But this is just a culture to eat this once per year, to have in mind about how difficult ancient Icelanders were faced in. See some pictures…

Smoked lamp for flat cake and Hákarl

Last weekend, I had a great opportunity to join a camp of finding team, The Youth Rescue Team in Reykjanesbær, KLETTUR. We have been to the training center near Gufuskálar. There are the highest human-made structure in Iceland. It was the highest human-made structure in Europe also.

Left hand, Longwave radio mast Hellissandur, 412 m, 1963

Old oil or water tank, the exit of tunnel

inside cafeteria

I had challenged myself by going up to the 15-meter tower and went down by the rope. Unfortunately, it was so bad weather, I cannot use my camera to take photo that time.

The 15-meter tower, I have climbed up.

Little snow, before we were leaving

It was fun. I got a lot of friends from the camp. And also I was very tried after I’ve backed.

Tomorrow is a completed 6 months day in Iceland. Ég tala bara smá Íslensku. Ég er að læra það!

Before I’ve heard this, I often think, this is just a day we spend money on it. The birthday party is something people in Thailand do just for trend. But I have faced another kind of birthday party. The party, I cannot forgot all of my life.

For Icelandic culture(I think, for every western cultures) the birthday party is very important. It’s the day you can count your aunts, uncles and cousin. They will come to yours, say Happy Birthday! My party also was, they were coming, gave me presents. I’m very happy, they came. I’m very happy, my mamma prepared my party for a long time.

They also gave me a big surprise. They were planning to call my friend, Keng who live in Reykjavík and their friends who are Thai. They came to cook a big Thai lunch for me. Including, Tom-Yom, Lab, fried egg noodle, dipped fried pork-ball, Shu-Shee fish and Pad Prik. I didn’t think, their presents were this! Of cause, I enjoyed my meals. (nearly cried with happiness tears)

The family's friends who are Thai. They're preparing my big surprise.

How good the food are!

Pabbi, Mamma, Sóley and Míkæl, my ex-host family also came to this party. I’m very happy to see them again. But we didn’t have too much time to talk. My firends, Moris, Andrea, Heidar and Keng came to my party. We played a lot of stuffs together.

Andrea, Moris(Italy), Heiðar(Iceland), Keng(Thailand)

Cake and candles are ready to blow!

The time was coming, time for cake, I was very exiting about this. In Thailand, we just spend this time for family, just father, mother and siblings. But, this year with a lot of people were looking at me! The cake was very delicious!

Who is that!?

That's me...

Thanks for everyone who joined the party… This was my wonderful birthday party I’ve ever had!

Yeah, they're watching me

Thanks to my parents who have given me born… who always teach me… who always take care me… who always love me.

Serventeen Thai boy is smiling for everyone who make he is he until the present today.

This is Thai comic, first published at http://champ.exteen.com for Thai people to think about this. This issue is important for our privacy!

this picture is licensing by @tpagon [http://champ.exteen.com] with Creative Commons by-nd-nc. (legal to share with Attribution, Noncommercial and No Derivative Works)
รูปภาพนี้ใช้สัญญาแบบ “งานสร้างสรรค์เสรี แสดงที่มา-ไม่ใช้เพื่อการค้า-ไม่ดัดแปลง”โดย @tpagon [http://champ.exteen.com] (ใส่เครดิตแล้วเผยแพร่ต่อได้ ไม่ใช่เพื่อการค้า และอย่าดัดแปลง)

(Chick for bigger, more readable image)

Likes you know, this year I’ve celebrated Christmas first in my life. Because Thailand doesn’t have Christmas day. (We have but it’s not important at all.) So, I didn’t know how it is, what I have to do in Christmas day.

For rest of you who don’t know what is Christmas, how important.

Christmas is commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of religious, Christ. Christians decorate home, have Christmas trees. Including giving Christmas card or presents.

Icelandic has thirteen Santa Clauses. They start to give children presents in twelfth of December and go on until twenty-forth of December. In twenty-forth of December, children must give him(the last Santa) a candle that normally he steals from children. Icelandic Santa Clauses base on Yule Lads. You can find their names and meanings in the hyperlink by Wikipedia.

I had chance to join my family to the church that have had the Christmas event. Let’s see some photo from my camera.

Inside the church, singing songs

Dancing around Christmas tree

Another traditional Icelandic, Laufabrauð. I also did it(well just did some decorations).

Laufabrauð looks like them. ;D

My aunt with my brother

Empty Icelandic chocolate box, AFS á Ísland

My brothers and I decorated our Christmas tree.

Christmas tree, before

Christmas tree, after

Then, time for Christmas Eve dinner was coming. We wear the formal suit and had dinner together with my grandparents. This meal was very special.

My amma with my brother... Christmas Eve's special meal

Rubert, parrot from Great Britain, became our new pet in Christmas Eve's night, the presents from my parents to our family.

Sure, in Christmas Eve’s night, we were starting to unpack a lot of presents. I got two books about Iceland from my family and my grandparents those have beautiful photos.(Luckily not the same) Pair of groves, cap from wool and one interested book from my grandparents. Big box of Icelandic chocolate was from my grandparents also. (how many grandparents I have? LOL) My first men perfume was given by my another family. Some card games, music cd, and others! Thanks for everyone who gave me special gifts!

New Year Eve is another important day in Iceland also. They burn to build huge bonfire and have a lot of firework in the sky!

bonfire was taken by my compact camera...

See how huge it is!

We had a good time together with our family’s friend’s family. We have been to the hill near our home, looked at fireworks around Reykjanesbær and also a little spot from Reykjavik. Check my video, shoot on 00.04, 1/1/2010

Finally, thanks everybody who read my blog for last year. Hope you still read my blog all this year XD

Thanks
Takk
ขอบคุณครับ

PS.someone wants my photo, this was taken by my pabbi. My first Christmas gift…(in my life??)

I knew this on Saturday night, the day I had haircut. That night I felt liked, I have to leave from my family again… the same that happened in Thailand, but I knew before one year but this, I knew before just a week. I cried and cried two or three nights. My tear is for happy that we had time together. Change family might be good, mean we have 2 or more families.

This is should be the shortest entry I had written… I will write about Christmas[Jólin] soon, in one or two days. See ya!