Checkered Lounge Pants

April showers bring May flowers but not this year. April was as cold as a witches tit. Landlord  changed insurance coverage when he save $1k by consolidating coverages. He had to replace the furnace and seal up fireplace by order of insurance inspectors. It took a couple weeks before he got around to the changeout and it was cold as hell here. The weather warmed the day before the replacement was installed. Turns out skype is not free on a smartphone. It took me $300 in overages to find that out. That dark cloud fouled my mood for several days this week. The cherry on this cake of the month was losing my credit card while hobnobbing in my old neighborhood with a bottle of crown royal last weekend. Cinco de mayo will be a welcome festival while waving good riddance to April. I'll be in touch.

Back home from Boston and here for the summer. I had coffee with CN buddy today and he joined a golf league for retired golfers and I offered to spare when needed. I still want to get back into my bike rhythm but its so darn cold yet. I am homesteading at Starbucks to do some wifi and I think I will stop in the gym on the way home and price out a membership. Hopefully the weather will warm up and I can get the mountain bike out of the gardenshed and ride the trails. I have logged a lot of miles travelling this winter and its time to kick back and enjoy summer. Ill be in touch.

Hi there....Hmmm I should do a counter on here to see if I have anybody still following but this is so therapeutic who cares if I'm flying solo. I just read the last post...Yikes. My spell check and auto-spell and grammar check should be activated on my mobile. Those posts are taxing to read. I spent 10 days at my cottage and then drove to Boston to stay with the grand-kids while my son and his wife work. Audra had to do a week in Ireland for her employer so I volunteered to get the kids school ready while shes gone. Kevin and Audra got Skype active while they were apart so I have a few more contacts on my Skype list. That Skype is such a big secret in my local circles. The only subscribers are my friends abroad and my brother Doug and now, my son. Nobody pays long distance fees except my friends who are travel shy. Why insist on paying for phone charges....up to them, as they say in Thailand. Speaking of Thailand, my Thai girlfriend Ning spent 5 days in a Bangkok retreat at te...

My Frank Zappa tribute. Watch out where the Huskies go, don't eat that yellow snow… Or melted Yellowsnow… Or shovel that Yellowsnow… Arrived home to below freezing, vapor breathing, window frosting, snow-covered, furnace bellowing, Parker wearing, to Touque bearing and garbo warming weather. Sigh!!! To think I had grown somewhat wary of a four months winter exile of 30+ searching beaches and wondering in sandals and shorts accompanying a three shirt-change day However it's nice to be home in my cottage but I'm  yearning for aspects of my winter home. Budinot presides on my mantle and warm hearts trump cold hearts. cold. It's a Thai thing. If you have to ask I cannot explain. It took me three which is to wade through the farange prejudices and that bridge is crossed. I made friends there that are so much more travelled but so much less aware. They should read the book (inside joke). Skype is now the prevalent timeshare with my roommate Ning  I do so want to see her again...

Counting down my last week in my winter home. It never felt like having a winter home until this trip. Life is so easy here and I find its sad that com-padres back home never get the experience but... its not for everyone. I don't consider riding a couch at home any different than couching it abroad. What a waste of airfare. LOLL. You do not sit languishing here. This is not for the faint of heart. Three years here brings me so much closer to the culture but no where nearer understanding the traditions. I spent many many hours talking with my roommate and exploring her thoughts and her values and I cherish every moment but I have so much to learn. Some days the differences are unfathomable but for the few gains of understanding I have garnered. I am grateful...when others here condemn religion and culture and traditions but are still failing to manage the spicey salads.. Kind heart Thais are tempered with feisty passionate politics, dominant monarchies, soulful religion and over ...

When I am in Thailand I try having a "Thai" massage two or three times weekly. There are many different types of massages. A "Thai" massage is akin todeep pressure  therapeutic  massages in the western world. It involves a form of acupressure application combined with stretching. Here in the Land of Smiles it is commonly called "nuad phaen (thai)" and refers to the traditional - almost ancient - method of massage. One remains fully clothed - no "Happy Endings" here! Normally it lasts for about two hours, and for a "potpooey farange" like me it sometimes hurts like hell. Because my regular masseuse understands my weakness as well as the areas of ache in my body that require the most work, she is able to practice her profession with what the Thais call "loving kindness". It hurts, but not  too  much. My first masseuse  when I came to Thailand was about five and a half feet tall and built like a fireplug. She, like most Thais,...

A low budget satirical Internet show called 'News in Depth' that takes a look at politics in Thailand is helping to lighten the mood in the country. It has attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers in a country not known for satire. Meanwhile, anti-government protesters are still camped out in the capital Bangkok, trying to force the government to step down. Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay reports from Bangkok. New show pokes fun at Thai politics - Asia-pacific - Al Jazeera English

Thailand's opposition has lost a legal bid to nullify a controversial election, in a boost to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's crisis-hit administration. The kingdom's Constitutional Court on Wednesday declined to consider the Democrat Party's petition to annul the February 2 vote and disband Shinawatra's party, citing insufficient grounds. "This case is over," the head of the opposition's legal team, Wiratana Kalayasiri, told the Agence France-Presse news agency. "But if the government does anything wrong again, we will make another complaint." Shinawatra had called the election in an attempt to assuage opposition demonstrators, who have staged more than three months of mass street protests seeking her resignation. The Democrats boycotted the vote, saying it would not end a political crisis stretching back to a military coup in 2006 that ousted Shinawatra's elder brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, as premier. Voting was also cancelled in s...

Situated to the west of Pattaya, Larn island offers the tourists with beautiful sandy beaches, clear water, breathtaking landscape and stunning sunset. It is only 7.5 km and 45 minute ferry or 15 minutes by speedboat. The island is 4 km in length and 2 km in width or 3,500 rai. 90% of the area is mountain with a variety of trees. There are approximately a thousand of residents living in the main village. There are also school and small medical facility on the island. There is also a profusion of marine life under the water. There is glass bottom boat service where ones can view the scenic underwater life without getting wet. Big boats are not allowed to anchor near the beach as the corals are protected. One of the popular beaches is Ta Waen Beach in the northern part of the island has a 750 m stretch of the white sand. There are also shops and food stalls along the beach. In the south western side of the island, Thian Beach stretches 700 m long and Samae Beach is 100 m long. Thian Beac...

Nearly 35 years after it went missing, an 18th-century Qing Dynasty jade vessel will once again be on exhibit at the Fogg Museum after popping up at a Hong Kong auction site. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, representatives from Harvard Art Museums held a ceremony welcoming back the missing artifact, which is now worth an estimated $1.5 million. The censer, an approximately half-foot tall jade vessel for burning incense, was donated by Ernest B. Dane, Class of 1892, and his wife Helen P. Dane to the Fogg Museum in 1942. Harvard first realized that it was missing Nov. 26, 1979. Harvard Art Museums officials contacted law enforcement soon after the piece went missing and posted notices in several newsletters and databases dedicated to reporting stolen artworks, according to a statement released by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Massachusetts District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Monday. In 2009, a branch of Sotheby’s auction house in Hong Kong realized that a censer it had ...

I was having a coffee at the cafe the other day and I was thinking about the culture gap with my Thai girlfriend and I recalled the link I was sent by a friend.. There is a little cultural phenomenon called Kreng Jai. I have spent the last 10 weeks methodically and patiently listening to my girlfriend explain the cultural mysteries I do not understand when we have differences. It is surprisingly simple when she answers my questions but I cannot seem to relay the clarity to acquaintances that determinedly pursue the frustratingly futile efforts to impose foreign values in a Thai culture. "Kreng Jai , which literally means “awe of heart” but can best be translated into “consideration”, is a cause of much  frustration for foreigners who live in Thailand or foreigners with Thai partners . The concept of   Kreng Jai   is an important one in Thai culture and has been characterized as “the essence of Thai-ness”, but   what  specifically this nature entails can be ...

I wish good luck, good fortune and good health to family and friends for 2014. High season seems to be busier than past years. The New Years celebrations in the city were just packed....no it was stuffed with tourists this year.  Nonetheless, my  New Years was good. My Travel comrade, Dennis, did steaks at his condo. Good Beef is rare here (pun intended) and he discovered good Australian marbled beef. He's a very good chef. We went to fireworks and it was like an over-packed zoo. I stayed till midnight and then left him and went back to my lady's party. I took a motorbike taxi and hooked up with Ning and we partyd(?) on the beach. Dennis caught up with me later and we went to bar for nightcap. I'll be in touch.

Hello to whomever is out there a week before christmas. And happy birthday to mother. I don't know if she ever tracked down my blog writings after her computer geek ofover 60 years went on to the big hard drive in the sky. But I'll cover all the bases. Returned from Myranmar on Saturday. Two friends and I drove up to Mae Sai and crossed over into Myanmar at Tachilek. Tachileik was a border crossing used in the opium trade from the Golden Triangle, and was the home of the drug lord Khun Sa. On 24 March 2011 a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the region very close to Tachileik. It caused some damage as far away as Chiang Mai. On 24 March 2012, a bomb wounded 2 people at the Regina Hotel golf course in Tachileik, followed by a second bomb an hour that exploded later. Now let me tell you about our crossing. The street vendors are on you like flocking buzzards when you clear Myanmar immigration selling you everything from cigarettes to knock offs and ....hmmmm well lets keep...

Two friends driving to Burma this week. Was not planning to go but that would solve my visa extension with the border crossing into the northern country. It will be nice to go back to Chiang Mai and see the old city and Doi Suthep temple on the mountain. We will have to drive through Chiang Rai and I have never been there. I love a good adventure. Watch for pictures on Facebook. Ill be in touch.

Hello from the land of red shirts and yellow shirts. Perhaps you've seen media reports of demonstrations in Thailand. I have gotten several messages of the stability in my winter home. The news refers to different factions as red shirts and yellow shirts initially the dispute was sparked by a blanket amnesty bill that has since been abandoned. Simply explained, the yellow shirts are Thai version of republican Tea Party (tea-baggers) and the red shirts are the Thai version of working middle class voters (the general electorate). The general population (red shirts) elected the present day government in a democratic fashion and the tea baggers (yellow shirts) want an appointed fascist model government to nullify the existing democracy. As for my exposure to date, I am in east Thailand and the demonstrations are in Bangkok. So far they have not surfaced here. My biggest issue to datehas been miscalculating exchange and short changing my bar tab. Lol. Be assured I will stay out of ha...

Just a note while hanging out at the condo today. It's Friday and its been a full week. Monday saw my first Thai massage since arriving two weeks ago. Toronto Gerry got into the beach town and call to get together. We got some of the expats together and met for dinner. Tuesday my roommate had her second day off this month and we went to the masseurs masseuses and got a two hour traditional Thai massage. Now that was intense. Ning really enjoyed sharing the two hours with me. I was amazed at how she gets twisted up like a pretzel. Remind me next time to tone it down to a medium massage as in soft medium or strong. Wednesday was a chillaxn day. Thursday I hiked my ass off in the am and beached away the afternoon and captured the sunset. Today I saw Ning off to spend the weekend at her home village with her mother and her kids. Just one quick story before I go. I overheard a Thai person at our coffee shop, the other day, ask my Canadian buddy about snow. He tried to explain snow to...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-14-2013/cracked News services all over Asia are awash with Canadian mayor rob ford from Toronto. I always like seeing Canadian news coverage while wintering in Asia regardless do the context or pretext. Expats from all over the English speaking countries are having a field day here with the crack smoking, alcohol soaked, obesely bloated, ill mannered, abusively vulgar, Toronto elected and poll rising politician. I quite frankly, take some pride in having one of the most colorful media clips riding the networks of Al Jazeera, news Asia, BBC and Bloomberg just to name a few. Canada news rarely makes one of the networks here in Thailand, let alone the entire gamut. The stark reality of the real drama did not crystallize until I read a Facebook post from a law professor analyzing the same allegations, no wait, confessed infractions in the workplace. "This is really a point I want my students to grasp – we hold politicians to a much l...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7sjSHazjrWg Hi there. Just rode the train for three days and two nights and arrived in Vancouver about a day late. My good fortune to have some gracious union colleagues who bumped me up to first class and a bedroom. It was a long but very peaceful and reflective ride (hence the link for the heading). Great views and epic pictures for the winter album. I have an artist friend who agreed to do a collection of sunsets that ill catalogue. Got decent cell phone signals so I chatted most of the evenings away. Going to miss those chats but now it's on to quick visits in Vancouver with friends and some stellar fish and chips at Mobey Dicks. I fly to Bangkok via Shanghai. Beaches await.  Peace out. Ill be in touch.

Hi from Winnipeg. Its been a great visit overall. Met many many of the old friends and rekindled long lost friendships as well. The high school reunion was a treat. I was reluctantly anticipating the 50th reunion just because...well who is attractively or interestingly appealing after 50 years. Certainly not me. The evening was a blast however when several acquaintances were reconnected at the pub and reminisced the night away. The best surprise was grammas collection of pictures of my granddaughter Haley in the First Nations community of Keeseekoowenin. She was born on my birthday in 2005. I had talked to her a few times last winter from Thailand but the lines had been lost. I was thrilled to see her pictures and very glad my mom continued her usual tenacity to persevere. My usual family tradition of huddling with my immediate family at the local latte junction was not to be this trip. Family conflicts are invasive and intrusive but a reality. It saddens my heart but this is my...

Hi there. Just writing a blog note while riding the rails in northern Ontario. I frantically worked through a checklist to shut the house down for the winter and got a ride to just make my train. I have three weeks planned in Winnipeg with family and friends. I have a school reunion I will attend. It will be a good opportunity to catch up with long lost friends. I'm hoping for good weather and my brother lending me his bike once again. Winnipeg has become very bike friendly and I miss my trails I frequent back home already.  Then it's off to Vancouver to fly to Asia. This is my third winter wandering in Southeast Asia. It has become a welcoming thrilling adventure from the frightening anticipation of the first landing in foreign lands in 2011. The skeptical meeting of strangers has been replaced with the excited expectation of smiling reunions of friends, both traveling and local and discovering spectacular beaches. May Buddha bless us all this winter with good fortune, good ...