenty luggage. And about 3-400 Baht cheaper than AOT.

Luggage on the cart at Suvarnabhumi, now it is only to bring it from the train station to the taxi when I reach Helsingborg. But it had been quite easy to move my stuff.

My friend wanted to help me bring down the luggage from my apartment, but I told him that I needed the practice to see how it worked out.

My luggage

Checking in

Check-in and immigration were a quick affair. And as it turns out, my flight departs from the new terminal so I have to go by train.

I was in the lounge and I asked where the monitors with the departure gates was. She looked in the computer and my departure gate are S 122
- S 122!!!!???? Never heard of gate S on Suvarnabhumi before.
- It is in the new terminal, you need to go by train.
- No end to the excitements today!

I was dead tired, used to go to bed between 8 and 9 o’clock in the evening and now it was midnight and I was half asleep in my private booth at Thai Airways lounge.

There is no louge at the new terminal so I have to wait at the old terminal.

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 16 ^th of May 2024 and I leave Thai Airways lounge to get to the train to get to the new Satellite Terminal. I had to trot a lot and Suvarnabhumi turned in to yet another airport that I hate. Trotting around like there is no tomorrow.

I have always liked Suvarnabhumi International, a huge airport, but newer any long walks. Now I was trotting on to pass gate D4 and I had to take the elevator one level down.

There were escalators to the departure hall, but not from the gate level.

Suvarnabhumi and the new Satellite Terminal

Picture from www.thailand-construction.com

Coming out from the elevator

Walking to the escalators to the train station

Escalators down to the train station

Escalators down to the train station

Escalators down to the train station

Escalators down to the train station

Train station

Train station

Leaving the train station

On our way to the new Satellite Terminal

It is a long straight track

Getting off at Suvarnabhumi International new Satellite Terminal

Train station at Suvarnabhumi International new Satellite Terminal

Train station at Suvarnabhumi International new Satellite Terminal

Escalator to the departure hall

Leaving the train station below

Leaving the train station below

Reaching the departure hall

Getting out from the elevator and I walked in to yet another boarding pass check and I took the escalators down to the train station.

I reach the platform and the train is arriving and I get onboard.

The train takes off and it is a long straight track in a concrete tunnel and it took a few minutes to reach the new Satellite Terminal.

And we had to get up to the departure hall via two long escalators. And I was, well, not impressed, but the departure hall was very nice, even though it was a lot of trotting to reach gate S 122, of course, almost as far away you could get in the terminal.

Waiting at the gate and it was a very nice area, much better than the old terminal. And I guess that they designed the old terminal waiting areas at the gates based on Don Muang.

The new Satellite Terminal had waiting areas as I am used to from the most airports around the world. But all the walking was a setback.

I did not have to wait for long before the boarding started.

Boarding flight TG 950

Boarding flight TG 950

I was in my seat and I was almost falling asleep. But I had to wait for take-off before I could sleep. Boarding completed and doors closed and armed. The crew was in their take off seats and we were pulled from the jet bridge.

I cheated a wee bit, I turned my seat in to a bed, and I was a sleep before take off. And I slept for about 7 hours before I asked for two cups of Earl Grey tea.

I had 10 cups of tea while watching a movie. They brought a very good breakfast and I was looking forward to landing in Copenhagen.

Sunshine over Europe

We are approaching Skåne

I am off the plane

Trotting towards the immigration

We are landing in a sunny Copenhagen around 8 thirty. I get off the plane and the immigration is quite quick and I am soon in the luggage claim area

My two “Cartonite” are almost first to come off the belt. But my real samsonite never showed up. I was waiting and waiting, until it was only me and one more waiting at the band.

We went to the “luggage service” to report our missing luggage. I was not worried as I was pretty sure it would come with the next flight.

I went to buy a train ticket and the train would depart 15 minutes later.

My luggage (-1 suitcase) at the train station

I manage to get my card boxes on the train and luckily enough, there was not many passengers on the train. I was worried about getting the boxes to the taxi reaching Helsingborg but it turned out to go quite well.

I was soon in the taxi on the way to AVIS to pick up my rented car. I took off towards the Supermarket to buy sausages and some groceries for the coming days. BBQ at my brother before going to my rented cottage.

My new Weber electric grill is waiting for me at my brother’s house and I want to test it before bring it back home to Samut Prakan.

I fire up my new Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill first thing to try with my freshly bought sausages.

My new Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill

My new Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill

My new Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill

I had expected the Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill to be like making the sausages in a frying pan, but I was very pleased with the result. The sausages were perfect and I was happy with my purchase.

We left the grill to cool down and I left for my cottage, I will buy more sausages and I will come back for more BBQ. But we will do it with a real fire and I will pack my Weber Q 1400 Electric Grill so it is ready when I fly back home.

I stopped at the Supermarket on the way back to my brother and I bought more sausages. There are so many different and I want to try all of them.

Sausages on the grill

Sausages on the grill

Sausages are ready

Sausages are ready

My friend gave me three Kuman Thong (กุมารทอง) Thai Buddha amulets (พระเครื่อง) before I left for Skåne. They are made by Luang Poo Yaem (ของหลวงพ่อแย้ม) at Wat Sam Ngam (วัดสามง่าม) and I will give them to my nephews and niece.

We bought chains and covers and they were delivered just before I took off to the airport. Now I could hand them over and the Kuman Thong (กุมารทอง) will give a lifelong good luck.

Kuman Thong (กุมารทอง) Thai Buddha amulets (พระเครื่อง)

Kuman Thong (กุมารทอง)

a household divinity of Thai folk religion. It is believed to bring luck and fortune to the owner if properly revered. Kuman, or Kumara (Pali) means "Sanctified young boy" (female kumari); thong means golden.

These beings are often worshipped to obey their worshippers for personal gains, protection, wealth and harm in some cases. It is believed to have consequences to each request.

Description
The veneration of Kuman Thong is not part of mainstream Buddhist practices, but it is popular in Thailand. Mainstream Buddhism does not recognize such practice. However, due to the widespread belief in animism in Thailand, Kuman Thong adopted Buddhist beliefs and mixed the two together.

Origins
The authentic Kuman Thong originated in a practice of necromancy. They were obtained from the desiccated fetuses of children who had died whilst still in their mothers' womb. The witch doctors were said to have the power to invoke these stillborn babies, adopt them as their children, and use them to help them in their endeavours.

According to ancient Thai manuscripts used by practitioners of black magic (Thai: ไสยศาสตร์ Saiyasat), first the unborn fetus was surgically removed from the womb of its mother. Then the body of the child would be taken to a cemetery for the conduction of the proper ceremonial ritual to invoke a Kuman Thong.

The body was roasted until dry whilst the witch doctor chanted incantations of magical script. Once the rite was completed, the dry-roasted Kuman was painted with Ya Lak (a kind of lacquer used to cover amulets and Takrut with gold leaf). Thus, this effigy received the name of “Kuman Thong”, meaning “Golden Little Boy”.

Some Kuman effigies were soaked in Nam Man Phrai, a kind of oil extracted by burning a candle close to the chin of a dead child or a person who died in violent circumstances or an unnatural death. This is much less common now, because this practice is now illegal if using fat from human babies for the consecrating oil.

Occasionally there are still some amulets obtained through the authentic methods appearing in the market. Some years ago, a famous monk was expelled from the Buddhist Sangha for roasting a baby. He was convicted, but later continued to make magic as a layperson after his release.

18 January 2011 and www.news.com.au had the following story: Man killed wife for 'lucky' lotto foetus

18 May 2012 and we can read the following story in New York Post: Bangkok police arrest man accused of buying fetuses

I drove back to my cottage and I went straight to bed. Did not take many seconds before I was asleep. I will go to look for birds tomorrow morning and I hope we will get good weather.

You just need to click HERE to find out if I see any birds.

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