Adventures In Thailand

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Look

Hi,

Another gorgeous day in Northern Thailand. We pondered new works at Art Bridge, and new food at Makro. Today was 'I'm in my own world' day, all over town.

The 'Easy Monday' song was "Blackbird" by The Beatles. The song was inspired by the civil rights struggle in Arkansas. Now it's time for your favorite: The 'Zany Day' song (555). "If the sun refused to shine, I don't mind, I don't mind. If the mountains fell in the sea, let it be, it ain't me. Got my own world to live through and I ain't gonna copy you." Hint: Title is 2 words and 2 numbers (which can be considered words). It's zany in that it asked a question that cannot be answered. Don't get caught up in the purple haze of it all.

I sensed something as we left the house this morning on our way to Art Bridge. Motorbikes were drifting into my lane as if I wasn't there. Vans were rushing up from behind, flashing their lights to push me aside. Those were the first signs that it was 'In my own world' day.

The new exhibit at Art Bridge has works by Thai and German artists. Several of the Thai artists studied in Europe and it was clear that they had moved away from the traditional themes. Things in this exhibit are much more abstract. There is an video installation in a separate room that I really enjoyed. The artist appears to be sneaking into a major gallery, dressed in overalls that are the same color as the walls. He pulls out a small painting and holds it in front of his face as he stands against the wall, as if his piece is part of the exhibit. I don't think he could really get away with it, but it's a great 'art piece' just the same.

Since Makro is across the highway from Art Bridge we decided to get our food shopping done. I was once again made aware of the theme for the day. A guy in a rush whizzed by pushing a cart, then a man stood in the middle of an aisle I was trying to use, a group of employees began moving big forklifts as if I weren't there. That's when we realized it was time to go home. Lisa came up with the name of the day as we encountered yet another vehicle drifting into our lane. It was a productive morning even with the madness.

In our travels around the area, we see lots of construction sites. Rarely is there a sign that tells us what it will be. We just have to wait until it starts to take shape. Today we saw a large corner structure that actually looks like something. For weeks it was just a lot of concrete pilings and bare bricks. Now it seems to be a collection of three-story shophouses. In another part of town we saw what looked like shophouses evolve into condos. That seems to be the growing trend here. Hmm, waiting for the future can be taxing.

Time for a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,

Danny

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."

~John Lubbock

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Nothing

Hi,

We're still having 'post card' weather here in Chiang Rai. Cool nights and clear blue days. Can't wait for the nights to warm up so the pool can retain some heat.

It's nice when at least a few of you remember an 'Easy Monday' song. I hope more of you remember this tune.

"__ singing in the dead of night, take these sunken eyes and learn to see, all your life you were only waiting for this moment to be free." Clue: So far we have something that flies and has feathers. Final hint: There is a color involved and it's black.

The street vendors at the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai have taken up a new hobby: Trying to guess where visitors are from and greeting them in their native language. We kept hearing some of them speaking greetings in Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese but didn't get it until they started greeting me in French. What? Twice there was an assumption that I was from France. Oui Oui.

While we're on the subject of Chiang Mai, the city has been overwhelmed with tourists from China. This is due in part to a Chinese film that was made in Chiang Mai called 'Lost in Thailand'. Tour companies are taking full advantage of this odd twist, but some locals are a little burned out. Apparently there are a list of rules that the Chinese are given before leaving home. Things to do and not to do while traveling. I won't go into it, but standing in line politely is one of them.

About six weeks ago when the yard crew was here we had them make a support for the little Jacaranda tree. They used branches cut from a tree they had just trimmed. Now the support structure has sprouted leaves and and is becoming a garden attraction unto itself. Ah, nature.

Yesterday we took the plunge, literally, and put on our wet suits and swam a little. It had been awhile and the water was cold. The suits helped, but the temperature wasn't at that lounging level. One had to swim and get out. It felt good and once we get the hang of getting out of the suits, we'll swim more often. Anyone with tips on exiting a wet wet suit is welcome to pass them along. (555)

Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace,

Danny

"Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
~Shakespeare

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Monday, November 4, 2013

Things

Hi,

Warm days and cool nights is the pattern we're in right now. We've done some Chiang Mai decompression, attended an art opening, and finally got the car washed. There's a lot that went in-between so read on.

'Old School Friday' was "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs. Like it or not, it was featured in 14 movies. Thanks to Michael for some cool info. 'Easy Monday' is next and I just know you remember this one:

"__ singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life you were only waiting for this moment to arise." Clue: The title is the name of something that flies. There are feathers involved.

Saturday morning we had breakfast at our little 'spot', packed our bags and went to Rimping Market. This is a chain that features many international food items. There are things we can get at Rimping that aren't available in Chiang Rai. We then went to Rajavej Hospital where I had an appointment with an excellent chiropractor who helped me get a few things back in proper alignment.

Out on the highway we had three goals: lunch, pie, and to be back in Chiang Rai by 5pm for an art exhibit opening. Leaving Chiang Mai at mid-day was good because most of the large trucks had already made their early starts. We stopped for lunch at a tourist center that features water shooting out from underground hot springs.

At Charin Gardens we arrived to a full house. We'd never been there on a Saturday right after lunch and it was amazing to see so many people eating, among other things, so much pie. There was a large group from a temple and they seemed to make up the bulk of the diners. We got our pie and coffee and hit the road. The drive wasn't bad, although we did encounter an odd situation in one medium sized village. A new bridge was build with the new lanes going on either side of the old bridge. That would not have been a problem except the old bridge was still open. Some cars chose the new lanes and others went straight through on the old ones. There were near-misses, confusion, and lots of questions. Maybe by the time we travel through there again it will be sorted out.

We got to Art Bridge before the opening started and had a chance to visit with some of our artist friends. The gallery was open so we peaked in and looked at some of the works. It's a joint exhibit with a group of artists from Germany and that meant lots of non-Thai concepts. The first glance was very interesting so we'll have to go back and really view it properly. When the proceedings finally began we were feeling road-weary so we went home.

This morning I got up early and took Cat and one of her friends to the Sports Center where it was 'Sports Day'. There were high schools from around the city competing in various track events, marching bands, cheer squads and I think I saw a couple of clowns. I went back in the afternoon to pick them up and got a better perspective on just how many kids were there. It was intense, with all the cars and motorbikes there to pick them up. Tomorrow they will have a sports day at their individual schools.

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"The things we have in common
are more important than our differences."

~Unknown

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Friday, November 1, 2013

Friday Funnies

Hi,

We had beautiful weather today in Chiang Mai. There were several Tuk-Tuk rides, lots of shopping, and some new eating discoveries. A fun day.

The 'Zany Day' tune was "Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley. That brings us to 'Old School Friday' and the last of the 'Seasonal Silliness' around the Halloween thing. This one should be easy for most of you (555). It's about a monster/dance or whatever you want it to be. "Uno, dos, one, two, tres, quatro. Matty told Hatty about a thing she saw. Had two big horns and a wooly jaw. __ __, __ __ (repeat 3 more times). Hatty told Matty, 'Let's don't take a chance..." Clue: Totally crazy party song. Trick or Treat.

Our day began with breakfast at our 'regular' spot near most of the hotels we've ever stayed in. Watching the morning traffic while waiting for our food, we noticed more cars than motorbikes this time. It's 'High Season' in the north and there are visitors all over. Today's French Toast was especially good and we learned that we can buy the bread they used. Yum.

We had a Tuk-Tuk take us to an area where there are lots of small shops filled with variations on different themes. Some feature fashions using Hill Tribe embroidery inserts, others sell T-shirts and tank tops while others had original cotton clothing. Looking for gifts means hunting for special stuff. It's hard work and when we reached the end of the block, it was time for coffee. We ended up at Art Cafe, a very cool place with an extensive 'Western' menu along with a Thai offering. We decided we'd come back for lunch.

Just when we thought we were done for the morning, the Tuk-Tuk turned onto a street that seemed to be filled with more shops. We got out and began our browsing again. Along the way we passed a cluster of Fish Spas. I guess the novelty hasn't worn off yet. Today's photo is a sign in front of one of the spas. It's as creepy as it looks.

With an abundance of expats from all over the world, Chiang Mai has become quite a metropolitan city. There is something for every taste in terms of food, recreation, and entertainment. Walking down the streets we noticed that there were structures behind the ones at the sidewalk. There were apartments behind stores, stores behind hotels. Narrow strips of land have new construction and old buildings are being renovated. Every time we visit there is something new to see.

After dinner I went to a Recovery meeting and now we'll dive back into the Night Bazaar for more 'looking'. I put that in quotes because the first time we came to Thailand in 2001, that was the word that all the vendors knew and they would call out to you with: 'Looking, looking'. Now, more English is spoken and the hustle is deeper. Progress.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.

Peace,

Danny

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Kindness

Hi,

Coming to you 'live' from downtown Chiang Mai, Thailand. After a morning of doggie drama, and a routine road trip we are settled in our temporary digs.

A lot of you seem to be in a 'Zany Day' mood based on the responses I got. They don't make hit songs like they used to (555). "Well, he came down to earth and he lit in a tree, I said 'Mr. __ __ __, don't eat me.' I heard him say in a voice so gruff, 'I wouldn't eat you cuz you're so tough. It was a one-eyed, one-horned flyin' __ __ __...." Hint: This verse is very relevant to the whole title. The thing is hungry and, like before, there's a color involved.

Things were going well this morning until BamBam decided to investigate one of the drain holes in the front yard. She dropped her ball and it rolled into the hole. This sent her into a frenzy. First she was looking at the hole, then at me, and then franticly digging. Not cool in any way. We finally had to put her in the pen while I tried to retrieve the ball. I knew, from past encounters, that I would have to go into the corn field next to us. I put on my rain boots and carefully made my way down the slope into the muddy field. Armed with a long bamboo pole I tried to push the ball into our yard. After many tries with the pole, and a snake (the wire kind) I decided to poke the ball like playing pool. That did the trick, but after having spent about 30 minutes at this, I was ready to go back to bed. BamBam was reunited with her ball and play time was over.

By the time we finally got on the road to Chiang Mai, the traffic was light and the road was pretty clear. There are so many things to see on this stretch of road. It ranges from vast rice fields to mountain passes covered with jungle, and roadside vendors all selling the same fruit (whatever is in season). In between the landscapes there are communities that range from small villages to growing towns. Over the years we have watched some of these towns evolve and it's fascinating. There is a giant Buddha that we had to stop and photograph. We don't know anything about it except that it's very big and it looks like it's concrete.

After an hour on the road, we coincidentally arrived at Charin Gardens just in time for lunch. This is the resort/restaurant that makes every kind of pie you could imagine. We had lunch and pie. There were lots of 'visitors' there today; many with Thai guides. For those who don't want to travel with a large group the answer is to go with your own personal guide. That way you can spend as much time on whatever you want.

Our hotel is right on the Night Bazaar 'strip'. At the front desk we got a nice surprise when they upgraded our room to a 'Junior Suite'. It will do just fine for two nights.

Tonight is Halloween for the many expats living in this big city. In an online newspaper I saw a list of the places doing special things and it was a very long list. Mostly bars and restaurants having costumed drinking parties. Hmm.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,

Danny

"Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love."
~Lao-Tzu

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Injustice

Hi,

Light rain has been an occasional visitor all day. We ran errands in the morning and went to the OTOP festival in the afternoon. Now it's time to pack the bags for a three day trip to Chiang Mai.

The 'Easy Monday' song was "Norwegian Wood" by The Beatles. Congrats to those who knew. Now it's time for more silliness and the 'Zany Day' song. "Well I saw the thing comin' out of the sky, it had the one long horn, one big eye. I commenced to shakin' and I said 'ooh-eee'. It looks like a __ __ to me. It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' __ __ __ (repeat) Sure looks strange to me." Hint: There's a color involved and it might be hungry.

This morning we did our shopping circuit, gathering needed supplies. We hit the whole east side of town, going from Makro to the bank, a pit stop for gas, Big C, cookies and home. Whew. While we were at Makro, Lisa was looking at labels and came across this winner that is today's photo.

There was a nice break in the rain so we decided to run over to the fair grounds and visit the OTOP gathering. In case you don't know, OTOP stands for 'One Tambon (District) One Product'. It's a chance for areas in Thailand that produce specialty products to get featured in a focused manner. This one was a small one, but there were some nice things this time. Lots of fried food, sugar desserts, natural remedies, and clothes. We saw some interesting woodwork, and a few vendors had some unique bags. I spotted the small stage where all the thumping comes from. It was mildly comforting to notice that the speakers are pointed away from our house. Hmm, just imagining if they were aimed the other way. (555) There is a new small shanty town village under the Pink Bridge, right next to the park where the festival is happening. I think it's worth another trip for photos. Lots of corrugated tin shacks built close together.

I picked up Cat from the school bus stop since it was raining quite hard. When I asked about her day she told me she studied all day. Well, that happens at school. The school she attends seems to rotate the subject of focus so each day is different. I remember having six classes every day and they were the same ones all week. Today she studied six or seven subjects and tomorrow it will be a different set. Hmm, intense.

Our trip to Chiang Mai was initially booked to be for the dismantling of Lisa's art exhibit, but the gallery would like to extend it for 10 more days. We'll take the opportunity to do a little holiday shopping, visit with friends, and check out other possible venues for exhibits.

It's time for Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,

Danny

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
~Martin Luther King Jr

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style