Thai Culture (1)

Thai Culture (1)

When I moved to Nakhon Ratchasima, in 2002, it stroked me that many older woman were carrying a basket. My first thought was that they are "poor" farmers and were carrying a basket instead of a purse.

One day, I was invited at a "House Blessing" party, and there were a lot of granny's with their basket. I looked at the baskets, and they had almost all the same contents:
Betel leaves; Areca nuts; Limestone paste; A small Mortar and Pestle; A cutter; and some plastic bags.

The granny's were grouped together and mixing these ingredients to a paste.
Passing some ingredients to each other to try something new.
When finished, they wrapped the paste in a small leaf and started chewing on it.
Looking at their faces, they enjoyed it.
But when they opened their mouth, their teeth had become red.
Just like their gums were bleeding.

The next day, at my home, I saw the same basket as they day before in the room where the mother of my wife had been sleeping. I asked my wife if she knew how to mix the ingredients to taste it.
I had been chewing a "self made" mix of tobacco and Cognac which I chewed when I was working in the coalmines. So, what could go wrong?

My wife started to make a small dose and gave it to me.
When I put it in my mouth and started to chew on it, it tasted like a mouthwash with Listerine.
But after a few chews, I started to feel "high, happy". Like on soft drugs.
So, that was the reason that the grannies were always smiling.

I spit the whole thing in the toilet and started to brush my teehts, but it took almost 3 days to get rid of the red color in my mouth.