Sidewalks in Thailand and Endings

The Moat Around the Old City

Sidewalks in Thailand are not made for walking. They are actually set up especially so that one can park a motorbike closer to one's destination or for food vendors to set up shop. It's good though, because it means you better pay attention when you're walking in the street or you'll be roadkill.

I'm done. I just graduated from level III of Thai Massage and received my fancy government approved certificate. Very special. I feel elated for some reason. It's been a fun week. Not necessarily the actual work we have done, but what we did around it. We turned out to be a pretty nutty group with a lot of humor and maybe not much else! Today we spent much of the afternoon practicing on each other and snapping ridiculous photos of each other in the most awkward of positions. It happens alot in a Thai massage session, but I guess it's not normally out there for the general public to see. That just makes it all so much funnier.

Lunch Break - Manuel, Haley, Nura, Phil, Krisztina, Natasa, Michelle and Misha

Graduates of Level III - Silly Seven and Walid

I'm going to miss the little humming bird who wakes up with me everyone morning. I'll miss Noon who makes my breakfast - sometimes instead of fruit, muesli, yogurt and croissants she makes a real treat like sticky rice with coconut and mango, or these other delectable treats that look like macaroons but are mushy and can't decide if they are sweet or savory. It's going to be hard to remember that I can't just walk out the front door without a sweater knowing that no matter how it cools down it just won't cool down that much. I'll miss my favorite lunch spot that still has no name but makes the most satisfying meals no matter what I order - and of the course the unbelievable brownie desserts. YUM. I will miss our odd little group who all went out last night for a final dinner together and had so many laughs and such good fish!

The Silly 7 - Krisztina, Phil, Manuel, Nura, Tik, Haley,and Natasa

I won't miss the exhaust fumes that get caught in my throat every time I walk down the road or ride in a taxi/tuktuk. I won't miss the pushy ladies with their really annoying wooden frogs that they shove in your face and start rattling making the most annoying sound (if you did buy one, what the hell would you do with it anyway?). I won't miss morning exercises. I had my fill of the fake yoga and chi gong sessions so Wednesday was my last 9am exercise session and I happily skipped out of the last 2 days of it. I think I couldn't have kept a straight face through "play basketball" or "move your Tight (that would be the word for Thigh) to your chest". In fact, if I "spring" my waist one more time I think I will surely come unsprung. I won't miss John's (Chongol's) ridiculous references to pressure points using random entertainment trivial like Mick Jaggers mouth, ET's finger and the reference to breasts as (and I'm not kidding here) traffic jams. Big and small of course, but still, traffic jams. Ish.

I will come back to Thailand. I don't know when, but I know that it's a comfortable place for me. There's an ease to existing here that I love. I'm not sure I could handling living here, but certainly more visits. And next time not just for studying, I wouldn't mind actually getting to SEE the country more. And the beaches?! Next time...I promise.

Time Flies...

Riding in the Red Taxi

And before I knew it, I was enjoying my last weekend in Chiang Mai. I had to do a fair amount of running around to find gifts and organize my ticket stuff out of here, but somehow it's all getting done and I found time to enjoy the sun, warmth and chaos of this city.

This weekend I went to both the Saturday and Sunday Street Markets. They are a lot of fun and a bit more diverse than the common night market. You can find blind musicians sitting in the middle of the road, and kids dancing for a Baht or two. I even saw a boy moving a straw on a bottle with his mind - or at least it was a pretty good trick! I also finally encountered a stand selling a wide variety of bugs - cooked and dried I believe - ranging from large cockroaches to fried silk worms and many odd things in between. Yum. I could not be persuaded to try anything though!

Just Some of the Delectable Treats

Blind Musicians

Another Kind of Musician

So here's a funny tidbit. This weekend a group of us went to watch "The Happening" - one of those M. Night Shyamalan flicks that's all shrouded in mystery and a bit on the thriller side of things. Well at any rate, this one is no different and there is this Happening that's killing people off and the first signs are disorientation, then they freeze where they are, and finally they end up killing themselves - lovely, I know, but bare with me for the funny bit. So I'm at the market and there are all these people walking around, selling things, talking, buying, eating etc and then all at once I'm looking and everyone is standing STOCK STILL. Just like the friggin' movie! And over some mysterious loudspeaker a national anthem I think it was, was being played. Anyway, it was funnier to me because of the movie reference but I think you get it.

And speaking of movie going experiences here - you are required to stand at the beginning of the movie for a short film and music honoring the King of Thailand. Hmm. Wait, and they search your bags before you go into the cinema because they don't want people to video tape the movies - understandable, but when the girl went to take my tiny automatic point and shoot I straight up refused and so instead she took my battery. Goodness gracious! Good thing she didn't know i keep a spare battery in the front pouch of the camera case!

At ITM we have become a small "family" in our third week so we have a pretty good time hanging out. We also have our favourite lunch haunts - mine in particular is the small air conditioned place round the corner that serves the best yellow curry AND has some awesome chocolate related desserts. We indulge regularly. Yesterday I met up with Phil for dinner as I was in the night market area. We shared some fantastic red snapper and here's the thing. I'm not keen on a whole fish flopped onto my plate with eyes and such still in tacked, but Phil being old and wise and of the water, he knew just how to get to all the good bits and leave all the bone behind. Delish! And even better to top it off with a mango smoothie.

I craved waffles the other day. Actually, I craved french toast but changed it to waffles when I thought about how badly the British mess up french toast. The last thing I wanted was eggy bread. So a belgium waffle is normally pretty much that, and it did the trick to satiate my appetite.

I Did Not Try This One

My yoga classes are not happening this week. The studio is closed for a few months. Bummer but I guess I have a lot else going on, so it's ok. I'll do some on my own. My last class was pretty cool. The rain came rushing down as we practiced with the doors and windows all wide open.

I think I have a soft spot for Chiang Mai and I'm sure I'll be back. This will be one of the last posts from Thailand, but stay tuned for the adventures that the rest of the summer brings too.

A superhero is born

I lied about the shower. It has NOT been mastered. Still, I persevere in the hope that by the time I leave I will have figured it out.

In the meantime I electrocuted myself last night. No, not intentionally. I just went to turn on a light switch and had a good old jolt up the right hand. I am only happy I had an observer to witness that my hair really did start to stand on end. It's still a little numb up into the elbow but otherwise I'm fine. In fact I was hoping it might have jump started my heart a little and given me a new lease on life. Actually my housemate told me it's a classic story of how superheroes are born so perhaps that's next for me in life. Start helping me come up with a good name since catwoman is already taken.

Orchids are everywhere here. There's a great contrast between the pollution and the care that people take in their gardens and decorating homes/guest houses etc with flowers. It's kind of nice really.

Orchids Everywhere

In other less attractive news I was walking to school the other morning and saw a freshly run over rat. It was not small. In fact I would go so far to say that it was NYC worthy in size, surpassing my cat even. The grossest part was that the guts and goo were freshly squeezed out of it and into my path. It was an effort to hold onto my breakfast. Yuck yuck yuck!

So in the mornings we either do yoga - and I'll use that term loosely here - or Qi Gong before we start class. The yoga is, well, it's a bit of stretching here and there and pulling and bouncing and such, but at least doable with a straight face. Qi gong - not so much. First of all the owner of the school leads it and he looks so much like Yoda I can't help but smile. He also has no neck and so when he does these neck stretches I can't begin to tell you how funny it looks. Mind you, the whole thing is done to this nationalistic sounding communist seeming music and there are parts where we are marching. Yes, I did write that. I so wish I could video it for all to see, but that isn't permitted of course. You'll just have to wait for my impersonations.

I went to this multifaceted doctor of all sorts holistic today. He's American but works here for some reason and came highly recommended from many students that have gone to him. It was a really interesting session that involved Chinese medicine pressure points, chiropractic cracking, neurosomething points, life coaching, nutritional counseling and who knows what else. And all 2 hours for 500 Baht.
I'll try and go again before I leave to have a follow up and see what else he says.

I can't believe it's almost the end of my second week already! We're having a lot of fun at school and I'm glad that our group is all pretty much sticking around next week too because we are of course very comfortable with each other now. It's hard not to be when you're sitting on each others feet and pressing your knees into their butt cheeks. We're quite a large group to go through altogether for more than 1 level. Let the good times roll!

Just Another Temple in Chiang Mai

The Famous Red Taxi Buses

Sunset in Chiang Mai

Tuesday's Thoughts

The View of Chiang Mai from Doi Suthep

The shower is finicky. In fact today may be the first time I figured it out. It's a beautiful marble shower with a lovely rain effect shower head. It's just that it either ends up being boiling or cold and so I end up dodging in and out and most of the time prefer to be a little chilly that singe my skin. But this morning everything changed. I had a warm, comfortable-to-stand-under-for-prolonged-periods shower. Yipee!

I went to Doi Suthep this weekend. I can say I've seen a major temple here but I don't know how impressed I was. I was a bit disappointed with the Foreigner/farang entrance charge, the tourist trinket vendors all over the place and the little girls all dressed in traditional clothes charging money to take their picture. Things don't feel so holy when all that money is involved. Still, the views of Chiang Mai from up the mountain were fairly spectacular and it was pleasant breathing slightly less polluted air for a few hours.

Pictures of the Temple

I have mastered the art of riding the red "bus" taxis. At first I had no idea how to tell where they were headed and if you could just get in, but after doing it once or twice I'm an old pro. You just tell them where you're headed and if they are willing to go there or are headed there already, you're golden. 20 Baht will see you to any destination in and around the old city. That's a real discount from the Tuktuks who charge 40 and up normally. What I like most is the open back end of the red trucks so you can swing out at any time. And fully inhale the traffic fumes. Geez, I'm practically a local now!

Last night I picked a dying cockroach off my bedroom floor. I don't know how it got there and I had a slight moment of panic before I threw a tissue over it and grabbed it up and tossed it in the garbage. Ugh.

I ate a Mexican avocado filled sandwich for dinner last night as a treat and a change from the local fare. I just craved bread and avocado for some reason. Plus I'd just been to yoga, so I felt it was deserved.

Week two is off to a good start and is quite physically demanding on the therapist's part. Thai massage is not for the weak or inflexible - at least if you're the practitioner. Today when I received the work, I could see my foot maybe 2 feet behind my head. Certainly not any natural position I fling myself into, but certainly not uncomfortable. People either love or hate working with me because I'm so bendy. It tests their limit in terms of maneuvering but it also helps if they really want to know what some things feel like.

I had another full 2 hour Thai massage from one of the teachers this afternoon. It was blissful though I left feeling very much like a wet noodle. More soon, stay tuned.

Me at Doi Suthep

Short stories - observations

ITM Neighbourhood

Outside ITM

Cockroaches can fly. How did I not know this? I am decidedly less panicked when I see one crawl around the ground where I'm eating my dinner. I guess I'm just glad it's not on my plate! Still, I have been assured that the places I'm eating are very clean and "safe".

All sorts of food comes in plastic bags here. You can buy tea in a bag, lunch in a bag - you name it. A sack of soup? For sure! I keep wondering what happens when they burst. I guess it's cheaper than Styrofoam and other carton options.

Bigger, more legit hotels are not as nice as some of the guest houses and they are not as cheap. I met up with other students for dinner last night and the hotel where a few were staying was something I wouldn't have liked to be in. My place is cheaper and I like it more.

ITM - Thai Massage School:
Phil is a rambunctious Ozzie with a wicked streak who likes to jest, drink beer and discuss the compatibility of Chinese horoscopes. It turns out we're both monkeys but he's born a good 20 years (plus) before me. He has been married twice and is into growing orchids. He's done everything under the sun.
Krisztina is Hungarian but lives in England. Funny enough she lives right near Sonja. NW Girls. She is quiet and doesn't give forth much but she watches a lot.
Lottie and Ramses are from Holland and were so excited that their country's team beat France in the Euro cup. Ramses is a history teacher of sorts - appropriate given the name. They are not married but have traveled a lot together.
Manuel is a Spaniard with all the flare that goes along with that. He's lost and looking to find himself outside of his country. He is a jack of many trades and only today I found out that he is also an artist.
Natasha from the Czech Republic has just finished school for Physiotherapy. She has a very direct way of talking and is an avid smoker. She and I ask a lot of the annoying technical questions in class.
Riane and Angelo are Brazilian siblings. They have big warm smiles and seem to laugh alot.
Christos is a big Greek guy who is in level V and helps out with level I as part of his training. He also refuses to eat Thai food so he's spent the last 5 weeks eating ramen noodles and sweets.

Phil and Haley

Krizstina Bending me out of shape with Manuel in the Background

Me and Natasa

These are some of the students at ITM. And somehow we are all thrown together for a week, maybe two or three. It's always interesting to analyze how close you have to become with people when you are physically touching each other all the time. It was this way at massage school in Ithaca, but then we had longer. Here, though, it still can feel that way even in just a 5 day encounter. There is a level of trust and respect that goes without question. Somehow I like this. It's impersonal and personal all at once. I can be alone and then I can be in a fascinating conversation about some one's trek through the country of Iran. Many of these people are traveling for longer periods. Half a year, a year, a few months. It varies. I guess we all have our reasons, our story.

Thai Tales 2

The Front of Santitham Guest House

Today I woke up scratching the side of my wrist just above the bone and below my pinkie finger. It's just one of a larger collection of mosquito bites I am collecting. It's rainy season in Thailand and the days are splashed with random torrential downpours, or sometimes just a drizzle. They never last long though, so it's easy to wait it out. I did that yesterday before I headed from school to a spa for an herbal steam sauna (for 30Baht or $1). I did that two days before when I headed to a yoga class and came out to find it pouring. I hung out chatting with the teacher for a bit and then the rain was gone and I was out and about again. I think it would be OK to be in the rain too.

Santitham guest is a smaller more personal place. I've seen others - in fact a very nice new place opened up around the corner from the school, but truthfully, all the dark teak wood and personal touches make my place feel a little more like home. When I arrived I was donned with a wreath of Jasmine flowers and given coconut milk to drink straight from the coconut and fresh watermelon. Plus I have 2 single beds and a day couch. My suitcase sleeps on one, the random junk from my bag stays on the other, and of course the last, by the window near the running water outside and the chirping birds is my bed. It's strange to be in a single bed again, but less strange than still sleeping on "my" side of the bed in a larger bed when James isn't here. So I am comfortable. Besides, they advertise on the website that they have "European" mattresses.

My Bedroom

Our Sitting Area

I eat breakfast at the guest house only because it's ready when I come downstairs. But to be truthful, it's also filling enough to get me through the morning. The fruit salad has a strange looking fruit - much like an albino kiwi with disorganized seeds scattered throughout instead of around the center. It amuses me. And all the mango is just up my alley. Plus we have toasted mini croissants and sometimes, for a special treat, Noon (the housekeeper) makes us sticky sweet rice with coconut pudding on top. It's tasty.

I was wary of eating just off the street. I thought I'd be cautious (well I still am) and just eat where westerners go, but those places are on the other end of town and as I discovered, walking takes a lot longer than I had in my mind. So round here we eat at all sorts of places. Little homely shacks with a few tables strewn out front where there are 6 options on a strange looking menu, and sometimes at air conditioned fancier places that have caught on to the school's clientele. I've avoided all the spicy dishes, though of course things are still well-flavored. There's a nice cashew chicken dish and I really liked my noodle dish from lunch today. I feel more authentic about my visit to Thailand this way. I confess though, the other day I had no idea where to eat dinner and ended up with a Strawberry smoothie in one hand (disgustingly sweet made with syrup and ice and yogurt - ugh!) and a bag of chips and ramen type noodles in the other. Yikes.

7 Eleven Across the Street

I'm figuring it out though. Last night after yoga I even found the night bazaar. I wondered through a few laps of trinkets and bits and bobs and sat down in the rattier looking local spot next door to McDonald's and opposite Haagen Das and Starbucks. Yes, they have them here too. The tuktuk ride home almost left me with a sore throat because of the car fumes and how fast he was going.

And finally I am almost finished my first week of the Thai massage course and I'm pleased with how it has all gone. I am glad to have my previous training just to support and fill in some of the technical Anatomy and Physiology stuff, but otherwise it's turning out to be pretty comprehensive. I will need a lot more practice before I will feel really confident (right now I know enough to give 1.5 hour massage but only with my manual close by my side), but then I have another 2 weeks today, don't I. All things considered, life is good.

Friday Night with Some Friends from School

Thailand Part 1

Pictures will have to come later but for now so that I can keep track of everything that's been happening and so that everyone has a chance to hear what I'm up to, you can read these blog updates.
First of all, I swore before I got to the airport that for such a long flight I either needed to be upgraded or have a row to myself. As it turns out, at first I had neither... but then since it wasn't the fullest flight I asked the flight attendant, and low and behold the entire middle back row of 4 seats was empty and so I parked myself across all four using 4 pillows, 2 blankets and my ipod and promptly slept. I don't think I've ever slept that much on a flight. It must have been 6 hours uninterrupted and another 1-2 hours waking up here and there. I missed the movie and dinner. It helped make the 11 hour flight rather short to say the least.


So, Bangkok. Hot, well no, muggy is probably better. People are friendly but mostly because they see you as a walking dollar sign. It's a shame. It's hard not to notice the many gigantic billboards on the way to and from the airport. I mean HUGE. And yet the city is this weird mix of dilapidation and sleek new high rises. Oakwood Residence turned out to be as nice as Keith and Charlene promised, and they even upgraded me to a one bedroom because I really needed the extra space, it being me, myself and I. So after exploring my new pad (for all of 3 nights), booking a Thai massage at Healthland for 7:30pm, and calling an old classmate from Bennington (Sara Syed) to arranging a meet up, I realized that i was in fact starving and headed to the restaurant downstairs to eat. I realized after actually getting out and about that it was greatly overpriced but with so much traveling etc I couldn't have cared less. Things were off to a decent start. The only thing decidedly missing was James. To get my mind off of things, I went for my first AUTHENTIC Thai massage. Good gracious! Nice price for sure (450 Baht translates to about $15) but I thought the slight lady working on me was actually trying to root my muscles off the bone. Hmm. And this mind you, is after saying she could go softer. That lasted all of 20 secs. In retrospect, though a little sore I was highly entertained, and more so when she actually asked for a tip and then when I gave her one, she tried to tell me what the Correct amount was. Cheeky lady. I said she could keep what I gave her or have none at all. I think if I go back she may actually kill me, so I will probably not.
Jet lag hasn't really hit me though to confess, I haven't slept well yet. Last night was the closest to a full night of uninterrupted sleep. I guess my mind was overactive with all the new stimulation.

On Friday, of all places to head to with Sara, we went to a crepe place called (this is very original) Crepes and Co. But, and I will say this with much experience behind me, it was delicious. We sat outside and got bitten by mosquitoes and caught up for about 3 hours. And from there we found our way to the night bazaar where we scrolled the stalls for interesting stuff. There's a ton of cheap and nasty stuff and some more well made things spotted in between. Afterwards she left and I took a walk down Silom Rd peering at this and that and stopping for some dinner. I had the displeasure of coming across Potang market (is that the name of it?) which is well known for it's numerous go-go bars. The doors are all open and all you see are very unhappy looking girls standing waiting at their polls. I don't know how anyone actually goes in there... UGH.
Later that night I met back up with Sara and her husband Khurum and 2 of his friends at a bar called Admakers. It's actually a kind of fun place mostly because of the live band playing covers of all the good stuff from 60's through the 90's. We laughed so hard watching the back up singer sing sounds that remotely sounded like English but definitely weren't..."bverouervvouu stayin' alive, stayin' alive, ah ah ah ah'm stayin' alive!" Too funny.



Saturday I explored a little of Sukumvit Rd - pricey area with many malls. My main spot was the Emporium Mall whose food court came highly recommended. I managed a day of food, browsing and even a movie for under $20. Pretty cool.

On Sunday I flew here to Chiang Mai. I had this strange sense of relief to be out of Bangkok truthfully. And landing in Chiang Mai seeing the mountains and green I was a little more at ease. Of course just till I arrived and found no one there to pick me up. No, actually it was fine. I just called the guy who was supposed to be there and he came in 15 mins. And so I arrived at Santitham Guest House. It's quite a sweet small place with lots of more personal details though privacy isn't one of them. Shared bathrooms. Oh well. I was told there may not be others there but apparently we are full! That means all 5 rooms, mind you. It's OK though because the people here right now are pretty cool and actually it was a nice opportunity to head out for a bit of sightseeing with them later in the afternoon. There's a Sunday market that we made our way through despite little dribbles of rain. And I have to confess that I have seen more temples and pagodas just wondering around Chiang Mai for 2 days than I did in my time in Bangkok. They're everywhere here!
So the rest I will leave for my next post since I'll be amazed if anyone even got this far. Stay tuned!