A Matter of Some Delicacy
After years as a "user", I finally was able to kick a nasty habit when I relocated to Thailand. But now, being back in the States for just a few days, I'm back on the stuff on a regular basis.

I'm talking about toilet paper.

Thais don't use it, using water instead. In the usual facility that the visitor encounters (pictured here), there’s an ordinary western-style toilet, but the TP dispenser is replaced by a flexible hose with sprayer end similar to the ones on kitchen sinks in the US. When you finish your dirty business, you just hit your butt with the garden hose!

It works, especially as most places in Thailand have quite good water pressure. I’ve come to prefer this system. It gets me cleaner quicker, with less irritation. Itchy butt, goodbye!

As this arrangement is neither Thai-traditional, or full Western-familiar, you do encounter a range of variations. Sometimes there’s a TP dispenser (which may be empty) along with the hose. In a few honky-oriented places (such as the bathrooms of the Hilton hotel in Hua Hin) there’s only toilet paper and no hose. Now it annoys me when I hit one of those. In other cases, there’s a western-style toilet except that it doesn’t have a tank and doesn’t flush. In these cases, there’s always a reservoir of water handy, with a big bowl to dip with. The ‘client’ is responsible to dump water in after to in lieu of our accustomed auto-flushing.

The actual traditional Thai toilet is flush with the floor and requires squatting of the kind most Westerners can’t do. These don’t usually have the rinsing hose, but always have a reservoir and bowl. I’m really not exactly sure how the cleaning activity is done in these facilities. I haven’t worked up the nerve to ask for a demo.

There’s also a compromise case where a porcelain toilet in traditional form is installed, but that rises up a few inches above the floor, and has places for the feet to either side of the hole. This allows the Thai person to squat as they are used to, but makes it reasonable (though a little awkward) for a westerner to sit down on the porcelain bowl. Not my favorite, but any port in a storm.

So would the butt-flushing hose idea work in the West? Interestingly, I have a data point on this. A relative by marriage (My father’s second-wife’s brother’s wife’s second husband. Got that?) actually tried to introduce it here. He had traveled in Asia and appreciated the advantages.

Visiting at her house (he husband was deceased at this point), I discovered the Thai-style hose attached to the toilet, along with some instructions. Unlike in Thailand, this system included a cutoff valve and the instructions involved turning this on for use and closing if afterwards.

I opened the valve and tried it out, but I got a rude surpise. It was *cold*. Afterward, I asked Marilyn about the unusual arrangement. She told me of her husband’s attempts to commercialize this in US, and told it had been laid to rest by two problems. One is that the hose always seemed to leak a little bit. This considered a problem in Thailand, as bathrooms are all built of tile, with a drain. Water on the floor is perfectly normal and expected (it’s often how they shower)

The other issue is that water comes out of the tap much colder in US than in Thailand, so the experience tends not to be very pleasant.

Could you rig something up that didn’t leak and that warmed the water? Probably, but it’d be kind of overkill, I think.



- posted by Gary @ 2:29 AM (0) comments

 
Where in the World?
Ah, I love the contrasts. Less than a week ago I left my digs in steamy tropical Asia and boarded a bus to Bangkok. Tonight I’m sitting in my luxurious (if somewhat aged) motorhome in the chilly high desert of California, with nearly all of my worldly belongings aboard. When they lower me in my grave (or whatever), they won’t be able to say I just did what everyone else was doing.

As expected, my opportunities to post have been cut back in the new situation. Actually, I tried to make a posting a couple of days ago, but Blogger dumped me out in the middle of working. This has happened to me a couple of times before. If you start one of these of your own, be warned that there’s a bug somewhere. Post your work as you go, or prep your writing off-line, as I’m doing now.

So, the capsule summary of the last week. I spent one night in Bangkok and visited the National Museum there (worth a few visits, actually), then got on a plane for San Francisco. About 20 hours later I trudged into my old house in Alameda, which has been remodeled in my absence. Unfortunately, some of the work had been done kind of sloppily, and I had to take my property manager to task for it. Also, the place hasn’t been rented yet. I sure hope it gets occupied soon. I’m still making mortgage payments that are nearly equal to my entire monthly budget in Hua Hin.

I spent the next few days getting my new chariot ready for a major road trip. It’s a 1977 Fleetwood RV, 23-foot, with pretty much every amenity that existed at the time. The first challenge was getting registered properly. This took most of a day because the guy I bought if from (a garrulous old Okie named Leo) is getting senile and kept losing his paperwork and forgetting to sign things in the right place. Finally got straightened out.

Then I had to collect my good from storage and get them stashed aboard. It’s pretty full (Still one bed to sleep in. Ordinarily, this vehicle will sleep six!). I’ll be losing some of stuff as I go, which is good. It’s my intention to establish a piano lounge in the rear area.

Caught up with a bunch of friends and both listened to and delivered some musical performance. One thing I have to say is the Bay Area is way more happening in music than Hua Hin, or even Bangkok.

Today I set out for Phoenix. I’ll get there tomorrow (Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise) and spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my younger brother’s family. After a few days there, I’ll head for Albuquerque where my sister Dottie lives, then a long haul to New Orleans (with a stop in the Texas panhandle) where I have some friends. Christmas will be spent in Alabama where I have multiple relations. Finally, I’ll get into Atlanta for New Years with my step-mom. Mid-January, I’ll head back to Thailand, making a stop in Los Angeles for the NAMM show and leaving the motorhome with friends in Atlanta.

It should be quite an adventure, and I had a good start today. The RV is running well and I made good time. Weather is good, although it’s pretty cold all over California (big change from Thailand, which it’s nearly always warm and humid). I’m parked in the town of Boron, close to Twenty Mule Team (yes, that Twenty Mule Team) Road. Boron is a soulful little mining town, well past its boom days but still kicking. I sort of enjoy it. Nobody here bothers to try to appear to be something they’re not. The air is fresh, and it’s real quiet. Suits me just fine.

I should have a lot to post over the next few weeks, both from this trip and a bunch of general topics that I haven’t gotten to yet about Thailand (food, overland travel, language, nighlift, dogs, etc.) Hopefully I’ll have the time and the web access to make it happen.

Cheers for now.
GaryInThailand (in Boron, CA)

- posted by Gary @ 10:50 AM (0) comments

 
Back to the States
Today I'm departing Hua Hin, headed back to the US for a while. I'll be spending the holiday season and the first three weeks of the year traveling from the SF Bay area to Atlanta, Georgia in a 23-ft, 1977-vintage motorhome that I bought just before I left, visiting family and friends across the country.

One of the reasons I wanted to live outside the Sates was to get a perspective on American attitudes and mores by living among people who don't necessarily share the same contexts and assumptions. I find it very interesting, and I'll be able to test it further, traveling and living among a people infinitely strange and exotic; the "Mer'cans".

I'll be keeping the log up while I'm in US. Don't exactly know when the next posting will be, though. I'll be in transit for a couple of days, and when I land I won't have the kind of home connectivity I have here nor does the US have anything like the number of Internet cafes that exist in Thailand. Maybe I can use those Wi-Fi links that MacDonald's and Starbucks have. We'll see how it all plays out.

Until then....
- posted by Gary @ 7:21 AM (0) comments

 
The Caves at Chiang Dao

Click here for the pictures

My days at Chiang Dao were as quiet as my nights were lively. I had another "snooze day" after our party in Chiang Dao town. In the evening, myself and four of the other guests walked from the guest resort to the grounds of the Chiang Dao Caves, where there was...another party! This one was smaller and more downhome than the one in town. The roads and paths around the grounds were lit by a couple hundred "tiki torches" that turned out to be made from old Red Bull bottles. (Did you know that Red Bull was invented in Thailand? It's true.)

There was a stage show going on, with dancing ladies alternating with Thai comedians, and a few hundred folk wandering around eating and getting cheerfully inebriated. I found I wasn't in the mood for the general festivities, so I walked around and noted that there were sights here that I would want to see in the daytime. Then I walked back to the resort, with a plan to get up early and return with my camera.

Most of Thailand has a limestone topography that is laced with caves, both large and small. For the Thais, all caves are considered sacred, some more than others. The caves at Chiang Dao rank, both in terms of size and in holiness.

Here's a link to a short article on the caves.

The area around the actual cave entrance is a large, public "wat", or temple, with several nice shrines. The pool next to the cave entrance is notable both for the clarity of the water (straight out of the caves) and the size of the fish. I've noticed that the critters in the ponds at Buddhist temples tend to grow very large, and they are fed incessantly. With the crystalline water in Chiang Dao's pond, you can sit and watch these giants for hours.

Also notable is a nice new shrine that is nearing completion closer to the entrance to the grounds. This has quite a nice style, distinct from that of older shrines. Buddhism is very much a living religion in Thailand, and just as through history, wealthy and noble Thais commission new temple buildings, artwork, and shrines. Given that the country may be wealthier now than it ever has been, and more cosmopolitan, it make sense that some "new classic" art and architecture are being created. But it still comes as a pleasant surprise. The new shrine is lovely.

The actual cave entrance is shaded by a long stairway sheltered by a set of pavilions in the old "Lanna" style. The Lanna kingdom, centered in Chiang Mai, was supposedly the first real Thai kingdom. As you approach the cave entrance, you are met right away by a guide carrying a gasoline lantern. A smaller part of the cave is lit by electric lights, but if you want to go deeper, you need to hire the guide lady. Cost is 100 baht ($2.50).

When you enter the cave, the first thing you see is a chamber with a couple dozen Buddha image occupying every available nook and cranny. These are of various styles and periods, and there seems to be a story for each one. Buddha images are understood to have a life of their own, and those that have been around for awhile acquire individual names and accrue substantial 'power'. Over time, a number of these have been brought to the caves at Chiang Dao, and seem to enhance it's existing holy aura.

Or something. It's pretty cool, anyway.

Following the guide, I moved out of the lit area and into deeper portions of the cave. This is relative, of course. The cave complex here is thought to extend maybe 8 mile into the mountain. Nobody knows, as much of it is inaccessible even with technical caving gear. The guided tour is nice enough, though, with a lot of beefy formations to check out. When you sign up with your guide, and young girl seems to come with the deal. As you are shown the major formations, the girl is offered to pose with them for a buck or so. I was not interested in this amenity, and after a while the youngster disappeared.

As interesting as the cave was, I was bothered a bit by the noise, fumes, and glare of the lantern. I wouldn't mind coming back some time with electric lights and exploring on my own. After, of course, I got a little bit familiar with the paths.

When we reached a branching in the path (2 kilometers off that-away, or loop back to the entrance), I chose to go back to the beginning. From there, we took a lighted path back to a where a single reclining Buddha (Burmese style) is found in a nook. Then back to the first chamber and out into the air.

Wandering around the grounds, I enjoyed some of the gardens and outside shrines and images, and also found a market area where herbal medicines are sold, labeled in English as well as Thai. This is one of the "King's projects", of which there are said to be over 3,000, of which this is a major one. Over the last 15 years or so, the King has been encouraging the hill tribes to give up opium cultivation to grow fruits, vegetables, and traditional herbs. Apparently, it's worked. I understand that the cultivation of opium has dropped dramatically, with the result that the forests in the North are returning very nicely.

From there, I headed back to the Nest and lounged a bit before getting cab to town where I caught a bus back to Chiang Mai. My sleeper train to Bangkok didn't depart until 10:00 pm, so I had time to shop and get a foot massage. After sunset, I found myself....watching another Loy Krathong parade.

Although this one was somewhat larger than Chiang Dao's, and had better production values, I found I was kind of burned out on these shows. I watched a while, then headed off to the train. Thai trains are another subject worthy of its own posting, but this one is long enough. See you later!
- posted by Gary @ 10:36 AM (0) comments

 
So I told you I'd tell you about the Sacred Caves next. So I lied...

Thai Massage
One of the very best things about being in Thailand is having access to first-rate massage at absurdly low prices. A 2-hour massage from a highly skilled practitioner costs $5-$8. At these rates, I can indulge. And I do.

Click here for the pictures

Massage venues seem to be located everywhere. There are a number of large, multi-story parlors in Hua Hin where the masseuses wear identical uniforms. There are also a lot of smaller places tucked into the odd corner. In addition, you can get massage at most haircutters and beauty salons. There are also many, many practitioners who will come to your home.

In general, the massage is on the up and up without any additional agendas. Massage is considered a branch of Thai traditional medicine, and is taken quite seriously. I don't doubt one can get 'extra services' in some places, and I spotted one place that looked to be a knock shop (full bar in the waiting area), but on the whole when you go for a massage, a massage is what you're going to get.

And what a massage. Two hours is the standard for a full-body massage and the workover is extraordinarily thorough, including the famous 'walking on your back'. When done right, this is fantastic. A good masseur or masseuse also has moves that flex your body in some interesting ways. In one of these, you first sit up while the person giving the massage stands on her toes behind you with her knees bent. Then with your hands behind your head, she locks her arms under yours and rolls backwards. You end up on top of her knees, on your back, bent backwards. It works!

There are two major categories of massage here: full-body (Thai massage) and foot 'reflexology' massage. The foot massage derives from Chinese traditional medicine, and is considered serious therapy. Every place offers foot massage, but the more serious ones have elaborate charts showing what part of the foot affects what part of the body. The middle joint of your left big toe is linked to your right eye, for example. It sounds weird, but....

When I arrived in Thailand this time, I was not in the best shape. While packing up my house, I had injured my back, pinching a nerve and causing serious pain in my right leg. I had gotten chiropractic therapy in the states, and had made good progress. My practitioner pronounced me ready to travel. But the long flight and other stresses really set me back. When I got to Hua Hin, I could walk only half a block at a time before I would have to sit down and throb for a while. Interestingly, I couldn't walk much but I could bicycle just fine. Buying a bike resolved my basic mobility, but I was still a mess.

There being no chiropractors in Hua Hin (there's one or two in Bangkok), massage seemed to be the only therapy available. Given that my back was hurt, I decided to stay away from the full-featured body massage (I've had it before), and give foot massage a try. After all, it was my foot and leg where the pain was, even if it stemmed from an injury to the lower back.

I got a couple of pretty good foot massages at a parlor in town, but then in the second week I was here I came across a tiny shop located in an open air market that clearly serves the Thais and not the tourists. Every stall in this market is raised up off the floor about 2 1/2 feet. Kind of interesting. The massage stall is a "double", about six feet deep and maybe 18 long. In this space, they fit two pads for body massage (with a curtain that draws around the area for privacy), two reclining chairs with foot rests for foot massage, and a tea service!

The walls are festooned with reflexology charts and framed certificates in Thai and English. I decided this looked kind of serious and I should try it out. This was a good move. 'Tilek', the principle masseur there, is a Thai-Chinese who really knows his stuff and delivers a remarkable massage to your feet and lower legs. He knows how to find the points that stimulate sensations you didn't know were there, and every time I get a 'treatment', my leg and foot have noticeably improved. I've spoken to other people who know him, and all agree that he's exceptionally good.

The massage starts by relaxing in the comfy chair, with your feet 'pre-soaking' in warm water. Tilek then washes each foot before starting to work. Thais, by the way, keep their feet pretty much open to the air and don't wear shoes indoors. The standard foot wear is sandals that slip on and off easily, and they doff them almost unconsciously when entering any kind of living or working space. The feet are also kept really clean, and without socks, foot odor is kind of a null concept.

Once your feet are prepped, Tilek goes to work, spending at least a half-hour on each foot. His standard massage is a full hour (remember, this is almost all just your feet and lower legs), but I've been getting longer massages as therapy. The massage starts with more general rubbing and flexing of the feet, and proceed to more specific moves of different areas and points. The massage is amplified with special herbal balms that he prepares himself. These are lightly camphorated and reminiscent of Tiger Balm, though not as strong.

It always amazes me how many different 'hidden' sensations he can stimulate. I think we do abuse our feet in the West, and tend to have a lot of stuff stuck there. This kind of massage can really change the way you relate to your dogs.

Part of the standard foot reflexology massage is done with the aid of a specially shaped wooden tool. This is a small dowel, tapering from a larger end to a smaller rounded one. I tried to ask what it's called and was told it's a "Wood Foot". I think that must mean "Foot Wood" and is a translation from whatever the Thai word is. In any case, it's a standard item.

The Foot Wood is applied in a number of ways, including rubbing the sides of your feet with it. The more interesting part is when he uses the small end to press specific reflexology point. The repertoire of these seems to vary from massage to massage, and I think must be based on his expert assessment of your needs on that particular day. However, he never fails to press for 10-20 seconds on a point at the end of each toe. It hurts (in a good way), and although I have no idea of the specifics, I think it's probably helpful.

After your foot is well-tenderized, he spends a few minutes working on the knees and calves. The knee work is gentle, the calves less so. I know that for me, a lot of tension lodges in my calves and this part of the massage can be intense. After he's completed working on both feet (well over an hour in in my case), he spends another few minutes pressing on the large muscles of the upper thigh, then finishes up with a short but really nice workout on the shoulder and neck.

I've been doing this twice a week since I got here, and my back and leg are dramatically better. Impossible to say how much is attributable to Tilek's massages, but my instinct is that it's significant. I know these sessions are a high point of my week. Sensually, it is a wonderful experience, and I'm convinced it stimulates the body in ways that we in the West don't really understand but the Chinese do.

I'm headed back to the States in a couple of days, to spend the holidays with family and friends. I'm looking forward to it, but I will definitely miss my visits to Tilek. (Even if you could get this kind of massage at home, imagine what it would cost you!) When I get back in January, I know that one of my very first stops will be at his shop in the old market. Maybe I'll be ready to try his full-body treatment!


- posted by Gary @ 7:01 AM (0) comments

 
Loy Krathong, Day 2
I'm not getting these up here as quickly as I would like, but I've been prepping for a gig. My friend Sverre and I played last night for the expansion of a restaurant called "The Jailhouse". (The name was that of a popular pub that the owner had before). The restaurant has been open for a while, but Curt, the owner, has been remodeling a large 2nd-floor space. It's really quite nice, very large, with comfy chairs and a big video screen. Curt is a longtime rock n' roll fan, and has a big collection of music DVDs that he showcases there. Big bar and pool table, too.

Anyway, he staged a party to open the new space and 'hired' (for free), Sverre and I to play downstairs. Lots of folks came, mostly from the Danish community. (Curt's Danish and there's a big national flag outside.) Maybe 150 folks, but that includes 20 girls who came, I'm told, basically by mistake (it's a long story). The gig was successful for us, with some folks actually listening at least part of the time. Sverre and I did jazz and Dixieland standards, and I played some sections solo. It was good fun, and we got fed, watered, and some applause, out of it.

More photos from Chiang Dao Loy Krathong

But back to Chiang Dao. Following our village procession and beer bash, I ended up sleeping most of the day and missed out on the Krathong-making. Krathongs are 'offerings' that are made to float on the water. Making your personal Krathong and launching it on a river or stream in your home town is the main point of Loy Krathong (although there are also plenty of pre-made Krathongs for sale). The Krathong is made from a disc of soft, light wood decorated with folded banana leaves arranged like a crown, plus flowers, candles, and incense sticks. Some get pretty fancy.

I had retired for the afternoon around the time the Krathong-making began, and returned to find a platter full of finished Krathongs for us to carry to town. Following a barbecue dinner, we also essayed a shot at another custom of the season that's particular to North Thailand and adjoing parts of Burma and Laos, the "fire balloon". Last year I had witnessed a single, very large, fire balloon in Burma. The custom in North Thailand is a little different. There, the balloons are much smaller but are launched by the dozen.

Our hosts had acquired three pre-made fire balloons for us to launch before heading into town (where we'd see a lot more). The ballons consist of a sack made of a very light-weight paper, 3 to 5 feet tall when inflated, with a wire hoop at the mouth. The hoop is braced with a pair of relatively stiff cross-wires with a 'wick' mounted at the juncture. The wick is a donut shaped piece of...something flammable...that is impregnated with paraffin. The finished ballons are flattened like paper lanterns and can be stacked up for use.

Launching a balloon really takes at least two people. You have to hold the bag up and open while lighting the central wick. Then you keep the sack open and away from the flame until the hot air inflates it. When the sack gets upright, you then attach a string of fireworks to one of the cross-wires. When you're balloon gets enough loft to get air-borned, you light the fuse on the fireworks and let it go. All going as planned, you get a nice attractive 'lantern' floating up into the sky with firecrackers and sparkers going off.

We didn't really seem to have the hang of this though. Too many inexperience farang, I guess. Only one of our three balloons got off the ground, and this on didn't really go up but instead drifted at low level in the direction of neighboring resort. Luckily for Wicha and Stuart, we apparently did not set fire to their competition. Liability laws are loose in Thailand, but still....

After that fiasco, we rode in a truck taxi into Chiang Dao town. The town itself is pretty small, but swells at festival time as people pour in from the countryside. When we got there, the Loy Krathong/Yee Ping parade was in full swing, and was really charming. This is a down-home version of the much larger parades that happen in Chiang Mai and other large towns. The main attractions are decorative floats, usually featuring one or more beautiful women, and groups of local people wearing traditional garb, carrying lanterns, and often with a percussion band. Chiang Dao is in the middle of 'hill tribe' country, and there are a number of different ethnic tribes with distinctive traditional costmes, making for a very nice presentation. The floats and the community groups alternate, pretty much, and it's quite scenic.

Having had a big success with my Melodian the night before, I had brought it with me. But the opportunities to play were not so prevalent as the night before. Most of the musical groups were more formally organized, and less amenable to ad-hoc jamming with crazed farang. The exception was the 'Zulu Warriors'. Out of the middle of all the floats and nicely-attired tribal ladies, came a group of guys naked except for loin cloths, their bodies blacked, and whooping up a storm with pairs of sticks that they would beat together rhythmically. It seemed that their only point was a fantasy of African warriors, and they were just looking for a good time. I stepped into the group with my Melodian strapped to my belt and was immediately and enthusiastically accepted. I traveled with them for a couple of blocks, then sensed it was time to fade back into the crowd. It was great fun, though.

I was well separated from my group by now (I was never very good at staying with the group), and wandered down to the riverside where the parade ended. There I found a wild scene with a few thousand people people doing a 'county fair' thing. There was a boxing ring for Thai kick-boxing, lots of food stalls, a musical show, and a slightly more serious stage with 'fashion shows' and other events I couldn't really follow. It was a jamming, festive scene.

After a bit, I noticed a whole series of fire balloons rising from a corner of the area and went over to check it out. I really wanted to see how this was done. When I got over there, I found that a big stack of the balloons had been set out and people were taking them and launching them one after another. At any given time, several dozen balloons would be rising into the sky, which is the real intended effect and a very nice sight.

Standing around and shooting a few pictures, I was eventually invited to help launch one. With another person, we managed to do it right, and sent our own balloon up with it's fireworks raging. I was genuinely glad to join in that. I'm hoping to go to the Burning Man festival next year with at least a few of these and try launching them there.

After doing the balloons, I felt I was pretty much done for the night and headed to the rendezvous point we had agreed on. Although I had the right time (10 pm), nobody else showed. I made it to a pay phone and called Wicha's cell (everybody has a cell phone in Thailand. I have one to, I just didn't bring it). I found that the rest of the group was back in the press of the fair, still partying hearty. Turns out that Wicha, along with several of the other guests, was really in the mood for some serious drinking and raging. I really wasn't, but had to get dragged through the crowds awhile. Eventually, we got ferried back to the ranch around 1:00 am and I stumbled into bed.

Next: The Sacred Caves of Chiang Dao


- posted by Gary @ 5:56 AM (0) comments

 
The Trouble with Guide Books
I just came back from a week at a beautiful "mini-resort" in Chiang Dao, North Thailand. Actually, half the week was spent en route, but that was intentional. I want to get used to traveling overland in Thailand. It's cheap and can be quite comfortable, but does require some patience. Getting there being half the fun, I'll have a separate posting about this later. But you might be more interested in where I went and what I did there.

Click here to see the pictures.

The problem with guide books is that they can never be complete, and usually are far from it. If you rely on them exclusively, as many folks seem to, you'll never experience half the things I do. Maybe you don't want to, but I seem to constantly come across fascinating stuff that just doesn't show up in the standard guides. So if you're coming to Thailand, I do recommend that you look up from the Lonely Planet once in a while and check out things for yourself. There's a lot going on that isn't in the book.

One of the things a guide-book junkie will miss is the beautiful Chiang Dao Nest resort. They've only been open a year, so are too new to appear even in the latest additions. From what I understand, it takes at least 3 years in business to be considered "real" enough to get listed anyway.

I found Chiang Dao Nest online (http://chiangdao.com) and I'm very glad I did. It's beatifully situated, with comfortable and attractive "cabins" made of rattan. It's run by a Thai-British couple, Wicha and Stuart Cavallero, who are very friendly and know how to see that their guests have good time. The food is outstanding (Wicha was a chef in London for 4 years), good enough to attract a crowd of local farang and Thai residents at dinner time. And it is all very, very affordable. I stayed 3 days, eating and drinking to satiation, and my whole bill (food, lodging, and activities) was under $65.

Chiang Dao itself is a small town on the Ping River, about 40 miles upstream from Chiang Mai. The resort is about 5 miles off the main highway, on a rural road that dead ends into a Buddhist wat a couple hundred yards past the resort's entrance. The location is stunning, with Doi Luang, Thailand's highest peak, on one side, and Doi Chiang Dao, the 3rd highest, on the other.

I arrived on Thursday afternoon, two days before "Loy Krathong" (also called "Yee Ping" in North Thailand). This is the second largest of Thailand's annual festivals, falling on the November full moon with festivities for a few days before and after the actual full moon night. Chiang Mai's Loy Krathong is famous for it's scale and production values, but I wanted to see a celebration that was a bit more traditional and not dolled up to attract tourists. And that's certainly what I got.

After checking in, and a quick shower, I took a walk (suggested by Wicha) to the end of the road and onto the grounds of Wat Tham Pha Plong. Contrary to any images you may have of acient Thai temples, most of the construction here is new, being dedicated largely to the memory Looang Boo Sim Buddhacaro, who taught there for many years before passing away in 1992. (The name is not his original one, but was an appelation bestowed on him meaning something like "extremely cool and venerable old dude"). The pavilions and shrines dedicated to him are remarkably tasteful, really top-notch Thai Buddhist art.

To the right of the entrance gate stands a small, pure-white pavilion in Northern Thai style, with a life-size golden statue of the old monk framed by beautiful panels of stained glass. Moving onto the grounds, you pick up a set of 500 steps that winds up the side of the mountain to the entrance of the cave (lots of caves around here, all sacred) where he lived and taught. The large entry is festooned with dozens of portraits of himself, his teachers, and other venerable teachers. Actually, I couldn't tell you who the heck the pictures are of, but there are lots of them, along with various holy-looking Thai-language signs and documents.

A little further up, perched on the mountain side is a small 'chedi' which is actually a museum to old Looang Boo. Like the pavilion at the base, this is quite new, having been built since his death in '92. Inside is another nifty statue of himself, illuminated by several panels of stained glass (love to know who did these. They are gorgeous). On either side of this are two finely made teakwood-and-glass cabinets containing his worldly effects. The collection seems quite thorough, including his nail clippers, shaving kit, flashlight, bathroom scale, and left-over tiger balm. Also his false teeth. But tasteful, very tasteful.

Descending back to the entrance, I had a delicious papaya salad and a nice chat with some other travelers, the salad lady, and one of the monks. Needless to say, a few monks clad in bright-orange robes does a lot for the atmosphere of the place.

Refreshed by the tranquility of the wat (plus the salad), I returned to Chiang Dao Nest and caught up with Robert and Annaliers Wolfs, a Dutch couple who had just come back from 3 days trekking in the mountains. They were totally aglow with the experience, and I definitely want to do this on another trip. Everyone seems to love it.

As the sun started to go down, a small pickup truck pulled into the driveway of the resort, carrying six or seven local village men equipped with drums, gongs, and cymbals. They commenced to play a series of cheery rhythms, livened by passing around large bottles of beer, and we all went over to join in the celebration.

After a few minutes, I saw an opening to make this even more special, and went back to my room. In Bangkok the previous day, (or was it 2 days?), I had purchased a "Melodian". This is a small wind instrument (made by Suzuki of Japan) that has a small keyboard, and sounds like an accordian. I had picked it up because I wanted to have something that I could play as I travel. It comes with both a short mouthpiece and a longer tube that can be used for more flexible positioning of the instrument itself. I got the Melodian and the long tube and went back to join the party.

I started jamming in, and the contribution was well-received, all the more as I was the only pitched instrument in the ensemble. With a little experimentation, I was able to home in on a key-center and mode that seemed to work and sounded sort-of "Thai", at least to my ears. And with that, we set off for town.

The purpose of the entourage was to bring the "money tree" from the resort to the local temple. The area around Chiang Dao Nest has several fine Buddhist facilities such as Wat Tham Pha Plong, but apparently these are associated with certain monastic orders and are not really oriented to the local populace. The villagers in the area are quite poor and had only recently scraped up enough funds for their own small temple. Part of the local Yee Ping/Loy Krathon celebration was to raise money through decorative money trees posted at various spots where people could donat money or small goods.

Chiang Dao Nest had one such tree, which guests and others had bless with assorted small bills. We loaded this into the pickup and clambered in. Driving a few blocks, we stopped to pick up a couple of more such trees and to party, drinking beer and playing music everywhere we went.

Once the additional trees were in the truck, we continued on foot, following with truck. Another couple of trees joined us, carried by their 'sponsors' on polls supported by two people. Some of these supplemented the cash with small consumer goods including a tube of toothpaste (Colgate) and a children's coloring book.

As we went, we picked up more and more folks. The local housewives were with us, dancing and (judging from the body language) singing bawdy songs. There was an ample supply of beer in large bottles and I was given one of these to care for. Of course, this occupied one of my hands and I had to find a way to hold the beer and play Melodian at the same time. I solved this by running my belt through the hand-loop provided on the rear of the Melodian. This worked great, and I could play by blowing in my tube and working the keys at waist level. Really famous.

We worked our way through the whole village in this fashion, and finally ended up at the absolutely least-impressive Thai temple I have ever seen. Here we partied harder than ever and I ended up dancing with various ladies and men, of all ages, while simultaneously providing musical interpretation. I think I really got the hang of it, as people seemed to love it. I was told later that I had received two offers of marriage. But how would I know?

Finally, there was a short dedication from the temple's priest, and the party wound down. After hearty benedictions, our group from the resort piled into another truck and were carried back to a very nice house in the village. Here, we set up picnic-style in the yard and were treated to a fabulous Korean-style barbecue. Apparently, this is quite popular in Thailand, done over a bucket-shaped charcoal grill topped by a metal piece that resembles (but isn't) a hubcap. We had huge amounts of meat and vegetables to grill, with a delicious broth (which gets better the more you cook) spooned into a trough around the rim of the 'hubcap'. All of this accompanied by an unending stream of beer.

The party finally dissipated around midnight, and we were tranported back to the resort for a good sleep in our (highly) comfy beds.

And that was the first night...Whew!

Click here to see the pictures.
- posted by Gary @ 5:45 PM (0) comments

 
Chiang Dao Nest
I'm up North now, at a lovely place on the slopes of Doi Chiang Dao, the third highest peak in Thailand. I won't be able to do a full posting until I get back next week, but meanwhile, here's a link for the place I'm staying. You can trust that I some amazing stories to tell. This place is great.

Link for Chiang Dao Nest

Just as a preview, I joined the local village marching band last night, playing a completely non-electric portable keyboard! It was a major hit if I do say so.

See ya'!
- posted by Gary @ 11:22 AM (0) comments

 
Tomy the Bone
I'm worried about my friend. He won't come out of his room.

I ended up in Hua Hin in part because I knew someone here. While surfing sites about overseas living, I came across an article by someone who's name I didn't recognise, but whose biography sounded familiar. I sent him a mail and, sure enough, he and I had had business dealings about 15 years previous.

I came to Thailand on a scouting trip last May, and Tomy invited me to stay at his home in Hua Hin. I came, and spent a nice few days with he and his Thai wife. Tomy told me an amazing story of fortunes won and lost, of bitter divorce, and wandering the US in a camper truck. Finally, he had reefed up in Thailand two years previous. Since then, he had met and married a fine Thai woman, 20 years his junior and a rock of responsibility and caring, and they were living in a huge place outside of town, just a block from the ocean.

Tomy had started up a web site, and was in the throes of trying to develop it into a business. I could see that he was a little obsessive about it, and that his wife, Pon, had become something of a computer widow. Still, he roused himself enough to be a good host, to go for sightseeing and walks on the beach, to play a little music and trade notes about life, technology, business, and art. I had a good time, and when I left they invited me to stay again when I returned. For my part, I had decided to make Hua Hin my destination, for all the reasons that Tomy had ended up there, and because I now had some friends to help me get oriented.

But somehow, between May and October, things changed for Tomy.

We had traded some messages through the summer, and when I was preparing to return I dropped a line to take up their invitation to stay again. Tomy wrote back that someone else was coming to stay, and I thought, fine. It was even a relief in some ways. There are plenty of cheap guest houses in Hua Hin, and I'm rather independent.

Shortly before leaving I posted more messages, but got no reply. All I could really do was to proceed on plan and try to call when I got to town. Pon picked up the phone and sounded happy to hear from me, then got Tomy on the line. He was nice enough, explained that a power surge had taken out his hard disk and modem and that he'd been offline. I commiserated about computer and Thai power grids, and we talked about a few things. But when I got around to ask about stopping by, he became exasperated and told me "Gary, I'm *really* busy. I won't have time to see you for at least a week." Gee, I only came 6,000 miles.

I retreated as gracefully as I could, but got off the line thinking "Well, I'm on my own." Luckily for me, Pon is not participating in this silliness, and I gave her a call two days later. She asked me if I was looking for a place to rent, and told me that the townhouse two doors down from theirs was empty. She offered to speak to the owner, who lives in the unit in between.

We agreed on a time for me to stop by to see the place. I ended up running into Pon on the road on the way there. When we got to her place, we went inside and she yelled upstairs "Tomy, Gary is here." The only response was a bellow of "I'm BUSY!". All Pon and I could do was look at each other and shrug. That's Tomy.

According to his wife, Tomy eats once a day, and sleeps about two hours a night. The rest of the time he's at the computer. God knows what the plan is supposed to be. His web site is nothing exciting, although he does now offer a couple of CDs and some macrame cell phone holders there. Oddly, he seems to be promoting Hua Hin as a paradise to visit live. Just don't bother him if you should actually come.

I ended up moving in next door. I love my place and have a great relationship with the owners next door. Pon is a dear friend, although I only run into her when she's outside with her two dogs. I'm a little afraid to visit their apartment.

I've seen Tomy exactly twice in the month I've been here. Once just to wave as he got on his bike to go somewhere. The other time was the second day I was in my place. I was drinking my coffee on the 2nd-story terrace and heard noise on the street. I looked down and saw Tomy taking the dogs for a walk. As casually as I could, I said "Howdy, Tom" and asked about his progress, etc. It was pleasant enough, but short. At that point, I was still hoping he'd come out of his isolation once he got a bit caught up.

That was nearly four weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he's redoubled his efforts to stay at the computer for fear he might have to speak to me again. Mind you, I'm the only other native English speaker for a couple of miles at least. Avoiding your neighbors to that degree takes real talent.

So while things here have been very upbeat, and I'm having a great time, there's this one dark spot with my friend and neighbor who, for all I know, has gone mad as a hatter. I really hope he's OK. I'd like to help him, but I haven't a clue how to break through. I feel sorry for Pon. She seems to be a very loyal person, but there has to be a limit. I just don't know about this one.

Tomorrow, I'm headed up North to spend the Loy Krathong holiday in a small town in the mountains. It's supposed to be really nice, and very traditional. Loy Krathong is the 2nd biggest holiday of the year. I've heard they do some really cool things, and I'll be sure to fill you in.

Peace Out,
GaryInThailand
- posted by Gary @ 10:09 PM (0) comments

 
Live at the Sweet Room
I played my first show in Thailand last night at the Sweet Room (a coffee shop, not a hostess bar) in Satukarn Square in the middle of Hua Hin.

Before I ever left for Hua Hin, I had traded emails with a Danish trumpet player named "Sverre" (sver-RUH) who had run a classified ad in the Hua Hin Observer. Sverre turned out to be a sixty-something pensioner who spends half the year in Denmark and half in Thailand. He's quite a nice guy, and plays trumpet very professionally. We've become good friends. He also speaks enough Thai to socialize, so it's kind of good to run about with him.

Sverre actually has a band from Denmark who are joining him here a little later in the season, and he's been running around lining up dates for them. Looks like they've got the Christmas and New Years gig at the Hyatt sewn up, for decent money. Meanwhile, he and I have rehearsed a set's worth of material and he's booked us for a restaurant opening on November 14. And for the Sweet Room.

The Sweet Room is a tiny spot in the far rear corner of a complex at the main crossroads in Hua Hin. In the front are several good Thai-European restaurants, and there are a number of shops for clothing and other items. The Sweet Room just opened up at the rear. It's a pretty obscure location, and traffic hasn't been heavy. Sverre was able to convince the owner to bill us on a Saturday night.

It proved to be an "intimate" performance, meaning that only our friends showed up. Even the owner was a no-show. Wisut came with two of this wives, and another friend of mine, an Indian lady (born & raised in Thailand) named Naam, arrived. She got along famously with Wisut and Attaya, so it was a social success if nothing else. We performed a dozen jazz standards such as Autumn Leaves and I've Got Rhythm, using my laptop to provide drums and bass.

Our friends seemed to enjoy it, while the two female staff member looked bemused. The only time they started to perk up was when I sang one number. In my experience, most ordinary Thai's understand singing, but I think they find instrumental music puzzling.

Actually, it wasn't just our friends who came. Two teenagers down from Bangkok dropped in, having been attracted by our poster. They looked pretty young, the guy younger than the girl. They turned out to be really nice. She spoke excellent English with a Singapore lilt, and he turned out to be a Japanese exchange student. Her personality and approach (Oh, you're playing jazz! I want to hear it!) was a major contrast with the response of the local folk and for me highlighted the considerable differences between the big city and the rest of Thailand.

Sverre made friends with the two of them, and once we had finished playing, convinced them to help us carry out gear over to a hostess bar where Sverre plays sometimes for fun. The night proved to wrong for us to play there. By the time we arrived, the night was in full swing with disco blaring and girls dancing on the bar. We were afraid people would actually leave if we interrupted the proceeding, so we just had a beer and chatted with our new friends while the Hua Hin lady bar scene swirled around us.

All in all, it was Sanuk Dee (Thai for "good fun") but no profit. I'll be doing it again but no big rush. Next week I'm going up North to spend the Loy Krathong holiday in a small mountain town. Should give me some good material.

Click here to see the pictures.
- posted by Gary @ 12:41 PM (0) comments

 
Halloween in Thailand
They don't have Halloween in Thailand. What are you thinking?

Geckoes
One of the small (literally) pleasures of living in Thailand is sharing your home with a bunch of lizards. Geckoes are the quntessential house reptile here, and they are generally welcome, as they help to control insects. For bugs, geckoes are the equivalent of Bengal tigers.

Also, they're just sort of cheery. When I was in Jakarta a few years ago, a friend described the gecko to me as a "small, friendly lizard". As opposed to the large, unfriendly lizards that infest some other parts of Indonesia.

Geckos come in a huge variety. Some of them get fairly large, but the ones in my house are just a few inches long. The youngsters are even smaller and resemble cockroaches when they are running. The Global Gecko Association has a nice website with all the names (and some of the pictures). They also have a few sound samples of gecko calls.

Like birds, gecko species can be distinguished by the sounds they make. I actually don't know the species of the critters in my house, but they have a call that sounds exactly like fingernails tapping on a window pane. The first couple of times I heard it, I checked to see who was at the door!

One the more obscure items of gecko lore that I've picked up is the information that they are all named "Charlie". This important info was imparted to me by a crusty Dutchman who was working on contract in a recording studio in Jakarta. This seems to have been the primary insight obtained from several years of pickling his noodle in Jakarta's expat bars. Anytime he would see a gecko (and Jakarta has lots), he would say "Hello, Charlie".

Makes sense to me, and now when I hear fingernails tapping on my window, I just say (mentally or out loud) "Welcome home, Charlie." I have to have sympathy for them, though, as this naming convention must lead to horrible confusion in their dating lives.

Here's a couple more links for Gecko photos, including Gecko Island's "Gecko of the Month". Gecko Ranch also has photos. Mine are not too easily photographed, though, as they are small and tend to be found perched 7 feet up a wall.


- posted by Gary @ 9:56 AM (0) comments