Had my first drumming lesson since coming to Thailand. The first thing Bryan (photo to follow) said, after watching me attempting to demonstrate my level of (ahem) ability, was that he wanted me to completely change the way I hold the sticks. Fairly radical I thought, but in for a penny in for a Baht. That means I came home with some fairly simple exercises, not the expected reams of new beats to try. Ah well, with wifey having gone home, I have nothing else to do (whimper). Tip...tap....tip...tap.....
Actually I've just done some reading on the subject and not sure I like what I discovered. Seems like more people prefer the old method for versatility. More to follow.
Broadband in the new apartment is imminent, or so I'm told, which is good because currently I'm using my mobile phone as a modem. It's cheap but slow - I'd say glacial. Back in the day, 115 kbps was twice the speed of the fastest modem, but now most websites are designed with BB in mind, so clicking on the bbc news page, for example, means you get all sorts of wizzbang graphics and video clips going on. Fine if you're on a 16 meg connection, but here I click links then go and put the kettle on. And getting my emails? Updating the blog? Forget it. I'm doing this in work (lunchtime, naturellement)
By the way, hello Keith, nice to have you along. Let me know how you're doing via email, or comment on the blog if you like - it's nice to have visitors.
Lyn and a plant. (No, not the author... hmm, bad joke)
..Quite a surprise in this crowded noisy city. The guide told us proudly how Thompson had designed the house after extensive research into traditional Thai methods. I couldn't help but notice though, that he had cherry-picked from that tradition rather than sticking to the letter of it. For instance, the "House" is basically six houses used as rooms, and he added ceilings, which are not traditional, to facilitate electrical wiring. It's full of beautiful antique statues, furniture and silk hangings. There's a restaurant and an exhibition centre on the site too, both recommended. Gosh, I sound like a tour guide. Anyway, afterwards we took a trip to one of the half-dozen Jim Thompson "Outlets" in town, and spent some money on silk. Job done. The rest of Lyn's last day was spent in Monsoon bar getting drunk and talking bollocks with Maureen. Great fun. Photos:
Russell and Lyn distracted, Maureen quite focussed.
More fun with less feet.
It's now 51 days 'till wifey's next visit. Humbug. I hope you all get stuck in a snow-drift. Cheers!
Actually I've just done some reading on the subject and not sure I like what I discovered. Seems like more people prefer the old method for versatility. More to follow.
Broadband in the new apartment is imminent, or so I'm told, which is good because currently I'm using my mobile phone as a modem. It's cheap but slow - I'd say glacial. Back in the day, 115 kbps was twice the speed of the fastest modem, but now most websites are designed with BB in mind, so clicking on the bbc news page, for example, means you get all sorts of wizzbang graphics and video clips going on. Fine if you're on a 16 meg connection, but here I click links then go and put the kettle on. And getting my emails? Updating the blog? Forget it. I'm doing this in work (lunchtime, naturellement)
By the way, hello Keith, nice to have you along. Let me know how you're doing via email, or comment on the blog if you like - it's nice to have visitors.
On Lyn's last day here we visited the Jim Thompson house...
Evidence we were there
For those who don't know who he was, neither did I until the visit, but nevertheless I'm about to bang on about him like he was my best mate. He was an American architect and entrepreneur who disappeared during a visit to Malaysia in 1967, having built up quite an enterprise in Thailand exporting silk products. His house in Bangkok is a popular tourist attraction now. It is built in traditional Thai style, on stilts and entirely out of wood. It is a beautiful and peaceful place, as are the surrounding gardens...
Evidence we were there
A plant
Two plants and a leaf.
Two plants and a leaf.
Lyn and a plant. (No, not the author... hmm, bad joke)..Quite a surprise in this crowded noisy city. The guide told us proudly how Thompson had designed the house after extensive research into traditional Thai methods. I couldn't help but notice though, that he had cherry-picked from that tradition rather than sticking to the letter of it. For instance, the "House" is basically six houses used as rooms, and he added ceilings, which are not traditional, to facilitate electrical wiring. It's full of beautiful antique statues, furniture and silk hangings. There's a restaurant and an exhibition centre on the site too, both recommended. Gosh, I sound like a tour guide. Anyway, afterwards we took a trip to one of the half-dozen Jim Thompson "Outlets" in town, and spent some money on silk. Job done. The rest of Lyn's last day was spent in Monsoon bar getting drunk and talking bollocks with Maureen. Great fun. Photos:
Fun with feet
Russell and Lyn distracted, Maureen quite focussed.
More fun with less feet.It's now 51 days 'till wifey's next visit. Humbug. I hope you all get stuck in a snow-drift. Cheers!
you missed the point, the houses are all original , he collected them from around thailand, they're antique, he just needed to put six together to make it big enough :-)
ReplyDeletenice plant !
I MADE the point that the trad houses were too small for his taste. In other words he went culture-shopping. Actually I'm probably doing him an injustice. He probably didn't go round saying it was a traditional house, but the guides have no such compunction.
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