Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Ambitions


Hi,

We had another scorcher today, but you probably figured that.  I started the day with a massage, and ended with a very cool reunion with friends from 'down south'.

That 'Easy Monday' tune you've been humming was "I Shot The Sheriff" by Bob Marley, covered by Eric Clapton.  Now it's time to get crazy with our 'Zany Day' song.  This one is by a group that did a lot of zany songs a long time ago.
"Well, now if I have to swim a river, you know I will.  And a if I have to climb a mountain, you know I will.  And if she's a hiding up on a blueberry hill.  Am I gonna find her, child, you know I will.  'Cause I been __, oh yeah, __ every which a-way, yeah yeah and I'm like the Northwest Mounties, you know I'll bring her in some day."  Clue:  The hunt is on for his missing woman.  

The first thing I noticed as I drove up to Khun Joy's for my massage, was the progress on the new building across the street.  It's an apartment building that is the tallest thing on the block.  There is still bamboo scaffolding for the workers to climb about, but it's taking form.  Today they were putting decorative sheet metal on the edge of the roof.  It amazes me how fearless some of these men and women are as they scamper up and down the bamboo.  During my massage, Joy was trying to tell me something but I didn't get it all.  She has very limited English, and she forgets that I can't understand her.  I try to interpret body language and facial expressions to try and keep up.  Yep, still a foreigner.

The rest of the day was spent 'behind the walls', making lists of things to do, watching a little tennis, and waiting for the pool guy.  Between the odd weather and the dust from the plowing next door, we've had an imbalance that needs attention.  Khun Na came in the afternoon and spent a long time working on cleaning the bottom and adjusting the saltwater chlorinator.  All that meant that we couldn't swim today, but tomorrow it will be splash time.  

For the five plus years that Boot has been cooking for us, we've been having fruit with every lunch and dinner.  We have come to understand that certain fruit is good for a while and then it goes out of season.  It might look like a good watermelon, but once it's cut up and served you realize that there is no taste.  We just had one that was bright red and juicy, but bland.  The pineapple she served yesterday was sour.  Vendors will sell you the fruit and tell you it's sweet, but you don't know until you get it home.  It means changing 'dessert' several times a year.  Right now I'm really into mango, but it will soon be gone.  Boot bought a bunch and keeps it cold so we can stretch it out.  There are lots of local fruits that are an acquired taste and I have yet to make the adjustment.  

Thailand is a major auto producer in the region.  Most of the major brands have assembly plants and they supply surrounding countries.  Today's photo is a shipment being sent to China on a barge going up the Mekong River.  What makes this really interesting is the way they got the cars onto the barge.  You will see planks between the shore and the barge.  The cars were driven over these planks.  This takes some steady driving to say the least.

                               Steady now...

This evening I met with a friend of mine who lives in Phuket.  He's originally from Sweden, but has been living in Thailand for many years.  He brought along a friend from England and we had some inspiring conversations.  

It's time for Wacky Wednesday.

                     Peace,
                                Danny

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that,
but the really great make you feel that you, too, can be great."
~Mark Twain

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