Imagine

Hi,

We had a busy weekend here in Chiang Rai. There was an elephant party, a temple tour, street walking, a party, and a visit to an amazing compound.

Our 'Old School' song was 'Misty' by Johnny Mathis, back in 1959/60. Many new members in the 'Hall of Almost Fame" (Ha) Now it's time for 'Easy Monday' and I just know you know this one. "...You can't sleep, you can't eat. There's no doubt, you're in deep. Your throat is tight, you can't breathe, another kiss is all you need." Hint: The title is in three words, and there's no rehab for this one.

Saturday morning I took Sam, Emma, and Blue to the boat dock for their trip to the elephant village. While they were gone, we did more prep for the party. When they got back, we found out that it was a 'holiday' for the elephants so there were no rides. The giants animals had the day off. Sam and Emma fed the elephants, watched them play, and had a good time.

In the evening we had dinner by the river and then went to 'Walking Street'. Once we got going, we all had a great time checking out all the crafts, food, and people. It was a chance for our guests to see the whole community out and about.

Sunday morning we went down to Wat Rong Khun. Sam and Emma took lots of photos. The temple complex is a work in progress and there were many changes since the last time I was there. For our visitors, it was a real treat. After we left the temple we went to Big C. It's almost like an attraction since there's so much to see.

The party was set to begin at 4pm and our first guests arrived a few minutes after that. It was soon rolling full steam and within a few hours we had 20 guests eating, and visiting in various parts of the house and back yard. Johan had installed the floodlights for the waterfall that morning and when dusk came and I turned them on, it was magical. The whole thing was a huge success, new friends were made and lots of good times were had.

One of our party guests urged us to go and see what is referred to as 'The Black Temple'. We decided to go and see it this morning, since Sam and Emma were leaving in the afternoon. It's the work of a noted artist named Thawan Duchanee. The main structure was originally a Lana Thai house that looks like a temple. It's painted black with natural wood accents, along with all the other structures on the grounds. There are rock gardens, a building that looks like a huge fish, small houses with unique shapes, and many places to just sit and contemplate. We didn't have enough time to take it all in so we plan to go back. Here's a link: http://www.thawan-duchanee.com/

"Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every
single person shared a little of what he is good at doing."
~Quincy Jones

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
http://blog.risingstardom.com/
www.lisamosesgallery.com