tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54666639957175987982024-03-19T02:03:41.843-07:00Thailand Travel BlogBrenda McMahon & Tom Radca's
International Ceramic Exhibition and
month-long journey through Southeast Asia.Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-26894195527362001232007-12-21T16:39:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:20.422-08:00The Grand Plaza, BangkokThe opulence of the grand plaza is almost unprecedented in Thailand.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSucEz3EyxCbHeKCqxD7SToPgphT9EyE2Nt5kAz2SqK7PGFB7ilQcum7tX49cQxiDbuIq0_5Ja7IZ9FYOON-MWMg-Bo8sZq5FbwjTLGpX0KsRvneYID9BW41br5MGb2H6GueZ4g2amJKPC/s1600-h/IMG_1888.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSucEz3EyxCbHeKCqxD7SToPgphT9EyE2Nt5kAz2SqK7PGFB7ilQcum7tX49cQxiDbuIq0_5Ja7IZ9FYOON-MWMg-Bo8sZq5FbwjTLGpX0KsRvneYID9BW41br5MGb2H6GueZ4g2amJKPC/s320/IMG_1888.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146591117053552690" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOnnUQxZENLKB6kLaif0bmvM7Dt_Anet-o9-RcS0vTqWhpvxZTzlnn5lqNx_VgfbTOZoPBzHY_QNLX2wJ8XlSOwgm3btklzZEloU3VD9zAsEjJIE_vw1mPR-rY66Jo_a9bEsrLYbyGWBF/s1600-h/IMG_1891.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOnnUQxZENLKB6kLaif0bmvM7Dt_Anet-o9-RcS0vTqWhpvxZTzlnn5lqNx_VgfbTOZoPBzHY_QNLX2wJ8XlSOwgm3btklzZEloU3VD9zAsEjJIE_vw1mPR-rY66Jo_a9bEsrLYbyGWBF/s320/IMG_1891.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146591112758585378" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3Ar8fc5sl9KuRVop3soRSZI_2p4QsSqi0OJC1fYVi9M9rOFr9j6wpJ18ItduFsZmyPhKKM4TrKDrb7qiKQm2turSvXfM3nZrktbBte1keuWsOLFpn7TktIpmNduP6q1Af2pYiwRA8K5W/s1600-h/IMG_1890.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3Ar8fc5sl9KuRVop3soRSZI_2p4QsSqi0OJC1fYVi9M9rOFr9j6wpJ18ItduFsZmyPhKKM4TrKDrb7qiKQm2turSvXfM3nZrktbBte1keuWsOLFpn7TktIpmNduP6q1Af2pYiwRA8K5W/s320/IMG_1890.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146591112758585362" /></a><br /><br /><br />It is a stunning plaza of patterns, details and complexity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmK5RLV-DFsvZLcg8egXD_KXYJTqKO-dyh4rjebSPYPoHAYmm0aV_7Mhhxrs2VaocGQfBjnVVJbSXYoPXkRuOc2a5kexMgEvlG56c2ktPFGzYopiU1intbKlBZU5XxqS5bCn3MUWkqMx5/s1600-h/IMG_1818.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmK5RLV-DFsvZLcg8egXD_KXYJTqKO-dyh4rjebSPYPoHAYmm0aV_7Mhhxrs2VaocGQfBjnVVJbSXYoPXkRuOc2a5kexMgEvlG56c2ktPFGzYopiU1intbKlBZU5XxqS5bCn3MUWkqMx5/s320/IMG_1818.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146591722643941442" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rCF1S1gMJFARDcgsp9M3SwoKQ-CLYxuCgX3M4dD-8Q0bHjHG3T1dhrDNj8uQLPdOJGyGos1b-zWURUUoC1bPMP7NqqWqeyDUA00vXkAwgX223zCAujI1AGu3Lyici2_S9iBjlue3O0Py/s1600-h/IMG_1893.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rCF1S1gMJFARDcgsp9M3SwoKQ-CLYxuCgX3M4dD-8Q0bHjHG3T1dhrDNj8uQLPdOJGyGos1b-zWURUUoC1bPMP7NqqWqeyDUA00vXkAwgX223zCAujI1AGu3Lyici2_S9iBjlue3O0Py/s320/IMG_1893.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146592074831259762" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnv0Wljq_AV5hAYscG-JQG6kSRq9XzOPOqLp8EnAZ-QeupObOO6bOeUpNImO1Uj1TQGcn56XuatqZhRzlJxCp5BkAufF9h_Y30UbQGFV5KjLOI9e7u0T1wCnC-K3BoK56LLE3aOeDrLc7/s1600-h/IMG_1814.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnv0Wljq_AV5hAYscG-JQG6kSRq9XzOPOqLp8EnAZ-QeupObOO6bOeUpNImO1Uj1TQGcn56XuatqZhRzlJxCp5BkAufF9h_Y30UbQGFV5KjLOI9e7u0T1wCnC-K3BoK56LLE3aOeDrLc7/s320/IMG_1814.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146591722643941458" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis16L2HdnOT9HNrkNmDKDauQJzAJLziu1VYr6y65VKjcdJ5T870UvHD-zB1IA6tQAtjW43AxVDQOR0T3GuAqCPmCp8oIS89VyUA30XNGbqWdYRU5lYwf8g3Dmr3JBe7LH1fWCa3JJp7kCm/s1600-h/IMG_1819.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis16L2HdnOT9HNrkNmDKDauQJzAJLziu1VYr6y65VKjcdJ5T870UvHD-zB1IA6tQAtjW43AxVDQOR0T3GuAqCPmCp8oIS89VyUA30XNGbqWdYRU5lYwf8g3Dmr3JBe7LH1fWCa3JJp7kCm/s320/IMG_1819.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146591722643941474" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUB7dmwaWxPNL8HmQwD71IaA_cYxilOiw2QhngN6lw0nux33F5FWZ4Xfv7yWMzf0bp_eYqwwQ-5bJl2JizXojvLNmHyJUjhFDH319XjrbszqFlg1SoU_bVo0eabQQEo_or5vjdS7BZ6VT/s1600-h/IMG_1821.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUB7dmwaWxPNL8HmQwD71IaA_cYxilOiw2QhngN6lw0nux33F5FWZ4Xfv7yWMzf0bp_eYqwwQ-5bJl2JizXojvLNmHyJUjhFDH319XjrbszqFlg1SoU_bVo0eabQQEo_or5vjdS7BZ6VT/s320/IMG_1821.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146612119443630882" /></a><br /><br />The Grand Plaza is the home of the royal family - and has been the royal residence since it was constructed in the 1700's honoring Bangkok as Thailand's new capital. The claywork is masterful...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvtrDZHaqmVg0Vx9hGKAx87sHishlftQMoqJxAWVuhCj6m4lBhs3YB4f_6GwLvxBvAbp_vNNejAjyoZlyoxB12DepUhsz3gMkuDYVpOMfi8L_U6QO-ThgixXwybEJg6YQGpAGdN7dcgS3/s1600-h/IMG_1816.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvtrDZHaqmVg0Vx9hGKAx87sHishlftQMoqJxAWVuhCj6m4lBhs3YB4f_6GwLvxBvAbp_vNNejAjyoZlyoxB12DepUhsz3gMkuDYVpOMfi8L_U6QO-ThgixXwybEJg6YQGpAGdN7dcgS3/s320/IMG_1816.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146594033336346754" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTVNF2A-kUygAASyM9hQN4uwfgYXRBSZyYUFO-KWvaMNWkFMdjgW62C52nQfACrdB1vnjpi5RhuobzyxezuRbXCC9XmGtnd_8ODi6tUF6RRZx2o8-b9cLtOkZrVnkYI9Ea0N4esl_sVtl/s1600-h/IMG_1829.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTVNF2A-kUygAASyM9hQN4uwfgYXRBSZyYUFO-KWvaMNWkFMdjgW62C52nQfACrdB1vnjpi5RhuobzyxezuRbXCC9XmGtnd_8ODi6tUF6RRZx2o8-b9cLtOkZrVnkYI9Ea0N4esl_sVtl/s320/IMG_1829.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146594033336346770" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu9sPt72l5dXw2AP6q7IIwlvGIgTCUqn-xnO0qUjL15OTay1l9ZtvRJMxfzZ-qjSgZ2uwwtvMPhVQTS2q5R2msExZ8Nb1sBR4fyyRjD_iDxd2g3RWBauMv8O6fl7XOQzcIfGTN5yQqDnz/s1600-h/IMG_1811.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu9sPt72l5dXw2AP6q7IIwlvGIgTCUqn-xnO0qUjL15OTay1l9ZtvRJMxfzZ-qjSgZ2uwwtvMPhVQTS2q5R2msExZ8Nb1sBR4fyyRjD_iDxd2g3RWBauMv8O6fl7XOQzcIfGTN5yQqDnz/s320/IMG_1811.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146594037631314082" /></a><br /><br />The level of detail is awe-inspiring.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFzKpzbZP0BBrpwjstoQGvRv8Pjr-ZqOXwVAN1QstJECSa59T1LCs_TVGTNduMgEyW294mjjgTIYHmRj-tXphj7KcChl_yWasF9eQbc6FQn0zwJtOmkp88gCCGdF2AroypAxs5ea_ykhJ/s1600-h/IMG_1862.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFzKpzbZP0BBrpwjstoQGvRv8Pjr-ZqOXwVAN1QstJECSa59T1LCs_TVGTNduMgEyW294mjjgTIYHmRj-tXphj7KcChl_yWasF9eQbc6FQn0zwJtOmkp88gCCGdF2AroypAxs5ea_ykhJ/s320/IMG_1862.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146595072718432434" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFLietLesspH3al5jY1VjdLxZRg9Ih4UQYl7DS6elTsJCNbrPxCvL-dEujHAIWUrG2NxOk1Fc9-0_pEAUhTcjlvATuau4pOgIq6fnOYwb_MjUIJTxOpYjXazQu29mUA0HZha2Oc2AJJQE/s1600-h/IMG_1863.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFLietLesspH3al5jY1VjdLxZRg9Ih4UQYl7DS6elTsJCNbrPxCvL-dEujHAIWUrG2NxOk1Fc9-0_pEAUhTcjlvATuau4pOgIq6fnOYwb_MjUIJTxOpYjXazQu29mUA0HZha2Oc2AJJQE/s320/IMG_1863.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146595077013399746" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_SuEjV7d1yRWBWjWstwQA-3RzkKdAZF3vEPo_Ef6mYe8jyMq8oLRzN32oPMNtNof77wsf63V7_DDmTeAetnoMQMGl0b9mWoj5_BkKIPdyrJm6-Xab1voTxXdB1lVRQ10JKOtsrb8EeFZ/s1600-h/IMG_1864.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_SuEjV7d1yRWBWjWstwQA-3RzkKdAZF3vEPo_Ef6mYe8jyMq8oLRzN32oPMNtNof77wsf63V7_DDmTeAetnoMQMGl0b9mWoj5_BkKIPdyrJm6-Xab1voTxXdB1lVRQ10JKOtsrb8EeFZ/s320/IMG_1864.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146595081308367058" /></a><br /><br />There must be thousands of these hand painted tiles 11" x 20" - with such precise and delicate brushwork.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO1z94m24wMs-8C6-rP9Ch09vuPrIZM6ELxUr3E3EeEbfsaz_kPTi8NEUSoY4rjpORu5M9vaugC1kBho2EZFvg7_Azfw_wisjaurvw1bhUofFbzQQUf4t5zh6psOsC5tQyJSL5OS9rxtR/s1600-h/IMG_1870.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO1z94m24wMs-8C6-rP9Ch09vuPrIZM6ELxUr3E3EeEbfsaz_kPTi8NEUSoY4rjpORu5M9vaugC1kBho2EZFvg7_Azfw_wisjaurvw1bhUofFbzQQUf4t5zh6psOsC5tQyJSL5OS9rxtR/s320/IMG_1870.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146595485035292898" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YETsp3WkzplOM2ni2Qy9judD9HsNtmnerXA0TMRWgKzSO-Nvt5GwMw9q3w3CEiG3wEZbH0-HdjVZPil_SDycg3BKSmP8EafHUH-7q9Y6ZO1o4Z8vTgQTyKQSmtlBST9TGF1_qcujiCOh/s1600-h/IMG_1873.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YETsp3WkzplOM2ni2Qy9judD9HsNtmnerXA0TMRWgKzSO-Nvt5GwMw9q3w3CEiG3wEZbH0-HdjVZPil_SDycg3BKSmP8EafHUH-7q9Y6ZO1o4Z8vTgQTyKQSmtlBST9TGF1_qcujiCOh/s320/IMG_1873.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146595485035292914" /></a><br /><br />And then there is the hand carved slate tile....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CMADvJ0acRMukIve6-k9YIE1MVSKmm6bRdhzf-wFAuf9CAa0ZaBy0vQqG9K9jUt-MWUjg18kYZ2ZBE0mP-hzWVMRr76b6DOERsHftYtNv_araQ0qaLfCoj7AEknpDSe1kQ1ExDdh2flO/s1600-h/IMG_1879.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CMADvJ0acRMukIve6-k9YIE1MVSKmm6bRdhzf-wFAuf9CAa0ZaBy0vQqG9K9jUt-MWUjg18kYZ2ZBE0mP-hzWVMRr76b6DOERsHftYtNv_araQ0qaLfCoj7AEknpDSe1kQ1ExDdh2flO/s320/IMG_1879.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146596305374046466" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOO35UF1UeovtlTEjxWvracQSeWxFrtMSXNKDfqYq5QILb1cyT5NVbzfmr2mzxjRGfKV_Czm6oDA7pMhJ8CIWQWpkqdQlo8JpKJvgkgkvdJMUGXcM2Pk9iH5obyzSsWDi7JboFv5QTClm/s1600-h/IMG_1880.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOO35UF1UeovtlTEjxWvracQSeWxFrtMSXNKDfqYq5QILb1cyT5NVbzfmr2mzxjRGfKV_Czm6oDA7pMhJ8CIWQWpkqdQlo8JpKJvgkgkvdJMUGXcM2Pk9iH5obyzSsWDi7JboFv5QTClm/s320/IMG_1880.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146596305374046482" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEHuSUuF0_pKsaLMS6eSFMjdjbXDP_pBJz5_DLIhKws5VPFG4VHZgoY4lgzBDwU8g45RSARDPPnpXgUy2ZG3PIO0dArMJAYlYZtRqdWeURb8oaG45ZAQjGCsW5WjFpuJCXC_K09iZeVfU/s1600-h/IMG_1882.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEHuSUuF0_pKsaLMS6eSFMjdjbXDP_pBJz5_DLIhKws5VPFG4VHZgoY4lgzBDwU8g45RSARDPPnpXgUy2ZG3PIO0dArMJAYlYZtRqdWeURb8oaG45ZAQjGCsW5WjFpuJCXC_K09iZeVfU/s320/IMG_1882.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146596309669013794" /></a><br /><br />Absolutely millions upon millions of tiny mosiac glass work throughout this gaudy, overdone and yet inspiring homage to royalty.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ihKahWpp8rblOl_zTG_LhJFWk-eVntP7IfQJx3asDRetRPMXcloOEQJN5zA_EKB1eUN5zBgBBwOmesFNqNNi7z_FuVvoXEtUdMKNl2aYIet8wk6hxWWHHaFhP2DbfJ9zJsaQma3uyMnA/s1600-h/IMG_1865.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ihKahWpp8rblOl_zTG_LhJFWk-eVntP7IfQJx3asDRetRPMXcloOEQJN5zA_EKB1eUN5zBgBBwOmesFNqNNi7z_FuVvoXEtUdMKNl2aYIet8wk6hxWWHHaFhP2DbfJ9zJsaQma3uyMnA/s320/IMG_1865.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146597645403842866" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRdJDvcChsJu797avVESmq-t_rfGs0nRDjMvhAf9TgGu9euF4xZ5LnE50797mGpeNSx5e-yXmUIx2dVUD77rFSLqoTyz6BS3cUoRSuAo8IEfyrZPITi20Mdnss2JKIffNtdvixGBbuUaO/s1600-h/IMG_1866.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRdJDvcChsJu797avVESmq-t_rfGs0nRDjMvhAf9TgGu9euF4xZ5LnE50797mGpeNSx5e-yXmUIx2dVUD77rFSLqoTyz6BS3cUoRSuAo8IEfyrZPITi20Mdnss2JKIffNtdvixGBbuUaO/s320/IMG_1866.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146597649698810178" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31WRi3xms7QpWdVjbuRiurF4n4vjHTNsVDqhEuqtdi07a8P2PKTSWdkJNm0rEvTdPLc_UitYJDYGaZie6sA_F1MzbLwVjafZ-opNpo-HQdCXSdcdk9v9AMWB0_UybgDRf45biz3edPG3l/s1600-h/IMG_1875.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31WRi3xms7QpWdVjbuRiurF4n4vjHTNsVDqhEuqtdi07a8P2PKTSWdkJNm0rEvTdPLc_UitYJDYGaZie6sA_F1MzbLwVjafZ-opNpo-HQdCXSdcdk9v9AMWB0_UybgDRf45biz3edPG3l/s320/IMG_1875.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146597649698810194" /></a><br /><br />And everytime you turn your head... there is more and more...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn0fH6aorN8cj1Q30-Q8_manlyppANsfs92yBfYn1oeBCTkWu-gjVcJDz9BTcgKRbjThV8UqrMOp0Mboc-UMSUESdszegUx82gGKW-vquLs816CbFmMXmV2sGIwJ7zBF43NuQDGyDdl_4/s1600-h/IMG_1813.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyn0fH6aorN8cj1Q30-Q8_manlyppANsfs92yBfYn1oeBCTkWu-gjVcJDz9BTcgKRbjThV8UqrMOp0Mboc-UMSUESdszegUx82gGKW-vquLs816CbFmMXmV2sGIwJ7zBF43NuQDGyDdl_4/s320/IMG_1813.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146598152209983842" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB9sGURA60UAo7511WgeH30THT-ehvu152-o5tT_ifQIIKO2OFhAtEagD_QyYEXPjYTHEOcunGnjWlF_HprCySZwmEHQBAyL51bqnxXCBJKYU7Zi4R4SUD5dTipWbHb4qPAIDvpmkDrTB/s1600-h/IMG_1825.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB9sGURA60UAo7511WgeH30THT-ehvu152-o5tT_ifQIIKO2OFhAtEagD_QyYEXPjYTHEOcunGnjWlF_HprCySZwmEHQBAyL51bqnxXCBJKYU7Zi4R4SUD5dTipWbHb4qPAIDvpmkDrTB/s320/IMG_1825.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146598152209983858" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgBVVF-kKdXkxX8-q3UCATUeR47T4p5NmClU6TMNNceNeYisAajBCajfZz6bz5GbIdNZkgiVdPvuVxpM6_QkpWbCSwbiwvgyJTgTEJXlKZ_EG4liqosjGx3LvTpsdGEeGT8L8w20boJPh/s1600-h/IMG_1826.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgBVVF-kKdXkxX8-q3UCATUeR47T4p5NmClU6TMNNceNeYisAajBCajfZz6bz5GbIdNZkgiVdPvuVxpM6_QkpWbCSwbiwvgyJTgTEJXlKZ_EG4liqosjGx3LvTpsdGEeGT8L8w20boJPh/s320/IMG_1826.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146598156504951170" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZ5WPzZv1WYfOQX-nTo5722yQPvBBgqkPm4U5n2lsVII_7lPASje6fICHvDXODkPmkKNr2ylZn7nIB5LV3KzRVpSTiNNh5dcWLGrG7H3D3GRnCSmoIuFbU6RXY6ey_XyA3rxKN36_nWEJ/s1600-h/IMG_1827.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZ5WPzZv1WYfOQX-nTo5722yQPvBBgqkPm4U5n2lsVII_7lPASje6fICHvDXODkPmkKNr2ylZn7nIB5LV3KzRVpSTiNNh5dcWLGrG7H3D3GRnCSmoIuFbU6RXY6ey_XyA3rxKN36_nWEJ/s320/IMG_1827.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146600969708530066" /></a><br /><br />layer, upon layer of patterning, movement, texture, design, artistry & mastery, both of workers and kingdom.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5VGBMU27SX0jOrw0iYbYbORBhk1ER2yH-FYjptoQQKqHPWwJJZZhLal8mmWeVfS-B46jUnqx2bk0pSjgWZ1IU0npQHneKRaGP39l-mqGC2Us39CJq79hoM0WNFgHJ1P6_y87MVnDgCq-/s1600-h/IMG_1850.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5VGBMU27SX0jOrw0iYbYbORBhk1ER2yH-FYjptoQQKqHPWwJJZZhLal8mmWeVfS-B46jUnqx2bk0pSjgWZ1IU0npQHneKRaGP39l-mqGC2Us39CJq79hoM0WNFgHJ1P6_y87MVnDgCq-/s320/IMG_1850.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146601377730423218" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0J7A86D-orQs3SNKlZ9gomik8zUG1e5X903CjbikBLhuFqW-eHv57QFrTe_Tfk6PbIjwBVl5PkLfi4m1SQrI-GrFrCOkRAyeost9c8BD4eQVh1VavOit02Q5L5O7P3KD1WsFu-Fi9hSt/s1600-h/IMG_1844.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0J7A86D-orQs3SNKlZ9gomik8zUG1e5X903CjbikBLhuFqW-eHv57QFrTe_Tfk6PbIjwBVl5PkLfi4m1SQrI-GrFrCOkRAyeost9c8BD4eQVh1VavOit02Q5L5O7P3KD1WsFu-Fi9hSt/s320/IMG_1844.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146601253176371618" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AS_Wjpyh4wB5nCIPrLx3P7eOWdLpdybGRxLryBXjv431-rOimFAYoqwPSW4nMtacx2Vm5XTv23AQD-ZxZLkiaPh2nqch9n0JybD-E9Sj7v63R_yE7BR6adSj3CvIFazZmj6flDSHtIcP/s1600-h/IMG_1851.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AS_Wjpyh4wB5nCIPrLx3P7eOWdLpdybGRxLryBXjv431-rOimFAYoqwPSW4nMtacx2Vm5XTv23AQD-ZxZLkiaPh2nqch9n0JybD-E9Sj7v63R_yE7BR6adSj3CvIFazZmj6flDSHtIcP/s320/IMG_1851.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146603340530477506" /></a><br /><br />Even today, the mastery continues as restoration artists maintain this great plaza as it was in the days of King Rama 1st.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekk_Ol1J8Y_2s8AjrUyEuBLfmsnkuT5zVG0efNwBZ73QPM8XHViYHS760NYMc8xdaKpDxbYw4WChJPjxxaDXqN9uwvw9Lteu2ruAdUcjXC93r6Y2BXhqU7VpczMHy4Y8Z9Od2Yd2OkiX4/s1600-h/IMG_1918.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekk_Ol1J8Y_2s8AjrUyEuBLfmsnkuT5zVG0efNwBZ73QPM8XHViYHS760NYMc8xdaKpDxbYw4WChJPjxxaDXqN9uwvw9Lteu2ruAdUcjXC93r6Y2BXhqU7VpczMHy4Y8Z9Od2Yd2OkiX4/s320/IMG_1918.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146605904625953362" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlIZF30OjrzdocSc0f3wfcdz6ok1UrT7HsVrJQNG_vrEbP2L4aLzaazYlhxYMBgERqs2LdgrYWcJo0tCNoDWayANLO5GDPSDO_FZqbbA82DL-Mnlih4q8LItHl1PqcH1vjNunPseOc41z/s1600-h/IMG_1921.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlIZF30OjrzdocSc0f3wfcdz6ok1UrT7HsVrJQNG_vrEbP2L4aLzaazYlhxYMBgERqs2LdgrYWcJo0tCNoDWayANLO5GDPSDO_FZqbbA82DL-Mnlih4q8LItHl1PqcH1vjNunPseOc41z/s320/IMG_1921.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146604057790016002" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7WPPUGQIh371hoss6l2qYcAvwwgmfXpssRzaU7lLhA5k0S9OY-e28vfV7r2IXQRJK0SKLvqWbvzD8x_nGW9-3V1tmlad8Ftw5EMJafuAiuv6MZdZiZioYsl7lpl4k2jKUb0osG2Il2VN/s1600-h/IMG_1916.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7WPPUGQIh371hoss6l2qYcAvwwgmfXpssRzaU7lLhA5k0S9OY-e28vfV7r2IXQRJK0SKLvqWbvzD8x_nGW9-3V1tmlad8Ftw5EMJafuAiuv6MZdZiZioYsl7lpl4k2jKUb0osG2Il2VN/s320/IMG_1916.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146606570345884258" /></a><br /><br />Paintings on plaster walls peeling with age are being redone...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2G-ZDqR1q7evBYd2y-x3VtOZ40Eb_7rO7GwS3c8qZzFYWoK7hzFPc7bilXpNiuGgeMIIbfm7pst9dj7SWyXrpnXxpy7A_foPhkxjCsESMVVFEXcsD7KcXPoKIBVaSOmyUYRxtbRuGpWo1/s1600-h/IMG_1911.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2G-ZDqR1q7evBYd2y-x3VtOZ40Eb_7rO7GwS3c8qZzFYWoK7hzFPc7bilXpNiuGgeMIIbfm7pst9dj7SWyXrpnXxpy7A_foPhkxjCsESMVVFEXcsD7KcXPoKIBVaSOmyUYRxtbRuGpWo1/s320/IMG_1911.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146603748552370658" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-LGv6AwRn7Pu032Y2E4voh6ZDQZzr4zJJ1CbTinMhZ_LhJ3sU6CqBHQfULBFxJGoukToMkmr1kEgx7za701p33zXWCEHE0I-w3XA28EVluF4oGu5n656_zSYO5xgVLmR9RXOl2zmiP0D/s1600-h/IMG_1909.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-LGv6AwRn7Pu032Y2E4voh6ZDQZzr4zJJ1CbTinMhZ_LhJ3sU6CqBHQfULBFxJGoukToMkmr1kEgx7za701p33zXWCEHE0I-w3XA28EVluF4oGu5n656_zSYO5xgVLmR9RXOl2zmiP0D/s320/IMG_1909.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146603890286291442" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6UjXCE0J12sOy2dBJvgi2ala0IiEu252X6pT7bgCBWNKFTr3W-vWCIOINQdRQEUr-uZ-MeFbCRWZKVWckdgfrbFSyzmHfnJ-6OW-P4U-4rt0UdJghJDIqWVs4pfDVDacDEt2CBlOI-JF/s1600-h/IMG_1910.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6UjXCE0J12sOy2dBJvgi2ala0IiEu252X6pT7bgCBWNKFTr3W-vWCIOINQdRQEUr-uZ-MeFbCRWZKVWckdgfrbFSyzmHfnJ-6OW-P4U-4rt0UdJghJDIqWVs4pfDVDacDEt2CBlOI-JF/s320/IMG_1910.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146603641178188242" /></a><br /><br />And the mosiac artistry of the past is channeled through these contemporary craftsmen...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHP_27IlSv-g8bdgAOZG6fywE_dH0xNjwzkM1JpO1XJfKqpvVyemkKilRHUl89h1NMgc3WDDYBeYtMWB4kPHZTCigFgE1Zucu8nK_zyuR42WSGYqNB2ptKidLWl12f9i6IqWG4VZrkXXCp/s1600-h/IMG_1841.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHP_27IlSv-g8bdgAOZG6fywE_dH0xNjwzkM1JpO1XJfKqpvVyemkKilRHUl89h1NMgc3WDDYBeYtMWB4kPHZTCigFgE1Zucu8nK_zyuR42WSGYqNB2ptKidLWl12f9i6IqWG4VZrkXXCp/s320/IMG_1841.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146605432179550770" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLXngf3clSHjMaFe5ic3lFzLLah69yUQZpmOmYlTQGwxZNZ-5rp2nSdT61N1m-TbgbxCcjgaELUKhxK6rlOK4tzXfd_6VIdUFD3eIx5Y3SuNvFJu0PRW_AJFLfNJ1rYzVXryRrx6pQZrc/s1600-h/IMG_1843.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLXngf3clSHjMaFe5ic3lFzLLah69yUQZpmOmYlTQGwxZNZ-5rp2nSdT61N1m-TbgbxCcjgaELUKhxK6rlOK4tzXfd_6VIdUFD3eIx5Y3SuNvFJu0PRW_AJFLfNJ1rYzVXryRrx6pQZrc/s320/IMG_1843.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146605277560728098" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuvY1zwbL0C9OVR3oChLd5qesXr1t_h7Vy46Huq2IfyJ8ctlGDA5csIT7q1kVCqC-kpvvd1Tx6cnr2IkMGZyBz8RtqVM6uwv0ao8MLg__fWtIVF-k58YeupFGVbSd23qDNeh1H43-UTgW/s1600-h/IMG_1846.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuvY1zwbL0C9OVR3oChLd5qesXr1t_h7Vy46Huq2IfyJ8ctlGDA5csIT7q1kVCqC-kpvvd1Tx6cnr2IkMGZyBz8RtqVM6uwv0ao8MLg__fWtIVF-k58YeupFGVbSd23qDNeh1H43-UTgW/s320/IMG_1846.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146605672697719362" /></a><br /><br />All keeping the Grand Palace simply Grand!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVZSecXXSStRUzK-ZK1zOYHovKjTz8mU9GGVG7VvyZKT_dXoYBD2zh77PdndAUPub60b4rXkoUwqjWDgKtAQA933A0Fe3Nz8veFomso3s0y94dqwupxlLQpoWECPZqb98HLdN1IoxoW3d/s1600-h/IMG_1922.jpg"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZIrURfZ7hcSEZVaSjLEdCc-EJQ-HrUZZ4bqmiOCGbTjEdWG-IhURPmKoxh8Qfnkha5TWKaT0jSrt1XOkwTW9O_if-M057Z7NdvCx2kWd4yCW4mV8NNGXBB41jWrTu0kpmbh8pTfj2R7A/s320/IMG_1894.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146608193843522210" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtC8YRF6Kg-ybFp8k1-Vy2_nDMJEwhHzDXKrAz7mI6ISI63j8aQ0zpiJBnllo-NoF3GBqu0zTiXegfeuf_K51TdiaP3TAk1j1gTBaK4qdeXxloH7r4_pmZTG_c50l_bRG_hul3c3tSesH/s1600-h/IMG_1898.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtC8YRF6Kg-ybFp8k1-Vy2_nDMJEwhHzDXKrAz7mI6ISI63j8aQ0zpiJBnllo-NoF3GBqu0zTiXegfeuf_K51TdiaP3TAk1j1gTBaK4qdeXxloH7r4_pmZTG_c50l_bRG_hul3c3tSesH/s320/IMG_1898.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146608030634764946" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgZIyqhFy221QoxY-aSmjwV3jJbZVF6kJ8KlGrJRdzlr1tCzkWUGvqBlUuY2jKI8O7YHwF5KiTHz1QtQ7c1weix2kOuxItGHvQJ711Y0PMjOtxLiGOOG76MyFRzrgaPbzXNCt8TUmYjgG/s1600-h/IMG_1823.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgZIyqhFy221QoxY-aSmjwV3jJbZVF6kJ8KlGrJRdzlr1tCzkWUGvqBlUuY2jKI8O7YHwF5KiTHz1QtQ7c1weix2kOuxItGHvQJ711Y0PMjOtxLiGOOG76MyFRzrgaPbzXNCt8TUmYjgG/s320/IMG_1823.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146610199593249522" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BLjWnZwWTa3X_dRYXKJVeHJfMKroFaaCSVqozDGznKy-SWMZ_cezv5IsOD5BKKgI7XgG7aviE-CM9jlcLU9pI0l158Ci35A7Mf4YvNl5ZdZEhe2QD670AXB-Moe-ra2VOx0lTorsbPi6/s1600-h/IMG_1895.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BLjWnZwWTa3X_dRYXKJVeHJfMKroFaaCSVqozDGznKy-SWMZ_cezv5IsOD5BKKgI7XgG7aviE-CM9jlcLU9pI0l158Ci35A7Mf4YvNl5ZdZEhe2QD670AXB-Moe-ra2VOx0lTorsbPi6/s320/IMG_1895.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146610199593249538" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZEDwI_Kp4FXpJV4WkmV0v6G0WdJYyX5fCnOm7IniUM3GMRVsWS8U3oSkjewP8M6yLApSnootWB7LzABfzhX1hQ4zhA5R5O2TLCaaEPqxQE6s0wWdYEfnGO-5tHpkb9ADeUHfRtYeFGvE/s1600-h/IMG_1857.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZEDwI_Kp4FXpJV4WkmV0v6G0WdJYyX5fCnOm7IniUM3GMRVsWS8U3oSkjewP8M6yLApSnootWB7LzABfzhX1hQ4zhA5R5O2TLCaaEPqxQE6s0wWdYEfnGO-5tHpkb9ADeUHfRtYeFGvE/s320/IMG_1857.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146609684197173970" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf-_U30cAimnXg6D-jKgBwGANB77S80JqHG71HhRtCpkXbn3A9D05yD7a7z4xrfFEUm71aZO8FViYg0FmqPuJXwJTNW9zVwmedaJtYorpjBe1UIAKxh5TOwbgpCip-ZRolnItCuYDv-0f/s1600-h/IMG_1799.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf-_U30cAimnXg6D-jKgBwGANB77S80JqHG71HhRtCpkXbn3A9D05yD7a7z4xrfFEUm71aZO8FViYg0FmqPuJXwJTNW9zVwmedaJtYorpjBe1UIAKxh5TOwbgpCip-ZRolnItCuYDv-0f/s320/IMG_1799.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146609684197173986" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-71508689282183182122007-12-18T03:01:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:21.526-08:00some new friendsShe let us enjoy a short ride<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt66y2GP6_4HuI__2msjPckKbF77EEDAHYrJ8ylowiNAR4w9WScw7rmf06CJ9FKCFocptN1Bm4VQ3q2NxGO3LXnGw3aNpTEcVUNsd_fVTI1IlBn69p0lshTL29GYGGd9_ejKKT2pBBg3EH/s1600-h/IMG_1630.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt66y2GP6_4HuI__2msjPckKbF77EEDAHYrJ8ylowiNAR4w9WScw7rmf06CJ9FKCFocptN1Bm4VQ3q2NxGO3LXnGw3aNpTEcVUNsd_fVTI1IlBn69p0lshTL29GYGGd9_ejKKT2pBBg3EH/s320/IMG_1630.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145268851241936882" /></a><br /><br />Cruising<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTLgZhun_esx90QhtFrHgVD8JM3k5dNjwsalEILXFCr5L2NCoiQM7GZ0iYliqNuNs6QxwTaDFoYWGxBw4lAJGzMnxwMNRc_-BjY8hJxIMvpFLZtaXW9atnx-LNvuqL8DoWgypaUdBoFT7/s1600-h/IMG_1634.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTLgZhun_esx90QhtFrHgVD8JM3k5dNjwsalEILXFCr5L2NCoiQM7GZ0iYliqNuNs6QxwTaDFoYWGxBw4lAJGzMnxwMNRc_-BjY8hJxIMvpFLZtaXW9atnx-LNvuqL8DoWgypaUdBoFT7/s320/IMG_1634.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145268855536904194" /></a><br />Time for a snack<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJsz_WLxWfwawYo0SlxgIckYVIj0GA_5rCqJJ-AdMdBQzXxwCAwx4Vevt1_UnRqd1YvimEbfX-t8BqBHeXf_eGjY1zzHcyOrmzCQQF9hoqOrSGEc_suGHXHQQ66J4T49oycHfDmnND6Sk/s1600-h/IMG_1656.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJsz_WLxWfwawYo0SlxgIckYVIj0GA_5rCqJJ-AdMdBQzXxwCAwx4Vevt1_UnRqd1YvimEbfX-t8BqBHeXf_eGjY1zzHcyOrmzCQQF9hoqOrSGEc_suGHXHQQ66J4T49oycHfDmnND6Sk/s320/IMG_1656.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145268404565338066" /></a><br />Getting a litle pushy<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS4VTVYw9bIwdXIwYBR26vLIt00GhkvjPwd2otA1Wv0wv6yr-UXZpAVDfL6DN7UYdWTSur3FFSf6i9GDknGC1J8i6Ez9VfAqps7LqDqdAvFHhckUQWFf7XdJrnquxEZXTa8UrpcN4BGif/s1600-h/IMG_1658.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS4VTVYw9bIwdXIwYBR26vLIt00GhkvjPwd2otA1Wv0wv6yr-UXZpAVDfL6DN7UYdWTSur3FFSf6i9GDknGC1J8i6Ez9VfAqps7LqDqdAvFHhckUQWFf7XdJrnquxEZXTa8UrpcN4BGif/s320/IMG_1658.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145268408860305378" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-70350228941398442032007-12-17T10:40:00.001-08:002008-11-14T17:52:26.342-08:00Farmlands and Mountainsides<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5WEhNUe-1qlqmVhBzOJinygQDhL7tKSJFgRsjTK5r6PhjVZYOfuOOfk24G75Sjq95nhxlF_TOKJU21xjvgMza25hN2RtaveyKJxhCO5cLXiPujCCk3gjv20YhYRHQoB7Fl2rRtU-HIzf/s1600-h/IMG_1586.jpg"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWANSVZ2TeS0ipugcuq8vpFKJeaXU406ZRw1T4I9GGwbGg6LCGu9SLLcHMG6fZX7qJN2TkYL4WVKidJraeio8DLS-TskgbodETGsQT8GUnbo-dHJM4zSYO3EJEl92PmVb_6AnhPboM3z3n/s320/IMG_1445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145014696552195714" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRFj1RslLUHv-0YB-LHi4RlMlLD6ZgxjT38sw9LMqHNxLytCbZ36nxkfJJL0hE_c2bnP3PWp9hhDbS7jKIpCm9k3-P_Jt5sldXYQQEUWexORjLB977wMPi98imsRn0nVQPAitU4DNVkNJ/s1600-h/IMG_1427.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRFj1RslLUHv-0YB-LHi4RlMlLD6ZgxjT38sw9LMqHNxLytCbZ36nxkfJJL0hE_c2bnP3PWp9hhDbS7jKIpCm9k3-P_Jt5sldXYQQEUWexORjLB977wMPi98imsRn0nVQPAitU4DNVkNJ/s320/IMG_1427.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145014370134681154" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1TRDaJeY3V2aW9bu-RbErG9arHqQhy1w7-O0nGmgFh8nwwym5R9aRrOJGO6m8hnOh9tBqBiAhU7oTgZnBLq_nJCIubUj2Q6no7d4D32zN09AX3Y32ImDTdDHkgDsVM-c6og0OE8q5r_I/s1600-h/IMG_1430.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1TRDaJeY3V2aW9bu-RbErG9arHqQhy1w7-O0nGmgFh8nwwym5R9aRrOJGO6m8hnOh9tBqBiAhU7oTgZnBLq_nJCIubUj2Q6no7d4D32zN09AX3Y32ImDTdDHkgDsVM-c6og0OE8q5r_I/s320/IMG_1430.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145014370134681170" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJL7pGxnr3K6YB82pgcUTANyTQqRz_bK-ex5Zn7LUHbBZPtL9C2H4-2VFmdj329tx94gCh3MVF-i9mMj9g1An764rRl2SC72RaNBBqtoB1C2uZV_9MU-q8GEkX0RZfVoHqUzZlXqB-YFWZ/s1600-h/IMG_1417.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJL7pGxnr3K6YB82pgcUTANyTQqRz_bK-ex5Zn7LUHbBZPtL9C2H4-2VFmdj329tx94gCh3MVF-i9mMj9g1An764rRl2SC72RaNBBqtoB1C2uZV_9MU-q8GEkX0RZfVoHqUzZlXqB-YFWZ/s320/IMG_1417.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145014078076904978" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9-YNSNyaREjLoC8PtiPItM6H-AXGbMPf0I24qMiCdibtrrBynEgN5NcH7bxZJjM3Z3jXPX9dldp3jx7WhIy-JDat6D3ibqX6ZyqRMmeXtj79xShI_C6yLt-HL8dyNE4J-jBS9hTbve8k/s1600-h/IMG_1419.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9-YNSNyaREjLoC8PtiPItM6H-AXGbMPf0I24qMiCdibtrrBynEgN5NcH7bxZJjM3Z3jXPX9dldp3jx7WhIy-JDat6D3ibqX6ZyqRMmeXtj79xShI_C6yLt-HL8dyNE4J-jBS9hTbve8k/s320/IMG_1419.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145014078076904994" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpPh7CNhO8xKes3vmUIcxVs0zpkQ9t1TnWox4jTrey-17X3vi8tBjWk59TYSLef8nMalhAf9NfGeaZOTCqZ7zntoBkg5VtqqailJFgNjT4-V0N7FKC_qMDAkQSKR5PDA6LG42BbDbkxej/s1600-h/IMG_1420.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpPh7CNhO8xKes3vmUIcxVs0zpkQ9t1TnWox4jTrey-17X3vi8tBjWk59TYSLef8nMalhAf9NfGeaZOTCqZ7zntoBkg5VtqqailJFgNjT4-V0N7FKC_qMDAkQSKR5PDA6LG42BbDbkxej/s320/IMG_1420.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145014082371872306" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-50278153436656232592007-12-17T09:19:00.001-08:002009-11-11T05:35:03.556-08:00Sukhothai: Ancient Ruins of Thailand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfWcHKUBDwjYHJ7wTonyis5O26XXpABafcRsNgVboMDAz5cjYm-yjoWOhfpJeR1DS04OcgH-DEKQaIRkvCtVEu8CqxKbReXoorxze8hVZtn83F6eZRWFw-HMiNLzfMgpoA4a3-uTKiFVa/s1600-h/IMG_1251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfWcHKUBDwjYHJ7wTonyis5O26XXpABafcRsNgVboMDAz5cjYm-yjoWOhfpJeR1DS04OcgH-DEKQaIRkvCtVEu8CqxKbReXoorxze8hVZtn83F6eZRWFw-HMiNLzfMgpoA4a3-uTKiFVa/s320/IMG_1251.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145011432377050610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e9GSrz8KxRtqcfXTx7yTMRKpZvgHu9uUAIOu1LWfDtSsJHXcrmDhVq-kaa6FI7KL8hoH-rAZiXLzHo_fXnH4Go_lAhw6hyphenhyphen4iJtwsyfuq_vjtWY2bRRcp0cBQMTv3-ZlqAHa7Ph2uAjCE/s1600-h/IMG_1268.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e9GSrz8KxRtqcfXTx7yTMRKpZvgHu9uUAIOu1LWfDtSsJHXcrmDhVq-kaa6FI7KL8hoH-rAZiXLzHo_fXnH4Go_lAhw6hyphenhyphen4iJtwsyfuq_vjtWY2bRRcp0cBQMTv3-ZlqAHa7Ph2uAjCE/s320/IMG_1268.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144998152338171362" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sukhothai. This was established as a world cultural site by UNESCO because of the tremendous ancient ruins here.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_17LMIc04Izj_9CxUjTB2MsbYgMB0erJrHWboQxXSN-mOyyq0BAbIkIG6kYkXoStpcV6DkkgiGUt7eepwdfI9cfgVKV98kXmnfv7vv-45ttQSZI4DvTog7zEm5AJfBUFeqgvF0rIMB6YY/s1600-h/IMG_1195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_17LMIc04Izj_9CxUjTB2MsbYgMB0erJrHWboQxXSN-mOyyq0BAbIkIG6kYkXoStpcV6DkkgiGUt7eepwdfI9cfgVKV98kXmnfv7vv-45ttQSZI4DvTog7zEm5AJfBUFeqgvF0rIMB6YY/s320/IMG_1195.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144992955427742898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJenxfDFIbUaXuG_SLD884KWJZOJ9HeMk-e9chbQPL9PWKPxXMPmO_EHXvO2aYwyyboSG9QlhIHtelM3TUXtwrSpfo1JLiwLHtlZ4asNaIYC9l5xl0BFc0OxQVIoqZu-Q94eFgo2UcgzOn/s1600-h/IMG_1236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJenxfDFIbUaXuG_SLD884KWJZOJ9HeMk-e9chbQPL9PWKPxXMPmO_EHXvO2aYwyyboSG9QlhIHtelM3TUXtwrSpfo1JLiwLHtlZ4asNaIYC9l5xl0BFc0OxQVIoqZu-Q94eFgo2UcgzOn/s320/IMG_1236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144993981924926738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sukhothai was the first of Thailand's 4 capitals, established in 1238 - The Sukhothai reign was considered the golden age of Thai culture.<br />Ayutthaya was the next capital in the 1700's. Thon Buri (the east river of Bangkok) was the third and finally, Bangkok, the current capital of Thailand.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_t1dRPSXdglAcfI90Wo7SkoLNS82Awop_Q87F5gwfKxhqYFk3GnSecr1ZYOSe7DXJOw2_3VXsZC5n9wbW7WQZy2bQ_uw1V3JWX1Tqwe0C-88QJoHBG4eqUPaoNNnp0srbx2OrVDYqCXbM/s1600-h/IMG_1252.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_t1dRPSXdglAcfI90Wo7SkoLNS82Awop_Q87F5gwfKxhqYFk3GnSecr1ZYOSe7DXJOw2_3VXsZC5n9wbW7WQZy2bQ_uw1V3JWX1Tqwe0C-88QJoHBG4eqUPaoNNnp0srbx2OrVDYqCXbM/s320/IMG_1252.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144994467256231266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGL2Y9Mkk3JiakovGvo6uAHHj02APVGQhtJ2iN5WAaxE5R2f12NzyQc65FyGM5rQG4vRHit_7wFaacewlTRrk1ymvdvNGnP5tzB20q94amhgJi3wlAg_o2UUEGwj2y4MREsvYJ4Ed-Jw8/s1600-h/IMG_1280.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGL2Y9Mkk3JiakovGvo6uAHHj02APVGQhtJ2iN5WAaxE5R2f12NzyQc65FyGM5rQG4vRHit_7wFaacewlTRrk1ymvdvNGnP5tzB20q94amhgJi3wlAg_o2UUEGwj2y4MREsvYJ4Ed-Jw8/s320/IMG_1280.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144995708501779906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE48ygtfq346NmpY7EOyrHSGmCiL0Oe3ItMTW-Uz3t0DcuChdSVVIZZoDWr7NeNDFvP87OGCJNqYeFCb4nxGlPEKJhhdKqhjkmU7_4a8PsZDb2qBoxQ42ihjSday6G6tdOwZvxYbotkfd/s1600-h/IMG_1198.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE48ygtfq346NmpY7EOyrHSGmCiL0Oe3ItMTW-Uz3t0DcuChdSVVIZZoDWr7NeNDFvP87OGCJNqYeFCb4nxGlPEKJhhdKqhjkmU7_4a8PsZDb2qBoxQ42ihjSday6G6tdOwZvxYbotkfd/s320/IMG_1198.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144992959722710226" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Back in the 1300's these amazing ancient cities and temples were built.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zWI80oSK7Qa2aYICjn99m8WdcZ0Uq-ZEKslAVyBstdUs5Kirzgs62vFnREEOTUoRuKjmCnrYjiiZ_-z2ypUJnru_3SzXZ0o7Rsj6gsch7C8gEkKOSI4H_F9fPGluS2QJKUpp6v1LtqfE/s1600-h/IMG_1311.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zWI80oSK7Qa2aYICjn99m8WdcZ0Uq-ZEKslAVyBstdUs5Kirzgs62vFnREEOTUoRuKjmCnrYjiiZ_-z2ypUJnru_3SzXZ0o7Rsj6gsch7C8gEkKOSI4H_F9fPGluS2QJKUpp6v1LtqfE/s320/IMG_1311.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145011432377050626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNShDKKr117RgGn5mkzcD9HooP3j9mES-QJmziDHSaki8TtanHgt2rBgimTMglO-gZukk4GQbMg-aQ3RMn1DyrrITQ-osecJ1bNdB_r_GrB8jw_AtaCWEV7u08qQ0ka95kqg3jPxat8qs/s1600-h/IMG_1255.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNShDKKr117RgGn5mkzcD9HooP3j9mES-QJmziDHSaki8TtanHgt2rBgimTMglO-gZukk4GQbMg-aQ3RMn1DyrrITQ-osecJ1bNdB_r_GrB8jw_AtaCWEV7u08qQ0ka95kqg3jPxat8qs/s320/IMG_1255.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144994467256231282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhmeWgjAglUWoD0xDt3s3sO4cXp91zOVfm4Hr-UZTA0SLz2xU__00wstbltF4MuHsXZCEH4Ka0795Z96gB6UAuhdgEv5nR6cLWBn6ZFncJ19N9ABE-gpUTqZRuqiNYgaQOU0CDOgletB6/s1600-h/IMG_1256.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhmeWgjAglUWoD0xDt3s3sO4cXp91zOVfm4Hr-UZTA0SLz2xU__00wstbltF4MuHsXZCEH4Ka0795Z96gB6UAuhdgEv5nR6cLWBn6ZFncJ19N9ABE-gpUTqZRuqiNYgaQOU0CDOgletB6/s320/IMG_1256.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144994467256231298" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Today, these remains speak volumes of a past filled with pride, spirit and wisdom.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMhaoiAom6WWPGfLKLMpVvwCOrNeuVG1LkmyqaMtcWR-n_SWSVvpPCXy2W4ad_cQI5ksUbzB6iQNKHRQpeX7T5dWj47mIwvUo6S1yYHzjZZHcGtP0v3ES-kiP8wTmJtkhBG9Xyy3tI-VU/s1600-h/IMG_1280.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMhaoiAom6WWPGfLKLMpVvwCOrNeuVG1LkmyqaMtcWR-n_SWSVvpPCXy2W4ad_cQI5ksUbzB6iQNKHRQpeX7T5dWj47mIwvUo6S1yYHzjZZHcGtP0v3ES-kiP8wTmJtkhBG9Xyy3tI-VU/s320/IMG_1280.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144995399264134546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWojz83FDh2RUTodSvnr12Uoc_NeX4-2mbo_T06w6wXurFHK-ojQf_i5qRRUilxW6_yGyH0B_5Q_ntrfOghvzmtFRjVcQzK8vniee3FzYoZrySevJnMI85plaofy7S7OI2B4R7qqD_Pv61/s1600-h/IMG_1217.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWojz83FDh2RUTodSvnr12Uoc_NeX4-2mbo_T06w6wXurFHK-ojQf_i5qRRUilxW6_yGyH0B_5Q_ntrfOghvzmtFRjVcQzK8vniee3FzYoZrySevJnMI85plaofy7S7OI2B4R7qqD_Pv61/s320/IMG_1217.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144993191650944258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The craftsmanship alone is breathtaking. The imagery, astounding.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIbMVq4fdvSW2tghP62xraXCnNMG8w2W0imBb6fhHzM7VhDP9j6chyWJ_20yc6CvDVcRcy69F2M2HJRbRcFrwZybDvHBNb7JdkYNv2n0DowQxDHNJYNMiq-Pxd0eumrfPcu5kpZHxXyWe/s1600-h/IMG_1311.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIbMVq4fdvSW2tghP62xraXCnNMG8w2W0imBb6fhHzM7VhDP9j6chyWJ_20yc6CvDVcRcy69F2M2HJRbRcFrwZybDvHBNb7JdkYNv2n0DowQxDHNJYNMiq-Pxd0eumrfPcu5kpZHxXyWe/s320/IMG_1311.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144995403559101858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyg1uhdOMxA7FZgBck7M8DSCDsfjqhXUr6a9A41DNUWsZduiKmx2QYqvw1-gKr5dqj5cZAx7SWAs4eLNv2sj3lbtDVpyCFUXJ7jTKWT_rYazd8XLpiy9f5Gbz20WbAvhA27eNuTnNNrrQ/s1600-h/IMG_1199.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyg1uhdOMxA7FZgBck7M8DSCDsfjqhXUr6a9A41DNUWsZduiKmx2QYqvw1-gKr5dqj5cZAx7SWAs4eLNv2sj3lbtDVpyCFUXJ7jTKWT_rYazd8XLpiy9f5Gbz20WbAvhA27eNuTnNNrrQ/s320/IMG_1199.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144993191650944226" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Many of the Budda's, carved in the Sukhothai tradition, are in one of two poses: Dispelling Fear and Subduing Mara (shown above).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpgDvCRiwI6pS2UTeha3fFbcNDVvCMCmo-KgON8QPbkqJqZ2HKdd1ADBweeZZsXH42H9pO1HauFTtKiV55ffKU3iKKJbTijtqbUI3g8h9OxKepkAyjKh4SFF8GAiEXaX16bqe-aNKWvM2/s1600-h/IMG_1237.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpgDvCRiwI6pS2UTeha3fFbcNDVvCMCmo-KgON8QPbkqJqZ2HKdd1ADBweeZZsXH42H9pO1HauFTtKiV55ffKU3iKKJbTijtqbUI3g8h9OxKepkAyjKh4SFF8GAiEXaX16bqe-aNKWvM2/s320/IMG_1237.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144993986219894050" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dispelling Fear is what it sounds like and shows the Budda with two palms pushing away from the body...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIKP_0K3-rFd6fBHPGxsu3hkkXoQbZo4cqOSeC0FI0Mm02_73HO1b1KpN0FKf3pVJhavsMe4-e8yNvrq24r_oP5YUb0naj4E-kiT_ZowDA__q6ngiwY52DG-Xmwho8LOVWgD3wOM2a9Re/s1600-h/IMG_1282.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIKP_0K3-rFd6fBHPGxsu3hkkXoQbZo4cqOSeC0FI0Mm02_73HO1b1KpN0FKf3pVJhavsMe4-e8yNvrq24r_oP5YUb0naj4E-kiT_ZowDA__q6ngiwY52DG-Xmwho8LOVWgD3wOM2a9Re/s320/IMG_1282.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144995704206812594" border="0" /></a><br />As this is primarily a Budist land, many of the sculptures are of Budda.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2s8UjF613cAtw5EhweOOwXIYNrYo9ZH_rQ18EcI6AMJmQb3E_8NKI846wn8_ns7_e-ntFJYr9pvwqMUKS-ISR4naoRvzvV5VFka5CngGLgcrE6u0wNP6TS9SqE-5dEpc_-A8aFANgzPL/s1600-h/IMG_1238.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2s8UjF613cAtw5EhweOOwXIYNrYo9ZH_rQ18EcI6AMJmQb3E_8NKI846wn8_ns7_e-ntFJYr9pvwqMUKS-ISR4naoRvzvV5VFka5CngGLgcrE6u0wNP6TS9SqE-5dEpc_-A8aFANgzPL/s320/IMG_1238.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144994196673291570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Most people know of the Chinese Budda, the well-endowed, icon. Here in Sukhothai, Budda is a lean, muscular, soft-lined god, very much in the image of the Thai people.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB76VLfJ8b4AkWiPg6zM2xklijKG3wpegzkYccr75-UI_bZTS_blxeWiCw4EXcWsI14wFbo8X5453HV6a5i10Y9Dj1Ye9do3KGQ0jF7uyyXivnGKcZtfXmkQM2WbhdzhYKkap1fQzdiPX/s1600-h/IMG_1201.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB76VLfJ8b4AkWiPg6zM2xklijKG3wpegzkYccr75-UI_bZTS_blxeWiCw4EXcWsI14wFbo8X5453HV6a5i10Y9Dj1Ye9do3KGQ0jF7uyyXivnGKcZtfXmkQM2WbhdzhYKkap1fQzdiPX/s320/IMG_1201.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144993191650944242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEumr2kHVI6PMun49Evp5cLuqPeVoI5R-TI5S0LmC2LZoHrEJ_dvGWfu1YN5QJcLNU3LidGS0qjICvz-_1FTIjpmnaROo51Rwq4rG4VpAGhaZ4R81xIHatgssO0AvZMa8ybjzgjBi6t0CS/s1600-h/IMG_1239.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEumr2kHVI6PMun49Evp5cLuqPeVoI5R-TI5S0LmC2LZoHrEJ_dvGWfu1YN5QJcLNU3LidGS0qjICvz-_1FTIjpmnaROo51Rwq4rG4VpAGhaZ4R81xIHatgssO0AvZMa8ybjzgjBi6t0CS/s320/IMG_1239.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144994200968258882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was speechless as I walked upon the land that, 700 years ago, was one of the richest cultural communities in the world.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgK_G_Dd_xPwKT3U2lGTE2bAaa57ckp5oLzqidp-jPOT2-UjtAu16Q_7ge8Uyvf-SBYvCIBEItHBYn4cCRs4p4t1l7ellj6-mEcmPDxWWX8102H_WjpX_hLhC2VB4x4J3bhxd5Lvequ69/s1600-h/IMG_1251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgK_G_Dd_xPwKT3U2lGTE2bAaa57ckp5oLzqidp-jPOT2-UjtAu16Q_7ge8Uyvf-SBYvCIBEItHBYn4cCRs4p4t1l7ellj6-mEcmPDxWWX8102H_WjpX_hLhC2VB4x4J3bhxd5Lvequ69/s320/IMG_1251.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144994200968258898" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The second, more popular pose is "Subduing Mara". The left hand is on the lap in meditation, while the right hand is palm down, fingers directed toward the earth. Mara is desire - as in the wanting in every human being that prevents us from appreciating what we have. I want more money, I want to be prettier, I want the weekend to come.... <br />Subduing Mara is the Budda's way of saying "Be here now"... and see the gloriousness in this moment. Budda teaches this desire is one of the main causes of human suffering.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-0-S1MsKYlEBVmScMr9ZaeMu5hj4j0eWLaALGdJ4yLT0YKDgQIXD4b8IDS-9O3XZ0j33VYFsP5j3ybBStDZPEelzTu72n07Q5urJkMPHpRrnbqVeN5-s1DTk8mVxF5KtEgdKuJw-OgxS/s1600-h/IMG_1299.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-0-S1MsKYlEBVmScMr9ZaeMu5hj4j0eWLaALGdJ4yLT0YKDgQIXD4b8IDS-9O3XZ0j33VYFsP5j3ybBStDZPEelzTu72n07Q5urJkMPHpRrnbqVeN5-s1DTk8mVxF5KtEgdKuJw-OgxS/s320/IMG_1299.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144995708501779922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOExLgRhSijpcE2mG1126n7AFE0z81RaXSInPn_LEEeRDjAonFy965c0hhiDKklwAKeJjASfuTR_qoDF6HxiOaXIbEvm_nvYT_sU6TZEJ0PrpGf2_UbWsvYFoOr7US8KEf3T5EsJZo_6F/s1600-h/IMG_1196.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOExLgRhSijpcE2mG1126n7AFE0z81RaXSInPn_LEEeRDjAonFy965c0hhiDKklwAKeJjASfuTR_qoDF6HxiOaXIbEvm_nvYT_sU6TZEJ0PrpGf2_UbWsvYFoOr7US8KEf3T5EsJZo_6F/s320/IMG_1196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144992959722710210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sukhothai is by far, my favorite part of Thailand.<br /><br />Check out this great Inn at Sukhothai: <a href="http://www.rueanthaihotel.com/">The Ruean Thai Hotel</a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-8467883256436245472007-12-12T18:51:00.001-08:002008-11-14T17:52:36.566-08:00Thailand's Pottery TrailAbout 45 minutes outside of Chiang Mai we ventured into a small village called Muang Kung to find Thailand's version of The Pottery Trail. And find it we did. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRghv95BimJNhC2VcocU-PwZEbsWsdzRStu1i4E58QfiVfYkLLgHIHYfgh2-Qkzllnswf_HlgS_b3HvKm6M3_ONi_5dL2G0Hx1_ZVMk-lRN9JOg4bT5F-mqz583pTr8zSsmfwhyphenhyphensM8xYA6/s1600-h/IMG_1146.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRghv95BimJNhC2VcocU-PwZEbsWsdzRStu1i4E58QfiVfYkLLgHIHYfgh2-Qkzllnswf_HlgS_b3HvKm6M3_ONi_5dL2G0Hx1_ZVMk-lRN9JOg4bT5F-mqz583pTr8zSsmfwhyphenhyphensM8xYA6/s320/IMG_1146.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143435695560054642" /></a><br /><br /> There were two major neighborhoods we visited. In one area, the front of each of the 60 potter's homes were decorated with this traditional water drinking vessel. Thailand is very hot and in the "old Thailand" most homes offered cold drinking water to passersby - the water was housed in covered jars just like this one with a laddle on top, for all to use. Though these vessels are no longer used, they have become a welcome symbol for this pottery community. And what a welcome we received! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoiJQ4mSW41yu95g0UCBi9i7wbHh4_u9FqPy84SO5TBzGiPgOvDOphtf7UINR_Ko3Y5i3DNof8PRN1rVOGvgJeh5LTXbMUHktk_CbKlkJf0Er8UZi8mxnWP8JKT1Cyl8kykcJUlztUE9L/s1600-h/IMG_0900.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoiJQ4mSW41yu95g0UCBi9i7wbHh4_u9FqPy84SO5TBzGiPgOvDOphtf7UINR_Ko3Y5i3DNof8PRN1rVOGvgJeh5LTXbMUHktk_CbKlkJf0Er8UZi8mxnWP8JKT1Cyl8kykcJUlztUE9L/s320/IMG_0900.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143440797981202370" /></a><br /><br />In nearby Muang Kung, most of the potters we met were woman and all of the work was handbuilt. This woman is making one of the many "happy" animals we saw. Smiling pigs, elephants, goats....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbohCpNwKO5_-oSBBfEf9LNoN31UA5hU_qNm9fDlnLBfSpi4wvGqJ2raQCSmhrXqcDLbT-p26l-Q9FKdBjPAPcnQR0_XgorfdbRS9sgmXYLAa9qyREME6KltWgz1ZohrLupyxZpD_8EQVy/s1600-h/IMG_0901.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbohCpNwKO5_-oSBBfEf9LNoN31UA5hU_qNm9fDlnLBfSpi4wvGqJ2raQCSmhrXqcDLbT-p26l-Q9FKdBjPAPcnQR0_XgorfdbRS9sgmXYLAa9qyREME6KltWgz1ZohrLupyxZpD_8EQVy/s320/IMG_0901.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143440802276169682" /></a><br /><br />And monkeys! These all lined the little street potteries by the hundreds. And all the neighbors had ceramic animal figurines of all sizes in their yards. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GyVq-uyEKeH0DZMUZNpXiBVKBapqAkmswNpf08cVI_t57s15SUUR19PXr_Y3wqUbfz_PsUvXX6XzPY_fJHqtmW9NEGB1g9SiGE6xD5cfjMbNilwUeTzQTUs1SJMzG1hNXvlWh_uWseRe/s1600-h/IMG_0902.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GyVq-uyEKeH0DZMUZNpXiBVKBapqAkmswNpf08cVI_t57s15SUUR19PXr_Y3wqUbfz_PsUvXX6XzPY_fJHqtmW9NEGB1g9SiGE6xD5cfjMbNilwUeTzQTUs1SJMzG1hNXvlWh_uWseRe/s320/IMG_0902.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143440806571136994" /></a><br /><br />And where do they sell these playful figures, you might ask - well in the rural backroads of Thailand, where chickens and roosters walk through studios and around kilns, the internet is their main source of income - shipping to stores all over the world!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb_TB7EVCVB5d3Br2sKP6dHuGC7389Jl1d3UQ2lMFEWcaz_z97vqXd9tMtBLbogKp6ivLupk8mN-GiYwhU9oUk3n0SflepZqIIdrMd83OIt_IPZzfGBHEcdMqNu1izUql2Ih5TjhkQnUs/s1600-h/IMG_0970.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb_TB7EVCVB5d3Br2sKP6dHuGC7389Jl1d3UQ2lMFEWcaz_z97vqXd9tMtBLbogKp6ivLupk8mN-GiYwhU9oUk3n0SflepZqIIdrMd83OIt_IPZzfGBHEcdMqNu1izUql2Ih5TjhkQnUs/s320/IMG_0970.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143429137144993362" /></a><br /><br />The figurines are light, joyful and playful, but potting is hard, back-breaking work in Thailand. All the clay is dug up from the earth all around this small village, cleaned of pebbles and rocks, slaked down with water, set up to dry, wedged, bagged and then made ready for the potters. Here, a woman working the clay the morning we walked through this neighborhood.<br /><br />They gave us some clay to feel, so plastic and smooth, it was quite nice to work with!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M9gmOCc5QI853JK4GO1JEVj4R9QQcOW9wYgtUR2jdATOg9TYm-HdIC7Cwfl4Tpg6SHotyw7pYwQeU6NCSvMeLG9wDYYMeDmgE8kJ5quwGIuim4gL1HlBTwYHST9DutMPT4GoaiyC3B-O/s1600-h/IMG_0923.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5M9gmOCc5QI853JK4GO1JEVj4R9QQcOW9wYgtUR2jdATOg9TYm-HdIC7Cwfl4Tpg6SHotyw7pYwQeU6NCSvMeLG9wDYYMeDmgE8kJ5quwGIuim4gL1HlBTwYHST9DutMPT4GoaiyC3B-O/s320/IMG_0923.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143287033857037842" /></a><br />And every small pottery had the same kiln design; a small, wood-fired updraft kiln, with metal roofing as the lid to the kiln.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXwp_7ApCqgMFCl97SnOd8SesQZelU57_Qo2kDPJx-ivTP3botQmKG3oLLrc-5dti7KzXjtbUbN1as1eMhSma3UGl-b-wKEqQI0XBFXzG8xRLw2S-d5ACq2pCGfDp0qf9mX85G7krYAlr/s1600-h/IMG_0912.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuXwp_7ApCqgMFCl97SnOd8SesQZelU57_Qo2kDPJx-ivTP3botQmKG3oLLrc-5dti7KzXjtbUbN1as1eMhSma3UGl-b-wKEqQI0XBFXzG8xRLw2S-d5ACq2pCGfDp0qf9mX85G7krYAlr/s320/IMG_0912.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143287532073244210" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMAEmg66UoY9AfW0lg5E8Zda0th-fO8Wd4pAJSLoN81XIOV4D_zdw9qJwcAfOykeBC5XDH2LlcnAMx5wGh80CDSBBPmp0LSsR6wsD8ZSezQqgegP6z1_RHc3msU1mwkMIU1Zr8cU0kLVL/s1600-h/IMG_0921.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMAEmg66UoY9AfW0lg5E8Zda0th-fO8Wd4pAJSLoN81XIOV4D_zdw9qJwcAfOykeBC5XDH2LlcnAMx5wGh80CDSBBPmp0LSsR6wsD8ZSezQqgegP6z1_RHc3msU1mwkMIU1Zr8cU0kLVL/s320/IMG_0921.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143287033857037858" /></a><br /><br />In addition to small figurines, it seemed this section of Muang Kung was a mini brick making facility. We saw hundreds of bricks lined up freshly made....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUb4oxw_eQY87qKZhXmfso4hZSirCxC0hsmygSSKbvuIPTmpIG3s_pgtfzmXtPQb8GO74t4jMiC-t9Y0l77BtcAPpTYYTSYVMwUZfuAm-nx50UqHYNwhd-8aBqVxM2emxKtpy0MMgtTap/s1600-h/IMG_0895.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUb4oxw_eQY87qKZhXmfso4hZSirCxC0hsmygSSKbvuIPTmpIG3s_pgtfzmXtPQb8GO74t4jMiC-t9Y0l77BtcAPpTYYTSYVMwUZfuAm-nx50UqHYNwhd-8aBqVxM2emxKtpy0MMgtTap/s320/IMG_0895.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143285010927441330" /></a><br /><br />And even more drying in the sun....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhUCNBkEUNvUx_mTnS62L_uE-3lTccARPqjqFTpfdY-jplbcLW1LEih9NRrbbt_BA4C9skIzrItHqA6JUyuwp2vH2HnkCTF4KlDkq2XDtQcNUA68WC2ESa7MkTgOQm34qNku3N51uBzrG/s1600-h/IMG_0896.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhUCNBkEUNvUx_mTnS62L_uE-3lTccARPqjqFTpfdY-jplbcLW1LEih9NRrbbt_BA4C9skIzrItHqA6JUyuwp2vH2HnkCTF4KlDkq2XDtQcNUA68WC2ESa7MkTgOQm34qNku3N51uBzrG/s320/IMG_0896.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143285015222408642" /></a><br /><br />The brick making molds were sitting around - the potters were even making the special arch bricks, used mostly just to build arches of kilns, doorways, and pizza ovens, for example.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSEwTUkrikNPyd8AL80ms_HBgRYCGjHEzWo0nANCKx18wpsVOBtnxMG3_fviC-5ZRp2ZBmxEeZl75QNj-raoVHmuheD9Bb8cM-BOXTS6RmIQiE9DHHkKdWwHWbxc22yklSTDEDyP6Tm-n/s1600-h/IMG_0894.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSEwTUkrikNPyd8AL80ms_HBgRYCGjHEzWo0nANCKx18wpsVOBtnxMG3_fviC-5ZRp2ZBmxEeZl75QNj-raoVHmuheD9Bb8cM-BOXTS6RmIQiE9DHHkKdWwHWbxc22yklSTDEDyP6Tm-n/s320/IMG_0894.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143285010927441314" /></a><br /><br />The last stop in this section of the village was a ceramic artist and sculptor who designed these fine cast concrete sculptures, here called "stoneware".<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8z1mH99ZdQJF3cb9px1hF37pfwaM2PEYBAN7MAaoiNdqfEwhZ6FnO1vr7BpQ53TYerS5SWvs8mR611NBsmAzBJ3iDO-g6uYJ5ydL1GaPi4sHfsHAgA1k1eZr0uudjJjgKuTyo0RlcyzA/s1600-h/IMG_0975.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8z1mH99ZdQJF3cb9px1hF37pfwaM2PEYBAN7MAaoiNdqfEwhZ6FnO1vr7BpQ53TYerS5SWvs8mR611NBsmAzBJ3iDO-g6uYJ5ydL1GaPi4sHfsHAgA1k1eZr0uudjJjgKuTyo0RlcyzA/s320/IMG_0975.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143429137144993378" /></a><br /><br />Here is our friend, the sculptor...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBaitzAoBWgXwUY9As5bBdsZuts2N76QmUkZHRwUrgPDkxmGn1-ySiFsdVtgdUmUXS3Ii2tmyr1yyd8G_p3V9PovMxJHzTUjEP_jtCTKPwoMCJAp3nVRdFplYLUyXxc1fUNa-s7J2AcCZ/s1600-h/IMG_1007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBaitzAoBWgXwUY9As5bBdsZuts2N76QmUkZHRwUrgPDkxmGn1-ySiFsdVtgdUmUXS3Ii2tmyr1yyd8G_p3V9PovMxJHzTUjEP_jtCTKPwoMCJAp3nVRdFplYLUyXxc1fUNa-s7J2AcCZ/s320/IMG_1007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143429141439960690" /></a><br /><br />Next stop on the Thailand Pottery Trail.. The Muang Kung Pottery Village. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiezT_d7LWcD3UM5Q6dJPVp9dlKZy4svRerTMbkQ62JpxWwLNKoG2KL7kb8nPwkKdD23Bf8cRthz2C_EK1uk12xnnyiH-u-GNt03w3MmAURcSj6cJD_tPoWM693x0F8QPeKBZkEUua8KP/s1600-h/IMG_1118.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiezT_d7LWcD3UM5Q6dJPVp9dlKZy4svRerTMbkQ62JpxWwLNKoG2KL7kb8nPwkKdD23Bf8cRthz2C_EK1uk12xnnyiH-u-GNt03w3MmAURcSj6cJD_tPoWM693x0F8QPeKBZkEUua8KP/s320/IMG_1118.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143435162984109890" /></a><br /><br />Here, all the potters were throwing on a wheel, firing large wood fired kilns and making hundreds of traditional style earthenware vessels.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEQIL4NgARi0gerILlRdzwIhFrFxewEc3io7kvD-5k-uLTwCKWlT2Mt8sXra-w643J_lt5x0NeKTteIildDGtzd7gJKQ8jCx4qw6nHv6HQBz-7NhhwiWP94sMorC_Jg4r0J6R7mm7tMqX/s1600-h/IMG_1166.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEQIL4NgARi0gerILlRdzwIhFrFxewEc3io7kvD-5k-uLTwCKWlT2Mt8sXra-w643J_lt5x0NeKTteIildDGtzd7gJKQ8jCx4qw6nHv6HQBz-7NhhwiWP94sMorC_Jg4r0J6R7mm7tMqX/s320/IMG_1166.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143435699855021954" /></a><br /><br />The potters of Muang Kung work in their backyard studios making traditional forms....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cX8xolKi_vxojnQt4D-ZQiO9Fc2CkQ7H2tzIzSqIgdE8wMIZ-zqnpLX1LUCskh8sZ4CUjeVBQbaumlv2BYp7P6EjGarmWif_-pObLFQzm6fcucyeZWAqLwRd-17o4x5j27GqjZsPqedQ/s1600-h/IMG_1183.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cX8xolKi_vxojnQt4D-ZQiO9Fc2CkQ7H2tzIzSqIgdE8wMIZ-zqnpLX1LUCskh8sZ4CUjeVBQbaumlv2BYp7P6EjGarmWif_-pObLFQzm6fcucyeZWAqLwRd-17o4x5j27GqjZsPqedQ/s320/IMG_1183.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143436086402078626" /></a><br /><br />Buyers come by to place orders....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCqlbYYJEVOygGOxjBK6Fk7fwFrNcXdPkzXuqzX9-7rkexusxlAnCDua8VXnOWL9YW7y4Ry02_nhzTZha76xuyDIWsCcHAeFxjUTyQJmI_GqH7SzbmsFv2OiWHEyPwMVdeYiv_OOTBcaN/s1600-h/IMG_1143.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCqlbYYJEVOygGOxjBK6Fk7fwFrNcXdPkzXuqzX9-7rkexusxlAnCDua8VXnOWL9YW7y4Ry02_nhzTZha76xuyDIWsCcHAeFxjUTyQJmI_GqH7SzbmsFv2OiWHEyPwMVdeYiv_OOTBcaN/s320/IMG_1143.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143435691265087330" /></a><br /><br />Once the work is made, it is packed up and the buyers send trucks up to load up and pay the artist.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EEP9o7vmLswtlItdtl0FdE_4gyu6jvloWEMqF80BmpJxicccYoMzJnZMyYxsz0tEIfagkiM_JGRWIEzUOmkXbzf61V50cV_KrjJKqfQURvYuUmloupQv8YQUsRH_a57kCjaqtSKFKJQG/s1600-h/IMG_1106.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EEP9o7vmLswtlItdtl0FdE_4gyu6jvloWEMqF80BmpJxicccYoMzJnZMyYxsz0tEIfagkiM_JGRWIEzUOmkXbzf61V50cV_KrjJKqfQURvYuUmloupQv8YQUsRH_a57kCjaqtSKFKJQG/s320/IMG_1106.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143435158689142578" /></a><br /><br />All the vessels are fired in large noborigama style wood kilns...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovBtUj6SZRkxwAsV2WEgxWyaHKnwWaLJL080qPDcPHDcYqvwxfzvqQfCbCuh6J6nfNX1nsVQhNrzw3ii32lpvGAEQWEKzByu18HfxMqEC9j2Lu4lYOod_lcQ5aKZnx0lB0o_bNWTtIFMF/s1600-h/IMG_1035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovBtUj6SZRkxwAsV2WEgxWyaHKnwWaLJL080qPDcPHDcYqvwxfzvqQfCbCuh6J6nfNX1nsVQhNrzw3ii32lpvGAEQWEKzByu18HfxMqEC9j2Lu4lYOod_lcQ5aKZnx0lB0o_bNWTtIFMF/s320/IMG_1035.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143429708375643778" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIq0bPrTZDAKuDFwQe04Hs82PI04QSLEJltJrlLEMMsrPMP72fimK86gRd8aGzi4ehfSHZvScQTBdnyql9ewgDRwHvhxjSfLrisvg8WPAFRpow-rHr9VNa-ZgYa-3Rfcg-ba5EtA6j0coC/s1600-h/IMG_1174.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIq0bPrTZDAKuDFwQe04Hs82PI04QSLEJltJrlLEMMsrPMP72fimK86gRd8aGzi4ehfSHZvScQTBdnyql9ewgDRwHvhxjSfLrisvg8WPAFRpow-rHr9VNa-ZgYa-3Rfcg-ba5EtA6j0coC/s320/IMG_1174.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143436082107111314" /></a><br /><br />And even though the kiln is fired for 5 days, it is still a low temperature earthenware<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOZNccLxeRaBZx3vyLUFor4u1rpYbKZbMDTC6xg20KRW9ARrE6H4tuYB7dlw1vUr764AQt0t307kpTNJTjxq1fcLasJX38mBUX5A2wRPq_wJHjR57SaGwpmKUvWDzNpj6u9wYHu1FQbms/s1600-h/IMG_1185.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOZNccLxeRaBZx3vyLUFor4u1rpYbKZbMDTC6xg20KRW9ARrE6H4tuYB7dlw1vUr764AQt0t307kpTNJTjxq1fcLasJX38mBUX5A2wRPq_wJHjR57SaGwpmKUvWDzNpj6u9wYHu1FQbms/s320/IMG_1185.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143436090697045938" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdV5vb4Euupz8MbZ6UIiCD2wXhOLi26l72aBb5mUt0I2C_jNPC7BvbO-Z5odoChYLZiqntVjaF93GOMmg_Yxl0rwO3jPFhvnlLoYaUz5Dp2SjybM-QzqKolMZnhpn8TgT8NZZjsgAJY3MJ/s1600-h/IMG_1091.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdV5vb4Euupz8MbZ6UIiCD2wXhOLi26l72aBb5mUt0I2C_jNPC7BvbO-Z5odoChYLZiqntVjaF93GOMmg_Yxl0rwO3jPFhvnlLoYaUz5Dp2SjybM-QzqKolMZnhpn8TgT8NZZjsgAJY3MJ/s320/IMG_1091.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143433994753005314" /></a><br /><br />Some of the work made here at Muang Kung is burnished and smoke fired.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBP93BqtAWIy5UTEveXueYc8ei-zyPNLF9NENNWzLL3aLG9ULSPr_zln5_lYy3x4NgbKv9xDsaz0nUTJBjeTwSNvr6XwUQBujoRE2Ur6noRCIdwBFw1vZDoULQGc7D-tjCDo6MIr-gYotW/s1600-h/IMG_1098.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBP93BqtAWIy5UTEveXueYc8ei-zyPNLF9NENNWzLL3aLG9ULSPr_zln5_lYy3x4NgbKv9xDsaz0nUTJBjeTwSNvr6XwUQBujoRE2Ur6noRCIdwBFw1vZDoULQGc7D-tjCDo6MIr-gYotW/s320/IMG_1098.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143433999047972626" /></a><br /><br />This potter was sitting quietly burnishing small oil lanterns. We think she must have been 85 - 87 years old and has been burnishing most of her life.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhsexUNuO2zNWQLd6_htoxDhTiBIRdZE0Np541GMhJxc4NEs-saT9lYdOVVt2ANCUE0DpV-7TnsBFY4cI1a359IoE_M5izUfbqkSSMKjdhtLTKtJpHoMGJ4pFU364B9vMBQonYQbqePFa/s1600-h/IMG_1068.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhsexUNuO2zNWQLd6_htoxDhTiBIRdZE0Np541GMhJxc4NEs-saT9lYdOVVt2ANCUE0DpV-7TnsBFY4cI1a359IoE_M5izUfbqkSSMKjdhtLTKtJpHoMGJ4pFU364B9vMBQonYQbqePFa/s320/IMG_1068.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143433281788434114" /></a><br /><br />She told our interpreter that she gets paid 1.5 baht per pot for burnishing and she can complete as many as 50 pots per day. 33 baht equals $1 u.s. <br />So she gets paid about $1.75 per day. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7QtKV95ZYu9RPJUXp6Q7D8f5pdiHMz40i3C-BW7HnIJsCQKD8-4PXkSj2sKaB2fN3YJLi6BsMCGyUEQsShwbiideMySdpmZ8nBbhrreUca_4_Y8pI3oMICZ8KWV9Sigk5eRRLmv2LF9P/s1600-h/IMG_1101.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7QtKV95ZYu9RPJUXp6Q7D8f5pdiHMz40i3C-BW7HnIJsCQKD8-4PXkSj2sKaB2fN3YJLi6BsMCGyUEQsShwbiideMySdpmZ8nBbhrreUca_4_Y8pI3oMICZ8KWV9Sigk5eRRLmv2LF9P/s320/IMG_1101.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143434003342939938" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XKX_GjZfM2vDvQi9xv_t0GhS6PwFAJZSc1TYXc6Dhj_D-RDE0gq0QFSWmigJcTkuplVjgSQ0b5sA-FEbhOwz5IdeaDZvrfeCOllqOnIeTpg0BJjqBJn7ZQaf7dJUqoFoXEJaeBe0jqQo/s1600-h/IMG_1075.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XKX_GjZfM2vDvQi9xv_t0GhS6PwFAJZSc1TYXc6Dhj_D-RDE0gq0QFSWmigJcTkuplVjgSQ0b5sA-FEbhOwz5IdeaDZvrfeCOllqOnIeTpg0BJjqBJn7ZQaf7dJUqoFoXEJaeBe0jqQo/s320/IMG_1075.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143433646860654290" /></a><br /><br />Wow. It's humbling to visit these communities. So basic is their equipment, their means, their salaries.... <br />So beautiful, their lives.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxx04mdozTbYfrWyfSB9pPmbbcCIiUBhqdGhcld5aXzPB4J4QM1WpGkRbVdSiE0-Hu4Nh2Poo3UuUDZahOaRL6f3kbMUIZCSRG1GY_mxJwpLjQRO0TmvVrUbynyv8cBo26E9PJulcONP8L/s1600-h/IMG_1058.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxx04mdozTbYfrWyfSB9pPmbbcCIiUBhqdGhcld5aXzPB4J4QM1WpGkRbVdSiE0-Hu4Nh2Poo3UuUDZahOaRL6f3kbMUIZCSRG1GY_mxJwpLjQRO0TmvVrUbynyv8cBo26E9PJulcONP8L/s320/IMG_1058.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143433277493466786" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF6qHHuNAhI8sVD_-YYJQTn0wDPYB7dFj4kD2eETw9eBWeGb9uX2YJIx7GZGCKrcPB94WteeBDqOCmJ9msPIrFRknRTVYzEpcDn1cx4gemnnt8MCQWlgk5sJNgZk9xVh9TZ0j_kV_qsNb/s1600-h/IMG_1063.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF6qHHuNAhI8sVD_-YYJQTn0wDPYB7dFj4kD2eETw9eBWeGb9uX2YJIx7GZGCKrcPB94WteeBDqOCmJ9msPIrFRknRTVYzEpcDn1cx4gemnnt8MCQWlgk5sJNgZk9xVh9TZ0j_kV_qsNb/s320/IMG_1063.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143433281788434098" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFfY_xHFN3pyL0kqBhkqQlg9Ik0Oe1JIum_cLTx7WHP5T_ZNTpRp1ULjZopzUXg98BJZivGW6R5WTob9t5pXBgDUTSQ0__5dufoufyWve7tfFcZRgHamjz2WatLycGxFGSBjpp46jeDPF/s1600-h/IMG_1055.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFfY_xHFN3pyL0kqBhkqQlg9Ik0Oe1JIum_cLTx7WHP5T_ZNTpRp1ULjZopzUXg98BJZivGW6R5WTob9t5pXBgDUTSQ0__5dufoufyWve7tfFcZRgHamjz2WatLycGxFGSBjpp46jeDPF/s320/IMG_1055.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143429708375643794" /></a><br /><br />Next stop.... The temples of Sukhothai.Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-13651620511881853892007-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:39.507-08:00Chiang Mai: Celadon Pottery Factory<a href="http://www.cela-don.com/Celadon/sic002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.cela-don.com/Celadon/sic002.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Chiang Mai is alledgely the artisan capital of Thailand - where potters, woodworkers, weavers and the like do their work and ship it across the country and the world. So naturally, that was our first stop. <br />This Siam Celadon factory. <br />Celadon is this smooth green glaze, famous in Chinese Ceramics, but also developed here in Chiang Mai and once dominated the world. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbpQYXCt4itPzsU7KrsJ1YvHmWFYDnkxZwWHPngKhKQ2KjPLguvbhIPhVpY34gfO763045iqusJWJZATsmzlnpbkdnW7cViGsy7ovAtkKaMvGabRWWwDYB3stNW2dAwkppdfzn5uxYAFY/s1600-h/IMG_0774.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbpQYXCt4itPzsU7KrsJ1YvHmWFYDnkxZwWHPngKhKQ2KjPLguvbhIPhVpY34gfO763045iqusJWJZATsmzlnpbkdnW7cViGsy7ovAtkKaMvGabRWWwDYB3stNW2dAwkppdfzn5uxYAFY/s320/IMG_0774.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143269493210600658" /></a><br /><br />Once all handmade, today, just a few of the pieces at Siam Celadon are hand thrown and hand carved. As we walked into this pristine factory, we saw two of the master throwers....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjTghGOGvShyphenhyphens37FzihR2BWMJqlCBAfcKtBBSnjoxCFwvfp_td8qM2JAtKKHa_6SLlBPXXx8YcAM1J9_ehM9hA6mIDm-eYR2Xou3TKGTEaCC92sIUVxtS1MviOGsgbgAXODwtAHFtIkp9/s1600-h/IMG_0786.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjTghGOGvShyphenhyphens37FzihR2BWMJqlCBAfcKtBBSnjoxCFwvfp_td8qM2JAtKKHa_6SLlBPXXx8YcAM1J9_ehM9hA6mIDm-eYR2Xou3TKGTEaCC92sIUVxtS1MviOGsgbgAXODwtAHFtIkp9/s320/IMG_0786.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143269497505567970" /></a><br /><br />It seems the men work on the wheel, while the women carve, attach handles...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2sC4QG4YIEb2fWvSiB35SJ29osIYumR2W5MESkxdO5tAxwReuNOVKuPNP0HkHUBYDxa3Z6xtrfJ8x8wkEMOTCdHDJQwY3w_5fnkSSevST4LvIUwfcCbMl9cdRsFG7j6nxZ29Fo6Ypg6W/s1600-h/IMG_0787.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2sC4QG4YIEb2fWvSiB35SJ29osIYumR2W5MESkxdO5tAxwReuNOVKuPNP0HkHUBYDxa3Z6xtrfJ8x8wkEMOTCdHDJQwY3w_5fnkSSevST4LvIUwfcCbMl9cdRsFG7j6nxZ29Fo6Ypg6W/s320/IMG_0787.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143269497505567986" /></a><br /><br />and do the final cleaning and refinement of the work.<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCOGEZB5JS5PaAhocxUY_SZ-yfcxGIOjkmuIXsK6JC0b55vjOgAXbazIX1NZxZwVQOUiH_wiXoA-TffhNN_TWeW7N1LY7kNwV-dipT4EL15WShmlnIrqe_Z6j6CXxKSqtW1TrR9N6hrYT/s1600-h/IMG_0808.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCOGEZB5JS5PaAhocxUY_SZ-yfcxGIOjkmuIXsK6JC0b55vjOgAXbazIX1NZxZwVQOUiH_wiXoA-TffhNN_TWeW7N1LY7kNwV-dipT4EL15WShmlnIrqe_Z6j6CXxKSqtW1TrR9N6hrYT/s320/IMG_0808.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143272559817250082" /></a><br /><br />Today, the original vessel is handmade - and hand carved... but then a mold is made and the pots are jiggered.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSiCMXf1QYkqKZRAw6dJMP2PFzlaPMtoN3jeVv4NGup0YIkmV17Re4VVdGHNgi9xQQeOyz-TdoIJEnj-QmIeO8QEwGfKz8f6Hk8-znS9eOVS2GB5VzhJBPOpWQ87VDL7GY1jp9cEZc72t/s1600-h/IMG_0811.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSiCMXf1QYkqKZRAw6dJMP2PFzlaPMtoN3jeVv4NGup0YIkmV17Re4VVdGHNgi9xQQeOyz-TdoIJEnj-QmIeO8QEwGfKz8f6Hk8-znS9eOVS2GB5VzhJBPOpWQ87VDL7GY1jp9cEZc72t/s320/IMG_0811.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143272564112217394" /></a><br /><br />This worker is "jiggering" or making a reproduction of the original bowl.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoWmLDnJjFmOnQQal6wkenVJY6qG9uhrZFoJCDzNW2p1s3HbILYAXSVZOt3dxUVpEHqvseHpdF27vloU80YistLqDa8sh1PkN-q2uImdMIFNrnIfIQGjVtDQLDji_MkYiYiWA0jYjhs4U/s1600-h/IMG_0799.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoWmLDnJjFmOnQQal6wkenVJY6qG9uhrZFoJCDzNW2p1s3HbILYAXSVZOt3dxUVpEHqvseHpdF27vloU80YistLqDa8sh1PkN-q2uImdMIFNrnIfIQGjVtDQLDji_MkYiYiWA0jYjhs4U/s320/IMG_0799.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143272319299081490" /></a><br /><br />And another worker cleans the rough edges on a small banding wheel.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe56Hvi9IPrb37-KQXFitMjamDJkBXuEG9CGPQ6SZ1R17bqvawyFW4y82b3Qw0m-60283klhwGgWNzY-t2BuIU8bZqC5fvffFCC60LYrvsS16pVCOxpfbY8hViNakD3ov0DTlWELDPkDR9/s1600-h/IMG_0833.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe56Hvi9IPrb37-KQXFitMjamDJkBXuEG9CGPQ6SZ1R17bqvawyFW4y82b3Qw0m-60283klhwGgWNzY-t2BuIU8bZqC5fvffFCC60LYrvsS16pVCOxpfbY8hViNakD3ov0DTlWELDPkDR9/s320/IMG_0833.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143273440285545874" /></a><br /><br />The workers are so quiet, working away, shyly smiling at us... but suddenly a bell tolls... the 3pm break is here and everyone runs out side with smiles and laughter!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcVvGMWskCuXRtr0LUckb1WKpyIDJMvK1w0i4dxEDN24rxk9JUITjK4IY_UUUhn0D2ieaJR5oHUf2qVwx86AdAlKXgv-mLq6UBLH7pu-NPQJOCEqr9_Lruj_3kpPT67cE-LZiOwy6otzJ/s1600-h/IMG_0839.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcVvGMWskCuXRtr0LUckb1WKpyIDJMvK1w0i4dxEDN24rxk9JUITjK4IY_UUUhn0D2ieaJR5oHUf2qVwx86AdAlKXgv-mLq6UBLH7pu-NPQJOCEqr9_Lruj_3kpPT67cE-LZiOwy6otzJ/s320/IMG_0839.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143273435990578562" /></a><br /><br />Tom gets in with the crowd as they buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the vendors who drive up just in time for the worker's half-hour break.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIBKGiHwpl7J3ex93brXMI8aj0CB9u0lXaYsHe0Kcy-NHVNljlUBhmo8RKTAdWrJeKaEO98mNVx-G4OXgTkKDKcICAiU_qb8IkH0PaNm44IoYAATY6xZ94gaEkEH-vLMfxGVLAx140W7W/s1600-h/IMG_0840.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIBKGiHwpl7J3ex93brXMI8aj0CB9u0lXaYsHe0Kcy-NHVNljlUBhmo8RKTAdWrJeKaEO98mNVx-G4OXgTkKDKcICAiU_qb8IkH0PaNm44IoYAATY6xZ94gaEkEH-vLMfxGVLAx140W7W/s320/IMG_0840.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143273435990578546" /></a><br /><br />It's a fast 30 minutes... then back to work.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmL7KugWAW_eSII0ZB8u7VP_g3d-yKyaIcb7umN504xKBLoXWOaRPCEF2O_ebo-jDw5D3H3-VTymNR7q8fVUJJQIRgXuaRsUEageK3bCQXUfzrpKhTJyMu1MKYcPXBLISJNmNvePWNAz1L/s1600-h/IMG_0821.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmL7KugWAW_eSII0ZB8u7VP_g3d-yKyaIcb7umN504xKBLoXWOaRPCEF2O_ebo-jDw5D3H3-VTymNR7q8fVUJJQIRgXuaRsUEageK3bCQXUfzrpKhTJyMu1MKYcPXBLISJNmNvePWNAz1L/s320/IMG_0821.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143273032263652674" /></a><br /><br />Next stop... the master mold makers work in another room. This room is all men, designing the molds that will be used to go into the jigger. They tell us we can bring any item to them and they can create a mold for it and presto.,,, you can easily and cheaply duplicate the work.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGub17E7iMWCoEjbCAbZwCTv4ExL1BL1iQ5e7gy4EVX5HtRxu3kfmYSqdpNebiDFZCGxtJVRAEFevfqGjvPyG-hMz0_-npnrKYPH-zQS992NaYfUx_HCz4yfXMJAVcxtp8K_7GKwmWx1lA/s1600-h/IMG_0828.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGub17E7iMWCoEjbCAbZwCTv4ExL1BL1iQ5e7gy4EVX5HtRxu3kfmYSqdpNebiDFZCGxtJVRAEFevfqGjvPyG-hMz0_-npnrKYPH-zQS992NaYfUx_HCz4yfXMJAVcxtp8K_7GKwmWx1lA/s320/IMG_0828.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143273036558619986" /></a><br /><br />A view from outside the studio...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBgQYketJCUUmIYVu4mNAwUzqqVIgP8sEQr_MVT19Pzp8sEtt_IMvZofxDxY_kf_LH3v2aeu78O15UF_o86aYOrZExgVRLOQFkuZZu1yosK_fSHO6Bj2L_N9zu6UxuykEnKE8WdoHCvZQ/s1600-h/IMG_0831.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBgQYketJCUUmIYVu4mNAwUzqqVIgP8sEQr_MVT19Pzp8sEtt_IMvZofxDxY_kf_LH3v2aeu78O15UF_o86aYOrZExgVRLOQFkuZZu1yosK_fSHO6Bj2L_N9zu6UxuykEnKE8WdoHCvZQ/s320/IMG_0831.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143273036558620002" /></a><br /><br />And back to the women, finishing the work that has been glazed.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2SnfbsOrg0LaSD1ioYQsrEhlTm7Xzj1TUNNiuUJ01nw5G5CEkBF-Q9th9opop0u0KOWME0dwS24H2vGIRc8p8ENAemDMsPvE3jRv8rcIeD0CMREoqfwRa0IPybdtV7hJgIXkt5DyIoeg/s1600-h/IMG_0796.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2SnfbsOrg0LaSD1ioYQsrEhlTm7Xzj1TUNNiuUJ01nw5G5CEkBF-Q9th9opop0u0KOWME0dwS24H2vGIRc8p8ENAemDMsPvE3jRv8rcIeD0CMREoqfwRa0IPybdtV7hJgIXkt5DyIoeg/s320/IMG_0796.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143272315004114178" /></a><br /><br />Finally, the big kilns. 4 large gas fired kilns run today on computer, in the past, manually run on gas, we believe, though it may have been wood. This is a very large and very sophisticated factory, making most of the celadon consumers see coming out of Thailand.<br /><br /><a href="http://pics.novica.com/pictures/9/p111410_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://pics.novica.com/pictures/9/p111410_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Next time you're in a japanese or chinese restaurant and see this well-known look - peek underneath the foot. If it says made in Thailand - or Siam Celadon - these are the people and this is the factory in which it was made. Next stop... a pottery village where all the work is hand made and the kilns are in the backyards of people's homes!Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-15241060273950465302007-12-07T00:16:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:41.370-08:00Tom Revisits the City He Loves.... Brenda is Wide-Eyed!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW2tjGRKKoupbalHdEjUqCsVZX4hKW9P7_hWFxk__sa2ydDr5JYG8BCQKsUGADZ041DqRuCle1-blVtogrcx9ReKaiXq0w0ZDYr0tvip904P-D2DQ9dWm5w_v9o62boiKVb8SYKxDmVhR/s1600-h/IMG_0344.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyW2tjGRKKoupbalHdEjUqCsVZX4hKW9P7_hWFxk__sa2ydDr5JYG8BCQKsUGADZ041DqRuCle1-blVtogrcx9ReKaiXq0w0ZDYr0tvip904P-D2DQ9dWm5w_v9o62boiKVb8SYKxDmVhR/s320/IMG_0344.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141143444510887954" /></a><br /><br />Brenda is getting her first taste of retail sales on the street - Bangkok style.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhosqVGSTdFK_0pv84bbJj8fakW1kLV77gR6MoivKgvxzx2NXKsI3bpDnhg7IqLpDbzFtffPrbepVLp6rlZgjMZLXEFhTunp1wOWcu4H70vNf4chIPexrNg8ozxhy8gq7YteS-M2GtS7z/s1600-h/IMG_0345.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhosqVGSTdFK_0pv84bbJj8fakW1kLV77gR6MoivKgvxzx2NXKsI3bpDnhg7IqLpDbzFtffPrbepVLp6rlZgjMZLXEFhTunp1wOWcu4H70vNf4chIPexrNg8ozxhy8gq7YteS-M2GtS7z/s320/IMG_0345.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141143444510887970" /></a><br /><br />Upon searching for the recommended guest House off Sukumvit Soi Eleven - we by chance found the most beautiful hostel, Suk 11, tucked away down a back alley off a busy street. If you travel to Bangkok - you must stay here, at just $20 a night and filled with the charm of interntional travelers and the warmth of the thai community....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkpH3whwX-cCenhrro3V2BzW4fooadrOe_acrq4QeNFQ5lhA82T4MRy-KdbU3oYtvifFm6vqqkuQ-ZE6uar1R32tyr9bVTgPO3Eq_BpLs9W24O3kzeFl8Gof2wKoBxFKrFxYvFk45TPMD/s1600-h/IMG_0340.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkpH3whwX-cCenhrro3V2BzW4fooadrOe_acrq4QeNFQ5lhA82T4MRy-KdbU3oYtvifFm6vqqkuQ-ZE6uar1R32tyr9bVTgPO3Eq_BpLs9W24O3kzeFl8Gof2wKoBxFKrFxYvFk45TPMD/s320/IMG_0340.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141142654236905458" /></a><br /><br />right next to the hostel, is an amazing little restaurant, Gallery 11, next to it, Suk Spa, with traditional soaking baths and thai massages. Just beautiful, old thailand.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfiageUnJDKUpNwAs2B6s_STGRiXBc64R__xZdPe4kYWUmoVVHZTwjSjAz7DHspe4phuGLHw3HsfkcAQ3H0obT-p55au0DZW6Z7qn3qIIxBRUDvrxDxELTxjXZOEM1uWpR2aJsmaX4Vjj/s1600-h/IMG_0339.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfiageUnJDKUpNwAs2B6s_STGRiXBc64R__xZdPe4kYWUmoVVHZTwjSjAz7DHspe4phuGLHw3HsfkcAQ3H0obT-p55au0DZW6Z7qn3qIIxBRUDvrxDxELTxjXZOEM1uWpR2aJsmaX4Vjj/s320/IMG_0339.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141142649941938146" /></a><br /><br />We relax, enjoy lunch and take it all in...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxo1MGUlDMUpnEoJX5gAw8muIZ-vreO0t1fzENJD-kQf9erOnSUKvCCOVZouXaqB8QAGY5dKuYWk640C2-gkW4QZea06lVgSgK7yfrTPDa_Vu3T8nyk-VOzoWJPx36o63-a77dIa6Yvrt/s1600-h/IMG_0348.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxo1MGUlDMUpnEoJX5gAw8muIZ-vreO0t1fzENJD-kQf9erOnSUKvCCOVZouXaqB8QAGY5dKuYWk640C2-gkW4QZea06lVgSgK7yfrTPDa_Vu3T8nyk-VOzoWJPx36o63-a77dIa6Yvrt/s320/IMG_0348.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141153026582925378" /></a><br /><br />Next Stop... Chao Phraya River. Bangkok was filled with river canals back in the 1700's as the reigning King expanded commerce in this then young cty. The canals, once used as major thoroughfares, are now relaxing avenues away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Traffic, they say, along the smaller canals is quite slow, but the main river is filled with fast moving riverboat taxis.... it's a feel for what once marked Bangkok as the "Venice of the East"...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7bR6qczsYiq70qiWrcLaAK-nEXrVQbNtL8p5t5J62IYtOwsGy2dk0QfvvIVPxxXuYl3nga8COtPRHywhaw3h2nz-CkxTRq5fbQhXb9bFNvesx1n5DksXEWRuKzplpIFn-8z8QOUqgk5m/s1600-h/IMG_0428.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7bR6qczsYiq70qiWrcLaAK-nEXrVQbNtL8p5t5J62IYtOwsGy2dk0QfvvIVPxxXuYl3nga8COtPRHywhaw3h2nz-CkxTRq5fbQhXb9bFNvesx1n5DksXEWRuKzplpIFn-8z8QOUqgk5m/s320/IMG_0428.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141153030877892690" /></a><br /><br />We got on a longtail boat at the base of the river and rode it uptown to one of the hundreds of temples marking the way upriver.....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgl-2J526jzbH-m58ZfgoKivy7wIczwHDPXWMDDQ1S3pupZnrJArU5gwpZECDmOFDdlmccVR_smCsmn30qwpKIRlM6AKrQFXqHVGnKbbH_PYqVvgx9G1HVN_2qqZ0x2xfglEW9xMJ6JNuX/s1600-h/IMG_0357.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgl-2J526jzbH-m58ZfgoKivy7wIczwHDPXWMDDQ1S3pupZnrJArU5gwpZECDmOFDdlmccVR_smCsmn30qwpKIRlM6AKrQFXqHVGnKbbH_PYqVvgx9G1HVN_2qqZ0x2xfglEW9xMJ6JNuX/s320/IMG_0357.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141157433219371122" /></a><br /><br /> This is the Temple of Dawn. More detailed shots of this spectacular site in a separate posting!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuaorO2pjHDsXe3YCPkIVJavosG4DJywsAx6U9gII9oBwrB2bWGxSQex2KPjGhw9PyTuhsYqobKOhG0T8GUitArhDzYH5S2uAtMB0AhdX3EQ5RGaL7um-cr_sFNxep_KhlXCH87lOs9w5/s1600-h/IMG_0354.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuaorO2pjHDsXe3YCPkIVJavosG4DJywsAx6U9gII9oBwrB2bWGxSQex2KPjGhw9PyTuhsYqobKOhG0T8GUitArhDzYH5S2uAtMB0AhdX3EQ5RGaL7um-cr_sFNxep_KhlXCH87lOs9w5/s320/IMG_0354.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141143448805855282" /></a><br /><br />Above... one of the many backyards of these riverhomes. An old boat used by a local family to traverse Chao Phraya.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SYLRAPXhJ7QegrX1V8-tncWq6Yr1GGKcD1jWIkyTdszfaD4gCyTEvDQegnmkO8HXEounuxKWAIrKbxk-h3H6-IKW7SiKF8i97GN7SlVsFHSMNPcww5iwsN7RTzta83Fir8y48kL0MHiP/s1600-h/IMG_0351.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SYLRAPXhJ7QegrX1V8-tncWq6Yr1GGKcD1jWIkyTdszfaD4gCyTEvDQegnmkO8HXEounuxKWAIrKbxk-h3H6-IKW7SiKF8i97GN7SlVsFHSMNPcww5iwsN7RTzta83Fir8y48kL0MHiP/s320/IMG_0351.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141157433219371138" /></a><br /><br />Famous... and not so famous hotels border this river path along Bangkok's east side.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdbOS8Qd1IpIE7sD3yZwCWUE_BV7bejomXYUcvTl-KBubPTTC_vkvUMgmMtFWNXvPbY6r4EpfYNu4pRQVJi0l7cd5ffG-1q_DPoDG1Tue_NsyqFA0Am-OUmsZ33DKGjYY1IPamudWnb9x/s1600-h/IMG_0394.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdbOS8Qd1IpIE7sD3yZwCWUE_BV7bejomXYUcvTl-KBubPTTC_vkvUMgmMtFWNXvPbY6r4EpfYNu4pRQVJi0l7cd5ffG-1q_DPoDG1Tue_NsyqFA0Am-OUmsZ33DKGjYY1IPamudWnb9x/s320/IMG_0394.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141157433219371154" /></a><br /><br />Next Stop... The Temple of Dawn and all it's diverse mosiacs....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmZLF-6Sad6E6WoTVg1OWzhLKg7tqklL_lEslyn8YG_N3QWoqy366XpVv27Gn7dSA7VloB9Ol3QyMnK5BhJMbIeq6DOdLI_haMwNqR2uR1trWyWQ2y4wO4ay0tza5_r3vHlh0XqHIFD2r/s1600-h/IMG_0395.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmZLF-6Sad6E6WoTVg1OWzhLKg7tqklL_lEslyn8YG_N3QWoqy366XpVv27Gn7dSA7VloB9Ol3QyMnK5BhJMbIeq6DOdLI_haMwNqR2uR1trWyWQ2y4wO4ay0tza5_r3vHlh0XqHIFD2r/s320/IMG_0395.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141157437514338466" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-71995273810821888222007-12-05T19:38:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:43.326-08:00BANGKOK<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQCcdf1XzaI28vpOt7liju_RKjp6RV3Dbpn2uUOT2s58BvgIImrXsc8u3LKXR4ENrLZvh8r1flS9IdZ1P9wkwRQgMJ-Edf2HBFwdvXH6G2mJpawpNHoHNmNPKzOyrWLJJ9iNZ58BfRhPm/s1600-h/IMG_0475.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQCcdf1XzaI28vpOt7liju_RKjp6RV3Dbpn2uUOT2s58BvgIImrXsc8u3LKXR4ENrLZvh8r1flS9IdZ1P9wkwRQgMJ-Edf2HBFwdvXH6G2mJpawpNHoHNmNPKzOyrWLJJ9iNZ58BfRhPm/s320/IMG_0475.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141139080824115138" /></a><br />Bangkok - City of Angels...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSfkbMRPijBZ4yZO7fMaCEPkNdO0M4zX6aeJdEo3FIoZo0thMz8ZjHJ-8PkmQ3fHuqc3ByBcESUT-dWsbnnPWwRJ11v6I6qt_ywbavrvKuUF0Chs_XrZTIxTiCQeKtmBCg4BoqqKyqZSj/s1600-h/IMG_0401.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSfkbMRPijBZ4yZO7fMaCEPkNdO0M4zX6aeJdEo3FIoZo0thMz8ZjHJ-8PkmQ3fHuqc3ByBcESUT-dWsbnnPWwRJ11v6I6qt_ywbavrvKuUF0Chs_XrZTIxTiCQeKtmBCg4BoqqKyqZSj/s320/IMG_0401.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141139080824115122" /></a><br /><br />The "Venice of the East"....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyL7Io8GQ6ozPkEtSRdlNV8pQGxocwkDRpgea7MocJi0PiIyBKdn7sunzT45g5-XavANiPzV0IMEW4jUFvGjkjXSKz82X2Eovrthyphenhyphen3lUJ5PJq7-T4mZZt3e28DJfbaGTQaasg3fJSESs4g/s1600-h/IMG_0506.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyL7Io8GQ6ozPkEtSRdlNV8pQGxocwkDRpgea7MocJi0PiIyBKdn7sunzT45g5-XavANiPzV0IMEW4jUFvGjkjXSKz82X2Eovrthyphenhyphen3lUJ5PJq7-T4mZZt3e28DJfbaGTQaasg3fJSESs4g/s320/IMG_0506.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141135361382436690" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ3HPHEGRA8MVENUrBRIQbmkQn2zTwqnsfv7hQdd0Z5UjUatCtKoSa0s9bavlYziNzxFljJbV4ej-oYmWjgpP_nJ11n8w7IvX4bhhs4Jr1W1WGOWUYZQsZB9TbYiZAfhFOyeIOOAZh1U-/s1600-h/IMG_0523.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ3HPHEGRA8MVENUrBRIQbmkQn2zTwqnsfv7hQdd0Z5UjUatCtKoSa0s9bavlYziNzxFljJbV4ej-oYmWjgpP_nJ11n8w7IvX4bhhs4Jr1W1WGOWUYZQsZB9TbYiZAfhFOyeIOOAZh1U-/s320/IMG_0523.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141136224670863234" /></a><br /><br />Beautiful, glorious, busy, insane, filled with so much.... of everything...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP2D3iP3nY3fimRvGsnl4Sf-aQHLj7EV4d7PwpEUzNZre5GGJXAop935ou_X6YrvydGlTOj6R-yKj1Eg3Md9uBTeXmrtf_WkjANKcqA1ZhI5lwid-KT_A5A_So6rPpvEW0eTwQQL8zoGn/s1600-h/IMG_0524.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP2D3iP3nY3fimRvGsnl4Sf-aQHLj7EV4d7PwpEUzNZre5GGJXAop935ou_X6YrvydGlTOj6R-yKj1Eg3Md9uBTeXmrtf_WkjANKcqA1ZhI5lwid-KT_A5A_So6rPpvEW0eTwQQL8zoGn/s320/IMG_0524.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141136228965830546" /></a><br /><br />The food is everywhere....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7xiRy3XIVm8EvvQ6_Qz8a4ru1fKuDOuk0dv-xAVNuFDB4U-J1sorMuSV8CtDQ7wHttesVZ_u1ThyE6PC5eLE8NbwIhiqPNUQdpGCabthqW7cFFnQo8_BAK84FIB1n1s5xd3Wgm-VCHvt/s1600-h/IMG_0508.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7xiRy3XIVm8EvvQ6_Qz8a4ru1fKuDOuk0dv-xAVNuFDB4U-J1sorMuSV8CtDQ7wHttesVZ_u1ThyE6PC5eLE8NbwIhiqPNUQdpGCabthqW7cFFnQo8_BAK84FIB1n1s5xd3Wgm-VCHvt/s320/IMG_0508.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141136228965830562" /></a><br /><br />The people, so friendly....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuK2wXTR8ZONVs0N-SLN8Dny57iImE5iJlq01eHF-JYhkulogEoFIycAh9t9Q1n4yDk8CQiOfVkQBeonzKvd6R2rs4KAFYnAtwQzD0ay1VwNnuYFwksifsErnIjc5q_vbpZESXT_u8m7r/s1600-h/IMG_0509.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuK2wXTR8ZONVs0N-SLN8Dny57iImE5iJlq01eHF-JYhkulogEoFIycAh9t9Q1n4yDk8CQiOfVkQBeonzKvd6R2rs4KAFYnAtwQzD0ay1VwNnuYFwksifsErnIjc5q_vbpZESXT_u8m7r/s320/IMG_0509.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141135361382436674" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTyA5JINDaOYcCWoBCdDVbMkhrmdbTrKNl764_ABQWWOl34lJnZ2rcDLXvQw1VpOVeIl7P79xKkkVIJFFaYe9iqfscYMlDA9YO9PHSxSrGg7hJNXlhAa9klf3cujNkjMd0kSaOVbwhEoH/s1600-h/IMG_0522.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTyA5JINDaOYcCWoBCdDVbMkhrmdbTrKNl764_ABQWWOl34lJnZ2rcDLXvQw1VpOVeIl7P79xKkkVIJFFaYe9iqfscYMlDA9YO9PHSxSrGg7hJNXlhAa9klf3cujNkjMd0kSaOVbwhEoH/s320/IMG_0522.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141135365677404002" /></a><br /><br />A very old tuk tuk with a very sleepy driver....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xQw-4yPBzrc2SWztefxlcAr7-H5-SSuWlj9o4o0_gZSXB1WXi4KP6QIp0_X9MIIWeNn9LglF5yk3KF2Ku8Jj1F-qrfoh8yvw8tQH2f38Nh8guV0SEmRL-8WA_qNr_CUnN5MD0ujI-7bl/s1600-h/IMG_0520.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xQw-4yPBzrc2SWztefxlcAr7-H5-SSuWlj9o4o0_gZSXB1WXi4KP6QIp0_X9MIIWeNn9LglF5yk3KF2Ku8Jj1F-qrfoh8yvw8tQH2f38Nh8guV0SEmRL-8WA_qNr_CUnN5MD0ujI-7bl/s320/IMG_0520.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141135365677404018" /></a><br /><br />We were taking a short cut through a temple, attempting to get away from the noise and racket - and came across a temple under renovation. Here is the master carver, and we saw his work, beautiful carved pieces of wood out of teak....<br />After we left that temple, we hit the streets again, where we could have bought anything from beautiful articles of clothing to fried grasshoppers. We choose the clothing!Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-17065770175701588452007-12-02T04:34:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:44.945-08:00Stairway to the beach<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfXYmFvy3IeRxalchpu-dQlWCqpFdU7X5fRxtZQf08kLvFpPNBcL6THYDZR5WmvQNBN28zUENjDpFQuArFhBHxYlqKhQ4l8yYEl7hWA7CRAB-b_BRnvY67RUlzxDqQobTSeemXVHSDHJi/s1600-r/IMG_0244.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieH8HviGzJOuaCAgV_tqLGe-vaFw5nD-o0qlkqM03cSSkT5kEbgqOfDOpiQHqZL0kEE64FCUC8m9bDNyY1ykG2zCHYZiOUOSYYUGMRMEnzl_BlW6UkVkyM3r-dQlaBJ6O5KBaAXgm0Ezwm/s320/IMG_0244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139353788291038178" /></a><br /><br /> On another note... yesterday we traveled on our moped to go off the beaten path - and an adventure we had. Just a few miles from our Inn, up a fairly large hill, we followed a hand written sign for "beaches". We turned right down the road which took us down a steep paved slope, around several bends, where we saw almost a dozen mamouth boulders on the roadside, having falling off this quite large hill. With mostly excitement and just a little bit of trepidation, we drove on.<br /><br /> The paved road turned to dirt and another hand written sign directed us to "beaches". A sole Thai man was sitting at a water stand (how much business could he possibly have here?) and told us the beach was "down there". This is the view we first saw....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LSST5CTlJdhGICIo-hje74DcDH0PFYKJ8JL0_KnQqdgsgQ7se70f8bV06WPqBq14fWRZMFbV66mwEAhlGSIYZLA3kZ7CKKfqOnslO38NFwULNYgxG8KkJ7Udo6X1jpcbpoN_Ymm1TIMn/s1600-r/IMG_0243.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjoO8DtBlwVD4CCEaHNW5nCamHOLQp_F6inVfbAQISlNmNpOQbCekN5y5aONMKd2Mlv2z8BxZYWKZ6CjVJsxyoQn2xrTrcm6C3-0nUfTglVWSaFZFxeaHP8USshzSOQROXVz2ZBuBYjmN/s320/IMG_0243.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139352066009152418" /></a><br /><br /> And then the stairway to the beach....<br /> As we peered over the edge, we were intrigued. It is a very steep descent.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_w2QHoqog6KstXPq2TcrhBfKgAWYnpo_DJcnhC1GQWb-Vqigpl07BXsj8v4UU4FzO0YYr7Gl_4JAQkz3Xthdc9gNmnh7L7gy-JZfrlNWUbKLUZacEEO5r0_HpQVzphwbAFfgOlzxu0rq/s1600-r/IMG_0242.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4S-GiL4nTSQIXjY3rVPygRYPoAuaLdvzfYBOttlyj2t2ZQwZTokHMpYfzl-Td_1lkyXuCFQYO8LUhezbH3_UfKV0k1z02siy4J78mgcxD6CqxQZZ4y6vlqoqMLQDCEWlyEGReRlPYJDy/s320/IMG_0242.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139352070304119730" /></a><br /> <br />It went down.... and down.... and down.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm6ypDAmhSPEbKvWC7gNjAyXdnUwsdeM9qTSjp-9orwYr0iG0vbau_nJW54h-89YV1x9uqskyrJbDYFl_daB6aKZz0mT5ZnicGbdt3h88vInHCWXpGZ2JI3eJHLUbhiKNXCRHk5Ohjs4Kd/s1600-r/IMG_0245.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrVJmy3n-_0aELBeYRnRf6moVIJYNpIlJzqozDpwLGrVi8MHY7yzmHEG4wHugvfmZUkl7HANtp3jI-57cagdHg8rMLHsV9O97n7B4tW7fifc00HtCT58oD4pXOQMmTuJvFApAOUwaRkdf/s320/IMG_0245.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139353418923850690" /></a><br /><br />We thought we were done, but there was more. The stairs turned into a dirt path with a few boulders, but mostly another steep descent. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyACn1h8ZOCsLqGTQhyphenhyphenab2XQK682rsEuwPJh2wzgAWdbEkodNUzky6TVfk3IMWgTWBintkPyPNbuYvq5dSvxD2u2KiqCBMk1S5bM6oMqa-Kx8lKtORcLTo6WOwS-qhc1U8M7CM_tEJELu/s1600-r/IMG_0246.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpVhI15XNIcIirlHGz2DJsNYhz8ZYGuRAAxWVmfnAE2Akpekl1kZGkOmHv9H0YetAgBNLg8-pM7i6CGT9NCPejHvtL6DspAF1_Y6GCuUqMQNw0X0aMHhEv7B0yw2nhVcG0aqe9ygQiZK2/s320/IMG_0246.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139353418923850706" /></a><br /><br />(Did I mention they charged us 100 baht each - $3 each - to go to this beach!) We willingly paid. I see water, Tom exclaimed!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaF9NZGwmD4vXNym47AlUmDRdn3i40a35OsxM0aQwXG7iaiYi3zHKe3jydoBs0ebjk6CE2VbaUF7JNzuC1n3aoJnRrZSfk_YFP_EMpOmAoYGwLKfb9EugsU5xKjYgutCyL-hlZ8WKCfFcw/s1600-r/IMG_0252.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39v2TCqDjdTbKa2yrA3x9t1R3WVfEE04U68vf-Hr-JuJDTes3u6VmKOW5G-JAp-T5sg2j97M4440TwoLmdudsPeJNgJDwi4OH9YR3svvm-ohNLvopx9X4gAFmm5uyGZvwwudQd_DtNUDB/s320/IMG_0252.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139354947932208130" /></a><br /><br />Finally - something that resembeled a beach, sort of. Mostly it was a collection of very large boulders with a small patch of sand, not quite a western version of "beach", but enought to lay out a towel and take a swim.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gIuCEGQhp1w-h8hZ5EGuzrcvzwbUCAdJKE6MjFe9M-pPkmReTlAoZF-hoetGfgQCjyLUSfU-2KvMOd20RnaTkIPB28lkoYljlC_O_nQokjw4FoaTWdpv7qElcO_NsrQW5AXN8d7UWWDP/s1600-r/IMG_0250.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcRgynxVrgH-HQv1jpDU8QCo-gfMwlt28iXoazXkFnnRfj6zES_Wp23TFwKDVPz2MafCh3hw4CVQlArfaO0X9SFMbG7TZc5VG9Nj1vQSyquf8Knw4zpB2z3ONXGL-W_zC8e859wgKtieC/s320/IMG_0250.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139354947932208114" /></a><br /><br /> So the truth is we got so involved in the hike and trying not to fall down the slope - then soaked ourselves in the Sea that I forgot to take a picture of the beach... but this is me, brenda, sitting on one of many boulders, enjoying our discovery!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafRGLt1q34lv62r70We4phjOs3GClu5DZxhyzTIYzMsv6TANeM8Q1tGQezGbQRcONiGtOTFCFxm_PshGFtjp_H3F3jKNO5JinI-idc2HM4CpkPxx4mutCBHfElPK0pPdre-ERUvkZnaKp/s1600-r/IMG_0249.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MV5ZdiZU3tjbFW04oeMuDO5atbAXkRBgWuEyvdX12P2GoGnHJITZKaqSvcHz-ypBeR2ZgPOeD4q841tR5gp-62D_MqtWVS4EMIsqV8tXbyn5l-ZJvROLuNOsvtjXHNxUJ2PH_MVdB59r/s320/IMG_0249.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139357202790038546" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-74911178385219291782007-12-02T03:35:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:45.554-08:00The King's Birthday Party<a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/21/travel/journey-600.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/21/travel/journey-600.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /> It would be hard to talk about Thailand in December, 2007 (the year 2550 on the Thai Calendar) without mentioning the most celebrated day of the year - The 80th birthday of His Majesty, The King. Thailand is filled with birthday celebration plans that began earlier in the year, but are coming to a crescendo from December 1 to 6th. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, born in Cambridge, MASS, turns 80 on December 5th. He is by far Thailand's most revered, adored and beloved king. On top of that, he holds the distinction of being the longest serving Monarch in the world - yes, I said world - celebrating 60 years on the thrown this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thai-blogs.com/media/doisuthep_yg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.thai-blogs.com/media/doisuthep_yg.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /> December 5th is also celebrated as Father's Day here, his Majesty is considered the father of all Thai people. Many will wear yellow in honor of the king on Decmber. Tom and I might need to buy yellow t-shirts to share in the celebration. If we can handle the crowds, we're hoping to go to the birthday celebration at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, where there will be an all day festival, jazz music (written by the king) will be performed (he is an avid jazz musician who has played with Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/media/youngking2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/media/youngking2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /> Here on Phuket the celebrations are ringing in early with the annual Kings Cup Regatta, where over 100 sailboats compete for 5 days in various races. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtN_DZozqdurFPHpW2BIbq2lm9JiTvJNgvwi5RZHriRZK3JktaJdKAwJULGFr0uHuVgKOLmEYs0ytGJR9xw-PZVy9ZDUrmG0klamNu795TVTLWDuZ3mPM6eJD_-18F1z-kMWU2w0WD8nT/s1600-r/IMG_0262.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJcneQK6F_-Tvr9zXflu2RxGKPtmVWNuTavHUfuzjCkxNJLUDulDqIBdBqmzohtVgmO56HHV9NKrsfKs8GRZw9qwQMf2N6v8-mseOvk2_49VpqTwki-hKYYnWZBTa5k4NwSjEUcjO9qNW/s320/IMG_0262.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139346980767873922" /></a><br /><br /> This morning Tom and I had yet another breakfast overlooking the Andaman Sea, this time from Mom Tri's Boathouse restaurant, just up the block from the Villa Royale. As we drank coffee and ate fresh mango (I know, traveling is tough business), we watched scores of sailboats preparing for the day's launch. As I understand it, the Regatta is 5 days of races, with evenings spent reveling in Phuket nightlife.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1TW98GABUndqGjuJmqW1NjBvFPK3wW51n-igcfJs6niQ0XWCItS2V-Tq-5rie2VWvdb-qq8S-hnvumWYjELRXMuoN92vycYrVPHNmkRYA0lXODTEGwFDVmqOjPE2eF7Zo3ZvEBgPLlOn/s1600-r/IMG_0263.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4ofAQ-tgmk46NQRvOU1X2quiWRPFkdCoMX2vt5_GyHPbMUJy5uzbTuWAM7eeI8zu9FEYecS3WfFNgGdB_Fpa3DmujObqbKX8ltRrJMoUEMRVAFlc20ZYWw6XW0hoSb4VGPGVWYNbkrI6/s320/IMG_0263.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139346985062841234" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-32918006196748888732007-12-01T02:30:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:47.439-08:00The Exhibition Night<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvTBhW686xe4uHfnNnFOv1h9ecSO7w4spSfVVCRNKZ2Q0uoiiGXRBCkSesQc-9KtlYrjjPrOHYe7kIROeKjmxiWgIUTdc0_F8lKpt3sc0QluTlf0RjWnNrRd5Y51LEPCmyLsbw6c7tSWb/s1600-r/IMG_0204.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrVjTOkDOHa89AylzvQ9z5M1Rl_xc3H5A2i_W76qXjkTce3FScqO3z6hr0lWHiDxelnufzeW6fBvCgoQVQ9-82On0Gh0SHfSSux7L4_ZvjNwjsuY70C_e0ECZhES3k_2gQ2GGLViH50ry/s320/IMG_0204.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139182741218474866" /></a><br /><br />What a party! Mom Tri's sure knows how to open an Art Exhibition!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hHUL660KYj0dn-3PTmIwX26tPkf7hLQ_4kZubnNWMOqb_2r5RG8Q-RUQVUgiaoHXWJCdonqtVoldz8uxYdYjGVtKZWPP16zz_DqUOE5KsnURck5scsyJwJ0xp1rS8aaBGC10zFIz_Q6d/s1600-r/IMG_0184.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVZwR3eBmCuHP1Rb8V4ce_OqyGUwrc2AXoGeW1WeR5ebPfjDPukVQKEo8UeQnPFvfC6EQxb16PStTbV7FuKVFRmoUklDB4n4TVYmaLHYppZL2ZI9ewelVzeKSYKepwAyL7N36q7aAECd-/s320/IMG_0184.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138950529516649250" /></a><br /><br />The evening was a glorious and elaborate setup. Food and drink to satisfy an army of people, two thai performances to entertain the crowds and scores of people coming through the doors.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDY-ADqvxI3tqd0xcGBSkNwkav1CIg_GZuifCDHSmq-g3pbTkG3ia9icARjTxHH7wYydYSunXbZZ-w2PTYKlhbvfHqBx4bK-uRkp5ErBqmC3Tc3l-Pj562asM3gJhxc5C8-ghY7zZxXMD/s1600-r/IMG_0186.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAENqGfn99-s56QHm93-KOAtxxmBu4AHia2aAUgHLFBmFscLwAFJNFdkraM7moAKSnTwYyMpL07Ev7R2Qa1DbLeKHnqUfjtGdUMxSPAM4Uf_3WzDvez5M0O75CG8GDPA5p1llpbkg7kx1m/s320/IMG_0186.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138950529516649266" /></a><br /><br /> There was a lasar light show, a full d.j., a full complimentary wine and liquor bar and <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFM2HyFrJFIQT6_XoVAYBWzCb02IbpAjUSJaG6B72ZHWCzxL1LQ32JlqLiHCV38xeNNqFARfZcHWJUxsV0Z_tHqdT-9Q3ryZzqmu-w3fBVpq978nJ52nbaTzFT4zzChMRYl6pZB8v_Qf81/s1600-r/IMG_0192.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67YNQWDmPiv4Dqyo4qP_O0-yUpyyTFm7EOcKHGz_2pg2DVm07CgOLMo5Yop7zeM8sHQ95VrTQtZmUgW2lrDHX0FFdVZppJMmkxZGI0wwkb1qLcydx8GB2HnM3QvzEz7GVijm8mZNw3REq/s320/IMG_0192.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138950533811616578" /></a><br /><br />our guest of honor to cut the ribbon was Khun Runjuan Tongrut, the Assistant Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Khun Runjuan introduced us to the crowds and joined us later for dinner.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCm4qkZRw_Pfr_DcY5YeLM5C3L6K_NuyfVeX89huFTUnAR8vWWQFexcsQQ39wYQRsew84XOJV-OnCLkXIgm4geKB4zbxavBeDPIykZ4XePqqJq7Gw8h1wDavDqPKKat4LZy6Fd_eQ1Z98E/s1600-r/IMG_0201.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIq2Ps1EeqVKMFtiCvQtzdupjF7vr-2tFBfswpSHXlbjWHzmaFbajbQY4dYDZycgNt8lW-IHTKEyC-WXoLpIk_Mh_a7DZvbEiZDnS3bBJOMd5NDXTh72JNTFhB67doa4o_ReFIPBLdCdD9/s320/IMG_0201.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138951929675987794" /></a><br /><br />Before the official opening of the Art Exhibition, a tradition thai trio performed the "Dance of Art"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghLSp3t5jkbZBOPLr1xVGWaqPPca5c5H0PLkpyOQT3rkqplNbhrYojJkJCk-3eozS1D1v2jAzFWi1n_YtncD45HFHXwkWqNtLKrfXA87DjIBQW1TyFteC5-IYXkwuL5GDGLjZfJpS88k60/s1600-r/IMG_0207.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhtvhdmqnc2kpyRTO-sieNsAnwImoC9qjGsflDR9O1_HtU7FkF0fHqtsRgxrmnIN-zU94PC9yNHAj6dkR80BBQBjIPujQOY6uiDpg8ngdcAwanq6-QEA9fGjyI0JSn5udh3bosmIhtTeN/s320/IMG_0207.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138957629097589602" /></a><br /> <br />This spectacular perfomance was a great honor for us to be a part of. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnMrnRjeblkqyE0-69vFIWEHE_Sjtc3q1-y5Sh__JCsoxpMTLrIeFJyOTNFlfQxq8WzYHQ7EPQnzddNfPlFRBA0nSK4tT9I7p0VsYbxbzwYzeH_kgWqNJgqTQ25dNlgkBGQXlH366TJgh/s1600-r/IMG_0194.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-57a8JNcBijS8JWD9AiHtDjTQ_hiHo7ECP1BohihRfb_Yk6M4fh34g7yyslWRg8l6x0T5M5KOcixyaEvN_MsSLuuGOLtytHKpfX5GVw8TXUCRihWeNP8KOeUPdQCEfKi8e6l-34E-1y2/s320/IMG_0194.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138950525221681938" /></a><br /><br />Once the performance was complete, Tom and I went up to the gallery where a throng of press snapped photographs, asked questions and looked at our work. <br /><br />The grand finale to the opening was a complimentary dinner at Mom Tri's Restaurant with Khun Runjuan. Overlooking the Andaman sea we talked of art, culture, thailand, malaysia, america and many places in between.<br /><br />The Exhibition is now officially open.Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-23516592049073694382007-11-30T01:11:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:48.818-08:00Exhibition Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiDZctjcZfLqYyPqjNFqnz6qvRRooxWWUotCfbotxPb85OP5fqf14QIWuLqHfYZuxYB52alQbk5rxgwm0dLCbuMIcgflmuPnR0Zxv71YZ7MyJ-qIdTtplx-I4TCnyTTYg_hTpdEHKE-Ad/s1600-r/IMG_0093.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfEfA30aRNESql-biAFbTO8bw5zv2FYiYFybfVpJZE8u4KP_mIo68UQ3sdwsTu1Ir0w3X3FcThJ-CUxwR5fJxk-u_f1cB4xuxnZpaS0Rg0X4861k5ysrVKCzwaREBtd9obTNNVHNBbUnJ/s320/IMG_0093.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138558795874249842" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhTUlyny6obI3mrAN4VYdARl1tDx8DP6NswDGMCBFz30Nzn9UO-t4dFKa70Na3nNp9GN4PoCRmVdzuJdF0XPnh1ex9zv-NuDUYx_osDUMqdat_bywrGTixdFpuWhV2lluJTANTPt3MYLu/s1600-r/IMG_0131.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtPJ5QpHAovln57b1sowNa-FgsTh4wmejJWuXYKW6LPIaQlhfIoRgC1T1AcabgFAQlU76iF2gGdvOT_e8RNnLopkTdzpZVmuDS0wjS1tmZAk62yKPqlN6TW6GWmad-JpR6YMsHCIOZ2mB/s320/IMG_0131.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138560135904046226" /></a><br /><br /> Well, here we are, the afternoon before our exhibition and all is falling into place. The crates, filled with pots arrived wednesday night, less than 2 days before our opening. They sat in customs for 6 days in Bangkok - but fortunately arrived with no problems, all vessels and platters in tact.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNo73QNZrDgnDs-CMlN8-_qLc3fHRHo752TWUP4D8oo0zP8X1FTdiDSXDwGlmp4GodJACp6zkiDcbrQHYGqzuoGuKunduNIiO6XlwckNB7LUNzAWkFSJYpbqXXZ1WGffcMNc_wUcXi1tvJ/s1600-r/IMG_0133.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgeeTG7oXnuyy4iWGniXWgI8MyxGheEovKJLWx9r_6AESzE8iTBA1CXfmgUhqyictQmt_RD0d6_Zi5zSsvzIhXhenTe-4fDjVeu2qD1dnb4AzWu_2ErxC9oVsjYzA_3YOsf7hhVK2jy_9/s320/IMG_0133.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138559869616073858" /></a><br /> And so, Tom and I spent all day Thursday setting up our show. Mom Tri's Villa Royale has a spectacular event planned on our behalf. There will be wine, cheese, food, of course, but also scheduled are 2 traditional Thai dances, scores of Phuket residents & visitors and dozens of press representatives. The man setting up the whole event, Khun Big, tells us "The Jet-set of Phuket" have been invited. (Khun Big, Brenda & Khun Sao - above)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MN52fV2a0h-FkQQkzKrojGrDE76Q47GzqTyFmYwnDzr70kYbJR_AST0OyvRNHzxpwWPxPKjzwEGCGGuobbKbmJ0gJ8L4XrL2X7MsPN5kGRWNEUA_9DbZzV2DX8wUUCo2qN2mpfX4q5oc/s1600-r/IMG_0147.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaBOcsRnbHL8O3RTQR34SR_IURJDWhyphenhyphenP9CPoKC8-PM7o1T0b1pitogDazPjkwHWODO-bspAOegEuqvdvm7J3TOFbOk27lvuSSzsZXAB4ShmQ7qli0Qo8CJ4QOHBJINj1C9ukcBa9RVkLo/s320/IMG_0147.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138561583308025010" /></a><br /><br />Our setting up took about 8 hours - lots of fidgetting, pricing, talking to passers by. By the end of the evening we were thrilled with our location, pleased with the presentation and eager for the opening to begin. Here's a sneak preview of what it looks like.... below, Khun Dan, GM of Mom Tri's, helps us stabilize the plate holders and pedastals.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbUTgufMNjAtyNbRAJNJZwolQj12OKF4ABpRZ_f_5aTrmGbS5CnqQNpSxstZ9ggNEC-lVxYw-w0PFhs8Kou1S3TSUw3DtmquiCc9t78gkKnkIUKs3gzKI8LQ2XsFpDYcKsJ2Xqfsk7qV-/s1600-r/IMG_0148.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLC0D3JnWv9WGPnwEItB7Cb3Uw31XjDNCiM0op49ocRk1o2wjThs47C8vpXTMym_zimOJO_WhchBi1N0mY3j43jMH_kZ1Mx_tN6o2uN85WEtuyrorQrYvv7uM5f5v3zZVr69urTii5NbA/s320/IMG_0148.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138561587602992322" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRA3LOr6UUikf5upyZSCtWGubHqt4NtpAhmWVzreGoy5T7BO0PONbfL4vBrmDVGXIsbgo6f6pO2GV3zns2Z-EbEZlxn6zVPfr-5IsZe6YKKh2AcNsgUhoOB9OwqDBdrXjE5QPNhXxkzAYJ/s1600-r/IMG_0150.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqN7vlbUGZsHAme7ZYRCQsT3DINnKOjx2XjcswFMsedo2pqR22XPpjX5ZqO3Vsa48njoG5WLQbvccggisQHjufPPsJ4fV8WcZ5dWoJQ_T923Y_yUwq1FbFwCW-ZRnkDiplqrQgCL62gn1/s320/IMG_0150.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138561587602992338" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNapz67EaZj93O1KTD2iY_Z-SSClfhoABBn36iHs_oDebaVPgrqcqpWPclWijs3UoUdFCrSgYm4qOPbKPcXUO12x_c2_s4Q5q9AfHSYvcbgDG8jcnoHBSNrDjog6-Fw6mB2Gc0iCohbsR/s1600-r/IMG_0142.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8v7s3lpgN6J_wWm4ED66-4KzFsq1S4w13bDTrfmaG_KbZbii5o6WPAkvEjicQRPozr4GarLOsrNEHIQL2W4SvYaSykje6y6P_B-aSYzgQigG6sQVG19lXHkFP58G8ELBFngdQKE0r36P0/s320/IMG_0142.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138560685659860130" /></a><br /><br />Finally, we're ready for the big day. Here - a night shot of our exhibit space.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTu6fs3SkKTUQ0kOU99Pkb073llmkVNc6fR9QOE4-aFS47DNk6MCyS4_4HAGfW3OoPBh5SwO3IlCCubXiHg9gyuacSEEZrgzjBqge5rpL9A6pem0lm8X2ceiR_opNWmNVWEVxaRcAH3HU/s1600-r/IMG_0161.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhd68ZT8kV2miqSmQrWusNg8keOqgZJGuF21pY_yh8ffS2LuUpRZoQvl3ccuzF-m5tCqG-zbJTbk0UPp281ptxl45hm2wJHoeA8muUa3kEuwPHbjAJjDeLwCYvJO8DRGLGRZx2Izd24YY/s320/IMG_0161.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138564267662585058" /></a>Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-52379198801653437502007-11-27T20:30:00.000-08:002007-11-27T20:36:36.492-08:00<a href="http://bangkok.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/11/Loy-krathong-festival3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://bangkok.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/11/Loy-krathong-festival3.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bangkok.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/11/Loy-krathong-festival3.JPG&imgrefurl=http://bangkok.metblogs.com/archives/2006/11/_loy_loy_kratho.phtml&h=603&w=750&sz=63&hl=en&start=15&um=1&tbnid=mZ8NUlXA0r4SsM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=141&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dloy%2Bkrathong%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DX"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bangkok.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/11/Loy-krathong-festival3.JPG&imgrefurl=http://bangkok.metblogs.com/archives/2006/11/_loy_loy_kratho.phtml&h=603&w=750&sz=63&hl=en&start=15&um=1&tbnid=mZ8NUlXA0r4SsM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=141&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dloy%2Bkrathong%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DX" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.nokaviation.com/images/loy_krathong4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.nokaviation.com/images/loy_krathong4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Loy Kathrong Full Moon Festival where thousands of hand made balloons fill the night sky.Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-17165229534736012052007-11-27T01:38:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:49.254-08:00Our Initiation to Phuket<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypUljbr2xMEIOI3XZjHYKtDJFJXRd_TGm0Oc_MQSh7Rd8lw_7yHSIvlVZTEc5gSHRZ9gk-9YFLMyB2WtOgrWo2v4ie9tJ4rZhdgp46_vsFbz0KxWCbuM9whUFPlsg0hJlXkHi_lRpRTLc/s1600-h/IMG_0087.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypUljbr2xMEIOI3XZjHYKtDJFJXRd_TGm0Oc_MQSh7Rd8lw_7yHSIvlVZTEc5gSHRZ9gk-9YFLMyB2WtOgrWo2v4ie9tJ4rZhdgp46_vsFbz0KxWCbuM9whUFPlsg0hJlXkHi_lRpRTLc/s320/IMG_0087.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137731323180035138" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LgFNPXKv06aFU720gGxqxI0V9dH-5chJbPsMfb1MUVmUSK_ERCbN5FIM7XyHgeWIU3NA09ym6Oh5cbTMUCieiH7nenv-oTr0Ag8sRGe4shMO4ZzqfVYG1rHfjBYnJUNYzhJrCEKnvMup/s1600-h/IMG_0085.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LgFNPXKv06aFU720gGxqxI0V9dH-5chJbPsMfb1MUVmUSK_ERCbN5FIM7XyHgeWIU3NA09ym6Oh5cbTMUCieiH7nenv-oTr0Ag8sRGe4shMO4ZzqfVYG1rHfjBYnJUNYzhJrCEKnvMup/s320/IMG_0085.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137731331769969746" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLuguPPO4tO3ajo9cbDBKGppFtI97wq_mpw7WJbio6nrZLUB6_x1rFrAeQcVnYO5XNmT7YHINa0bjdrYdWdIK2z6HwZgHdvKmLUAWWPQJ__v63JfBEDqXb88_HwM1NaaMl0boiSPQboUG/s1600-h/IMG_0083.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLuguPPO4tO3ajo9cbDBKGppFtI97wq_mpw7WJbio6nrZLUB6_x1rFrAeQcVnYO5XNmT7YHINa0bjdrYdWdIK2z6HwZgHdvKmLUAWWPQJ__v63JfBEDqXb88_HwM1NaaMl0boiSPQboUG/s320/IMG_0083.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137731336064937058" /></a><br />Phuket. An Island 72 meters wide and 122 meters long. Beautiful beaches, crazy driving and many Aussies (down under is just a 5 hour plane ride away). On our first eveing we experienced Loy Katrong, the full moon festival where hand made fire balloons rise to the moon by the hundreds. After 24 hours of travel, we sat along the Andaman Sea and watched these fire ballons drift away.<br /><br />Next morning, we rented a motor scooter; and despite the fact that Tom has been here many times before - his scooter driving is, well, captivating, as he flys around corners, ignores stop signs and generally fits into the chaotic rhythm of Phuket traffic!<br /><br />The beaches of Phuket roll out just below the rising hills, filled with sharp rocks, palm trees and hundreds of unknown fauna... just beautiful.<br /><br />Many wonder how this paradise looks, 3 years (almost to the day) after the tsunami. You'd never know it hit. All is fully operational and though there is a lot of construction going on - it's new buildings going up, not tsunami recovery.<br /><br />Mom Tri's Villa Royale is the most exclusive resort along the banks of the Andaman Sea - and our exhibition hall is one of the most beautiful and scenic places to show our work. (pictures to come) <br /><br /> ((Tom's view)) Things are starting to go a little more smoothly. We're still having minor malox moments because our crates, as of yet, have not arrived. There always seems to be a glitch or two, something as simple as a money wire transfer that should have taken 10 minutes, ended up taking 4 hours, so our work could not leave Bangkok today - and won't leave until tomorrow - 6 days after arriving there. But as I've learned through experience, whether you're shipping cross country or across the world, the advice is follow up, follow up, follow up; take nothing for granted and always leave room to trouble shoot. At the end of the day, if you can sip a mai tai, watch the sunset, catch a tuk tuk ride, you realize that all the hard work and headaches are worth it because this place is magical.<br /><br /> more photos soon!Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-35007717861132101512007-11-19T12:12:00.000-08:002007-11-19T12:14:42.829-08:00Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-13047104786860732262007-11-19T11:23:00.000-08:002008-11-14T17:52:50.052-08:00Packing & Shipping<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34tmI9A-4saBhV-FLJv5aRI9hiZ9QlRqSM1vIEQWz_wXhZY74Ev8mneQcYnXcfVYVlgY3Uh9pp5f7ET_KJAi8NaCNrnZPpmplu3NIk1moEXs1QgPVdODJIAWrADJDuvwoSmHXHsBuegGH/s1600-r/IMG_0069.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzLXavuId-oi9jL916GuQwWrmZwkZ1rMyusqEPNoCSzbVvm3dtKVWzH1rG8jek1TXEeoGCq3tROXoBy8gkUHRWVHsZ9p8NIfhszJfcgPdbXZ0FglPDl1rnFHmAA9YkfYUkJQar4H1MQWg/s320/IMG_0069.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139423817732799522" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSy7LyQd60EiNP6pFAyuVsO2-t1wdm2P3qc7Hh8E-MBQU2zVzXCuR8Qg3tmLmnwJpGX3q1NAK6nDzK-EIAki2NwPYwvlxOEZrhuMfDH_2CPqflOAIBE-4Sj1_R189PYTMFsLchotnoL4YJ/s1600-h/IMG_0070.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSy7LyQd60EiNP6pFAyuVsO2-t1wdm2P3qc7Hh8E-MBQU2zVzXCuR8Qg3tmLmnwJpGX3q1NAK6nDzK-EIAki2NwPYwvlxOEZrhuMfDH_2CPqflOAIBE-4Sj1_R189PYTMFsLchotnoL4YJ/s320/IMG_0070.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134653966227549138" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMDvXbJNBauPLcXo96EqUBMjoKA6oH0hcr9hUg-pNMR70yJx6E-9C42rSIttTppNj5HT3Doi5PHNP_FmJrz3tjsjYsZ5f9rR7ZliFJNXDJcCmTCq4rfH-r5ZWUuqdvH8SxIPzC6LJjl6I/s1600-h/IMG_0071.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMDvXbJNBauPLcXo96EqUBMjoKA6oH0hcr9hUg-pNMR70yJx6E-9C42rSIttTppNj5HT3Doi5PHNP_FmJrz3tjsjYsZ5f9rR7ZliFJNXDJcCmTCq4rfH-r5ZWUuqdvH8SxIPzC6LJjl6I/s320/IMG_0071.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134653979112451042" /></a><br /><br />Tom and I are just 4 days away from flying ouselves out to Thailand but our pots, now that's a different story. Before we even left the country, our adventure began. Here is a reason why one should plan, plan and then plan again... always leaving room for problems and new solutions. <br /><br />Tom and I packed 2 large 3' x 3' x 3' crates filled with our vessels and tiles. The crates were built with plywood, and the interior was lined with 2" x 4" pine reinforcements. We also put two 2x4's underneath the outside of the crate as feet on the crate, so the forklift can pick it up. We delivered the crates last week to Nippon Express, our shipping company in Ohio.<br /><br />Everything seemed to be fine until the shipper noticed our 2x4" pine wood feet under the crate. "Is that Heat-Treated wood?" he asked. "No." we said. Well, apparently what the shipper failed to tell us and what we did not know is that all crates going overseas must be constructed with heat-treated wood - so the countries receiving the packages can be ensured that no insects will come in through the wood. It is a safety mechanism no one told us about, despite dozens of phone calls back and forth.<br /><br />And so, with 2 hours to spare before the company closed for the evening - Tom and I rushed over to Home Depot, purchased a reciprocating saw, drove back to the shipping company, and began sawing off the feet on the outside of the crate (Tom did most of the sawing!). The shipper thought it would raise a red flag and possibly stop our work from shipping to Bangkok, if we didn't take care of the untreated pine. And so we did. The shop closed at 5pm and by 5:30 (they were nice enough to stay open while we madly went about the task of sawing through the dozens of 3" screws holding the untreated wood to the outside of the crate). We then attached one of the shipper's plastic pallets to the crate so it could be lifted by a forklift.<br /><br />What about the untreated 2x4 liners on the inside of the crate? We're hoping no one notices it while checking the contents and we don't have any problems... more importantly, we're hoping we have pots in Phuket in time for the exhibition.<br /><br />And so, we gave ourselves several extra days to ship - and so far, we're needing it.<br /><br />The next issue we're running into, we can't seem to get in touch with our representative in Bangkok who is suppose to clear our crates for us. Once crates arrive in the country, they need to be received by someone and cleared while authorities open the crates, read the inventory list and make sure you're shipping what you say. Our "clearing guy" stopped communicating with us and now we may have to clear the work ourselves, which adds another 3 day delay in getting the work to Phuket. Again, the exhitibt opens on Nov. 30th and we'll be in Bangkok on Nov. 24th - leaving us enough time to be our own clearer, if need be and still get the crates into yet another plane and shipped to the Island of Phuket. <br /><br />We'll let you know how it goes!Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5466663995717598798.post-36707204760799940022007-10-30T12:12:00.000-07:002008-11-14T17:52:50.247-08:00Southeast Asia Travels<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMNP0okIG2zRVk88OEucYJWLOTqlL4EK_7tNhuVIOiSnFOwSK3nrIcWYIUSbc6vYWlH3IyrkAMRUQ93f8PRpQXlUUpYe5eSoTPnaTE310Fkbcn1apJ9rsKW8Fq_bO6XW_jERAXDiXH9ap/s1600-h/thailand_2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMNP0okIG2zRVk88OEucYJWLOTqlL4EK_7tNhuVIOiSnFOwSK3nrIcWYIUSbc6vYWlH3IyrkAMRUQ93f8PRpQXlUUpYe5eSoTPnaTE310Fkbcn1apJ9rsKW8Fq_bO6XW_jERAXDiXH9ap/s320/thailand_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127212136672088322" /></a><br />THAILAND, 2007<br /><br /> I have just begun a blog for my travels through Thailand. I leave for Southeast Asia on November 23, 2007. The opening for the ceramic exhibit "A Passion for Fire" is Friday, November 30th, 2007.<br /> Stay posted for details.Brenda McMahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18013491380463758302noreply@blogger.com1