Of all the many characters
Whose lives we intertwine
The butcher and the baker
The gal who paints the sign
The chimney sweep the chambermaid
The man who lays the tile
Sure none can hold a candle
To the one who brings a smile
Down at the tavern
There's laughter and a shout
Voices raised in merriment
The joy is all about
And at the very heart of it
With unmistakeable style
Oh the stories and the singing
Of the one who brings a smile
There's music everywhere he goes
In the city and the town
A penny whistle calls the tune
Of the man from County Down
Some say he's just a gad about
Innocent as a child
But sure we need the offering
Of the one who brings a smile
Music and more music
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.
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!.
Carry a guitar around Chiang Mai...
Carry a guitar around Chiang Mai and it's amazing the kinds of situations that you encounter... I had a desire to check out a beautiful temple I had passed on one of my walks through town, so I headed in that direction to find it again. It's called Wat Chomphu and it's not only lovely, it's quiet and secluded with a nice courtyard and several buildings around it. I think there is a community of monks who are based there. I played some quiet music in the courtyard, to the amusement of some older ladies and some monks. As the sun set, one of the monks rang the bell and a prayer service began with chanting and praying on their knees. I stopped playing and listened a bit, then headed back toward my guest house.
Passed by White Orchid Massage, where I was introduced a couple of years ago by my friend Toby, and I know several of the women who work there. They call me 'Richard Gere', and since I had my guitar, I played a little bit of a couple of songs... one of mine, 'Chillin' in Chiang Mai', and the Clapton song, 'Lovely Tonight' which is the go-to tune if you want the ladies to smile and sing along. It was a nice scene.
Headed to my favorite Pad Thai street spot where I've gone for a couple of years, I'm the only westerner who goes there, but they know me and are glad to see me. A young Thai guy showed up with a guitar and after we ate, we got talking a bit and jammed on a song or two. The husband of the cook was really into it and asked him if we had played together before... he was kind of incredulous that people could just start playing, but I said, 'it's a language, and the kid translated to the old man.
Went over to Dash Restaurant, where I had a little dessert and then listened to the Thai guy who plays there on alternate nights. He's good, uses some technology, has a good act. But when he was done, they wanted me to play some and it turned into an hour long, sit around the tables and sing together, with some Americans, Canadians, Dutch customers, lots of fun and I get to be the life of the party... humbly, of course, but I just have the skill to hear what they're singing and to pick it up.... And a few of my tunes in there as well... just another night of music and fun.
Capped off with a stop by CU Corner where I got to play some gypsy jazz with Daniel, the awesome French guitar master who I've played with before... Then he took a break and I was asked to lead some songs with two young jazzer musicians Pavel and Cristof, both good players who could follow my jazzy stuff. We played til about midnight and then I split for home... Kind of a typical night in town... carry a guitar around and it just unfolds... Sweet....
Passed by White Orchid Massage, where I was introduced a couple of years ago by my friend Toby, and I know several of the women who work there. They call me 'Richard Gere', and since I had my guitar, I played a little bit of a couple of songs... one of mine, 'Chillin' in Chiang Mai', and the Clapton song, 'Lovely Tonight' which is the go-to tune if you want the ladies to smile and sing along. It was a nice scene.
Headed to my favorite Pad Thai street spot where I've gone for a couple of years, I'm the only westerner who goes there, but they know me and are glad to see me. A young Thai guy showed up with a guitar and after we ate, we got talking a bit and jammed on a song or two. The husband of the cook was really into it and asked him if we had played together before... he was kind of incredulous that people could just start playing, but I said, 'it's a language, and the kid translated to the old man.
Went over to Dash Restaurant, where I had a little dessert and then listened to the Thai guy who plays there on alternate nights. He's good, uses some technology, has a good act. But when he was done, they wanted me to play some and it turned into an hour long, sit around the tables and sing together, with some Americans, Canadians, Dutch customers, lots of fun and I get to be the life of the party... humbly, of course, but I just have the skill to hear what they're singing and to pick it up.... And a few of my tunes in there as well... just another night of music and fun.
Capped off with a stop by CU Corner where I got to play some gypsy jazz with Daniel, the awesome French guitar master who I've played with before... Then he took a break and I was asked to lead some songs with two young jazzer musicians Pavel and Cristof, both good players who could follow my jazzy stuff. We played til about midnight and then I split for home... Kind of a typical night in town... carry a guitar around and it just unfolds... Sweet....
Lucky Dog
This must be kinda boring to the folks who read my stuff the past few years... no drama, no tortured relationship issues, no travel to speak of, I'm holed up in Chiang Mai, making music, doing a daily yoga practice, eating well, getting some massages... just massages, people. And I haven't felt the need to probe deeply in hopes of uncovering some truth that was lurking underneath the drama. I'm basically just feeling content to be chilling out in northern Thailand, in the great city of Chiang Mai. Some people call me a 'lucky dog'. Sure, that works, I'm a lucky dog.
But how long will this be a great place to be? Hard to say as it keeps changing. This is my fourth winter spending time here, and what I notice most of all this year is the influx of Chinese, lots of them in the restaurants, on the street, in the guest houses and hotels. And why wouldn't they be here, China is close and there are a lot of Chinese with money. And I get the feeling that it will only increase. China is investing madly in the region, building roads, super highways, bridges, lots of infrastructure that seems to portend a Sino centric advance in SE Asia. Three years ago I took a two day boat ride up the Mekong River in Laos to the city of Luang Prabang. I remember the border crossing being quite a confusing mess, going down to the river on the Thailand side, loading into dugout boats to cross over into Laos, getting out and dealing with immigration, then back into other boats to begin the journey. Now there is a spanking new bridge over that crossing (Chinese built) and some 6 lane sections of highway along the route. Eventually it's gonna be a high speed haul across the whole of SE Asia and up into China. It's happening.
But for now, it's still possible to wander the streets and alleys of Chiang Mai, grab a bowl of noodle soup with pork $1, visit the temples, see friends, make music and basically enjoy the good life. There are tons of very interesting people pretty much everywhere you turn, that's a big part of why this city is an inviting place to be. I couldn't begin to recount all of the fascinating conversations I have on a daily basis. Well here's one, this guy Steven is a big, Ken Kesey-like presence, round face, big body, wears his Alaska tee shirt proudly, and I've met him twice now at the coffee shop. He is a bee expert, travels the world working with local farmers and NGOs 'Spreading the gospel of beejesus' as he describes it. He was a beekeeper in Fairbanks for many years, now he assists on projects in Borneo, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India to name just a few. We traded travel tales while enjoying the morning cappuccino. He's got me by a mile, but I have a few to share as well. Like the time I hiked across Spain along the Camino de Santiago, and at the end, you're supposed to hug the statue of Saint James (Santiago) which is in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostola. On the last day, I walked 25 miles, was feeling awesome, made it to the city, made it to the old city, made it to the cathedral, to find 10,000 color coordinated Christian tourists who had bussed in and were lined up half a mile deep to hug the statue. I'm thinking 'Get the hell out of the way, I walked here, look at my walking stick' and realized the joke was on me. Hey a joke is a good thing...
Or the chain-smoking old Irish guy, Noel I met last night at CU Corner who was extremely quick witted and big on the wordplay, and who loved my tunes. I started playing 'What a Wonderful World' and he began to sing in a fantastic voice, knew all the words so I got to harmonize and it was great. Folks started whipping out their phones to record it, it was so surprising. I said, maybe I need to chain smoke so I can have a voice like that. It was totally unexpected and wonderful. Just one of the myriad characters who come through this magnet of a place.
The weather has cleared and turned cold. It got down to 50 last night with a stiff breeze and the Thais are freezing, running around in winter jackets and gloves. It's all relative, of course, and it's pretty funny because I know what Americans would think of this kind of 'cold'. 'You're kidding, right?'. I actually put on a sweatshirt last night for the first time, glad I brought it. Played my two hour gig at the restaurant without stopping, it was nice to just crank out song after song. I'm singing about 4 or 5 songs in Spanish to mix it up a bit. Playing a few instrumentals that I've written over the years, singing some jazz and folk, swing and a bunch of my originals.... setting a mood as the folks enjoy there dinner. A perfect gig for me, couldn't be happier. And that about sums it up for the stint in Chiang Mai as well. Just plain happy, no drama, just living in the moment and enjoying the ride.
And PS I made my third visit to the dentist yesterday, spent 75 minutes in the chair getting a filling cleaned out and reset and then getting grinded in preparation for the second crown. Once again it was a stellar experience... had the Thai music going, felt totally confident in the skill and focus of the dentist and her assistant, breathed deep like it was a yoga session, and it was the best dental experience of my life... Who knew? Get the new crown on Friday and then I'll be done. Highly recommended... maybe one fifth the price of the same service in the US but way more pleasant. Lucky dog, indeed.
But how long will this be a great place to be? Hard to say as it keeps changing. This is my fourth winter spending time here, and what I notice most of all this year is the influx of Chinese, lots of them in the restaurants, on the street, in the guest houses and hotels. And why wouldn't they be here, China is close and there are a lot of Chinese with money. And I get the feeling that it will only increase. China is investing madly in the region, building roads, super highways, bridges, lots of infrastructure that seems to portend a Sino centric advance in SE Asia. Three years ago I took a two day boat ride up the Mekong River in Laos to the city of Luang Prabang. I remember the border crossing being quite a confusing mess, going down to the river on the Thailand side, loading into dugout boats to cross over into Laos, getting out and dealing with immigration, then back into other boats to begin the journey. Now there is a spanking new bridge over that crossing (Chinese built) and some 6 lane sections of highway along the route. Eventually it's gonna be a high speed haul across the whole of SE Asia and up into China. It's happening.
But for now, it's still possible to wander the streets and alleys of Chiang Mai, grab a bowl of noodle soup with pork $1, visit the temples, see friends, make music and basically enjoy the good life. There are tons of very interesting people pretty much everywhere you turn, that's a big part of why this city is an inviting place to be. I couldn't begin to recount all of the fascinating conversations I have on a daily basis. Well here's one, this guy Steven is a big, Ken Kesey-like presence, round face, big body, wears his Alaska tee shirt proudly, and I've met him twice now at the coffee shop. He is a bee expert, travels the world working with local farmers and NGOs 'Spreading the gospel of beejesus' as he describes it. He was a beekeeper in Fairbanks for many years, now he assists on projects in Borneo, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India to name just a few. We traded travel tales while enjoying the morning cappuccino. He's got me by a mile, but I have a few to share as well. Like the time I hiked across Spain along the Camino de Santiago, and at the end, you're supposed to hug the statue of Saint James (Santiago) which is in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostola. On the last day, I walked 25 miles, was feeling awesome, made it to the city, made it to the old city, made it to the cathedral, to find 10,000 color coordinated Christian tourists who had bussed in and were lined up half a mile deep to hug the statue. I'm thinking 'Get the hell out of the way, I walked here, look at my walking stick' and realized the joke was on me. Hey a joke is a good thing...
Or the chain-smoking old Irish guy, Noel I met last night at CU Corner who was extremely quick witted and big on the wordplay, and who loved my tunes. I started playing 'What a Wonderful World' and he began to sing in a fantastic voice, knew all the words so I got to harmonize and it was great. Folks started whipping out their phones to record it, it was so surprising. I said, maybe I need to chain smoke so I can have a voice like that. It was totally unexpected and wonderful. Just one of the myriad characters who come through this magnet of a place.
The weather has cleared and turned cold. It got down to 50 last night with a stiff breeze and the Thais are freezing, running around in winter jackets and gloves. It's all relative, of course, and it's pretty funny because I know what Americans would think of this kind of 'cold'. 'You're kidding, right?'. I actually put on a sweatshirt last night for the first time, glad I brought it. Played my two hour gig at the restaurant without stopping, it was nice to just crank out song after song. I'm singing about 4 or 5 songs in Spanish to mix it up a bit. Playing a few instrumentals that I've written over the years, singing some jazz and folk, swing and a bunch of my originals.... setting a mood as the folks enjoy there dinner. A perfect gig for me, couldn't be happier. And that about sums it up for the stint in Chiang Mai as well. Just plain happy, no drama, just living in the moment and enjoying the ride.
And PS I made my third visit to the dentist yesterday, spent 75 minutes in the chair getting a filling cleaned out and reset and then getting grinded in preparation for the second crown. Once again it was a stellar experience... had the Thai music going, felt totally confident in the skill and focus of the dentist and her assistant, breathed deep like it was a yoga session, and it was the best dental experience of my life... Who knew? Get the new crown on Friday and then I'll be done. Highly recommended... maybe one fifth the price of the same service in the US but way more pleasant. Lucky dog, indeed.
Hippie Dance Part Deux
Well it was totally worth it today, had some transcendent fun, took a yoga class, had a satisfying ecstatic dance and made some good connections, which was after all, what it was about for me. And the best part of it was the unplanned part, in which I got to take the lead for a bit, and bring the music home.
The day started with a walk through town, which is a blast in itself, a one mile jaunt through the back streets of the old city, past temples, down alley ways, past a small outdoor market, it's totally charming to be off the main roads, hard to believe that a city this bustling has so many quiet and sweet alleys.
We did a little drum and guitar thing and people got dancing and clapping, raising the spirit, turned into a circle with folks stepping into the middle to show their moves, all good natured fun, the shy ones needing a little coaxing, but lots of smiles and applause. We said names around the circle and then broke into our groups for the first session. I took a yoga class from a Brit named Jan (guy), and I liked it a lot. My body is coming around to yoga, and I'm feeling stronger and more able to do stuff, so it was good to start the day like that. And there was a huge rainstorm during the class, just pouring and we were inside enjoying the sounds and the silence.
A great vegetarian lunch and some good hang out time with the group as we're getting to know each other a bit. And during that period, I had my guitar out and was playing a song or two with some of the women near me. I taught them 'Hey good lookin' and it sounded nice. Now it's close to time for the next sessions, but between the rain and the camaraderie, no one wanted to split. There was a newcomer there, a big Venezuelan woman named Maria who came in with a lot of noise, a lot of swagger, hugging her friends, making a big scene... one of those folks who seems to stir it up. She was there to teach a 'laughter yoga' class, whatever that is, but she was into hanging out and singing and laughing. Ditto with Dao who was supposed to teach a second massage class.
It just wasn't in the cards to break up the group and it turned into a major magical hour of songs, laughter, even a little massage as we realized we weren't going to follow the schedule, someone suggested we massage each other in a circle, which we did, then we did a little laughter stuff in the circle, falling back on one another and laughing. Very goofy, very summer camp and pretty magical. I was the house band for this period, someone suggested 'Down to the River and Pray', we sang it, someone said, Three Little Birds and we played it, a couple of spirit songs, we sang them, I shared two of my simpler sing along songs and they both went over great. 'Shine a Light' and 'Walk Down the Middle'. There was something about the energy of the group trumping the 'schedule' that was very freeing, and we all were super happy about that hour. It was probably the highlight of the weekend for many of us... the fact that everyone had a chance to step up and lead, rather than follow the formula. It was extemporaneous and full of joy. Yeah!
And then there was another of the 'Dance Mandala' offerings, maybe 35 dancers, but this time there were some great percussionists in the room, guests for this particular event... the best players in Chiang Mai. An Icelandic guy who is in town writing a book, a German guy who owns the best music store in town, and this little Thai dude, must have weighed 105 pounds, who just ripped it up on three congas. Super Latin chops, and they worked well together, so the music was GREAT! I'm still not a total fan of the self involved dance thing, I'd much rather connect with other dancers, but this event was very good and I got a good and satisfying dance in. I split soon after, walked back through town, had some food at the Sunday Market, said hi at CU Corner and now I'm back at the Guest House ready to snooze. One and a half hour dentist appt tomorrow, then an evening gig at the restaurant. Hopefully my mouth won't be too sore. Supposedly some of the folks from the workshop are gonna come have dinner and hear my set. I hope so, that would be really fun to keep the energy going... Glauber is happy, this was a great weekend....So glad I stretched the boundary of what Chiang Mai is like. There's no going back. It's yoga and dance here now...
The day started with a walk through town, which is a blast in itself, a one mile jaunt through the back streets of the old city, past temples, down alley ways, past a small outdoor market, it's totally charming to be off the main roads, hard to believe that a city this bustling has so many quiet and sweet alleys.
We did a little drum and guitar thing and people got dancing and clapping, raising the spirit, turned into a circle with folks stepping into the middle to show their moves, all good natured fun, the shy ones needing a little coaxing, but lots of smiles and applause. We said names around the circle and then broke into our groups for the first session. I took a yoga class from a Brit named Jan (guy), and I liked it a lot. My body is coming around to yoga, and I'm feeling stronger and more able to do stuff, so it was good to start the day like that. And there was a huge rainstorm during the class, just pouring and we were inside enjoying the sounds and the silence.
A great vegetarian lunch and some good hang out time with the group as we're getting to know each other a bit. And during that period, I had my guitar out and was playing a song or two with some of the women near me. I taught them 'Hey good lookin' and it sounded nice. Now it's close to time for the next sessions, but between the rain and the camaraderie, no one wanted to split. There was a newcomer there, a big Venezuelan woman named Maria who came in with a lot of noise, a lot of swagger, hugging her friends, making a big scene... one of those folks who seems to stir it up. She was there to teach a 'laughter yoga' class, whatever that is, but she was into hanging out and singing and laughing. Ditto with Dao who was supposed to teach a second massage class.
It just wasn't in the cards to break up the group and it turned into a major magical hour of songs, laughter, even a little massage as we realized we weren't going to follow the schedule, someone suggested we massage each other in a circle, which we did, then we did a little laughter stuff in the circle, falling back on one another and laughing. Very goofy, very summer camp and pretty magical. I was the house band for this period, someone suggested 'Down to the River and Pray', we sang it, someone said, Three Little Birds and we played it, a couple of spirit songs, we sang them, I shared two of my simpler sing along songs and they both went over great. 'Shine a Light' and 'Walk Down the Middle'. There was something about the energy of the group trumping the 'schedule' that was very freeing, and we all were super happy about that hour. It was probably the highlight of the weekend for many of us... the fact that everyone had a chance to step up and lead, rather than follow the formula. It was extemporaneous and full of joy. Yeah!
And then there was another of the 'Dance Mandala' offerings, maybe 35 dancers, but this time there were some great percussionists in the room, guests for this particular event... the best players in Chiang Mai. An Icelandic guy who is in town writing a book, a German guy who owns the best music store in town, and this little Thai dude, must have weighed 105 pounds, who just ripped it up on three congas. Super Latin chops, and they worked well together, so the music was GREAT! I'm still not a total fan of the self involved dance thing, I'd much rather connect with other dancers, but this event was very good and I got a good and satisfying dance in. I split soon after, walked back through town, had some food at the Sunday Market, said hi at CU Corner and now I'm back at the Guest House ready to snooze. One and a half hour dentist appt tomorrow, then an evening gig at the restaurant. Hopefully my mouth won't be too sore. Supposedly some of the folks from the workshop are gonna come have dinner and hear my set. I hope so, that would be really fun to keep the energy going... Glauber is happy, this was a great weekend....So glad I stretched the boundary of what Chiang Mai is like. There's no going back. It's yoga and dance here now...
Hippie Dance (Chiang Mai edition)
Oh yeah, it's a new Glauber over here these days... out of the bars and into the yoga studio, or in this case, the 'Yoga Tree', which is a nice facility on the western edge of the old city, about a mile's walk from my guest house. Yesterday was day one of a two day extravaganza of dance, yoga, ki gong, biodanza, drum circles, the whole gamut. I had Googled 'Dance Chiang Mai' last week, and this event came up, so I decided to give it a try.
It's a $30 fee for the two days, but being the 'cautious' type (read 'I didn't want to get sucked into something I hated') I paid for only the first day so I could check it out. The woman who greeted me, 'Myrtle' was nice, Dutch and very welcoming. So far so good. There were a couple of people playing drums and I grabbed my guitar and got in with them, chanting some, getting in the mood.
In the opening circle there were about 20 of us, a few Americans, some French, two Hungarians, a few Germans, a Canadian or two, one Thai (the organizer), a Korean, a South African, a Swiss... the majority were women and it was a nice group. I had a good conversation with the Spanish guy, 42 yr old, Nataraj (he took an Indian name). Nataraj was here to teach the Biodanza workshop so I went to check it out. In Castilian Spanish 'Biodanza' is pronounced 'Bee oh don tha' and I found out that it came from Chile back in the 60s. Nataraj has made his living from it for the past 10 years, mostly in Spain, but he just came back from his first gig in Dubai where they paid his airfare, put him up in a hotel for 3 days and paid a fee, all for a two hour class. Jeez, some money in Dubai... but I digress.
It was a cool class, I liked it a lot, and why not, two guys (me and him) maybe 10 women, we did some moving around the circle stuff, some partner stuff, spirit movement etc. I liked the soundtrack he used and it was a great way to connect with people. a perfect warm up to the weekend. And he was a great teacher, nice dancer and a good guy. Made a nice connection with him, and since I'm the only person here who could communicate with him in Spanish, he said it felt like home when we were talking. Really nice guy, looking forward to more conversation.
After a lunch break... they had prepared a veggie feast which we could buy into for $3.25 (I did), I went to the massage workshop taught by a French woman, who lives in Thailand now. Her name is Dao, and she was also a great teacher. There's something about being in the presence of excellent teaching that is quite exciting, and she was right on, from the intro to the finish. She talked us through a one half hour massage that we would give to our partner and then vice versa. She was demonstrating and we were copying. Good stuff, I learned something about using gravity and breath in the work. And Dao was excited that I teach music. She wants her guitar playing, osteopath boyfriend to have a few lessons with me. I'll meet him today.
Later there was a drum circle with about 10 of us that was pretty OK, lots of sensitivity and listening, and the finale was a 'Dance Mandala' event in the large room. It was basically an ecstatic dance session but with the organizer talking throughout, saying things like, enter the temple, release the whatever, feel the blah blah blah. Um, maybe just play some good music and let people dance, but hey, that's just me. I thought it was kinda goofy, maybe egotistical to keep talking throughout. I lasted about 45 minutes, people were mostly doing their own thing, not connecting... uh I'm kinda tired, time to split, so I did.
And yeah, I was tired, walked home through some light rain, it's been surprisingly rainy here during the 'dry season', rained hard last night and it's drizzling now. Hmmm interesting. I went to bed early, slept most of the night until 4:30am, tossed around for awhile, strummed some guitar, check the internet, and now it's cappuccino time. Yup, I'm gonna go back for the second half today, it's just great to be in a different environment and to connect to some of the international dance crowd. And it was good to move, my body is appreciative. Did I say 'cappuccino'. Ciao...
It's a $30 fee for the two days, but being the 'cautious' type (read 'I didn't want to get sucked into something I hated') I paid for only the first day so I could check it out. The woman who greeted me, 'Myrtle' was nice, Dutch and very welcoming. So far so good. There were a couple of people playing drums and I grabbed my guitar and got in with them, chanting some, getting in the mood.
In the opening circle there were about 20 of us, a few Americans, some French, two Hungarians, a few Germans, a Canadian or two, one Thai (the organizer), a Korean, a South African, a Swiss... the majority were women and it was a nice group. I had a good conversation with the Spanish guy, 42 yr old, Nataraj (he took an Indian name). Nataraj was here to teach the Biodanza workshop so I went to check it out. In Castilian Spanish 'Biodanza' is pronounced 'Bee oh don tha' and I found out that it came from Chile back in the 60s. Nataraj has made his living from it for the past 10 years, mostly in Spain, but he just came back from his first gig in Dubai where they paid his airfare, put him up in a hotel for 3 days and paid a fee, all for a two hour class. Jeez, some money in Dubai... but I digress.
It was a cool class, I liked it a lot, and why not, two guys (me and him) maybe 10 women, we did some moving around the circle stuff, some partner stuff, spirit movement etc. I liked the soundtrack he used and it was a great way to connect with people. a perfect warm up to the weekend. And he was a great teacher, nice dancer and a good guy. Made a nice connection with him, and since I'm the only person here who could communicate with him in Spanish, he said it felt like home when we were talking. Really nice guy, looking forward to more conversation.
After a lunch break... they had prepared a veggie feast which we could buy into for $3.25 (I did), I went to the massage workshop taught by a French woman, who lives in Thailand now. Her name is Dao, and she was also a great teacher. There's something about being in the presence of excellent teaching that is quite exciting, and she was right on, from the intro to the finish. She talked us through a one half hour massage that we would give to our partner and then vice versa. She was demonstrating and we were copying. Good stuff, I learned something about using gravity and breath in the work. And Dao was excited that I teach music. She wants her guitar playing, osteopath boyfriend to have a few lessons with me. I'll meet him today.
Later there was a drum circle with about 10 of us that was pretty OK, lots of sensitivity and listening, and the finale was a 'Dance Mandala' event in the large room. It was basically an ecstatic dance session but with the organizer talking throughout, saying things like, enter the temple, release the whatever, feel the blah blah blah. Um, maybe just play some good music and let people dance, but hey, that's just me. I thought it was kinda goofy, maybe egotistical to keep talking throughout. I lasted about 45 minutes, people were mostly doing their own thing, not connecting... uh I'm kinda tired, time to split, so I did.
And yeah, I was tired, walked home through some light rain, it's been surprisingly rainy here during the 'dry season', rained hard last night and it's drizzling now. Hmmm interesting. I went to bed early, slept most of the night until 4:30am, tossed around for awhile, strummed some guitar, check the internet, and now it's cappuccino time. Yup, I'm gonna go back for the second half today, it's just great to be in a different environment and to connect to some of the international dance crowd. And it was good to move, my body is appreciative. Did I say 'cappuccino'. Ciao...
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