Merry Christmas 2013

After this clip posted last Christmas a number of you were kind enough to send messages thanking me for sharing it; a few asking where they could purchase a recording of it.  To the first group: you're more than welcome - it's long been my favorite reading of the piece. As for obtaining a copy, although it was professionally recorded in concert it's not in commercial release. You might catch it being broadcast on a rare occasion - National Public Radio ran it on Christmas eve some years ago, for example - but even my disc is a white-label performer's copy.

It's just past lunchtime on 24 December in the Land of Smiles, and while I'd appreciate an afternoon on the beach there somewhere I'm more than content being home here with family and friends... so I'll share this again. If we don't meet here tomorrow, have a fantastic Christmas holiday.

A Foreign Affair

Tom Waits in concert 1976

A friend cornered me during a social event the night before last, breathlessly relating yet another tale of a bar boy who had become the love of his life. As he's quite the butterfly while on the road I had to ask (to his chagrin) which of his rented admirers this might have been.

To be clear: I have no problem whatsoever with people who are primarily sex tourists - whatever floats your long boat, I say. As long as they show their rented admirers some respect and treat them as they'd themselves wish to be treated, what's the problem with being a participant in the transactions of the World's Oldest Profession? My grandfather used to say "as long as you don't do it in the streets and scare the horses", and that's probably as handy a measure to use as any. But I've already veered off topic, so let's return to my friend's new love.

I've known him for at least 20 years, and while he's a good-hearted person overall he's a strongly opinionated, my-way-or-the-highway kind of guy. The closest I've ever come to coming out on top in a debate is to agree to disagree about the topic at hand; the best one can hope for when talking with someone who has more immovable opinions than Thailand has motor scooters. As usual, I simply smiled, said "good for you" and wished him luck. I suggested he keep his emotional guard up and keep his options open.  Hearing him speak two breaths later of soon getting back to the clubs in Bangkok I'm guessing that's precisely what he's going to do!

The overwhelming majority of stories I hear from people who are on the prowl while on holiday are more firmly footed in the land of the short term (or butterfly) relationships. I know a few U.S./Thai couples who are sharing life across an ocean between visits, but they're part of an extremely small percentage of couples I've seen made it work. Most I know are happy with a loosely-bound coupling, if they even consider anything more than casual hook-ups.

If you're single and far from home - unless you're joined at the hip traveling with someone - you have the opportunity to savor the moment when the thought comes to you that you're a stranger in a strange land, and, for at least that moment, nobody knows you and nobody that does know you has any idea where you are.  That idea terrifies one person I know, but I find it usually makes me feel pleasantly giddy.  Granted, you have to suspend your fears for a bit, but your odds of being harmed while walking down a country road in Isaan are certainly no higher than they are in your own neighborhood back home.

So... what the hell does any of this have to do with the "Foreign Affairs" title or the photo up top today? Since you've stayed with me this far I suppose you deserve an explanation, so, as convoluted as it is, here's the Reader's Digest version:

I became a fan of Tom Waits back in the early 1970s. The man's own singing voice can set off nearby car alarms if I'm playing his recordings at much of a volume, but he's a songwriter (and more importantly a storyteller) who can paint a picture with his lyrics that can move me like few others can. How can one not appreciate a song about leaving someone without saying goodbye that begins "I will leave behind all of my clothes I wore when I was with you", or lines like "the rain sounds like a round of applause" or "how can you close your eyes and say good night, and go to sleep without me"?

I've seen Waits perform, but I've only had the opportunity to get proper pictures of him on stage one time - in November 1976 - and one of those photos is the lead picture today.

While I'm out wandering about in Thailand the tune and lyrics to his song "A Foreign Affair" often come to my mind, for some reason. Maybe it's inspired by that "nobody knows where I am" thing, but often it's while observing other people visiting the same place.

I'm posting the lyrics below, and below them are audio and YouTube links to an Asian guy playing and singing a credible version of the song... certainly as good as what I sing to myself while walking. For those of you willing to try Waits' original version it's at the very end of today's post.

A Foreign Affair

When traveling abroad in the continental style 
It's my belief one must attempt to be discreet 
And subsequently bear in mind your transient position 
Allows you a perspective that's unique 

And though you'll find your itinerary's a blessing and a curse 
Your wanderlust won't let you settle down 
And you'll wonder how you ever fathomed that you'd be content 
To stay within the city limits of a small Midwestern town 

Most vagabonds I knowed don't ever want to find the culprit 
That remains the object of their long relentless quest 
The obsession's in the chasing and not the apprehending 
The pursuit, you see, and never the arrest 

Without fear of contradiction "bon voyage" is always hollered 
In conjunction with a handkerchief from shore 
By a girl who drives a rambler and furthermore 
Is overly concerned that she won't see him anymore 

Planes and trains and boats and buses 
Characteristically evoke a common attitude of blue 
Unless you have a suitcase and a ticket and a passport 
And the cargo that they're carrying is you 

A foreign affair juxtaposed with a stateside 
And domestically approved romantic fancy 
Is mysteriously attractive due to circumstances knowing 
It will only be parlayed into a memory






The Tom Waits version. You've been warned... his style easily qualifies as "an acquired taste".

Jake "Going For Broke" On The 4th Of July

Although we (meaning our own United States government) authorized the internment of somewhere around 110,000 Japanese-Americans living on the West coast during World War II, they thought it was just fine to allow some of these same prisoners to lay down their lives, fighting for the very government who chose to leave them out in some of the more God-forsaken desert areas available.

Most were nisei - first-generation Japanese, born in the U.S; grouped as "enemy aliens" (4C) shortly after the bombing at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

All of the Japanese in Hawai'i weren't hauled away... that would have involved relocating over 150,000 - one-third of the island population - but they did imprison between 1,200 and 1,800 of them, over 60% of them american citizens. Those left "free" were subjected to discrimination and abuse from mile to severe.

Members of my own family have shared tales I won't go into here, but one I will share was a visit to one of their homes from the military who took away their radio and returned it with the parts that might allow a transmission removed. I guess macadamia nut farmers were a threat, but they were lucky, compared to many others.

While the internment to these "War Relocation Camps" was sometimes justified as being "for their own protection", it was, to many clearer-thinking folks, a knee-jerk reaction. Another fine example of mob mentality in many cases, in my less than humble opinion. A sister-in-law and a few cousins were born behind barbed wire fences, and many lost their land and the personal possessions they couldn't carry with them, if they were allowed to take much of anything.

The most notable regiment of them all was the 442nd Infantry Regiment that fought in Italy, France and Germany.  When I say fought, I mean fought... the 442nd was the most decorated regiment in U.S. military history, called the Purple Heart Battalion. The motto they marched to was "Go for broke," and they fought just as bravely as any others - perhaps more so.

Many decades later, my friend Jake Shimabukuro put together a tribute to this group, and used their motto as the title. Jake is a noted virtuoso on the ukulele, and I thought I'd give him a minor plug while tipping my hat to my late family member who was one of the heros of the 442nd. For obvious reasons I'm not posting a personal picture of Jake to the blog here, but he's both a good man and a fine looking guy. There are plenty of images on his web site.

Thank you Jake, and most of all thank you Art, wherever your spirit is today. When the "rocket's red glare" light the sky tonight, I'll think of you.

Happy 4th of July, everyone. Have a safe holiday.

IKEA In Thailand: 1st Store Lands In Mega Mall Bangna

Most of the front of the Bangna Mall location on the outskirts of Bangkok

IKEA began as the brainchild of Ingvar Kamprad (a Swedish man) back in 1943, but has grown into a huge corporation now operating over 340 stores in at least 39 countries. They specialize in furniture and other housewares, the furniture often sold as "assemble yourself" kits. In years past they were known to be challenging to assemble, even if all of the parts were in the box when you got it home. Thankfully they've made great improvements over the years and their products are far more dependably manufactured and packaged.

When I read they were to open their first store in Thailand I was intrigued: how would their style and selection be received? It turns out they were both accepted and very popular. Part of that popularity most likely came from their TV ads, which have always been entertaining...



Quick and to the point, often clever and, some might say, borderline suggestive ads - one featured a child giggling over a personal vibrator - have been rolled out to regional audiences, such as this one of a Thai husband and wife who find some new spark for their relationship in this one:



One of their more recent ads (below) showed a man with his ladyboy partner and drew some criticism from the transgendered community, but still... it's clever:

The first Thailand location is in the Bangna district, just to the East of Samut Prakan. I was staying within a few kilometers from the Bangna Mega Mall IKEA anchors and, having some free time during the day while the friend I was visiting was off at work I decided to take a run out to see this blue and yellow giant.

If you're taking highway 3 to Chonburi you're likely to see the Mega Mall on your right as you're approaching highway 9... that distinctive IKEA sign sticking up into the sky is hard to miss, haze permitting.

There are precious few examples of differences between the Thai store and the ones I've visited here in the U.S., other than the English/Thai signage for items, but there are of course items in stock that might be more popular to a regional clientele.

Past the check-out area at IKEA Bangna

We'll see the new-ish, and quite modern Bangna Mega Mall in another post, but here's an image of one of the interior display islands that line the main aisles, featuring IKEA items:

There had recently been a recall of the Swedish meatballs that are somewhat of a staple of the store's cafeterias most places - something to do with bacteria in the beef they used - so I couldn't sit and have my usual "comfort food" there, but they did have a black pepper pork steak plate that was spicy enough for most locals, I'd guess.

Oddly enough (or not) the longer lines were at the snack bar outside the check-out area on the main floor, which featured a Thai version of hot dogs, fries and soft-serve ice cream cones.

One evening after my friend returned from work we took a run out to the Mega Mall to have dinner and catch a movie and since he'd never heard of IKEA I walked him through it. He saw several things he said he'd come back to pick up for his new room. I'm waiting to see how well his patience holds out while assembling them!

Map of the area of the Bangna IKEA, from their web site

Playing With Fire On The Beach On Koh Samed

It's Friday, and Friday is usually the time when people's minds turn to thoughts outside of their office or regular weekday routines.  I'm no different, really (well, I freely admit to being a bit strange, but that's an entirely different arena) so I'm ready for a couple of days with friends and family.

Sitting out in the back yard with a cup of coffee this morning I watched birds landing in the upper pond of the waterfall to take a morning bath. Every so often one of them would misjudge the flow of the current and end up swept over the edge of the falls. They always catch themselves, naturally - birds can fly, after all - but one this morning kept dipping in, being carried over the brink and coming back to try it again... much like a child shouting "again! again!" when they're tickled by something.

The mild "flirting with danger" aspect of it reminded me of the traveling bands of Thai men who move along the beach of Koh Samed with their fire shows. Some are more skilled then others and some bear the scars of previous mistakes, but they, too, continue to flit about the flame(s) like moths.

So, here's an example of one of the somewhat larger groups doing a portion of a number. The sound isn't important on this one - trust me; the music was loud and the wind caused a roar in the recording as well.  Still, an entertaining routine.

Enjoy your weekend - whatever it is you end up doing.  

Thunder And Lightning One Morning In Pattaya

As a writer I tread a thin line regarding the legality of "working" in Thailand without a work visa - something I've never felt compelled to do. The details aren't important here, but suffice it to say I don't sit and work as I normally do at home when I'm in the Land of Smiles just to keep my conscience clear.  I'll make notes and record bits to spark my memory once I'm back in the USA, but I don't write, per se.

Nevertheless, that's what I was doing one grey morning in Pattaya, sitting with my back to the sliding patio doors while waiting for a phone call when suddenly there was a stunningly bright FLASH that lit the room, followed immediately by sharp, startlingly loud CRACK from behind me.

The lights in the room blinked off and then on again, and a muffled shriek came from just down the hall outside of my suite.  The flash was lightning, the almost immediate booming sound was the thunder less than a kilometer away and the shriek I learned from a housekeeping woman a little while later was from her, surprised at the jolt in the service elevator she shared with her cart at the moment of "impact".

In all honesty, being more of a city boy than a country boy this was a novelty I didn't know enough to be wary of, so with the smell of ozone beginning to waft into my suite through the open window I picked up my camera and waltzed out onto the balcony, sitting down in my preferred lounge chair and settled in to watch the show.  I wasn't disappointed: there were dozens of bolts hitting nearby.

As a child many of us were told to count "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three" after seeing a lightning strike, each count supposedly indicating a mile between us and where the bolt occurred, and I guess my warning ought to have been that I barely got to "one th..." before the blast of thunder arrived a couple of times, but I guess what a Thai friend has told me often enough in the past was true: "it not your time," so here I am to tell the tale.

In addition to the few bolts the camera caught directly, you can see the bright flashes on the side of a couple of buildings below my rooms, and what appear to be video "glitches" are merely electronic interference courtesy of the lightning. I didn't know it could do that to a digital video, but I noted it happening at the time, and any day I learn something new isn't a total waste, I suppose! At least I wasn't hanging onto the stainless steel railing and resisted the temptation to head up to the rooftop garden... even I know not to do that.

The storm passed in about 20 minutes, the streets dried in another hour and it was a marvelous day... complete with a morning light show.

"Shut Up And Kiss Me"? How Rude!

We were cruising along through the countryside on our way to Hau Hin some time back; somewhat overly full after lunch at a roadside eatery, me feeling a bit drowsy and thankful my friend was driving. One of the homemade CDs I'd brought him from home was in the car player, and he was, as usual, singing to most anything he felt he could join in on.

Most of it was new to him, but that didn't stop him. He'd had some time in the USA during his school days - he's very well educated - and while I like to widen his musical horizons a bit I often bring music and songs from those years. He'd lost almost all of the music he'd brought back with him (long story) so the look of surprise on his face when he recognizes something and really joins in with it makes all of the effort worthwhile. He can't sing, but who cares? It's still fun.

I've long been a fan of Mary Chapin Carpenter, and soon enough the song from the above clip came booming from his nice auto stereo system. I'd pulled the audio off of the DVD, so we were hearing the actual recording you hear when you play the clip up top, but that afternoon you'd have heard me singing along. Consider the fact you can't hear me singing it to be a late Christmas gift to you from me. Tapping my foot, I was watching the long rows of flowering plants along the highway when the song got to "It's been too long since somebody whispered 'shhh... shut up and kiss me'".

"Wait... what?" my friend said, glancing over my way. "That's very rude!" At first I thought he was just making a good-natured joke about the phrase, but then I realized he didn't understand what the meaning was behind the usage and thought it was actually the command "shut up!", which is not the case.

He said, emphatically "A polite Thai would never say such a thing!" I tried ten ways to breakfast to explain it to him, citing movies, television shows and all sorts of other playful examples, but there was no swaying him. He kept saying "A Thai wouldn't say that," and it was one of those rare occasions where we just had to agree to disagree.

"I guess you'll just have to skip over that track when you play this disc," I offered "or just toss the disc in the trash, if you want. I won't mind - the media didn't cost hardly anything."  He thought about this for a moment and then replied "I will think about it."

As we were parking in Hua Hin and carrying our bags up the stairs at the hotel I heard it: his voice, somewhat off key, quietly singing "shut up and kiss me".  I smiled and have never mentioned it since.

Sleeping, Part 12: Some Random Napping

Aboard a river raft in dry dock near Chiang Mai

I've mentioned what a guilty pleasure naps are for me often enough that even I'm bored with it, but they're a gift the Thai - and those with enough sense in tropical areas - don't ever seem to take for granted. Thai people can (and will) catch 40 winks in some of the most unlikely places.

In the shade along Laem Singh beach, but that's one of the best spots.

It's not like I walk about with radar on looking for them, either, so it's unlikely I've merely run across a disproportionate number of snoozers. Take note yourself if you're in a location with a climate that encourages the behavior and my guess is you'll see your share, too.

I can't imagine how this could be comfortable, but so it goes

Children are easy to catch napping; they seem to be able to sleep at a moment's notice. When their bodies tell them it's time to rest, they simply disconnect and sleep in the first safe spot possible.

Napping on Mama's shoulder at Jatujak Market

For those of you wondering what I'm doing here on a weekend, it's a make-up for missing Thursday and Friday and a chance to say enjoy your weekend. For some of you in the USA it's a three day break, as we observe the late Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday on Monday.

Well, some of us do. I do. Each year I stop to listen to his "I have a dream" speech (at the very least) and perhaps you'd care to do the same - the clip is below. He was far from a perfect man, but he dedicated much of his life to striving for equality - an equality that has helped others who labor under the burden discrimination - and paid the ultimate price for it.

Resolution, Absolution, Acceptance

This version/melody of the old standard "Auld Lang Syne" has been a favorite. May it trigger some reflection for you, too.

Actual New Year resolutions have been off of my list of Things To Do for decades now. If any of you make commitments to yourself or whoever/whatever and actually stick to them, my hat's off to you. Really. Unfortunately the follow-through is all too often woefully inadequate, and the commitment falls to the wayside; you can hear them crashing into the briars all around you this first few weeks of January as new bricks of good intentions are set into place on the road to hell, so to speak.

The lobbies of 24-Hour Fitness and other gyms will again be standing room only this week as people vow to begin getting themselves into shape to cross a common resolution off of the list. In three weeks you'll again be able to fire a cannon through most of them and not hit many folks. Likewise Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and other weight loss schemes and diet plans. Most of us are still waiting for some miracle drug to magically slide the weight off of us, rather like the hot fudge sliding down the sides of the sundaes many will be sitting in front of in another fortnight!

In my early college days I worked in a convenience store that stocked liquor. It worked well for me, because I drank my share (and then some) back in those days, too. You'd notice there'd be a distinct drop in the beer and booze sales the first week of January, but soon the same old customers would return one or more times a day for the half pints they possibly thought nobody noticed them slipping from their pocket for a quick slug.

Speaking in absolutes is often a poor idea, I think. If you've read the blog regularly you know you don't see me using them very often; "always" and "never" rarely pass my lips. The same goes for resolutions. Committing to most anything for a year is iffy, at best. Some of you already know that much of my thinking is along the lines of "one day at a time", and that's far more realistic. Honestly. Trust me on this one.

Every so often I hear from someone one way or another who - with all good intentions - points out some baseless, mean-spirited comment someone has made about me in the either the real or cyber-world, as though I ought to know.  I thank them and then file the comment in either the trash or recycle bin - wherever it does the most good for myself and the universe. Usually that means the trash.  If I'm having a decent day I stop to briefly forgive the offending party and wish them a good day, and that's the end of it, 98% of the time. I learned a long time ago: if you let them get to you, they've won.

Again, I'm a country mile from being a perfect person, but to the people that matter that doesn't matter, if you know what I mean. Those that care about me (on whatever level) don't pick on my shortcomings; a wise thing for anyone with mirrors in their home to do.

My resolutions for this year - and yes, I do make some generalized ones as guideposts - are the same as the past few years: make an honest attempt to eat better, get some sort of regular exercise, treat others as I'd like to be treated and make some sort of a positive difference on this big blue marble we hurtle around the sun on at 108,000 km per hour.

That I can do. That I can accept.

May all of you have a healthy, happy and lucky 2013/2556 - and in that order, too. Happy New Year, everyone.

You May Say I'm A Dreamer...

I freely admit to perhaps being a bit too hopeful and optimistic in many situations. It doesn't always make good copy for people seeking the acerbic faux cynicism that keeps some news sources and opinion writers in business - "FOX News" comes to mind, and using those two words together is a slap in the face to honest journalism overall - but let's not run too far off track.

Weekend posts have been infrequent occurrences for the last year or so, but here's one, albeit merely a repeated reminder of a couple of thoughts; one far brighter than the other.

Thirty-two years ago today, John Lennon was murdered while returning to his home in New York City. That's obviously the dark thought. Being the person I am, my favorite song of his has long been "Imagine", and again this morning I was reminded of both that dark day, but also of some of the times I've heard that song since.

Believing in the possibility of more people agreeing to "live as one" is obviously the brighter thought, and during the holiday season many people's thoughts can wander along with that hope, if not necessarily their deeds.

One of the more notable times I heard "Imagine" was at dinner at a hotel in Bangkok, where a Thai man filled my request for a Beatles song by singing Lennon's somewhat wistful message of hope. For newer readers, the April 2012 story about that evening is here.

Thanks for the song, John. Trust me... you're not "the only one".

A (Brief) Musical Interlude While Housekeeping

The Summer palace of King Rama Vi, (known as Maruekhathaiyawan Palace) is on the Western edge of the Gulf of Thailand, between Hua Hin and Cha-Am.

The palace is an airy, sprawling set of beautifully crafted buildings made of blonde teak wood, all connected by long open walkways. Designed with a royal flair by a designer from Italy it was constructed in 1923, but still looks new today - despite it being right on the beach and vulnerable to the salt air. It's obviously been meticulously kept up.

I'll try to get to a proper report about it soon, but what made me think of it today were the solid rosewood wind chimes outside my window this morning as they stirred in the wind, striking notes that reminded me of the ranat (wooden xylophones) and other instruments I heard played there one afternoon. The tone bars of the ranat are often made from rosewood, you see. There's a short clip of the musicians below.



It's raining off and on this morning and it's a little cool to have the windows open, but I've left them ajar so I'll hear the chimes singing amid the gusts of wind as I scurry around, preparing my house for Thanksgiving visitors tomorrow.

Here's wishing you a day just as fine as the one I'm having.

Khaen Pipe Busking - Street Performing

If you visit the Chatuchak weekend market you're bound to run into people playing on the walkways for spare change, or busking to those of you in the UK. The two boys above were working as a team one late morning, standing in the already hot sun and going at it almost non-stop.

Another boy performing at
Chatuchak one morning

Being a musical skill passed along from one generation to the next he music played isn't always high quality, but if you appreciate free-form jazz you're likely of a mind to enjoy the somewhat repetitive, trance-like melodies they perform. What I mean is, the age of the performer isn't necessarily an indicator of the level of authenticity, and I'm not an expert so this kid might qualify as a very good player - who knows?

The variety of melody and tones used has been better with some older players I've heard - I can say that much.

The instrument the boy in the red shirt in the clip is playing is called a khaen; also spelled "kaen" and "khen", transliteration being the imperfect process it often is. There is also a close relative in the same family known as the khene; nearly identical, but tuned to a different (pentatonic) scale.

The khaen is a set of bamboo pipes, carefully cut to different lengths to produce different notes, and I say carefully because unlike a stringed instrument it's nearly impossible to "tune" it once the pipe is cut. There are five basic lai, or modes, of tuning for the khaen. This is beyond my musical knowledge, so forgive me for quoting a bit here from Wikipedia to explain them to those who'll understand:

"The khaen has five different lai, or modes: Lai Yai (A C D E G), Lai Noi (D F G A C), Lai Soutsanaen (G A C D E), Lai Po Sai (C D F G A), and Lai Soi (D E G A B). Lai Po Sai is considered to be the oldest of the Lai Khaen and Lai Soutsanaen the 'Father of the Lai Khaen.' "

More common in the Isaan region of Thaland, it's also a common woodwind used in the music of Laos and Cambodia.

I confess, when I hear this at an outdoor restaurant as part of the entertainment it's difficult to stay seated and not join in with the others who get up to dance. Thankfully, decency usually keeps me seated.

Street Snacks: Take-Away Iced/Hot Chai Tea

The first think you might want to know is that Thai "iced tea" isn't what you're used to back home... it's not merely brewed black tea over ice.

It's also not what those in some parts of the USA call Sweet Tea; normal iced tea with what seems to be a cup of sugar per glass, but unless you're looking to cultivate the adult onset of Type II diabetes that's probably a good thing. No offense to my Texas or other Southern readers intended.

There are many variations of the Thai drink, but the base ingredient is tea, and that often means black tea, but there are other spices in the mix - star anise, cardamom, cinnamon and/or others by locale - and milk; whole, coconut, evaporated or sweetened condensed.

The clip above, shot in Old Chantaburi Town is one of the simplest versions I've seen prepared, but the preparation is a show unto itself in some places, such as the Chatuchak/Jatujak/JJ weekend market in Bangkok, where they often whirl about as they pour it a distance to blend the concoction from one container to another, as in the clips below from a few years ago.



Here's another - shorter - clip from the same visit:


As mentioned before, local ice can sometimes harbor bacteria that the Thai have no problems digesting but Western systems can find a challenge, so be advised and take that into consideration before being charmed like a snake in a basket into imbibing the tasty beverage.  There's more about  protecting yourself from that chance here.

It's looking to be another fairly warm day where I am, though, and the thought of walking along sipping one seems worth the minor risk. After all, it's all part and parcel of the adventure!

Kanom Dok - A Crispy Street Treat

The Thai people don't eat like many of us do in the West. Yes, buffets exist; but they're more of a way of sampling different dishes and not an opportunity to stuff ourselves as if we're being bred for the production of pate. It's a gift, really.

They tend to eat when they're hungry, and decline the opportunity when they're not. They're much more likely to snack a bit here and there throughout the day. My friend calls it "grazing," and it certainly seems to fit. The whole idea of "Super-sizing" is an idea that's been foisted on some folks, and again - I don't believe we're doing them any favors.

Even something as light as a bag of the delicate, fried pastry-type cookies above, sold in small bags of perhaps three to six, isn't a portion - although it would be a single serving for most of us. Kanom Dok is made from cassava (tapioca) flour, rice flour, coconut water, white and black sesame seeds, sugar, lime water (made from red lime paste), egg yolk and salt, for the most part. The pink color comes from the red lime paste.

The scent of these delightful treats greeted us as we strolled slowly along the narrow streets of Old Chantaburi on my last visit. I thought the aroma was drifting out of the open corner restaurant, but my friend pointed to the tiny cart in front of the shop a couple of doors down, and I took a quick detour to watch the woman there cooking a few before tasting the sample she held out for me; fresh from the fryer. It was magnificent, and I bought a half-dozen to take along with us.

Heading back to the restaurant where we ended up stopping for lunch I resisted eating the bagful. I offered them to my friend, who first said he'd wait for lunch, but then gave in and had one.  One.

The "Old City" section of Chantaburi is something I'll post about next week.

Thai Children On Smoking

A nasty headache kept me from writing today, but while checking email a few minutes ago I found a friend had sent me the link to the clip above, put out by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, a group who have done several other amusing and informative public service announcements, so I guess there'll be a post today after all.

There are another half-dozen or so others on their site. The clips below could serve as messages to people in almost any country, but happen to be intended for Thai people.  Good on you, THPF!

Another Reminder Of The 2004 Tsunami

A still captured from the trailer clip below

While mortality figures from the December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami were far higher across Indonesia than they were in Thailand (130,736 confirmed deaths in Indonesia vs 5,395 in Thailand) the emotional factor regarding Thailand was far higher for most of you regulars here, and that's perfectly understandable; any personal connection to a disaster that brings a clearer image of people and places we're somehow attached to make the event far more vivid in our mind, and for many of us all the more emotional.

In addition to a couple of tabloid-type video releases that were rushed out shortly after the 26th of December event, HBO and the BBC broadcast a mini-series two years later. "Tsunami: The Aftermath" is still readily available on DVD, and is scheduled to re-broadcast on HBO again this December. My main complaint about the film was that I didn't feel it showed enough of what happened to the native population, but I understand it was aimed at a farang audience. Nevertheless, it triggered the intended emotional response and was reasonably well received.

There's a new feature film currently in post-production that looks as though it may fall into the same rut, although I'm hoping for more. "The Impossible" was filmed in Spain and Thailand, directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and starring Ewen McGregor, Geraldine Chaplin and Naomi Watts. This early trailer is in Spanish, but the film will be released in English. You won't have any trouble understanding what's going on:



Many of us repeat visitors to Thailand know (or knew) someone who had ties to the Phuket area during that unfortunate period of time. Some had visited there themselves. One couple I know were most thankful that their business here prevented their annual beach-side holiday there in 2004 or they probably wouldn't be around to tell the tale.

My most personal connection was via an Isaan friend, one of my first contacts in Thailand many years ago. He was working the reception desk graveyard shift at a hotel quite near the shore. Most mornings after he was off work around 08:30 or thereabouts he'd go walk along the beach for an hour or so and visit with friends to unwind before walking up the hill to his room, but he was more tired than usual that morning and skipped his usual stroll. As he sat safely in his room, the water surged in and took the lives of everyone in the reception area and lobby of his hotel. I knew he was in the area, and the wait before I heard from him seemed far longer than it actually was.

 The tsunami in Japan a year ago was just as awful - if not more so, in some ways - but without the personal connection it didn't have the same impact that the 2004 disaster had on me, despite the far more complete coverage of the event. That day in 2004 will stay with me for a long, long time.

 "The Impossible" is scheduled for worldwide release in October.

"Signs" Of The TImes: TSL, MTSL And ASL

The clip here today was taken at JJ/Chatuchak Weekend Market. By the time I'd gotten my video recorder out, on and started I'd missed most of the conversation, which a cousin (who signs well) tells me seemed to be more or less the woman in blue saying "just get me three or four - and don't be slow about it, I'm not a patient person."  My cousin doesn't know Thai sign language and there are regional differences, as you'd expect. Not what I'd call really fascinating talk, but it was still interesting to see her somewhat exaggerated manner of signing.  I've only seen people sign in Thailand maybe 10 times, total.

Having been acquainted with a few deaf folks over the years I tend to be more aware of people around me that are communicating via signing with their hands than some people are. For some of them it's a necessity, and for others it's another language they've learned to communicate, rather like learning French - and if I watch them a bit I can usually tell if their hearing is compromised or if they're simply talking with someone who can't hear them properly for whatever reason.

It's not foolproof radar, as seen in the post from April 18th of 2010. In that story the deaf man selling pop-up cards along the beach didn't set it off, although perhaps it should have; I'd figured he was having a "blah" day and was simply trudging his way through it. As you can see below, he wasn't exactly an enthusiastic beacon of smiling salesmanship.


If you've read it you know the story had a happy ending. I haven't run into him a third time, but I've seen similar cards in other places in Thailand noted as being made by the hearing impaired and have learned it's a shared craft.

More often than not what you'd encounter here stateside are hearing impaired or deaf people who will hold out a card not much larger than the cards I made up for the Sexy Movie DVD touts.  The cards show small icons that illustrate the letters of the alphabet as used by those who communicate via ASL, or American Sign Language. Sometimes there's an insignificant item attached to it - a miniature candy cane around Christmas, for example - but most of the time it's just the card.  On the reverse is a brief explaination; something along the lines of "Hello. I am deaf and sell this card to make a living. Please donate whatever you feel is fair." You make a donation and receive the card. The card vendors along the beaches of Thailand now carry a larger version that alert you that they're hearing impaired, and I think that's a great idea.  Wish I'd have thought of it for them.

Skeptics have commented "Oh, you fell for the line about them really being deaf, did you?", and it's possible we do sometimes.  I suppose if you set off a firecracker next to your beach chair after they'd turned away you might make one of them jump and give themselves away, but my guess is most of the reaction would be from the aging farang around you as their pacemakers kicked in.

Thai Sign Language alphabet card - 49 vs the 26 for English

The TSL (Thai Sign Language) alphabet card is above. The most reliable info I can find on it is that TSL was an extension of ASL (American Sign Language) brought to Thailand in the 1950s, but there are suggestions it's more reliably rooted in the Old Chiang Mai Sign Language and Old Bangkok Sign Language which were already in place.

A dear friend from an old relationship said he and his best friend in high school learned to sign so they could talk in class.  Since he went into social work it's continued to be an asset to him while dealing with hearing-impaired clients.  I was at a gay workshop at a convention many years ago where there was a person doing ASL signing for the deaf attendees and afterwards I heard someone asking him how to say "I'm a grower, not a shower", which naturally got a laugh from all of us within earshot.

If you're interested in learning more about signing in Thailand there's an interesting and rather extensive web site about it here: Thai Disabilities Development Foundation. There you'll find the cards above and below and a number of other vocabulary help, as well as other resources.

For now, though, just be grateful if you can hear well.

Howling At The Moon - I Mean BELL

To my way of thinking, the biggest problem with most any organized religion is the organization itself. Anything that gives an individual comfort and peace of mind is fine with me, but when a group begins proselytizing, I cringe... sometimes noticeably.

Therefore, I gave the Catholic church in Chanthaburi a wide berth, to the surprise of my Thai friend. We were on our way for a wander through the old part of the town and walked near the place on our way. Even knowing I'm not a participant in any Christian religion he thought I'd want to see the stained glass windows that he said were very nice. I may have missed out on an opportunity, but I passed on the offer.

We spoke briefly about it, sharing our views on one religion coming in and trying to take over an area where they didn't really need to be, and were agreeing on most points as the bell began to ring in the bell tower, announcing the mid-day services or whatever. I was just saying "Well, I don't care for it," when a dog along the way looked up at the church and started to howl.

"Maybe he's Buddhist," my friend offered, and we laughed.

Deuan Pen (Full Moon) - A Song Everyone Knows

The song itself begins at 2:25 in the clip

Some time back I'd posted a clips of Thai TV commercials for Thai insurance, and one featured handicapped children singing "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever will be, will be)".  After asking some Thai friends I'd learned that the 1956 song originally sung by Doris Day in the Hitchcock movie "The Man Who Knew Too Much" was a song many Thai know.

It certainly fits in with the overall mai pen rai attitude most Thai strive for, but it did surprise me to hear a song quite so old still being familiar. It's a good example of a song that's lived on and become recognizable to people in many different places; one example being the regular singing of the song at British football games.

Another song that strikes an even more resounding note in the hearts of many Thai is "Deuan Pen", or Full Moon. It's a song about longing to be "back home"; something we've probably all been able to identify with at one time or another in our lives.

While life in the country isn't as profitable or glamorous as some might guess city life to be it is where many Thai were born and raised - and where their families and homes often remain, waiting for them to return. If you ever notice the song being played or sung while in a crowd, look around you. Along with many joining in to sing along you'll see longing and wistful looks on plenty of faces, and the occasional tear being wiped away.

My favorite version is an instrumental by Saksit Vejsupaporn, a somewhat teeny-bopper singer/pianist who goes by the name of ToR+.  I couldn't find a YouTube clip of him doing it, but I did find one of popular Thai singer Carabao performing it live at a large event, with a spoken introduction by Nawarat Pongpaiboon, the man accompanying him on the khlui (flute).

The lyrics - as translated by thai-language.com - are below:

ดือนเพ็ญ Deuan Penh (The Full Moon)

เดือน เพ็ญ สวย เย็น เห็น อร่าม
deuan pen sŭay yen hĕn à-ràam
The full moon is beautiful and cool and appears to glow

นภา แจ่ม นวล ดู งาม
ná-paa jàem nuan doo ngaam
The sky is bright and beautiful

เย็น ชื่น หนอ ยาม เมื่อ ลม พัด มา
yen chêun nŏr yaam mêua lom pát maa
When the breeze blows the air is cool and pleasant

แสงจันทร์ นวล ชวน ใจ ข้า · ...
săeng jan nuan chuan jai kâa · . . .
The light of the moon causes me . . .

คิด · ถึง ถิ่นที่ จาก มา
kít · tĕung tìn têe jàak maa
. . . to reminisce about the place from whence I come

คิดถึง ท้อง นา บ้าน เรือน ที่เคย เนาว์
kít tĕung tóng naa bâan reuan têe koie nao
. . . [and] to recall the fields and homes where I use to dwell

เรไร ร้อง ดัง ฟัง ว่า · เสียง เจ้า ที่ คร่ำครวญหา
ray-rai róng dang fang wâa · sĭang jâo têe krâm-kruan-hăa
The clamor of the chirping crickets cries out to me in lament

ลม เอ๋ย ช่วย พา กระซิบ ข้าง กาย
lom ŏie chûay paa grà-síp kâang gaai
Oh, breeze, please bring the news [about home] to me . . .

ข้า ยัง คอยอยู่ · ไม่ หน่าย
kâa yang koi yòo · mâi nàai
. . . I am waiting patiently

ไม่ · เลือน ห่าง จาก เคลื่อน คลาย
mâi · leuan hàang jàak klêuan klaai
[My heart] will not stray from [my] home.

คิดถึง มิ วาย เมื่อ เรา จากกัน
kít tĕung mí waai mêua rao jàak gan
I will always remember when we parted

กองไฟ · สุม ควาย ตาม คอก · คง ยัง ไม่ มอด ดับ ดอก
gong fai · sŭm kwaai dtaam kôk · kong yang mâi môt dàp dòk
I hope the fires which warm our buffalo haven't yet died out

จันทร์ เอ๋ย ช่วย · บอก ให้ ลม ช่วย เป่า
jan ŏie chûay · bòk hâi lom chûay bpào
Oh, moon, please tell the wind to blow . . .

สุมไฟ ให้ แรง เข้า · พัด ไล่ ความเยือกเย็น หนาว
sŭm fai hâi raeng kâo · pát lâi kwaam yêuak yen năao
. . . harder [to keep the fires lit]; blow to chase away the chill

ให้ พี่ น้อง เรา นอนหลับ อุ่นสบาย
hâi pêe nóng rao non làp ùn sà-baai
. . . to let our people sleep in comfort

ลม เอ ย ช่วย เป็น สื่อ ให้ · นำ รัก จาก ห้วง ดวง ใจ · ของ ข้า นี้ ไป
lom ay yor chûay bpen sèu hâi · nam rák jàak hûang duang jai · kŏng kâa née bpai
Oh, wind, please help take a message of my heart’s love

บอก เขา น้ำ นา
bòk kăo náam naa
. . . to the hills, fields, and rivers [of my home]

ให้ เมือง ไทย รู้ว่า
hâi meuang tai róo wâa
To let Thailand know that . . .

ไม่ นาน ลูก ที่ จาก ลา · จะ ไป ซบ หน้า กับ อก แม่ เอ ย
mâi naan lôok têe jàak laa · jà bpai sóp nâa gàp òk mâe ay yor
. . . soon your son who has been away will come [home and] nestle once more at his mother’s breast

Mach Schau: More Crocodile Show Video Clips

In yesterday's post I mentioned the inherent danger of dealing with crocodiles on turf that quite clearly belongs more to them than the human performers, which includes slipping and falling or allowing your attention to wander while within striking distance, as it's a safe bet the crocodiles rarely lose sight of the snacks walking around them.

Where did I get the term "mach schau"? It's from my youthful Beatles fan days, and it's stuck with me.  When they were playing 12+ hour shifts in Germany before hitting it big with "yeah, yeah, yeah" the audience would continue to push them for more, more, more by shouting mach schau (more show) at them.  There.  Now aren't you glad you asked?  Here today are two more clips of the crocodile show.

The first clip shows a crocodile wrestler attempting repeatedly to single out the specific crocodile he wants up on the island-like stage to participate in the next part of the show. In this instance I believe it was the "money shot" portion, where the guys place money thrown by the audience into the crocodile's mouth and then retrieve it with their hands.

The crocodile wasn't in the mood, had a headache or for whatever reason didn't want to play, and the wrestler had a bit of a time getting it out of the water.  At one point the crocodile turns and snaps, and by how fast it moved I suspect falling is a legitimate worry for the wrestlers.

In the clip yesterday you saw the thinner of the two trying to get the other to stick their head into the reptile's mouth.  The clip below is what happened afterwards.  As you'll see, after giving a wai more of prayer than respect - although I'm sure that was part of it - the young man hesitates and makes a false start but eventually puts the front half of his head within the biting radius of the crocodile, to the shouts of the announcer over the loudspeaker and the blare of the old "Hawaii 5-0" theme - both of which I could have done without if I was putting my face on the line, so to speak.



Tomorrow you'll see more of the animals and grounds as we wrap up this trip to the Crocodile Farm.