Who

Hi,

We back in Chiang Rai after our overnight road trip to Chiang Mai.  Weather-wise, we experienced everything from sunny skies to torrential downpours.  

The ‘Old School Friday’ song was “Respect”, written and originally recorded by Otis Redding in ‘65 and made popular by Aretha Franklin 1967.  Both versions are excellent.  ‘Easy Monday’ time, and a song you may recall:  “I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me.  She showed me her room, isn’t it good, __ __?  Hint:  A furniture song?

Saturday evening we attended the violin concert at Art Bridge.  It was held in the upstairs gallery to a packed house.  Tonoi played for an hour and the audience was very appreciative of it’s 'Hometown Hero'.  He will begin his third year of college as a performance major.  When we asked if he likes Paris he said, 'I'm beginning to'.  Hmm.

First thing Sunday morning, we hit the road for Chiang Mai.  We made a pie stop about 45 minutes into the trip and took an extra piece for an evening dessert.  The scenery was the total opposite from the last time we traveled south.  Last trip, everything was brown and dry.  This time it was all lush and green.  From the expanse of rice fields in the valleys to the dense mountains, it was incredibly beautiful.  Along the way we noticed that there has been a lot of development in some areas.  Tiny towns are becoming bigger towns and coffee shops are popping up in the middle of nowhere.  There was a definite sense of progress.  

Everything we needed to do in Chiang Mai, got done.  The artwork is at the gallery, we met with the printer and his family, and we had appointments with our chiropractor.  We also got a chance to go to Rimping market to buy a few items we can’t find in Chiang Rai.  It was a very productive trip considering it was so short.  We got our usual warm greeting from the crew at the D2 hotel.  We learned from our friend Stephen, that part of their training is to remember guests.  The D2 crew was well trained because they always remember us.  Of course, what’s not to remember (555)? 

The weather was fairly kind to us while we were in town, but the ride home was another thing.  On the way home we stopped for coffee at a new place called ‘The Rabbit Crew’.  It’s in the mountains, off the highway and it seems to be part of a farming complex.  The shop is made from a shipping container.  The coffee was great and sipping it under a tree was a nice touch.  Just as we finished it started to sprinkle.  Back on the road we could see a very large, black storm front ahead.  We drove right into it and it was one of the strongest storms I’ve driven in since we’ve been in Thailand.  I could barely see the truck in front of us.  It was nice to have a sense of where we were by following lights.  Back in clear air, we stopped for pie and headed home.  Later in the week I’ll have some photos from this adventure.

Today’s photos are from Doy Din Dang last week.  The first pic is a small section of the woods, with various pots and sculptures.  The second is a carved log that has become covered with moss.

Have a Great Week.

                   Peace,

                             Danny

“Waking up to who you are

requires letting go of who you

imagine yourself to be.”

~Alan Watts