Pink Hearted Passages

Partner Yoga Fun :)

2009-03-23T07:27:00.002-05:00

Partner yoga fun ya'll :) ...................

Divine Loves Secret

2009-03-01T09:33:00.001-06:00

The secret to making divine love a reality lies in feeling and expressing all the emotions that don't feel like love, and doing so free of any blame or criticism. Since emotional upsets are always opportunities to heal the past, I agree to breathe every breathe as deeply as possible since the more deeply I breathe the greater my awareness of the emotions that are buried deep inside me.

To the people in my life I say "you have my permission to be emotionally honest with me and I ask for your permission to be emotionally honest with you" At those times when you get triggered into and emotionally upset by something I have said or done, rather than withdrawing, I ask that you express your emotion directly to me while keeping in mind that I am not to blame for what you are feeling. Instead of getting defensive, I will do my best to receive your honest emotional expression as a gift.

And with your permission when I feel hurt or angry or frightened in relation to something you've said or done, I will not withdraw from you but express my emotion openly with the awareness that you are not to blame for what I am feeling. At such times, I will ask that you receive my honest emotional expression as a gift, even if my emotion is difficult for you to be with.

In addition, if I speak critically of you, please remind me to explore my own irritation rather than continuing to focus on what I think is wrong with you. And if you get critical of me I will remind you to explore your inner irritation rather than continuing to focus on what you perceive is wrong with me.

By being together in these ways, to the best of our abilities, we can help one another remove the barriers which keep us separate and stand in the way of the intimacy and uncondional love we long for.

Breathe deeply feel and express every emotion that arises, do not blame, criticize or get defensive, and remember that emotional upsets are always blessings in disguise....herein lies the secret to making divine love a reality.

Colors of healthy eating....

2009-01-31T02:56:00.003-06:00

Yummy healthy deliciousness for the living foods lifestyle I am on.....

ATVs

2009-01-18T09:46:00.003-06:00

Yeehaw! a day of adventure; 4-wheelers and an island full of mountain trails. What a grand time, once we found enough of them. We had to go to half a dozen places to find one with at least 4 ATVs available at once but we finally did. What a crazy crew we made.....we rode all over the island searching out the best viewpoints and waterfalls and then came up with a plan to go to an inaccessable beach over on the eastern shore & discovered just how treacherous the path really is, Travis especially! The roads were so steep and sandy and graveled we were probably nuts to try it in the first place. there were a few doubtful moments and a couple close calls and then he hit a tree! Travis that is hit a tree, he lost control down an extremely steep hill (had the sense to bail of the vehicle) and the 4-wheeler ran off a curve & slammed right into a tree and rolled down into some brush. It took all 4 of us to get it back to the road and needless to say we turned around and have continued to take only boat taxi to that particular beach area since ;P But all in all it was an incredibly fun and exciting adventure.......

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-03T04:37:00.001-06:00

Kambucha Tea

2008-12-28T10:50:00.000-06:00

This I am also growing! The "Chinese immortality Tea" look it up it is GREAT stuff and there is lots of documented research about the health benefits. A really nice Russian guy who owns a health spa called The Good Life up in the mountain town Pai gave us some pieces of his culture to spawn our own. His was hands down the best I have ever tried, a perfect flavor and lots of fizz! We have named the mother culture Trinity and the first batch is almost done and I am so excited to start drinking and sharing it! pics to come soon.....

WheatGrass

2008-12-27T22:46:00.000-06:00

I am growing wheatgrass! So in case you didn't know it is an amazing superfood that is juiced and drank by the shot. It is pretty easy to grow here is because it is the perfect climate; warm and humid....I am excited to try my first shot of home grown....more updates to come as my garden grows....

Christmas Yoga

2008-12-24T22:24:00.001-06:00

So the Agama community had a gathering for Christmas (on the 23rd because a retreat was beginning the next day but Same Same) It was an interesting set of activities. We sang Christmas carols along side Jewish Bajans and then did a Hindu round dance that reminded me of square-dancing ;P We had a gift exchange and that was fun, it was cute to see what people could find for 50 baht (which is like $1.50 US). It was kinda slow but really nice to see all my new friends..... My favorite was a reciting of the classic poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' I was suprised to notice I still remember all the words myself, haha!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY YULE, LOVE AND LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!

Pai

2008-12-13T09:24:00.001-06:00

Loving the health and wellness of my mountain retreat getaway.......I am at a sleepy little mountain town tucked away in Northern Thailand. It has only got a population of about 4000 people but they are mostly artisan and crafters. It makes a really nice vibe, the town is really just a bunch of leather, jewelry, and craft shops with a lot of little boutiques and yoga schools too. Tons of beautiful handmade items. I have been helping my friend Mike who lives in Thailand now select décor for his new home here in Asia. Everything is amazingly inexpensive, even shipping stuff south to the island he lives on. There aren’t many western visitors either it is mostly locals and Thai vacationers, it was actually crazy busy with Thai tourists last weekend for the Kings birthday…..the streets were so crowded you couldn’t even ride a bicycle but it has been such a nice change to be away from all the “farang” (western tourists) HAHA!

White Water Rafting !

2008-12-13T09:22:00.005-06:00

OMG! Amazing :) I went white water rafting with Mike (New Yorker). It was so incredibly beautiful; we rafted down the Pai river through the mountains of North Thailand. We had a really fun group, about 13 people total in 3 rafts plus 3 guides/captains. We hit about 15 rapids the first day, a nice easy slow intro with stop at swimming holes and hot springs. The water was REALLY cold but rowing and adrenaline kept me plenty warm. There was absolutely no one else on the river, it was pure unadulterated jungle canyons to look at…..I had more than a couple moments of being lost in the view and needing reminding to awareness of my rowing duties :P We stopped at a riverbank camp for the night, with a campfire going to warm us and dry our clothes and then a delicious dinner cooked on the open fire and washing in the river. it was great eco-tourism; everything was made of natural materials. Bamboo and peg platforms to sleep on and bamboo “plumbing” for running water from the river. We head out again the next day for 45 more rapids giving us a total of 65 kilometers of river travel! We only flipped our raft once, we lost control at the “washing machine” ……what a great name for a whirlpool, haha. We had a packed lunch of rice and cooked veggies wrapped in banana leaves (truly leave no trace). Ah, an adventure I’ll not forget!

Bodhi Villa

2008-11-29T03:31:00.001-06:00

The spot I am staying is divine! Bodhi Villa Chill Out is the name :) I am in a floating bungalow on the river, there is a little wooden walkway that goes out to room and the water facing side is just long wide curtains that blow in the wind. It is so beautiful and the sun rises over the opposite side of the river with the breeze waving the curtains so you catch glimpses of the sunrise but are not blinded by the light. We hung a hammock on the open side too so we can pull up the curtains and just lay in the hammock for a book or nap….absolutely fabulous spot. A great guy named Hugh (Aussie) owns the place and the bar is rockin every night and has a full stock of western favs (including the Captain :P). The food has been one of the best parts too, everything on the menu is delicious! We actually had to stay someplace else the first night in Kampot cause this place was full but it was worth the wait, my friend Tanya (from the Yoga school in Koh Phangan) recommended this spot and I will be giving her a big thank you for that! If you are in the area it’s a must! I am actually sorta sad to be moving on but I have been in Cambodia a while now and my visa is up soon so time to move on……

Kampot

2008-11-23T03:31:00.002-06:00

Kampot is a wonderfully central location for South Cambodia, there is Kep to the East and Sihanoukville to the West, the river, caves and Bokor mountains/National Park.

I have taken day trips to all, it is so much nicer to just settle somewhere and go out from there than be constantly on the move. The National Park is actually closed for construction (or the part I wanted to visit)…..there is a “ghost town” in the mountains, it was built a century ago by the French and has a hotel, casino, and even small palace but was abandoned TWICE because of fighting in the region and it is undergoing revitalization again so I hear. Next time I am here the casino will probably be open for business, I would have liked to see it empty and with all the original architecture…….but oh well. The rapids upriver have been fun as well as a day trip to Kep and great oceanside seafood at a shack in the crab market. The town of Kampot is small and quiet and pretty much shuts down after dark but this has been one of my favorite places and I think I may just come back here again someday.

South Coast Cambodia

2008-11-18T10:52:00.003-06:00

I am staying in a little slice of heaven on the south coast of Cambodia. A little town about 30,000 people where the river and ocean meet. It was about a hundred years ago a tourist hotspot for the French when Cambodia was a protectorate and part of French Indochina but has been derelict since the turmoil beginning a half a century ago and only just ending in this area a decade ago. There was actually still fighting between the Vietnamese and the Khmer Rouge guerrillas in the 90’s. you can see the scars of war and most especially land mine victims all around but you also see the very rapid development and urgency with which the culture is hurdling itself toward new technology and modern life. Kids ride around on pimped out new scooters with flashy cell phones but live without running water or sometimes even electricity. There is development everywhere though, construction is booming and they say in 10 years it will be another Thailand….aka #1 tourist spot in SE Asia (fact is if it weren’t for the civil war and fighting it might already be). Thailand really has it down to a science, you can get anything and go anywhere all designed with travelers in mind ;P Cambodia is on its way there, many of the roads are still barely travel worthy but tourism is fast becoming a main base of the economy. The people are SO incredibly nice and just sincere it is truly refreshing.

Phnom Penh

2008-11-18T10:51:00.000-06:00

Okay well it is a Capital City but I just don’t get why the cities in Asia are always so damn dirty. I mean rubbish has been created by people as long as people have been around, have they always just tossed their trash on the ground? Where are the trash cans? The respect for the earth (which you would imagine a culture still consisting of many agricultural oriented people would have) It is such a huge turn off to walk down streets with litter everywhere. Bangkok was of course the worst I have ever seen but ug. I did go to the National museum and the S21 prison museum. The later was incredibly creepy and depressing. Such carnage and violence and it was so very recent, or seems so, the 70’s were not that long ago and MANY people from that era are still alive. I was surprised to learn that people who were a part of Pol Pots regime are actually still free and alive, not to mention that there was still fighting in outlying areas till the 90’s! Whoa. Also interesting was the unique blending of Hindu and Buddhist theology in the Angkorian history. There is an interesting mix of Buddhist and Hindu statuses and temples, and all very beautiful. I don’t think I will be here long, between the dirty, rainy, crowded city and the coast, the coast is winning….on a bus again tomorrow :)

Living our Dreams

2008-11-16T10:49:00.001-06:00

I am so intrigued, I am fantasizing about it, even testing plans in my head of how I could work it out. Living in SE Asia & traveling forever, not just a vacation with a time limit and return deadline but packing it in and starting over in a paradise where you can live for a fraction of the cost back home. I have met so many people along my travels who have chosen to live this laidback ex-pat Asia lifestyle. The cost of living is incredibly cheap and I suspect they are all running from something (I know many are). Is that the draw for me, what am I running from? I feel so tempted by this easy, anonymous, tropical life. I have been trying to figure out what to do with myself for a while and just seem to always find things I can do, things that work, things that don’t work but nothing that really sticks. My restless spirit is finally experiencing a little calmness in my travels but I think even settling in Asia it is the settling that will bring back the restlessness regardless of the where. Cheers to all the people who have found and are living their dreams in SEA.

THE Angkor Wat

2008-11-13T09:25:00.004-06:00

Although the entire archialogical site is generally referred to as Angkor Wat the is the name of the main and grandest temple in the complex. With a moat over 2 miles long and central tower spires that rival the Taj Mahal! Supposedly there were once crocodiles in the moat as it was a defense mechanism but since kids swim in there I think they must be all gone ;P I have never seen a more magnificent building in my life. It is still a temple too! (though many are) with monks and daily offerings and prayers at the buddhas. The pools are not used and much of the site is in various states of repair and work to save and restore it but it was totally awe-inspiring none the less.

Angkor Picture Mania....

2008-11-12T07:33:00.001-06:00

okay so there are just to many good ones to pic through so here is just a page of favs!

Tomb Raider

2008-11-11T19:30:00.002-06:00

yep this was the inspiration and film location for parts of the Tomb Raider movie…..actually called Preah Kahn. Such fantastic imagery, the ruins are dazzlingly marvelous. The jungle is slowly taking over and it is like catching the battle in midstride with roots and trees toppling giant stones over the centuries. The complex was huge and I wandered for hours, I never imagined there were so many shades of green!

Bayon

2008-11-10T19:57:00.003-06:00

Bayon is one of the most magnificent temples. It is 3 levels the bottom being especially creepy with narrow corridors and the faint sounds of rats scurrying in the dark but when you look up you see giant faces watching you. There are over 300 giant faces staring down from all directions! When you climb to the top level you are almost as high as the face towers but the don’t lose any of their dynamism. The face is supposedly a conglomeration of the king who built the temple (Jayavarman VII)and a Buddha face. A peaceful enormous face with a hint of all knowing smile. I can only guess how creepy it could be at night in the moonlight ;P! And what must the citizens of Angkor felt about being surrounded by the face of their king constantly watching from all directions…

Angkor Wat part 1 continued

2008-11-09T22:01:00.002-06:00

Angkor Wat day 1

2008-11-09T20:01:00.002-06:00

Wonder of the world in Cambodia, check :D ! I am so excited, I just began exploring the magnificent structures of what was once a city of over a million people.....this when London was a backwater of 30,000 or so, WOW! As I walk through the temples and buildings and enormous gates and bridges I imagine how it must have looked a thousand years ago. Banners, paint, silk and fabric, people, furniture... My imagination runs wild.

I know the pics don't do justice but I took a gazillion of them anyway.......let thine eyes feast.

Road to Seim Reap...

2008-11-06T20:30:00.000-06:00

Well make that 32 hours in transit, haha. The guidebooks are not exaggerating when they say the road from the border to Seim Reap is in terrible shape. The road was really just a dirt track full of ruts and rocks and washed out in some places. The bus broke down not once but twice! Haha. It was a grueling and slow and sitting in the back of the overcrowded bus was like a 7 hour ride on a crappy ancient old wooden roller coaster that never stops bumping and rattling. I was most definitely the worst transport I have experienced in all of Asia and interesting to note is an item I read saying that an “unnamed” Airline is actually paying to keep the progress halted so the only comfortable way in to the country is by plane!

Cambodia

2008-11-04T10:23:00.001-06:00

So my plans are set, off to the next destination, Cambodia. It is funny to note that although it took me 27 hours to travel to Thailand from Austin TX (the other side of the planet) it will take me 30 hours to get to Siem Reap Cambodia, which is the next country over! I’ve got music, books, tickets and even homemade trail mix for the journey :) Lorena, Mike and I are on the same bus and Miriam left 1 day ahead of us...... Rainy season is fast approaching, it is sunny today but rained almost every day last week and supposedly November is it, Monsoon month. Don’t really wanna stick around for that, and since the rainy season is ending up north I shall follow the wet weathers tail and return in December for the high season again. I am ready and excited for a new background again and the highlight will be seeing Angkor Wat which I have been looking forward to!

Halloween Party

2008-11-01T09:05:00.004-05:00

What a great turnout! There were more than thirty people at the party and that is super for rainy season :) I haven’t lost my knack for organizing and promoting nightlife activities, haha;p The dinner was delicious; Masaman curry, sprout salad, dahl, papaya salad, rice noodles with vegetables and many more…..and Tiffany made a vegan chocolate cake that was amazing. The group here is so much fun. I had a line of people wanting paint when we finished eating, it was great! I did a whole body on Miriam…a moon and sun on her chest and clouds and birds on her back and face with vines and flowers coming up her legs. A Thunderbird and tribal marks on Mike, clockwork orange, lots of beads, feathers, swirls, leaves and flowers. It was a Castaway fashion show, people were marvelously creative with nature. Drumming and dancing around the bonfire followed and when the fire died down we went next door to the hall and plugged in the sound system for some psytrance. I hope everyone had a fantastic Samhien too :)

Halloween Costumes

2008-10-29T23:54:00.000-05:00

Halloween Costume creation YEA! My tradition of hosting a Halloween party will not be deterred by my travels to the other side of the world :) I am organizing a shindig at the beach with my new friends. I have made and posted some flyers at the yoga halls and at the bungalows restaurant/kitchen. We will have a bonfire on the beach, and dance music in the green hall nearby (DJ Rabbi) and a potluck before the party. The theme is Nature recycled so all the costume will be made from found items at the beach or in the jungle. I am so excited! I went out today with Lorena and Mike and got a bunch of banana leaves and palm branches and flowers, its gonna be a great creative outlet as I am also going to be painting people with my body paints! Woohoo, Happy Samhain all my pagan friends and Happy Halloween to the rest of the world, Blessed Be.

Pheang Waterfall

2008-10-25T00:20:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful place, I am totally impressed! I went to Phaeng Waterfall today which is actually in a National Park (albeit a small park but beautiful none the less). There was a well marked trail for the direct to the summit path and also for the nature trail that runs closer to the water…..I of course took the nature trail :) It was fantastic! Falls and pools all along the way, it was a great hike. No getting lost in the jungle this time we hiked upwards for a few hours but it was hard to determine when to head back down and we timed it perfectly it was just turning dark as we exited the trail head and made it out just fine. It is always so dark under the canopy of trees in a forest that even before dusk you need flashlights.

Bamboozle

2008-10-20T22:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, well I found a Mexican restaurant ;P its called Bamboozle and located in Haad Rin so a good 30 minute motorbike ride from where I stay but went and checked it out tonight. It was actually alright, had Guac, quesadillas and burritos. The guac was good, a little heavy on the onion (and they put cucumber in the salsa but I think Thais just put cucumber in everything). The quesadillas were nice, chicken spiced very well but not pressed/grilled enough, they sorta came apart when picked up….haha, but overall delicious! I wandered around Haad Rin with Mike, stopped to say hello to my friend Tai at his sushi place and met Mikes buddy at Electro Pimps. What a great concept, you can get any device or hard drive filled with stuff for super cheap….music, movies etc. ah the joys and conveniences of living in a country where laws are negotiable and the rules are there are no rules! HAHA! I have actually made all the music swaps I can until I get more hard drive space ;P I already scoped out a few hundred gig of documentaries and world music I want from other friends……

Waterfall

2008-10-17T17:05:00.001-05:00

I took a wonderful walk out back of my friend Mikes house today to visit a beautiful hidden little waterfall. The rainy season is finally starting to get going and it has rained every morning for about an hour or so and the dry creek beds are coming to life! You can hear the sound of the rushing water before you can see it and then you’re right on top it after you walk through some brush and trees. The water cascades down a rocky creek bed with little swimming holes conveniently spacing the drops by 15 feet or so. (I was imagining being able to just stand under the flow of rushing water to wash my hair, it was better than a massage shower head and definitely had more pressure than the plumbing in my bungalow :P) I had a very nice soak with the water swirling about and the sun peaking from behind the clouds. We hiked up as far as we could and then made our way back down to the bottom all in the water…it was a perfect temperature, refreshing but not cold. All only a 3-5 minute walk from his patio, what a paradise!

Potlucks

2008-10-14T17:04:00.001-05:00

We had another fabulous bonfire potluck! These folks are becoming like family, such diverse backgrounds but a beautiful blending of hearts. The varieties of food made with such LOVE feeds us in a way that goes beyond the body. There was a drum circle, and Carlos got out his Flute which is always a hit! We ate and sang and danced and drummed. Life as it was meant to be lived. The ocean right beside us and a family I have found here on the island that I will not forget when I leave.

Migraine

2008-10-11T10:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a hard one. I awoke near dawn to a splitting headache, a killer, make you dizzy when you try to walk to the bathroom doozey. So I spent the day in bed, sleeping and trying to relax away the pain. Keeping m eyes closed always helps lessen the pain and since it was a first since being away it took a while to find my comfort zone….but I am feeling better, a little stronger today. Took a walk on the beach in the light of the Full Moon and ate some fresh fruit and morning glory. What I really miss is real dark chocolate. I can find candy bars and some knock-off chocolate candies but I would love some rich dark chocolate squares, like 69-70% or more dark, mmmmhhmmm! Ah well, ya take what you can get sometimes and my adventure so far has had few down-sides so a temporary sacrifice of really good chocolate isn’t destroying me just yet ;P

Golden Memories

2008-10-08T10:30:00.002-05:00

I have found a very special place on this planet. I have been to many other places in Thailand and a few other South East Asian countries. This island has a unique energy. There is a great variety of people that come through, from the partiers for Full Moon to the Yogis and the local population that all comes from 5 big families who have always been here and pretty much “run” the island. All the laws are pretty much buyable and the place is very laid back and quiet politically because of that (no riots or demonstrations ever happen here). Anyway there is just such a beautiful and simple life here but with great diversity of activities. A rocking psytrance and dance music scene (and plenty of house to satisfy me!) lots of Yoga, pilates, and muay thai boxing ;P, beaches, jungle mountains, waterfalls, an archery range and I even found a weekly stitch-n-bitch group, haha! A constant influx of interesting new people and many who come and never leave! Time sorta stops or at least completely changes pace…..life and business revolve on a lunar calendar. You can find anything you want and abundance has a different meaning. I can literally pick fruit from my yard; mangos, bananas, coconuts, papaya growing outside everywhere in this paradise. All you need for comfort is a fan and a hammock. Life the way it was meant to be lived. I know I was directed here for a reason, I had considered passing it up on my route and then thought I would only stay a week or less…..2 months later I am wishing I never had to leave and plotting my return.

The Cave

2008-10-04T17:02:00.001-05:00

There is a cool little spot just 3-5 minutes up a hill across from my bungalow….a hidden cave that faces the ocean and the setting sun. The climb up is a little steep and you walk 15 feet down the Cliffside to the opening once you get to the top of the hill. It is all set up from many previous visits…there are candles and cushions, books a blanket and paints to decorate the walls. It is cool, shaded and a nice breeze blows through. The only sounds you hear are the waves below and the occasional bird. The view is superb, facing west over the ocean with a perfect view of the setting sun, it’s a little corner of heaven. I have chilled with friends and also spent whole days up there reading or meditating. It is so very peaceful and relaxing and you can feel the happiness of all the other people who have loved the space.

Khao Ra

2008-09-19T15:25:00.003-05:00

So the Plan was to get up early meet at the temple at the base of the mountain and then hike to the top before Noon and hike back down before dinner……mice and men, haha. And although the travel books recommend a guide we figured a few experienced trekkers could surely follow a path up a 627 meter “hill”. Anyway of course everyone got a late start and we were exhausted from all the swimming the day before. We got ourselves, some drinking water, some fruit to snack on and out the door. Sophie and I accidentally drove right passed the temple turn off and almost all the way to the other side of the island! But we still beat everyone else to the meeting spot :P we followed the signs up to a gravel lot to park the motor bikes then up a gravel road to where we found the trail head. But as we passed over a beautiful flowing creek/waterfalls we unknowingly lost the trail….we continued up the waterway and after much debate about shoe traction and slippery rocks decided to follow a footpath and not stay on the waterway. We found a trail or path that looked like it was going up…and headed up. The trail gets smaller and the brush gets thicker. I am sure you all know where this is going finally the trail disappears and we are in the middle of the jungle facing a giant boulder there is no going around…..uh-huh. So back down till we find the water, some take a dip, some want to leave, some want to look for the real trail…..we all ended up leaving it for another day but it was good exercise and a great laugh. At least we found our way back right :)

Snorkeling

2008-09-18T17:59:00.000-05:00

Oh what a Fabulous day, just swimming along on the surface of beautiful turquoise sea :) haha, um yea, I was humming that as I wrote it…..I went snorkeling today! It was SO much fun, though I did have to get up rather early, 6:30AM. Much too early while on vacation :) We were served breakfast (peanut butter banana pancakes!) at the pier and then traveled 3 hours by boat to Koh Tao, (actually a very small island a little ways away) it was so pretty, just big enough for one little resort and bar and shaped like a triangle with three bays one on each side sharing a 3 sided beach in the middle. There were fish everywhere and the coral was so full of life. It was great exercise too because the coral is protected so no flippers are allowed, we swam for a couple hours and even saw a trigger fish! We went back to boat for Lunch and ended up swimming out to the boat anchored offshore for the divers instead of waiting for other snorkelers on a boat taxi and that was a superb challenge, Miriam beat me in the race but what did I expect from a girl who bicycled from Holland to Thailand, talk about some leg power ;P Then we went over to another little island and snorkeled for a few more hours. We could use flippers this time and it was more of a relaxing activity, just floating along surrounded by all the fish, we took an underwater camera but don’t have the pics back yet……it was such a great day & we were also on the boat with Sophie so that was great fun too! The ride back we were exhausted and my backside is extra tan…....see if you can guess the name of the rock formation we passed on the way back ;P, haha.....

Moon Set Party

2008-09-17T09:12:00.003-05:00

At first it was a little confusing, how everything was set to a lunar calendar but it is becoming a great rhythm. You never have to know what day of the week it is and it never matters, haha. Everyones work and social calendars are calculated around the Moon parties; Full Moon, Half Moon, Black Moon, Shiva Moon, Blue Moon etc….and it makes absolutely no difference if the party is on a Sunday or a Thursday :P I discovered a new one last night too, the Moon Rise/Moon Set which is 2 days before and after the Full moon. At Pirates Bar the nice secluded north…..great music, small intimate crowd and if the tide is low you could walk there from Mirjams bungalows. ….

Full Moon Party

2008-09-15T08:11:00.000-05:00

So yes I just had to see for myself although I have heard a myriad of reasons why its not all that anymore, we went with great company and no expectations :) The core crew was Mirjiam, Sophie and I but many others met up beforehand. We cooked Spaghetti and garlic bread, I made two different sauces, one veggie and one meat. We had about a dozen people for dinner it was hilarious because we had plenty of food but had to improvise the bowls and plates, haha. Then we had a few drinks got all painted up and caught a taxi to Haad Rin. By the time we got there around midnight it was full on chaos, the beach was packed with dancing drunks and the streets were full of vendors selling everything from glowtoys to flipflops to buckets of ice with a bottle of liquor/mixer and 6 straws, HA! We started out at a sushi place called Joy, the owner is a great guy I met when I first arrived and the food there is fabulous…We took a 2-3 hour intermission in the middle of the dancing and hung out in his upstairs lounge/balcony and people watched, it was GREAT! We wandered down the beach and stopped whenever the music suited us. There were bars playing anything and everything, Drum & Bass, Reggae, Psytrance, House, Top 40s, Hip-Hop etc. Dancing galore! Everyplace opened right onto the beach so you got an extra workout dancing in the sand :P We spent a lot of time dancing at Tommys where I ran into a ton of people I knew and after the sun rose over the ocean we followed the crowd down to Zoom Bar. I danced till 8 am and could have gone on all for another whole day but alas my crew was ready to retire and so we headed home to relax a bit skip the after party but maybe hit up the after after party which is closer to where we stay :) Overall I had a FANTASTIC time, it was a bit sad to see all the people pissing in the sea, and even funnier to see the really drunk ones falling down trying or passed out drunk all over the beach but its their hangover not mine….

R & R and Yoga

2008-09-14T20:21:00.000-05:00

So Mirjiam has a little beachside bungalow on the north side of the Island (we went up and took a swim the other day and met some of her neighbors). It is right down the way from a Yoga school/retreat and a much less populated part of the island. The little community of maybe a dozen or so bungalows run by a Thai couple affectionately known as Mama and Papa, they have a little open air restaurant and also an Herbal Sauna down by the water. It is a wonderful spot, most of the folks are attending the Yoga retreats and the energy is so wonderful, next door at the yoga halls they have a big shared kitchen and a library and TV for movie night (we went to watch Gahndi). It is a bit of a drive from where I am currently staying in Baan Tai but I may just have to scoop up Marjiams bungalow when she leaves….tho I hear Hady (one of the neighbors further back from the water has his eye on her bungalow too….. :)

Jumanjy

2008-09-13T07:59:00.002-05:00

Ah, what a great night! It was a birthday party at this great place just around the corner in Thong Sala, it has a fab set –up with free pool, lots of lounge platforms a great upstairs deck, DJ booth and JACUZZI! There was a wonderful food spread with Papaya salad, pork meatballs, seasoned potatoes, YUMMY and good music too. Sophie is in Koh Phangan now too so she joined us out tonight, it was great fun! We brought our bathing suits so we were well prepared and after a bit of dancing we jumped in and relaxed for a while. These ladies are great, I can tell we are going to have a blast this week. We sort of closed the place down, we weren’t the last ones gone but close enough and it was almost 4am…..

Pancakes

2008-09-12T11:55:00.000-05:00

YUMMY, I awoke today to the wonderful smell of pancakes cooking in the kitchen! Mirjiam went out early in the AM and got supplies including “proper coffee” for herself (instead of the instant kind :P the pancakes were perfect, delicious and a great unexpected treat! It was a great start to the day :) I will be having pancakes again soon now that we have everything we need to make them …..