Cremation Day

May 7, 2019

See Kade? That's durian with sticky rice and coconut cream in one of the images. They also eat mango in the same way...as desserts. Kade said they had two viewings of the body for family - once when she arrived for the water pouring ceremony, and the second just before cremation. A monk also cracked open a coconut and poured it over her dad's corpse. Truly. In Asheville, it would be a craft beer. In John's case, squid ink. Kade will bring some ashes back to Asheville.  - May 9, 2019 e-mail

Kade has sent some very nice photos of the services for her dad, and I was able to view the coffin, temple set-up (like sister's two years ago) via video call, plus talk with Kade, her mom and brother. Kade is very sad, of course, but knows they were very close, and that they loved each other, which is what matters. The father was the youngest of eight children, and the last one to die. He was 73, and died the evening before Kade's departure. Kade only learned of this when she arrived. Since his death ended a generation line, his funeral was a little grander than most. It started with a water pouring ceremony, then five consecutive evenings of chantings by monks. On May 7, he will be cremated. The stoppage between the chanting and cremation was caused by the coronation of the new Thai king, a three-day celebration that will pretty much shut down all other activities. It's the first time in 70 years a royal coronation has taken place in Thailand.  - May 5, 2019 e-mail