The Revelry Continues

Songkran in Bangkok, Day 2. 

Having gotten our feet (and everything else) wet the first day of Songkran, yesterday we decided to go where the real action was.  We took the subway down to Silom, a district in downtown Bangkok.  We made sure to wear clothes that could survive the water and talc, and we made sure all of our valuables were safely ensconced in a dry bag.

We started out on an overhead walkway, staying dry and getting the birds eye view. 

A table of talc - only 10 baht.

As you can see, you could get talc anywhere.

Weapons of Mass Soakation.

There is a point at which we asked ourselves, are we going to stand here on the sidelines and watch, or are we going to take the plunge.  We took the plunge.

It's hard to see where the water is coming from in the video, so I will explain that there were firemen with hoses, spraying the crowds.  We stayed on the far side of the street.  It's not like we needed help getting wet.

Here I am after we walked the street, soaked to the bone.  Notice the talc on the escalator.

Nothing was spared from water and talc, with the notable exception of the food vendors.  Somehow, the food seemed to be spared.  I consider that almost miraculous.

I think this wall was outside of a bank.

Even though the street was cordoned off, there were a few cars that slowly made their way through the crowds.  I don't know who was in them (wimps!).  Dignitaries?  But you can see that the cars were prime targets for talc and water. 

It was an atypical pleasant and non-humid day yesterday, so the buckets of ice water (and yes, ice) that were thrown were quite chilling.  We forgot to take photos of it, but the entrance to the subway was blocked by a gate, and women standing next to buckets of water. Everyone was handed a wet towel.  You had to pass inspection before entering. 

A big thanks to M for not only letting me use his camera, but also for providing many of the photos and videos on this post today.   I may get brave today and take the big camera down to the heart of the city.  But maybe not. 

Bangkok during Songkran

Songkran is the Thai New Year Celebration.  It is also known as the water festival, happening every year from April 13th through the 15th.  Being on the streets of Bangkok for the next few days means you are at a serious risk of having water sprayed at you from squirt guns, garden hoses, or even poured over you from a bucket.  Although plenty of local Thai people get wet, as a foreigner, one seems to be at much greater risk of coming home soaked.  Some Thai people will also be holding small containers of a scented, talc-like paste, which they will ever-so-gently smear on you, as a way to mark blessings.  Songkran traditionally is a religious holiday, and many Thais leave the city of Bangkok to visit family.  It is a time of cleansing and renewal, and a thorough house-cleaning is often part of the celebration.  A visit to a Wat, or Buddhist temple, is also part of the festivities.  The use of water was originally for washing the Buddha images of dust.  The water poured over the Buddha images was then collected and poured again over the hands of monks or the elderly as a sign of respect. In modern times, Songkran has turned into the world's largest water fight, and in certain parts of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, all-out mayhem with water ensues.

Not even taxis are immune from the smattering of talc and water.

Having known about this festival prior to leaving M's condo yesterday, we decided to avoid the areas where we had read the water throwing was most abundant.  Nevertheless, we did not manage to return from our walk dry.  Many local shops and restaurants are closed for this holiday, and the lack of cars on the usually-bustling streets is noteworthy.  Some resourceful street vendors were selling plastic bags, camera-sized, to put valuables in.  I did not dare take my expensive, beloved camera out, so all of the photos on this post were taken with M's tiny pocket camera.  I was glad for the blue plastic bag we bought.  It didn't take long before smiling Thais were happily squirting us with a garden hose.  Some of those sneaky little sprites were using ICE water, and even though April is typically the hottest month of the year, ice water always produces a shock when landing on warm skin. 

Talc everywhere.

The only safe form of transportation during these festivities seems to be the subway, since I saw taxis and open-air buses being drenched from the sidewalks and overhead walkways.  There are signs all over the entrance to the trains, reminding people that no water-spraying was allowed.  Indoor malls are also safe, but we were wet before ever making it to the safety of the mall.

A shrine covered with flowers and surrounded by burning incense and worshipers.

One of the many flower-vendors, as seen from an overhead walkway.

I had started the day with a shower and styled hair...

We were almost dry by the time our excursion had ended, but we were accosted at the last moment by a smiling man with a collection of water-filled buckets.  Without batting an eye, he carefully poured water from a bucket over our backs.  Near the entrance to M's building, one sweet little Thai woman apologized while smearing paste on our faces, and when she saw how wet our backs were, she laughed.  She was dry and very clean.

Today, we may brave the more populated areas, but this time I am going to wear goggles and a swim suit.

Roadrunner farewell

I have arrived in Bangkok.  Finally.  I have yet to take a single photograph, even though I have been here for two days.  Instead, I will share with you some photos of the roadrunner who came for a drink the day I left Joshua Tree.

The photos would probably be better, if I had gotten a chance to clean my windows, as I had planned.  Getting ready for travel is busy work, however.  I am here in Bangkok for the next couple of weeks.  Overjoyed to see M, who says hello.  I am devising ways to smuggle him home with me at the end of my visit.  It's enough to sit here in a chair and gaze at him.  WOW, did I miss him!!!

After sixteen hours in the car and then nearly 20 hours in airplanes and airports, I have decided to share my list of comparisons between these two forms of travel.  Likes and Dislikes.

Car travel:
1.  Car travel is nice because you can stop when your butt hurts, get out and walk around, breathing fresh air.  That's nice.

2.  You can bring a lot more more unnecessary items with you, and no one paws through them or charges you extra for the 5 heavy books.
3.  Your 75 pound dog can recline in the back seat and drool on the windows.
4.  It takes forever to get anywhere, but the views are nice.
5.  You can't sleep, unless you are the passenger.
6.  There are no movies to pass the time, and no free bags of pretzels.
7.  If someone farts, you can roll down the window.  (Not that I ever do that, but sometimes the dog does.)
8.  If you don't like the menu, you can drive a bit more and get a different one.
9.  You have to pay attention (as the driver.)
10.  It's not as loud as airplanes are.

Air travel:
1.  You can't take as much stuff with you.  (well, you can, but it's a hassle and not really worth it, IMHO.)
2.  For some inexplicable reason, walking fast on moving walkways is immensely entertaining.  (I will often walk the length of the terminal on moving walkways while waiting for my flight, it's THAT MUCH FUN.)
3.  The people watching is unbeatable!
4.  It takes a lot less time to get places.
5.  You can fly over oceans.
6.  If your butt gets sore, it's harder to walk around and relieve the pain.
7.  If someone farts, you can't roll down the window.
8.  Free pretzels and sodas.
9.  You can sleep.  (well, sometimes you can.  It's helpful to have earplugs, an eyeshade and an inflatable pillow.)
10.  Your 75 pound dog doesn't get to travel with you.

The journey was pretty uneventful, except for a catastrophe in a bathroom in Narita, Japan, when my passport went for a brief swim in the toilet.  (the toilet had been flushed, but still - ICK.)

I hope to have Bangkok photos soon.  Hello from Thailand, all you blog readers!

Blooming

Last night found me with Tina Bluefield, Mita Barter, Mary-Austin Klein, and Perry Hoffman at the Metro Galleries in Bakersfield, California.  It was the opening night for a group show called From the Desert to the Sea.  I was proud to have my work there, in this big, lovely gallery with the art of some of my artist colleagues from the high desert.  The opening was well attended, and we are always excited to see red dots go up next to our work.  It was a quick trip, up and back in one day, and I found myself crawling into bed at 1:30 am.  Needless to say, I am feeling more than a little zombie-like today.  A big thank you goes out to the owner of the gallery, Don Martin, and Sergio, the young man who helped get a red dot or two up on the wall.  Thanks, guys!

A few shots from the evening.

The crowd at Metro Galleries

My art, hanging upstairs in Metro Galleries.

Tina Bluefield and Don Martin in front of one of Tina's paintings.

I also have a few flower photos to share with you.  These flowers were discovered in a vacant lot in Palm Springs last week by my friend Nora and I.  We HAD to stop.

Desert Dandelion, sand verbena and Esteve's Pincushion.  Wow.

This week, Mr. Pono and I will be driving out to Denver, Colorado.  Pono will be staying with his Grandpa and Grandma while I get on a plane to fly to THAILAND.  Off to see the husband!!!  Stay tuned for adventures in Thailand, coming soon...

What's new

It's odd that I am only posting once a week, because I write to you all in my head every day!  How is it that none of those posts appear?  hmmm....

I sent 8 pieces of art off to Metro Galleries in Bakersfield, CA today for a group show that opens this Friday.  I hope to make the opening, but right now I am not sure about much of anything.  I really WANT to go.  I do.  Then, I drove past the gas station earlier today, saw the price of gas, and wondered if I should.  If one of you decides to go, let me know, and then I will make a point to be there.  Anything for my blog readers!!!

The wind finally had mercy on us, and the past two days have been sublime.  Calm, sunny, and WARM.  Warm.  My favorite. 

New flower photos are coming soon - today's exciting action comes from a jackrabbit I caught, licking the salt off the concrete near our house. 

Happy Tuesday night.

Windy, 44 degrees

 I cursed the wind this morning.  Not because I felt that it would make a difference - I know better than that.  I was running against the wind, and every step seemed to take an incredible amount of effort.  It felt like the only thing propelling me forward was my obstinate will.  It felt the same way everything else in life has seemed to me lately.  Life feels hard right now.  It feels like running against the wind, all day, every day.  So finally, today, while running, I cursed it all.  I yelled.  I used all of the best expletives I wasn't allowed to use growing up.  It didn't really make the run any easier.  The wind didn't let up.  The one thing it did do was release the frustration that has been building within me, and it made me feel better.  It also allowed me the chance to laugh at myself.  How silly is it, to yell curses at wind???  It's pretty silly.  But sometimes that is what it takes, I guess.  At least I know that the wind won't suffer from hurt feelings.

We are on the third day of cold wind, and today some rain was added into the mix, making for the kind of day where all one wants to do is curl up under a blanket with a cup of hot tea.  One also tends to fantasize about frosted cupcakes, or cookies, hot out of the oven.  It must have something to do with needing extra fat and sugar to stay warm.  That's my theory.  Of course, there were no cupcakes being delivered to my door, despite all of my wishful thinking, and I make an effort to not have cookies in the house, to prevent overeating of sugar on days just like this one.   Not that I was spared from opening the pantry door about 5 times, just in case I had missed a cookie in the back corner.  I finally resorted to a piece of sugarless gum.  A poor substitute, when you can visualize the swirling icing atop a perfectly made cupcake.

It has been difficult to keep up with the blog, as of late, because I have been busy painting.  Everything I have to say is said in the paintings.  It is more than a little perplexing to me that an artist is supposed to be able to talk and write about a painting, when painting is really beyond verbal communication.  I have been pushed, over and over again to describe my work, write about it, and explain it.  Honestly, if I felt I could say it with words, I would be a writer!!!  I can't say it with words, despite my repeated efforts to do just that.  I will still try, of course I will.  But if you really want to know what the paintings are about, you need to look at them.  You need to spend time with them, just as you would when you are just getting to know a new friend.  I think if a person was to spend time with a painting, and let it say what it has to say, they would not need my explanation.  We are so in love with words.  We think that words are the only way to communicate.  We have convinced ourselves that words will explain and clarify.

"Inferno."  Oil on canvas, 12 x 9 inches.  ©karine swenson11

I am not so sure of that.

I recently read a quote by Albert Einstein that I have been rolling over and over in my mind:
"Everybody is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
(a big thank you to Marcia Yudkin for putting that quote in her weekly email newsletter.)

Today was my mother's birthday.  She recently asked me on the phone where I get my rebellious nature.  Upon reflection, I believe quite a bit of it comes from her.  Mom, I admire you and love you.  Happy birthday.  Here's a bunny painting for you, because I know how much you like them:

"Sniffing."  Oil on board, 9 x 12 inches.  ©karine swenson11

Post number 405

March in the desert is typically a windy month.  So far, we have not been disappointed in the wind department.  Today's high was 62 degrees, give or take a degree.  The wind made it feel colder than it really was.  Of course I long for hot sun and 100 degrees.  The exciting news is that I have seen my first signs of desert wildflowers!

Yellow.

Blue.

White.

Green, but soon to be orange... (this one is not a native wildflower, but an aloe in my yard.)

I don't feel much like writing, but hopefully, the photos are enough, today.

The brown stems of the Desert Trumpet.  The leaves are turning green, but no signs of the tiny yellow flowers just yet.