Let's see, maybe I can invent some difficulties so this writing has a little more grit, but sadly (happily) it's just smooth sailing as I approach the end of my third week in Chiang Mai. I had a fantastic night making music yesterday, a two hour gig at Dash Restaurant that everyone seemed to enjoy, especially the owner, which after all is the main person who needs to be pleased. And the fact that I got $12 in tips on top of the $23 in wages makes it a thousand baht night, which is just great. And there's the free food and the camaraderie and the booze if I want it (I don't). But I think the best part is playing for two hours straight, getting my voice really loosened up, working on some musical things, just getting that experience of being a singer and entertainer who gets to do the music I do, and gets to burnish it, try new things, be in the moment etc. It's a nice little PA over there and I sound good. Happy.
And then I walked round the corner to play bass for my friend Apple at CU Corner. Another 90 minutes of friendship, music, camaraderie, respect... it's almost too good to be true. Apple is Thai, a few years younger than me, has some kind of a disability that makes his legs short and crooked so when he leaves and goes to get on his scooter, it's not easy for him to traverse the uneven ground. You wouldn't know it watching him perform, he's got a perpetual smile, he's generous with people wanting to jam along, leaves space, encourages folks, and he sings a plays great. Apple has notebooks filled with English language songs that he has transcribed in the Thai alphabet. He speaks very little English but plays a thousand songs. He transcribed his main book twenty years ago and it's quite a document... not that I can read one letter of it... but he can. And as I've mentioned in the past... even though we don't communicate except in the most rudimentary conversation, we know each other well. Total musical affinity, many laughs and smiles along the way, lots of harmony too as I get to work on my harmony skills when we play together.
Went home around midnight, got a decent night's sleep, up at 7 for a cappuccino then a yoga class. Definitely enjoying the daily (almost) practice, I'm feeling pretty grounded and strong. The only thing missing is that I haven't created but one new song. Maybe today is a day to dig in and see if I can find one... Sounds like a plan.
Now...
Well here I am at the internet rather than in yoga class... but I have a good excuse, or even a couple of them. If a guy needed excuses, that is, which he doesn't. I was kind of bummed that Emma who is the Taiwanese teacher I have been studying with, let me know that yesterday was her last day. I didn't realize that she was filling in for some Dutch guy who is the owner of the place. He's teaching now, and I'll check it out tomorrow. But the real reason I didn't go is because my Spanish friend, Nataraj is teaching a biodanza class at the Yoga Tree Studio (where I had my dance weekend) and I decided to go there for my morning workout. So I've got a little time to kill beforehand, then it's off to class.
Nataraj and I met for dinner last night, and since he's a vegetarian, I suggested Dada which is a healthy place that I know of. Afterward I showed him around some of the seamier side of Chiang Mai, which he hadn't experienced. It's his first time here, so I gave him a little tour of Loy Kroh and the night market. Loy Kroh is the zone where the bar girls (and ladyboys) work the tourist trade. Chiang Mai is very low key in this regard, and I hear that there was some kind of concerted move to keep this kind of action in one place, rather than all over the city, so here it is. Some noisy bars with young beauties outside trying to get you to come in and have a drink. Many massage places, most of them legit, some of them more oriented toward 'special massage'. There are some intersting stores with antiques, clothing, beads, Buddhist bells, 'singing bowls'. There are restaurants, roti carts on the street, a few beggars, lots of tourists walking up and down. During the day it's a quiet place, at night the music comes on and it's the scene.
Down Loy Kroh to the night market, 7 nights a week vendors lining the sidewalks offering tee shirts, electronics, wrist watches, more tee shirts, yoga pants, carved this and that, it's a constant bazaar. There is a large plaza off the main drag where there are acres of vendors and it's a much mellower scene. I'm a terrible shopper as I don't tend to care about 'stuff', but it was still nice to have a look around and see the scene.
Just got interrupted to have another lovely skype session with Julie, and those have uniformly been fantastic... to miss someone a lot, but there she is, she's happy to see me, we get to have a virtual romance and it always lifts me up. Yes it does.
So I walked cross town afterwards to go to the Biodanza class, and I loved it again. Very touchy feelie, lots of hugs, I hugged a bunch of guys and it's OK, a different way of being, and I think there is a lot of community building value in the form. And my man Nataraj is a maestro, so it was great. After the two hour class, there was a great vegetarian feast for $3 and change and it's so cool to have connected with this hip community. There are other offerings daily, yoga classes and the like and it's right near the only park in the old city of Chiang Mai, so I strolled over there after lunch to maybe play some guitar, sit in the sun. It was like a west coast scene there, guys strumming guitars, people doing acro-yoga, others practicing their tightrope skills, just a big hang-out with many many countries represented.
It's now 5:40pm, I need to go back to the room, take a shower and then go play my restaurant gig. It's been going great in so many ways... no drama, no smoking or drinking, new friends and very limited time in the bar. And when I'm there, I get to make music, then scoot. I could use a nap, but no time now... My public awaits... ho ho ho. Chiang Mai is quite a magnet, I'm understanding more and more why I'm here. And I'm so glad that I got the two month visa in advance. If I didn't have it, I'd need to be planning a visa run out of the country before too long, but now, it's a non-issue. That was a really good move before I left. I didn't realize I'd be hanging in Chiang Mai, but why not... it's a great place and I'm happily ensconced (again). The shift from bar scene to yoga/dance scene was the right decision, and I'm basically just happy to be here. And on we go.
Last bit.... Nataraj's basic theme was 'Now'. This is it, this is the chance to feel, to express, to live, to connect right now... and Biodanza provides a great way to do it. I was reminded of a young woman I met in Eugene a few years ago. She had been dealing with cancer for a couple of years... one fucked up scenario after another, but her eyes were luminous. I met her at some kind of gathering and I asked her what she had learned from her ordeal. She was talking about how no matter what the situation, you can still be present and real and connected. I paraphrased and asked, 'So you have to live each day?'. She said, You have to live NOW!.
Nataraj and I met for dinner last night, and since he's a vegetarian, I suggested Dada which is a healthy place that I know of. Afterward I showed him around some of the seamier side of Chiang Mai, which he hadn't experienced. It's his first time here, so I gave him a little tour of Loy Kroh and the night market. Loy Kroh is the zone where the bar girls (and ladyboys) work the tourist trade. Chiang Mai is very low key in this regard, and I hear that there was some kind of concerted move to keep this kind of action in one place, rather than all over the city, so here it is. Some noisy bars with young beauties outside trying to get you to come in and have a drink. Many massage places, most of them legit, some of them more oriented toward 'special massage'. There are some intersting stores with antiques, clothing, beads, Buddhist bells, 'singing bowls'. There are restaurants, roti carts on the street, a few beggars, lots of tourists walking up and down. During the day it's a quiet place, at night the music comes on and it's the scene.
Down Loy Kroh to the night market, 7 nights a week vendors lining the sidewalks offering tee shirts, electronics, wrist watches, more tee shirts, yoga pants, carved this and that, it's a constant bazaar. There is a large plaza off the main drag where there are acres of vendors and it's a much mellower scene. I'm a terrible shopper as I don't tend to care about 'stuff', but it was still nice to have a look around and see the scene.
Just got interrupted to have another lovely skype session with Julie, and those have uniformly been fantastic... to miss someone a lot, but there she is, she's happy to see me, we get to have a virtual romance and it always lifts me up. Yes it does.
So I walked cross town afterwards to go to the Biodanza class, and I loved it again. Very touchy feelie, lots of hugs, I hugged a bunch of guys and it's OK, a different way of being, and I think there is a lot of community building value in the form. And my man Nataraj is a maestro, so it was great. After the two hour class, there was a great vegetarian feast for $3 and change and it's so cool to have connected with this hip community. There are other offerings daily, yoga classes and the like and it's right near the only park in the old city of Chiang Mai, so I strolled over there after lunch to maybe play some guitar, sit in the sun. It was like a west coast scene there, guys strumming guitars, people doing acro-yoga, others practicing their tightrope skills, just a big hang-out with many many countries represented.
It's now 5:40pm, I need to go back to the room, take a shower and then go play my restaurant gig. It's been going great in so many ways... no drama, no smoking or drinking, new friends and very limited time in the bar. And when I'm there, I get to make music, then scoot. I could use a nap, but no time now... My public awaits... ho ho ho. Chiang Mai is quite a magnet, I'm understanding more and more why I'm here. And I'm so glad that I got the two month visa in advance. If I didn't have it, I'd need to be planning a visa run out of the country before too long, but now, it's a non-issue. That was a really good move before I left. I didn't realize I'd be hanging in Chiang Mai, but why not... it's a great place and I'm happily ensconced (again). The shift from bar scene to yoga/dance scene was the right decision, and I'm basically just happy to be here. And on we go.
Last bit.... Nataraj's basic theme was 'Now'. This is it, this is the chance to feel, to express, to live, to connect right now... and Biodanza provides a great way to do it. I was reminded of a young woman I met in Eugene a few years ago. She had been dealing with cancer for a couple of years... one fucked up scenario after another, but her eyes were luminous. I met her at some kind of gathering and I asked her what she had learned from her ordeal. She was talking about how no matter what the situation, you can still be present and real and connected. I paraphrased and asked, 'So you have to live each day?'. She said, You have to live NOW!.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)