Scuba Fin

Whoops. That title was a typo but probably appropriate. So I will just leave it!

So, today, I started my scuba class. I got my book last night and attempted to read the whole thing starting around 9pm. That obviously didn't happen. So I got up at 6 to try and finish at least the first three chapters. Which, apparently, is way more than anyone else does because the scuba dude was SHOCKED I had done my homework. I guess I haven't gotten over school yet.

But scuba was AwESOME. So far, at least. Just being in the pool. Really bizarre, but awesome. It was so wierd breathing under water. At first, I couldn't stop laughing. And once I got over that, I had to remember to breathe deeply and continuously, just like the PADI book said. (Ah, PADI book--PADI's motto for scuba diving is "Meet People. Go Places. Do Things." So deep.) But now I want to swim around underwater all over the place. I'm really psyched about the boat tomorrow and diving in the OCEAN! And seeing fish instead of minature acorns. Although the pool was lovely. A little garden resort with all sorts of tropical flowers and colors and little resort-y people sitting on deck chairs. And the most wonderful towels ever. And a shower in a fake cave.

But ok, off to see what we can see of drenched Phuket. Apparently, the rainy season is not over. Sigh.

Oh, the one other awesome thing that the PADI video said was: If you ever get bored with scuba diving, it is your own fault. Ah, the wisdom of PADI.

Angkor What?

Lazing in Luang Prabang

place holder

Off to Chiang Rai

This morning, I hopped on the sweetest bus in all of Thailand. Drop-down video screens, on which they played Anaconda 3, dubbed in Thai. Glad I saw that after our trek through the jungle. A little dude who checked your bag into the under-bus compartment, gave you a little ticket, and checked your bag back out after the journey. And free chocolate creme cookies! Yum!

I slept most of the way, with my handy-dandy blow-up neck pillow, and in 3.5 hours, I was in Chiang Rai. Scott, the director of the MMF, picked me up in his 4WD pickup with his sons in the back. And we headed off to his house in one of the first gated community developments in Chiang Rai, built some 20 years ago. Apparently, all the houses leak. But I guess they were chic at the time?

We hung out there for a few minutes and then I went for Khao Soi noodles with Scott and his wife. A little hole in the wall, but delicious food. Fairly the norm over here. We ran a couple of other errands and then headed off for the MMF. Its a little ways outside of town, situated beautifully surrounded by rice fields. Which are golden now, and just waiting to be harvested. The building itself is lovely--all cool stone floors and big open spaces.

After hanging out with the students and the showing the leadership toolkit to the youth team, we went to dinner at one of the church families house. They are new to Chiang Rai--only been here for 2 months, apparently. The dad had an organizational development business which he sold when they decided to "serve." There are three girls, probably betweent the ages of 8 and 14. They live in the "Beverly Hills" of Chiang Rai. The house was gorgeous. Massive rooms. Like, really, really MASSIVE. And several floors of house and living areas. Plus a little guest cabin. The bathrooms were the size of the guesthouse rooms we've been staying in. But the most magnficent were the views. Since the house is on the side of the mountain, it overlooks the rice fields, and some other parts of town and then cuts off in the mountains. Elephant Mountain, apparently. We got to watch the sun set behind it.

And now I am in the guest room typing this up and soon I will go to sleep!

Loy Krathong: Best Holiday Ever

So this week was the week of Loy Krathong, aka the 12th full moon of the year. Or something to that effect. Anyways, basically it was the week of Awesome. Parades every night that escalated in grandeur and sparkles. And fireworks and hot air balloons starting at about 4pm every day. Watch where you walk, you might step on a firecracker! I took about a million pictures and stood for a hours and hours, watching the parades. While the floats were spectacular, my favorite parts were the bamboo poles used to raise the power lines for the super tall towers on the floats and the wide variety of generators that followed behind them, attached precariously with power lines to provide electricity for all the lights and moving parts. Fantastic!

Time for bed now, but more later.

11-9-08: In which this blog actually begins and Amy and I buy the whole of Thailand

Ok. At this point, I actually need to start this blogging thing, if I'm going to, which I should, etc, etc, etc.

So. Tonight, Amy and I went to the Sunday Market. Once again, I made no additions to my hippie costume, but instead made many additions to the decor of my phantom house. Mango wood bowls, Hmong cross-stitch wall-hanging thing, several faux-silk pillowcase covers, and a lovely pink cotton blouse. Maybe that last one can count as hippie clothes.

The other exciting thing about the market tonight was the decorations for the start of the Loi Krathong festival were up. Lots and lots and lots of lanterns hanging by the moat and the Tha Pae gate. Under which were lots and lots of hilltribe women hawking their wares to anyone who would listen. Most of us were too busy taking pictures to worry much with them.

Oh, and more exciting things. One, most of the wats were open and lit up and the grounds were covered in stalls. That's where I bought my bowls and wall hanging. And we got dinner at another wat--steamed shrimp and pork rolls. Yum! Second, all of the amazing entertainment. At the end of one of the streets was a stage with local kids dance ensembles performing--all glitzed up with jazz hands and cheesy pop songs. The rest of the market was littered with street performers. My favorite was an older woman, all dolled up, doing almost traditional dance (mostly just swaying her hips and her arms) as her husband played one of the wind instruments. She looked like she was having a blast.

Prior to our shopping extravaganza, we got traditional thai massage, which felt fantastic after our 3 day trek. And we also did laundry, which means our room no longer reeks--also courtesy of the trek.

Ok, that's enough for now. I will write about the trek next time!

Prior to our market excursion.

10/31/08

10/28/08

10/26/08

10/24/08

10/23/08

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10/19/08

10/17/08