Seasons Greeting From Thailand

I hope these pictures of how the Thais are decorated for Xmas find you happy and in good spirits.  They have really gone all out this year to celebrate big time and I get the sense that there are more Thai tourists in town than the foreign kind.  The room next door to me which is the same size as mine and has the same big queen size bed is sleeping 5 people who I think are relatives of the family that own this guest house.  Constant noise except when they out all day touring.  How do you sleep 5 in a bed?

I am having my usual wonderful relaxing time over here.  Hitting 2 yoga classes a day and about 3-4  AA meetings a week.  Try to get a Thai massage at least once a week.  Eating a lot of raw food and on some days I hit my goal of 70% raw.  I am making breakfast smoothies here at the guest house in a blender that they let me use.  I actually have a nice big kitchen to cook in if I really wanted to work that hard.  I don't.

Kind of thinking that I might travel over to Burma for 2 weeks and have just firmed up plans to go the 26th of January until the 9th of February, my birthday lest you forget.  I have an UK friend that is making noise that he wants to go, so we are in the planning stage now.  The country is trying to open up more to tourists and they are making it easier to get a visa with out going to Bangkok and waiting for two days.  I found a local travel agent who can get me the Visa for a price if I apply early and give her plenty of time.

The pictures of the Xmas decorations are really amazing in the manner that they are created over night on the spot and then can disappear just as quick.  I am never around at that time of night when all these changes take place.  Chiang Mai is one of the cleanest cities that I have ever been in.  Even the back small streets, called Sois, are kept clean.  This is not the case for Bangkok, which is by far one of the dirtiest cities I have been in. 

Therefore, come to Chiang Mai.  But I know you are getting tired of my saying this!  

Feel free to post a comment below.  

Thai's skating in front of the 3 Kings monument.

Greetings from Chiang Mai

I'm finally here for the winter.  Very long trip that I wouldn't wish on anyone unless they loved this country and the people and the food as much as I do.  Finally back into my routine of 2 yoga classes a day with my teacher Remco, in the 1st picture, he is far from setting a fashion trend for yoga teachers! 

There used to be more of a garden but a lot of the was taken over by the floors.  I hope that some more garden will develop as time allows.  Check out Remco's website: www.thaimassagechiangmai.com

I have studied with him now for 5 years and I am hooked.  The first 3 pictures are of his new studio which is about twice as large as the previous one.  He now has beautiful teak floors as opposed to the old concrete ones.  The bike picture is in front of Dada's cafe, where I have my breakfast everyday of the healthiest food  I have ever had, and it is not expensive.  Dada is another woman I love even though she has just married Helmet.  Mere detail, heck it is Thailand!  We are all mature. I bike all over the city and even out into the country side and jungles/forests.  More biking than I do at home because it is almost all flat.

The rest of the pictures are of small details from the Buddhists temples inside the old city.  There are 84 very active temples inside the old city that is only 1 square mile in area.  At 5 AM the temple bells start ringing and that starts the dogs barking and Chiang Mai wakes up.  I prefer to sleep until at least 7 AM before my

retirement/holiday/vacation starts.

The last picture is what happens to bad tourists.  I went to a wonderful monk chat on Sunday.  Thought about you and how you would like the dialogue.  The monk broached non-duality.  But then moved onto talking about Buddhism.  It was one of the best ones yet.

Enjoy these, more to follow.

Jack