Adventures In Thailand

http://www.iblissstudio.com

Monday, July 9, 2012

Dream

Hi,

The weekend weather was cloudy skies with evening downpours. We spent time with friends and struggled with the internot. This week I promise to answer email.

Our 'Old School Friday' song was "Born Under A Bad Sign", originally by Albert King. It's also been done by B.B. King, and I love the version by Cream. Now it's time for 'Easy Monday'. This goes out to all the competitors who won big things over the weekend. If that's not a clue, well... "I've paid my dues, time after time. I've done my sentence, but committed no crime. And bad mistakes, I've made a few. I've had my share of sand kicked in my face but I've come through. (And we mean to go on and on and on and on) __ __ __ __ my friends...." Hint: A great anthem if you're on the winning side (555)

It seems that we have to keep an eye on the sky these days. Clouds and colors can be indicators of whether it will rain. Nothing worse than planning a bunch of errands and getting caught in a storm. We did pretty well on Saturday morning. After grocery shopping we stopped by Bliss Studio to visit with Chalit and Amber. Chalit and his brother recently launched a web site for the photo studio and it's definitely someplace to visit. Click on the link:

In the late afternoon, just after our swim, the rains came. It's been good for our new plants so we don't really mind. The wind wasn't too bad and it wasn't enough water to cause 'pooling' on the lawns. We watched part of the Formula One qualifying from England and when they had a rain delay we switched to Wimbledon for the women's final.

Sunday morning Tatt and I drove south of town to Wat Rong Khun. He'd never been there, but knew about it. Tatt likes to draw and he really enjoyed all of the artwork in the temple and the galleries. We did the best we could at communicating and it seemed to work. He told me that when his parents come to visit him he would like to take them there. While we were on our little tour, Lisa and our friend Sutheera were at our house working on her presentation of a paper she has to deliver in English. When we returned to the house she got to meet Tatt and they talked a bit. It was then that we learned that he wants to study airplane logistics. Still trying to figure out exactly what that means. More conversation will no doubt fill in the blanks. Below is a photo of the beginning of Friday's parade. The rest of the students hadn't lined up yet.

Parade formation begins

Sunday evening we had plans to have dinner with Chalit and Amber at the Night Bazaar. We pulled out of the driveway and a few drops of rain hit the windshield. About 2 minutes later we were driving in a downpour and knew that our plan was not going to work. We turned around and went home. Just as we were about to start with a dinner plan the power went out. It came back on and then went off and stayed off. It was dusk so we could still see enough to grab flashlights and pull out the candles. Once the candles were in place Lisa realized that we had no water since the pump is electric. Hmm. About 10 seconds after that the lights came on and we all breathed a sigh of relief.

Upstairs it was a different story. The internot never came back. After checking and re-checking I finally surrendered to the fact that something was very wrong and it was outside of the house. We settled in and watched the English Grand Prix and then the Wimbledon men's final. I must say that I've had my fill of sportscasters who speak a different kind of English. And to think, they're from England. Oh well.

Today Chalit and Amber came over for lunch and conversation. While they were here we got a return call from the 3BB tech about coming over. Chalit explained what was happening in Thai so they really understood that it was not a router issue. Two guys showed up this afternoon and ended up having to climb a pole on the street. Eventually they restored our connection but it still keeps dropping. I have to remind myself that there was once a time when there was no internet at all. What?

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"To accomplish great things,
we must not only act, but also dream;
not only plan, but also believe."
~Anatole France

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Friday, July 6, 2012

Friday Funnies

Hi,

Our busy Friday is winding down but we're still reeling from the day. The weather stayed dry for most of it, so the parade and the planting went without a hitch. I had success at the salon and I like my new head.

That 'Zany Day' song was "School's Out" by Alice Cooper, a great summer song. 'Old School Friday' is an easy one:

"__ __ __ __ __, I been down since I began to crawl. If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all. Hard luck and trouble is my only friend. I been on my own ever since I was ten. __ __ __ __ __, I been down since I began to crawl..." Hint: Someone's had a bad day for a long time. It's a blues and you should know this one. It's by a king, not Elvis (555).

We began our morning a little earlier than usual and condensed the routine in order to be at the parade staging area by 8am. We arrived and discovered that it probably wouldn't start until 8:30. That gave us a chance to take lots of photos and have our picture taken with Tatt. One of the teachers came over and offered to take our picture by an antique carriage that would lead the parade. After that we led him over to where Tatt was standing and we got a nice picture. There was a marching band from another high school consisting of brass and drums. The kids marched to a high school in the middle of town, about one kilometer away. This evening we asked Tatt if his friends were curious as to who we were. He smiled and said he told them we were his aunt and uncle. We have noticed that Thai people often refer to close relationships as 'family members'.

Once the parade was headed down the street we went back to the house and jumped into Khun Kek's pick-up truck for our plant shopping adventure. The garden center is a huge area of land with plots laid out like a neighborhood.

Some vendors sell ground covering, some have mid-size trees, others have flowering bushes. Kek parked at the beginning of one 'street' and we walked through, picking out things we liked. Once a choice was made we moved on to the next. A few owners were not in yet so Kek would call them for a price and a neighboring vendor would handle the transaction. It's like a community, all working together. When we had reached the end we walked back to the truck and drove through, picking up our new plants. We came home with a variety of things and they were immediately planted. There are now some new personalities in the yards.

After lunch I went to the 'salon' to get my new 'do' styled. Fortunately, they weren't busy and I got one of the more experienced stylists. He knew a few key words of English and I had a few key Thai words so we could communicate. He shaped the front differently than I had imagined, but it was cool. I was surprised at the way he approached my hair, cutting it like he'd cut Thai hair. It worked, and he was able to even things out. Did you know that what is referred to as a Mohawk was the traditional haircut for the warriors of the Mandinka tribe in Western Africa?

The New Look

Out in the country, at New Life Foundation I received some kind words of appreciation from some clients and that was the icing on a beautiful day. When I got home there was sun over the pool so we went for an overdue swim. The Adventure continues.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. And now, the 'Funnies'.

Peace,

Danny

Test from a student who received 0%

In which battle did Napoleon die?

~ his last battle

Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?

~ at the bottom of the page

The River Ravi flows in which state?

~ liquid

What is the main reason for divorce?

~ marriage

What is the reason for failure?

~ exams

If it took eight men 10 hours to build a wall, how long will it take 4 men to build it?

~ no time at all, the wall is already built

How do you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?

~ any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Grow

Hi,

It's being 'rainy season' again here in Chiang Rai. We had more rain last night and light rain during the day. That didn't stop the yard crew from coming and it also didn't stop the little flying things either. If you're wondering about the hair, most of it's gone.

Our 'Zany Day' tune brought back some memories for a few of you. Here's my favorite line, one that may give you the best clue: "No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks... __ __ for summer, __ __ forever."

Hint: The singer was known for wearing ghoulish eye make-up and loves snakes. Somehow I can't see him sitting at a desk all day. (555)

This morning we woke up to the sound of rain. The dogs didn't get their play and it was doubtful that the yard crew would come. We decided to go ahead and make our Makro run while it was lightly raining. At Makro there was a security guard whose duty today was to escort shoppers to and from their cars under a giant umbrella. It was nice to not have to deal with our umbrella, considering that we'd have to leave it at the door and all. As we were leaving the rain had picked up so we waited for the guard. He was helping a woman with a small child. I wish I could have snapped a photo of that.

Not long after we got home the yard crew showed up. Khun Kek told us it's difficult to find workers these days. He had a small crew that included a boy, a teenager, and two young men. They worked hard but didn't finish so they'll be back tomorrow. We did manage to get some trees trimmed and most of the lawns cut. There is so much building going on in Chiang Rai and the surrounding areas that most workers are doing construction.

Tomorrow will be a very busy day for us. Tatt has asked us to come to the dedication ceremony in the morning at a big garden in the middle of town. That begins at 8am. We'll miss the parade since we are scheduled to meet with Kek at the garden center at 9am to choose some plants. Back at the house we'll have to direct where we want things planted. In the early afternoon I'll be going out to New Life Foundation. We are hoping that the weather forecasts will be wrong for tomorrow and the weekend since rain has been predicted. Below is what a typical school parade looks like.

An entire school can make for a long parade

Last night the dreads met the trash. I'm now sporting a moderate natural mohawk. The next adventure will be to see if the guys at the salon can help me maintain it. They have been cutting the sides of my head for months, but that's an easy clipper job. Now we're talking about dealing with a texture of hair that is not your typical Thai walk-in. Hmm.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,

Danny

"To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future,

be totally unlike your past.
Your history is not your destiny."
~Alan Cohen

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Life

Hi,

After a night of off and on rain, we had a cloudy/sunny day. The day was rather uneventful until the late afternoon. That's when I cut my hair. Read on.

There were many correct responses to the 'Easy Monday' song. You knew it was "Somebody To Love" by Jefferson Airplane. Some of you were confused as to which version of the group recorded the song. Just remember that Airplanes came before Starships and the early hits traveled by Airplane. It's time for another edition of that new favorite: 'Zany Day'. Here's one for all the students (and teachers) out there: "Well we got no choice all the girls and boys, makin' all that noise 'cause they found new toys. Well we can't salute ya, can't find a flag. If that don't suit ya, that's a drag. __ __ for summer, __ __ forever...." Hint: It happens every year and it makes children very happy. By a boy with a girl's name.

Happy Fourth of July to those of you in the U.S. Yesterday we got a lesson on the Thai flag from Tatt. The flag we had at the front of the house was torn so we replaced it and put the old one in the trash. When Tatt came home from school he saw it and took it out of the trash. He explained the significance of the red, white and blue when they are joined together. The colors must be separated when throwing it away because when they are apart they have no meaning.

This morning when we took the dogs out, the lawns were still wet from last nights rain. When there has been recent rain it means more distractions for the dogs because things smell different and they feel the need to smell everything. (555) They had a good exercise with lots of running and catching.

After my massage I stopped off at the downtown market and went into a shop that sells a lot of prepared, packaged meals. We can't eat most of what they sell, but sometimes they have chicken sausage or chicken hot dogs. Today when I walked in, the clerk behind the counter looked up and said, "Chicken, no cheese?". She remembered because we had been checking with them for weeks. Today they had some chicken hot dogs. Time for some fun food.

For some time now, I have been toying with the idea of cutting my hair, changing things around, simplifying, blah, blah. Today was the 'action day'. It's not all going away, just changing form. What? I know, I'm not totally sure either but there's a picture in my mind. Oh what fun it is.

Just before things got serious

Tomorrow the yard crew is coming. Our plan is to go to the garden center with Khun Kek and show him what we want to add to the yard. That way he can bring it back to the house and his people can do the planting.

Some of you may have noticed that your message arrived a little later than usual yesterday. The internet was internot, even with the new router. When it's good it's pretty good. When it's bad, it's very, very bad. Oh well.

It's a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,

Danny

"We make a living by what we get,

but we make a life by what we give."
~Norman MacEwan

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Hope

Hi,

Chiang Rai had another overcast day with afternoon rain. I just wish it would wait until evening so we could get in a swim.

The 'Easy Monday' song seems to be bringing back some nice memories for some of you. Put a flower in your hair and sing along: "When the garden's flowers, baby, are dead. Yes, and your mind, your mind is so full of red. Don't you want __ __ __, don't you need __ __ __, wouldn't you love __ __ __. You better find __ __ __." Hint: Maybe you should go ask Alice. She knows somebody with the answer.

The cool mornings seem to invigorate the dogs. When they go out for their morning exercise they are really fired up. For Daku it makes it easier to run hard more often since he's 'wearing' such a thick coat. BamBam will run hard regardless of the weather, but on the cool mornings she just gets a little nutty. When it's all over they're both panting with that doggie smile that lets you know they had a good time.

We went into town to get bread and the streets were smokin'. Periodically, the storm drains are fumigated with some kind of vapor that is forced into the grates on the street. As we drove down Clock Tower Street it was eerie to see plumes of white stuff rising from the curb at measured intervals. I have concerns for the man who walks down the street with the machine that pumps the stuff into the grates. Hmm.

At one of the entrances to the vegetable market there is an operation that is very fascinating. A man sits at a machine that strips the outer shell from each coconut. There seems to be a large tooth gear that does the work and he engages it with a lever. It actually breaks the outer shell. Now it looks a little dangerous to me, but what do I know? In the photo below you can see the raw product in the back of the truck, and the finished version to his right.

Coconut Stripper

Here in Thailand when there is a special occasion at a school it often warrants a parade through the village. Such will be the case at Tatt's school on Friday. They had rehearsals today and he explained that he will be carrying a tray with a pink rose on it. Other students will carry banners and some will just walk. When they happen in the middle of town it can be a very interesting traffic situation. Sometimes the parades will be on one side of the road, sometimes the whole street is involved. Police escorts make sure the parade flows in a safe manner, which means you get to sit and watch it go by. We have witnessed quite a few and it can be fun.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace,

Danny

"Most of the important things in the world

have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying
when there seemed to be no hope at all."
~Dale Carnegie

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Monday, July 2, 2012

Seeds

Hi,

We had a mellow weekend here in Chiang Rai. The cloud cover kept the temperatures down (555) and it stayed dry until Sunday night. Aside from watching tennis and volleyball, our big adventure was book store browsing with Tatt.

The 'Old School Friday' song that no one knew was "(I'm Just an) Average Guy" by The Masqueraders. It's time for 'Easy Monday' and you know what that means. A chance for you to shine with your knowledge of popular songs. Remember this?: "When the truth is found to be lies, and all the joy within you dies, don't you want __ __ __, don't you need __ __ __. Wouldn't you love __ __ __. You better find __ __ __." Hint: This gem is from the Summer of Love and it's by some kind of flying machine.

Saturday morning we went to Big C with Boot. She needed to get a new mattress and they have a pretty good selection. Actually, the selection is really about size. It seems that all mattresses here start at firm and just get firmer. It's one of those things we had to get used to over time. In the afternoon we went to Doi Chaang for coffee and got the car washed. Big fun in the city.

Sunday we took Tatt to the big book store in search of a book on logistics. He had to find it on his own since all the books are in Thai and we really didn't know what he was looking for. Lisa found a magazine called 'Thailand Tattler' in English. Hmm, this should be interesting. We left the store and moved on the B2S, a big book and stationary store at Central Plaza. On the way, Tatt jokingly told us he'd like to drive a UPS truck. We split up and began our search. I found a book that was recommended by Siam, and Lisa helped Tatt find a book that met his needs. While we were shopping a song came on the system that we both liked. I asked a clerk who was singing and she took me to the front. They had a little rack with the 'current playing' CD which was a very cool idea. It happened to be a group I like called 'Body Slam', a rock band that's been on the music scene here for 10 years. I bought the CD and we bobbed our heads all the way home. You can check them out on Youtube.

In the evening I looked out the window and noticed the air looked 'fuzzy'. That's because it was raining and the wind was blowing. Fortunately, the wind died down and it just rained. Everything got a good soaking and today we've had very light sprinkles all day.

This morning, after our Makro run we went into town to the vegetable market. I finally remembered to take a picture of the woman I call 'The Curry Queen'. As you can see from the photo, she makes and sells a variety of the spicy stuff.

The Curry Queen

I should mention that today was apparently 'Drive Like You Want To' day in Chiang Rai. Red lights were merely a suggestion, lane direction was an option, and when and how you turned corners was 'up to you'. We stayed in all afternoon. (555)

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap,

but by the seeds you plant."
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style