About christao408

An expat American who moved to Bangkok in 2005 with his partner (now husband). Life is a grand adventure and each experience is worth having if for no other reason than to remind us that we are alive.

Second Singapore Border Run

Posted on 25 January 2010 by christao408

A few weeks ago I did another border run to Singapore. No need to make a video about it this time – you know the routine. I did take some pictures along the way that I thought I would share with you.

An interesting assortment of airliners. Business Air and Nordwind Airlines I’m unfamiliar with. They are a Thai travel agency that runs charters to Korea and a Russian charter airline, respectively. Iran Air (third plane back) is one I don’t see very often. I’m curious what flying them is like. I’ve long wanted to visit Iran. It is supposed to be a very beautiful country and despite what the US media publishes, it does have a long and rich history and culture.

Airbus A310 from Pakistan Int’l Airlines – with the “Defender of the Land” slogan on the side. Airlines from the greater Middle East abound in Bangkok. In fact, the largest growth segment for Thai tourism is in the Middle East market. To hear some tell it, it is because they can find in Bangkok the things which are unavailable or illegal in their home countries!

I flew Air Asia and was surprised to see that they are now carrying Krispy Kreme donuts on select flights. I guess they have stores in Jakarta and Hong Kong, although that doesn’t seem to be enough to supply all their flights.

Air Asia has pretty reasonable buy-on-board food, although it doesn’t win any beauty contests. Compare the real nasi lemak to that pictured in the magazine. Where’s the garnish?!

I wasn’t in Singapore long enough to do anything other than run down some issues of Vogue for Tawn along with a book titled “Hue” that he was looking for. Three bookstores later, I had found British and Australian Vogue but sadly no American Vogue.

Because I arrived after lunch and left for the airport by rush hour, Singapore seemed strangely deserted. Walking through Clark Quay, above, there just weren’t many people out. Hello-o-o… anybody home?

Dead? Just Paint it Green

Posted on 23 January 2010 by christao408

Every so often I see things that just make me laugh. Well, scratch my head and laugh at the same time. That’s why I have my camera with me nearly everywhere I go. The spray-painted dead palm tree is just such a thing.

Siam Paragon is one of our largest, most glitzy malls. Located right next to the central transfer station of the Skytrain rail system, it enjoys a prominence that other malls’ marketing directors must envy. Knowing that appearances are so very important in cases like this, I was a bit shocked to see that one of the palm trees in front of the main entrance appears to have died.

And then I noticed that the other “healthy” green palm tree wasn’t looking so natural. It, too, was dead and some industrious worker bee from the facilities department had decided to pull out a can of paint and color the dead fronds green! If only that plan had worked out as intended.

DC Awash in Cash, Our Interests Washed Down the Drain

Posted on 21 January 2010 by christao408

Corporations are not people. They do not have the same inalienable rights of people. These are two core beliefs I hold. The individual people who are owners of corporations have their individual rights but the corporation itself, a legal contract between those owners, does not have the same rights as if it were a human being, too. Contracts are pieces of paper, not living, breathing human beings.

Sadly, five members of the United States Supreme Court disagree with me and decided today that corporations are in fact people and have the same rights to free political speech as individuals do.

Why does that matter? Already, the degree of influence of corporate money through lobbyists, direct donations and other political actions has reached startling proportions. One look at the messy legislative process in creating the competing health care reform bills and you can see the dirty handprints of corporate money all over the place. One deal cut after another until all the “reform” has been removed from the final product with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel but with far uglier consequences.

But at least there were some attempts at limits to corporate influence such as the McCain-Feingold Act.

It matters because we as individuals, even if we all became actively involved in politics, still don’t have the financial resources of corporations. We can’t afford to hire lobbyists, produce attack ads and smear campaigns and let millions of people know what we think. As individuals (true human beings) we will have a limited influence on friends, family and community – and that’s only if we get involved. Most people don’t. The corporations will inevitably have outsized influence on the democratic process because they have deeper pockets and the infrastructure to pay attention and get involved.

You see, I’m not anti-corporate. I don’t bemoan the spread of Starbucks or McDonald’s. Corporations that are successful are a great example of capitalism at work – a system that I believe in. But democratic capitalism has to respect the needs of the individual citizens as much as (if not more so) than the needs of the shareholders and consumers. This is an important balance discussed by former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich in his book Supercapitalism.

But as we sit here bemoaning why our legislators can’t seem to step up to any of the real challenges we face, make the tough decisions, etc. we need to realize that they can’t do those things because it costs a lot of money to run for election and in order to win (and win again and again) they are beholden to the coffers of big business.

Republican or Democrat, Libertarian or Socialists, your political views don’t matter here. The question is whether you believe that corporations and their billions (yes, billions) of dollars should be allowed equal footing with you in the arena of political ideas. I like a sumo wrestling match as much as the next guy, but only if both opponents are sumo-sized. In this case, it is more like an ant fighting a sumo wrestler. And I’m afraid to tell you, we’re the ant!

Publishing a Children’s Book

Posted on 19 January 2010 by christao408

There’s a software product called Booksmart from www.blurb.com that allows you to create and print your own books. Since moving here and blogging, I’ve created “yearbooks” to summarize each year’s experiences, based in large part on my blog entries. The first year I used Shutterfly to print the books (two volumes covering 14 months) but the binding quality was so poor that pages started to come loose the first day I looked at them.

My cousin Alex suggested Booksmart, which she had used to create guest registration books for her wedding, putting portraits of her and her husband Bill on one side of the page and then having the facing page blank. She was impressed with the quality and the costs were much lower than at Shutterfly and many other sites.

Since then I’ve used Booksmart to not only create yearbooks but also customized books for my nieces. I can incorporate pictures, text and backgrounds into many different shapes and sizes of both hardcover and softcover books. The software is easy to use and allows full manipulation of all layout templates, so you have complete control over the look.

My most recent book is titled “Ava’s Uncles Get Married”. As you might guess, it is a twenty-page tome about our wedding this past summer written for my youngest niece, who will turn four this Spring. I thought I’d share it with you here. You’ve seen most of the pictures and read much of the story already if you’ve been following this blog for a while, so I apologize to any of you who feel this is just a rehash, but I am very proud of this book. I think it is the type of thing that Ava will treasure.

While I’ve done a little scrap-booking in my life, I think this comes out looking a lot nicer. If you’ve been thinking about doing something with your pictures and/or your blog entries, may I suggest you check out Booksmart at www.blurb.com?

Oh, and yes, I did used to be the high school yearbook editor.

Being Judgmental

Posted on 17 January 2010 by christao408

“Don’t judge me” seems to be a common defense used by those who don’t like what they are hearing. But what draws the line between being judgmental and showing constructive concern? Recently I’ve encountered two people who both feel like they are being judged but I’m not sure that they really are.

The first person is an internet friend whom I recently met in person for the first time. We have several mutual friends and had corresponded from time to time on Facebook and through other channels. When we first met face-to-face, within minutes he was sharing a very high level of personal detail about his sex life. Suffice it to say, he enjoys collecting a wide range of sexual partners and he documents those experiences in detail.

Now, I’m a man of the world. I’ve heard it all and seen quite a bit, too. So there was nothing he shared that shocked or offended me. Certainly, I can think of things I would rather discuss than how much fun he had in a threesome with a pair of Nordic men the night before, but it is his life and body and I am not going to judge his actions “right” or “wrong”.

Along the course of the conversation he shared two things. The first was that, if I understand him correctly, he is really curious why he hasn’t found a long-term relationship. The second is that he is frustrated with some of our mutual friends because he feels they judge him.

He didn’t say what they’ve done or said that counts as judgment. But based on my own observation, I can only imagine that they’ve seen his behavior and listened to him profess a desire for a stable relationship and perhaps they’ve mentioned to him that one is not very helpful in begetting the other. Does that count as judgment? I don’t think it does. It is a matter of people pointing out what behavior is helpful and what behavior is not helpful in terms of reaching the goals and desires we set for ourselves.

Another case: Another friend, one whom I’ve known for a bit longer, is very desirous of a long-term relationship as well. The people to whom he is attracted are, on a number of levels, not very conducive to the things he wants. He wants a stable relationship with someone who doesn’t just love him for his comparative wealth, someone who loves him for who he is as a person, and someone with whom he can talk about his varied interests.

The challenge is, the people he chooses to date are usually about half his age, come from a significantly lower socioeconomic status, don’t speak English very well, and are neither familiar with nor particularly interested in discussing global economics, politics and other things that are of interest to him. Recently, he has expressed that he is feeling judged by his friends here in Bangkok – me included – about his choice of people to date.

If we hold up a mirror and suggest that he might find the stable relationship he’s looking for if he fishes in a pool that has the right kind of fish, is that being judgmental? I personally haven’t told him that what he is doing is right or wrong, good or bad. I don’t care who he dates. I don’t care how old or young they are, where they are from, what their financial position in the world is, etc. But as a friend, if he says (and shows) that he wants to be in a relationship and is depressed when yet another guy turns out to be not the right one, isn’t it reasonable that I’ll try to help him see how he could improve his chances?

Sometimes I think that people let themselves feel like they are being judged as an excuse to avoid really looking critically at their own decisions and behaviors and the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of both.

Christian Homosexuals?

Posted on 16 January 2010 by christao408

A new reader and subscriber, Mary, posed an interesting question in a recent blog entry. Is there such a thing as a Christian Homosexual?

Here was my response to her question:

If by “Christian” homosexual you mean a homosexual who accepts Jesus Christ as his or her savior and follows the teaching of Christ, then the answer is yes. If by “Christian” you mean someone who fits into narrowly defined views of the the world as prescribed by leaders and followers of certain denominations who claim to be “real” Christians and have the “right” interpretation of the New and Old Testaments, then it probably depends upon those individual leaders and followers and not the homosexual person him- or herself.

Thoughts? Anyone want to touch an electric wire? Thanks to Mary for being willing to address the big questions.

Click on the picture to go to a post about this crazy group
formed by another “reformed” homosexual. LOL

Mary also described herself in another post as a returning Xangan and asked for recommendations of blogs worth reading. I want to let you know that my recommendation was that she read the blogs of the people who comment on my blog as there are some really thoughtful, talented writers here. Thanks to everyone for contributing to Xanga and for helping make it a civil place to exchange thoughts and views.

Trip to Chiang Mai – Final Part

Posted on 16 January 2010 by christao408

The final full day in Chiang Mai we drove up to Doi Suthep, a mountain that is immediately to the west of Chiang Mai and offers, on a clear day, a nice view of the greater Chiang Mai area. On the top of the mountain is a temple which ostensibly dates back to the late 14th century and is one of the most significant sites for Thais to visit. It is also a very beautiful temple so is well worth the trip up the winding 13 km road from the city.

Stephanie and I picked up my friend Kari, who recently moved back to Thailand from Kenya with her husband Ron. They are both missionaries whom Tawn and I first met when I was attending Union Language School after first moving here four years ago.

The day was drizzly but as we drove up the mountain, the drizzle subsided replaced by a thick fog. On the way up we had to stop and help a family whose pickup truck had slipped into a small ditch at the side of the road. Thankfully, only one tire was in the ditch and with the help of another driver, we were able to jimmy it free.

The base area of the temple has lots of tourist shops, stalls, stands and vendors. It is a bit of a circus. Thankfully there were not too many people there thanks to both the inclement weather as well as the depressed tourism situation in Thailand. There are two ways to reach the temple: you can either take a short cable car ride or you can walk the 300 steps (decorated with beautiful nagas, or multi-headed serpents). Here’s a photo of Stephanie posing before we began our ascent.

One of the vendor’s dogs sitting on the wall, imitating the nagas in the previous photo!

The temple is perched right on top of the mountain and is surrounded by lush tropical forest. The fog was very thick and advanced quickly, swallowing up the mountainside. This picture reminded me of something from the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”.

Looking down to the area where the monks’ quarters are located. Visibility was down to about 30 meters. Note the lanterns. These are a very typical Lanna / Northern Thai style lantern. Beautiful, no?

While taking pictures the fog started to turn into a mist and, eventually, drizzle. Thankfully we had our umbrellas with us.

The main chedi, or stupa, is covered in gold with four gold umbrellas standing on the corners. On a sunny day it is beautiful and makes a striking contrast with the blue skies. See this photo as an example. Today, however, we just had to appreciate it at a different level. In fact, the fog/mist/drizzle lent an interesting serenity to the place.

Rare to get a shot here with no visitors in it!

I like the drops of water on the statues. After about an hour poking around we decided the dampness was getting to us and descended to the parking lot area.

From the main entrance we looked back up towards the temple and the summit, which was now entirely shrouded in the clouds.

Here’s a video of the few days up there:

While in Chiang Mai we had the opportunity to eat quite a bit of Northern Thai food, which offers some of the best dishes in all of Thailand. Here is a spread we had one night. In the upper left is a variety of vegetables and a Northern style sausage called sai oua. It is served with a green chili dipping sauce (available in varying degrees of spiciness) called nam prik ong. In the center is a red pork and chili dipping sauce called nam prik num. It is more savory than spicy. You eat it with the fried pork rinds in the upper right. That’s right, Thais love cracklins! The bamboo container in the lower left features khao niaw or sticky rice. In the center is a plate of raw veggies and herbs served on ice, which are eaten to cool the spiciness. Finally, the dish in the lower right is a salad made of sun dried pork, shallots, peanuts, cilantro and chilies.

Here’s another view of the sai oua and nap prik ong and khao niaw. I bought some at the Chiang Mai Airport at a vendor who has been around for years and carried it onto the plane. That’s right – you can bring super-spicy green chili sauce onto the plane here as a carry on. Bottled water through security? No. But nam prik ong? Absolutely fine. Everyone knows that isn’t dangerous.

Trip to Chiang Mai Part 2

Posted on 15 January 2010 by christao408

The highlight of our trip to Chiang Mai was a drive two hours south to Doi Inthanon National Park. One of the largest parks in the Kingdom, this is the home to the “rooftop of Thailand”, Doi Inthanon peak. Many people who visit Thailand stay in typically touristy areas, particularly the biggest cities and the beach towns. As lovely as these are, they miss out on the spectacular natural beauty to be found in this country.

This park features several beautiful waterfalls including the impressive Vachiratharn Falls. These falls are all located just short walks away from parking areas making them accessible to almost everyone. Even several months after rainy season, these falls are going strong!

There are also hiking trails if you want to get more of a workout. On our way to the top of the falls, which turned out to be less interesting than viewing them from down below, we found this interesting stand of dead bamboo. There were also several disused picnic tables on the way up, all in areas that didn’t seem conducive to a pleasant picnic.

Near the summit of Doi Inthanon are a pair of chedis built by the Royal Thai Air Force to commemorate the fifth cycle (i.e. 60th) birthdays of their majesties the King and Queen of Thailand in 1987 and 1992, respectively. These are beautiful chedis, both done in modern style. They are very distinct with the King’s chedi having very dark stone and the Queen’s being built in with a violet hue. Since my last visit in 2006 they have installed enclosed escalators to make the climb to the top easier for the thousands of elderly Thais who come here to pay their respects.

The hazy, cloudy view from the top of Doi Inthanon looking southwest towards Burma.

At the top of the peak (2,565 meters / 8,416 feet as marked by the small round metal plaque on the concrete pedestal in the foreground of the picture) is a small shrine to the memory of the Phra Chao Inthawichayanon, one of the last kings of Chiang Mai until his death in 1897. During his 27-year reign, King Inthawichayanon was very concerned about the preservation of the forests and mountains in what was still an independent tributary Lanna kingdom. Following his wishes, the king’s remains were interred at this spot on the top of what was then called Doi Luang. The mountain was subsequently renamed Doi Inthanon.

It was also during his reign that the remnants of the Lanna kingdom were finally annexed into greater Siam. One could argue that the political friction in modern-day Thailand (which has a very distinct north versus central split) has its roots in these ancient annexations.

Part way down the mountain is the Royal Agricultural Station, a large garden area that has acres of greenhouses where different types of plants are grown. The purpose of the project is to identify different species from around the country and also cultivate other species that may be well-suited to Thailand’s different climates. As an example of some of the work done by various royal-sponsored agricultural foundations, opium production in Thailand (which once used to be the world’s top producer) has almost entirely vanished, being replaced by cash crops such as coffee and macadamia nuts.

Tiptoe through the tulips…

Reflection in the pond. The sun kept trying to break through but it rarely lasted.

My personal favorites, the fuchsias. The climate up here on the mountain is very similar to that of my childhood home in the San Francisco Bay Area. We had fuchsias in our backyard that my father tended to with great care. Seeing these in the greenhouse brought back many memories. I used to snap open the flowers, enjoying the “pop!” sound they made.

Mae Ya Falls, Doi Inthanon National Park – Chiang Mai Province. Our friend Kari is standing in the distance taking pictures.

Chris hoping that there isn’t a sudden flash flood!

I’ll continue tomorrow with the second road trip in Chiang Mai, up to Doi Suthep, along with some video.

Trip to Chiang Mai Part 1

Posted on 12 January 2010 by christao408

Stephanie and I waited until after the New Year’s weekend to head up to Chiang Mai, hoping to avoid the crowds of Thais who would be up there in the search of cooler weather. The crowds of foreigners might be lighter, too. What we found surprised us.

Chiang Mai was deserted – no exaggeration, it was mighty lonely up there. I spoke with several locals and the story I heard again and again was that this is the least busy they’ve seen things in many years. Granted, the economy is bad and two years ago the airports in Bangkok were shuttered for a week as part of political protests. Still, with the great value that Thailand offers and the nice weather in Chiang Mai, I was surprised at how quiet things were.

Things got off to a slow start as after boarding, we pushed back and fired up our engines only to be towed back to the gate because of an indicator light. After ten minutes of poking around we pushed back again, only to be returned to the gate. The pilot, an American, came into the cabin and apologized for the delay and indicated that they would have to have a closer look at something related to the oil system. We disembarked and waited about forty-five minutes until given the all clear. Above, a mechanic with a box of oil working on our engine.

Chiang Mai started out sunny the first day with temperatures not too much cooler than Bangkok’s but at least a bit less humid. Stephanie and I stayed at the Imperial Mae Ping hotel, one of the original high-rise hotels in the city but thanks to a remodel and the fine service of the staff, still a very nice place to stay. Considering we paid just US$40 a room in the midst of high season, it was a steal.

There are countless temples in the heart of the city, which is very walkable. We stopped by several of them, taking pictures and talking with people. Everywhere we went, people assumed Stephanie was the Thai and would speak to her, only to be confused when I would be the one responding to the questions as she looked at them with a polite smile and blank expression.

At one temple, the patriarch of the temple, a saffron robed man in his eighties, was sitting in a plastic chair managing the work of several young monks. He waved me over and we chatted for several minutes. He was selling me on the unique attributes of his particular monk and an upcoming ceremony they would have. “Come back and see it!” he said as I bid my farewell.

More to come…

Singing in the Rain

Posted on 11 January 2010 by christao408

It takes a long time for mail to get here sometimes. This last week I received bunches of Christmas and holiday cards, most of which had been sent long before the holidays. Among them was a card from Sugi and Andy containing a CD of the final batch of photos from our trip to visit them in Taipei.

Included in it was this great shot. We were at the Tamshui Fisherman’s Wharf on a wet, cold and blustery day. As Sugi and I posed for a picture the wind got the better of her and her umbrella.

Needless to say, the umbrella was destroyed. But we enjoyed a good laugh, which is really the point, right?

christao408

The adventures of an expat American who moved to Bangkok for his husband.

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