Can Elephants really paint?

I'm up early and doing last minute note reading preparing for the exam from my second week of my Thai massage course. It has been great! I've learned a lot..too much really...and the hope is that I don't forget all of it before I return home. I just need to practice, practice, practice.......I'm sure I won't have too much of a problem finding volunteers. The past two week have been very physical as well as intellectually simulating. We do yoga, tai chi or qi gong every morning for an hour then learn new postures in the Thai massage sequence. I'm pretty beat by the end of the day.

That said, I really haven't seen much aside from the center city of Chiang Mai and the neighborhoods surrounding were I'm living. I did go to a couple of places last weekend with my dad and his friend Bill. On Saturday we went to the town of Bantawa where they do the detailed wood carving and it's a cute little town with many, many shops to tempt you. On Sunday we went to one of the elephant parks which was fun but very touristy. They train(and you wonder how they do this..which I don't like) the elephants to do all sorts of things like play soccer, twirl hoops and even paint...no kidding, that was amazing! You can see on the photos. You can feed the elephants bananas and bamboo and sit on their knee and they will take a hat and put it on your head. We also went to a snake show (which wasn't my idea but I'm the one in the photo with a cobra around my neck!)and unbelievable that these Thai guys handle pythons, cobra and other dangerous snakes.

What I've really enjoyed is just walking and taking in the culture and the people. They are so friendly and helpful. My friend, Lana, arrives today from San Diego and we have some great things planned for the next few weeks. I will be in touch.

I just want to wish all of you a wonderful Christmas and know I will miss you but honestly am not missing all the hype of the season...just missing friends and family. I hope 2010 is a wonderful year for everyone.
www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Thailand

Another World

Sawasdee Kaa from Thailand...hello that is! After a long flight from Glasgow to London and then into Bangkok I went to get my bag and it never came! Here I am in Asia thinking OMG, I'll never get my bag but I overcame that thought and trusted it would but it's horrible being without your toiletries(luckily I thought to pack an extra set of clothes into my carry on)especially your mosquito repellent when they love me! My bag did arrive 24 hours later but by then I was so bit up, I don't know if I'll ever be the same. Why I didn't think to go buy some I'm not sure but that'll teach me :)

So, what does one do the first day in Bangkok? I always like to just orientate myself into a new place and I decided to just walk and see what there was nearby. I wandered along the streets taking in everything that was so foreign to me but even in spite of the craziness of Bangkok city, I felt good thrown into this new culture. The people are so gracious and friendly, they never hesitate to smile at you and at least try to understand what your trying to say. I stopped and got a leg and bikini wax for about the equivalent of $11. Mind you, I didn't know what I was getting myself into and their standards for cleanliness are no where near like the ones we have in the states(which is an understatement) so if I thought too much about it, it was a bit frightening but all was just fine. Later that day I received my first real Thai massage and it was great!(about $10) I figured I should get at least one traditonal Thai massage before starting my Thai massage course in Chiang Mai.

I ended up meeting the Canadian twins(two women traveling together who look like sisters) and had a great time with them. We struck up a conversation on the street and we can some great conversations about travel-they had some great stories-and life and I ended up spending most of the evening with them until I was absolutely cross eyed from jet lag.

The next day I had arranged for a overnight VIP bus to take me to Chiang Mai. This was also the day of the Kings birthday in Thailand and a HUGE party was going on. Getting to the bus station on a Tuk Tuk(A Three wheeled vehicle that are open and can maneuver in and out of traffic and is quite the knuckle gripping ride!) The bus ride was 10 hours and it was quite nice actually as they served you snacks and played a movie dubbed in Thai that was SO loud that I ended up watching a movie on my computer to try to drown out the sound. The Thai LOVE thing loud!

I arrived at 5:00am and made my way to my home for the next 2 weeks. I'm staying at a guest house walking distance to the massage school I'm going to and I started that today. It feels like a lot to take in but I think I'm going to enjoy the program and learning a new skill. I've met some nice people from all over the world and I truly love hearing their stories. One American girl from California(massage therapist)had planned a 6 month trip to Costa Rica and 5 years later she's still on the road! She lives part time in Greece and is the only Massage Therapist in town and also has family in Spain so is applying for dual citizenship.

I will be here for two weeks and then my friend, Lana from San Diego, comes for Christmas and New Years. I excited to have her join me and get out of the cities and see the country side and beaches down South. We will also stop back into Bangkok and see some of the famous temples and other attractions that Bangkok has to offer.

I finally have my London photos to share with you. As you'll see I had one amazing day in London and the photos from the London Eye and the river boat cruise came out really well. Thailand photos will follow soon. Hugs to you all!
www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/London

Men in skirts?

Where else would you see four good looking men in skirts? Scotland of course! I attended a Ceilidh last Saturday. In the old days in the Highlands of Scotland “ceilidh” is Gaelic describing a get together or meeting. Now, it is used to describe a gathering of people who dance the dances of Highland.

I wasn’t sure what to expect but I had a great time! There was a Ceilidh band called “Gallus” and they rocked. They were the good looking blokes with black kilts on worn with a sporran(a purse basically) and black boots and the lead guy wore an "ACDC" cap worn backwards. He also played an iridescent purple fiddle and it sounded amazing.

The group ranged from 10 years(only a few youngsters) to 80 years old-yes, some older men in kilts as well. The dances were called out so one could easily follow the steps...well, after a few rounds anyway. During the breaks they had these four young women dancing the traditional highland dances very professionally. It reminded me of “River dancing” that the Irish do and it was very energetic and entertaining. I ended up dancing most of the night and came away nearly bruised on my arm from being swung around in “strip the willow” where you basically go down the line or the group of people and swing just about everyone round and round. What was great to see is most everyone participating with huge smile on their faces.

Unfortunately, being totally out of the “travel mode”, I forgot my camera. There was a man who was at the Ceilidh that is a photographer and he gave me his website to view photos of the event. When I checked last, he hadn’t posted the new event but if you like to check out his website, go to: www.caledonianphotographic.co.uk
If you go to gallery then events you should see something like “Lanark Ceilidh dance 2009”

So, my time has come to an end in Scotland and I’m off to Thailand today. I’m very excited for warmer weather and also for a new adventure. I have had such a great time of rest and connection with Scotland and family that I feel ready to move on.

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, I know your all wondering what one does in Scotland for Thanksgiving. Actually nothing having to do with the American tradition of eating until your absolutely stuffed and can't move and you always say "Why do I always eat SO much!" This I'm happy about but not that I didn't miss the tradition of getting together with family and friends and being thankful for the great food and all the wonderful things that life is. So, what did I do? I woke up this morning and laid in bed thinking of all the things I personally have to be thankful for...which is a lot! I got up and made my green tea and climbed back into bed(it was only 6:45 after all) and finished the book "Three Cups of Tea" I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it if you haven't read it already. It had a wonderful message about life and humanitarianism and what there is to be truly thankful for.

I went to a "diverse fiber day" with my aunt Jenn where a group of women gather once a month working on projects having to do with fiber art and especially 'felting" I made a pair of felted wool gauntlets(gloves without fingers) which will NOT come in handy in Thailand so will no doubt stay behind to come back to the states (at some point) with my aunt Sara's second suitcase of all my goodies accumulated while in Europe....thank you Sara! I did have a turkey sandwich for lunch so I was in the spirit of the day. Jenn and I enjoyed a wonderful meal at a local Italian restaurant here in Lanark this evening.

Have I mentioned the rain yet? Not that I was under the impression that it was going to be nice in November but holly cow....it is bloody cold! I can't complain since I'll be leaving this lovely country to warm, humid Thailand next week so I'll just try to appreciate the crisp air and rare sun shinning through the clouds with colorful rainbows now and again. Mostly my time here is about re-charging my batteries and just relaxing with family. As wonderful as travel is, it can be damn tiring as well. Having a bit of down time is essential. I realized just how tired I was after leaving Rome and arriving to London to stay with a friend Christine. While London is a wonderful city, I just didn't have the drive to go,go,go. I did have a couple of fun days with a British friend who showed me quite a lot of London in a couple of days. We were blessed with a clear, beautiful day and went up onto the London Eye and did a river cruise with a great commentary of the London sights along the river Thames. It was a spectacular day with wonderful skies. I will download photos soon.

I wanted to write and fill you all in on my whereabouts but mostly wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving and know that I am so thankful for all of you; my amazing friends and family who have been so supportive of my travels and dreams. Thank you for your emails, "skypes" or responses to my blogs. Just know that hearing from you truly makes my day and I appreciate your effort, time and love and miss you!
Enjoy the holidays season and I will be in touch from Thailand very soon. Love and Peace to you all.

Italy

So the rest of my time in Italy was primarily in Rome and that is a fantastic city. They is so much history and I was staying with a friend, Mariella, and her husband, Silvano while I was in Rome. Mariella is a tour guide so what better person to take one to the Vatican museum, Sistine chapel and Saint Peter's church. Mariella is a wealth of knowledge and I learned so much about Roman history in a few hours then I ever knew before. the Colosseum was spectacular as well as the Roman forum. These are some of the well known sites but there are also some great plazas and fountains....you can see for yourself by looking at the photos.

I had the pleasure to meet the cousins, Laura, Francesca, and Marco,of my aunts friend, Julie, while in Italy as well. We had a nice night out walking along the ancient streets of Trastevere and stopping to enjoy some Italian wine and tasty Italian cheeses. We enjoyed a nice dinner and did a driving tour of some of the other areas around Rome.

Rome has so much to offer and see and I feel like a touched the surface. After all, I did throw coins in the the Trevi fountain with they say means you will one day return to Rome.
Photos at: www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/Italy

In my next life, I want to be Italian and live in Italy....

I love Italy! The food, wine, the people, the culture, history, the style......and yes the gelato! So in my fantasy I drive up on my Vespa wearing my Italian made boots, leather jacket with my hair flowing from under my helmet. I walk along the streets and find a cafe to stop for an espresso or cappuccino and perhaps a yummy pastry to go along with my coffee....okay, I could go on but you get my drift.

So, my time here has been short with only a few more days to go but it has been great and I feel it has been a wonderful introduction to the Italy life and culture. I arrived from Paris on the 3rd of November and dropped off some of my "load" at my friends house in Rome and headed off to Siena. I only spent one day there really and it is a lovely small ancient city(what isn't in Italy)with charm and a sense of wanting to melt into the winding streets of shops, the historic buildings and yes......the gelato shops. I love the gelato here in Italy and am working my way through just about every flavor.

I left the next day by train for Florence. There I met up with my cousins, Morag and Robert, from Glasgow as they were there on holidays in Florence. We had a great time enjoying the view from the top of the Duomo and visiting some of the greatest museums. We went to the Academia which houses "David" by Michelangelo which was amazing. I could have sat and examined that work of art for ages!We ate lots of good pizza and really good pasta and of course great wine.....not to mention...gelato.

I took the train to Venice and got into the water bus made my way to my hotel. What an wonderful city Venice is. I wandered the narrow streets and waterways for the rest of the day and evening until I just felt exhausted from visual overload. The next day I went for an early morning run and it was magical. The sky was cloudy but in the early morning light it made the rust, yellow, peachy colors of the buildings really stand out and the water was a slate blue. Later that morning when I was wandering the streets and getting lost-you really can't get lost since your on a small island-I went into a wonderful art exhibition of a Chinese master and had a conversation with the man there about energy and symbolism.

I then made my way to the boat to take me to Murano; the small island that is famous for making glass. There the windows were exploding with color with some fantastic pieces of art, jewelery, lamps and chandeliers. By this time it was raining cats and dogs and when I returned to Venice and went to San Marcos square it was literally flooded. This is went welly boots would come in handy and a lot of people had them or had plastic bags tied around their feet and legs. For the tourist not in the know, they had a line of table like risers to walk along to stay relatively dry. Not the best of days for sight seeing but still, a wonderful place to visit.

Off to Rome where I'm at now but I'll save that and the photos for the next blog!

"Julie and Julia" in Paris

One of the rainy days in Paris, we went and saw the movie “Julie and Julie” and I loved it. It was so much fun to see some of the same areas we were seeing in Paris that Julia Childs apparently frequented for many years while she lived in Paris. I was also very touched emotionally by the movie. A few weeks ago I had read my friend Jean’s blog (www.lostinthebubble.blogspot.com) that she wrote after seeing the movie and she had expected a light hearted “chick flick” and was balling throughout the movie as it touched some places deep inside her. I felt very similarly; that is made me very emotional….as well as making me laugh….about my life. It was about two women who where searching for a purpose and passion in their life and when they looked at what they really loved to do and they pursed it to the fullest, life become joyous, full and meaningful. Isn’t that what we all truly want but let’s face it so many of us fail to find that meaning and passion.

So, here I am traveling the world. Is that my passion? No,yes...maybe, and in my journey I am finding joy, adventure, new friends as well as the challenges the come along with this sort of journey. In the process, I trust that perhaps some of the passions that are already there or ready to come out, will indeed do so. So, now I have to add cooking school onto my “bucket list”. As many of you know, I love to cook and believe I am quite good at it but I would love to inspire to be even better. Just for the pure joy of it but unlike Amy Peterson in the movie, if I were to cook and eat myself through Julie child’s cookbook, I’m sure I would gain multiple pounds. Would anyone care to fund my culinary passion by sending me off to cooking school….say in Italy? I would gladly practice by cooking for you.

Oh yes, Paris! I was in Paris once, with my Uncle and my friend, Lisa, right after high school. It is a fantastic city and I have to say that looking at Paris through eyes 30 years later is quite different with much more of an appreciation for the city and what it has to offer.

My friend Dave, from Colorado, met me here and we rented a cute little flat in the Montmartre area which is famous for the cathedral Sacre-Couer and the plaza for portrait artists. There is also a steep set up steps going up to the Cathedra(which was where our apartment was)l that Dave and I set out to run 10 times; approximately 150 steps and 100 vertical feel. We worked up to it over the 11 days and we did it and I calculated that in the three days that we ran steps, we did it 19 times total…. So we did approximately 2,850 steps….and that’s just the up part….the down was a cool down. I know, perhaps that doesn’t sound like much fun for most of you but when you are indulging in wine, cheese, bread and decadent deserts, you have to do something to burn off some of the calories. Plus we walked a lot

Unfortunately, I had a tough time physically; meaning that I had an "accident prone" period while in Paris. I first caught my ring on the fence taking a photo of the backside of the Norte Dame and luckily my ring came apart before tearing up my finger instead of tearing OFF my finger. Then three days later I fell down the metro steps…no, I was not drinking…and sprained two of my fingers on the same hand and bruised the rest of my body fairly well. Not the highlight of my time in Paris. They are still sore but will heal in time.

So, I won’t go over all the sights, museums, areas we visited but instead will let you check out the photos and see for yourself. It was a great time in Paris and even though I thought it was still quite crowded, it was a great time of year to be in Paris and only two days of rain in 11 days………..we were very lucky!
www.picasaweb.google.com/tonibodeau/paris