King Bhumibol Adulyadej - 12/5/27 to 10/13/16

May he be at peace.

Something Old(er) To Share With You

Something a little different to share with you today: a site I've visited often over the past few years, but haven't gotten around to doing a post about - to my minor shame. I'm adding the link in the Other Sites You May Enjoy section on the right-hand column of the site here.

The site is named Monrakplengthai (มนต์รักเพลงไทย) - and it's a treasure trove of Thai music. No, not the most modern stuff, but things you're likely to hear if you're outside of a city, and trust me... that's a good thing.

Primarily taken from cassettes produced over the past 20 years or so, Monrakplengthai features a generous selection of music from throughout the country; available to preview and/or download. Many of these are smaller-scale productions, and it's always an aural adventure when they make a new post.

Their intoductory blurb says they feature  "a collection of great music made by the people of Thailand;," and there isn't much more I need to add to that.  You'll find Morlam, Luk Krung, Luk Thung, "regional folk styles and more". The sound and style isn't for everyone - some I enjoy more than others, I admit - but, as I said, it's an adventure, and an adventure often has some unexpected surprises.

Taste in music being a subjective thing I won't list my favorites I've heard from the site, but if you've ever heard something in Thailand at a market or festival, at a street gathering, in a taxi, while shopping in a store, while visiting a friend's home or by chance somewhere that struck a chord with you (pardon the pun), you're bound to hear something you like there.

In addition to the wide range of music available there are also some links almost guaranteed to derail your day by an hour or so as you drop down the rabbit hole.

Check it out. Everyone deserves some toe-tapping time, if not a little while dancing around, waving your arms in the air...wherever you happen to be now. I bet you'll to catch yourself keeping time with the infectious rhythms.

The page on March 5, 2011

http://monrakplengthai.blogspot.com/

Same Same, But Different! Pt. 16: Spring Cleaning And Home Repairs

Honey? Would you walk into the front room and tell me what the weather looks like today, please?

It's March 17 - Saint Patrick's Day in many places. There's the first hint of corned beef beginning to rise from the slow-cooker here in my home; the warm aroma of peppercorn, bay leaves, and mustard seed leading the pack. That means there will be a fine dinner tonight. 

Fortunately the days of the annual St. Patrick tsunami of bock beer, Bushmills (with Irish Coffees for balance) and anything else that could be hammered into a means to get hammered in general are long past me, thank goodness, along with that irritating faux macho bravado that tends to push the abuse along.

Although there are still plenty of areas in the U.S. this year where the sighting of the First Robin of Spring may involve a dead bird frozen in some grey icy sludge, it's fair weather here in California... and that means Spring Cleaning to a lot of us. It's taken a longer ramping-up period for me this year because of settling in and catching up after my extended month in Thailand/Taiwan, but I'm finally at it in earnest.

The annual house-cleaning time is in April in Thailand, although the holiday it precedes - Songkran - is far more often associated with the more joyous habit of water tossing, but it's also the time of year you'd clean house, both literally and spiritually.  That's really where the idea of pouring a minimal amount of water over the hands or head came from, anyway: a spiritual cleaning and blessing. More on that in about a month, when Songkran begins.

Regardless of how grand or how humble your home is in many countries in Asia, it's important to sweep it out and prepare it for the beginning of the new year, whenever that occurs in your area... and although we're far removed from the Western New Year, the tradition of Spring Cleaning has had me busy the past few days.

A roadside barber, Udonthani. I know families who live in shelters not much more "complete" than this - by our standards - but home is home... and New Year cleaning is still New Year cleaning.

Unlike the Thai roof in the top picture today nothing needed major renovations, just a basic cleaning: sweeping, moving furniture and vacuuming behind and beneath it, dusting cabinets and their contents (how does so much dust get into a closed cabinet, anyway?), giving the kitchen and bathrooms a good scrubbing down and doing a purge of things in the garage and storage. Coming from a long line of pack-rats that annual purge alone takes a couple of days.

There was a small leak in the conservatory roof that needed addressing, and I was reminded of the Thai commercial for Shera ceiling panels, so I took a break and looked it up again. It's still clever, I think.

There are still windows to wash and rain gutters to check, so I suppose this is as good a spot as any to close for today. Happy Saint Patrick's Day.  Be safe.

D.O.M.A. Is Dead, And Congratulations From Bangkok Prompt A Follow-up

Coming clean on a minor white lie: these were the actual subjects. Although I had their permission to post it, I didn't want to identify them, so I'd altered a couple of details 

Nearly two years ago I posted a story about a young motorcycle taxi driver and his boyfriend. It was really more about taking a walk in the area of the (then) new BTS stations, but seeing a firsthand example of how being gay is accepted by so many there made my short interaction with the two guys above the highlight of the afternoon. 

Normally I wouldn't comment here on a news story that didn't have some sort of tie to Thailand, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruling today giving great hope for equal rights to those who happen to fall in love with someone of their own sex provided a tie-in, and in a most unexpected way.

I almost always give my email address to people I meet and visit with in Thailand; new friends and interviewees, of course, but also folks who seem at all interested in photos I take of them. If I hear from them, I'm happy to send their images along.  Less than ten per cent of the time do I hear from anyone - probably more because of a language barrier than anything else - so it's always a nice surprise.

About 15 minutes ago I happened to check the account I use for these contacts, and there was a new item in my "in" box: a short email from the motocy guys, using one of their accounts. It was the same account the picture request had come from, so I was wondering why I was hearing from them past that initial exchange when I'd sent them the picture and asked if it was OK to post on the blog here. That got a quick "OK", but nothing past that since.

It appears as though some news travels through channels we wouldn't expect. I don't know how, but they had heard of today's news regarding equal rights in marriage. Their email message - probably mangled by an online translator - was very short. There was a tiny bit about them and where they were currently living, but the key part was this:

"Happy day gay news america! Gay marry good happy!! Happy You?"

They'd attached another photo of the two of them, this time with one kissing the other on the cheek... something they would not have done on the street when the first one was taken. This shot looked like it could have been taken in their room or the room of a friend, by the background. They both looked happy, too, and it made me feel good to think they were still together, and also to think that good news can travel fast, too... to people and places you'd think less likely to hear it.

As overjoyed as I was to see the news broadcasts this morning, I was even more pleased to receive the email from E & M.  Yes, guys... Happy Me.

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

Another View Of Takraw - Acrobats In Action In An Open Lot

Thai takraw in a casual setting, as is often the case

The game of takraw is a popular pastime with young and old alike in Thailand, but the rough-and-tumble nature of the game make it better suited to those who are able to land on the ground without breaking like a bag of glass - i.e. those under 40.

Back in May of 2010 I offered a post called Takraw: "volleyball" for the feet. In it you'll find some basics about the game, but someone was kind enough to send me a link to the site Traditional Games in Malaysia that provides more information by someone who knows more about the game, along with some photos. I liked it more than the Wikipedia page, so I'm including the link to it, with thanks to reader Ray in Washington state. I could just re-word from the page and post it here, but there are already enough folks who do that to pad out their blog and forum posts, and we don't need to add to that, do we? Didn't think so.

Briefly, it's played a bit like volleyball. You can use most any part of your body to keep the ball in play back and forth over the net except your hands. A traditional ball is rattan, but plastic ones like the example in the photo here that I found on the internet last longer and I've seen more of those lately.

The initial kick of the serve - the only time the hands are used

The opening clip today was taken recently in the Bang Na district, adjoining Bangkok. I was spending some time there visiting a friend and had a few relatively free days on my own to explore the area. It was unusually hot for so early in the year, and by the middle of the afternoon I was often back in my room, resting, reading and re-hydrating. There was some sort of training or trade school below my balcony, and late one afternoon I noticed a couple of the guys down there setting up the lines and net for what I assumed would probably be takraw, and that's what it turned out to be a short while later.

Spikers at the net sometimes collide, as these two did at least once.

For those of you who haven't seen an "official" match this is again a glimpse of how it's played. You can do a quick search for sepak takraw on YouTube and see league matches, which are really something to see - precision agility and athleticism in action.

The serve

They're well worth the time to watch, and if you're somewhere in Asia where the game is commonly played (Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, etc.) and see it scheduled on TV there I'd suggest giving it a look, if your time permits.

All I've seen in person are casual pick-up games, rather like a casual game of basketball might happen in a public park here in the U.S., but even these have unexpected moments of high-kicking and friendly laughter as the players poke fun at failed attempts.

You're likely to come across casual games like the one shown today wherever a net and court can be put out. I've watched them in  Udonthani, in Bangkok's Benjasiri park mentioned in the May 2010 post, here in Bang Na and in several other villages in the Northeast and Northwest. Naturally, they're more popular in the late afternoon, after school or work, when it's a little cooler - and into the evening until it's too dark to play.

Nice try, but no cigar. This guy landed rather hard.

There was seemed to be to be a healthy level of competitiveness between the guys, but they also cheered and applauded successful attempts, like the one above, and laughed a lot at their own mistakes - always a good sign, I think.

The sun was setting here, but at least it was cooler...

I watched longer than I'd planned to. It was getting dark and the shots were becoming too blurred (I was about a dozen floors up, using the zoom) by the time my friend arrived home from his office and I hadn't even noticed that two hours had passed. I looked down the next afternoon, hoping there'd be another round, but it didn't happen.

I'll add a few more photos and clips in another post. If you happen upon a game somewhere, stop and watch for a bit. It's a hoot.

Water Collection And Storage, Thai Style

Rainwater is collected in a large urn by a family's open kitchen in Isaan

You're bound to see them most anywhere in the kingdom of Thailand, in settings as varied as the styles of the containers themselves. From the simplest 55 gallon/190 liter plastic drums to bulbous cement or pottery urns to 250 gallon/1,000+ liter plastic drums and huge commercial stainless steel cylindrical containers like you'd see on the rooftops of stores or hotels in more urban areas.

In the countryside you're likely to see pottery-style urns such as the one above, with a trough slanted down from the roof that collects rainwater during the wet months. These are some of the most common for folks who don't want to use the plastic containers (or the stainless steel ones, which can develop tiny leaks within a few years).

Most of you know that rainwater is "soft" water, free from the calcium, lead and magnesium that can come from treated water. You can, however, still get contaminates from whatever washes off of your rooftop into the containers, but given the choice I'd still go with rainwater, even if only for bathing. Cooking with it and drinking it are another story. Legionella (remember Legionaire's disease in the news some years back?) and other risks are always there, I suppose, but there are filters and means of avoiding that which we don't need to go into here today.

Nevertheless, you'll see them almost everywhere... and why not? It's free water and fits hand-in-glove with the Thai way of conserving resources and costs. Waste not, want not.

Over the years I've seen more types of collection/storage containment devices than I'd have fingers - even if I resembled a the multi-handed Hindu-style statue. It was an idea I happily borrowed; after my first visit I set up a few 55 gallon drums and had my rain gutters empty into them, saving the water for watering the yard after the rains had stopped.

Naturally, standing water is a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes - something else you're sure to see (and perhaps suffer from) in Thailand, but a few mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) will keep them under control. Many county health departments will provide them for free, if you contact them and ask. Just a few in your garden containers will do the trick.

One trip I took a few pictures of tanks on the roof of a school building. There were some tanks with the lids askew (like the one below), and I wondered if it was intentional (unlikely) or merely what I like to call "the curse of the lowest bidder" when the service company was hired (much more likely).

Friends who've grown up on farms have told me that when they had a true, down-into-the-ground well that they had to draw or pump from there were often unfortunate snakes, frogs, rodents and the likes down in them. I suspect that gave the water it's own "zing" that didn't fall under the heading of piquant, but I suppose they got used to it. I also suppose there are similar visitors to these water-gathering containers, via one opening or another.

Naturally, rain barrels aren't in use in different forms in many other countries, but I enjoy details like these wherever I go... and now you know a bit about the "barrels" in Thailand.

Thai Smiles, Part 55: I Guess You Had To Be There

Giving a morning manicure along Beach Road in Pattaya

Maybe it's different with you, but it's often a mystery to me why some things that happen in the workplace are more amusing than identical things in a setting nearly the same in every other aspect.

How often have you heard something or seen something while at work and laughed out loud, but when you relate it to someone later it barely raises a patronizing chuckle?  I'll grant you that some folks tell a tale better than others and that - regardless of what they themselves may think - not everyone's even a halfway-decent comedian, but that doesn't really clear the issue up much.

All too often the person trying to salvage things lamely follows up the flopped anecdote with "well, I guess you had to be there", and, frankly, I think that has a lot to do with it.  No great debate point, but it livened up an after-dinner conversation I was a part of on Koh Samed a while back.

Seaboat touts taking a break

Part of it has to do with the element of surprise - the unexpected often being the easiest way to make this old dog laugh - but part of it also seemed to involve the regular tedium of many of our day to day tasks; in those cases humor on any level is an appreciated break, and that's where my money lies in the wager.

Running with that idea, my theory is that folks I meet while strolling around and people watching are willing to stop and smile for a picture because it's A) a break and B) it's sanuk (fun).  Of course, the less charitable might say it was just to get me to go away, but I've tested that theory often enough to be reasonably certain it's rarely the case. So there.

A local barber pauses during a client's shave

There are other examples of Thai folks finding some enjoyment or fun in what they're tasked to do while holding body and soul together here on the blog. If you're a newer reader you can learn some of the overall cultural view among workers in Sanuk Doesn't Just Mean "Fun" , among go go boys in Camaraderie On Soi Twilight and among prisoners in Pathumthani Prison "Chain Gang" At Work. 

Being left to tend the family cart can make for a boring morning

Speaking of work, I have a project strewn about my house that I've been trying to avoid for days now so I ought to get back to it... but first, would you like to hear something funny that happened while I was setting the thing up?

No?  Hmmm... didn't think so!  It was funny if you were there, though.

Enjoy your morning/afternoon/evening, depending on where you are when you're reading this, and thanks for checking in.

The Thai DO Love Their Plastic Bags...

Bags from a single, short trip out one afternoon

If you've spent a morning in Thailand at the JJ (Jatujak/Chatuchak) Weekend Market and done any kind of shopping whatsoever you arrive back at your room with enough plastic bags to stop a train - elevated or otherwise - and probably of a surprising variety, to boot. From the feather light bags we're used to seeing in the produce departments of U.S. grocery stores to heavy-duty grade thick ones like the solid green one in the top of the photo above that you could carry ten pounds of nails in without a single one tearing through.

This isn't to pick on JJ Market; it's safe to say almost any time you buy any item over there - regardless of how small and insignificant - it's likely to be handed to you in a sturdy plastic bag, as if your pack of chewing gum needed special treatment. It's simply how it's done there, and most of the time it's not worth mentioning.

Occasionally I'll just take the item out, put it in my pocket and hand the bag back to them (which saves them the cost, anyway) but if it's something I'm taking back home as a souvenir I take it home in the bag and let the recipient recycle it. The bags are different enough that they're a novelty of a minor sort, so I figure it's just part of the gift.

But Mommm... it's Tommy's turn to take out the trash!

When you stop to think of the sheer volume of them used over time in Thailand, though, the numbers must add up. Wondering about that as I was gathering up what seemed like a small arm load of them to take out to the recycle bin this morning I did a quick check... and they do.  Add up, I mean.

Bangkok leases nearly three quarters of the 2,000 trash trucks on the streets daily - like this on stuck in traffic on the Saphan Taksin bridge one morning

The people of Bangkok alone generate about 9,370 tons of garbage per day (that's 8,500 metric tonnes), and of that total almost 2,000 tons (1,800 mT) are plastic bags.

I read an estimate from their Ministry of Natural Resources and environment that if they'd quit with just the bags the country could save $21 million a year, or 650 million baht.

Yes, this is the same picture from a "Safety On The Job...Or Not..." post from two years ago

Most of the time the streets of Bangkok are cleaner than a huge metropolis in the U.S., but people are people all over, and when you have visitors adding to the trash both there and in slightly less obvious areas you do see trashy spots. If you don't buy that, take a look down between buildings or behind fences in an unused spot and you'll see it - just like at home. It happens.

San Francisco and a couple of other nearby cities have outlawed the plastic bag, forcing people to either buy/re-use paper bags or buy and re-use other plastic shopping bags, as may happen at some point in Thailand, as well.  The Thai already use fiber re-enforced, re-usable bags for many things, especially larger quantities, things moved on a regular basis and for some storage. I can't use the larger versions for groceries here, but I've brought back the smaller bags from there for groceries here. Not that I'm waste-free, but at least I'm doing part of my part.

It's a pie-in-the-sky hope Bangkok will eliminate the bags you see flying along in the exhaust of a bus or carried skyward by the wind, but they could cut their carbon dioxide production by an estimated 11 million tons per year if they did. Worth at least taking a stab at, I suppose.

While they think about it, how about if I put that pie in a styrofoam box and bag it up for you, hmm? I'll be right back with that.

Songkran 2013/2556 - California Style

A child receives blessings for the coming year

While San Francisco and "Thai Town" in the Los Angeles area hold more extensive Songkran festivals - with parades, floats and elephants to soak you, no less - I wasn't in the mood for any more of a soaking there than I've been willing to book in Thailand, so I didn't make an effort to attend any of them this year. I did my usual ritual of prayers, candles, incense and meditating, took a shower in lieu of a public soaking and called it a holiday by 08:00.

Detail of one of the beautiful and ornate fruit and vegetable carvings

However, a friend called a while later, saying that his home town of San Jose (about an hour South of San Francisco) was holding what they were billing as their First Annual Songkran Festival, so - somewhat reluctantly - I went and hoped for the best... or driest, whichever.

My worries on the drive there about my camera were, for the most part, baseless; it was a sane and delightful day. I came home with a little bit  of white paste on my face and got a few spritzes from standard squirt guns wielded by giggling kids there, but there were no buckets of water.

A small part of the festivities

Although it only covered an area in total of perhaps two city block lengths there was something for everyone: traditional crafts booths, a variety of food stands (primarily Thai, thankfully), a Muay Thai competition/exhibition, some commercial establishments represented (insurance, cable and phone providers, banks - that sort of thing), a couple of health-related booths, bouncy houses for the kids and a number of other things.

Even though fighters wore protective gear, there was a medical team on duty

There was also an enclosed beer garden where people over 21 could enter and have snacks, enjoy cold Chang beer (one of the sponsors) and share some restrained water splashing. All in all it was a well-planned and well-run event, suitable for all ages.

Water bowls for the blessing ceremony

One of the special areas was a tented spot where one could receive blessings and good wishes from a line of seated monks. In a much more traditional style than the "water cannons" version of the holiday you removed your shoes, accepted the small bowl of water handed you by the volunteer and joined the line of kneeling folks moving along the line of monks.

Pouring a small amount of water from your bowl onto the outstretched hands of the monk you bowed your head and received your sprinkled blessing on your head. All wished you well for the coming year, saying "Good health to you," "Happy new year," "Good fortune in the year ahead," - that sort of thing. Being a warm and sunny afternoon the cool sprinkling felt good, and, being a human being with shortcomings, I'll take any good wishes sent my direction to help balance things out!

Fruit carving at the OTOP booth

There was a booth promoting the crafts association OTOP (One Tambon [district] One Product), which you'll run into in many places in Thailand itself, and another for the TAT (the Tourism Authority of Thailand). The TAT booth was distributing shopping bags, rolled posters of and brochures about Thailand.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand booth

Miss Songkran contest - one of the interviews

There was also a beauty pageant to elect a Miss Songkran 2556 that featured lovely ladies in traditional dress, being interviewed and answering questions as you'd expect at such a contest... "If you were to move to a country to promote Thai culture, where would you choose to live?"

A contestant answers a question

Miss Songkran contestant mingles with the crowd

Part of the Miss Songkran audience makes the most of the shade at the old California Theater

Although it was billed as being open from 10:00 to 17:00 some of the cultural activities began to shut down by 15:00, but the rest of the festival ran the distance.

Two members of the TANC stop to smile

Here's hoping there's a second festival next year. To all who put time and effort into this one San Jose's first Songkran festival yesterday (apparently a lot of that by the Thai Association of Northern California) - nicely done!

Hello, Young Lovers / PDA At The BTS

PDAs - public displays of affection - aren't the norm among Thai people. By that I don't mean a mother lovingly patting talcum powder on her child's face roadside before sending them off to play; this refers more to intoxicated tourists pawing their current object of interest in a public or semi-public place outside of the club areas where the rules have morphed somewhat to fit the business at (or literally in) hand.

More often than not you'll see the recipient squirm uncomfortably and/or to pry their way out of the situation, unless it's part of a business transaction (i.e. a Rented Admirer's agreement) and then it's possibly tolerated, but not appreciated. You don't need to take my word for it - just note the looks on the faces of the Thai nearby when they're put in a position to see such behavior.

Leaving that aside, though, love is love, and gentle affection will usually bring a smile to even the more conservative Thai faces, as did the couple in this small photo essay today.

One afternoon while I was cooling off at Coffee Society, a delightful coffee shop spot to pass a little time on a hot afternoon while sipping an iced coffee and watching the world go by I had a chance to see just such a sweet scene. Coffee Society is directly below the Sala Daeng BTS station. 

[For the true newbies the BTS is the elevated light rail train system that can whisk you about the Big Mango. If you click on the links here you can read an introduction, a piece on statistics (and those damned stairs) and about tickets and fares.]

BUSTED! The young woman had just waved at me, seeing my camera pointed in their direction. The man had already seen me, smiled and waved.

On the station platform above me stood a couple peering down at the daily afternoon set-up of the Silom night market stalls. I say "daily" but every so often there's an edict handed down to clear the sidewalks and they're not there for a night or three. This particular day folks were erecting their stalls, much as you'd see along the main Patpong Night Market area being set up. You can also see more about that daily circus in posts 1, 2 and 3 if you want.

While they were watching they appeared to be taking turns sharing affectionate glances and little kisses.  I thought it was sweet, myself, but wondered what the others passing by might say, given the chance.  I couldn't see everyone walking past them from my vantage point below, but it was nice to see those who noticed them usually smile in their direction. If it was what I'd guessed were a couple - especially those, say, under 30 - they often smiled at the person they were walking with.

I was reminded of a movie that is "cinema non grata" in Thailand, if you'll forgive my bastardized latin, but many of you have seen it. Think Rogers and Hammerstein musical from the mid-1950s, starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr that included a story of forbidden love graced with the song "Hello, Young Lovers".

They stood there at the railing for at least a half an hour before moving out of my range of vision, apparently getting on a train or exiting the station.  Less than five minutes later they wandered by my seat at Coffee Society, nodded a greeting and went inside to order.

When they came out to find a seat to people watch as I'd done I motioned for them to join me, which they did. I showed them the photos I'd taken, and asked if they'd mind them put here on the blog. They agreed, as long as I didn't reveal any of the details they shared while we visited that day, so I'll leave their story up to your own imaginations.

So, here you are, you two. Since I've already emailed you the full images you know how to get in touch with me if you change your minds, but thanks again for the opportunity to observe and then visit with two very pleasant and gentle people. Stay in touch.