Friday Funnies

Hi,

Today began like any other day. Woke up at 6:30, took the dog out, or should I say he took me out, set out the vitamins, had breakfast, read mail, and then it hit me. Today was my birthday. Stay tuned for the road trip.

If you were rocking in your mind to David Bowie's "Fame" then you were one of the elite who got the song. Did you know that John Lennon was one of the writers on that song? Also listed is Carlos Alomar, Bowie's guitarist. Hang on to your hats, it's time for 'Old School Friday' and you don't have to be old to know this one. Well, I don't think so.
"Happy birthday, happy birthday baby, oh, I love you so. __ __ makes a lovely light, but not as bright as your eyes tonight..." Hint: Hey, it's all about the birthday. Something to do with things you'd find on a cake. Two words. Deep Hint: My cake has a lot more.

After making sure that the dogs had plenty of water and toys, we hit the road around 10am. We've been to Chiang Saen many times, but I've always been a passenger in the back of a van. I had a pretty good idea where I was going and remembered the obvious turns. It turned out I was right. We got there without any problems. An hours drive and we were on the shore of the Golden Triangle. There were several staircases leading to the docks and they all offered the same deal: 500 Baht for the boat ride. So, for $15 Dollars the four of us got a water tour of the triangle, cruising up the Mae Kong to see a big casino in Burma and then over to the Laotian coast and down to the spot where we would go ashore. We were given half an hour to visit a 'shopping village' of the Donsao Hill Tribe. At least there was a sign mentioning this tribe. The people all spoke Thai and there was nothing unique about the village, except that it was clearly there for the tourists.

Back on the boat, we continued to enjoy the shoreline, this time on the Thai side. For the second time in a week, we've traveled on water and viewed familiar places from the river side. The giant Golden Buddha that sits on the shore has a whole different effect from the water. You can clearly see that it's sitting in a giant boat. The perspective is much more obvious. It was lunch time and we already had our spot selected. There's a small cafe that serves Doi Chaang coffee and we'd eaten there on our last trip.

One does not go to the Golden Triangle and leave without something to remember the visit. I picked up a T-shirt in Laos, which was mandatory, but I needed a birthday 'thing'. While we looking at womens' clothing, I spotted a vest. The first time we came to the area, in 2001, I got a vest and wore it the whole trip. Today I got a new vest. Much nicer than the first one. Later I picked up a bracelet made with pieces of coconut shell. Lisa and Boot also got 'presents' on my birthday and we all had a big laugh about that.

We had noticed a place in the parking lot that was offering foot massages. We had been walking around a bit so Lisa suggested we check the place out. We were taken down a flight of steps, to the back side of the building, which faced the river. As we went down the steps I thought it would be really cool if the massage area was outside. That's exactly where it was. On a giant, covered porch there was a row of massage mattresses and next to them, four chairs for foot massage. Two women and a young man began by cleaning our feet and asking where we were from. When Boot told her women where we lived she exclaimed that she knew our house. She used to work at the Rimkok Hotel down the road. From then on, it was like Boot had made a new friend and we were treated as locals. It was a very blissful experience, leaning back, being attended to while gazing out at the river. Lisa and I dozed off briefly. When we were done we went and got coffee for the trip home. We were all ready to take a nap.

It took longer to get home due to traffic and slow trucks. Not long after we got home, Tye and her son Tay, who is 15, came over. Tay gave me a small flowering plant that was from him and his sister Napa. I was surprised. Then the real surprise came as Boot and Lisa emerged from the kitchen with a small chocolate cake with my name, and the date in icing. There were two sugar roses and some candles. Under my name there was some Thai writing which translates to 'honey or dearest'. This has been a truly wonderful birthday. We just got back from the pizza place downtown. The joint was packed but we managed to get our cheeze-less BBQ chicken pizza. What a day.

Now it's time for the 'Funnies'. Have a Wonderfilled WeekEnd.

Peace,
Danny

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Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
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