People

Hi,

We decided to stay another day in Chiang Mai. We still hadn't done any shopping, or visited with friends. Today we rode all over town in Tuk-Tuks, went to a bookstore, two artists' studios, sat in traffic, and ate good food. The night is still young so we're headed for the Night Bazaar, if the drizzle has stopped.

I can't believe no one knows the '81' song. Maybe another verse will shake your memory. Maybe more hints.
"__ __, that's 'Retha Franklin. She don't remember The Queen of Soul. It's hard times befallen the sole survivors, she thinks I'm crazy, but I'm just growing old. __ __, no we got nothing in common. No we can't talk at all...." Hint: The group/duo that did this had dreams of being a gaucho until they hung out with the Babylon sisters and joined the glamor profession. Hmm. I guess this song is about what happens when 'older' men hang out with older teens.

This morning started with breakfast next door. Actually there's a little canal that separates our hotel and the little corner coffee shop where we always have breakfast. Today the coffee wasn't up to par and the orange juice was almost sour. Might be time to find a new morning spot. I must say that my whole-wheat French Toast was ultra delicious. Nothing like dessert for breakfast. A few months ago there was flooding in Chiang Mai. We asked the waitress about it and they didn't get water, but lots of people jammed into the place, since the Night Bazaar flooded. I guess that little canal saved them.

Jaffee wanted us to see a special hotel and meet the manager so we met at Wat Pra Sing. It's a very old temple with large grounds. After a very bumpy ride down a brick-paved street we entered the front gates. Inside was like a little city bustling with activity. The monks eat one meal a day and it must be taken before noon. Our 11 o'clock arrival meant we got to see some of the preparations. There were women dishing food into bowls, setting up trays, and getting ready to serve the monks. Inside the temple the young novices were sitting, waiting for their meal. A few senior monks were sitting near the altar, already eating. All of the energy that goes into taking care of the monks at meals is part of the practice of making merit. We'll look into this at a later date.

Our next stop was Rachamankha Hotel. It was located on a side street, a long walk from the temple. The owner is an architect and lives on the premises. His collection of antique wood, stone and metal artifacts from Loas, Burma and Thailand are featured though out the grounds. The reception area was once a Buddhist prayer hall that was going to be destroyed. He bought the whole thing, had it dismantled and then reassembled when the hotel was built. We learned a lot about various aspects of dying culture in the region, and gained new appreciation for the things we saw. Paul, our host, and manager of the hotel, took us on quite a tour of the facility and then we sat in the dining room and he looked at Lisa's art on my iPad. We had a great time there and will probably return for another visit in the future.

Another Tuk-Tuk ride transported us to Suvannabhumi Art Gallery on a narrow street near the Ping River. It turns out that we will not be showing Lisa's work since they mainly focuses on Burmese artists. The owner is from Burma and the connections and allegiances are understandable. It was then time for lunch. We stumbled upon a cool place that looked out on the river. It was the perfect spot to talk about the morning, enjoy good food and work on the plan for a show in Chiang Mai.

A lot more happened after lunch but I'll save that for tomorrow. Tune in to find out what the rest of the day had to offer.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,
Danny

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of
success is knowing how to get along with people."
~Theodore Roosevelt

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