A National Geographic Day In Ubon

I began my morning in the usual way. I had prepared my morning cup of coffee and was heading out to the garden to enjoy it in the great outdoors. As I approached the gate leading to the garden I saw what looked like a big pile of dog crap laying on the landing. I wondered how a dog had gotten through my fence and into my yard to do this dirty deed. As I got closer I also spotted what looked like frog legs sticking out of the pile. A few more steps and I suddenly realized it was a medium sized brown snaked curled up having its breakfast and frog was on the menu.

Having identified predator and prey as opposed to dog crap I ran back in the house to get my camera. I have seen snakes before in my travels in forests and jungles but never had I ever witnessed an event such as this. I for sure wanted to capture it on digital. I went unnoticed as I took photos as close as I dared. As I watched the frog disappeared from sight. I guess there will be one less member of the Frog Choir tonight. Slowly the snake unfurled and slithered into the grass, with bulging belly, quickly disappearing into the grass. It was never seen again.

Quite an experience for me. All the time I have spent in the great outdoors, communing with nature in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, North America and Europe I have never come upon anything quite like this. I put my camera away and went back to enjoying my morning coffee but with that snake on my mind.

At noon I had a lunch appointment at Pae Tong Restaurant in downtown Ubon on Palorangrit Rd. It specializes in duck and dim sum. Lunch was delicious, filling and cheap. After a quick stop at the post office I arrived back home. As I entered the gate I noticed a turtle sitting on a rock in the small cement pond warming itself. I quickly parked my motorcycle, got my camera out and

snapped a few shots of the creature enjoying life. I went in the house for some water and my curiosity got the best of me so I went back out to check out the turtle. At first I thought there were two turtles in some sort of turtle mating ritual because the two creatures were sitting on the rock butt to butt, mimicking the position of dogs stuck together after their mating dance. At that same moment my brain informed me that the second creature on the rock was a frog, not a turtle.

What would bring two separate species to share this rock butt to butt, as though it was the most normal thing in the world. This day I had witnessed one from being consumed for breakfast by a snake and now I am seeing a frog sharing a rock with a turtle. What and amazing day. I felt like I
was involved in a National Geographic Special or maybe spending a day with Jeff Corwin on Animal Planet. Two strange experiences involving amphibians and reptiles in a single day. What are the odds of that happening? Maybe all this had something to do with that ring around the sun a few days back. I am glad I had my camera and it was working. It had been in the shop recently due to ant infestation which ruined the hard drive and rendered the camera inoperable.

Ants eating hard drives, turtles and frogs as friends, a frog sacrificing itself to a hungry snake, WOW. What will happen next in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand?

Thai Phrase of the Post:

Sa wat dee Khrap (male speaker)
Sa wat dee Kha (female speaker)
Hello/Good bye (one phrase means both similar to aloha in Hawaii)