Hi,
We're back from an adventurous weekend in Chiang Mai. There was a river cruise, lots of new friends, and Lisa went on a tour of some galleries with the host of her next exhibit.
A bunch of you knew the 'Old School Friday' tune as "Save The Last Dance For Me" by The Drifters. 'Easy Monday' is an oldie but goodie I'm sure you remember: "I did you wrong, my heart went out to play, but in the game I lost you, what a price to pay. I'm cryin', __ __ __, __ __ __." Hint: The title is actually an exclamation and one word sung twice. That should make it easier (555).
We arrived in Chiang Mai in mid-afternoon and checked into The Empress Hotel. It's an older hotel that tries really hard. Since our dinner was going to be later than usual, we decided to go to the hotel coffee shop for a snack. During the course of our meal our server kept bringing us things. First she brought us candy bars, the little boxes that have an elephant inside. Near the end of our meal she brought a single rose and gave it to me. I remember this from the last time we stayed there. She whispered to me that I was to present it to Lisa and give her a very big kiss. I complied and the staff cheered.
Two of my friends from Koh Samui, an island in the south, were staying in our hotel for the big meeting on Saturday. The four of us were picked up by a local friend, Tony, and driven to The Riverside Restaurant. As we began our slow ride down the river, the sun was just going down and the bridges over the river were lit with changing colored lights. We ate with Tony and Marty, a good friend of mine that I've known for years. Along the shore, lots of guys were fishing in the light of the many restaurants that populated the bank of the river. It's amazing to realize that the long string of eateries were all doing big business, each one catering to a different taste. Our dinner wasn't anything to write home about, but the atmosphere and the company made up for that. We had a ball. As we walked through the restaurant after the cruise, a young band was playing in the bar and they were quite good. Next door there was another band performing. It seems that live music is a very big thing in Chiang Mai.
Dinner Cruise on the Ping River, Chiang Mai
Saturday morning, sitting in the dining room having breakfast, we watched as lots of travelers were preparing for their day of adventure in Chiang Rai. The city has lots of tourist attractions and with some of the groups, I could sense their excitement. I went to a meeting in the park while Lisa prepared for her lunch with Khun Wantip, the owner of 116 Art Gallery.
My afternoon was spent in a big room in the hotel, with representatives from areas in Thailand. I learned a lot and contributed when I could. During our lunch break, which was around 1:30pm, Lisa and Khun Wantip were leaving for a road trip. They were in our hotel so I met them in the lobby. It turned out that Lisa would not be back until late afternoon. They went to several galleries outside of town, and got to know each other better. Lisa's exhibit will open on September 14 and run for 6 weeks.
We spent Sunday evening exchanging stories of the day and just relaxing in our room. It was a very productive weekend for both of us.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
but whether we have touched the lives of others."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
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