I made it to Thailand and back. What a great couple of weeks. My wife and I
met my daughter there and had a fantastic time. Part of the trip was to look
at the local crafts including wood carving. Amazing. I have some pictures
which I will gradually get up on the web. One of the things I noticed is the
underplay of turning as a craft. It seems to be done mostly in people's
homes as a beginning for other work like painting, laquerword or inlay. I
did get a drum to bring home and some wood for pens. I am not sure what it
is but it looks nice. I am afraid that in Thailand I am illiterate.
We were at the Kalare night market a couple of times as well as the morning
market in Vien Tiane, Laos. I may never complain about the grueling times in
craft fairs again. Until you see these places you can not believe them.
If you get the chance, go. Chang Mai is wonderful. Bangkok is an experience
but Chiang Mai is wonderful. I have ridden an elephant, fed a baby tiger,
held a crocodile on my lap, bamboo rafted down a river, risked my life on a
tuk-tuk (wonderful way to get around) carved teak with a master, seen
amazing Wats and a wonderful 13th century Hindu temple, and eaten my way
across a country filled with some of the most friendly and polite people I
have ever seen. Incidentally, I prefer the small grasshoppers to the large
and preferably with a spray of soy sauce and seasoned salt.
Now I have to get through and cull the thousand or so pictures I have taken.
Plus I need to get to my lathe and there is a blown down apple tree to be
cut up and picked up.
--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

Darrell, what a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Hope you will expand in your inimitable way on some of the activities
that you mentioned.
No matter how exotic and exciting, there's no place like your 'own
hame', at least for all of us who are glad you are safely back and
eagerly await more additions to your enjoyable website. Now get to work!



Turn to Safety, Arch
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