back to Bangkok

Next time I'm in Bangkok, I'll get a small, slow boat around the
klongs that radiate from the river; numerous vignettes slipped
past my speeding boat, the driver was on a mission to get to the
lock & pretended not to know what my slow down signals meant.

Stopped once more at Wat Arun,
it's a living book of historic ornament,
constantly updated with patches..

&, my favourite pavillions: enamelled flowers on a white
background. The glass painting had a Persian look,
though distinctly Thai ~ like the wide
range of cross cultural faces, in a way.

I've maybe posted this art history video before, I love it.

more Ayutthaya

If there's enough interested people at the Baan Lotus, the owner
organises a late afternoon tour, in tuk tuks. It was fun,
also different from earlier in the day. A breeze blew all the 'habits'
of buddha statues, they seemed about to move from their plinths.

We visited the elephants. It didn't look a lot of fun for the adults
(though surely better than hauling logs), but the little ones were
enjoying, very curious, & I think that one
was teasing us about getting into the tuk tuk.
I so appreciate the world heritage sites, don't you?

Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya has many parks full of evocative ruins &
beautiful flowering trees.

I stayed at a charming guesthouse, an old teak house
with a big waterlily pond, & interesting owner.
Lots of tourists seem to pose in odd ways, everywhere, these
boys were having fun.

more markets

Extensive markets in Vientiane; both a big &
sometimes strange mixture of things, & repeating patterns.

Very hot, mostly crowded, though not hassling. Vientiane is
still a small city. Easy to imagine how Laos was 100 years ago.
It used to take french officials longer to reach upcountry postings
than to sail from France to asia.
Vintage photo sites, asia, usa, & a great archive of sites.

& then..

I was enjoying parts of a newish wat, & then came across an older
structure, small, with remnants of stucco decoration. The delightful
figures seem to emerge from the walls, all in muted apricots
& ochres. I took a lot of photos there.

I enjoyed The Band's Visit last night. See it!

still in Laos

An early morning temple walk in Vientiane.
The inventive grill work- so much more enjoyable than bars, no?
This is into the last week of my trip.

Some 'persistence of vision' toys, & other interesting pictures

Vimala Thakar

I only just heard of the passing of Vimala Thakar.
She was a most remarkable person, a teacher & social activist.
I sat with her in Dalhousie in the early 70's, & then painted this.
There's only a faded print: I'd been 2 years in the mountains before
returning to Sydney for a show at the Bonython gallery,
& forgot to get the works photographed.
This looks like a comprehensive site on spiritual teachers.