Friday, March 30, 2012

Friday Funnies

Hi,

The day after a vacation, even a small one, leaves one with that 'What just happened' feeling. Today we were back into life in Chiang Rai. Makro in the morning, tailor in the afternoon and Le Meridien in between.

That 'Bad Ass Bass' tune was "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder. See, you really should ponder the clues and hints. Maybe when you 'hear' the 'Old School Friday' song you'll feel better. "Put on your red dress baby, ya know we're goin' out tonight (repeat) And bring along some boxin' gloves, 'case some fool might wanna fight. Put on your __ __ __, wear your wig-hat on your head..." Hint: This 1964 hit was about an item of clothing that seemed, at the time, pretty crazy. It was a basic R&B/Blues song that swept through the clubs and was a big radio request.

We needed veggies for our juice drink so we went to Makro early this morning. The day after 'not much to do' we found ourselves in the midst of a schedule with timing and everything. We had to be back from Makro, have our drink and then wrap Lisa's print so we could load it into our truck that Jaffee was bringing over. Once the print was bubble-wrapped and in the truck Jaffee took it to Le Meridien, and we followed. We hung out at the hotel with Amber and Chalit, who were working on the display of art.

This afternoon Daku was more than happy to come upstairs and take a nap with us. He'd been coming up to our bedroom while we were away. We all relaxed and then it was over. The internet connection had been misbehaving since we got back from the island. I finally called 3BB, our provider and talked to a tech specialist. She had me do a few things and then it was going better than before. I think they fixed something on their end but wouldn't admit it. Anyway, it works and that's what counts.

I tore myself away from the speeding internet and we went into town to see the tailor who had made slacks for Lisa. In the middle of our afternoon run Lisa got a text from Jaffee stating that the ASEAN TV station wanted to do a piece on her show in Chiang Mai. They want to interview her so it looks like we may be going on another road trip Sunday. Details are still coming in so I don't know for sure, but it's pretty exciting.

Reflecting on our trip to Koh Samet, one of the things we enjoyed was watching the children play. There is something about the sand and ocean that makes kids of all ages giddy and care-free. Local kids and tourist kids all seemed to have a lot of fun. I think it's due in part to the fact that the adults were less uptight. It was cool watching parents and kids playing games and doing silly things together. There was a definite lightening of the heart. Hmm.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. And now, some 'Funnies'.

Peace,
Danny

A Few One-Liners and Observations

Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and thought to myself, "Where the heck is the ceiling?"

Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this-- ever.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Door

Hi,

We're back in Chiang Rai and it feels good to be home. Each segment of our trip home was quick and without hassles. That's how we like to travel. I only wish I could have brought back the clean air. Rain is in the forecast for the weekend. Maybe we'll get another 'washing'.

Here we are on day two of the 'Bad Ass Bass' song. A few of you got it. Here's more to get you in the groove:
"__ __ those days could come back once more. Why did those days ev-er have to go? (Repeat)" Clue: OK, you just sang the chorus. I really wish you could remember, it's such a fun song.

This morning we had our last breakfast at the resort and packed our bags early. It was nice to be able to sit at the shore and wait for the speedboat rather than rush to meet it. The driver went to the wrong part of the beach, but the office directed him to us by phone. When we got to Ban Phe, the mainland point of departure to the island, we had to wait for our 'taxi' to Bangkok. This time it really was a taxi, but off the meter. He got us to the airport in 2 hours, which gave us time to have lunch before our flight home.

For our trip from BKK to Chiang Rai we chose a different airline than we usually take. Orient Thai Airways is one of the new kids on the block for servicing our town. They had a flight that left in the mid afternoon and that worked well with our schedule. We usually have to wait for the evening flight, which can leave us in the big airport for most of a day. The flight was on time and arrived when they said it would. I can see us using them more often. It was weird leaving the baggage area and having no one to greet us. We left the car at the airport and the total cost for five days parking was $8.

Lisa called Boot from the car to have her put the dogs in the pen until we got home. That way we could enter the house without a stampede. When we arrived the dogs were in the kitchen, but they behaved better than ever. I guess they're getting used to this going and coming home thing.

Now we move to the next chapter in our adventure. This weekend there will be a big open-house at Le Meridien Hotel, complete with an art exhibit, a fashion show and a wine-tasting party. Lisa's large, four-panel cast acrylic print about Chiang Rai will be on display. This all takes place on Saturday. Sunday is the last day of her Chiang Mai exhibit. We may be going back to Chiang Mai to pack up the show. At any rate, life is exciting and there's adventure around every bend.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,
Danny

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
~Milton Berle

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Become

Hi,

We're winding down to the end of our last full day here on Koh Samet. It's been a wonderful experience with lots of stories to tell. Hang on for more observations and fun from the island.

The 'Easy Monday' song was "Norwegian Wood", in case you hadn't noticed. For this weeks 'Bad Ass Bass' song we go to the bottom frequency of this tune: "Looking back on when I was a little nappy headed boy. Then my only worry was for Christmas what would be my toy... __ __ those days could come back once more. Why did those days ev-er have to go...." Clue: Since he was little, his fingertips have produced amazing music. He's yearning for the 'good old days' in this tune.

Tuesday we went into the ocean early. There weren't many people in the water and it was like a big lake. After paddling around for a while we decided to hit the pool. After a few laps it was time to just kick back in the sun. Lisa read and I listened to music. It was early for 'kid play' so the vibe was calm. It's very easy to drag out a morning doing nothing on a small island. We've been trying different places for lunch. All of the restaurants are beachfront establishments so you just walk along the beach, check the menus and look at the samples. The choices are mostly the same, with variations on preparation and presentation.

Even though this is a 'vacation spot' the island is not very developed. Water is brought over from the mainland as are most of the staples for the hotels and restaurants. At different times during the day we watched as the ferry boats would anchor off shore, and then a little flat barge thing would go out and load up an order and bring it close to shore. Then a tractor with a tiny trailer would back into the water and men would transfer the goods from barge to trailer. What's funny about this is that it's also how people are transferred from the ferry to the shore.

Last night we ate right next to one of the spots where the fire guys do their thing. The first night we saw them it was from a distance. Seeing them up close revealed that some of these guys have an artistic expression in the way they twirl and dance that is quite beautiful. There were also some little boys playing with the fire. I guess this will be their path, who knows?

Tonight we ate at the other end of the beach and had a different view of the bay. As the sun set, people were still playing in the water. The jet-ski was towing someone on a wake-board, the banana float carrying a group of screaming people was being towed into turns that would surely throw them off, and dogs were napping in the sand.

When we went to the coffee bar this afternoon we noticed a different table arrangement at our hotel's restaurant. There was also a guy setting up big speakers and a mixer. Hmm. "It's a party for Thai people" was the answer to our question. OK. When we returned from dinner they were going strong. Karaoke was in full effect and about 30 people were doing a line dance and singing along. They were having a ball. What's ironic is that from our cottage we can hear the same thumping sound we hear at home, from across the river.

Tomorrow we leave the island at 10am, then go by car to Bangkok. We'll fly home in time for dinner, after a wild greeting from the dogs.

Time for Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,
Danny

"When I let go of what I am,
I become what I might be."
~Lao Tzu

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Lifetime

Hi,

Monday on Koh Samet was a day of adventure. We walked, swam, bounced, explored, and still had time for a nap.

There were a few responses to the 'Easy Monday' song. Add your voice to the chorus and tell me what it is:
"She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh. I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath.
And when I awoke I was alone, this bird had flown. So I lit a fire, isn't it good, __ __?" Hint: You gotta be kidding.

One of the first things one must do on an island is sample the ocean water. We knew from our arrival that the water was warm. We slept way past 6:30am and had breakfast around 8, which seemed late. A little later we were walking into the ocean. The water is very warm and shallow in the bay where we're staying. The bottom feels like a washboard under the feet and is a little weird. We swam a little and then decided to check out the pool. The pool was warmer but just as interesting in terms of the 'bottom'. We entered from the steps and realized that it was a uniform depth like ours. Well, that is until the bottom just disappeared and treading became the order of the moment. There were no markings on the side of the pool, no indication that there was one corner of the pool that was deep. We laughed about it and a guy sitting on the side commented that the same thing happened to him.

After lunch we were looking at a map and Lisa noticed a place at the northern part of the island called Samet Village. We found out how to get there and went in search of the taxi stand. We were told that walking there would be difficult and we soon found out why. The 'taxi' on Samet is a pick-up truck. It's a very organized transportation system, but sitting on the seats was not very comfortable or safe so we stood behind the cab and held on to the roll bar. Hmm, roll bar? The road was compact dirt with pot-holes, gullies, and unexpected twists and turns. Just as we were sick of the ride it was over. Samet Village was part tourist district, and part local life. We went in and out of the shops, and observed the way things work on an island. On what appeared to be the main street there were two 7-11s right across the street from each other. Children rode motorbikes and ATVs, and it was clear that the local industry is tourism.

We had dinner on the beach in front of our 'resort'. It's more like a motel than a resort, but the word attracts more clients. In the evening they set up a few tables on the sand with candle light and that's where we had dinner. You can choose a dinner plate from samples that are then cooked over an outdoor grill while you wait, for a long time. It's delicious so the wait is worth it, but it seems that all the meals are cooked slowly on the island. Near the end of our meal we could see 'fire guys' off in the distance, twirling batons with fire on each end.

One thing that was bothering us was the fact that we couldn't connect with the hotel WiFi. The slip of paper with the password noted that the speed was 256k/516k, meaning we could expect old school dial-up. Then it hit me that my fairly new phone had some way to become it's own 'hot spot'. Without a lot of thinking I was able to follow directions and use the internet connection from my phone to connect my laptop to the rest of the world. Having said that, I will send you this message.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace,
Danny

"Reputation is made in a moment:
character is built in a lifetime."
~Unknown

Monday, March 26, 2012

Living

Hi,

I'm coming to you live from Koh Samet. We've been here for a day and a half and it's been wonderful so far. The air is clean, the water is warm, and the sand is almost as fine as flour.

The 'Old School Friday' song was "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. Now it's time for 'Easy Monday'. "I once had a girl or should I say, she once had me. She showed me her room isn't it good __ __?" Hint: This should be easy. If the four guys who sang this had been from Thailand they probably would have sung about Teak.

Sunday morning we were up at 5:30. After our usual morning routine we finished packing. While I was loading the luggage into the car Daku knew we were leaving and tried to get in the car. I'm sure he'd love it here. We drove ourselves to the airport and left the car there. It's only about $3.30 per day and since we had to be there so early, it made sense. Our flight to Bangkok was smooth and uneventful.

At Suvarnabhumi airport we were met by a woman from the transport service we hired to take us to Ban Phe. She had an iPad that had our name on the screen in large letters. Another use for the tablet. We had ordered a Carolla, but the driver arrived in a Camry. Nice upgrade without asking. The woman who drove us got us to the dock in Ban Phe right on time. We decided to take the 30 minute speedboat to the island instead of the 1 hour ferry. We were the only passengers as we bounced across the water. When we got to the island the driver backed the boat into shore and we had to take off our shoes, roll up our pants and wade onto the beach. That was after he took our luggage and walked it to the beach, and left it in the sand.

At the hotel office we were greeted by the National Park Ranger who wanted to collect the fee for visiting the park. The Island is, you guessed it, a National Park. When he asked me where I lived and I told him, we got the Thai rate.
We're staying at Vongdeuan Resort (Wongduwan). The place is unique in that the rooms are not connected, but separate structures, so you have the feeling that you're in your own little house. We're in The Cottage section. We're surrounded by tall trees and lush bushes. At night it's very quiet and even during the day it's pretty calm. We can hear the sound of motor boats from time to time but not any 'city sounds'. After we got settled we explored a little. The resort has a restaurant that's connected to a coffee shop/bar.

While we were eating a late lunch (almost 3pm) I went to the outdoor bar next to the restaurant to see if they might be showing the F1 race. The race had just started so we moved over there and watched until the rain slowed the race. We left and walked up the beach checking things out. Later we returned and watched the end of the race. Later in the evening, there was a fire show in front of another resort. There were three guys twirling poles with flames on each end. All we could see from a distance was fire spinning around. It was very dramatic.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about our Monday adventures on Koh Samet. We had quite a day.

Have a Great Week,

Peace,
Danny

"Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting."
~Karl Wallenda


Friday, March 23, 2012

Friday Funnies

Hi,

Chiang Rai is going through more of the same haze problem, but the overnight temps are creeping up. Maybe that's how they held a crowd across the river last night for a concert. Today we visited Makro, Mummy's, and Doi Chaang.

For those who care, the 'Bad Ass Bass' tune was "Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?" by Chicago. Nice bass line. OK, here's one to make you feel better. 'Old School Friday' and it comes from 1961, with a Western flavor:
"__, I'm __ for feeling so lonely. I'm __, __ for feeling so blue...." Clue: That should be enough to either remember it or make you lose your mind. Now it should be easy.

The air here might have been a tiny bit better, since I could see traces of blue if I looked directly overhead. Otherwise, is was just the same gray that seems to be wearing some people down. We went out early and got some supplies at Makro. We go there now more than anyplace else since they have the veggies we need for our drink and they have chicken for the dogs at a really good price.

This afternoon we went out to replenish our coffee supply. As we pulled out of the gate, I noticed a motorbike stopped in the street near our house. Beside the bike, on the street, was an injured bird. The rider had stopped to try and move the bird to the side of the road. We watched as he gently tried to coax the bird out of traffic. It was a very touching scene. The guy on the bike must have appeared to be a monster to the little bird, with helmet, face-shield and big jacket.

On the other side of the Pink Bridge is the 'beach' where various celebrations are held. The next one is Songkran and it begins on April 13 this year. People have begun setting up structures for food and drink and today we saw some kids in the river.

We drove down to Mummy's, on the south end of town to get some ground coffee. They didn't have any bags to put the coffee in so we decided to come back later. It actually took longer to resolve the whole thing than one sentence, but it was one of those 'lost in translation' moments. We like the coffee at Mummy's, but still enjoy Doi Chaang so we picked up a supply from them. While we were there we saw our friend Shannon, from The Sold Project. We had a nice visit following up on our Chiang Mai experience last weekend.

This weekend is the Formula One Grand Prix from Malaysia. I'll be recording it since I don't know if I'll get to see it on Koh Samet. My F1 senses tell me someone will be watching it on the island. Most of next week I'll be coming to you from what appears to be a tropical paradise. I'll let you know.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for some 'Funnies'.

Peace,
Danny

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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Choose

Hi,

It was another hot, smokey day in Chiang Rai. There has been talk of flying tanker planes over the town and spraying water, but I'm not sure that will really help. At least it's reached the attention of everyone and now the powers that be will have to step up. Meanwhile, I ran errands, we went to the market, and we visited a friend.

Well, I have to give a shout-out to my friend Pam, who knew the song. Where are the rest of you? I think you're getting soft out there, needing easy songs and giveaway clues. OK, here's our lyrics for today. It's all here:
"__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __? Does anybody really care. If so I can't imagine why, we've all got time enough to cry."
Clue: There are eight blanks in the verse, but only seven in the title. Really? Really.

Sometimes the mornings can be deceiving when trying to determine if the air is better. Hope can cloud perception and it looks better, but is really the same. Hmm. By mid-morning there was no doubt about the poor quality of the air. We're really feeling bad for the people who have no choice but to live and work in it 24 hours a day.

While Lisa got her massage I went downtown to get things. All the things were within a block so it made it easy. While I was driving I was reminded of the courtesy that drivers give to the Samlor operators. When one of these older men is trying to change lanes or make a turn, most drivers will give them the right of way. It's not an easy job, even for a young man, trying to peddle a three-wheeler with one or two passengers around town.

After lunch and a nap we went to the market to buy some material. Lisa had a pair of pants made by the seamstress lady and decided to have her make more. The couple who owns the big fabric shop are always very helpful. Today the wife showed Lisa some Spandex made in China and then mentioned that there was a better quality made in Japan. She also mention that it was more expensive. We looked at both and bought the material from Japan. She could have pointed us to the expensive material first, but she didn't. When Lisa told her we were taking it to Orn, the seamstress, to have pants made, she immediately started telling us about a tailor she goes to who knows how to make pants for women. She even called him to make sure he'd be in his shop and told him we were coming. What a great experience.

The tailor had an amazing memory. He took about 5 or 6 measurements and didn't write anything down until he was done. I guess we'll find out next Friday if he remembered correctly. (555)

We visited two friends this afternoon. The first was our friend Natty, who we've known since we got here. She's been helping her parents run the family restaurant and doesn't have much free time so we try to stop by and see her when we can. Then we went to see our friend Tye, who is running her sister's pharmacy while her sister and her husband vacation. We took her some fruit and just went to hang out. She brought us water and then gave Lisa a gift, and two little presents for my Mom for her birthday in May. It was a very thoughtful thing to do and it's not the first time she's done something like this. We learn a lot about the 'chain of respect', as I like to call it. Elders and ancestors are highly regarded in this culture.

We just finished season seven of So You Think You Can Dance. We've already seen season eight so now it's off to Australia for season one of their version of the show. This could go on a long time. Last weekend was the opening round of the Formula One season and I forgot to tell you to set your TiVo. Don't worry, there's lots more and I'll be reminding you.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,
Danny

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself, in any direction you choose."
~Dr. Seuss

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Opinion

Hi,

We are still on lock-down here in Chiang Rai. The air is very bad so we stay inside. The dogs are getting restless, and so are the people. Today we booked a trip way out of town.

I'm sitting here a little shocked that nobody knew/remembered "I'm Only Sleeping" by The Beatles. Oh well, here's another 'Bad Ass Bass' song to tickle your memory: "As I was walking down the street one day, a man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was on my watch, yeah that day." Clue: Big band from a windy city. That's all you get today.

This morning we woke up to the same gray, hazy sky that's been hanging there for weeks. I went for my massage and we went downtown for a meeting in the afternoon, but that was the extent of our outside stuff. We're trying to keep the dogs inside as much as possible but it's making them look at us like 'what's wrong?'. Today, Lisa put on a mask to take Daku out and he looked at her, determined that it was wrong, got upset, and then tried to take it off of her face. What an amazing dog. He knew it didn't belong there. Hmm.

We spent most of the afternoon researching coastal locations in Thailand where the air is clear. We finally settled on Koh Samet, an island off the coast of Rayong in the Indian Ocean. We've never been to that part of Thailand so this will be a totally new adventure. Getting there will also be a journey. We will fly to Bangkok, take a bus to the coast, and then a boat to the island. We'll leave on Sunday morning and return on Thursday. Now we just have to wait, inside.

The vet called today to let us know that BamBam's thyroid level was low so she'll keep taking her meds. It's nice to be able to provide good health care for the dogs and not have to worry about it being expensive.

When we were in Chiang Mai, we passed a booth in the mall and heard some beautiful music. I recognized the style so we went back. The man was just setting up for the day, but he pulled out a CD that included the music that was playing. It was a modern arrangement of a Buddhist chant and had a very soothing sound. The CD was 25 Baht ($.81) and includes 61 songs. Not all of them are really songs, but it blew me away that he had put this together and was practically giving it away. I guess he knows what's really important.

It's time for Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,
Danny

"Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality."
~Les Brown

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Time

Hi,

The top news story from Chiang Rai is the bad air. Today was the worst it's been in several weeks and there's no substantial rain in sight. We got a visit from the yard crew, took BamBam to the vet, and stayed inside all day. Now we're plotting a get-away.

It boggles my mind to think that no one knew the 'Easy Monday' song. At least not yet. Here's another verse to help:
"Everybody seems to think I'm lazy. I don't mind, I think they're crazy. Running everywhere at such a speed, till they find there's no need (there's no need). Please, don't spoil my day, I'm miles away and after all __ __ __."
Hint: You should know this one in your sleep, it's easy.

This morning we knew we couldn't take the dogs out to run since the air is so foul. Just as we were going to take them for a walk around the house, the gate opened and the yard crew came strolling in. We thought they'd be coming next week, but here they were. Khun Kek's wife brought the crew and set them up with work assignments. She speaks some English and was pretty organized about the approach. Lisa was able to communicate some special things she wanted done. This usually gets half-heard with her husband, who speaks very little English.

We took BamBam to see the vet this morning to have her thyroid levels checked. She's been taking a medication for an imbalance and it was time to re-check her to make sure everything is in proper balance. We also had Dr. Arnon check her kidney and liver functions. BamBam was a very good dog while on the table. We held her and talked to her and then it was over. She is a totally different dog than Daku when it comes to riding in the car. He likes to stick his head out of the window when we're sitting in traffic, but as soon as the wind hits his face he hits the floor. BamBam is the opposite, she loves to have her head in the wind. In fact, Lisa had to hold her back from trying to get her whole 'upper body' into the wind. She used to ride on Boot's motorbike when she was a puppy and she probably likes the feeling of the wind going through her fur. The total cost of the doctor visit and the tests was $25.

We are seriously considering taking a little vacation to get out of the smoke. I got an email from a friend who lives in Pai, which is southwest of us, and he is now in Cambodia waiting for the air to clear. I'm investigating locations in the south, along the coast or possibly the coast of Cambodia. Ease of travel will be a big factor since we don't want to spend half the time getting there. Hmm, if only we still had that helicopter. (555)

Oh, I have another word to add to the pile of words that end in the 'L' sound but can't be pronounced that way. When discussing the air pollution with our vet he asked, "Isn't it illegun to burn in your country?". At first I wasn't sure if I heard right and then it hit me. Yes, it's illegun to burn. You know what he was trying to say.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace,
Danny

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it
living someone else's life."
~Steve Jobs

Monday, March 19, 2012

Caring

Hi,

We're back home in Chiang Rai after an overnight trip to Chiang Mai. We've had a very busy weekend as you will soon see.

The 'Old School Friday' song was the classic "Crossroad Blues" as sung by Cream. The original was sung by Robert Johnson and recorded in 1936. Now it's time for 'Easy Monday'. "When I wake up early in the morning, lift my head, I'm still yawning. When I'm in the middle of a dream, stay in bed, float up stream. Please, don't wake me, no, don't shake me, leave me where I am, __ __ __." Hint: A perfect song for a Monday morning. Four lads sang this one during the 'invasion'.

Saturday we went to 9 Art Gallery for a small opening of an exhibit that featured the owner of the gallery and a good friend of ours. Khun Sompong and Khun Bob presented some older works and some pieces from new series they are both working on. Sompong's new work is a series based on the hand gesture called the 'wai', where both hands are brought together at varying levels in front of the face. The piece he showed featured just the hands, with smaller images surrounding them. It was very dramatic and we can't wait to see more. Bob exhibited some linocuts of village life that really told a story. We saw friends and had informative conversations about art.

Sunday morning Khun Sing picked us up at 8am and took us to the bus station for our three hour trip to Chiang Mai. We passed some of the time looking at the countryside, which was a treat for me. I don't get to enjoy it the same way when driving. After a little nap we watched some of our favorite TV shows on the iPad and that really made the time pass quickly. We stayed at the Orchid Hotel, the same place we stayed the last time we were in town. After a little rest and a change of clothes it was time to go to the gallery for the 'Encore Reception'.

Things started a little slow at the gallery, but soon picked up and we had a small crowd that was very interested in Lisa's demonstration of the cast acrylic print process. Two representatives from The Sold Project made a brief presentation on the nature of the work they're doing in the village and it was well received. There were lots of questions during the demo and one of the guests, who runs a print making facility and is a professor at the university, spent a lot of time with Lisa afterwards, exploring the many possibilities. They will probably do a joint workshop in the future. More sales may also have been generated as a result of the second reception.

After everyone had left the gallery Lisa, Jaffee and I went to the Sunday Walking Street. We had heard about it and were curious to see what it was like. It was huge compared to the one in Chiang Rai. Most of the things for sale were similar, but the energy was different. There were street performers, lots of food and hand-crafted items. It was nice walking through the street with Jaffee because we could ask him about food that we didn't recognize. We didn't eat any of it, but at least we knew what it was. There were two very old temples along the way and at one of them we stopped for a closer look. It's made of wood, which is very unusual. It used to be the Royal Temple. Inside there was a giant golden Buddha.

This morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then went next door to the shopping mall. We just went to hang out and explore, but ended up getting shoes before discovering an amazing costume jewelry shop with an unusual and suggestive name. It was a lot of fun and is on our list of places to go for gifts.

Khun Sing picked us up at the bus station and brought us home to two very excited dogs. It was as if we'd been gone for two weeks. They finally calmed down and life is back to normal for them.

Have a Great Week.

Peace,
Danny

"Never believe that a few caring people can't change
the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have."
~Margaret Mead