Sawadee Khrap

Yesterday we went to Tasanai’s Uncle’s Cremation in Lampang.  His Uncle died last week after suffering with cancer for quite a while.  I am developing the images and video right now, but it will take several says to complete.

Thai Cremations are similar to Irish Wakes.  For 2 days there is a meeting of relatives, with music and food as they prepare for the Cremation itself.  The Cremation day started off with food and music and about 12 noon they started the procession to the Temple with the casket carriage.  This large beautiful carriage, made of teak and containing the casket is pulled by a long rope by everyone at the ceremony.  The Temple was 1 Km up the road and police blocked off a portion of the highway so we could pass.  At the temple, prayers were said and then the fireworks began – a series of rockets on wires were set up around the Temple grounds ending at the funeral pyre – a open raised pit for the actual burning.  When lit, the rockets travelled around the grounds with a loud noise and lots of smoke – then set afire the casket area.  They also had several fireworks in bamboo columns that emitted coloured smoke and made unique loud sounds like elephants make – these were on either side of the pyre and when lit they engulphed the whole pyre in smoke.  Right after this ceremony everyone left so as to allow the deceased to leave – this was necessary because if they

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Sawadee Khrap Check out our friend’s Blog – Dee-John BlogSpot . Great pictures. We are looking forward to seeing his collection of images, poetry and commentary. Ciao Frank

Sawadee Khrap

We just got back from a great dinner at a new restaurant in Chiang Mai.  The “Spirit House”  Owners, Wanchai & Steve just opened it and we went there tonight for dinner.  The Spirit House is a garden restaurant that surrounds a ancient Chedi.  The bar area has classical music, antiques and a art gallery.  Entertainment consists of classical concerts, opera and ballet DVD’s.  They fly the rainbow flag and have sufficient space for large parties.

We had several dishes, steamed rice, pork & kale, sweet and sour chicken, asparagus with shrimp, shrimp cocktail and Thai salad with soft drinks – total bill  450 Baht = $11 US   Not bad for a full dinner for two – excellent taste, no MSG (that’s my real dread in most of the local shops), and large servings so we couldn’t eat it all and had to leave a lot  – too much for us.

When you come to Chiang Mai be sure and stop by.   They are going to have a web site in the near future and I will put a link to it here on our blog.

We are planning on visiting more local venues and report about them in the blog – I would want to develop a list of the best places to eat, stay and find entertainment in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and surrounding area and post it here so when someone comes for a visit they will be assured that they will fully enjoy themselves without the worry of being

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Another great article I found.  Actually I have a Alert Newsletter sent to me that everyone should be subscribed to.  Gizmo’s Support Alert.    Sign up here:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/al_subscribe.htm

 

Check out the article on the NEW WINDOWS VISTA  Content Protection specs and see if it blocks any of the hardware or software programs, or media like DVD’s you have now – stitching to Vista would or could make your computer life miserable in the future.

http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt

Hope this helps

Frank

Hey are you using FoxFire – Do you want to make it behave like you want –  here is a link to a great site for those special tweaks to make the browser work the way you like – try it out.

FoxFireTweaks

Ciao

Frank

Sawasdee Khrap

Just went to a great AA meeting in Chiang Mai – what made it better than others I have been to is that the members were from all over the globe.  German, Dutch, French, Australian, Middle East, British and so on.   Listening to them share, each with their own problems, but actually the same, really hit home that we all share the same joys, problems, and goals no matter where we are from – just the language is different.  Strip everyone of their Nationalism, Religion and Politics and just talk about their feelings and needs and find we are all the same  – just hiding behind these institutions.  It’s these institutions that fuck up our ability to communicate.  Meetings I went to in the Bay Area were generally limited to locals and so seeing these different views of the same problems was not there.

I’m really looking forward to the next meeting and getting to know the people there –

anyway, my thoughts

Ciao

Frank

 

 

Sawasdee Khrap Has everyone looked at

Sawasdee Khrap Boy, have I been busy trying to learn the new DVD video software – finally got it working, fades, crossovers, transitions, slide shows, and full movie preparation. I’m testing out Sony’s Vegas / Architect for Video with Sound Forge for Audio. What great programs and very easy to use – at least it is now that I am over the initial learning hump – it was difficult changing from Adobe Premiere logic to Sony’s – but I think it is a lot easier and I have full Dolbe Sound now. Once I learn it I can teach it to Tasanai. So far he has been using “Roxio” DVD Studio 8 – not that good and he needs to raise the quality of his DVD Video projects to something like broadcasting standards – looks like these will do it – the first one cut was really stable, great clarity and sound. I will now try to make some small clips to put in the Blog – maybe about the artist we show in the store and later something for the trips I take ———— I am hoping that anyone who wants to see something about a “tour” or vacation area they are thinking about – this would be a great way to do it. We have a lot of footage from videos on the trips we have taken and thousands of snapshots that would make excellent clips – just ask and I’ll try. We are planning ...

Sawasdee Khrap Here is a panoramic view of the entrance to the Royal Flora Horticultural Exposition in Chiang Mai. If you click to open it please be patient - it's a very large file. We took Tasanai’s family there yesterday and I got this 3 shot view from the front. The second shot is the fireworks display at the end of the nightly show. We intend to go back and do some serious photography next week now that we know where the events will happen and where the best shooting points are. Hopefully I’ll have some good shots to show you, till then, if you look closely at the panoramic you can see the Buddha in the far left background – thats almost 20 miles away (as the crow flies ). Actually I’m just guessing but it’s really far away. Ciao Frank

Sawasdee Khrap,    Sawasdee Pee Mai:

Here are some shots from the Royal Flora Ratchapruck 2006 Exposition.  We went there last week, first during the day and the following day with friends for the night show.  I did not get a great deal of shots but hope to get more when we take Tasanai’s family there next week.  Here are a few ( mixed collection ) of the shots I have processed so far:

 

I’ll have some more when we get back from next weeks trip – But the main URL link above will take to the official site and they also have a great Photo Gallery – enjoy

Ciao

Frank

 

 

Hey,

Just added a menu item for our new "PostCards" and "Extras" pages. The Postcard area will have "FREE" postcards featuring the pictures from our Gallerys available for you to send by email. They will have our photos from each gallery and you will be able to add text.   I am starting to set up the programming now and will have it up and running as soon as I can get it working smoothly.

The "Extras" area will highlight sites or programs we feel will be of value to our readers. It will also have a list of our "Affiliates" that we use, represent and recommend. Hosting Companies, Label, Logo and Artwork making programs, Tutorials, and any other item we find that we would like to pass on to you.  If you have some suggestions of sites or programs that we should list here – please send a comment or email and we will see if we can put it on.

Hope you find these of value. I should have them online shortly. 

Ciao

Tasanai

Sawasdee Khrap

Sawasdee Pee Mai  (Happy New Year) 

   Been watching CNN as the new year went around the world – great shows, fireworks and excitement – however – Thailand was hit by several bombings in Bangkok and one in Chiang Mai — someone always has to screw up things somewhere – so we didn’t have a very exciting fireworks display here. 

I did try to get some shots of the show that was put on – small but still very nice, but there was just too much radiant light from the city to take any good shots.  I have to practice more to get some ones I can show you. 

Tomorrow,  I will post some shot of the Royal Flora Celebration we went to last week – nice night light show and pretty busy while we were there.  We are due to go back next week to show Tasanai’s family the place – so if you have any questions or would like to see something particular you read about from the show – drop me a email or comment and I’ll try to get some pictures and post them.

Anyway  – I see 2007 came in very nicely around the world – Hope we keep it that way

Ciao

Frank

P.S.  Be sure and check out the Store and Gallery.