Hi,
The weather here is, well, you know. Last night there was a sprinkle that barely wet the ground. Today it was blazing hot again. Once again, there is a forecast for rain next week. I'll believe it when I get wet.
This week's 'Easy Monday' song has lots of fans. The perfect song for anyone struggling with unrequited love.
"I see you each morning, but you just walk past me, you don't even know that I exist. __ __ __ __ __ over you, __ __ __ __over you, __ __ __ __ day and night, night and day, wrong or right. I must think of a way into your heart. There no reason why my being shy should keep us apart...." Hint: Really? So easy. Mid 60's ballad.
Last night we went out to dinner with Boot, her boyfriend Rudi, his son Kim, and Cat. It's the first time we've used the third row of seats in our little van. Six passengers fix comfortably and the Ertiga still performed like it was nothing at all. The occasion was an evening with Kim, who is a chef and recently returned from a job on a cruise ship. He speaks Dutch, Thai and English and there were three languages being spoken in the van, at once. We had a bit of deja vu since our first choice of eating spots was closed. What? We went to a spot we knew would be open by the river. Lelavadee is a large, restaurant with a big roof and no walls. There was a slight breeze off the river but it was still warm. Later, during our meal, the wind came and they lowered canvas curtains that made it very pleasant. Kim told us about working on the ship, and how glad he was to be back on land. He has two offers in Chiang Mai at 5 star hotels and will begin work next week. At 22 years old, it looks like he has a bright future in the food industry. Today he and Rudi and a few friends rode their motorcycles to Chiang Kong.
This morning when I took Cat and Pawn to The Brain we encountered many intersections without traffic lights. Morning rush hour in Chiang Rai with no traffic control translates into chaos. The concept of treating each intersection like a four-way boulevard stop is not part of the driving vocabulary. Some drivers tailgated behind the car in front of them and forced their way through. If four or five cars did that, you just had to sit and watch them go by. At the crucial points in our travel the lights were working so we managed to not have too many 'challenges'. Both girls are studying chemistry this time around and it's clearly difficult.
There is only one major television provider in Thailand. Truevisions tested their new digital system overnight last night and it included a reshuffling of all the channels. Now we have to consult a page on their website to find our 'regularly viewed' channels. It's mostly sports stuff, and they kept them together, but now I have to memorize new numbers. If the picture improves then it's worth it. Some people have several small dishes or one large one so they can watch programing from other countries, but that's because they can understand the languages. Being mulit-lingual has it's advantages. Kim mentioned this fact when telling us about the hiring practices at some hotels. A chef who speaks English can earn more money at some hotels because they can communicate with visiting clientele. Makes sense.
Contrary to what some might think, Thailand is a very modest country. They sell swimsuits at the department stores and some small shops, but when it's time to go to the river, everyone is dressed in casual clothes. Men might wear shorts and a T-shirt and women wear shirts and bermuda-length shorts. The swimsuits are worn by those traveling to the beaches in the south, or resorts. Locals stay covered up. Part of it is modesty and for some, it's to keep the sun from tanning their bodies. There is a very strong 'color caste system' here and it's obvious by the products in the stores and the number of clinics offering 'whitening'. Thai television is one of the unspoken promoters of this, with all of the soap stars and 'presenters' having very fair skin. Apparently, having dark skin means that you are a laborer who works in the sun. One with light skin has not had to do menial labor and is therefore of a higher status. This translates into a class system that has been going on for a very long time. The adventure continues.
Today's photo is a portion of a carving that was all done from one piece of wood and is at least 6 feet tall. The figure is known as Kinnari and is part of ancient folklore derived originally from India, and modified to fit in with the Thai way of thinking. She is part woman, part bird, and able to fly between the human and mystical worlds.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"Character is the governing element of life, and is above genius."
~Frederick Saunders
~Frederick Saunders
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
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