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2005/09/29

Bangkok too

I have put up the first photos I have taken on webshots... http://community.webshots.com/user/caljin

I had breakfast at a sumptuous restaurant in the hotel overlooking the river. And I was in heaven, rice and curry and kongee for breakfast... There is a ferry shuttle that takes you on a 15 minute ride down the river to meet the sky train. For 30 Baht, I was whisked high above the city streets of Bangkok and I alighted right at MBK, known as Mah Boon Krong. A favorite place for our family as tourists for over 20 years. The last time I visited we came by fast ferry boat and taxi, I think it took two hours and the water was a little suspect folks...
It has changed so much and I wandered the floors not recognizing much at all. I thought OK, at least I know the food hall.... not so, it is very upmarket now and I was unable to find our favorite chicken satay.... however, chicken and rice and sticky rice and mango were the chosen delights washed down with iced coffee... 100 bt. $3.21 to be exact.
There is an entire floor of cell phones... 100's of stalls... and they all seemed to be pulling the phones apart... excuse my naivete, but what on earth are they doing....? and I was able to buy a 'genuine' copy of the latest photo editing program for $4.20.
You can buy almost anything here... from designer t shirts for just $6 to the latest in Jeans and shoes. I have to admit, there isn't too much in my size, or in fact that I need. 150,000 people visit MBK daily and that may seem a nightmare for some, but in fact it's exciting.
At 4.00 I was tired of walking and sensory overload I caught the skytrain back and then hopped on the boat shuttle... to be presented with cold scented towels and a bottle of cold water... Fantastic.... I dined at a local restaurant rather than the exclusivity of the hotel and retired early.

'The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.'
- Augustine (354-430)

Waterlillies Posted by Picasa

Lotus buds Posted by Picasa

Dawn over the Chao Phraya
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Bangkok

This is the third day of my trip. My day of traveling was not a pleasant experience due to a 3 hour plane delay... It would have been happier if we were delayed in the airport rather than sitting on the plane for that amount of time. I thought I had a cold and my ears were at bursting point on the plane... but my arrival in Bangkok has seen that affliction disappear and the hot weather is just what I needed.
I actually arrived at my Hotel around 4.00 am Adelaide time and after a welcoming shower I fell into an exhausted sleep.
My Hotel the Marriott Bangkok is a pleasant respite from the hectic pace of our my tour over the past 6 weeks.
My room overlooks the Chao Phraya River It's dark still, but as I sit at my desk facing the river, the lights of Bangkok are causing long streams of light to dance on the surface of the water.
My family and I are familiar with Bangkok. Keith and I first came here almost 30 years ago to adopt son Joshua. It was a life changing experience. How things have changed in the past 30 years ... I think we have visited almost 20 times and it's some 8 years since my last trip. The change has been even more dramatic than at any other period of time.
Keith and I stayed in some very interesting places... unknowingly our first Guest House "The Maya Guest House" turned out to be the local brothel....!!!! even in those days I was told to "walk more slowly" by the proprietor of the guest house... I was running everywhere, while the locals slid in their flip flops and didn't raise a sweat- an introduction to the pace of Thailand.
That first encounter of Bangkok is a precious memory. At 27, Keith and I were positive in our naivete and embraced the philosophy that we could change the world. Well I guess we did in our own way. Shopping was limited to the local markets and one small department store called Robinsons, which serviced the needs of the expats. Klongs (or small rivers) were everywhere and served as a means for transport and ablutions. Even 8 years ago transport was impossible. A 3 hour trip in those days took me 30 minutes yesterday.

2005/09/19


Great Students, great quilts Posted by Picasa

Some people will kiss just about anyone..if they are desperate... Posted by Picasa

A fuzzy couple of old bags... Posted by Picasa

Oh what we gals do to make a buck.

Still at Quilt Fest folk, it's been wonderful, except someone nicked the heater in the middle of the night and we all froze to death... Teachers hobbling with chill blains are not a pretty sight...The heater appeared again each morning but that didn't help those gals who were in dire need.
Now this is a delicate situation... one teacher had a very small class, one being a lady of advancing years who had a flatulence problem. Oh I forgot to mention that said lady was deaf and very obviously didn't hear her bottom bellows... Oh, but the rest of the class did folks....!!!!
Last night 48 gals arrived for dinner armed with just a small bag of Doritos- and a fork. At the allotted time a lady from the streets arrived with her shopping trolley and collection of goodies in big plastic bags... it was a bit embarrassing I must say. Can't imagine anyone actually dressing like that, but there she was, big as life.
She had no teeth, wore daggie old sneakers (size 10) for her size 7 feet, a nice little number that resembled black hose with daisies painted on them and over that a pair of footy sox. Her fur coat and floral shirt and tie were a nice touch too. Considering the crowd, I thought her bright orange workman’s vest and helmet saying "Crowd Control" was very sensible.....
She led the assembled group down the aisles and they filled their Doritos bag with chili mince and all sorts of wonderful stuff... then they sat to eat it with a fork... The said gal said it was a form of eating she discovered in the good ol USA, but we know it was actually just a disguised food line.
The 48 gals assembled behind their machines and had 3 hours of sewing up a storm pinching each others scrap fabric and listening to stories...There were great prizes and some penalties given out by the crowd control folks...punctuated by a loudly blown horn....
The bag lady got stuck into the red wine and was very happy by the end of the night despite being electrocuted by the broken cord of an ancient sewing machine owned by a participant.
What a way to finish a 12 hour day of Teaching... the said baglady was seen heading for the local coffee shop for a draft of double shot latte and a little peace and quiet before falling into bed...

"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious."

2005/09/17

My lunch hour....

As I write this blog, I'm in my small office spending a few precious minutes alone with a little sedate Bach. It's my lunch hour and I find it hard to break the spell of class... so quiet downtime is important to me.
Folk it's darn freezing here in Toowoomba. We've had winds of 90 km per hour. There were huge dampers last night. I snuggled under the covers in the girls dorm as the wind whistled around the boarding house.
100's of gals are sharing in the delight of the annual Quiltfest quilt retreat and show.

2005/09/13

Scquilters night out


Scquilters, Pam Copeland, Lyn Shipp, Julie Blythelt Douglas, Prue Winge, Vicki Lynch Annabel Samuel, Fiona Mc Clintock, Stephanie Driel, Bev Mc Grath Posted by Picasa

2005/09/09

The West.

Perth has been a little wet and chilly. However, my room is warm and I've had an opportunity to meet up with the quilters of Western Australia.
WAQA Quilt Guild is a large progressive Guild and I've enjoyed the chance to meet some of the members in my classes and lectures. What did we do yesterday... "Through the garden Gate" a class to challenge the creative ideas in all of us. Each student did something different... asked to come to class laden with "garden" fabric... they have designed their own fabric garden and overlaid it with some form of wrought iron, or fence..... The projects look super and I will show you some photos of competed projects tonight..
I met up with 11 gals I correspond with in the online Scquilters group last night.
The restaurant was located at the beach. There was a gale force wind blowing and it was difficult to stand upright as we made our way from the car to he restaurant door. However, once inside the conversation flowed freely and we shared a wonderful meal and new ideas.
So I'm off to spend another day with the students... this is a wonderful secret folks...I'm paid to share my ideas and enjoy myself... OK, there is a lot of hard work behind the scenes.. but I count myself as lucky....

2005/09/05


Regeneration Posted by Picasa

The cummins roads Posted by Picasa

Blackboys in the sunset light Posted by Picasa

regeneration.... blackboys relish the release of the terrible bushfires Posted by Picasa

Lace in the sunset Posted by Picasa

A Busy week....

It's a gorgeous sunny day, as I look out the window of my shed, the I'm surrounded by white and pink blossom on the fruit trees....My doves are taking advantage of the sunshine and I never get tired of watching them they soar pure white against the blue sky. The cleaners are cleaning my house so I remain in the shed writing until I can collapse on the lounge for a rest.
I returned home just a few hours ago from Cummins
My week began last Monday with a new venture in Sydney. I had 3 days visiting with the most delightful young folk who are forming our ideas in quilting...I am in awe of their professionalism and dedication. We had a wonderfully busy time... Our days began at 5.45am and I returned home exhilarated to the hotel round 7.00PM each evening.
It was a great experience and all will be revealed early next year.
I returned home on Thursday, went to Guild in the evening and left again on Friday for Cummins on the Eyre Peninsula.
As I was flying over, I was offered the most wonderful views from the plane window. As I sat there, champagne in hand, nibbling cheese and crackers I thought "this is an amazing way to travel to work"
Josie cooked us casserole and home made strawberry cream sponge and my hostess Carmel and I sat and chatted late into the evening.
The class was held in the local school and the facilities were super... Carmel worked on the sustenance and we worked on the quilts...
On saturday evening carloads of gals came from Tumby Bay, Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay for a presentation... and I had to turn off the lights on those who were still working late in the evening...
There is another side to this story. This small community has been shattered by the devastating bushfires earlier this year. I guess we can't imagine the fear, the desperation and sadness that an event like this brings. 9 people lost their lives. 80 houses lost.
Quilters donated 300 quilts to those who were caught up in this terrible tragedy. Yesterday,in the early evening, I was taken on a ride through the affected area. Miles and miles of devastation. The Mallee trees now look like fields of lace in the sunset as they begin to regenerate... the earth is green once again, hiding the sadness in it's beauty. "This was where I grew up" says one gal as we pass a pile of rubble... "It's all gone, it's all gone..so is this house, so is that one..." her voice carries the sadness and helplessness that we all feel in such a catastrophe.
However, the community are stoic, the land s regenerating and I was able to read a letter delivered the day of the class from a family who had lost their Dad... thanking the group for their wonderful quilts.
Quiet, enfolding love surrounding the family in their time of grief.

The gals in Cummins.... a two day workshop... Posted by Picasa