Lanna villages

I just went on a beautiful bike ride through rice fields and small villages of northern Chiang Mai; expansive rice fields irrigated by the canal running alongside them, lush  agricultural land bordered by the Ping river.  

Central to all the small villages scattered among the fields are bright Buddhist temples.

Brad and I also passed a house with walls made of mud...the owner of this building has gained a reputation in the area for her work with victims of domestic abuse.  The site is a retreat for spiritual healing.

Yesterday I was practicing the last half of Chopin's Nocturne 9 No. 2.  The basic structure and themes carry on throughout the song, but the variations are complex with syncopation and ascending chromatic scales. After that I had ripe pineapples from Chiang Rai.  Amazing, sweet and delicious.

I went to see some free jazz at North Gate jazz club on Moon Muang in the northeast corner of the moat.  The guitarist was spazzing out like he was in the clutch of some trance during his incredible, crazy solos.  

Now I am listening to Blues and Abstract Truth as Peppermint cafe closes and the streets of Chiang Mai fill with merchants of the Sunday market.

Back in Chiang Mai

I feel like I just shifted dimensions...suddenly I am back here on Soi 8 in the old city of Chiang Mai, on the other side of the world.

During most of my conscious time on the 14hr flight from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan I read Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine" - and then zoned out to some Icelandic tunes.

Trying to get my mind adjusted to this place and time, I woke up around 8AM and went to Sailomjoy for some kaow neo ma-muang, pad thai gai kai dow, and hot cappucino. It felt good sipping my hot cappucino and thinking about my direction for the new year.

I had an amazing time back in California during my brief break in December. Highlights include: -Staying at a house my father designed on Stinson beach (and going for a beautiful hike w/ my family, overlooking the vast expansive ocean and the cityscape of San Francisco emerging from the fresh bay mist, with Mt. Tamalpais towering behind us)-Seeing Elijah, my close friends, cousins and extended family -Kicking it w/ Victor Dods at 99 Bottles and driving around Santa Cruz w/ Z listening to Estradasphere's Quadropus-Cruising around Cannery Row listening to Coltrane's Giant Steps and going kayaking in the Monterey Bay w/ Z, where we saw jellyfish and other forms of marine life in their natural habitat-Riding to the top of Mt. Diablo w/ my family on the first day of the New Year (especially the spectacular view from the top - pure white clouds stretching across the horizon).

Last night Jeab and I went to Wat Prah Sing to light incense and pay respects to the grandmother of Book (an amazing local musician and vocalist who regularly performs for the Thai royal family). Young children were playing percussion and traditional stringed instruments, the music echoing through the old city.

Suvarnabhumi clear

After occupying both major airports in Bangkok for nearly a week, making it impossible for anyone to enter or exit Thailand, the anti-government protestors have finally dispersed.  This is a huge relief to everyone in the country.  The PAD's massive protests resulted in the overthrow of the prime minister and brought an end to the PPP - the political party that has been in power since Thaksin.  Since I have been in Thailand, 2 prime ministers have been overthrown during long months of fierce protest in the capital, and Thaksin - the x-prime minister originally from Chiang Mai who was overthrown by the military in 2006 - is still in exile, and faces serious prison time if he ever re-enters the Kingdom of Thailand.  I'm on my way to Moon Muang Soi 9 right now to grab a cold Singha, but I am just happy that the chaos in Bangkok seems to be coming to some sort of resolution for now...

Loy Krathong Parade, Chiang Mai

Loy Krathong 2551

In November, people in Northern Thailand celebrate Loy Krathong - a festival during the full moon in which people honor the river running through the city.

Explosions echo through the streets as people light colorful fireworks, firecrackers, and cherrybombs from the bridges.

Below, people float colorful krathong rafts with candles and incense down the Ping river.  This tradition is meant to wash away the bad of the past year and welcome good in the future.  

During this three-day festival, hundreds of rice paper lanterns - comb loy - are lit with bright flames and are released floating into the sky, soaring towards the full moon.  

Unit Asia

A high-energy fusion jazz group featuring musicians from Japan, Malaysia, and Bangkok performed an amazing set in Chiang Mai on Saturday, Nov. 8 for the last date of their monthlong Southeast Asia tour.  

Hiroyuki Noritake - drums, Japan - was the backbone of the group; he kept perfect time in a variety of feels, occasionally breaking into solos over solid patterns on the bassdrum and hi-hat.

The sax player from BKK, guitarist, bassist, and pianist all had impressive technicality and great chemistry as musicians.  

Doi Suthep

Mae Hong Son

It was the last day of the AUA term so I decided to travel to Pai, Mae Hong Son and spend some time with my friends from Stockholm, Sweden.

During the van ride up through the lush green winding mountains I listened to the atmospheric sounds of Amina (Iceland) and zoned out.  

I met up with Alexander and his friends at a Thai restaurant in Pai about 3 hours later...we  enjoyed some delicious gai pat met ma muang, tom yam gai, and bia Sing (for Alex: always bia Chang, mak mak)

The Swedes wanted to depart from Pai early to get started on the long treacherous motorcycle ride back to Chiang Mai before dark.  I said goodbye and wished them a safe journey.

I decided to rent a bicycle in Pai and went on a beautiful bike ride through the hills of Mae Hong Son.  I rode for about 16km, up to a quiet temple on the hill, and finally to "WWII Bridge".  The sky was a deep blue, filled with clouds...and fresh mist clung to the mountains.

Nocturne / Dragon Style

9/2551

It was pouring rain today.  I was inside the music school as the rain pounded on the roof, practicing Chopin's Nocturne.  The rain helped me get into the melancholy emotion.

Nocturne in C# minor is really challenging me - but I love the mood and style.  The basslines create a fluid sound in circular motion, steady and legato.  The melody is somber and expressive, in cantabile technique (smooth singing style) with many subtle changes, embellishments and variations.  

The rain cleared up about 2 hours ago.  Now I am listening to "Triumph" by Wu-Tang Clan and getting ready for a Kung-Fu lesson.

I am working on 7 forms and different combinations of punches and kicks.  I am the only American at Kung-Fu now.  Jet - the instructor of Kherliang Healing Arts Center - is Thai, and the students are German, French, and Swiss.  Everyone is completely unique in their personalities, languages, and abilities.  

Jet's a character - for some reason I assumed he was around 25, but it turns out he is just 16 years old.  Still, he has been studying martial arts for 12 years; he says he was a "kung fu baby".  He took over the dojo after his father died and the school was relocated to Chiang Mai.  Jet is also a drummer, so we often talk music and sometimes compare martial arts forms to rhythmic patterns and drum techniques.

Kristof (from France) is very experienced in martial arts.  After 90 minutes of training, when the lesson was technically over, he proceeded to teach Kevin and me some techniques with weapons, which was really exciting...the energy and fluid motion of the movements.  

In Chiang Mai I am focusing on progressing as an individual, expanding my knowledge and discovering new approaches to music and life.

Myanmar

I crossed the border into Myanmar.  The streets were filled with poor mothers and children begging for change.  Uniformed soldiers strapped with machineguns guarded the border.  

In Chiang Mai I bought a publication of reports published by Burmese journalists in exile, describing the brutality and oppression of the military government.  

It was really intense - especially details of the protests of 8/8/88, in which thousands of unarmed pro-democracy protestors were gunned down by the military - solely because of their beliefs and opposition to those in power.  This is very reminiscent of the violent crackdown on protests in Burma led by Buddhist monks last September.

Cobra whiskey, Laos

In Laos coiled cobras, scorpions, and reptiles are preserved in bottles of pungent whiskey.  

Laos

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Rai.

This Buddhist temple has bright Buddha images in the Lanna (Northern Thai) and Sukothai styles.  

The yellow bands around the ancient tree and stupa indicate that they are considered sacred.  

The shining metallic poles leaning against the tree are changed in a ritual every Songkran festival (Thai New Years)

Golden Triangle

In order to stay in Thailand legally, I had to exit and re-enter the country.  

I took a minivan up to the northernmost region of Thailand - The Golden Triangle - which borders Myanmar (Burma) and Laos.  

I was the only American in the van - the others were Italian, Australian, Malaysian, and Thai.  

We drove through Chiang Rai, a city at the base of the lush green mountains of Northern Thailand.  

We then took a motorboat across the river to a small island of Laos, and then crossed the border to Myanmar.  

Doi Suthep

Doi Sutthep, Chiang Mai

My cousin and I journeyed up the mountain to the west and reached Doi Sutthep - the ancient Buddhist temple overlooking the city of Chiang

 Mai.