Currently in Chiang Mai Thailand, gateway to the Golden Triangle where I will be heading off tomorrow morning. I will be looking for hill tribes, hot springs, jungles and supposedly good opium.
Got here a couple of days ago and what a great town this is. Lots of activity, great food and way mellower than Bangkok.
Yesterday was as perfect a day as I can remember.
Woke up around 7:30 did 30 minutes of Pilates which helped undo all the kinks from flying 25 hours.
Had breakfast of cappucino and awesome fresh fruit plate .
Went for a long walk thru the old city visiting some beautiful wats (temples) where I said prayers for family, friends and country while monks were chanting. beautiful, surreal, awesome!
Had lunch of two of my favorite dishes on the planet: som tum (green papaya salad and pad thai)
Life is good if I get a som tum every day and I plan on that.
Headed off for a 2 1/2 hour massage with hot herbal compresses(operative word here is Hot as they were fucking hot compresses applied to my whole body and nether regions) and fully got rid of all my travel kinks as well as any bugs that may be invading my body. Nothing could have withstood the heat! It was actually really good.
Made my way to the Sunday market which apparently everyone else in Chiang Mai also does as the crowds were in full force. People selling everthing imaginable, foods to die for and even a male and female beauty contest on a big stage.
Dinner of great street food and of course another som tum, which I failed to tell the som tum maker to use a small amount of chili's. I was burning for quite some time and remembered the dish again this morning if you catch my drift. Ah, spicy thai food. Love it!
Ended the day in the main gate area which is in great spendor with the up coming Lok holiday in two days. They float blessings down the river and in hot air devices to clear your karma during this festival. I will be floating one for myself and for America in hopes that our collective karma will be cleaned up a bit post-Bush.
Speaking of which, I have been wearing and Obama 08 t-shirt and there is great response from everyone who see's it. It seems again like the days of Clinton where America had a great reputation in the eyes of the world (love that song). I haven't felt proud to be an American in a long time and I am truly proud about what we did last Tuesday. The whole world was watching and we didn't let them down. Old Thai men give me a thumbs up when I walk by and say
Oba Mah' emphasis on the Ma. It's cute. Europeans greet me with "good job on the election".
It feels like old times internationally speaking and I am so happy for that.
We, us Americans, need to keep the energy up and make sure that our dear elected Barack indeed holds true the the changes that we have elected him to undertake. We all need to keep doing what we need to help him in this quest. Let's not let the world down. He needs our sustained presence and our collective energy.
OK over and out. Next stop Golden Triangle and the hill tribes. Have no idea what the internet scene will be but I will do my best.
Thanks to all those who have posted back to me. Please keep me in your loop and respond here on the blog. I appreciate your words.
Blessings,
Jeff
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