Community theatre at its spectacular best.

 

For the second year running I have managed to get up to Brecon for the community ballet. It is a mixed professional, semi professional and community venture and it is both wonderful professionally and also has so much heart it is irresistible. This year I got a double dose as I went to the dress, which went well, only once or twice did the director hurtle to the front to ask the live orchestra to speed up,  and the Saturday evening performance. As a result I also got to compare the leads which was really interesting. After the event, we went to the Patrons get together with the performers, as my brother, who also appeared in the production, is a Patron. I felt too shy to speaker to many of the performers, but the Director came round obligingly and the one dancer I spoke to said it was worth coming over from Portugal because of the community element of the production. He said he really loves the party scene as it comes alive.    

Little local treats.

One of the good things about Broxbourne is that so much is going on here and often I miss things by being away, but recently I have been to a play with a friend in it and a poetry evening where I knew lots of people and last Saturday for the first time in years I went to music event. It was an account of the love affair between Ralph Williams and his second wife with music and performers.  I used to go to similar things when Figur'd Shade was operating, indeed I even co-wrote and performed in one of their pieces, but this event was much more professional than my efforts.  So lovely to be in a relatively small hall, able to hear everything and just be feet from the performers so a big thank you to Hoddesdon Music Group for putting on the event.    Even better having walked there and back despite the cold I also his my steps target.   And I followed up on this Sunday by walking to the Scouts Christmas event where my art group had a stall.  

Unhappy day - mitigated.

 I have lost my purse with debit card, euros a few pounds my nectar card and most importantly senior railcard.  The good news is the debit card was blocked even by the time I reported it missing, which was in about 15 minutes of losing the purse.   So, someone has found the purse and kindly reported it but where could they be and how can I get the purse back?.  None of the local police stations has public access, the building society is closed, so the train station maybe or will the person just understandably take the cash having helped me with the card?  

Think it is because I am auto-pilot, what with what is happening in the family at present.  Even a nice day out with R in London seeing the musical Tina did not completely distract me.  

Blooming Fed Ex say they delivered something yesterday which was actually due on Monday but no sign of it.  Feeling very tired and fed up. 

                                                                    

A more positive update.  I could not work out how to contact the police re purse, but went down to Cheshunt Police Station and had to use their outdoor system ,which actually put me through to someone in Hatfield, but I managed to leave a message and by the time I got home there was a message to come back to Cheshunt to pick up the purse - so yippee.  I was just about to organise new railcards etc so very welcome news. And my parcel got here. 

I am still feeling very down,  I think seeing my family suffer recently has got to me.  However. R and I had a lovely day in town - lovely sunny day. We explored Somerset House a bit but decided to go to LSE for coffee! And then off to theatre to see Tina.  I think because of my mood I was a bit disengaged, but I loved the staging and even better loved the Chinese meal afterwards around the corner.  A great day out. 

Happy week

 Have had such a happy week catching up with friends near Lewes, having three breakfasts out with two friends and seeing two different shows - one of poetry and one an Am Dram featuring someone I know. And to top it all off a trip last weekend to see where Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant lived.  In my previous home I really liked how I painted the wardrobes and in the flat before hand I did a trompe de l'oeil and loved the effects, so I was totally in my element in this lovely house in the Sussex countryside.    I first saw it on a film about their lives but did not realise one could visit.  Bliss. 

Waiting for help to come.

 Thank goodness for the restfulness of that holiday.  Half way through I heard worrying news about a family member in hospital and wondered if I would have to curtail the trip, but luckily the family were promised that the patient would recover but would get a carer on their return home. to help with the recovery. The carer never appeared.  The family rallied around and coped just about because they were on leave until the family member went back into hospital.  He is now out. again and the family have at last escaped for two nights break as the carers were promised for this evening, and I am here monitoring and in support. However, no carer has appeared, I have had to cancel work and who knows what the next two days will be like. 

It is a big enough shock for everyone, when someone who was once more or less independent re washing and dressing, albeit in a rather dishevelled unwashed way,  suddenly cannot walk or do anything for themselves.  It is a shock when hospitalisation makes everything so much worse, so much so that the patient has to be busted out of hospital before they go into a complete decline and before help is in place.  It has been a shock to have to do everything for a family member,  from washing their teeth to wiping their bum.    So the last few days waiting for the carer has been quite stressful.  Even organising the carer has been quite stressful, and now they are not here.  And that is quite stressful but par for the course based on what everyone tells me. 

This could be why I both had to go around to a friend for a drink on Monday night and why when suddenly given the opportunity to attend a church service on Wednesday I did.  I was en route to the new Faith museum in Bishop Auckland and just felt the need to attend and have some solace in the Bishop's Palace.    

No more need be said.

 

Talking in Telc and buildings in Brno.

 Telc is a very attractive town in Moravia in the Czech Republic.  Every day bus loads of tourists from Asia come there to look around, but we were there to talk English.  I have talked English as a volunteer in Spain and Germany previously in return for board and lodging.  Now I have talked in Telc.  It is a great way of meeting people from other English speaking countries, for example on this trip there were two Canadians, one American now living in the Philippines, two Brits now living in mainland Europe, and about 6 Americans.     After last years run in with a dyed in the wool Trump fan and British supporter of Braverman, I tried to avoid the one person who declared she would vote for Trump again, but much to everyone's amusement she thought one of the Brits was Czech.  Mind you I thought the Liverpudlian from Montpelier was from the States, so many interesting accents were present.  Then there were the lovely Czechs we meet. I was especially lucky with the woman I was matched to mentor as Zaneta turned out to not be the shy person who could scarcely speak English, the person, I first met, as I quickly discovered someone with lots of knowledge but without the experience to use it till asked to do the presentation.   Having set up her first nursery about 18 years ago, she is now the owner of three places and helped set up emergency provision when Ukrainian first came to her town. She also runs the creche for the local film festival so has met the children of all the stars and she has been elected onto the town Council. Hers was definitely one of the best presentations, but all of them achieved well despite the unexpected amount of Czech that was used in a week supposed to be dedicated just to the use of English.  Some were just beginners, whereas previous participants have been intermediate or above, compared with the Spanish and German participants so that explained the less formal approach to participation.  Vast quantities of drink also got consumed, most amusingly by the Trump supporter, who despite her 80 years let rip and complained that us Brits were too buttoned up.  :) and most of the time we all joined in well socially together but sadly the party totally fizzled out.  That is usually one of the highlights for me and the food, which this year was just okay rather than great.  However, the star of the week for me was the location. It was lovely to walk through the park, past the castle, and into this beautiful square and learn about my "students " work or family en route. 

As everyone else sped back to Prague or their homes further afield, I took a short bus ride to Brno.  Not as attractive as Prague, the country's second biggest city is nevertheless worth stopping off in especially if you have studied the history of architecture as one of Mies van der Rohe's most famous houses is here.   I stupidly but accidentally booked a tour in Czech, so recommend double checking before you book, but it is very interesting to visit, despite that.    It also seems to be a party town as everyone was out eating and drinking in the warm September evening when I arrived.  Leaving late on Saturday night I travelled by bus through parts of Slovakia, Slovenia and Austria, before arriving in a wet cold Zagreb but now pleased to say in the warmth of Dalmatia by the sea. 

Kafka tracked down at last, and the Czech Bus system navigated.

 If you go to the Na Znizeci bus station in Prague, there is no one to ask which bus stop is the right one, but look at the ticket and that will give a clue.  I only needed the station as I was off to see a friend, but if the friend had not told me how to get there I would not have known as googling revealed nothing. However, from the busyness of Prague I went into the countryside of the Czech Republic and spent time with a friend from Hertfordshire in her Czech home along with other friends from Hertfordshire.   From the outside her home was just a rather dull wall, instead it blossomed literally and metaphorically.  Full of flowers, books, crafting material.  It was lovely.  She is the custodian of a dolls house museum in the small village and many of the craft activities taking place in the home helped decorate and fill the little houses.  

Once back in Prague, I just had two nights before heading off to Telc, so I had to visit the Kafka Museum.  Much of the information provided is set out quite cleverly, to indicate the world he experienced, but at the end it described a Kafkaesque world as one that is filled with helplessness. Whilst this certainly seems to be an element of his world,  to me it describes even more than that.  Anyone who has worked in the British Education system has experience both helplessness and insanity from the system, it is Kafkaesque personified.   It is one of the most relevant words I know - sadly.   Yet some of the Anglo speakers in Telc did not even know of it.  But more of that later.     I also revisited some of my favourite spots in the old town.  Prague really is a beautiful and interesting and fun city to visit. 

Back to Berlin and Prague.

 I am on my way to Croatia, but with a circular route, first stop Berlin.  The last two times I visited was in winter, New Year in my 20s,  and much more recently, when I was shown around all the key sites and some personnel sites a few years ago by a childhood friend who moved to Germany 33 years ago. It was freezing, but very interesting.   However, he always said summer was the time to visit.   Since then he has become a grandfather and one of N's cousins has moved to Berlin and had twins! So,  although it is not the height of summer, it is still very warm so I decided it was time to go back and meet all the little ones.  Although this time the visit was to see friends and family friends and family made sure that I saw some of the town too,  from a swim in the Lakes beyond Potsdam to a techno march and birthday party with D and one of the palaces and a typical German meal with family.   

My base was about an hour from each of them, but turned out to be a bit of a gem. My dorm only had three women in it and although in theory no food was provided each morning a lovely Russian speaking (originally from the Caucasus) member of staff heaped plates full of cheese, ham, cake, and breads.  When I arrived at 11pm no staff member was in sight and I felt like Goldilocks, letting myself into the hostel and helping myself to tea and cake whilst I tried to fathom out where I was sleeping.   It was only when I set up the internet, I finally got instructions and this hands off approach seems to be growingly popular, however, this staff member seemed to believe in complete hospitality, even showing us the bags to take away packed lunches!  I was not the only Brit there nor, the only British 60 + there, other guests came from further afield - Brazil, Vietnam, Italy and so on.

  

I have now moved onto Prague, which is a delightful city, I have jumped on and off trams happily all day as they are free to oldies whilst trying to check how to get to my next destination.   I have also eaten delicious food outside in a little cafe near my hotel, had coffee in Pavilion Grebovka, had lunch in what I think must be a very traditional Czech establishment which had a set menu for each day. My very limited Croatian at times giving clues as to what things might be.  Before finishing with another ice cream and then a picnic evening meal in the hotel garden.  

The Following is Based on a Pack of LIes -

 The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies The Following is Based on a Pack of Lies - Great title - new BBC series which is unsettling but in some ways, so far, celebratory viewing for anyone who has been conned.   Very little work about to happy to get viewing. 

Every second however, my What's App pings as the neighbours including myself have had to turn investigators and observers to stop trees being cut down in the street and land suddenly maybe built upon.   

It all started a few weeks ago when a neighbour asked if I had received the letter.   As it happened I had not, but I had seen the weird signs up around the street saying to contact the Council about the Auction. It turns out, and we still do not really understand why, but parcels of land in between the houses have been sold, with the implication that they can be built upon, which they probably in most instances cannot be, and then sold on again when this is realised.  But one or two of the purchasers have taken to trying to move in on "their" land and acquire more of it. The weird thing is though they have not bought all the land as the Council maintains it but does not own it and any owners cannot do anything as they only own the sub structure or something like that.  It is all very weird. Anyone Saturday a message went out, via the street What's App asking everyone to rush to protect some trees, which we have managed to do, the police have been informed about what is going on and why the residents are right to say,  the owners cannot do anything with the land and with luck things might die down.  But it is all most odd. The Auction Houses have been "lax" with their descriptions, the buyers, opportunists maybe thinking they have a bargain and then selling on again when they realise they have paid for something that at present is worthless and then one or two of them trying to bully their way onto the land regardless.  

Oh, dear, just heard more land is up for sale, the weirdness continues. 

On a nicer note, two sort of musical interludes, with R. One in Suffolk, which was still lovely despite the rain, which included a visit to Britten's House and last weekend a return to Carnival. Carnival has really changed, we were being charged for the loos, didn't really see any costumes and just heard big sound systems travelling around. I probably will not go again, but at least it was nice to see how it is, but it is like the heart and soul have gone out of it.  

ng Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies

The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies

The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies

No sound, but plenty of vision and down in Dundee.

 This is turning into a lovely summer as per usual, even if the weather has turned bad. I have had my annual outing to the proms, with school chum, I have run up to Scotland and back, (blurb to follow - I am all out of sync) and I am shattered after just coming back from my annual trip to the Cambridge Folk Festival.  

I go up every year to Cambridge in memory of JG, who was right after all when he said he was a sickly child as 12 years ago he died. We had long since broken up as an item but he was always a friend and so going to Cambridge with Graham has always been important for that reason alone, but of course it is also a great chance to dance and chat and have fun basically.  

This year there was more to it too. Unusually rather than booking for the short Thursday, I booked for the full length Sunday to see that force of nature Angelique Kidjo and was then rewarded by discovering that not only was Angeline Morrison, on the bill, who I had heard talking on Radio 4 about her Black British Folk Songs experience, but the legendary Judy Collins.    Listening to Angeline Morrison is beautiful and yet painful.   Folk songs are often about the terrible things in life, but songs capturing the experience of slaves, must be amongst the most bleak, even when wrapped up in her beautiful voice.   Later on in the day Angelique Kidjo had the audience both in the palms of her hands and singing we are all Africans.   The woman is an extraordinary force of nature and it is hard to stay sad in her presence,  but first Judy Collins took the audience down memory lane. Most of the audience being in their late 60s, remembered their teenage encounters with her music which she was revisiting with a little orchestra There is a slight catch in her voice, but at 84 that seems allowable, apart from that Clouds and other songs were as hauntingly wonderful now as they were when I first fell in love with them so I am gutted my recordings turn out to have no sound on them. She also told great stories about Mick and Leonard and Joni.  :).    No sooner had she mentioned the rain, which had held off for the others for the whole of the weekend, than it started to fall down soaking us all and so after that I went in search of music to dry clothes to and discovered The Chair,  traditional Orkney fiddle music, and even more wild, electro fiddle music,  Elephant Sessions, who were completely fantastic and I even ended the day with some Dub music.  Cambridge folk music and audience is increasingly diverse.  

Earlier in the summer, I took a break from marking I attended an honorary second cousin's wedding in Glasgow and then headed up to Dundee, both to see the V and A and a friend's daughter.  Unfortunately she was down south however, but there was plenty to see in Dundee in the sunshine including Scott's Discovery and the Jute factory (as explained in the recent BBC documentary Brian Cox's Jute Journey) and I even bumped into a couple of people I vaguely knew from Hertfordshire.   The new V and A is curious, I was not a fan of the interior, but did enjoy the workshop I did and the food and the view down over the Discovery and the fabulous Tay river. 

Oh, Phuket.

 Despite the rain, which had been promised all week, and was now lashing down on the plane, the islands below looked enticing and I felt excited when I got to Phuket for the last bit of my journey. This was always going to be the most alone bit of the journey as I would not have any formal trips or support in theory and I would be with families and couples lying on the beach or swimming together, but knowing it was going to be like that meant it was okay. Indeed I was looking forward to lying on the beach and just dipping into the beautiful sea.  However, all week the internet was warning that the weather was going to be terrible and the continuous rain en route to the hotel confirmed that the storms had arrived.    It took so long to get from the airport to my hotel it was too dark to venture forth to see the sea, and I had really hit tourist Thailand, so I ate at the my hotel restaurant and just had soup.  But what was odd was that the restaurant was not in the hotel it was out front in the car park area and much of the restaurant was taken over by a fun corporate event with karaoke and games.  It made for an entertaining end to the day.  

 My hotel was very much in the mode of other tourist destinations much bigger and more impersonal than some of the places visited elsewhere and they immediately asked for my debit card and warned how everything and anything misplaced, or destroyed would be charged for. They have clearly had some charming visitors but my big room had a balcony and little gate opening onto a path straight for the pool so was passable.  I woke early on the Saturday morning and decided as the sun was out to head for the beach and was rewarded with stunning cloud formations rising above the sea.  I probably should have gone for a swim then, as it was both quiet and calm out to sea, but my happy reveries were interrupted by the first shower of the day and whilst some surfers stayed out all day virtually  no one was out swimming in the dangerous waters for the rest of the day as holiday makers dodged swirling showers, or made the most of the warmth when the sun appeared.   After a swim in the pool I walked to the next beach but could not find anywhere for coffee so walked back again and found a lovely place, very modern and instead of ordering coffee found myself tucking into avocado on toast with feta and pomegranate seeds whilst watching the American Indian family next door have an intense conversation about something.    Perhaps they thought I could hear as they asked if I was enjoying watching!  I explained I loved their animatedness, but perhaps should have reassured them that I could not follow what they were saying.   Sometimes hearing in restaurants is very impossible.    It was all very north London reallly rather than Phuket where the majority of the restaurants had huge menus in Russian and Thai and English which did not really appeal.  Luckily I enjoyed having Thai food for breakfast so I was still eating local style food. 

Phuket in the rain. 

It was raining again on the Sunday but luckily I had a fall back position so took the bus into Phuket Town.  It rained almost continuously whilst there but that made a good excuse to pop in for very good coffee in two places and to enjoy the little shops in the colonial style buildings the town is famous for.   I contemplated running down to the beach for a final attempt at a dip in the sea once back by the sea, but the rain fell even harder than ever to put me off.  I had a rather desolate final meal and finished my book at a local cafe.   Before going to bed early in readiness for my early flight.  However, at about 3 a piercing noise shook me immediately awake. Could it be a tsumami warning. My head said it does not sound like it should be but what else could it be, so I ran around the hotel trying to see if anyone else was up or panicking I went to the top of the building and interestingly the sound was much weaker but I could hear loads of frog sounds emanating from the next door hotel. Back in my room the sound was almost deafening, so I looked up deafening sounds at night in Thailand and the Tsumami warning sound and could not really find anything that matched the sound that was still going on,b ut in the end I had to conclude it was probably the frogs delighted that the rains had stopped and because I was in the base of the building, their noises were echoing around most alarmingly.  I fell back to sleep for about another hour and then flew home!.                   

Elephants, never forget, but sadly I do.

 I have completely failed to write up about the trip, but as no one reads this account that is fine, however, I still write as maybe one day someone will read it (N) and it helps me remember what I have done and to reflect on how incredibly lucky I am 

Last night as displacement activity I re-watched The Railway Man with Colin Firth, which was set in Kanchanaburi and even filmed I now know in some of the places we visited.   It is not an easy watch but has a joyful end, and is based on a true story. 

I know when I was in Thailand I kept telling myself to enjoy it more and what an amazing opportunity it was and one I was unlikely to have again, but the mind sometimes has other ideas.  However, the day visiting the elephants was just wonderful. It did take longer than expected to get there and I was a bit alarmed when they said we would have to walk through the jungle to find the elephants but the young couple and young Dutchman, who had also booked on the trip helped me when necessary and on the whole I was fine.  And then we found the elephants and were entranced all day basically, only stopping for a delicious and much needed veggie meal midday.   The setting was beautiful up in the mountains.  The place I went to does not allow physical contact with the elephants, but we were allowed to get very close, to the four beautiful beasts. All had been working elephants for example one pair were a mother and daughter who had been separated during their working lives, but who were happy to be back together again in later life.  

Chang Mai by rickshaw.

 Waiting on the train station at Ayutthaya my instincts told me that my guide had misinformed me as to which platform I was on, then we both forgot about even waiting for a train as she ordered a drink, but then suddenly we realised the train was coming in and everyone ran. I chased the person I thought carrying my bag and then realised my guide was still behind.  So in the end in the dark it was all a bit of a mess, but luckily for some reason the staff in the railway cafe did not mind helping out and getting everyone on board and then there was time to give my guide a hug and a genuine thank you for our time in Ayutthaya and off the train went.  I had been so carefully sent from one place to the next that being on the train on my own was a bit of an adventure, but it was all so easy. People chatted, next door a Newcastle supporter was chatting to a Dutch person travelling around the region with his father and I shared a few words with the Australian of Chinese descent girl opposite me.  At a certain time someone came around to change our seats into beds.  There were places to wash and everything was nice and clean and then everyone went to bed. The only odd thing was that the lights in the corridor did not go out.  I was also pleased that I had been warned to bring something warm as the air conditioning was so fierce that I was cold.    Then come 6 am we all woke up, the same person dismantled our beds, a friendly if somewhat chaotic cafe staff member delivered my Cafe Americano and I chatted further to to the young girl opposite who had enjoyed the shopping experience in Bangkok, which she assured me was better than in her native Australia. As shopping was the last thing I wanted to do in Bangkok it was nice to hear of such a different experience. She also said how much she liked being able to explore different parts of Asia from Australia, but people kept thinking she was Thai.   

                                                                                   

Lotus buds on sale in the market ready to take to temple. 

At the station everything was easy I was taken to my lovely hotel and whisked off in a rickshaw.  Again I had been unsure about this part of the tour,  both for the person cycling and for me, but in the end it was fine for me. It was not the whole day, it was quite gentle, but hard work for the  elderly pair who drove me and my new guide around the town, before having an early lunch in a restaurant created to help Thai prisoners go on the straight and narrow!   

                                                                                 

Chang Mai consisted of earlier temples than those seen in Bangkok, and with a slightly different focus to those in Bangkok, but to an outsider like me not significantly different, but still lovely and as there was a festival just finishing lots of monks were getting fed.   However, the most important part of the trip to Chang Mai was the trip to the Elephant Sanctuary, and the hotel as the hotel in Chang Mai was definitely the best one I stayed in.   Not only were the staff lovely, but the breakfasts much better than elsewhere - I even tried some of the Thai breakfasts and there was a free afternoon tea, but I also just enjoyed relaxing by the pool. The hotel was very quiet only a few people staying and it was not till the second day that they began speaking ,but it was very pleasant and the English woman and her husband very helpfully left two Richard Osman books which I devoured over the next part of the journey. 

Ayutthaya

 Attutthaya was the capital of Siam until it was destroyed by the Burmese in 1767.  Now it is hauntingly beautiful as the many temples live on in a skeletal way.   I only saw a handful of the temples, they are all slightly different in their focus, and some have had small repairs done to them. In the heat, they are just nice to waft around and at times just to sit and look at.  Then when the sun is almost set, I also saw them from the river, which did not really work as well as it should have, as the river was low, low enough to see the rubbish all around the city rather than its former glories. 

Also near Ayutthaya is the summer palace, and here the attempts by the king of Siam, to make links with Europe are clear.  The story of the King and I as seen in the film is only slightly true, but the characters of the King Mongkut and Prince  Chulalongkorn were real and in Bang Pa we see hints of them in this Victorian "horror". 

A tasteless trip or a way to honour the past?

 When I booked my trip one aspect of the trip I was slightly unsure about was the trip to the River Kwai, both because of the history of the area, but also because I was not sure about sleeping next to the river in the dark.  However, in some ways the trip turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. First I was not totally alone, second, the museums in Kwai were really informative and in the end the river element was really lovely.

I was picked up early for the trip and soon joined by a couple.  In the hour or two that it took us to drive to one of the cemeteries in Kanchanaburi, we discovered that all three of us were from Hertfordshire.  They had bought a four day version as a separate package, I was on the three day one,  we were together for a day and a half.  So first a visit to the cemetery which was very moving, then to the museum which was very informative.  Obviously much of the information was familiar to someone of my age, but not to the others on the trip.  What was less familiar was both the sheer number of Asian people who had also died in addition to the many Dutch, Australian and English soldiers and the heart-rending accounts of what happened to those who survived yet did not get home for years or at all as the war raged on.   In the afternoon, after a fabulous meal at a way side restaurant where guides seem to swap their charges, we moved onto Hinktok Camp. Apart from a nod to the style of what the prisoners of war went through in WW2, the glamping site seemed a happy beautiful place, but of course it had a dark history, which the small museum on site reflected.  Above the site there was a third museum which we visited the following day which focused on the Hellfire Pass the bit of the railway where many Aussie soldiers lost their lives.  The camp was joyful and I had a really wonderful massage there, but it was also very thought provoking and sad, so it was nice to head down the river and then just rest there for a night.   I also learned on these two trips a lot about Mon culture.  The language is slightly different to that in Thailand and the dance style slightly different too.   The Mons mostly fare from Burma, but have moved across over many years. Our first guide came over when he was only 14 but my second one was a third generation Thai Mon.  

Elephant video really from later on in the holiday but right now just happy if the video appears. 

If I can get my camera to work a few more pictures of Bangkok.

 Once the official tour of Bangkok started I moved to a "posher" hotel. Actually it just turned out to be moderately tall tower block, down a side street in the heart of modern Bangkok,  so luckily quite quiet but near to what feels like mayhem in the heat.  I decided to walk through a relatively local park to it from the nearest tube from my hotel and it almost killed me and the slight shabbiness of the park (despite being opened in honour of the previous Queen) and the slight shiftiness of the pubs and massage bars in the area,  did not fill me with joy.    In the old town there are quite a lot of street hawkers, but more people seemed to be living in the heat of the new town and there were more people roasting foods by the side of the road, despite the intense and roasting heat of the sun, so a complex mix or rich visitors and poorer Thais, criss crossing much like the fume filled streets.  The room was nice enough, but the place a little souless compared to the hotel and the hostel I had also stayed at in the Old Town and it was really anonymous, groups of loud men in the pool and just me, not an entirely nice feeling.  Anyway the one saving grace of being in that part of town - it was a sky train journey away from the Jim Thompson museum, which I had researched when it looked like continuous rain was on the cards for Bangkok and wanted an indoor activity to enjoy.  As it happened a lot of the museum is actually out of doors but in a lovely sheltered garden so it was a good activity for a hot morning. The sky train if like me you have a slight phobia of not so much heights but some structures is not great but it is doable and convenient, but I would not want to have to use it again.   

Saturday in my 9th floor hotel room, curtains closed to avoid the dizziness. 

Jim Thomson's story is interesting as he was in the war in the area, but stayed on and according to the museum helped resurrect the Thai silk industry. He was into the arts and apparently helped source silk for the film The King and I.  He also bought up the houses that form the heart of the museum and lots of antiquities, but then mysteriously disappeared whilst holidaying in Malaysia.   

Still having problems so cannot upload images I want to. 

Take it to the mountain and a chance to learn more about Thailand.

 I was very lucky, in Xian I had a wonderful trip to the Terracotta Warriors. It was an organised day trip from the youth hostel there and five of us went on it, a man from Australia who knew a lot about Chinese history and who could afford to travel to China regularly on his pension, two young female travellers, one from Sweden, and one from Thailand and of course me.  I did not keep in touch with any of them except for the woman in Thailand and because I did not really know her or expert to visit Thailand I did not follow up on the limited contact we had. Despite this when I let her know I was coming into Bangkok she kindly arranged to meet up with her and had a lovely late afternoon with her.  She said that since the pandemic she hasn't been anywhere - not even into the centre of Bangkok, so my visit had motivated her.  We mostly pottered but found the local temple had a food festival and film stars visiting, sat in the park and talked about the Monarchy - we stood when the time came for the National Anthem - and about the upcoming election and about her new work teaching Chinese online to Thais.  It was very kind of her to help me learn more about her country.   

The following day I took it easy, knowing that in the evening I would be heading for the mountain.  Bangkok is very very flat, expect for a mound with of course a temple on the top.  There was a ceremony made even more atmospheric by the wind whipping round the site and the chanting of the followers and on the way down the heavens opened. As I sheltered a kindly monk gave me a cheap coverall poncho which was also invaluable at the of the holiday.  Rain was often forecast and when it came it was very very heavy, but luckily it eased off and encased in pink plastic I made it back to the hotel. 

Wat Pho early morning. 

Buddhas of Bangkok.

 I have been very remise, as have not written anything, but the weather has been so glorious here in the UK that gardens have come first alongside some work. 

Bangkok glistens in the sun, everywhere there are temples dotted with mosaics and gold leaf, dazzling the eye.  My second morning I set out for the flower garden, but instead found myself at 8 am the first into Wat Pho, for the first hour I almost had the place to myself, but it is is such a big complex that it was towards the end that I found myself peering between two pillars at a huge face.  The reclining Buddha.  He turns out to be my Buddha as I was born on Tuesday, but I did not know that at the time.  

By the time, I had stopped being gobsmacked,  it was time to finally fall out the calm of the Wat back into the heat of Bangkok and grab a breakfast. I did not care that I was in the most touristy part of time I was just hungry to tuck into a breakfast British/American rather than Thai.  After I tried to follow the river to the flower market, but lots of buildings were getting in the way, which is when I got seduced instead by the idea of a boat trip.  I know I paid way to much for the trip, especially as it did not take me to the floating market, which it promised to take me to, but in that heat it was a great way to see Thonaburi and a few more mega Buddhas.   If I had not watched Michael Portillo on his train journeys, I would have never known about this alternative former capital and the water ways of Bangkok, so whilst it was a stupid price it was worth doing.  And I gained merit by feeding the fish. :)

Welcome to Bustling Bangkok.

 I emerged from the 12 hour flight (two long films, two meals, and a couple of hours sleep) at 6.15. By the time I had navigated my way to the end of the first underground line, it was very hot.  The heat hit and the huge buildings engulfed me, it would have been very easy to be overwhelmed, but luckily a Thai woman, about my age, spotted me trying to navigate using my phone and poor Booking.com map, and encouraged me in a certain direction.  No sooner than she had left me a man about my age, but with less English than the first person, also checked I was okay.  Luckily they had sent me in the right direction and when I came across a bus stop and really clear information about which bus to catch to my hotel, I was doing fine.    The 20 minute wait went easily whilst chatting to a South American German, on his second trip to Thailand and he was also able to reassure me that I could pay for the bus once on board. I often walk rather than try and use public transport so in this heat that was very helpful and it was nice to find a conductor on board who ensured that I got of at the right point near to democracy square.   Initially I could not find my hotel and I was worried that things had gone wrong again, but another Thai helped me and even though I did not expect to be able to check in nice and early, I was in my room and resting very quickly. But sleep would not come so I went exploring. It was so hot that I kept to green areas, but this way I got to see Sanan Luang, near the Royal Palace, then Saranrom Park and finally Rommaninat Park, which eventually became my favourite as I could head down there after the heat of the day and enjoy watching the locals doing exercises.    And in the evening I walked down to Mahakan Fort, the relatively new Wat Ratchanatdaram and another park.    I even found a nice little place, by one of the little canalways that crisscross bits of the Old Town to have coffee. It was very modern. As well as coffee and cake it supplied Thai Wedding Costumes.  

Bodhi tree in the park

It was very hot. 

Electioneering. 

Trip to Thailand, underpinning concerns.

 The other night I dreamed I was talking to Joy, my late father's late wife.  I put my arm around her shoulder, something I never did in real life and explained to her why I had just been to Thailand.   Joy's death at 90 was unexpected, despite her good age. Only about 5 years ago she went on a massive trip through Thailand and Cambodia and Laos.  She did find it tiring, but did it.  And when she was about my age, she went to Australia, but ordinarily I do not think I would think of her as a traveller. Although I travel a lot I too am not a traveller.  Usually I am "funny" the first night,  feeling very dubious of where I have fetched up as if determined not to like it, but this does not always happen and it always dispels the minute I actually start properly holidaying. The fun and excitement just overrides it.   But my trip to Thailand went against this normal situation, I do not know if it was guilt about Joy (whose unexpected gift of the money paid for this and the trip to Norway)  or my father or what but  almost every evening I was odd, like I just could not settle and relax into being away.  I felt scared at times by my mental state.   Luckily I actually really enjoyed my days in Thailand, but this battle over my mental state, did detract from the trip, so much so that by the time I got onto the formal tour bit of it ( I went out a couple of days early) I was really keen to join in with the other people on the tour.  So when I met my guide and was told I was the only person on the tour I was near to tears.  That was not what I wanted.   I wrote to the company I had booked with to express my dissatisfaction and they told me I was on an individual tour -something I had completely missed in my excitement at booking.   It is not their fault I misunderstood what I had bought, but I am disappointed that they did not thank me for the feedback and think about it.  Almost everything else that the tour covered was done really well.  But their lack of politeness at the end, is a disappointment.  

Anyway luckily for them the Thai guides and drivers did a very good job and because I went on a tour I saw much more and learned much more than if I had gone on my own and in fact it was so hot whilst I was out there I think I would have really struggled on my own. So I know I should be raving about the holiday but I am not, however, I do know that I am very fortunate to have been there and to have seen all I have seen.  From the old town of Bangkok,  to the horrors on the beautiful River Kwai, to the former capital at Ayutthaya, up to Chang Mai, the Lanna capital and finally onto Phuket, I really I got the chance to know the country physically and historically very well.    So thank you Joy for both the inspiration and the finances. 

                                                     The flat landscape near to Bangkok. 

Coming into Phuket. 

Flam and the Briksdal Glacier.

 The Flam railway was everything it should be and more, even though the famed waterfall was mostly still frozen over it was just lovely being in the old vehicle and going up through the mountains to where the snow still had a thick covering over the land.  

The actual town of Flam is very small as are all these Fjord towns, though the numbers must swell considerably when the tourists are in town.  However, it is still more convenient a stopping off point than Olden which felt cold and distant when we arrived so I was really glad that I had booked a formal tour on this final day, which was a coach trip up to Briksdal and then the "Troll Car" - a rather terrifying twisty route up and back which deposited one nearish to the glacier followed by quite a steep walk if you wanted to get closer, which I did.  All of us on table 80 found it absolutely mesmerising and loved being out in the snow and in nature despite the presence of so many others. Once back down the mountain tea and cake awaited us so what more could one want.  

Standing stone near Flam. 

Back on board, there was food, dancing, more shows and so on. I absolutely loved being in the spa and watching the ship sail majestically up the fjords, I was also very impressed with the staff and wished I had had the inspiration to go to see to either put on shows or be a chamber maid and travel at the same time. However, there were aspects that did feel a little uncomfortable for example I would not have got work as a chamber maid as I am not Filipino and whilst a number of the musicians around the ship were they did not feature in the shows, which were all British, so whilst the ship was very international, some of the roles did not seem as mixed as they could be.   I have checked my finances and I am not sure I can justify splashing out again, but in many ways it is a very nice and comfortable way to travel so I can see why so many older people go for it, but how on earth some do several trips a year heaven knows.  Anyway I am glad I know what a little cruise on a little ship feels like.  

The Most Unbelievable Amazing News and Beautiful Bergen.

 I know I still have not finished writing up about Norway, but this news is too important and amazing, so have to share it.  The neighbouring Green Party has swept away the local Conservatives.  They have gone from having two councillors to having seventeen. It is an astonishing achievement.  I know many of the people who have just become Cllrs, I am aware how hard everyone has worked in the area and am absolutely delighted for them.  Well done. 

The political make-up of the council is now:

•    19 Green  
•    16 Conservative
•    10 Liberal Democrat
•    5 Labour

I did not stand this year, partly because of my travelling but it was nice to do some Telling yesterday and to be at the Count to see all the postal votes being opened, so well done to the Broxbourne Green Party for a solid consolidation of the vote in the target ward.  What has happened in East Herts shows that with enough people and an open population that change really can happen.  

Norway's history shows it is a very interesting and open place and on  my second day there in Bergen I did learn more about the country at the Hanseatic League museum and again later in the day at the Resistance Museum tucked away near the castle grounds.  

I had really been looking forward to Bergen, and it was a nice day and interesting, but one I was very tired and two many of the key museums (e.g. Grieg's House) were shut but I think it is because the first day had been so wonderful that Bergen had a lot to live up to and in the end it was probably a slight disappointment compared with everything else.  But it is still beautiful, just love those wooden houses, so beautiful. 

One of the lovely things about being able to dock so near to the centre of town, I managed to rush out and get to the Tourist Office at 9 and check out what was open and so on get a map and then nip back to the boat for breakfast and then head out to the town for the whole day. Despite having just had breakfast I stuffed my face with coffee and the best carrot cake ever but then determindly kept going as long as possible to see as much as possible in the town before heading back to the ship for a well earned fish and chips supper!.  Life on board. that being Saturday night I then went and did my laundry and then popped back up to see my fellow dinners on the second shift of food and had a very naughty plate of cheese and biscuits with which to end the day. 

:) :)