Adventures In Thailand

Monday, February 10, 2014

Normal

Hi,

The days seem to be getting warmer and warmer here in Chiang Rai. It feels odd to watch the people at the Olympics in Russia, all bundled up while we have the air going over here.

The 'Old School Friday' song was "I Wish You Love", and the artist in question was Gloria Lynne, who had the hit in 1963. You can probably find it on Youtube. Now it's time for 'Easy Monday' and a song that was a giant in 1983. I think you know this one:

"__ __ __ __, and every move you make. Every bond you break, every step you take, I'll be watching you. Every single day, and every word you say. Every game you play, every night you stay, I'll be watching you." Hint: No, it's called 'Easy Monday' for a reason. (555)

We are able to see the Winter Olympics via the internet, so all is not lost. So far, it's been fun to watch and Cat saw ice-skating for the first time tonight.

Sunday was an absolutely full day of activity. It began with a Buddhist ceremony commemorating the 25th wedding anniversary of a couple that we've known for several years. It was at their home just south of town. The grounds were full of trees and water features and the lower floor of the house felt like the lobby of a grand old Thai hotel. The back yard was the setting for the ceremony which included five monks who chanted for about 25 minutes, followed by a blessing from the head monk. We saw many friends, met new people, and reconnected with a man we met in January of 2007 when we visited Chiang Rai to check things out.

By the time we returned to our house, it was almost time for lunch. Lisa, Cat and I agreed that Eliza's would be a nice place to eat so we went there. The owner was very apologetic about not serving lunch since she had to decorate cup-cakes for a wedding. She makes very elaborate cakes, cup-cakes and cookies and as an apology, she gave us each a cup-cake. Next stop: Central Plaza, where we ate and left, which is pretty amazing. It's hard to put into words, the cultural contrast of going from the huge, modern mall to the Talat (local marketplace). We went from the pristine shops to the smell of raw shrimp and frying food. From slick displays to stacks of whatever you want to buy. I can tell I'm become acclimated by the fact that it was just as much fun as the mall.

After a brief relaxation period, it was time to get dressed up for the 'cocktail party' portion of the anniversary celebration. It was held at the Mantrini Hotel and we saw more old friends. This was a gathering of mostly professional people who own businesses or are doctors, etc. This is the second affair that has required two 'costume changes' in one day. Whew. There were some stimulating conversations ranging from the effect of the political situation on the stock market, to education and culture. All in all, it was quite a day.

Today's photo shows the 'Happy Couple' presenting offerings to the monks and receiving blessings.

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"If you are always trying to be normal,

you will never know how amazing you can be."

~Maya Angelou

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Friday, February 7, 2014

Friday Funnies

Hi,

Today we went on another road trip, and had dinner at a very special place. Now it's time to try and find the Winter Olympics.

This week's 'Zany Day' song was "Mashed Potato" by Dee Dee Sharp. 'Old School Friday' is next. Remember?

"Goodbye, no use leading with our chins, this is where our story ends, never lover, ever friends. Goodbye, let our hearts call it a day, but before you walk away, I sincerely want to say: I wish you bluebirds in the spring to give your heart a song to sing, and then a kiss, but more than this, __ __ __ __..." Hint: Many have sung it, but the 1963 version is, in the opinion of many, a definitive recording. Extra Cool Points if you know the artist.

This afternoon we drove 12k north on the Super Highway to Doy Din Dang Pottery. We met with Khun Somluk and his wife Kamako. Somluk is a master ceramicist who is one of the founding members of Art Bridge. The visit was to show them some prints by Lisa's father, Joseph Zirker, who developed the cast acrylic print process that Lisa uses in her artwork. The plan is to have a joint, father-daughter exhibit displaying two artists using the same technique. The prints were well received and Somluk is excited about the prospects for an exhibit. We are now waiting for a date, hopefully near the end of the year. More will be revealed.

Today's photo was taken at Doy Din Dang today. It's a bamboo stalk that has been notched, and flowers inserted in the notches.

This evening we went to dinner at Poon-Poon's house. They live in a gated community and when we got to the gate, I just told the guard we were going to Poon-Poon's house, and he directed us. Apparently Poon-Poon knows all the guards and they know her. Nu and Nan, the parents, took us on a tour of their new house and it was obvious that the focus was clearly on the two children. There is an external guest room that is 'Poon-Poon's house' and contains everything to keep a two year old occupied for hours. The house is very modern, by Thai standards and we liked a lot of the features. Poon-Poon's bathroom has a Mickey Mouse theme that they let her choose. The dining room wall has Hello Kitty tiles, and there is kid stuff in every room. Nan's mom lives with them and has a garden across the street from the house, where she's growing fruit trees, vegetables and flowers. They're calling it her hobby, but it looks like a nursery. We had a light dinner while being entertained by Pahn-Pahn's (Poon's baby brother) smile and later Poon-Poon's recitation of the English alphabet. We will be having more of these exchanges so the kids can be around English speakers as they grow up.

Yesterday, on our way to Chiang Mai, there was a truck by the side of the road. A creative guy was acting as 'flag man' diverting traffic using a tree branch full of leaves. It worked just fine. Amazing.

For some unknown reason, the Winter Olympics are not being broadcast in Thailand. We have been searching for alternative ways to view the games and have a couple of possibilities, but it's not like being able to just turn on the tube and watch. Now that it's warm here, I won't mind watching people in the snow and ice so much.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. Time for a 'Funny.'

Peace,

Danny

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Friend

Hi,

Today was a day of 'firsts'. Read on and find out what they were.

This weeks 'Zany Day' song may not win any literary awards, but it was a fun thing to do at parties, once the feet did what was necessary. (555) "Now everybody is doin' fine, they dance alone or in a big boss line, and they discovered it's the most, man, the day they did it to 'Please Mr. Postman'. __ __, deliver de letter, it's the latest, come on baby...." Clue: Two words for something that goes well with gravy.

We drove to Chiang Mai this morning for the first time in our new vehicle. I was impressed at how well it handled on the highway, at speed. The hills and mountain passes were no problem and passing was similar to the performance of the Vios.

After finishing with our appointments in Chiang Mai we decided to make our first visit to the new mall. It's called 'Central Festival' and it's the largest mall to be built by the company that builds such complexes in Thailand. We only scratched the surface of this 5 story monster. Next week we'll investigate deeper. We did discover an ice rink, an art exhibit, and a cutaway of a Song Taew, the local, low-priced form of transportation that's used throughout the Kingdom. Today's photo shows me ready to take you for a ride.

For the first time ever, we returned to Chiang Rai on the same day. We usually stay overnight and return the next day. The round trip was a lot of driving, but we had a bunch of CDs that I uncovered in the cleaning of my music room. The CDs were 'archives' that I had assembled many years ago before we left the states. Lots of oldies for sure. They were in no particular order so we didn't know what the next song would be. It was like six hours of surprises.

The only thing that wasn't a first was the stop at Charin Gardens for pie (555). One stop going and another on the way home. Yum.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,

Danny

"A friend is someone who

understands your past,

believes in your future,

and accepts you just the way you are."

~Unknown

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Things

Hi,

Today was a rather routine day in Chiang Rai. Some essential shopping and a trip to Suzuki for a red 'Number Plate'.

The 'Easy Monday' song was "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley. That means it's 'Zany Day' time:

"A __ __ started long time ago, with a guy named Sloppy Joe, you'll find this dance is so cool to do. come on baby, gonna teach it to you. __ __, feel it in your feet now, __ __ come on get the beat now, baby, come on honey, come on baby..." Hint: A Google search may reward you with a recipe for something served with turkey.

Our morning drive to Makro was like a sightseeing tour. The traffic was not going fast so we had a chance to see the progress on several shophouses and apartment buildings. The structures are getting more modern treatments than in the past, but something happened when they passed out the paint. One building has some nice subtle brown tones with dark orange accents. Then, on the bold, vertical 'style beams' they used a bright green. Another building has beautiful wooden doors, neutral walls and bright yellow accents. Oh well, as long as the tenants don't mind I guess it's just none of my business. (555) One of the prominent restaurants has enclosed their eating area, which is a good idea since the 'burning season' will be here soon.

Makro was its usual bustling self. We noticed that the display at the entrance is now full of fans and portable air/cons. It' easy to keep up with the seasons by what's on sale in the front of the store. Speaking of stores, Big C has done one of those 'let's rearrange the store and confuse everybody' projects. Not only did they shuffle the departments around in the food section, items from one section are in two areas, which makes little sense. I guess they're counting on shoppers to find something they didn't plan to buy while searching.

When we bought our new little van we were told that our 'number plates' would arrive in about a month. They are still not here, but today they offered us a set of temporary red plates, which denotes a new vehicle. We wanted something to show that the thing was legal when we travel to Chiang Mai. There are several police checks along the way and the last thing we need is to be pulled over and not have anything to show that we own the van.

Sunday afternoon, after we left the 'carnival', we drove through the Red Rose Motel. It has to be the strangest thing we've seen in Chiang Rai. Someone had a real love for cartoons and fantasy when they built this place. Today's photos tell the story. You actually pick a theme room, then park your car in a carport and enter from there. Very private affair. Hmm.

Time now for a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,

Danny

The best things in life
are not things.

~Unknown

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Music

Hi,

Today was one of those odd days with unexpected twists and turns that all led to more than satisfactory conclusions. Oh yeah, and it was another hot day.

Well now, it seems that a lot of you know this 'Easy Monday' song. Don't remember? Read on:

"__ __ __ __, (and they say it is a capital offense). Sheriff John Brown alway hated me, for what, I don't know. Every time I plant a seed, he said kill it before it grow, he said kill them before they grow. And so: __ __ __ __ But I swear it was in self-defense..." Hint: It's easy.

The day began with a plan to go food shopping. Before we left we called Khun Nung, who helps us with lighting problems. Whenever we call him, he makes an effort to come as soon as he can. That meant staying at the house and then devising a lunch plan outside (a Thai way of saying eating out). After climbing up and down the tall ladder, he had replaced 12 bulbs. Now everything is shining brightly and we are grateful for Khun Nung.

We've had our eye on a new eating place called 'Chicken Chef' and decided to give it a try. It turned out to be a walk-in fast food joint with nothing but fried everything. We had lunch at Connect Cafe where we knew we could get a healthy meal. It's right across from the bus station and was a trip to watch the busy street while we ate. All of the clientele were from somewhere else. We've known the owners since we arrived in Chiang Rai because they used to be located very close to the Wancome Hotel where we lived for the first month. They have twins who are now 4 years old, but they weren't there today.

When Cat left for school this morning the plan was for her to go to her village after school to have a meeting about her tree planting project. She is part of a group of teens from various areas in Thailand who are trying to educate each other and the public about the importance of trees.

After dinner we went to the Night Bazaar. Before we left Lisa took Daku to Boot's house but he didn't want to go. He was very determined to stay at our house. When she finally got him to her door, BamBam stood behind the screen and growled at him. That's why he didn't want to go. Miss BamBam got a scolding, settled down and Daku went inside. Talk about Doggie Drama. Next time we'll just let him stay where he's comfortable.

Today's photo is an installation at the Pokhun Festival on Sunday. The sign shows the 10 countries that are members of the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community. ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Thailand is a member. It goes into full effect in 2015 and is a big part of the growth spurt here in Chiang Rai. In the background you can see the sheep I mentioned yesterday. Hmm.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace,

Danny

"Wherever you are,
whatever your circumstances may be,
whatever misfortune you may have suffered,
the music of your life has not gone.
It's inside you.
If you listen to it, you can play it."
~Nido Qubein

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

http://www.9artgallery.com/

Monday, February 3, 2014

Lighten Up

Hi,

Chiang Rai is still having cool nights and mornings, but the days are getting HOT. We had a weekend that included an art exhibit, a carnival, and dinner by the river.

The 'Old School Friday' song was "Heatwave" by Martha & The Vandellas. Oh yeah. I think a lot of you will remember this 'Easy Monday' song. "__ __ __ __, but I didn't shoot the deputy, oh no, oh. (repeat) All around in my home town, they tryin' to track me down. They say they want to bring me in guilty for the killing of a deputy. But I say: Oh no Oh! __ __ __ __..." Hint: Life on an island is not always tranquil. Cool Points for the original artist. Yeah man.

The New Year may be The Year of the Horse, but it came in on padded hooves in our neighborhood. It's the quietest it's ever been on this holiday. I'm sure there were other parts of town where the celebrating was full of fireworks and dancing. Oh yes, and lots of food.

On our trip to the vet for BamBam's thyroid medicine, Lisa learned that there would be an exhibit opening at 9 Art Gallery that evening. Dr. Arnon, the vet, was going and was very excited about it. He told her the artist was a friend of his. That evening, when we arrived, it became obvious that Dr. Arnon was 'presenting' the artist. The presentation was short and sweet and they opened the doors to a very colorful exhibit. As is usually the case, we had fun talking to the artists present and got a recharge of that 'community feeling'.

Cat went to a party with Pon's family. It was in a village far away on a mountain. At one point in the evening she called, but the reception was not good. She had to walk up a hill to another house to get a signal. We expected her around 10pm but didn't hear from her. Taking comfort in the fact that she was with a family, we waited, knowing she was just a passenger. When she finally got home she told Lisa about how much fun she had, eating, dancing and meeting new people. She said it was the first time she had gone to a party and danced.

Sunday morning we went to the Pokhun Festival, which was really a carnival/discount shopping expo. There were rows of stalls selling shoes, clothes, and lots of food and treats. It was early enough that it wasn't crowded so we could stroll and look at things. Lisa spotted her favorite treat and we got some. It turned out to be a very popular item and it was on sale everywhere. Temptation was great, more was bought, and then it turned into a joke. There was one stall that had sheep. They were just hanging out and for a small fee you could give them milk from a bottle. Hmm, we didn't do that. We spent a few hours and agreed that it was enough. It was a fun outing. Today's photo is pretty obvious. It's the treats, made from lots of sugar and a coconut cream filling.

We capped off the day with an evening by the river with our friends Stephan and Claire. They introduced us to a new restaurant. Good times.

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"The most important part of enlightenment is lighten up."

~Unknown

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style