It’s been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I tend to believe that statement. My wife actually won me over before I knew how good of a cook she was. My current physique is a telltale sign of her cooking skills. One of the simple things in life I look forward to is a good meal with good people. This is exactly what I experienced this past weekend at the Thai-Lao Food Fair. This event was held at the Wat Amphawan in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It cost $15 per person and there was free admission for kids under 12. The $15 granted you all you can eat food with free bottled water. When she told me it was all you could eat, I knew I would definitely be attending!
I did not know what to expect, but at least the weather was nice. When we arrived, there was a huge open field where monks were directing traffic for parking. This was the first sign of the crowd size we were about to encounter. We arrived at a good time because we moved through the ticket gate quickly, but we were met with lines of people at the main entrance.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
We quickly discovered that the lines were not people waiting to enter, but the lines were people waiting for food. If you did not like what one particular table was serving, you could move to another food line. There was something for everyone including a desert table. Luckily the first table we encountered had some of my favorite Asian Cuisine. We got our food and found a spot under some shade and ate our meal, and we went back for seconds!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
After my stomach was full, I departed from my family to check out the scene. There was a stage setup at the back of the venue where dancers performed. These performances were almost hypnotic. The music and eloquent moves of the dancers were enough to teleport you to Thailand momentarily. The band Zone Status put on an excellent performance of rock tunes and popular music. Along with the food vendors, there were non-food vendors as well and booths with crafts and activities for kids.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
I took a walk around the venue to capture some of the architecture and statues. The light was a bit harsh, but the occasional cloud cover soften things a little from time to time.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
When I made it back to the stage area, I noticed another type of performance was about to start. The boxing gloves and punching pads could only mean one thing, sparring! I immediately set up my camera for higher shutter speeds and waited for the action to start. I shot numerous photos, but only picked a handful to post. This was fun to watch. This was only sparring, but you could see the discipline and athleticism of the fighters. They appear to be having fun illustrating their kicks and punches. I think I pulled a muscle just watching. These demonstrations were performed by members of Chonburi Muay Thai out of Antioch, Tennessee.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Well, I think we found another annual event to attend. I thought this food fair was great. Excellent food, a family atmosphere, and great entertainment, what more could you ask? As events like this typically go, it will only get bigger and better in years to come. I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse of the Thai-Lao Food Fair. If you like the buddhist culture, you should take a look at two of my earlier post titled The Colors of Buddhism and Cultured. For you shutterbugs, those earlier posts were shot on film. Thanks for reading!
No responses yet