Pet the goats

Ellen and I visited a goat farm/Christmas faire up the coast. Gorgeous sunny day, beautiful crafts and tasty treats - the kind of old fashioned faire akin to European Christmas Fairs only on a goat farm.


The goats were pretty cute, many very pregnant.


And one new set of twins.


-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Pescadero

Last Blast 3 of 3 29/3/13

Now in Bkk with Tim and Gob, lovely apartment complete with pool, where T spends late afternoons and I got to join him for a swim.


Jim and Tho, also friends from the Viet Nam leg of the trip are here at La Residenza too and Gob makes a wonderul Thai meal for us all even though she has a cold.


-On the eroad with Kathryn

Location:Bangkok

Last Blast 2 of 3, 29/3/13

Then, Wed, there was roast duck, another soup with greens for which I don't know the translation, sticky rice!! with cousins Vi and Wes at their orchard. And a flower from a ginger relative.





Followed by a tour of his orchard where he raised 800 trees of ma'mao a grape like fruit that grows on a tree and from which he makes juice and wine. Followed by the most welcome of Thai invitations: "Would you like to take a shower?" Since it was over 100 degrees I was all to happy to say YES.
Oh yes and Wes has his own little golf links in the orchard.



-On the road with Kathryn

Last Blast 1 of 3, 29/3/13

Countdown to my 3AM flight home. Spent a few days with Jamlong in Ubon province, meeting more cousins and friends, even got to have a long chat with J's sister Pasara whom I haven't seen in 30 years since she left Monterey.
We feasted daily. Contrary to most travelers I may have gained some weight. Laap, somtam and bamboo soup with friends








-On the road with Kathryn

Location:BAngkok

Day of Rest 25/3/13

Leaving Nong Khai, after paying my Mut Mee bill, meant time to use the ATM again;-) Getting to the bus station early for that had another reward.


For 20 Baht one could feed the baby some sugar cane.
The seven hours to Ubon flew by as I devoured another memoir, "Stay alive, my son" by Pin Yathay, a brilliantly written and heartbreaking relating of the Cambodian Holocaust.
25+ years ago I'd hosted a cousin of Jamlong's, Wison, while he studied English at UCSC. He and his wife Gaum treated me to a local favorite: sukiyaki issan with lots of chilly options to add.





-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Trakhan Thailand

Last day in Lao 22/3/13

Returning from Blue Lagoon we had lunch at Saelaoproject, hoping to see Bob, its founder. The laap was tasty for all as no chilies were added, and I put in just the amount i needed from the pot on the table.


Bob is trying to following in Mr T's footsteps and has made some progress with biogas, and volunteer accommodations, but lacks personnel who can direct volunteers effectively, with a grasp of the over arching view. People who have worked there have just done their own thing. Its still come a ways in three years.
Finding I had a lot of kip we stopped to invest some in the roadside weaving community.


Between the four of us we bought something from every weaver.
Then I paid my hotel bill and found I had to change more dollars to buy the goat cheese to take on to Thailand.
So long to Lao Organic Farm for a while. The view from my room.


-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Vang Vieng

Taxi signs

Feb 17 back in Bkk briefly. I mixed up the Rambuttri reservation date, Mary refused to take a room in a walk up, so we traipse back to SC Park and I get to use their pool and eat at the abundant little food stand around the corner once more.



Found little symbols inside the many taxis we took back and forth some forbidding activities, others apparently approving them.


Can you decipher these?



-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Bangkok

2of2 Taunggyi 24/2/13

And the town, noted for black market goods from China does have A 7/11......of sorts.


Since its hilly,pulling a cart full of spuds gets tricky going downhill.


I would be remiss not to mention there are golden statues of Aung San, father of his country,
in all the towns and often photos of he and his famous daughter in many shops. And now photos of the lady with Obama on calendars. Life is changing fast here.
SUDANG commented on the frequency of three water jugs with cups for anyone thirsty. This used to be more prevalent in Thailand before the introduction of bottled water.


-on the road with Kathryn


-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Shan Hills

1of2 Taunggyi 2/24/13

After reading "The land of green ghosts" by Pasquale Thwe. I knew I wanted to go to this town. He came down to it, I went up. 15 of us jammed into the pick-up. 1000 kjat. One was this beautiful grandmother from the Pa-oo tribe.


I visited the Shan Museum to find bizarre carvings of the 20+tribes with awkward forced grins and cases with mannequins dressed in tribal finery. Sorry no photos allowed and my entire $2 contribution goes to the regime. :-( but the caretaker did have a cute baby.


And I did however find Mohinga!! I've been here a week and not tried the traditional dish. It's a vermicelli soup of sorts with crisp rice crackers and other unidentified objects. One adds cilantro, lemon, chilis, and fish sauce to taste.


-on the road with Kathryn

Location:Shan state

Nyangshwe town 23/2/13

There is one most unique pagoda here-like an India garment with all its mirrors.


There is at least one travel business on every block. These creatures being very discriminating reject Century.


I'd seen a sign for an art gallery from the lake canal so ventured forth on a bicycle to explore and find it. Mr Myint has been painting 35 years and does nice work. I bought a small watercolor,my largest purchase of the entire trip $40! Here he's readying it for its mailing tube.


-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Shan State

Nyaugshwe 2/23/13

Our little town at the north end of the lake has two paved streets and many paths and dusty ways. Searching for a tasty cup of coffee I find Mary at a coffee shop in search of the same. Accept for the grounds, it is a tasty cup.


Today is two days before the full moon. Little girl novices come out on this day in groups chanting and holding their bowls for the devotees to place rice in them. We are used to monks and boy novices in the early AM doing this, but 2pm is a little warm, hence the umbrellas.




On the road with Kathryn

Location:Shan State

Silversmith 2/22/13

Silver is mined in the Shan Hills around us and is smelted in little household factories in stilt villages.This little fire gets up to 800 degrees C!


every little curl and link is made by hand.


It feels like exploitation to me, as these craftsmen are working under florescent lights, but no magnifiers. Its not our kind of shop, we accept their offer of tea and climb back into the boat headed for In Thein.
On the road with Kathryn

Location:Inle Lake

Lotus weaving 2/22/13

i'd not heard about lotus weaving before coming here. The process,like much here, is labor intensive Bits of stem are cut and stretched away and rolled into a continuous filament.


Then the loom is warped with the fibers, often alternating with silk threads from Mandalay. A solid lotus scarf smallish is $60.


This weaver changes the shuttle weft every so often, as well as the pedals controlling the warp. Its like a dance and a meditation all in one.



On the road with Kathryn

Lotus weaving 2/22/13

i'd not heard about lotus weaving before coming here. The process,like much here, is labor intensive Bits of stem are cut and stretched away and rolled into a continuous filament.


Then the loom is warped with the fibers, often alternating with silk threads from Mandalay. A solid lotus scarf smallish is $60.


This weaver changes the shuttle weft every so often, as well as the pedals controlling the warp. Its like a dance and a meditation all in one.



On the road with Kathryn

Lunch on the Lake 2/22/13

At lunch we notice the restaurant owner doing some land reclamation. Maybe he's tired of living on the water.
More unidentified stuff from the market.



-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Inle Lake

Cheroot box artisan 2/22

While the others were enthralled with cheroot making,I watched an artisan making boxes for them. All the while smoking gthe product.


Carefully trimming both box and lid, using a very sharp chisel, he insured a perfect fit.
Then drills tiny holes for tiny brads to secure a hinged lid.


Notice the toe action holding the box in place. And the slow burning cheroot smokes on.

On the road with Kathryn

Location:Inle Lake

Cheroot making 2/22/13

We also visited a charoot factory. The center of the corn cob becomes the filter for various mixtures of tobacco, honey, herbs rolled into a cigar leaf, stuck together with sticky rice paste. She can make 500/day.


Here she's rolling the cheroot around the core of a corn cob which acts as filter.


She offers a free one for us to taste. One in our party accepts.
-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Inle Lake

3of 3 InThein 2/22

There have been a great many of the zedi repaired at the top of the hill. Devotees from Burma as well as donations from all over the world contribute towards repairs and reconstruction efforts. And corporations too have labeled their donations.



Here a craftsman sings happily as he restores a ring with plaster.



Light begins to cast a rosy glow over the Shan hills as we head back from a delightful, relaxing tour of the lake.



-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Inle Lake

2of 3In Thein village 2/22

The zedi at the base of the hill are all in total disrepair with an occasional bit of sculpture remaining.





And a beautiful old Tamarind Tree


We the climb up the causeway of sales people to the main temple. As its afternoon we have the place almost all to ourselves. In Myanmar when one says No to an offer from the hawkers, its heard and respected, the Viet Namese don't take No for an answer.
-On the road with Kathryn

Location:Inle Lake Shan States