The LION KING at REPS

Rayong English Programme School

A very ambitious undertaking with any students, but even more impressive is doing the “Lion King” show in English with students that speak Thai as their native language. The masks, make-up and costumes were brilliant, all made by the students and teachers. The music, staging, and choreography were also amazing, and the singing even surprised me.                  After hundreds of hours and countless rehearsals, the two afternoon performances, and three evening shows were completely sold out with over 300 attending each one. A massive success for all involved. In addition to working on almost everything, I also filmed the show and spent many, many hours editing the 120-minute DVD. The photos may give you some idea of the complexity and hard work that went into the production.

OK guys stop fighting over me!

Rafiki

Young Simba

Ban Chang, Thailand... The Lion King curtain call....resounding applause!

Thai Cooking Class

Another thing on my "to-do"  list was to go to a real Thai cookery school. So while in Chiang Mai I earned a certificate of excellence from the Thailand Culinary Institute by completing the basic six course meal. At the local outdoor "wet" market I learned a lot about the herbs, spices, curries, fruits and vegetables that are used in traditional Thai cuisine. They use 3 different kinds of basil, 4 kinds of ginger, lots of garlic and chilli peppers. Of course it is also good to know that the biggest chillies are the mildest while the smallest "mouse shit chilli" is the hottest. There were six people in the class, two from Switzerland, two from England, one from Korea and me... from America living in Thailand!

We all made different dishes and ate after each one was created, so together we sampled more than 20 recipes.   I already knew how to fix some of the foods as I had easily mastered fluffy white rice and "sticky rice" as well as "som-tam," a spicy papaya salad. However as many times as I have eaten "Phad-Thai," I had not made it from scratch, so that was the first dish I fixed.

Then I made sweet-sour vegetables and stir-fried prawns(shrimp) with green curry. A delicious spicy crispy fish salad, using the head and tail, made a picture perfect presentation. We even did some vegetable carving. I think my favorite dish was fried cashew nut with chicken, and for dessert, fried bananas in hot caramel sauce and homemade ice-cream topped with fresh shaved coconut. Yum-Yum! Needless to say I was stuffed "im" (full).  Since it was an all day class, it ended just in time to visit the famous "Night Market" where the indigenous northern hill tribeswomen bring their handicrafts. Marvelous intricate designs, colorful natural dyed woven fabrics, and traditional Thai clothes were a feast for my eyes. I purchased a hand loomed shawl with a distinctive diamond shaped motif thinking it would keep me cozy on the long (14 hour) bus ride back to Ban Chang.

The beautiful traditions of Thailand smile from the northern hills to the southern beaches and I love being here to enjoy the people and culture.

Statues of three Thailand Kings in front of the Chiang Mai Cultural Center

Chiang Mai Temple Tour

It seemed like I should take time, after being here almost a year, to visit The temples of Chiang Mai, the capital of north Thailand, and the second largest city. So I planned a short September weekend trip… taking a Friday overnight bus (14 hours) to 700-year old Chiang Mai, also called the "Rose of the North". I arrived early Saturday morning and took a  "Tuk-Tuk"   (a three wheeled motorbike with places to sit in the back) to the old gated city where Wat Chiang Man is located. It is the oldest of Chiang Mai's 300-plus temples. It is customary to light a yellow candle, three sticks of incense and offer a flower before bowing three times at the Buddha alters. After making a donation and buying a string of 108 wooden prayer beads, I started a self guided "Walking Wat" tour and in a few hours saw many varied exquisite and ornate temples as you can see from the photos. 

Wat Chiang Man

Notice the sign in English, the Thai know to take off their shoes!

Families and visitors are always coming and going to the Wats.

 Elephants surround the Chedi at Wat Chiang Man

                   The Golden Buddha holds his hands in Blessing

My August Birthday

 

Somehow seventy-one did not seem like a very important age to really celebrate. I fondly remember last year celebrating 70 ! A few of us “Red Hat” girls went to Duck Creek to stay and play at Ruth’s cabin in the woods. It was a grand time filled with love and support as I was considering my big move to Thailand to teach. Then my YOGA girlfriends took me to an authentic Thai restaurant for lunch, to taste delicious Thai food, what joy! Another birthday celebration began with champagne and a visit to the beautiful Bellagio atrium with Rev.Anna and goddess girlfriends. To top off the day and night Vegas style we also went to see “Le Reve”, a Cirque du Soleil show at the Wynn. WOW what a birthday to remember!

However to my delight, my very first birthday in Thailand was also special. We had a party at school with the kids and celebrated August Happy Birthdays.  

 Then the business class I teach at Bader Asia surprised me with a cake and gifts. My Yoga teacher gave me a beautiful painting and the Thai ladies, that I teach English to, created a party at a wonderful restaurant with fantastic Thai, Indian and American food and yet another cake for me.  

Best of all was that my two grandsons Aidan and Taylor came to Thailand. We all stayed in the Pattaya Hilton Hotel at Festival Plaza, and swam in the endless pool overlooking the ocean. A birthday lunch at the Hard Rock and a visit to the Si Racha Zoo completed a fun filled birthday weekend. We saw elephant, alligator, and tiger shows, even pig racing, and the boys got to pet and feed milk to a real live baby tiger! 

    Happiness is celebrating another birthday with family and new friends.

China Full Moon

 

That brilliant round white ball in the sky every 28 days is some thing I look forward to seeing. I make a long gratitude list of blessings and create an intention for the month ahead. Thanks "Grandmother Moon" for many moonlit memorable eves. 

This month it was very magical to be gazing at the July Full Moon in China with my daughter, from the guest room balcony of their big beautiful home in Shanghai.  I was in China because we had a really welcome school mid-term break from teaching, so... I headed off to visit my family.

My grandsons welcomed me with hugs, kisses and a big sign on the door that said “WE LOVE YOU GA-GA from Aidan and Taylor.”  I wonder if they have any idea how much I love and miss them? 

My daughters husband John had to have hernia surgery while I was there. It went well but a few of our days were filled with trips to and from the hospital. However Carrie and I did find time to go to the amazing Shanghai Flower and Gift Market and visit another intricate Chinese Temple.

The boys were at sport camp, but we had time to go swimming at the club pool, with a small sandy beach area, which was fun. 

The nine busy days flew by and before I knew it I was on the airplane back to Bangkok and teaching school in Ban Chang.

 

     Beautiful Quan Yin, Chinese Goddess of Mercy, bestows her Blessings

Pattaya Floating Market

Pattaya, Thailand  

As I had not had much time to explore Pattaya, I was excited to have some Thai lady friends offer to take me on a day trip.  Leaving on Saturday morning from Ban Chang we stopped for gas and coffee at one of the many 7-11's. The adventure began when we arrived at one of the few vineyards in Thailand and sipped frosty grape slushies as we walked through the beautifully landscaped grounds.

Motoring onward to the floating market, but pausing first to feed the 115 year old elephant who gave me inspiration and new hope for living beyond 100! He had a few wrinkles but wore them magnificently. The look of peace that comes from age glowed in his dark eyes.We spoke to the current owner who is the third generation caretaker of BoBo, as his father and grandfather had taken care of this amazing creature all their lives. BoBo happily devoured whole bunches of ripe bananas from us and would have willingly given me a hug with his enormous trunk, but I declined.

Pattaya is about a half an hour by car (1 hour by bus) from Ban Chang where I teach, and two hours south of Bangkok. It was once a small fishing village on the bay, but during the Vietnam War boatloads of American GI’s flocked to the then quiet beaches and bars for R&R and many called it the “red light city.”  The city and beaches of Pattaya now have a diversity of attractions, shopping, many good restaurants and beautiful resorts, including its famous "Walking Street" and infamous nightlife.                             At the market a variety of handicrafts from all over Thailand mixed with colorful "T"- shirts, Thai music, dancing, boat rides, and souvenirs for the tourists made for shopping heaven. The always and ever present Buddha was there in many forms.

On the way home we stopped at an Outlet Mall as one gal was looking for a swimsuit.

Many stores were just like ones we would find in our American malls … a small world.

As the sun was dropping in the azure blue sky we had to stop the car for me to take another photo. On the hill along the roadway was a gigantic Buddha outlined in gold. 

 

May Buddha blessings and golden light fill your life, Rose