Hi,
The week ended with a day that actually got quite warm. We went out for lunch, and then watched the Royal Wedding on BBC Asia, live. What a hoot. Oh the hats.
The 'Summer of Love' song should have been easy. It was "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison. In keeping with a week of easy songs, here's one from '58 that should ring a bell. It's had covers, but name the original artist.
"I'm gonna raise a fuss, I'm a-gonna raise a holler, about a-workin' all summer just to try to earn a dollar. Every time I call my baby, and try to get a date, my boss says, 'No dice son, you gotta work late'. Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do, but there ain't no cure for the __ __." Hint: With the season in the song fast approaching, it could really be an anthem again. That's all you get in the clue department.
We had a rather simple day today. The morning routine with the dogs, Lisa worked on a cast acrylic print, and I played my didgeridoos. There was a snag with lunch so we went down to Doi Chaang and ate. After lunch we watched a little Stargate Atlantis and took a nap. While reading the news online we remembered the wedding in England.
When we turned on BBC Asia to check on the Royal Wedding, they were still in the early stages of the arrival of guests. It was fun checking out the outfits that the dignitaries were wearing. The President of Tonga was looking real sharp in his long, double breasted formal coat. The most fun was the hats. Everything from beautiful to 'why'd you wear that?'. There were a ton of horses involved, and some old cars that were immaculate. Pomp and circumstance aside, it was interesting. I really enjoyed the choir of men and boys. Having sung in such a choir in my youth, it brought back many memories. Some of the music was wonderful. So what if the bride and groom didn't kiss. What? They do it on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Oh. Anyway, that's how we spent our late afternoon.
We started making a list of things we want to see, do, and acquire on our trip to Bangkok next weekend. We'll have lots of free time so it will be an adventure for sure.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
The Zen of Sarcasm
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone.
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
13. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
14. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
16. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
19. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Sunny
Hi,
Chiang Rai had another day of hazy sunshine, we had a very successful outing for things on a list, and I had a meeting and dinner at a lake with some friends.
Our 'Summer of Love' tune got lots of positive response. Here's another line, plus the part where you sing along:
"Whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow. Going down the old mine, with a transistor radio.... Do you remember when we used to sing Sha la, la, la, la, la, la, la..." Hint: He remembered a special facial feature.
This morning we drove up the highway to Makro, our Thai answer to Costco. We wanted to get another large, square umbrella for the patio. We also got one of those 'instant' electric kettles for making tea. Many of the items sold at Makro come packaged so you buy multiples rather than a single item. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not. Browsing the aisle with the snacks can be frustrating because all the descriptions and ingredients are in Thai.
After our Makro excursion we went to Sahapaiboon for a garden trowel, and light bulbs. In the lighting section we ran into Khun Jah, whose family owns the store. We talked about their recent family trip to Hong Kong and she made it sound very inviting. We'll have to put it on our list of places to go. Atom, her sister, works across the street so we went over and said 'Hello'.
Winding through town we made a stop for bread, and a visit with Jonathan, our English Golden Retriever friend. Another stop in the market place and we were done.
This afternoon I met with Eric and Julien, the directors of The New Life Foundation. We had a lengthy brainstorming session centered around fundraising and then we caravanned out to a huge lake that was new to me. The restaurant where we ate was a semi-outdoor affair that is very typical here. While eating I heard a voice behind me call my name. What? It was Khun Nine from 9 Art Gallery with her family. Living in a small town is fun.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"If you only walk on sunny days,
you may never reach your destination."
~Michelle Redmond
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Chiang Rai had another day of hazy sunshine, we had a very successful outing for things on a list, and I had a meeting and dinner at a lake with some friends.
Our 'Summer of Love' tune got lots of positive response. Here's another line, plus the part where you sing along:
"Whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow. Going down the old mine, with a transistor radio.... Do you remember when we used to sing Sha la, la, la, la, la, la, la..." Hint: He remembered a special facial feature.
This morning we drove up the highway to Makro, our Thai answer to Costco. We wanted to get another large, square umbrella for the patio. We also got one of those 'instant' electric kettles for making tea. Many of the items sold at Makro come packaged so you buy multiples rather than a single item. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not. Browsing the aisle with the snacks can be frustrating because all the descriptions and ingredients are in Thai.
After our Makro excursion we went to Sahapaiboon for a garden trowel, and light bulbs. In the lighting section we ran into Khun Jah, whose family owns the store. We talked about their recent family trip to Hong Kong and she made it sound very inviting. We'll have to put it on our list of places to go. Atom, her sister, works across the street so we went over and said 'Hello'.
Winding through town we made a stop for bread, and a visit with Jonathan, our English Golden Retriever friend. Another stop in the market place and we were done.
This afternoon I met with Eric and Julien, the directors of The New Life Foundation. We had a lengthy brainstorming session centered around fundraising and then we caravanned out to a huge lake that was new to me. The restaurant where we ate was a semi-outdoor affair that is very typical here. While eating I heard a voice behind me call my name. What? It was Khun Nine from 9 Art Gallery with her family. Living in a small town is fun.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"If you only walk on sunny days,
you may never reach your destination."
~Michelle Redmond
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Happiness
Hi,
Bright, hazy sunshine is the best way to describe today's weather here in Chiang Rai. Boot returned, the dogs went wild, and the crowd roared. We went to Central Plaza in the morning, and had a massage in the afternoon. It was another good day.
The 'Easy Monday' song some of you remembered was "Rocket Man" by Elton John. Now, back to the 'Summer of Love', and an artist from across the pond with an amazingly long career. Here he describes the 'old days' with a special someone. "Hey where did we go, days when the rains came? Down in the hollow, playin' a new game, laughing and a running hey, hey, skipping and a-jumping... you my __ __ __." Hint: It's all in the eyes.
This morning, Boot called from the bus station saying she was getting a ride to the house. Just before she arrived, BamBam started acting like she heard Boot. Lisa had opened the gate so she took BamBam outside. Boot wasn't home yet. BamBam just sat on the front porch, on the leash, staring fixedly at the gate. Then Boot arrived. How did BamBam know? Welcome to the Twilight Zone.
Since Boot was exhausted from her 15 hour bus ride we went out for lunch. We needed to pick up something at Central Plaza so we ate there. Questions about whether anyone would really shop at this giant structure are slowly being answered by the throngs of people there on a Wednesday morning. On our drive home there was a very light sprinkling on the windshield. I would wipe them off occasionally. Then I noticed that none of the cars coming from the other direction had their wipers on. We had a good laugh about the rain just being in one direction on the street.
This afternoon Lisa got a call from our friend Louise. They talked and it turns out that Jasper and Louise made it to the Hall of Opium in Chiang Saen, and then went across the road to Anantara Resort to see the elephant camp. They got to see the elephants, a baby elephant, and talk to an Australian woman who was studying the elephants. They were thrilled with their adventure and just wanted to let us know.
On the way to our massage it started to sprinkle. Just as the massage began, it started really raining. One and a half hours later we emerged, relaxed and happy. The rain had basically stopped and the drive home was easy.
We got a big surprise this evening when Boot told us she had prepared dinner. We thought she would just take the whole day off, but she came through with a great meal. Nice to have her home.
It's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are
or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think."
~Dale Carnegie
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Bright, hazy sunshine is the best way to describe today's weather here in Chiang Rai. Boot returned, the dogs went wild, and the crowd roared. We went to Central Plaza in the morning, and had a massage in the afternoon. It was another good day.
The 'Easy Monday' song some of you remembered was "Rocket Man" by Elton John. Now, back to the 'Summer of Love', and an artist from across the pond with an amazingly long career. Here he describes the 'old days' with a special someone. "Hey where did we go, days when the rains came? Down in the hollow, playin' a new game, laughing and a running hey, hey, skipping and a-jumping... you my __ __ __." Hint: It's all in the eyes.
This morning, Boot called from the bus station saying she was getting a ride to the house. Just before she arrived, BamBam started acting like she heard Boot. Lisa had opened the gate so she took BamBam outside. Boot wasn't home yet. BamBam just sat on the front porch, on the leash, staring fixedly at the gate. Then Boot arrived. How did BamBam know? Welcome to the Twilight Zone.
Since Boot was exhausted from her 15 hour bus ride we went out for lunch. We needed to pick up something at Central Plaza so we ate there. Questions about whether anyone would really shop at this giant structure are slowly being answered by the throngs of people there on a Wednesday morning. On our drive home there was a very light sprinkling on the windshield. I would wipe them off occasionally. Then I noticed that none of the cars coming from the other direction had their wipers on. We had a good laugh about the rain just being in one direction on the street.
This afternoon Lisa got a call from our friend Louise. They talked and it turns out that Jasper and Louise made it to the Hall of Opium in Chiang Saen, and then went across the road to Anantara Resort to see the elephant camp. They got to see the elephants, a baby elephant, and talk to an Australian woman who was studying the elephants. They were thrilled with their adventure and just wanted to let us know.
On the way to our massage it started to sprinkle. Just as the massage began, it started really raining. One and a half hours later we emerged, relaxed and happy. The rain had basically stopped and the drive home was easy.
We got a big surprise this evening when Boot told us she had prepared dinner. We thought she would just take the whole day off, but she came through with a great meal. Nice to have her home.
It's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are
or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think."
~Dale Carnegie
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Best
Hi,
Today we had no rain in Chiang Rai. There is distant thunder tonight, but no rain yet. It was a perfect day for the yard crew to do their thing. We went into town this morning, and spent the afternoon at home. The dogs missed their running around during the day.
It looks like we have an 'Easy Monday' winner with this tune. If you're still in doubt these lines may help:
"And I think it's gonna be a long, long time 'til touch-down brings me 'round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home. Oh no, no, no I'm a __ __. __ __ burnin' out his fuse up here alone." Hint: one of this artist's many costumes had to be a space suit.
This morning we went to Big C to do our shopping and have lunch. We also went by 7-11 to pay our power bill. That still cracks me up that we can do that. There seemed to be a lot of traffic in the streets today. On our way into town we noticed that the 'village' on the shore of the river is completely gone. You would never know that there was a bustling beach community there. This evening there were some kids in the river and a few families hanging out.
Last night there was a party at our waterfall. The frogs were out in force, croaking like nothing we'd ever heard before. They made some pretty crazy sounds at times. Add to that the sound of crickets and you had enough noise to make us close the windows. Every morning when I take the dogs out, I check my shoes just to be sure there's no new 'tenant' living inside. It happened once and it was quite a surprise. Boot usually leans them against the house to prevent this from happening. The adventure continues.
Oh yes, Sunday night, as we were leaving the Night Bazaar, a motorbike club came roaring down the main drag. There must have been 10 or 15 bikes, mostly customized with colorful LED lights, and lots of chrome. It was like a rolling bike show.
Tomorrow Boot returns and life around here will get back to some kind of normal. I know BamBam and Daku will be just as happy as us.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of
the way things turn out."
~Art Linkletter
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Today we had no rain in Chiang Rai. There is distant thunder tonight, but no rain yet. It was a perfect day for the yard crew to do their thing. We went into town this morning, and spent the afternoon at home. The dogs missed their running around during the day.
It looks like we have an 'Easy Monday' winner with this tune. If you're still in doubt these lines may help:
"And I think it's gonna be a long, long time 'til touch-down brings me 'round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home. Oh no, no, no I'm a __ __. __ __ burnin' out his fuse up here alone." Hint: one of this artist's many costumes had to be a space suit.
This morning we went to Big C to do our shopping and have lunch. We also went by 7-11 to pay our power bill. That still cracks me up that we can do that. There seemed to be a lot of traffic in the streets today. On our way into town we noticed that the 'village' on the shore of the river is completely gone. You would never know that there was a bustling beach community there. This evening there were some kids in the river and a few families hanging out.
Last night there was a party at our waterfall. The frogs were out in force, croaking like nothing we'd ever heard before. They made some pretty crazy sounds at times. Add to that the sound of crickets and you had enough noise to make us close the windows. Every morning when I take the dogs out, I check my shoes just to be sure there's no new 'tenant' living inside. It happened once and it was quite a surprise. Boot usually leans them against the house to prevent this from happening. The adventure continues.
Oh yes, Sunday night, as we were leaving the Night Bazaar, a motorbike club came roaring down the main drag. There must have been 10 or 15 bikes, mostly customized with colorful LED lights, and lots of chrome. It was like a rolling bike show.
Tomorrow Boot returns and life around here will get back to some kind of normal. I know BamBam and Daku will be just as happy as us.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of
the way things turn out."
~Art Linkletter
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Monday, April 25, 2011
Judge
Hi,
By the way the sky has been falling you'd think it was the rainy season. Every day there is rain in the afternoon, or overnight. We had a full weekend with our guests, and said good-bye on Sunday. We all miss them.
Our 'Old School Friday' song was "Blue Suede Shoes" as sung by Elvis Presley, and written and also sung by Carl Perkins. Lots of 'Cool Points' were awarded. For 'Easy Monday' this hit from the '70s should ring a bell.
"She packed my bags last night, pre-flight. Zero hour nine a.m. And I gonna be high as a kite by then. I miss my wife, it's lonely out in space on such a timeless flight." Hint: This should be easy. The title is in two words and it describes someone. Blast off.
Saturday we went to downtown with Jasper and Louise, and then to World Class Hamburgers for lunch. Jasper had a triple burger that put a smile on his face. We went home and had a swim, and then dined at Leelavadee by the river. After dinner we went to Walking Street, which is always an experience. When it was almost 8pm we rushed down to see the Clock Tower light show and they caught it on video. It was a day full of memories.
Sunday morning we said our farewells at the bus station. They were headed for Mae Sai for a few days. They'll be traveling around Thailand for about two more months. We now have Facebook friends from Denmark. Lisa pointed out that now she has friends from Denmark, Bali, and Thailand but can't read most of the entries. That's how it goes when you keep meeting people from around the world.
Sunday evening we went to the Night Bazaar for dinner and as we were finishing up, the wind started blowing and we could see all the vendors packing things up. By the time we got home the rain had arrived. In a break from the rain we let the dogs out and BamBam had an encounter with a frog that really freaked her out. She caught it and then flung it in the air. It squirted her and she kept snorting and acting like she was choking. Lisa dowsed her face with water but it took awhile for her to normalize, but she's doing fine now.
This morning we were expecting the yard people, but after a phone call to confirm, we found out they won't come until tomorrow. We had a visit from our friend Chalit and talked about art, and life. Later we got a call from Boot saying that she'd be home on Wednesday. We can hardly wait.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
~Mother Teresa
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
By the way the sky has been falling you'd think it was the rainy season. Every day there is rain in the afternoon, or overnight. We had a full weekend with our guests, and said good-bye on Sunday. We all miss them.
Our 'Old School Friday' song was "Blue Suede Shoes" as sung by Elvis Presley, and written and also sung by Carl Perkins. Lots of 'Cool Points' were awarded. For 'Easy Monday' this hit from the '70s should ring a bell.
"She packed my bags last night, pre-flight. Zero hour nine a.m. And I gonna be high as a kite by then. I miss my wife, it's lonely out in space on such a timeless flight." Hint: This should be easy. The title is in two words and it describes someone. Blast off.
Saturday we went to downtown with Jasper and Louise, and then to World Class Hamburgers for lunch. Jasper had a triple burger that put a smile on his face. We went home and had a swim, and then dined at Leelavadee by the river. After dinner we went to Walking Street, which is always an experience. When it was almost 8pm we rushed down to see the Clock Tower light show and they caught it on video. It was a day full of memories.
Sunday morning we said our farewells at the bus station. They were headed for Mae Sai for a few days. They'll be traveling around Thailand for about two more months. We now have Facebook friends from Denmark. Lisa pointed out that now she has friends from Denmark, Bali, and Thailand but can't read most of the entries. That's how it goes when you keep meeting people from around the world.
Sunday evening we went to the Night Bazaar for dinner and as we were finishing up, the wind started blowing and we could see all the vendors packing things up. By the time we got home the rain had arrived. In a break from the rain we let the dogs out and BamBam had an encounter with a frog that really freaked her out. She caught it and then flung it in the air. It squirted her and she kept snorting and acting like she was choking. Lisa dowsed her face with water but it took awhile for her to normalize, but she's doing fine now.
This morning we were expecting the yard people, but after a phone call to confirm, we found out they won't come until tomorrow. We had a visit from our friend Chalit and talked about art, and life. Later we got a call from Boot saying that she'd be home on Wednesday. We can hardly wait.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
~Mother Teresa
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday Funnies
Hi,
Chiang Rai had a 'picture post-card' weather day. It was also very hot. There was a heavy emphasis on art today with a visit to a special temple, and an art show opening. In between there was eating, napping, and swimming.
It was bound to happen. Not much mail for "98.6" by Keith. I'll make 'Old School Friday' easy for you:
"Well, it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go. But don't you step on my __ __ __, you can do anything but lay off of my __ __ __." Clue: The King is given credit for this one, though he didn't write it. The writer also recorded this one. Extra 'Cool Points' if you know who that was. I think the title should be obvious. This was a time before Pat Boone and white bucks. (555)
This morning I drove our guests down to Wat Rong Khun so they could experience the wonder of it all. We took lots of pictures and they thoroughly enjoyed it. There are so many beautiful works of art that I always notice something different when going through the gallery. In case you don't remember what I'm talking about, just Google Wat Rong Khun and you'll find many pages of photos of this special place.
When we got back to the house, we had a delicious tuna salad that Lisa had made. Jasper helped her shell the left over shrimp and she put them in the tuna. Very nice idea. After lunch it was rest time. Louise, Jasper, and I went down to Doi Chaang for coffee and to meet a friend from Bangkok. After about an hour of conversation we came back to the 'resort' for a swim.
The exhibit at 9 Art Gallery featured five artists. Each had a very unique style, which made it interesting as we walked around the gallery. The mind had to shift gears to approach each new concept. We introduced our new friends to our art circle friends and had some informative conversations about technique and presentation. Before the opening began, Khun Nine played a CD of Mongolian throat singing. I love throat singing and asked her to make me a copy. She loaned me the CD. She got it in Paris after hearing it at a gallery there. Amazing how things can travel around the world like that. If you'd like to reference what I'm talking about, there's an interesting documentary called "Genghis Blues" that features lots of Tuvan throat singing.
Today we found out that Boot's sister is out of the hospital and doing better. Boot will be home Tuesday. Yea!
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for a few laughs with the 'Funnies'.
Peace,
Danny
Small Town Sheriff
In one small rural town the sheriff also fulfilled the role of the
town's veterinarian. One night the phone rang. The sheriff's wife
answered.
An agitated voice inquired, "Is your husband there?"
"Well, do you need him as the sheriff or the vet?" the wife asked.
"Both," came the reply. "We can't get our dog's mouth open, and
there's a burglar in it!"
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Chiang Rai had a 'picture post-card' weather day. It was also very hot. There was a heavy emphasis on art today with a visit to a special temple, and an art show opening. In between there was eating, napping, and swimming.
It was bound to happen. Not much mail for "98.6" by Keith. I'll make 'Old School Friday' easy for you:
"Well, it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go. But don't you step on my __ __ __, you can do anything but lay off of my __ __ __." Clue: The King is given credit for this one, though he didn't write it. The writer also recorded this one. Extra 'Cool Points' if you know who that was. I think the title should be obvious. This was a time before Pat Boone and white bucks. (555)
This morning I drove our guests down to Wat Rong Khun so they could experience the wonder of it all. We took lots of pictures and they thoroughly enjoyed it. There are so many beautiful works of art that I always notice something different when going through the gallery. In case you don't remember what I'm talking about, just Google Wat Rong Khun and you'll find many pages of photos of this special place.
When we got back to the house, we had a delicious tuna salad that Lisa had made. Jasper helped her shell the left over shrimp and she put them in the tuna. Very nice idea. After lunch it was rest time. Louise, Jasper, and I went down to Doi Chaang for coffee and to meet a friend from Bangkok. After about an hour of conversation we came back to the 'resort' for a swim.
The exhibit at 9 Art Gallery featured five artists. Each had a very unique style, which made it interesting as we walked around the gallery. The mind had to shift gears to approach each new concept. We introduced our new friends to our art circle friends and had some informative conversations about technique and presentation. Before the opening began, Khun Nine played a CD of Mongolian throat singing. I love throat singing and asked her to make me a copy. She loaned me the CD. She got it in Paris after hearing it at a gallery there. Amazing how things can travel around the world like that. If you'd like to reference what I'm talking about, there's an interesting documentary called "Genghis Blues" that features lots of Tuvan throat singing.
Today we found out that Boot's sister is out of the hospital and doing better. Boot will be home Tuesday. Yea!
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for a few laughs with the 'Funnies'.
Peace,
Danny
Small Town Sheriff
In one small rural town the sheriff also fulfilled the role of the
town's veterinarian. One night the phone rang. The sheriff's wife
answered.
An agitated voice inquired, "Is your husband there?"
"Well, do you need him as the sheriff or the vet?" the wife asked.
"Both," came the reply. "We can't get our dog's mouth open, and
there's a burglar in it!"
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Butterfly
Hi,
It was another 'funny weather' day here in Chiang Rai. Blazing hot morning, and rain in the afternoon. We went to Big C, and had a very special dinner.
"Hey, everybody on the street, I see you smillin'. Must be because I found my baby. You know she's got me on another kind of highway. I want to go to where it takes me. Hey, __ __ __ it's good to have you back again..." Hint: This record falls into the 'One Hit Wonder' collection. It's about what you get when the fever has broken. The obvious clue has to do with your normal temperature. Oh, come on now.
This morning when Daku and I headed downstairs I just knew he would go down the hall to the guest room. He started to, but going outside was more important. He didn't forget his new friends, and later he joined them on the patio while they had their coffee.
The first order of the day was a trip to Arisara for an hour massage. We all agreed that there's nothing like starting the day being pampered, poked and prodded in a delightful atmosphere.
After our massage we went to Big C for lunch at Black Canyon, and some shopping. Jasper studied cooking for two years and offered to cook dinner for us. We got shrimp, potatoes, and a few more things. This would be the first time we'd had a dinner prepared by someone other than Boot.
In the afternoon I went out to New Life Foundation and on the way home there was a big rain storm. I actually drove through it to be more exact. When I got into Chiang Rai 'proper', the streets were dry. There had been a few drops out at the house, but nothing like what I encountered on the road. Ah, the weather. As I write, I can hear thunder rolling around in the distance. Hmm, how does thunder roll?
Before dinner the four of us went for a swim. It was mostly just hanging out and talking, but very relaxing. The day was turning out to be very special.
Our dinner was a feast. There was a platter of shrimp, another of baked potatoes, a green salad, and a Danish dish of tomatoes and onions. Jasper taught us how to shell the shrimp for eating, since they were whole. It was a challenging process, but we managed to do it. Everything was delicious. What a treat to have a gourmet dinner at home. After the dishes were cleared and washed we had pineapple that was as sweet as candy. The dogs, who usually hang out by the table when we eat, had to stay outside. BamBam let it be known that she was not happy about that. Oh well, she's a dog.
Tomorrow we'll go to Wat Rong Khun in the morning, and an art exhibit opening in the evening. The adventure continues.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Happiness is like a butterfly.
The more you chase it, the more it will elude you.
But if you turn your attention to other things,
it comes softly and sits on your shoulder."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
It was another 'funny weather' day here in Chiang Rai. Blazing hot morning, and rain in the afternoon. We went to Big C, and had a very special dinner.
"Hey, everybody on the street, I see you smillin'. Must be because I found my baby. You know she's got me on another kind of highway. I want to go to where it takes me. Hey, __ __ __ it's good to have you back again..." Hint: This record falls into the 'One Hit Wonder' collection. It's about what you get when the fever has broken. The obvious clue has to do with your normal temperature. Oh, come on now.
This morning when Daku and I headed downstairs I just knew he would go down the hall to the guest room. He started to, but going outside was more important. He didn't forget his new friends, and later he joined them on the patio while they had their coffee.
The first order of the day was a trip to Arisara for an hour massage. We all agreed that there's nothing like starting the day being pampered, poked and prodded in a delightful atmosphere.
After our massage we went to Big C for lunch at Black Canyon, and some shopping. Jasper studied cooking for two years and offered to cook dinner for us. We got shrimp, potatoes, and a few more things. This would be the first time we'd had a dinner prepared by someone other than Boot.
In the afternoon I went out to New Life Foundation and on the way home there was a big rain storm. I actually drove through it to be more exact. When I got into Chiang Rai 'proper', the streets were dry. There had been a few drops out at the house, but nothing like what I encountered on the road. Ah, the weather. As I write, I can hear thunder rolling around in the distance. Hmm, how does thunder roll?
Before dinner the four of us went for a swim. It was mostly just hanging out and talking, but very relaxing. The day was turning out to be very special.
Our dinner was a feast. There was a platter of shrimp, another of baked potatoes, a green salad, and a Danish dish of tomatoes and onions. Jasper taught us how to shell the shrimp for eating, since they were whole. It was a challenging process, but we managed to do it. Everything was delicious. What a treat to have a gourmet dinner at home. After the dishes were cleared and washed we had pineapple that was as sweet as candy. The dogs, who usually hang out by the table when we eat, had to stay outside. BamBam let it be known that she was not happy about that. Oh well, she's a dog.
Tomorrow we'll go to Wat Rong Khun in the morning, and an art exhibit opening in the evening. The adventure continues.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Happiness is like a butterfly.
The more you chase it, the more it will elude you.
But if you turn your attention to other things,
it comes softly and sits on your shoulder."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
See
Hi,
Today was a beautiful day. Chiang Rai was partly cloudy, with very warm to hot temps. We visited the vet, got the car washed, and swam with our house guests. It's been a good day.
So, it was 'Easy' after all: James Brown singing "I Feel Good". Thanks for all those cards and letters. The 'Summer of Love' may be a challenge for some. Who remembers this: "Good mornin' sun I say it's good to see you shinin'. I know my baby brought you to me.... Got spring and summer runnin' through me. Hey __ __ __ it's good to have you back again, hey __ __ __ her lovin' is the medicine that saved me. Oh I love my baby." Clue: When the title is sung it's three words, even though technically, they're not really words. Hmm. Somebody got his girl back. The singer used his first name only.
This morning the doorbell rang and we thought it was the garden crew. It was the pool guy. I think he sometimes rings Boot's doorbell and she lets him in. A little later Kek showed up to tell us he couldn't do the yard today. We put it off 'til Monday. Since the pool would be available, we invited our friends, Jasper and Louise, to start their stay at our house today. They were anxious to go for a swim and it was such a warm day that it made sense. A time was set and our morning continued.
Today is BamBam's 3rd birthday. Lisa sang to her this morning. She got a little irritated when we took Daku outside on a leash for his trip to the vet. She wanted to go too. Daku has a very good memory and he remembers two visits ago when he got a harsh ear treatment. He does not like the doctor at all. As soon as he saw him he tried to hide behind chairs, us, or escape to the street. We managed to keep him calm while his got his shots. He didn't even notice them. His weight is staying pretty steady at 71 lbs and that's good. He was quite relieved to exit the building.
We went to Doi Chaang for lunch and got the car washed while we ate. That works out so cool sometimes. Oddly enough, we didn't see anyone we knew on this trip. After lunch we went to the vegetable market and stocked up on supplies.
After a brief relaxation period I went into town and picked up Jasper and Louise. When we got to the house they became instant friends with the dogs. We gave them a tour of the house and then we hit the pool. The water was perfect, the air was pleasant and we had a great time hanging out, talking in the pool.
This evening we went to the Night Bazaar for dinner and some gift shopping.
It's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"See with your heart not with your eyes
for beauty lies everywhere."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Today was a beautiful day. Chiang Rai was partly cloudy, with very warm to hot temps. We visited the vet, got the car washed, and swam with our house guests. It's been a good day.
So, it was 'Easy' after all: James Brown singing "I Feel Good". Thanks for all those cards and letters. The 'Summer of Love' may be a challenge for some. Who remembers this: "Good mornin' sun I say it's good to see you shinin'. I know my baby brought you to me.... Got spring and summer runnin' through me. Hey __ __ __ it's good to have you back again, hey __ __ __ her lovin' is the medicine that saved me. Oh I love my baby." Clue: When the title is sung it's three words, even though technically, they're not really words. Hmm. Somebody got his girl back. The singer used his first name only.
This morning the doorbell rang and we thought it was the garden crew. It was the pool guy. I think he sometimes rings Boot's doorbell and she lets him in. A little later Kek showed up to tell us he couldn't do the yard today. We put it off 'til Monday. Since the pool would be available, we invited our friends, Jasper and Louise, to start their stay at our house today. They were anxious to go for a swim and it was such a warm day that it made sense. A time was set and our morning continued.
Today is BamBam's 3rd birthday. Lisa sang to her this morning. She got a little irritated when we took Daku outside on a leash for his trip to the vet. She wanted to go too. Daku has a very good memory and he remembers two visits ago when he got a harsh ear treatment. He does not like the doctor at all. As soon as he saw him he tried to hide behind chairs, us, or escape to the street. We managed to keep him calm while his got his shots. He didn't even notice them. His weight is staying pretty steady at 71 lbs and that's good. He was quite relieved to exit the building.
We went to Doi Chaang for lunch and got the car washed while we ate. That works out so cool sometimes. Oddly enough, we didn't see anyone we knew on this trip. After lunch we went to the vegetable market and stocked up on supplies.
After a brief relaxation period I went into town and picked up Jasper and Louise. When we got to the house they became instant friends with the dogs. We gave them a tour of the house and then we hit the pool. The water was perfect, the air was pleasant and we had a great time hanging out, talking in the pool.
This evening we went to the Night Bazaar for dinner and some gift shopping.
It's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"See with your heart not with your eyes
for beauty lies everywhere."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Answers
Hi,
Welcome to the rainy season? Today began with the typical overcast sky. Then it started getting hot. Then it got dark and it rained again. We're supposed to have an average of 10 rain days this month, but why are they coming back-to-back?
Well, 'Easy Monday' brought lots of mail. It's one of those songs that can make you smile, or want to dance.
"Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spice (repeat) So nice, so nice, I got you. Whoa, __ __ __, I knew that I would..."
Clue: One of the best from the Godfather of Soul. Whoa!
This morning Boot got a call from Rayong telling her that her younger sister was in the hospital. I took her to the bus station to buy a ticket for the 5pm bus. Without a moments notice, everything changed. Boot will probably be gone for a week.
After I returned from the bus station, Lisa and I went to the market to get some fabric. Then it was out to Ghan's house so she can make some blouses and a new cover for the dog's bed. When we finished it was approaching lunch time. Since Boot had to get ready for her trip, we were on our own once again.
Traveling back into town we were weighing the merits of various lunch spot possibilities. We had to consider whether we wanted to eat in heat or the coolness of air-conditioning. We ended up going to Central Plaza for another lunch at S&P. After a really good lunch I spotted a couple from Denmark that I'd met last night. They were checking out the new mall. We talked for a bit and after we went on our separate ways Lisa mentioned that we could give them a ride back to the 'Guest House' where they were staying. Then we started realizing that they could stay with us for the couple of days they'd be in town. After a few phone calls we met them at McDonald's, told them our idea, and met up again at Starbuck's for a real conversation. It looks like they'll come over on Thursday and stay a few days.
As we pulled out of the covered garage at Central it was raining. It was so weird to go into the place with hazy sunshine and come out in rain. It wasn't as intense as Sunday night, but it kept a steady pace for a few hours.
The dogs are sensing that something is different around here. The routine has changed. There's no Boot. BamBam knows that when she spends the evening with us, at some point Boot comes home and she goes to her house. She keeps getting up and going to the door of our bedroom and making her little sound that says: 'Mommy's home, I have to go'. A little later I'll take her to Boot's house and let her sleep there. Life with dogs is an adventure sometimes.
Tomorrow the garden crew is supposed to come and groom the grounds. It's also the day we take Daku for one of his shots. There's also the matter of feeding ourselves and preparing for house guests. Things will be busy around here.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"The answers don't come before the question.
Ask the question."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Welcome to the rainy season? Today began with the typical overcast sky. Then it started getting hot. Then it got dark and it rained again. We're supposed to have an average of 10 rain days this month, but why are they coming back-to-back?
Well, 'Easy Monday' brought lots of mail. It's one of those songs that can make you smile, or want to dance.
"Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spice (repeat) So nice, so nice, I got you. Whoa, __ __ __, I knew that I would..."
Clue: One of the best from the Godfather of Soul. Whoa!
This morning Boot got a call from Rayong telling her that her younger sister was in the hospital. I took her to the bus station to buy a ticket for the 5pm bus. Without a moments notice, everything changed. Boot will probably be gone for a week.
After I returned from the bus station, Lisa and I went to the market to get some fabric. Then it was out to Ghan's house so she can make some blouses and a new cover for the dog's bed. When we finished it was approaching lunch time. Since Boot had to get ready for her trip, we were on our own once again.
Traveling back into town we were weighing the merits of various lunch spot possibilities. We had to consider whether we wanted to eat in heat or the coolness of air-conditioning. We ended up going to Central Plaza for another lunch at S&P. After a really good lunch I spotted a couple from Denmark that I'd met last night. They were checking out the new mall. We talked for a bit and after we went on our separate ways Lisa mentioned that we could give them a ride back to the 'Guest House' where they were staying. Then we started realizing that they could stay with us for the couple of days they'd be in town. After a few phone calls we met them at McDonald's, told them our idea, and met up again at Starbuck's for a real conversation. It looks like they'll come over on Thursday and stay a few days.
As we pulled out of the covered garage at Central it was raining. It was so weird to go into the place with hazy sunshine and come out in rain. It wasn't as intense as Sunday night, but it kept a steady pace for a few hours.
The dogs are sensing that something is different around here. The routine has changed. There's no Boot. BamBam knows that when she spends the evening with us, at some point Boot comes home and she goes to her house. She keeps getting up and going to the door of our bedroom and making her little sound that says: 'Mommy's home, I have to go'. A little later I'll take her to Boot's house and let her sleep there. Life with dogs is an adventure sometimes.
Tomorrow the garden crew is supposed to come and groom the grounds. It's also the day we take Daku for one of his shots. There's also the matter of feeding ourselves and preparing for house guests. Things will be busy around here.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"The answers don't come before the question.
Ask the question."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Monday, April 18, 2011
Spark
Hi,
Songkran is finally over. Now it's time for the carwash. (Ha) The big news of the weekend was a Sunday night storm. Other than that, it was warm weather, afternoon swims, and Formula One.
'Old School Friday' was "I Got A Woman" by the late, great Ray Charles. 'Easy Monday' should be easier:
"__ __ __, like a knew that I would, (repeat). So good, so good, I got you." Hint: Really? Please, please, please.
Saturday we did our shopping early, lunched at home, and watched the qualifying for the big race through sleepy eyes. It's nice that the race is shown from China during the day, but it's right in the middle of nap time. I guess we should have had our coffee earlier. Hmm. We just hung out in the evening watching old science fiction while Lisa worked on a new piece.
Sunday was a pleasant day. We talked to my mom using Skype, watched the Grand Prix, took a swim, and then planned to go into town for dinner. Around 5pm the sky to the west got darker than usual. Then a stillness came over the yard, and then gusts of wind started coming. We knew what that meant. Off in the distance we heard thunder. The wind got stronger and we knew we had to decide about going out to dinner. We took a chance and went into town with the idea of going to the Night Bazaar. Just as we got there the wind came barreling down the street. With umbrellas in hand we started into the Bazaar and noticed that everyone who was set up was taking their booths down fast. When all the people around you are taking cover it's a sure bet that it's about to rain. Just as we got back to the car it began to rain. By the time we drove a block to Doi Chaang it was pouring. We ate dinner there and watched the rain. It stopped just as we were ready to leave. There were major puddles, tree limbs were down in places, and signs had been knocked over.
When we arrived at the house I noticed that the front door mat was in the driveway. I looked into the back yard and saw that our large red umbrella was missing. It had been blown out into the yard. A little water came in through a hall window, but everything else seemed OK. This morning the front yard was full of tiny branches from the big trees across the street, and one of our trees lost a limb. Daku found a palm branch and was running around with it like a trophy. Khun Kek and the yard crew are due this week so we'll just pick up the big pieces. There's more rain in the forecast but we don't really know when it will come. There will be no watering this week, that's for sure.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness,
a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement.
That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you."
~James A. Ray
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Songkran is finally over. Now it's time for the carwash. (Ha) The big news of the weekend was a Sunday night storm. Other than that, it was warm weather, afternoon swims, and Formula One.
'Old School Friday' was "I Got A Woman" by the late, great Ray Charles. 'Easy Monday' should be easier:
"__ __ __, like a knew that I would, (repeat). So good, so good, I got you." Hint: Really? Please, please, please.
Saturday we did our shopping early, lunched at home, and watched the qualifying for the big race through sleepy eyes. It's nice that the race is shown from China during the day, but it's right in the middle of nap time. I guess we should have had our coffee earlier. Hmm. We just hung out in the evening watching old science fiction while Lisa worked on a new piece.
Sunday was a pleasant day. We talked to my mom using Skype, watched the Grand Prix, took a swim, and then planned to go into town for dinner. Around 5pm the sky to the west got darker than usual. Then a stillness came over the yard, and then gusts of wind started coming. We knew what that meant. Off in the distance we heard thunder. The wind got stronger and we knew we had to decide about going out to dinner. We took a chance and went into town with the idea of going to the Night Bazaar. Just as we got there the wind came barreling down the street. With umbrellas in hand we started into the Bazaar and noticed that everyone who was set up was taking their booths down fast. When all the people around you are taking cover it's a sure bet that it's about to rain. Just as we got back to the car it began to rain. By the time we drove a block to Doi Chaang it was pouring. We ate dinner there and watched the rain. It stopped just as we were ready to leave. There were major puddles, tree limbs were down in places, and signs had been knocked over.
When we arrived at the house I noticed that the front door mat was in the driveway. I looked into the back yard and saw that our large red umbrella was missing. It had been blown out into the yard. A little water came in through a hall window, but everything else seemed OK. This morning the front yard was full of tiny branches from the big trees across the street, and one of our trees lost a limb. Daku found a palm branch and was running around with it like a trophy. Khun Kek and the yard crew are due this week so we'll just pick up the big pieces. There's more rain in the forecast but we don't really know when it will come. There will be no watering this week, that's for sure.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness,
a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement.
That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you."
~James A. Ray
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday Funnies
Hi,
Today was the last official day of the Songkran celebration. We went to town this morning, lunched at Central Plaza and managed to stay dry. It was the hottest day of the week and the pool was a great relief. We also had a visit from a friend.
The 'Summer of Love' song was "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie. If you Google the title it's a funny, interesting read. 'Old School Friday' takes us back to 1954, and a song you're sure to know, even if you're not old enough. (Ha) "__ __ __ __ way over town, that's good to me. Oh yeah. (repeat) She give me money when I'm in need, yeah she's a kind of friend indeed. __ __ __ __ way over town that's good to me. Oh yeah." Clue: It's by a singer who had an incredible career that covered many decades. A movie was made of his life. What'd I say?
Today Boot went to Ban Du to help her mother-in-law with her lottery sales. That meant we were on our own for food. Since our regular bakery was closed, we went down to Jet Yod Rd. to the little hotel/bakery for a loaf of bread. From there we went to Central Plaza. The mall was open before 11am so we had a chance to do more browsing before lunch. We went to the tech stores and then to Top's Market. Top's is the biggest grocery store in Chiang Rai now and has some western style food as well as gourmet Thai food.
When lunch time arrived we thought we'd check out the Black Canyon restaurant since it was new. We sat down and ordered, but our waiter told us it would take twenty seven minutes for our meal. We left and went to S&P, which is a combination bakery/restaurant. We had a nice meal that didn't take too long, and went home. There is still lots to see at Central Plaza so we'll be going back soon.
Our friend Sutheera came over in the afternoon and she and Lisa had a nice visit. Then is was time to get in the pool. The water was back to an acceptable 83 degrees. Initial entry is cold, but once we were in it felt great. I'm sure it felt warmer than the river.
The water throwing continued today, but not with the same gusto as before. Mostly duels between trucks, and cyclists getting dowsed by everyone. Next year we're going to go out and film just the kids. There's something very special about the little kids working hard to get people wet. By the lack of response, I guess nobody looked at the photo story about Bangkok that I sent, so you'll never know just how crazy it can be.
This weekend we'll be watching the F1 Grand Prix from Shanghai. It still amazes me that something so popular in the rest of the world is hardly watched or reported on in the U.S. Zoom.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for the 'Funnies'. This is the last installment of Funny English Notices from around the world. Enjoy.
Peace,
Danny
On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to
it.
In a Norwegian cocktail lounge:
Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
In a Budapest zoo:
Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable
food, give it to the guard on duty.
In an Acapulco hotel:
The manager has personally passed all the water served here.
In a Tokyo shop:
Our nylons cost more than common, but you'll find they are
best in the long run.
From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air
conditioner:
Cooles and Heates: If you want just condition of warm in your
room, please control yourself.
From a brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:
When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn.
Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles
your passage then tootle him with vigor.
Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance:
- English well talking.
- Here speeching American.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Today was the last official day of the Songkran celebration. We went to town this morning, lunched at Central Plaza and managed to stay dry. It was the hottest day of the week and the pool was a great relief. We also had a visit from a friend.
The 'Summer of Love' song was "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie. If you Google the title it's a funny, interesting read. 'Old School Friday' takes us back to 1954, and a song you're sure to know, even if you're not old enough. (Ha) "__ __ __ __ way over town, that's good to me. Oh yeah. (repeat) She give me money when I'm in need, yeah she's a kind of friend indeed. __ __ __ __ way over town that's good to me. Oh yeah." Clue: It's by a singer who had an incredible career that covered many decades. A movie was made of his life. What'd I say?
Today Boot went to Ban Du to help her mother-in-law with her lottery sales. That meant we were on our own for food. Since our regular bakery was closed, we went down to Jet Yod Rd. to the little hotel/bakery for a loaf of bread. From there we went to Central Plaza. The mall was open before 11am so we had a chance to do more browsing before lunch. We went to the tech stores and then to Top's Market. Top's is the biggest grocery store in Chiang Rai now and has some western style food as well as gourmet Thai food.
When lunch time arrived we thought we'd check out the Black Canyon restaurant since it was new. We sat down and ordered, but our waiter told us it would take twenty seven minutes for our meal. We left and went to S&P, which is a combination bakery/restaurant. We had a nice meal that didn't take too long, and went home. There is still lots to see at Central Plaza so we'll be going back soon.
Our friend Sutheera came over in the afternoon and she and Lisa had a nice visit. Then is was time to get in the pool. The water was back to an acceptable 83 degrees. Initial entry is cold, but once we were in it felt great. I'm sure it felt warmer than the river.
The water throwing continued today, but not with the same gusto as before. Mostly duels between trucks, and cyclists getting dowsed by everyone. Next year we're going to go out and film just the kids. There's something very special about the little kids working hard to get people wet. By the lack of response, I guess nobody looked at the photo story about Bangkok that I sent, so you'll never know just how crazy it can be.
This weekend we'll be watching the F1 Grand Prix from Shanghai. It still amazes me that something so popular in the rest of the world is hardly watched or reported on in the U.S. Zoom.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for the 'Funnies'. This is the last installment of Funny English Notices from around the world. Enjoy.
Peace,
Danny
On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to
it.
In a Norwegian cocktail lounge:
Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
In a Budapest zoo:
Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable
food, give it to the guard on duty.
In an Acapulco hotel:
The manager has personally passed all the water served here.
In a Tokyo shop:
Our nylons cost more than common, but you'll find they are
best in the long run.
From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air
conditioner:
Cooles and Heates: If you want just condition of warm in your
room, please control yourself.
From a brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:
When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn.
Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles
your passage then tootle him with vigor.
Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance:
- English well talking.
- Here speeching American.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Even More Light
Hi,
Chiang Rai is still caught up in Songkran celebration. In fact, most of Thailand is throwing water all over the place. Today we went back to video some of the revelry, and though we didn't participate, we had fun watching.
In case you think no one remembers this song from the 'Summer of Love', I got lots of mail that said it was easy.
"...but that's not what I came to tell you about. Came to talk about the draft. They got a building down in New York City, it's called Whitehall Street, where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected, and selected... You can get anything you want down at __ __." Hint: It's what might be called a 'talkin' song' since most of it's spoken. Oh yes, the title gives one the impression that it's about an eating establishment.
This morning we woke up to a hazy sky. It looked like it was going to be another hot day. About an hour later fog rolled in for a brief stay and then the heat came. It was strange to see the fog and I have no idea why this happened. We went into town to get some bread from our favorite bakery, but they were closed. That left only one thing to do, go to Doi Chaang for some coffee. While we were there we saw a couple of friends and got brief updates. The 'water people' were just getting started and we made it home before the traffic built up.
Around 3:30 we decided to go back to the street we traveled on yesterday and take the video camera. The whole thing was more intense than yesterday. The primary target for water seemed to be motorbikes and pick-up trucks with people in the back. Sometimes the trucks would stop in front of a sidewalk 'water station' and just throw bucket after bucket of water, while getting the same in return. Some of the motorbike riders would slow down so they could be sprayed. There was lots of screaming whenever water landed on the people in a truck. All along the road there were parties going on. On one side of the street we'd hear traditional upbeat dance music, and on the other side, the thumping of Thai rap. It wasn't just wasted on the young either. Everybody was out there dancing, laughing and throwing water.
At the river there was a mass of people enjoying the water, eating, and dancing to the live music being played on a make-shift stage. It's almost 9pm and the music is still going. If you'd like to get a view of what it's like in Bangkok, here's a link from the Bangkok Post with a visual of the festivities. Be sure and check out the slideshow at the bottom:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/231866/let-the-fun-begin
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Remember the powerful presence that you are.
Remember the powerful being that you are.
Remember the light that you are."
~Aq'naton Ben-Ish
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Chiang Rai is still caught up in Songkran celebration. In fact, most of Thailand is throwing water all over the place. Today we went back to video some of the revelry, and though we didn't participate, we had fun watching.
In case you think no one remembers this song from the 'Summer of Love', I got lots of mail that said it was easy.
"...but that's not what I came to tell you about. Came to talk about the draft. They got a building down in New York City, it's called Whitehall Street, where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected, and selected... You can get anything you want down at __ __." Hint: It's what might be called a 'talkin' song' since most of it's spoken. Oh yes, the title gives one the impression that it's about an eating establishment.
This morning we woke up to a hazy sky. It looked like it was going to be another hot day. About an hour later fog rolled in for a brief stay and then the heat came. It was strange to see the fog and I have no idea why this happened. We went into town to get some bread from our favorite bakery, but they were closed. That left only one thing to do, go to Doi Chaang for some coffee. While we were there we saw a couple of friends and got brief updates. The 'water people' were just getting started and we made it home before the traffic built up.
Around 3:30 we decided to go back to the street we traveled on yesterday and take the video camera. The whole thing was more intense than yesterday. The primary target for water seemed to be motorbikes and pick-up trucks with people in the back. Sometimes the trucks would stop in front of a sidewalk 'water station' and just throw bucket after bucket of water, while getting the same in return. Some of the motorbike riders would slow down so they could be sprayed. There was lots of screaming whenever water landed on the people in a truck. All along the road there were parties going on. On one side of the street we'd hear traditional upbeat dance music, and on the other side, the thumping of Thai rap. It wasn't just wasted on the young either. Everybody was out there dancing, laughing and throwing water.
At the river there was a mass of people enjoying the water, eating, and dancing to the live music being played on a make-shift stage. It's almost 9pm and the music is still going. If you'd like to get a view of what it's like in Bangkok, here's a link from the Bangkok Post with a visual of the festivities. Be sure and check out the slideshow at the bottom:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/231866/let-the-fun-begin
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Remember the powerful presence that you are.
Remember the powerful being that you are.
Remember the light that you are."
~Aq'naton Ben-Ish
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
A Little More Light
Hi,
Last night it rained. This morning it drizzled for a bit. This afternoon was overcast and cool. Something has happened to our weather. It didn't stop the Songkran revelers at all. We went to a Songkran party this evening.
That pesky 'Easy' song was "Wooly Bully" by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs. It was a tribute to "Hully Gully", also a dance record. Even if you didn't like it, it was an historical recording on many levels. So, on to the 'Summer of Love'. This one may be obscure to some, but very familiar to others. It's by the son of an American musical legend and it goes something like this: "You can get anything you want at __ __. (repeat) Walk right in it's around the back just a half a mile from the railroad track..." Hint: Not your usual popular song, this was more of a folk type saga. A very long story. If you remember please let me know.
Today was a stay at home day. I managed to do some things around the house that had been waiting for me for days. We hung some of Lisa prints, and pondered where to put others. We offered to go to the market for Boot so she could avoid the water tossing but she said "They not throw water early".
On the large piece of land behind our house, some people have put up a fence near the half farthest from us. We have no idea why, but it's just a boundary kind of affair. The only thing it could contain would be cows. It's a wait and see situation. I'm hoping it's just a farming thing.
We were invited to Khun Jaffee's house this evening for a Songkran Party. There were nine of us for a pot-luck dinner. We sat out on Jaffee's patio and enjoyed the evening with conversation and good food. On the way to the party we drove through a village that was totally into the Songkran spirit. The street was lined with mostly young people who were throwing water, dancing, and generally having fun. Everyone was soaking wet but they didn't seem to mind. Trucks would pull up to a 'water station' and douse those on the sidewalk, and then they would get soaked in return. We'd never seen this intensity before. I guess you just have to know where to go. Needless to say, traffic was very slow through this village.
By not going out today, we missed all of the parades and traffic jams. Oh, what a shame. There was one parade that sounded pretty cool. It was the official parade down the main street in town, with floats, marching units and firetrucks spraying water. Maybe next year.
Right now it's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another
human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who
have rekindled this light."
~Albert Schweitzer (1875 - 1965)
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Last night it rained. This morning it drizzled for a bit. This afternoon was overcast and cool. Something has happened to our weather. It didn't stop the Songkran revelers at all. We went to a Songkran party this evening.
That pesky 'Easy' song was "Wooly Bully" by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs. It was a tribute to "Hully Gully", also a dance record. Even if you didn't like it, it was an historical recording on many levels. So, on to the 'Summer of Love'. This one may be obscure to some, but very familiar to others. It's by the son of an American musical legend and it goes something like this: "You can get anything you want at __ __. (repeat) Walk right in it's around the back just a half a mile from the railroad track..." Hint: Not your usual popular song, this was more of a folk type saga. A very long story. If you remember please let me know.
Today was a stay at home day. I managed to do some things around the house that had been waiting for me for days. We hung some of Lisa prints, and pondered where to put others. We offered to go to the market for Boot so she could avoid the water tossing but she said "They not throw water early".
On the large piece of land behind our house, some people have put up a fence near the half farthest from us. We have no idea why, but it's just a boundary kind of affair. The only thing it could contain would be cows. It's a wait and see situation. I'm hoping it's just a farming thing.
We were invited to Khun Jaffee's house this evening for a Songkran Party. There were nine of us for a pot-luck dinner. We sat out on Jaffee's patio and enjoyed the evening with conversation and good food. On the way to the party we drove through a village that was totally into the Songkran spirit. The street was lined with mostly young people who were throwing water, dancing, and generally having fun. Everyone was soaking wet but they didn't seem to mind. Trucks would pull up to a 'water station' and douse those on the sidewalk, and then they would get soaked in return. We'd never seen this intensity before. I guess you just have to know where to go. Needless to say, traffic was very slow through this village.
By not going out today, we missed all of the parades and traffic jams. Oh, what a shame. There was one parade that sounded pretty cool. It was the official parade down the main street in town, with floats, marching units and firetrucks spraying water. Maybe next year.
Right now it's time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another
human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who
have rekindled this light."
~Albert Schweitzer (1875 - 1965)
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
More LIght
Hi,
Chiang Rai had more heat today, but many cooled off involuntarily: they had water tossed on them. We went to Central Plaza, and then got in our own water. Yes, the pool is happening.
Looks like 'Easy Monday' wasn't so easy for some of you. I did get a lot of email with the right answer though.
"Hatty told Matty, 'Let's don't take a chance. Let's not be L-Seven, come and learn to dance.' __ __, __ __ (repeat a bunch)" Clues: This record was the first American single to sell one million during the British Invasion. Stayed on the Hot 100 for 18 weeks. The band had another record based on a children's story. Two words in the title and they don't mean a thing. Huh?
Today we went to Central Plaza again. This time we had a mission. We were looking for an air-brush kit so Lisa can experiment with that process. When we arrived at the mall it wasn't open. They are still operating on an 11am start time. A stop at Starbucks for iced coffee passed a little time. Then we went into Robinson with the idea of going upstairs and into the book store. Lisa spotted some sandals by Scholl that looked similar to the MBTs she used to wear. The sole is curved like a rocking chair so you sort of roll through each step. It's great for the body and posture. They didn't have her size but it peaked my interest so we went to the men's department. I found a pair and wore them out. At the big book and art supply store we saw many things, but not what we wanted. Back into the mall we discovered a Next Beat Apple store. They had the power supply we needed for one of our laptops. Things were looking up. After browsing at Banana IT we got some paper and then went into the huge electronics store. Way too much to look at in one visit. The whole morning was fun and informative. The crowd was building as we left.
Out on the streets the 'water stations' were getting started. Kids of all ages, with buckets of every description were tossing water on cars and bikes. We got a few light hits but not the windshield drenching kind. This evening when I went into town to meet some friends, it looked like it had rained. This was due to the pick-up trucks that roam around with big drums of water, with teen-agers throwing it at passing cars and at other trucks. Down at the river it looked like a festival was going on. There were lots of people in the water, and all of the little eating platforms were in use. This is the first year for this and I'm sure it won't be the last.
We got a call today from our friend Joe, from Emerald Thai in Culver City. He's in Chiang Mai for the holiday and invited us to come there and visit him next week. He wants to take us up to Doi Inthanon. It's the highest mountain in all of Thailand. He used to be in the Air Force and was a Commander stationed there. There are many species of birds, tons of wild orchids, and waterfalls. The plan is for us to stay on the mountain overnight at one of the houses on the base. The adventure continues.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the pool was a hair over 83 this afternoon. After testing the water we decided to go in and it turned out to be very pleasant. It felt good to get the exercise that swimming provides. There is thunder in the distance tonight, and occasional flashes of lightning. Rain would be good, but it would also cool the pool. Oh, what to wish for? Hmm.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"A little light in a dark room is still a great illumination."
~Ernest Holmes
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Chiang Rai had more heat today, but many cooled off involuntarily: they had water tossed on them. We went to Central Plaza, and then got in our own water. Yes, the pool is happening.
Looks like 'Easy Monday' wasn't so easy for some of you. I did get a lot of email with the right answer though.
"Hatty told Matty, 'Let's don't take a chance. Let's not be L-Seven, come and learn to dance.' __ __, __ __ (repeat a bunch)" Clues: This record was the first American single to sell one million during the British Invasion. Stayed on the Hot 100 for 18 weeks. The band had another record based on a children's story. Two words in the title and they don't mean a thing. Huh?
Today we went to Central Plaza again. This time we had a mission. We were looking for an air-brush kit so Lisa can experiment with that process. When we arrived at the mall it wasn't open. They are still operating on an 11am start time. A stop at Starbucks for iced coffee passed a little time. Then we went into Robinson with the idea of going upstairs and into the book store. Lisa spotted some sandals by Scholl that looked similar to the MBTs she used to wear. The sole is curved like a rocking chair so you sort of roll through each step. It's great for the body and posture. They didn't have her size but it peaked my interest so we went to the men's department. I found a pair and wore them out. At the big book and art supply store we saw many things, but not what we wanted. Back into the mall we discovered a Next Beat Apple store. They had the power supply we needed for one of our laptops. Things were looking up. After browsing at Banana IT we got some paper and then went into the huge electronics store. Way too much to look at in one visit. The whole morning was fun and informative. The crowd was building as we left.
Out on the streets the 'water stations' were getting started. Kids of all ages, with buckets of every description were tossing water on cars and bikes. We got a few light hits but not the windshield drenching kind. This evening when I went into town to meet some friends, it looked like it had rained. This was due to the pick-up trucks that roam around with big drums of water, with teen-agers throwing it at passing cars and at other trucks. Down at the river it looked like a festival was going on. There were lots of people in the water, and all of the little eating platforms were in use. This is the first year for this and I'm sure it won't be the last.
We got a call today from our friend Joe, from Emerald Thai in Culver City. He's in Chiang Mai for the holiday and invited us to come there and visit him next week. He wants to take us up to Doi Inthanon. It's the highest mountain in all of Thailand. He used to be in the Air Force and was a Commander stationed there. There are many species of birds, tons of wild orchids, and waterfalls. The plan is for us to stay on the mountain overnight at one of the houses on the base. The adventure continues.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the pool was a hair over 83 this afternoon. After testing the water we decided to go in and it turned out to be very pleasant. It felt good to get the exercise that swimming provides. There is thunder in the distance tonight, and occasional flashes of lightning. Rain would be good, but it would also cool the pool. Oh, what to wish for? Hmm.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"A little light in a dark room is still a great illumination."
~Ernest Holmes
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Monday, April 11, 2011
Light
Hi,
The weather here has been hot and humid. Chiang Rai is now in full Songkran spirit with water being tossed and flower shirts everywhere. We went to an opening of a new project on Saturday, and watched the Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 'Old School' song was "Young Love" as sung by Tab Hunter. Now it's time for 'Easy Monday', and a silly song.
"Matty told Hatty, about a thing she saw. Had two big horns, and a wooly jaw. __ __, __ __ (repeat) Clue: This mega hit from '65 was about dancing. There's also a reference to an animal. Some thought the whole thing was a sham. It's easy.
Saturday evening we picked up our friend Atom and went to the opening of Prataap Jai, a community center operated by our friends Caty and Amber. It means 'To make an impression on the heart'. It's going to be a place where Thais and foreigners come together to learn art, yoga, music and dance. There was a huge crowd for the event and we met new people, and saw lots of friends. The center is in a four level shop house, and they had an art exhibit for the opening. There was also live music and lots of food and drink. We stayed for awhile and then went to Doi Chaang for a little hanging out. It was a great evening.
Sunday we did Big C, which was full of people getting their Songkran supplies. I got to see the true spirit of the holiday as I watched a mother lift her small daughter so she could sprinkle water on a statue of The Buddha. Later two older kids came to the table and did the same.
Today we went to the airport to try to transfer a ticket that we hadn't used. We're going to Bangkok in May for the opening of Khun Sompong's exhibit at the National Gallery. We have our hotel reservations booked and now we have our flights. The ticket we were trying to transfer had expired. What? Anyway, the first weekend in May we'll be in the big city.
The water tossing has begun in the villages. Kids with buckets waiting for cars and motorbikes like animals waiting for prey. The car got hit by a few in my afternoon travels. The key is to keep the windows closed. (Ha)
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within."
~Maya Angelou
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
The weather here has been hot and humid. Chiang Rai is now in full Songkran spirit with water being tossed and flower shirts everywhere. We went to an opening of a new project on Saturday, and watched the Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 'Old School' song was "Young Love" as sung by Tab Hunter. Now it's time for 'Easy Monday', and a silly song.
"Matty told Hatty, about a thing she saw. Had two big horns, and a wooly jaw. __ __, __ __ (repeat) Clue: This mega hit from '65 was about dancing. There's also a reference to an animal. Some thought the whole thing was a sham. It's easy.
Saturday evening we picked up our friend Atom and went to the opening of Prataap Jai, a community center operated by our friends Caty and Amber. It means 'To make an impression on the heart'. It's going to be a place where Thais and foreigners come together to learn art, yoga, music and dance. There was a huge crowd for the event and we met new people, and saw lots of friends. The center is in a four level shop house, and they had an art exhibit for the opening. There was also live music and lots of food and drink. We stayed for awhile and then went to Doi Chaang for a little hanging out. It was a great evening.
Sunday we did Big C, which was full of people getting their Songkran supplies. I got to see the true spirit of the holiday as I watched a mother lift her small daughter so she could sprinkle water on a statue of The Buddha. Later two older kids came to the table and did the same.
Today we went to the airport to try to transfer a ticket that we hadn't used. We're going to Bangkok in May for the opening of Khun Sompong's exhibit at the National Gallery. We have our hotel reservations booked and now we have our flights. The ticket we were trying to transfer had expired. What? Anyway, the first weekend in May we'll be in the big city.
The water tossing has begun in the villages. Kids with buckets waiting for cars and motorbikes like animals waiting for prey. The car got hit by a few in my afternoon travels. The key is to keep the windows closed. (Ha)
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within."
~Maya Angelou
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, April 8, 2011
Friday Funnies
Hi,
It was a quiet day on the compound. Overcast sky and more humid heat kept us inside all day. Lisa helped a friend with some written English and finished another print. The pool is not 'ready' yet.
The 'Summer of Love' song was "When I Was Young" by Eric Burdon & The Animals. 'Old School Friday' is next. Does this tune ring any bells? "They say for every boy and girl there's just one love in this whole world and I know I've found mine. The heavenly touch of your embrace, tells me no one could take your place, ever in my heart.
__ __, first love filled with true devotion..." Clue: This '57 hit was by a matinee idol of the time. The theme has a connection with our 'Summer' song. Hmm.
Today was laid-back Friday around here. Nothing special, just reading, visiting with the dogs, and hanging out. After lunch our friend Khun Sompong, from 9 Art Gallery, came over to review some work Lisa had done for him. He's having a major art exhibition at the National Gallery in Bangkok in May, and he had a biography that was translated from Thai to English. Lisa did some 'polishing' and today was the day to go over it together. We plan to go to Bangkok for the opening of his show next month.
On the way to the New Life Foundation I pass a series of signs indicating a place called 'Happy City'. Before I knew anything about it, I thought it was just a cute name a village gave itself. I have since discovered that it's a major building project by a Korean developer. There will be golf courses and a big housing development. The entire northern region is entering a new phase. It will be interesting to see how it all comes together.
I can hear the thumping of a bass guitar in the distance. That can mean only one thing; it's show time at the fairgrounds. We're in for a week long celebration of Songkran. The official start is next Wednesday, but why waste a weekend? Party on.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
More English Translations:
In a Bangkok dry cleaner's:
Drop your trousers here for best results.
Outside a Paris dress shop:
Dresses for street walking.
In a Rhodes tailor shop:
Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute
customers in strict rotation.
In a Zurich hotel:
Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the
opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby
be used for this purpose.
In a Rome laundry:
Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon
having a good time.
Advertisement for donkey rides in Thailand:
Would you like to ride on your own ass?
In a Swiss mountain inn:
Special today -- no ice cream.
In a Bangkok temple:
It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed
as a man.
In a Tokyo bar:
Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts.
In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:
We take your bags and send them in all directions.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
It was a quiet day on the compound. Overcast sky and more humid heat kept us inside all day. Lisa helped a friend with some written English and finished another print. The pool is not 'ready' yet.
The 'Summer of Love' song was "When I Was Young" by Eric Burdon & The Animals. 'Old School Friday' is next. Does this tune ring any bells? "They say for every boy and girl there's just one love in this whole world and I know I've found mine. The heavenly touch of your embrace, tells me no one could take your place, ever in my heart.
__ __, first love filled with true devotion..." Clue: This '57 hit was by a matinee idol of the time. The theme has a connection with our 'Summer' song. Hmm.
Today was laid-back Friday around here. Nothing special, just reading, visiting with the dogs, and hanging out. After lunch our friend Khun Sompong, from 9 Art Gallery, came over to review some work Lisa had done for him. He's having a major art exhibition at the National Gallery in Bangkok in May, and he had a biography that was translated from Thai to English. Lisa did some 'polishing' and today was the day to go over it together. We plan to go to Bangkok for the opening of his show next month.
On the way to the New Life Foundation I pass a series of signs indicating a place called 'Happy City'. Before I knew anything about it, I thought it was just a cute name a village gave itself. I have since discovered that it's a major building project by a Korean developer. There will be golf courses and a big housing development. The entire northern region is entering a new phase. It will be interesting to see how it all comes together.
I can hear the thumping of a bass guitar in the distance. That can mean only one thing; it's show time at the fairgrounds. We're in for a week long celebration of Songkran. The official start is next Wednesday, but why waste a weekend? Party on.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
More English Translations:
In a Bangkok dry cleaner's:
Drop your trousers here for best results.
Outside a Paris dress shop:
Dresses for street walking.
In a Rhodes tailor shop:
Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute
customers in strict rotation.
In a Zurich hotel:
Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the
opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby
be used for this purpose.
In a Rome laundry:
Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon
having a good time.
Advertisement for donkey rides in Thailand:
Would you like to ride on your own ass?
In a Swiss mountain inn:
Special today -- no ice cream.
In a Bangkok temple:
It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed
as a man.
In a Tokyo bar:
Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts.
In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:
We take your bags and send them in all directions.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Part
Hi,
Chiang Rai had a hot, overcast day that ended in rain in parts of town this evening. We went to the market this morning, had lunch in town with a friend, and the pool is getting warmer.
Well, it looks like a few of you remembered this tune. The 'Summer of Love' brought us some deep thoughts.
"My faith was so much stronger then. I believed in my fellow men. I was really so much older then, __ __ __ __."
Hint: What's the opposite of old? This group did not want to be misunderstood, even though they acted like animals.
We hadn't been to the market lately, but we needed some material for another 'bed cover' for the dogs. After getting the perfect parking place next to the entrance we strolled into the main aisle just to look around. There were lots of people at the gold counter, buying gifts for the Songkran holiday. There seemed to be a lot of activity in general. We found the material we were looking for and now we have to take it out to Khun Gahn for sewing.
Our lunch date was with our good friend Atom. We picked her up at work and went to the Vietnamese restaurant that we like. It was a fun time catching up on things in our lives. The restaurant is operated by an artist we know.
This afternoon I drove out to the New Life Foundation. On my way home, as I passed through a village, there was a bunch of kids already throwing water on cars in the Songkran tradition. They were a little early but it was a hot day.
I went into town this evening just as we heard thunder in the distance. There were a few drops on the windshield, but not really rain. An hour later I called Lisa to say I was coming home. She told me there had been a brief, intense downpour. The car was wet but the ground was dry. Two blocks north the street was wet. The rain just fell in selected places. What?
Today the pool was up to 82 degrees. The water level is down just a little bit. Maybe tomorrow we'll stick our toes in the water and go for a swim.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"I am part of all that I have met."
~Ulysses, from Homer's 'Odyssey'
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Chiang Rai had a hot, overcast day that ended in rain in parts of town this evening. We went to the market this morning, had lunch in town with a friend, and the pool is getting warmer.
Well, it looks like a few of you remembered this tune. The 'Summer of Love' brought us some deep thoughts.
"My faith was so much stronger then. I believed in my fellow men. I was really so much older then, __ __ __ __."
Hint: What's the opposite of old? This group did not want to be misunderstood, even though they acted like animals.
We hadn't been to the market lately, but we needed some material for another 'bed cover' for the dogs. After getting the perfect parking place next to the entrance we strolled into the main aisle just to look around. There were lots of people at the gold counter, buying gifts for the Songkran holiday. There seemed to be a lot of activity in general. We found the material we were looking for and now we have to take it out to Khun Gahn for sewing.
Our lunch date was with our good friend Atom. We picked her up at work and went to the Vietnamese restaurant that we like. It was a fun time catching up on things in our lives. The restaurant is operated by an artist we know.
This afternoon I drove out to the New Life Foundation. On my way home, as I passed through a village, there was a bunch of kids already throwing water on cars in the Songkran tradition. They were a little early but it was a hot day.
I went into town this evening just as we heard thunder in the distance. There were a few drops on the windshield, but not really rain. An hour later I called Lisa to say I was coming home. She told me there had been a brief, intense downpour. The car was wet but the ground was dry. Two blocks north the street was wet. The rain just fell in selected places. What?
Today the pool was up to 82 degrees. The water level is down just a little bit. Maybe tomorrow we'll stick our toes in the water and go for a swim.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"I am part of all that I have met."
~Ulysses, from Homer's 'Odyssey'
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Miracle
Hi,
Today was a different kind of day here in Chiang Rai. It started with an overcast sky and a muggy feeling that became an afternoon rain. It always happens right before Songkran.
The 'Easy Monday' song was "War" by Edwin Starr. Barry noted that The Temptations recorded it first, then the label Starr was signed to was bought by Motown and Starr did it for the hit. Hmm. 'Summer of Love' can mean only one thing, we're going back to '67 for a song some will remember. It's from a group from 'over there'.
"The rooms were so much colder then, my father was a soldier then, and times were very hard __ __ __ __, __ __ __ __." Hint: It's a song of reflection on earlier times in the singers life. The group was a singer and a band.
This morning I ran a few errands while Lisa tried out a new hair guy. It's always fun to experience morning on the boulevard. A simple conversation with the watch guy, discovering that he and his family will be in town for the holiday. At the pharmacy they not only will close for Songkran, they'll be going on a vacation in May. Every year the couple who own the warehouse take a tour type vacation to somewhere in this part of the world.
Traffic during the day is pretty mellow since most of the schools are on a break. I'm working on learning new alternate routes for when things start to get busy. There is a giant building under construction across from the government hospital and once it's completed, it will create more traffic on a street we use. Chiang Rai is still small enough to get across town in ten minutes.
This afternoon the wind started blowing. This is the usual sign that rain is coming. At first there was just a light sprinkle that lasted just a few minutes. Then more wind and then a downpour. It's good to get rain in this area since it's been so dry. By contrast, the south has had too much rain and there has been serious flooding in many areas. We'll settle for an occasional rain like today.
Today was one of those mellow days. There's excitement on the horizon, but for now we're just enjoying what is.
Time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"The miracle is not to walk on water,
but to walk with love on earth -
as if your feet are kissing the ground."
~Thich Nhat Hanh
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Today was a different kind of day here in Chiang Rai. It started with an overcast sky and a muggy feeling that became an afternoon rain. It always happens right before Songkran.
The 'Easy Monday' song was "War" by Edwin Starr. Barry noted that The Temptations recorded it first, then the label Starr was signed to was bought by Motown and Starr did it for the hit. Hmm. 'Summer of Love' can mean only one thing, we're going back to '67 for a song some will remember. It's from a group from 'over there'.
"The rooms were so much colder then, my father was a soldier then, and times were very hard __ __ __ __, __ __ __ __." Hint: It's a song of reflection on earlier times in the singers life. The group was a singer and a band.
This morning I ran a few errands while Lisa tried out a new hair guy. It's always fun to experience morning on the boulevard. A simple conversation with the watch guy, discovering that he and his family will be in town for the holiday. At the pharmacy they not only will close for Songkran, they'll be going on a vacation in May. Every year the couple who own the warehouse take a tour type vacation to somewhere in this part of the world.
Traffic during the day is pretty mellow since most of the schools are on a break. I'm working on learning new alternate routes for when things start to get busy. There is a giant building under construction across from the government hospital and once it's completed, it will create more traffic on a street we use. Chiang Rai is still small enough to get across town in ten minutes.
This afternoon the wind started blowing. This is the usual sign that rain is coming. At first there was just a light sprinkle that lasted just a few minutes. Then more wind and then a downpour. It's good to get rain in this area since it's been so dry. By contrast, the south has had too much rain and there has been serious flooding in many areas. We'll settle for an occasional rain like today.
Today was one of those mellow days. There's excitement on the horizon, but for now we're just enjoying what is.
Time for Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"The miracle is not to walk on water,
but to walk with love on earth -
as if your feet are kissing the ground."
~Thich Nhat Hanh
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Flowers
Hi,
Today was a travel day, complete with a few twists and turns that we didn't expect. The excitement is building for the Songkran Festival next week as crowds are already enjoying hanging out by and in the river. It's so hot, the water throwing of Songkran will be welcome for some.
The 'Easy' song was recognized by the regular players. I'm sure some of you know this but are being shy. (Ha)
"__, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker. __, friend only to the undertaker. Oooh, __, it's an enemy to all mankind. The point of __ blows my mind..." Clue: The hit version of this song was actually a cover, from the same record company. 'Super Cool Points' if you know the original artist and the hit maker. If you don't know the song, you just don't know.
The plan for the morning was to leave for Mae Sai Immigration with enough time to arrive about 20 minutes before their lunch break. This would expedite the paperwork and get us out with a short wait. Ha! The best laid plans... We left with just enough time, but needed to get gas. A few minutes later we realized it was the morning we were to reserve our seats for the trip to America in July. We began looking for an internet cafe along the highway. After several stops we realized it was time to get to Mae Sai. We got there too late. "Come back after lunch, one hour." We found an internet station near the border with Burma, picked our seats, and had lunch at the big hotel. As we ate, Lisa wondered why they made so much food when no one was around to eat it. My guess was that the tour buses hadn't returned from the morning excursions. Just as we got up to leave, a huge crowd of Thai tourists poured off a bus and into the dining room. The 'High Season' may be over, but people still like to visit "The North."
We did a little sidewalk shopping to kill some time before returning to immigration. I got a couple of rechargeable LED flashlights and Lisa found a nice leather waist bag. Back at immigration I filled out a form, handed over both passports and waited for them to set things up. We took copies of things we thought they'd need, but they wanted pages we didn't expect. It always happens that we end up going to the copy booth in the driveway for more paper. There is a set-up like this at every office. Someone to make copies and someone else to take your picture. This time we had the pictures just in case, and they wanted one. We left thinking it was all done. Then Lisa noticed there was no re-entry visa in my passport. A U-turn later we were back, trying to get an explanation. The new passport requires a new re-entry stamp. The one I bought before was now void. Fill out another form, give us some money and you can come back in after you leave. Oh, thank you so much. Hmm. It's all settled now and there's nothing to do until our next check-in in May. The adventure continues.
The beach next to the bridge we cross on a daily basis has been transformed over the last week. Make-shift food stands made from bamboo and netting, tables and floating platforms for eating, and carnival machinery now 'live' on the beach. This evening there were some people in the water, others were eating on the 6'x6' platforms, and children were running around having fun. This weekend we'll probably start hearing the music from the big stage at the fairgrounds on the shore. It's the time of year when many Thais return to the villages where they grew up, to be with family. Many foreigners leave the country to avoid the burning of crop refuse that usually comes at this time, along with being annoyed with the throwing of water. We just stay and close the windows in the car and the house. It's all a part of why we're here.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"We are all flowers in the Great Spirit's garden.
We share a common root. The garden is
beautiful because it has different colors in it,
and those colors represent different
traditions and cultural backgrounds."
~Grandfather David Monongye, Hopi
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Today was a travel day, complete with a few twists and turns that we didn't expect. The excitement is building for the Songkran Festival next week as crowds are already enjoying hanging out by and in the river. It's so hot, the water throwing of Songkran will be welcome for some.
The 'Easy' song was recognized by the regular players. I'm sure some of you know this but are being shy. (Ha)
"__, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker. __, friend only to the undertaker. Oooh, __, it's an enemy to all mankind. The point of __ blows my mind..." Clue: The hit version of this song was actually a cover, from the same record company. 'Super Cool Points' if you know the original artist and the hit maker. If you don't know the song, you just don't know.
The plan for the morning was to leave for Mae Sai Immigration with enough time to arrive about 20 minutes before their lunch break. This would expedite the paperwork and get us out with a short wait. Ha! The best laid plans... We left with just enough time, but needed to get gas. A few minutes later we realized it was the morning we were to reserve our seats for the trip to America in July. We began looking for an internet cafe along the highway. After several stops we realized it was time to get to Mae Sai. We got there too late. "Come back after lunch, one hour." We found an internet station near the border with Burma, picked our seats, and had lunch at the big hotel. As we ate, Lisa wondered why they made so much food when no one was around to eat it. My guess was that the tour buses hadn't returned from the morning excursions. Just as we got up to leave, a huge crowd of Thai tourists poured off a bus and into the dining room. The 'High Season' may be over, but people still like to visit "The North."
We did a little sidewalk shopping to kill some time before returning to immigration. I got a couple of rechargeable LED flashlights and Lisa found a nice leather waist bag. Back at immigration I filled out a form, handed over both passports and waited for them to set things up. We took copies of things we thought they'd need, but they wanted pages we didn't expect. It always happens that we end up going to the copy booth in the driveway for more paper. There is a set-up like this at every office. Someone to make copies and someone else to take your picture. This time we had the pictures just in case, and they wanted one. We left thinking it was all done. Then Lisa noticed there was no re-entry visa in my passport. A U-turn later we were back, trying to get an explanation. The new passport requires a new re-entry stamp. The one I bought before was now void. Fill out another form, give us some money and you can come back in after you leave. Oh, thank you so much. Hmm. It's all settled now and there's nothing to do until our next check-in in May. The adventure continues.
The beach next to the bridge we cross on a daily basis has been transformed over the last week. Make-shift food stands made from bamboo and netting, tables and floating platforms for eating, and carnival machinery now 'live' on the beach. This evening there were some people in the water, others were eating on the 6'x6' platforms, and children were running around having fun. This weekend we'll probably start hearing the music from the big stage at the fairgrounds on the shore. It's the time of year when many Thais return to the villages where they grew up, to be with family. Many foreigners leave the country to avoid the burning of crop refuse that usually comes at this time, along with being annoyed with the throwing of water. We just stay and close the windows in the car and the house. It's all a part of why we're here.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"We are all flowers in the Great Spirit's garden.
We share a common root. The garden is
beautiful because it has different colors in it,
and those colors represent different
traditions and cultural backgrounds."
~Grandfather David Monongye, Hopi
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Monday, April 4, 2011
Dance
Hi,
Chiang Rai's hot weather can't seem to hold us down. We had another busy weekend. An art show opening, an afternoon at a hillside cottage, dinner at the golf course, and of course Big C.
The 'Old School' song was none other than Elvis singing "Don't Be Cruel". It's time for 'Easy Monday' and I hope you all remember: "__, huh, yeah. What is it good for, absolutely nothin'..." Clue: If you really need a clue, there's a lot of it going on right now.
Saturday morning we had to be at the Rimkok Hotel at 8:30am for several ceremonies. The first one was for the memory of various deceased artists. We don't know what the time span was, but there were eight Buddhist monks seated in front of the audience, and a man who led the chants, seated off to the side. This went on for quite some time. Then there was the presentation of flowers in honor of the birthday of the oldest of the Royal Princesses. Various dignitaries came forward and were handed a bouquet that they placed on a special table. After that some of the artists that were teachers were honored with framed certificates. Then we went upstairs in the hotel, to a large room where more things were handed out and finally, the formal presentation of all of the artwork to a representative of the Provincial Government. It was now time for group pictures of all the artists. Some of the students who participated were given awards for their work, and it was all over.
The evening art opening was held at a place called Rai Maefarluang. It is a beautiful park with a big lake and many very large, old trees. Rai Maefarluang has a permanent installation all about the history of the teak tree. It's very interesting. The artist is an expat from Denmark that we've known for quite some time. He makes collages out of cut-out pictures. Imagine houses pieced together to create a pattern. There was a very large turnout for the event, and he even had the string quartet from the Chiang Rai Youth Orchestra playing in the lobby. We had lots of great visits with many friends. One of the highlights was a dramatic photographic portrait of the artist done by our friend Chalit.
Sunday morning we went to Big C for shopping. As I suspected, even with the opening of Central Plaza, folks were still shopping at Big C. The place was humming with people. There are some who questioned the wisdom of putting up a mall across the highway, but lower prices will always attract shoppers.
We got a call from Jaffee asking if we'd like to go up to the cottage of Khun Wim. We'd heard a lot about him from our new friend Bron. She stays in one of the cottages that he rents out. We agreed to go up for a visit and then go to dinner. We followed Jaffee up the main road near our house. It wasn't as far as I thought it would be. We turned onto a dirt road wide enough for one vehicle and went up a hill to a cluster of little houses in the woods. It was like being transported into the mountains. Khun Wim speaks very good English and has a sophistication that caught us by surprise. He used to work for the government, training farmers in new ways to grow new crops. It was part of the program instituted by the Princess Mother years ago to get rid of the opium cultivation. He's also a collector of guitars. He brought out a custom made number that he designed and had made out of Thai woods. We had a fun time and I ended up jamming with a young friend of his who plays in a band. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of Khun Wim in the future.
We left the 'party' and went to the old airport golf course for dinner. While we waited for our order, we fooled around with the new billiard table that had recently been installed. Just some silly fun. The food was good and we had one end of the place to ourselves so it was nice.
Today we went to town and got the car washed, had coffee, and bought a new Thai flag for the front of the house. Tomorrow we'll go to Mae Sai to extend my visa, now that I have a new passport.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Dance to the music of your heart and
the audience will surely applaud."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Chiang Rai's hot weather can't seem to hold us down. We had another busy weekend. An art show opening, an afternoon at a hillside cottage, dinner at the golf course, and of course Big C.
The 'Old School' song was none other than Elvis singing "Don't Be Cruel". It's time for 'Easy Monday' and I hope you all remember: "__, huh, yeah. What is it good for, absolutely nothin'..." Clue: If you really need a clue, there's a lot of it going on right now.
Saturday morning we had to be at the Rimkok Hotel at 8:30am for several ceremonies. The first one was for the memory of various deceased artists. We don't know what the time span was, but there were eight Buddhist monks seated in front of the audience, and a man who led the chants, seated off to the side. This went on for quite some time. Then there was the presentation of flowers in honor of the birthday of the oldest of the Royal Princesses. Various dignitaries came forward and were handed a bouquet that they placed on a special table. After that some of the artists that were teachers were honored with framed certificates. Then we went upstairs in the hotel, to a large room where more things were handed out and finally, the formal presentation of all of the artwork to a representative of the Provincial Government. It was now time for group pictures of all the artists. Some of the students who participated were given awards for their work, and it was all over.
The evening art opening was held at a place called Rai Maefarluang. It is a beautiful park with a big lake and many very large, old trees. Rai Maefarluang has a permanent installation all about the history of the teak tree. It's very interesting. The artist is an expat from Denmark that we've known for quite some time. He makes collages out of cut-out pictures. Imagine houses pieced together to create a pattern. There was a very large turnout for the event, and he even had the string quartet from the Chiang Rai Youth Orchestra playing in the lobby. We had lots of great visits with many friends. One of the highlights was a dramatic photographic portrait of the artist done by our friend Chalit.
Sunday morning we went to Big C for shopping. As I suspected, even with the opening of Central Plaza, folks were still shopping at Big C. The place was humming with people. There are some who questioned the wisdom of putting up a mall across the highway, but lower prices will always attract shoppers.
We got a call from Jaffee asking if we'd like to go up to the cottage of Khun Wim. We'd heard a lot about him from our new friend Bron. She stays in one of the cottages that he rents out. We agreed to go up for a visit and then go to dinner. We followed Jaffee up the main road near our house. It wasn't as far as I thought it would be. We turned onto a dirt road wide enough for one vehicle and went up a hill to a cluster of little houses in the woods. It was like being transported into the mountains. Khun Wim speaks very good English and has a sophistication that caught us by surprise. He used to work for the government, training farmers in new ways to grow new crops. It was part of the program instituted by the Princess Mother years ago to get rid of the opium cultivation. He's also a collector of guitars. He brought out a custom made number that he designed and had made out of Thai woods. We had a fun time and I ended up jamming with a young friend of his who plays in a band. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of Khun Wim in the future.
We left the 'party' and went to the old airport golf course for dinner. While we waited for our order, we fooled around with the new billiard table that had recently been installed. Just some silly fun. The food was good and we had one end of the place to ourselves so it was nice.
Today we went to town and got the car washed, had coffee, and bought a new Thai flag for the front of the house. Tomorrow we'll go to Mae Sai to extend my visa, now that I have a new passport.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Dance to the music of your heart and
the audience will surely applaud."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Funnies
Hi,
It was a warm, busy day in Chiang Rai. We just returned from the opening of an art exhibition. Stay tuned and I'll start from the beginning.
'Summer of Love' was filled with "Nights In White Satin" by The Moody Blues. 'Old School Friday' goes to 1956:
"You know I can be found, sitting home all alone. If you can't come around, at least please telephone. __ __ __ to a heart that's true." Hint: It would be mean to give too many clues on this one. Let's just say the singer rocked the jailhouse and leave it at that.
This morning Boot went to Ban Du to work with her former mother-in-law selling lottery tickets. Lisa worked on the finishing touches to her print for the '100 Artists' project. We went back to Central Plaza for lunch. After cruising all the eating places we settled on Sizzler. On our way to the restaurant I noticed that CAT (our former internet provider) was having an opening of their outlet in the mall. Pictures were being taken with key players and I noticed my friend Nucha standing in the pose. We made eye contact and I waved. That's when he broke from the pose and came out to invite us to come be in the picture. I kept saying how we weren't customers anymore. One of the women who I dealt with at the office came over and wouldn't take no for an answer. She kept saying 'Thai tradition', so we stood there with a bunch of people from CAT and had our picture taken. As we left, they gave us a gift, which turned out to be a coffee mug.
While we were eating our lunch at a window table watching the mall traffic, a couple passed by and the woman smiled and nodded to us. We couldn't place her until we realized it was probably a friend of Boot's that we met briefly at the house. Just as we'd finished our meal, our friend Jaa walked by. We saw each other and she came in and we had a visit.
After lunch it was time for Lisa to go back to the Rimkok for the final 'work day'. A few hours later I went to the hotel to pick her up and we looked at all the work that had been created this week. It's hard to believe that some of the pieces were created in just a few days. We went back to the house for a short time and then returned to the hotel for the closing dinner. Lisa made lots of new friends this week, shared the process she uses, and learned things from other artists. Tomorrow we'll go back in the morning for a ceremony for various artists that have died, and then another ceremony closing the project and giving the art to the government building.
The dinner at the Rimkok was still going when we left. We wanted to go to the opening of an exhibit at a new gallery in town that was showing eight artists who were also at the Rimkok project. We went to Doi Chaang for coffee and then drove down to the gallery. When we arrived, there were people standing in the street, crowded around for the opening ceremony. The energy was high, since many in the crowd were friends of the artists. Part of the opening included a glee club from the new Chiang Rai International School. The kids sang something, we don't know what it was, but they did it well, and stayed for the show. The presenter of the exhibit was the director of the school. Lisa knew the artists from the week, and past shows at 9 Art Gallery, but we'd never seen their work. This was a great evening of discovery and connection.
Tomorrow night we will attend another art opening at the Rai Maefarluang Gallery, which is set in a government compound that is like a big park. This has really been an 'Art Week' for us.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. Time for more 'Funnies'.
Peace,
Danny
More Funny English Notices
In a Yugoslavian hotel:
The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the
chambermaid.
In a Japanese hotel:
You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox
monastery:
You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and
Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except
Thursday.
In an Austrian hotel catering to skiers:
Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the
boots of ascension.
On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
It was a warm, busy day in Chiang Rai. We just returned from the opening of an art exhibition. Stay tuned and I'll start from the beginning.
'Summer of Love' was filled with "Nights In White Satin" by The Moody Blues. 'Old School Friday' goes to 1956:
"You know I can be found, sitting home all alone. If you can't come around, at least please telephone. __ __ __ to a heart that's true." Hint: It would be mean to give too many clues on this one. Let's just say the singer rocked the jailhouse and leave it at that.
This morning Boot went to Ban Du to work with her former mother-in-law selling lottery tickets. Lisa worked on the finishing touches to her print for the '100 Artists' project. We went back to Central Plaza for lunch. After cruising all the eating places we settled on Sizzler. On our way to the restaurant I noticed that CAT (our former internet provider) was having an opening of their outlet in the mall. Pictures were being taken with key players and I noticed my friend Nucha standing in the pose. We made eye contact and I waved. That's when he broke from the pose and came out to invite us to come be in the picture. I kept saying how we weren't customers anymore. One of the women who I dealt with at the office came over and wouldn't take no for an answer. She kept saying 'Thai tradition', so we stood there with a bunch of people from CAT and had our picture taken. As we left, they gave us a gift, which turned out to be a coffee mug.
While we were eating our lunch at a window table watching the mall traffic, a couple passed by and the woman smiled and nodded to us. We couldn't place her until we realized it was probably a friend of Boot's that we met briefly at the house. Just as we'd finished our meal, our friend Jaa walked by. We saw each other and she came in and we had a visit.
After lunch it was time for Lisa to go back to the Rimkok for the final 'work day'. A few hours later I went to the hotel to pick her up and we looked at all the work that had been created this week. It's hard to believe that some of the pieces were created in just a few days. We went back to the house for a short time and then returned to the hotel for the closing dinner. Lisa made lots of new friends this week, shared the process she uses, and learned things from other artists. Tomorrow we'll go back in the morning for a ceremony for various artists that have died, and then another ceremony closing the project and giving the art to the government building.
The dinner at the Rimkok was still going when we left. We wanted to go to the opening of an exhibit at a new gallery in town that was showing eight artists who were also at the Rimkok project. We went to Doi Chaang for coffee and then drove down to the gallery. When we arrived, there were people standing in the street, crowded around for the opening ceremony. The energy was high, since many in the crowd were friends of the artists. Part of the opening included a glee club from the new Chiang Rai International School. The kids sang something, we don't know what it was, but they did it well, and stayed for the show. The presenter of the exhibit was the director of the school. Lisa knew the artists from the week, and past shows at 9 Art Gallery, but we'd never seen their work. This was a great evening of discovery and connection.
Tomorrow night we will attend another art opening at the Rai Maefarluang Gallery, which is set in a government compound that is like a big park. This has really been an 'Art Week' for us.
Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. Time for more 'Funnies'.
Peace,
Danny
More Funny English Notices
In a Yugoslavian hotel:
The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the
chambermaid.
In a Japanese hotel:
You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox
monastery:
You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and
Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except
Thursday.
In an Austrian hotel catering to skiers:
Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the
boots of ascension.
On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com
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