Timeline Journey

Our Thai Wedding Party

2011-04-07T18:56:00.000-04:00

February 28, 2010: Bangkok, Thailand

Our Thai Wedding Party

Aw and I got married in Canada almost two years ago. Today is our chance to share our happiness with Aw's relatives here in Thailand.
Khun Tui and Khun Maew brought us in their Mercedes and when Aw and her Aunt stepped out they looked like two Princesses.
Aw's long time friend 'Teek' put up photos of our travels and family from all over the world. She even made a large poster of the two of us so people could sign it.
These are Aw's family; her Mother and two sisters, along with her sister's three children. The young girl is 'Butter'. We are thinking of bringing her to Canada so she can learn English.
Everyone is having a great time eating and dancing and singing karaoke (and did I mention eating?). It is our very special pleasure to have Phil and his parents Bernard and Deanne visiting from Quebec City. They hosted us in their own city a couple of years ago. They really know how to have fun. We are so happy to have them here. And to top things off, My brother and sister in law; Scott and Judy are here to share the event too. Scott acts as my best man tonight. Canada is making a pretty strong showing here, all in all.

Phil is a professional film editor and videographer and was kind enough to make a movie of the event for us. Merci beau coup monsieur! And thank you to Aw's whole family. You have made me feel very much at home. Kaupt Khun Krup!

Happy Birthday Scott

2010-05-13T03:41:00.005-04:00

May 13, 2010 Kitchener, Ontario
Happy Birthday Scott!!!!

Here is a quick zaney birthday wish we made just before we went to work today.
We hope you have a great one!
Love, Aw, Mark, Stevie, and everyone else here in Kitchener Waterloo!

Daniel Gets Baptized

2010-04-18T21:59:00.005-04:00

Thornhill, Ontario, April 18, 2010

Our families got together today for Daniel's Baptism. He is the son of my niece Crista and her husband Aaron. Crista is the daughter of my oldest brother Mark and his wife Olga.
As you can see, Daniel is getting very big for a 6 month old. Aw loves any excuse to hold babies.

The proud parents, grandparents, God Mother and the Priest gather for a group photo right after the baptism. This church as special significance for my brother Mark and his wife Olga. They were the first couple married in this church when it was changed over from Irish Catholic to Ukrainian Catholic, 17 years ago. It must have been good luck because they are still married.

The Priest was fun and brought a great sense of humor to the event as you can see in this one minute video. I have no idea what that bang is that you hear at the moment the water is poured. And wow was that little guy a good sport to act so relaxed when he's doused like that. Congratulations Crista and Aaron! Thanks for letting us share your day.

Chiang Mai 'Kanto'

2010-03-26T23:00:00.010-04:00

Thailand: February 19, 2010

We attended a traditional Dinner and Dance tonight in Chiang Mai. It's called 'Kanto'.
The lovely young woman sitting beside Scott and Judy, is Nora from Taiwan. She travels all over the world by herself. She works for a high tech company in Taipei and does modeling on the side. We invited her to join us for the evening.
The food is delicious and at the end of the show we are all invited to get up and dance in the traditional Thai style. As you can see in the video, I almost poke Nora's eye out with my traditional Thai gestures at the end but fortunately her reflexes save her.

Zip-Treking In Thailand

2010-03-21T05:43:00.008-04:00

February 16, 2010
Flight of the Gibbon, Chiang Mai Thailand

The piercing screams you hear from little girls who are terrified; yes, that's what Scott and I sounded like. The four of us are out zip-treking in Chiang Mai today.
It was a rush to go hurtling though space on cables strung hundreds of feet above the forest. I took all the footage from our 3 cameras and put a 5 minute movie together of the event. My favorite part is the sound of Judy as she jumps out into space and lets out a blood-curdling scream that is reminiscent of Tarzan of the Apes. Here is the link to the movie: Zip Treking In Thailand

The Clifton Letter May 1972

2009-06-06T14:31:00.000-04:00

There is a defining event for our family that we all still remember with great pride.

It took place in 1972. I was 15 years old and in Grade 10. My best friend, Tim Buell and I started a school newspaper in response to a paper called ‘Manifesto’ that was being circulated secretly throughout the school. ‘Manifesto’ was a way for a few students to express their outrage about the way the principal was doing his job. Unfortunately the people writing it had gone down to the point of name calling instead of just reporting the facts So Tim and I decided we would research the allegations expressed by Manifesto and fill in the blanks. We called our paper ‘OPTIMUM’.

We invited a teacher; Roy Clifton to be our adviser for the Paper.

Roy Clifton was the school’s Drama teacher and the librarian for Richmond Hill High School. He took me under his wing and I looked up to him as a father figure. He was a tall lanky man with a long angular face, dark piercing eyes and slicked back hair. He reminded me of the magpies in the Heckle and Jeckel cartoons. Clifton was a Quaker and so became a conscientious objector in the 2nd world War which forced him to give up his right to practice law. He had a distinct British accent and spoke much like the characters in The Importance of Being Ernest (which happened to be a play he produced several times at the school). I liked him a lot but he tended to treat me with a condescending tone. He would cock his head and begin: “Now Stephen…” He also insisted my name should be spelled with a ‘ph’ rather than a ‘v’.

As a reporter, I interviewed the Principal of our school; George Domina. Mr Domina had a brush cut and an abbreviated mustache that earned him the nick name (along with his administration style) of ‘Adolf Hitler’.

When I interviewed him we would play cat and mouse on various issues until after about thirty minutes (as prearranged I suspect) his secretary would come in and tell him he had some meeting to attend and I would be asked to leave.

One issue that came from ‘Manifesto’ was the idea of a student smoking area. Mr. Domina had vetoed the request out of hand. I asked him why he didn’t allow the Student Council to make the decision themselves. He said he wanted to but it was up to the Superintendant of Schools and out of his hands. So I went to the superintendent, sat in his office and asked him directly. He looked at me confused and said “No, I had nothing to do with that decision. It was up to the Principal to deal with.” After he said this he looked worried as if he had betrayed a confidence. “Does Mr. Domina know you came here to talk with me?” “I don’t know. I’m just here to confirm the facts. Why? Do I need his permission to see you?” He didn’t answer.

The next day I was in class when a knock came on the door. I was ushered out to the hallway where Mr. Domina was waiting.

“Who said you could go to the Superintendant’s office?”

I just looked at him with a puzzled expression on my face.

This made him very angry. “I don’t want you doing anything with this Steven. This is a dead issue. Besides, your grades have been slipping a bit. It would be bad for you if this paper interfered with your studies.”

It felt like a scene from a Mafia movie. “Accidents happen Steve… It would be a shame if an ‘accident’ happened to you…”

“So that will be the end of this right?”

I refused to give him an answer but his attempt to intimidate me got me moving on the story.

Here’s the article I wrote:

Democracy?

Wasn’t the Student Council formed to represent the student body? Yet it could disappear tomorrow and who would miss it? It has been allowed to decide science club finances but that’s about all, and they want to achieve more.

Students continue to be ruled by their administrators alone, especially the principal. He is responsible for what happens to the students at school. Perhaps this responsibility is too great for one man.

At last week’s student-staff liaison committee meeting, Mr. Domina admitted he had enormous responsibilities. Why doesn’t he lessen his load? Surely some students with the right to make some important decisions should be a part of the administration. If they cannot make a decision, surely they could be consulted before a decision is made. The Student council is ready for such responsibilities.

Recently the Council formed a committee to develop the idea of a recreation area with smoking privileges. The committee went into commendable detail, but when they approached Mr. Domina about it, he bluntly rejected the whole idea.

Last summer, the administration decided upon an exam form. Who heard about it last? The students. And it was too late to change it by the time the students heard about it.

Student expulsion is another important matter. Should a principal have the power to decide a person’s whole future?

This year we proved that we wanted a say in the administration. The dress regulation change came about through the work of students who cared enough to do something about it. A high level of responsibility was shown in this instance. We got results and change, and the burden on the principal was lightened.

History is supposedly a study of the parallel between past and present life. We view ancient mistakes partly for the benefit of our lives. The Board of Education—or whatever group responsible- has perhaps ignored history and traditions of democracy, instead giving absolute power to one man; the principal.

Mr. Domina: you tell us often enough that we are responsible people. Show us you believe it.

Steven Tennant

As a courtesy, I brought my article to George Domina to read before I published it. I stood in his office while he read it. When he finished he ripped it up and threw it in the garbage right in front of me. He told me it was not going to be published.

I was shaking with anger when I went back to my newspaper staff and told them what had just happened.

The immediate response from the staff was “We better do what he says. We don’t want him to shut us down” I couldn’t believe my ears. “He HAS shut us down! Don’t you see that?”

I resigned on the spot and decided to run for School President and make my case for freedom of speech.

It was very tough taking the Principal on because I hate confrontation. But I couldn’t stomach the thought of letting this bully get away with what he’d done.

I decided to run for School President so that I could speak out about what I had seen. On election day, I was the last to speak. I hadn’t slept at all the night before and I had a tough time concentrating. I told the 500 people in the auditorium that I didn’t think it was right for a principal to rip up an article just because he didn’t want it published. I said that as school President I would fight for the students to have their own voice in their decisions. I suggested a plan in which students would put the money for student activities in a separate place than in the School’s account so that we could have control of our own funds. My voice was monotone and my speech wasn’t very good and at the end I got very little applause and many people thought I should never have been allowed to speak.

In the halls I was confronted with some students who threatened to beat me up for saying the things I did about the Principal. In class that day, my French teacher took some time to discuss the election. She asked me if I seriously expected to win the election. I answered truthfully: “No.” I regretted giving that answer because I think it gave people an excuse to give up on me and vote for the other guy.

That was a very tough day for me, but there was one incident that made it all worthwhile. I had a couple of Grade 13 students come stop me in the hall. One of them looked me in the eye and said: “Thank you for having the courage to speak out for us.” Then they both reached out and shook my hand. That incident still brings tears to my eyes as I write this.

My co-editor, Tim Buell; was one of the people counting the ballots and told me later that I received only 27 votes out of the 600 who voted. I was actually relieved that it was over. I had done the right thing and the student body had let me know they weren’t interested in the truth. They didn’t care if the Principal was a liar and a despot. They wanted things to stay the way they were.

Roy Clifton approached me the day after the election with a letter in his hand. He spoke in a condescending tone as if to a third grader. He said: “Stephen, I thought it important to convey to you some thoughts regarding your actions. I have written my thoughts down for you to read. Now please sit down here and read what I have written to you. Please return it to me in a few minutes when you have read it. He handed it to me with a wry smile. I sat down in a stunned silence and began reading his letter.

This is what he wrote:

Written at the community of which we are both members

Sunday May 7 1972

Dear Stephen:

My first impulse is to sympathize with your on your not being elected as President. And I do. You do get your mind set on things, and take failure hard. I remind you though that the Bhagavad Gita advised us (they are Krishna’s words) to be “Even-minded in success and failure”; and it is a good way to live

My second impulse is to wonder how so intelligent a person as you could not have predicted your own defeat. Much of your speech was devoted to outlining a quite impractical way of setting up a student council bank account not subject to the principal’s signature, by giving a receipt to each student who paid his $2.50 and giving him back the money to pay into an outside bank account. No auditor in Canada would have certified the Council’s books after a comparison of the receipts given, with the funds in the treasury. And even such a perfectionist as myself would not claim that the sufficiently large number of students having received both a receipt and the money too would go out and re-deposit the money in an outside bank account

But it was not the impracticality of the scheme that defeated you: it was that all this fuss was shown to be quite unnecessary. A student asked you “Has Mr. Domina ever refused to sign a cheque?” Don Capotosto, not you, answered that in the three years of which he had knowledge, Mr. Domina had never refused to sign a cheque. At that moment I knew you were defeated. It was clear to the audience that you had an obsession against the abstraction which is labeled “the administration”, not based on a proven fact, but on some personal irrational prejudice of your own

Now, I have never before written a letter to a defeated candidate, but I write to you because I feel you are worth writing to. I have respect for your sincerity and hard work in everything we have worked together on. And I feel that I must set down on paper (writing is a more exact medium than speech) what I feel would make these excellent qualities more productive

You may remember my speaking to you about the self-fulfilling prophecy, this is, that the attitude or expectation with which you approach a person may condition his response. If you expect opposition, that attitude or expectation with which you approach a person may condition his response. If you expect opposition, that attitude itself will communicate itself, and provoke it; and of course the contrary is true

The second matter I would suggest that you give some attention to, is that what you ask for is in the interest of the whole community—which includes (in the school) principal, teachers, and n some issues, parents, as well as the students—not just something which may appear to be in the interest of a section of that community

You will remember that the first two matters agitated for in OPTIMUM were a smoking area, and a reduction in the exemption mark. I felt myself that a smoking area would tend to lead non-smokers into smoking, and that in any case no community, worthy of the name of educational, could do anything to encourage smoking, in the light of what was know of its harmful effects. There is also a legitimate difference of opinion as to the effect of any exemption mark on the effort and achievement of a student. Immediate comfort may not be a long-term benefit; and if students do not always make decisions in the light of their long-term advantage, it is certainly the responsibility of teachers to do so

On the other hand, I have at various times asked Mr. Domina’s approval for a number of things, and so far as the funds allotted to the school permitted he has never turned them down: equipment for the stage, a Japanese garden, a paper-recycling drive, trees for the front of the school. There was no doubt in either of our minds that these would benefit all the elements that made up our community, and in some cases the wider community outside the school. If you had asked for these things, I am sure you would have received the same answer

The fact is that you didn’t. The practice that you are following is the Communist-Trytskyist practice, and this practice is not to seek common ground with the supposed opposition, to search for matters on which administration and students, for example, can both come together, but to deliberately choose things that its proponents are aware that the administration cannot, for one reason or another, accede to. This enables them to present a picture of arbitrary use of authority, despotic decisions, oppression of the masses by the establishment, and so on, with the purpose of arousing the masses against all government, with the ultimate aim of course of their becoming the government themselves. There is no promise that when they are in power that they be one whit better. History tends to show that nearly all revolutionary governments have been quite as ruthless against their opponents as their predecessors—often more so, since they are masters themselves of undermining any governmental authority, and know that it is the reasonableness of governments, and not their ruthlessness that makes them more vulnerable

Paradoxically enough, this Trotskyist technique of impracticable demands, one–sided demands “confrontation” to give it its current name, stiffens the resistance of the opposition, whereas allowing proper weight to your opponent’s position, giving him credit for all you can, assuming the best possible motives, saving your opponent’s face whenever you can, instead of humiliating him, and above all, keeping quiet, and letting him talk himself into agreeing with you, are in accordance with the principles of Zen, and end in harmony between the initially opposed viewpoints, instead of firming and intensifying each side’s resolution not to yield, and producing deadlock

R.R. Marrett, the famous anthropologist remarked once that ‘true progress is progress in charity.” The Trotskyist “confrontation” generates more social friction, hatred, and suffering that can be justified by the small amount of change it leads to. Even the most arguable exception to this statement, the Russian revolution, can be debated. If the world is to be improved, the techniques of violence, (and your attitude is essentially a violent one) must be supplanted by one based on well-wishing, not hatred, not forcing but winning, seeking and creating solidarity or community of interest between all persons concerned with a situation. Twice I have had to (as a president) take action against one or two persons who were trying to divert the activity and funds of two different organizations away from the purpose for which it was sit up. I found this most unpleasant. In each case I had to satisfy myself that I was acting in the interest of the community as a whole, and then I had to do it with the least possible amount of personal emotional involvement

This is the Quaker view, and it is mine

Yours sincerely

[unsigned]

When I finished reading the letter, Mr. Clifton put his hand out to take the letter back but I told him in a very calm tone that I wanted to take it home and read it overnight and then we could talk about it the next day. I was shaking with anger inside but I did my best to show nothing. He had a worried expression on his face as he just stood there for a few seconds looking at me. When he saw that I was not prepared to give the letter back to him, he gave me a nod as if I was a naughty school boy and withdrew.

When I got home I handed the letter to my parents to read. My Mom wanted to go over to his house and punch out his lights or at least phone him and give him a piece of her mind. My Dad was just as angry but he said he wanted to spend some time with the letter before we did anything about it. He headed straight for his study and closed the door. He was in there for three straight hours pounding (and I mean pounding!) on his typewriter. When he emerged he looked very calm and handed me the ten pages he had written. “I don’t expect you to do anything with this Steve. I just had to get my emotions out about this guy.”

I should mention that my dad was Hal Tennant. Hal was a professional writer, journalist and editor for such publications as Maclean’s Magazine.

Here’s what he wrote.

May 10, 1972

Mr. N. Roy Clifton

Richmond Hill High School,

Richmond Hill

Dear Mr. Clifton:

Since you have chosen to write a treatise of unsolicited advice to my son Steven (That’s Steven, Not Stephen, as you chose to address him) I feel free to address you on some of the same points you raised in your letter.

From the outset, please understand one thing: I am not springing to his defense. Steve is quite capable of many things, and one of those things is the capability to defend himself, when necessary.

Rather, I am taking to the typewriter in resentment of a number of things you said because I happen to believe that your attitude, which is deplorably shared by a great many people of your age and mine, is one of the fundamental things wrong with the world today.

Let’s take it off the top:

In your first paragraph, you offer some unsolicited sympathy to Steve in his defeat, on the smug assumption that he is taking this defeat badly and must therefore be offered solace from the wisdom of Krishna. Has it occurred to you that it might have been useful for you to have discovered, by discussion and the osmosis of empathy, just how Steve has been taking his defeat? I’ll save you that trouble now by assuring you that his is taking it as I believed he would – very well indeed. And he is doing so not because of, but in spite of, the reactions of some of his teachers.

It may seem appropriate to you to substantiate your first paragraph advice by quoting Krishna’s words, but apart from the dilatability of this little gem of wisdom, I question the usefulness of passing along little homilies, however wise, to people who have not yet had the experience to test their truth. If I may coin a homily of my own, in rebuttal, a thousand homilies are not worth a moment of true-life experience. The best a homily can do is to confirm and codify something one has already learned from experience.

Your second paragraph is insulting, presumptuous. “My second impulse,” you wrote, “is to wonder how so intelligent a person as you could not have predicted your won defeat.”

How did you arrive at the conclusion that Steve didn’t predict his own defeat? Did he ever tell you that he expected to win? He told me the opposite, both at the outset of the campaign and on the night before the election. He knew he had little or no chance of winning; yet he had things on his mind that he felt he should say to the student body, and he could see no reason why the prospect of defeat should deter him from saying those things. Have you never championed a cause that you knew, in your heart, was lost from the beginning?

Your analysis of his plan to rebate student finance reveals only a total misunderstanding of what he suggested as a means of giving the student body control of their own money, and I will not try to explain it to you here. Ask Steve about it sometime, and if you listen carefully you may just discover that his fault was not in the idea but in his presentation of it. Steve needs experience in public speaking, as he found out – the hard way.

Your argument centered on the question, “Has Mr. Domina ever refused to sign a cheque?” strikes me as vacuous as the observations made in defense of any tyrannical ruler. (“Certainly the king has the power to behead his subjects, but after all he hasn’t beheaded anyone for years – so what’s the problem.”) Which doesn’t go anywhere toward explaining why a principal, whoever he may be, should have the power to control students’ money, least of all money they pay for what is presumably their own extracurricular enjoyment and benefit.

Steve’s references to “the administration” were not, as you suggest, evident of some obsession of his over an abstraction; Steve is obsessed, I’ll grant you that, but not over” the administration”. He is obsessed with the simple idea that a principal and his administration should be willing to allow freedom of expression and to tolerate the dissent that is the very foundation of the democratic process. As long as he encounters any authority that stifles dissent, Steve will likely retain his obsession. What is it that makes “the administration” -- the principal – George Domina – fear free discussion and advocacy of policies other than those he has already decreed?

And if it is a “proven fact” you need in order to be convinced that Steve’s “obsession” is justified, why not ask him to document his case, from his own personal experiences? Then – but only ten – should you feel free to judge his attitude as one of “some personal irrational prejudice of your own.”

It is commendable that you have taken the trouble to set down on paper some of your thoughts about how Steve can make his “excellent” qualities more productive. It is a pity, I think, that you judge the best method to be a written lecture on his recent mistakes and shortcomings. I would have thought (though I admit to being no savant on such matters) that a little genuine, morale-building support might have accomplished a little more in this respect.

I commend you on your observation about the self-fulfilling prophesy; I am sure Steve’s own belief that he would be defeated did help ensure his defeat at the polls. But can you think of a more telling and worthwhile way for anyone to learn the truth than to go through the experience he did? Do you really believe that advice from the sidelines, before fact, would have taught him what he has learned now?

Your suggestion that Steve should ask only for those things that are “in the interest of the whole community” strikes me as shallow indeed. Surely the expectation that a minority be allowed to follow its own bent, provided it doesn’t interfere with the rights of the majority, is not an unfair appeal. I will not insult your intelligence or your innate sense of fairness by siting examples of fair-play issues in which only a minority of the community would benefit and yet which are paramount in importance because of any violation of minority rights is a threat to the individual choices we should all enjoy, by right.

I am intrigued by your recitation of the worthwhile project you have successfully broached to Mr. Domina, for I think that the manner in which they were approved is symptomatic of what ails the present system of student finances. Here we have a series of projects, all unquestionably worthwhile, being broached by a teacher and approved by a principal. None of them I gather was initiated by the students. The fact that your projects were (I understand) endorsed by the student council is surely more of a tribute to your salesmanship (I would not be so bold as to say “pressuring”) than to your understanding that the council might actually learn something useful if it were to initiate its own money-spending projects, even at the risk of embarking on foolish and regrettable ventures. I am sure it must give you enormous satisfaction to have engaged in such good works with other people’s money. I expect a good many students will go out into the world believing that “Teacher knows best.” Which doesn’t exactly equip them to cope with the world as I know it.

In regard to the remarks which you saw fit to add to this passage, I would only say that I am saddened to see you labeling anyone’s honest expression of dissent as “Communist-Trotskyist”. Has it occurred to you that your example might invite some students to indulge in similar name-calling (“Hitlerite administration, fascist administration”)? Perhaps it is your wish to encourage this brand of glib labeling, but surely we can set a better example than that.

And, incidentally, wouldn’t you agree that if one is inclined to attack a school’s policies, it is far more gentlemanly to do so in a impersonal way – a way in which, to use your own words, is conducive to “saving your opponent’s face whenever you can instead of humiliating him”? Is that not sufficient motive to direct one’s criticisms against “the administration” (as a power) rather than against “the principal” or “Mr. Domina” (as a person)?

I am glad you agree with R.R.M. Arrett that “true progress is progress in charity.” It would be encouraging to see “the administration: striving toward such progress. How much “charity” is embodied in an administration that insists on controlling student money which could, without harm to the operation of the basic educational system, be controlled by the elected representatives of the students? What charity is there in the actions of a principal who tears up a newspaper article with which he does not agree, to prevent its being read by the student body? What charity do you find in a principal who threatens to remove a student candidate’s name from a ballot because of a silly, impulsive action on that student’s part? Perhaps you consider it “charity” that the principal (okay – Mr. Domina) backed down and reinstated that student as a candidate when he was faced with a wholesale revolt on the part of all candidates. Charity comes easy, I would say, when one’s back is against the wall.

I am intrigued, perhaps most of all, by your interpretations of Steve’s attitude as “essentially violent.” Let us pause now while we reflect on the “violence” of other, more widely recognized agitators:

Jesus, who not only defied the state and the customs of the day but took a whip and drove the money-changers out of the temple;

Washington, who harbored the dangerous and violent notion that people who pay taxes, ought to have some voice in their own government;

Martin Luther King, who made the tragic judgment that his cause was more important than his own life;

Gandhi, whose “violence” consisted of hunger strikes that embarrassed the British into concessions,

Martin Luther, who took the violent action of hammering his protest onto a church door.

If those examples fit your definition of “violence” let us have more “violence” and less apathy, timidity and conformity.

I congratulate you for your twice-proven ability to put down dissent (in certain unnamed organizations) “with the least possible amount of personal emotional involvement.” The same questionable attitude has been displayed by many illustrious figures of recent history. Eichman of Germany and Lieut. Calley of My Lai are among the examples that come to mind.

Such detachment (“in the interest of the community as a whole,” as you so capably express it) is something that some of us have never managed to achieve. Perhaps we just aren’t trying hard enough.

I suppose that if I were capable of dealing with your comments in a detached way I would have managed to separate my personal feelings about Steve from the broader principles involved. Having reread what I have written so far, I confess to absolute failure. However, the point of principle I had in mind when I began writing is still fixed clearly in my consciousness.

I do believe – and I never will believe – that there is any better teacher than experience. Steve went into that election knowing he would lose and I have congratulated him several times for his courage and his willingness to learn the hard way. I know he has made many mistakes and I sincerely believe he has learned a great deal from them. Even knowing the outcome as I do now, I would encourage him to do the same thing over again, if I felt he would learn even half as much again.

I find it hard to see that he could possibly learn from unctuous sermons from me or from smug, patronizing letters from any of his teachers. No, I’ll amend that. He has learned one thing; some people grow into middle age believing – on god knows what evidence – that a young person can somehow benefit from the 20-20 hindsight of his elders.

We’ll be lucky if Steve doesn’t conclude that anybody over 30 is dismally out of touch with what people his age thinks and desire in their zeal to make the community – and the world – a better place for us all.

Sincerely,

Hal Tennant

After reading his response I had tears in my eyes and looked up at my dad and said: “I’m going to give this to him tomorrow. I had him sign it. Then I signed my name under his and mom signed it as well.

The next day I went straight to Roy Clifton’s office and handed the letter to him. “I decided my parents should read what you wrote”

He looked very perturbed. “I thought we agreed this was just between you and I Stephen.”

I just shrugged. “Oh well. You can KEEP this letter.”

We never spoke again.

Awsome Arrival To Canada

2009-04-10T10:34:00.005-04:00

April 1, 2009: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Aw has arrived back to Canada after spending the last two and a half months in Thailand. Her flight took 24 hours. She left 40 degree temperatures in Bangkok for the cool sunny spring days of Ontario.

She told her relatives that I would have roses for her at the airport. It's a good thing I did or her family would 'Keeel me'. Welcome back Aw! I missed you and your cooking!
xx

Stevie

Aw Tomato

2009-03-20T19:48:00.005-04:00

June 15th 2008, Waterloo Ontario Canada

Aw loves to go shopping at the Farmer's market here in Waterloo Ontario. When she is in Bangkok she shops at the largest market in the world; 'JJ Market' where she is joined by one million other shoppers. There are only a few thousand people here but she likes it just he same. Aw is my little tomato!

Aw Canada At Last

2009-03-19T20:07:00.008-04:00

October 28, 2008

It's Thursday afternoon and Melbah Toasty arrives at our home looking very excited. "I have a letter for you A-w-w-w-w-w-wsome!" It's from Immigration Canada. We have been waiting for the last six months without hearing a peep from those guys. We applied for Aw to become a landed immigrant just after we got married. We mailed out 62 pages of documents by the time we were done. My favorite part was when they asked us to send photos to prove we have actually spent time together. the captions to the photos read: "and here we are in front of the Taj Mahal"...and this is us at Angkor Wat...and this is us at the Banff Springs Hotel... and here we are at the CN Tower... oh and this one was during our Camel Safari in Jaisisalmer..." I have dated Aw on 3 continents and 7 countries.
I really didn't think we would get all that paperwork correct the first time. I expected there would be revisions to make. And every month or so I would call Immigration and ask if they had any word for us but there was nothing. Then suddenly Melissa received a notice saying that the first stage was complete. I'll never forget Aw's reaction to the letter. She looked up at Melissa and Mom and said: "I love you". Then, miraculously, 5 minutes after we read the letter, I got a phone call from the local Immigration office. They wanted to know if Aw could be available the following Tuesday to complete have her immigration interview. Oh My God!
When we sat down for the interview we expected a gruelling series of questions. Instead, we were met by a very friendly guy who said: "Congratulations. There will be a ceremony in half an hour. Go ahead and find a nice place to sit, and welcome to Canada!"
The people who work in the Immigration offices are immigrants themselves.
This is Aw holding her brand new Immigration Certificate. Aw Canada at last!

La ville du Québec est très belle

2009-03-18T09:07:00.016-04:00

July, 2008, Quebec City, Canada

Aw is not the only Thai who loves Canadians. Her cousin May is dating a French Canadian, Phil. They met the same way Aw and I did, while Phil was touring Asia. May and Phil take turns visiting each other's country. So Aw and I decided to travel from Ontario to see them.

This is Bernard (May's boy friend's dad). Bernard took us on a walking tour on this beautiful sunny day.This is the heart of Old Quebec. It is the oldest city in Canada. You can see from the look of the shops that the people take tremendous pride in their city.

He wanted us to experience the sights (and sounds) of this beautiful place.

This woman is a History student from the Univeristy. She and many like her are hired to dress up and become the characters of Quebec's past. Okay, I realize I'm into a canon theme here but you have to remember that Quebec City was responsible for keeping pirates from entering Canada through the Saint Lawrence River.

Bernard et Diana, Merci infiniment de faire l'aw et moi sensation ainsi accueillez à Quebec City !
[Pictured: Aw, Bernard, May (Aw's cousin from Bangkok), Phil (May's boy friend), Phil's brother (they haven't given him a name yet), Diane (Bernard's wife)]

Shopping With Mum

2009-03-16T20:47:00.006-04:00

Just another shopping day for Mum and Aw. They started trying on hats at Value Village (or Wal-you Willage as Aw would say) and things just got out of hand. (I hope some day they get over their shyness.)

We Miss You Aw!

2009-03-14T15:59:00.005-04:00

Sawadee Krup sweet Aw-some. We all miss you here in Canada. Come back from Bangkok soon!

Pom Rak khun! Stevie

Kung Shu

2009-03-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Aw-some

2009-03-09T14:33:00.003-04:00

My Happy Return

2008-06-16T15:34:00.004-04:00

June 16, 2008: Kitchener, Ontario, CanadaHappy Birthday to MEEEE. My sister, Melbah Toasty is holding this party in her fabulous sundeck garden and pool. My loco local family are here to celebrate the event. I am wearing my Songkran shirt from Chiang Mai Thailand. Melbah marches outside with this beautiful home made cheesecake. As I blow out the candles they tell me I don't look a day over 80. Thank you everyone for this very happy return to Ontario.

Happy New Year From The CN Tower

2007-12-31T20:50:00.000-05:00

Aw and I decide to spend our New Year's Eve in Toronto. We walk for miles along the huge maze under the City Centre called 'The Path'. We look through the underground shops and and enjoy a snack in one of the coffee shops. It's a cold wintry day outside today. By the time we arrive at the CN Tower it's just beginning to get dark so we get this tourist photo done when we arrive. Last year I took Aw to the Calgary Tower on one of the hottest days of the year. Now I take her to this tower on one of the coldest. Happy New Year from the (second) highest building in the world.

Ho Ho Ho Kah!

2007-12-25T09:27:00.000-05:00

Waterloo, Ontario, December 25, 2007

Santa has arrived from Thailand to say "Happy Holidays and Sawadee Kah!"
Here's wishing you all the best from our Timeline to Yours!
love,

Aw and Steve

AWTERLOO

2007-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Waterloo, Ontario, October 15, 2007
Aw arrives in Waterloo after a grueling 23 hour flight around the world from Bangkok Thailand. When she gets here we invite my Mom to dinner so that she can meet Aw. We have steak dinners at a local bistro and get acquainted. When Aw first meets Mom she says: 'you look young than your photo'. We raise our glasses in a toast. I say: 'So nice to have my two favorite people in the same place at the same time.'

Bus To Udaipur

2007-10-12T20:26:00.000-04:00

We take this deluxe sleeper for our ten-hour journey to Udaipur. The bus is very dirty but it's comfortable up in our top bunk once we put down our own sheet. There just doesn't seem to be anywhere in the schedule for cleaning. This looks to be a pretty comfortable journey for us but not everyone gets it so easy. As we settle in, we hear and young American student trying to get the bus driver's attention. He brings the driver over to his bunk and explains that someone has thrown up in his bunk and the mess is still all over the window. He shows the driver the mess on the outside of bus. He asks to be moved to another berth but the driver mumbles something as he waves his hand in dismissal, sits down and starts up the bus. My heart goes out to this guy. I have to admit though that my first thought is: 'thank God it was him and not us'. And so it goes in the dog-eat-dog (no beef or pork) world of Rajasthan India. No matter how well you try to prepare, you never know what curves will come at you.

What Was I Thinking?

2007-10-11T18:00:00.000-04:00

Waterloo, Ontario, October 11, 2007I keep getting strange jobs to do in Waterloo. I've installed paving stones and shower tiles. I've patched the peak of a roof. I seem to do every trade but carpentry. But hey, it's a living. So here I am, building scaffolds so that I can install aluminum soffit and fascia on this 1905 home. Fortunately, I have a harness on for protection at these heights.You see that vent up there on that gable? I have to install vented soffit over it. As I stand up here reaching as far out as I can; holding myself in place with one foot while reaching out with the opposite hand, I find myself asking myself the question over and over again: "What was I thinking?"

Camel Safari Tips

2007-10-10T22:27:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007
When you talk about Camel Safaris in India, you're talking about Jaisalmer.
It's a quiet place compared to Jaipur but what I really notice is the underlying tension here. We are very close to the Pakistan border and the police are always on the lookout for terrorists who want to slip over the border to India. I learned here that you don't fool around when you fill in those boring three pages of forms to sign in at a hotel. The manager told me they can be fined five hundred rupees if the forms are filled in wrong.

Our safari costs $45 each per day, each plus another $15 for beer and chicken. The beer is ice cold when it was packed but after a day in the hot desert it's pretty warm. Also you should consider the fact that it is shaken all day as it rides on the camel. So the only time it really is good to drink is in the morning when it has had a chance to cool down and stay still. Unfortunately, I'm just not a drink -beer-in-the-morning kind of guy. The other thing is the chicken. I just never thought of how chicken could be kept fresh while we travel. Nourah offered to let me wring it's neck. I know it's hypocritical to pretend chicken doesn't die for my plate, but I like to try. I feel like a murderer when (Harvey) [never name the food] is killed for our dinner. Some say that one overnight is enough but I love having 2 nights under the stars. I recommend the three day trek. You also go further into the desert that way. It is all set up in a loop. Nourah offers to show us the villages but we usually say no. Most of them are just tourist traps so that they can beg for your money and sell you trinkets. We prefer to just see nature and enjoy the peace and quiet. Another thing to check on is the number of people on a trek. We really lucked out because it is only Aw and me. Make sure you get your own camel. Don't let them put two on a camel. I also talked to some people who said they had a camel driver who spoke no English. It's great when Nourah is able to tell us about the desert. One more thing. We're here in January. By April, the desert is too hot for travel. But you know what? You can take all the precautions you like. You can still end up on a Trek you didn't agree to. This is India. Sometimes it's a great experience, like ours is. Sometimes it's not.

KW Mecca

2007-10-09T17:39:00.000-04:00

Kitchener, Ontario, October, 2007I'm lying in a cold bunk on a very cold Second Class train across the Rajasthan Desert of India. Do I think of the Maharajahs from the ancient world? Do I consider that this is the place where much of the civilized world began? Do I think of the adventures that lie ahead? No. I think of 'KW Surplus'. It was here that I got the sleeping bag that is keeping Aw warm. Mom took me here just before I left for Asia and on a whim, I picked up some items that ended up saving my bacon on my trip. And the things I bought were sooooooo inexpensive. So here's my salute to you, KW, and of course here's to you Mom!

Desert Goats And Children

2007-10-08T21:33:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

As we pass through a desert village these children lead us in. They are proud of their small community and they want to share it with us. There are very few building materials out here so the corrals are built from rocks, with a dried up branch and some straw for shade and protection from the rain (if it ever comes).As we come closer, the goats come to us to see who their visitors are.Aw creeps up to a goat to see if she can make friends. This is just like having our own private petting Zoo.We have been traveling for three days. We have seen very few people or creatures of any kind so this is really fun for us."Na la Kaw", as Aw would say; 'So cute".

Terry O'Reilly Confusion

2007-10-07T16:47:00.000-04:00

Anyone who listens to CBC radio, knows about O'Reilly And The Age Of Persuasion. This show has become the benchmark for quality programming. Mike Tennant and Terry O'Reilly put these great shows together each week. But there seems to be some confusion about Terry's past. CBC listeners keep asking: 'Didn't Terry O'Reilly play NHL Hockey for the Boston Bruins back in the seventies? I hope this clears up the confusion. Go Terry Go!

Yohoo Camel!

2007-10-06T16:35:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007
We Arrive at Nourah's village on the last day. He asks if I had a good time. Yes, I sure did Nourah, but there is one thing I never had a chance to do. Just once, I would like to see how fast a camel can run. He gives me a sideways look as if to say: 'you asked for it." He puts me on my camel 'Journey' and he gets on behind me. We head to an oval track on his property and away we go.

Truck Learning Curve

2007-10-05T21:22:00.000-04:00

This is my new (old) construction truck. It's a nice looking truck and it has a powerful engine. If I push on the gas pedal the wheels squeal and burn rubber. But I wasn't sure I would actually get it on the road. Melbah and I answered an ad on the Internet. We both had the feeling that this was the truck to buy. We make an appointment and drive an hour and a half to a farm on the banks of Lake Huron. A young Dutch couple; Eric and Petra, meet us and we take the truck for a spin. The driver's door doesn't close properly and I see rust spots but we make a deal to buy it for just under two thousand dollars. The only problem is that it needs a safety inspection to be legal on the road. Eric tells us he has had it inspected just six months earlier. He promises me it will pass again and implies that he will take the truck back if we have a problem. This is the moment of my fateful mistake. I should have refused to proceed until he completed the inspection and paperwork, but I didn't. I decide to take the chance on it passing again. But the next day when I take it to the mechanic he comes back with bad news. Steve tells me the truck is a wreck. An engine mount is broken, a brake is installed backwards, there is a hole in the cab wall that needs welding and a body mount has rusted through. Then he shows me that the truck has NO EXHAUST PIPE. EEK. It looks like it could cost a thousand dollars or more to make it road worthy. I am very upset by this news. I phone Eric and Petra and tell them the news. At first Eric is very sympathetic and sets up an appointment at the mechanic's where he had the other safety inspection done. But when I take it in that following Monday, the other mechanic knows nothing of the arrangement. I phone Eric and ask if he will pay for this other inspection. He tells me I am on my own. He has had the weekend to talk himself out of his own ethics and let's me know I can kiss off. So here I am with a truck that is quickly becoming a white elephant. My sister and I go back to the Steve the mechanic and explain the situation. But mysteriously, he seems to not think so many things have to be done to the truck after all. I get out of there for five hundred and fifty dollars. I got off easy. I should have never bought the truck without having the safety inspection done. In fact, Eric and Petra should have paid for the transfer papers as well. But now I have a truck, and I have it working. Melbah and I even manage to find a white topper that fits that exact model of truck. And we got it for just fifty dollars. So now I'm in business. I build some plywood compartments inside and a pull out drawer and I'm ready to carry my tools. I learned a big lesson here. I am just happy I got through this with a truck on the road. Whew!

Nourah; Camel Driver

2007-10-04T21:14:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India

Jaisalmer, January, 2007

This is our third and last day on the Safari. We arrive in a small settlement made up of a few brick buildings and goat corrals.
Nourah did a great job of guiding us through the desert. Here he is with his (my) camel 'Journey'. Many people think of camels as being unpredictable and snappy, but Nourah says that most are very docile and friendly because they are used to being around people.

Nourah wants to buy his own camels and do his own Safaris. We are thinking of investing in a camel with him. Camels cost about $300 to buy. At the end of the journey we arrived at Nourah's village in the desert. The only people who live here are his own family and brothers and a couple of aunts and uncles; about fifteen people in all. That's his wife in the green and his brother next to her. You would never know Nourah and his wife were married from looking at them in public. Indian culture does not allow public shows of affection. Muslim couples are even more strict that way. I found his family to be very polite and respectful.

Healing Moment

2007-10-03T02:39:00.000-04:00

Vancouver, BC, Canada, September 16, 2007
It's my last full day in Vancouver before I head back to Waterloo. My brother Pete picks me up from Scott and Judy's and takes me to his home in White Rock. This is Pete with two of his daughters; Millie (holding) Sasha. I make a point of spending a bit of time with Millie. She and I have both studied the same Spiritual path and I always enjoy the chance to talk to her since we share many of the same beliefs. As we're outside in Pete's back yard, I am drawn to this statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, who is mentioned in the Eck Teachings. He reminds me of a blog story Melbah wrote a while back about a Saint who showed up in a tree trunk. While I'm talking with Millie it's like we're in a different world. All these elements make up something greater than the talk we're having. It's a magical meeting and I have a strong sense of healing around us.

Desert Life

2007-10-02T20:52:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, India, January, 2007
We settle into desert life very easily. It's quiet out here and very peaceful. Every so often I turn around and snap a photo of Aw on her camel. We each carry one bag of personal stuff on the camel's saddle horn.We come across a lot of these large green bushes as we travel. These are all that break up the landscape for most of our journey.Our camels only eat once a day. Nourah spreads out some grain on a blanket for each of our pals. We carry the feed with us.Nourah makes us dinner from scratch. He brings rice and vegetables and the ingredients for chapattis. There's nothing better than the smell of a meal cooking in the quiet of the evening just before the sun goes down.We sit on our camp blankets and watch the sun set through the bush. For me, the Safari is all about this kind of moment. To truly enjoy the experience, we slow ourselves into the moment and enjoy what is, right now.

I Saw It On The Radio

2007-10-01T21:44:00.001-04:00

Toronto, Canada, June 11, 2007

I'm a shameless fan of the CBC Radio program: O'Reilly And The Age Of Persuasion, so when my brother Mike, invited me to watch a taping of the show at Pirate Radio, I was thrilled. A few weeks ago I was doing some carpentry at Mike's home and I got a chance to see him preparing the script and sound bites for the show. I am in awe of how much care he takes and how much work he does to give the show the extras that put it above and beyond most other shows on the air. And now I have a chance to see the show being made.I show up at the Pirate Studio in downtown Toronto. Terry O'Reilly is one of the six partners of this Advertising agency. It's a very inviting building with a relaxed atmosphere and lots of comfortable chairs and a small cafeteria with many jars of candy on a counter for anyone to sample. I arrange to meet my mom and Mike's wife, Lorrie here at Pirate. As it happens, the three of us meet right outside the building as if on cue. Mike comes out of the sound room to greet us and takes us back to meet Terry and to watch the taping for a while.He gives us a copy of the script so we can follow along. What impresses me the most, is how much care Mike puts into every line that is read. He helps with the tempo and inflection. It's great to finally meet Terry O'Reilly. Terry is a very quiet, self effacing man who has a genuine manner and makes us feel very welcome. The combination of Mike and Terry together brings a fresh, exciting element to the program. The people standing in front of the sound booth, from left to right are: Don Dickenson ( the guy who says "And now... Terry O'Reilly and the Age of Persuasion" in the opening), Terry O'Reilly (former NHL Hockey star and host of the show), Keith Ohman, a.k.a. "The Duke of Decibel", a.k.a. "The Sonic Swede" and Mike Tennant (former bed-wetter).This is the receptionist for Pirate Radio; 'Justice Darragh (There are so many puns here, I won't even start). I have included her here because she's lovely, and I want to. Thanks Mike and Terry for inviting us to see your show in production. They have completed their second season of shows and are now waiting for final approval for the third season which I have no doubt, CBC will give them (if they don't want a full scale riot from the listeners of Canada). Mike and Terry are also negotiating a book deal based on the show. Now that I've had a chance to watch this taping, I can truly say: 'I saw it on the radio'.

Desert Watering Hole

2007-09-30T21:45:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007
Life in the desert is very simple. We come to this oasis and Nourah, our camel driver takes us the sandy banks of this lake, to give our camels a good drink. Aw's beast has her head deep in the water as soon as we arrive They suck up the water like vacuum cleaners. A camel can go up to three days before needing water again. And just in case you're wondering where they store the water; it's not in their hump.
We come upon this father and son filling up their water storage tank. People here are very friendly and open to strangers. The little boy calls to us and I reply 'salaam alekum'. In India you can be sure that the greeting is almost always: 'namaste' or 'salaam alekum' depending if you are in a Muslim or Hindu area. Either way, I enjoy this kind of meeting the best.

Chris's Eagle Feather

2007-09-29T21:15:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

My friend from Canada, Judy, lost her son a couple of years ago. Both of us have had some very interesting signs of Chris to show us he's okay. When I find feathers, I think of him. Today, as we walk through this ancient village, I suddenly spot an eagle feather at my feet. There are many eagles out here flying around as we travel. Then I hear a strange squawking sound and the three of us look around a corner and see a beautiful sight. There are several peacocks standing nearby. They live wild in the desert here. They are quite skittish so by the time I get a photo of them, they are pretty far away. This is the wonder of the Jaisalmer desert; so barren, then suddenly, so beautiful.

Vancouver Boat Tour

2007-09-28T21:46:00.000-04:00

Vancouver BC, September 18, 2007
After our visit with Amy, we head out to the lake for a day at Scott and Judy's SECRET SPOT. You can torture me to death, you can tear my fingernails out, you can even tear Scott's finger nails out! We will never divulge the location. NEVER!!! Okay, I give up. Here's where we are.
Scott launches the boat at this man-made lake near 'Golden Ears' Park, where I went hiking with Pete last year. A Hydro-electric dam was built here so now this whole area has been submerged. If you were to swim down you would see the trees still there below our boat. We take the boat along the lake for ten minutes until we arrive at the spot that Scott and Judy have dubbed: 'Rattlesnake Point'. Scott and Peter first found this spot 25 years ago when they came canoeing along here. What a great site. We pull out our portable chairs and our packed lunch of beer and sandwiches and just hang out for the afternoon. Finally, around 3pm Scott declares he is going swimming. Judy, in a fit of insanity, agrees to join him. I see that this has become a matter of honor so I put on my swim suit and get ready to swim. Scott dives in first. I see he hasn't had a heart attack from the cold water so I jump in too. It reminds me of the Pool party we had just a few weeks ago at Melbah's. Mike and I jumped in the pool and I screamed like a little girl from the cold water. This water is even colder. Scott remarks that it seems warmer after a few minutes and I point out that it's just hypothermia setting in. Thanks you two, for letting me share this magical day with you.

Aw's Desert Travel

2007-09-27T22:36:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

Nourah loads up up camels as we head out for another day exploring this wondrous country. He walks ahead of us leading the camels and guiding us along the route effortlessly.Now I can carry out my secret plan. I know that it's just a matter of time before I wear Aw down. I'll show her who has the real endurance in the desert.Look at that desperate look in her face. I mean, let's get serious. She's just a tiny Thai woman. She is no match for a big strong (Yai jing jing krup) man from Canada. She can't possibly be having a good time on that Camel, hour after hour, trudging along the hot desert. Sure, she has that smile on her face and yes, I hear her laughing as if she's having a good time out here. But she's not fooling anyone. And tell that camel to get that smirk off his face!

Bob & Amy's New Old Home

2007-09-26T21:53:00.000-04:00

Vancouver, BC, September 15, 2007
Scott and Judy invite me out for a ride in their boat. We have a nice breakfast together and head out. On the way, we stop off to see Scott's daughter, Amy. It's good to see that Scott and Judy are finally starting to act like mature adults. Amy and her husband Bob have just bought a home in Haney. The house itself is old and a bit rugged, but the lot is fantastic. They are in a neighborhood that is up and coming so they will do very well in the future when they decide to sell. Amy says they expect the house to be torn down by whoever buys it next. In the meantime, they are making it a cosy place to live in. You can see the uneven roof from the two additions that were added over the years. One of their first orders of business will be to seal the leaks in this roof.
Here's the view as you come in the front door. The home is small but it still has a spacious feel to it. Amy says they are going to put hardwood floors throughout the house to give it a cottage feel.The ceilings are low but I like the kitchen. It has lots of counter space and a large window looking out to the backyard. I find that all the rooms in their house seem to be big enough to be comfortable for day to day living. I also like the simplicity of the living room. It's simple and elegant. The window looks out to the front yard. I can see that they have their work cut out for them but when it's all done they're going to have a very nice living space. I wish you guys all the best. I know this house is going to turn out to be a very good investment for the future.

MBT Desert Trial

2007-09-25T20:54:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007
They say 'never judge a man til you walk a mile in his sandals. Nourah walks the whole journey through the desert. He leads the two camels like this for the three days, walking in his old black shoes. After the first day, he shows me one of his shoes. The sole is split open and it has thorns in it. Fortunately I have a second pair of sandals so I give him my best pair to wear for the duration of our trip. The irony is that these are very special sandals. I got them through my friend Vivyan in Toronto Canada. They are MBTs.These shoes were designed by studying the Masai tribe in the African desert. The shoes are bow shaped so that the we must unconsciously adjust our posture to walk straight. It is a total body work out but after a short time it causes you to walk in a healthier way. So here we are in the desert of India and our guide is wearing the exact footwear that was designed by people in his exact situation. They costs about three hundred dollars a pair; the same price as a camel. Nourah loves wearing them and asks if he can keep them, but I have to say no. I do give him my other pair though. It's nice to have been able to give him the gift of comfort for the three day Safari.

Vancouver Deck Garden

2007-09-24T22:09:00.000-04:00

I wake up after a wonderful night with Scott and Judy at a local pub. I am at their home in North Vancouver. For you X-File fans, they used to film many of the scenes from that show, just up the street from here. My biological clock is really out of whack so I am up at 6am. The air is cool and fresh. My brother and his wife have very tall Douglas Fir trees around their property. Once in a while, a wind will gust and a huge branch will come hurtling down. a couple of years ago, this tree dropped a branch and it fell like a spear on the hood of Judy's car. It didn't puncture the metal but it did make a hell of a dent. The insurance company tried to argue that the damage was an act of God. But once Judy explained that the insurance company could expect the wrath of God if the claim was not settled fast, they seemed to see the light and finally did repair her car. They have a great assortment of plants and flowers on their deck railing. I love the smells and colors but my favorite thing is the Buddha you see in the foreground. This has become a common theme in our family gardens. Mom has one near her fishpond. Melbah The Toasty has one on her deck and now I find this same Buddha here. Just a coincidence? I think not.

Camel Safari: Desert Children

2007-09-23T21:20:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

We wake up to the smell of Chai boiling on a cooking fire nearby. What a great way to start the morning. It' cool and clear in the desert and we are very relaxed. It just happened that Aw and I are the only ones on this Safari. We were told there would be eight or ten other travelers with us, but we don't mind at all. It's as if we have the whole desert to ourselves. After a delicious breakfast of jam and toast, we pack up as our driver loads everything back onto the camels, and off we go.This village family comes out to meet us as we travel. We walk around and see goats in corrals and some chickens wandering loose. The woman on the right was making butter by hand as we approach. Our camel driver, Nourah, says these villagers welcome us and although they hope we will give them a bit of money, they are happy just to see us. There are only three of four families living here. The huts are clay with thatched roofs. Such a simple life here in the desert.

Vancouver Songkran

2007-09-22T02:38:00.000-04:00

Vancouver, BC, September 14, 2007
I try to see my whole family at least once a year, which isn't easy when they live on opposite ends of the third largest country in the world. Scott picks me up at the airport and we go to his home in North Van. The ride takes half an hour and we have a great time catching up on what's been going on in our lives since we last met in August, last year. I don't know what hypnosis course Judy sent Scott to, but he constantly tells me how much he adores his wife and how lucky he is. As soon as we arrive at their home, the three of us go to the local pub and have a delicious meal together. This picture reminds me of the one I snapped in Thailand during Songkran, and this celebration of family feels the same.

Calgary Tweak

2007-09-21T14:09:00.000-04:00

Calgary Alberta, Canada September 8, 2007

I'm in Calgary today with Duncan and we're tweaking this deck that we built last year. Suzanne and Steve are great people and we want to make sure they are really happy with this project so I've flown in from Waterloo and teamed up with Duncan; who I worked with last year; to make sure everything is just right here.This is one of my favorite projects of all time because we got to do so many interesting things. This lot has a big slope to it and so we built this multi-tiered deck to extend the living space. Then we built around these beautiful old trees
Our clients live in a beautiful old neighborhood and they say they are getting wonderful use out of the new deck. You can see other photos of this deck on my construction page.

Would You Like Chicken With That?

2007-09-20T10:15:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

Our Camel Safari takes us for many kilometers into the Rajasthan dessert. The loping speed is very relaxing and peaceful. We stop after 3 or 4 hours to let the camels rest and to have a meal. Our camel driver; Nourah, lays down some quilts so we can have a short siesta while he gets out the supplies for our afternoon meal. He makes the japatti himself and all the ingredients are fresh. I could be a vegetarian very easily. This food is wonderful. It's just vegetables and rice and some spices.Tonight we have a delicious meal of noodles, japatti and chicken. Nourah sets everything out around him on the ground and puts our whole meal together while sitting in this one position. I only have one regret about my choices of food for this Safari.
When they asked me if I wanted chicken on this Safari I had no idea they meant...

Calgary Karma

2007-09-19T14:31:00.000-04:00

I'm in Calgary taking care of some old business this week. I have some tools stored here that I am shipping to Waterloo. I am staying with my friend, Duncan. This is his faithful companion; Roxy. I enjoy being back here, very much. I even managed to have sushi with a woman I think of as a daughter; Sarah. I wondered what it would be like to talk with Sarah after being away so long, but it was great. We laugh and talk about the things that have happened in our lives. I tell her about my strange experiences in India and she tells me about her new home and how her new job at the bank gives her good challenges every day. I'm glad for Sarah because she is so bright and loves to learn.
I promised my friend Mac, that I would get my Lincoln Town Car out of his friend's driveway. I have been meaning to do it since I got back from India in April but I have been very busy getting my business going in Ontario. He and I team up on the last day here and drive the car to it's new home; Sarah's place. It's a strange feeling to watch Mac driving my old car for the last time. A lot of things have been accomplished this week. I feel like I've burned off a lot of karma on this trip.

Desert Paradise

2007-09-17T10:09:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

WE ride from about 10am until around 6pm. I am in a panic inside for the first few hours of the Safari. I honestly don't know if I can endure the ride. I have always considered myself a very strong person but my legs are working way too hard with every step the camel takes, just to maintain my balance. We stop for a nice lunch under some shade trees and when we get back on the camels, suddenly it's all different. My brain seems to adjust to the journey and now at the end of the day it's no problem at all. I know I can ride indefinitely. It's all so easy to do now. Sigh

Nourah, our camel driver, brings us here to this sand dune for our first night in the desert. The whole trip is worth it just to be here. This dune is like something from a movie. We were warned that much of our trek will be in scrub, but this is wonderful.I take Aw to the top of a dune just as the sun is setting. The Sun sets very fast in this part of the world. Where we are here is very close to the Pakistan border. I thought that a Camel Safari would be all about the wonderful sights we would see; and it is, in a way. But the best part is just the peace and quiet as we ride along in this mystical land. Nourah is quiet by nature and the three of us have no trouble just looking around and enjoying the Peace and quiet. I love waking up in the cool morning and smelling the smoke from the fire as Nourah makes our morning chai and a simple breakfast. At night, we lay blankets out in the sand and sleep under the stars. I sleep on my back and I wake up every few hours and look up at a new configuration of stars over head. Canada has wonderful night skies but I have never seen anything like this. There are no lights to detract from this heavenly view. It's magnificent out here.

How To Ride A Camel

2007-09-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

Hello from the Desert Safari near the Pakistan border. It's very exciting to be here in a place so important to the world right now. If we stray a bit Northwest, we could find ourselves in the middle of a Pakistani military base. Many generations of people have lived here and died here; from drought and hunger and politics. This is ancient Rajasthan; the way it has looked for thousands of years.We met some young students traveling from Israel, the night before our Safari. One woman was very beautiful and very fit. She said she was done-in after the first couple of hours on the camel and had to be taken back after the first day. She said it was just too hard to ride the camel. So we are concerned because we are signed up for three days of riding (and the money is not refundable). For the first four hours I find it very difficult. The camel jostles me left and right and up and down with each step and I find my body fighting every move. I look over at Aw and she is just smiling and ambling along as if she's done this all her life. (Those darn Thais! Who do they think they are anyway! And a girl Thai at that!!!). "How it go Stevie" she enquires. "Dee mark krup sweetie. Great. I'm loving it." After four hours I'm already thinking up plausible excuses to get out of this nightmare. But then something magical seems to happen. My body adjusts and it's suddenly very easy to ride.

Jaisalmer Camel Safari Begins

2007-09-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

We wake up bright and early and head to the outer gate of Jaisalmer Fort to begin our adventure. I'm not sure if I'm more excited to be going on this trek or if I'm just thrilled to be warm for a change. Did I mention that we have been freezing to death in India since we arrived?

This man beside me is our Jeep driver. He's taking us to the starting point of our Safari. You pay extra to get this ride, but it means you start in the real desert instead of spending your first four hours just getting out of town on your camel. My Camel's name is 'Journey' so I feel right at home with him as my traveling partner. The name: just a coincidence? I think not... Camels are the strangest looking creatures. I can't believe how small Aw looks on that beast. i call her Mighty Mouse because she doesn't shy away from anything. The driver says to get on and she gets on. Not bad for a woman who likes to dress in designer clothes and has a manicure every two weeks. If I this Safari doesn't kill her off, nothing will...

How To Find A Camel Driver

2007-09-14T09:55:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007
The reason people come to Jaisalmer is for the Camel Safaris. This is the route we signed up for. It cost us 650 rupees per day plus another 100 rupees each to have beer and chicken with our meals. I'll have some tips for you when we finish the safari. You have to always be thinking of the next part of your journey in India. You can't just hop on a train or bus. You have to decide a few days ahead where you are going next and buy the tickets. I have a view from here that looks over the town from this restaurant in the Fort. I might look impressive to Aw as I pore over these documents but if she know what my family knows; that I have virtually no sense of direction and have only got this far in India by dumb luck, she would be panic. But I'm the MAN. I am supposed to know my way around. Here's a desert riddle for you. 'Why did it take Moses 40 years to bring the chosen people to the Promised Land? Answer: Because even in those days, a man was afraid to ask for directions.'

Jaisalmer Shopping

2007-09-13T09:52:00.000-04:00

From my Journey in India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

After a good sleep in in Jaisalmer Fort, we head out to do some shopping. There are many shops inside the walls of the fort itself.

This is Mr. Yogi. He buys patches from gypsies and then makes them into these pieces. I think he was selling this wall-hanging for about 500 rupees ($13 Canadian). He has travelled all over the world and lived in Europe for many years. I really like the Camel bags. The workmanship is very nice. I bought one myself. It cost 550 rupees ($15 CAD). This is the man who makes them. Here's a little trivia about camels. They are worth the same alive as dead. You can buy a camel at the auction for about $300 CAD. Our friend here owns a great second hand book shop. He was playing some modern Hindu music when we walked in. Aw loved it and he burned a CD of the music for her as a gift. I mention this because it is so refreshing to meet someone here who does something without expecting anything in return. We spend a lot of energy every day just watching out for the people who are always trying to sell us things so this bookstore was an oasis for us. The other thing I really like, is how Aw has a magical way with so many people she meets. They just take an instant liking to her. Even though she is from another country, she fits in very well here.

Jaisalmer Fort

2007-09-12T09:49:00.000-04:00

From my recent Journey in India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

Okay, first, a confession. Lonely Planet says not to stay here in this 500 year-old fort. The sewage system is slowly flushing away the foundation and will eventually destroy it. So the first promise I make to myself as I arrive is: NO MORE PEEING! Three days is really not that long a time if you have discipline. Now on with the story...
Here is the entrance to the Fort. It's the only ancient fort in Rajasthan that still has people living in it. We are let off here and walk up the steep sloping entryway to the inner sanctum.We come to one of the highest points in Jaisalmer Fort. It still has it's canons but I don't think they work. You can see the desert city behind Aw. It's a typical desert area; hot in the day and cold at night. There is very little vegetation here. What I love, is to think that a person looking out from here 400 years ago, saw a very similar sight to what we see now. For Aw, this isn't such a big deal. She is from Thailand; a Kingdom that has been around for almost ten thousand years. But for me, a Canadian, I am very impressed when I see the ancient worlds. Canada is only 140 years old, so this is pretty exciting to see. I get a very good feeling standing here and I look forward to the adventure ahead.

Welcome To Jaisalmer

2007-09-12T09:46:00.000-04:00

From My Recent Journey In India
Jaisalmer, January, 2007

WARM AT LAST, WARM AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE'RE WARM AT LAST!
Our Guesthouse is in the nine hundred-year-old 'Jaisalmer Fort'. It's the only Rajasthani fort still occupied. Finally after so many days of being so cold, I was here in this 28 degree desert climate.

How NOT to Travel By Train

2007-09-11T09:41:00.000-04:00

From my recent Journey in India
Japiur Inida, January, 2007

We finish our tour in Jaipur. Our new friend, Salim, helps us map out a loop for the route in Rasjasthan. We were going to take a Deluxe Sleeper Bus to Jaisalmer but there were no berths available so we signed up for the Train instead. We arrive in the dark and wait....And it is COLD...damned cold. We were asked if we wanted an air-conditioned sleeper. Why should we want an air-conditioned train when we're already too cold? Well, the answer is: because otherwise you have a train full of leaky windows that push the freezing air over you all night. Mom, you remember that little sleeping bag I bought in Kitchener just before I left? It has saved our bacon so many times I can't even count. This is one of those nights. the berths are very narrow ; like sleeping on a plank or a stretcher with a thin foam cover. I can barely sleep at all. I give the sleeping bag to Aw and I put the only thing I have left; a single cotton bed sheet, over me. It's not so bad when the train is moving slowly but when it picks up speed, the icy wind whistles through the train and I shiver so bad my teeth are clacking. I get a perverse comfort from looking down at the lower bunk where she is snuggled into the bag with only her wool cap sticking out. Thais are just the right size for these sleepers. It gives me a satisfaction to know that even if I die of cold tonight, at least she will survive to tell our story.We stop early in the morning for some chai and a somosa before completing our fifteen hour journey to Jaisalmer. It's great to finally feel some warmth after such an incredibly cold night.
The desert dunes are very dusty. Aw rode like this for many hours a day.
Here is a tip I want to pass on for anyone traveling by train in India: TRAVEL 3AC. THAT MEANS 'AIR CONDITIONED 3RD CLASS'. Even when it's cold, it is better because it is a sealed car so you don't get the cold wind in. It is also safer because the people who travel in these cars tend to have more money and so they aren't looking for yours.

Jaipur Jewelry Or Else

2007-09-10T09:33:00.000-04:00

From my recent journey in India
Jaipur, India January, 2007
We are on an Auto Rickshaw tour in Jaipur. Part of the deal is that we are 'invited' to look at some silver jewelry. Our driver gets a commission for bringing us here. If we want to buy; okay. Just look; up to you. The jewelry is beautiful and the craftsmanship is great. We're not really in the mood to shop but for some reason, these guys have a way of making you WANT to buy. They make us an offer we can't refuse and we leave with a few nice rings.

Jaipur MacDonald's

2007-08-15T09:12:00.000-04:00

I was trying to do a story on McDonalds in India. I wanted to see how it compared to other countries. But as I started taking photos, this employee began waving his arms madly and telling me to stop. I guess their prices are a National Secret. What I wanted to show you you is how a company that specializes in Beef products, can run a successful business in a country that doesn't eat beef. The secret is Tofu; and it's delicious.

Collision Of Cultures

2007-08-14T07:32:00.000-04:00

From my recent Journey in India
Jaipur India, January 13 2007
We climb to an upper courtyard in the Maharajah's Palace. We look through a 500 year-old window opening to this view of downtown Jaipur. Here's what we see.
This is India in a nutshell. If you can figure out which lane is which on this road, you're doing better than me. It's chaos. I'm not joking when I say that you cannot drive on the road unless you have a working horn on your vehicle. And you want to get from here to there? That is just an act of will.

Jaipur Palace

2007-08-07T21:24:00.000-04:00

From my recent Journey in India
January 13, 2007 Jaipur, India

We have arrived in a very different place in India from the sights of Delhi and Agra. We hire a driver to take us around to see the city on this very hot day. We are in the State of Rajasthan; the land of Kings. Here in Jaipur, this is the original Palace of the Maharajah. The whole 800 year-old Palace is decorated with art like this. The attention to detail is amazing. This palace is about 500 years old.The Maharajah was fascinated by the stars and had a garden observatory built with many sundials and measuring devices to study the sky. He was inspired by Galileo and Copernicus. This device is made from marble and precious inlaid stones. The whole garden looks like a brainiac's version of a theme park. This entryway is made from semi-precious stones inlaid in Marble. Peacocks are a Royal symbol in Rajasthan and they live wild around the State. We keep running into Koreans here in India. We met these students on the bus coming here. They just happened to show up at the Palace the same time we did. Our pal in the center is here specifically to stand for photos with the tourists. There are signs all around that say: 'No tips are allowed'. But I guess it wouldn't be India if he didn't rub is finger and thumb together and give us that coy look that tells us he will not mind if we break the rules just this once.

Jaipur Lunch

2007-08-01T08:12:00.000-04:00

From my recent Journey in India
Jaipur India, January 14, 2007

The key to eating in India is to look for a lot of people in one place and eat there. We find this tiny shop full of people, so we head in. The chairs and tables are plastic. The decor is stark. The people are enjoying themselves. We sit down and these two students come in and join us. They are excited to meet us and they help us order. I give one of them my camera and he takes this video of us having our first authentic (very delicious) Jaipur lunch.

King Of The Elephants

2007-07-31T09:22:00.000-04:00

From my recent Journey in India
Jaipur India, January14, 2007

This is the magic of India. You can be in the most modern setting and then suddenly be transported back in time to the age of Kings.We're walking around Jaipur, near the palace, when suddenly we see a very well dressed elephant with his driver, ambling around the square. There is a family beaming with pride as they ride like Royalty atop this beautifully decorated animal. At the end of the ride, the elephant carefully lowers himself down to the ground so they can get off.
The driver signals me to come closer and I walk up to him as Aw takes this photo. He wants 100 rupees for me to have this picture taken. I give him 30. Every picture like this has two stories; The event, and the negotiation.

Snake Charmers And Snake Oil

2007-07-26T09:19:00.000-04:00

Jaipur, India, January 13, 2007
This story is from my Journey in India
It's hot and sunny for our first day in Jaipur. We start our day with a trip to the the Maharajah's palace. As we enter the Palace grounds we see some unusual things.
This snake charmer is adamant that I should wrap his cuddly cobra around my neck for this photo but I graciously decline. You can tell by the distance Aw is from me for this photo that she isn't a big fan of snakes either. I kept motioning her to come closer and she just kept shaking her head. The only real danger here is the 'charmer' himself. He expects money for this little show. And we are not going anywhere until he gets it...'as you like'.

Meeting Salim In Jaipur

2007-07-24T21:37:00.000-04:00

Jaipur India, January 14, 2007
This story is from my recent Journey in India

Jaipur is our first stop in our tour of the desert State of Rajasthan; home of the Maharajahs. We have just come off an eight hour bus trip, bouncing over broken gravel and concrete roads. It's getting dark as we arrive. I have learned to use my 'Lonely Planet' book to find hotels in each new city so that we won't get ripped off. But then a man approaches us and offers us a room for 300 rupees. He shows us a brochure and it looks ok so we agree. It's located on a grimy street but the hotel itself is good. So now we're staying at The Hardik Hotel. Salim is the manager and makes us feel very much at home. We need a friend after the way we felt chewed up by Agra. Aw is an accountant but she is also a chef and she misses Thai food very much, so Salim invites her to cook some of her own meals while we're here. He manages this hotel and does most of the cooking. He works eleven months a year and only has one month a year to be with his family in Northern India.

Leaving Agra

2007-07-22T09:10:00.000-04:00

Agra, India; January 12, 2007
This story is from my recent Journey in India
Exploring Agra has been a very satisfying and tiring experience. After seeing the Taj, Mannie, our auto rickshaw driver, wants to take us to some more places but we say no. Now comes the part I have been dreading. This morning when he begged us to let him be our guide in Agra, he said: "You are my guests" and "As you like". Well, he was okay but we found we had to reign him in a lot during the adventure. Mannie kept trying to take us to tourist emporiums and we kept saying no. And when we insisted he stop heading to the next one, he would give us an aggravated look of disappointment to show us that his 'guests' were not doing 'as he liked'. At the end of the day we think his services are worth 400 rupees and the trip from the train station to the hotel, another hundred. I pay him 500 rupees ($15 CAD). He argues that it is not enough but I hold my ground. When he realizes I'm not going to budge, he finally pastes the happy-go-lucky face back on and bids us a fond 'Namaste'.

It's early morning now. Our next stop is Rajasthan and our train is scheduled to leave at 6pm. But now at 8am there is still no sign of it. There are many people sleeping on the concrete floor around us. These children and their mother are waiting for the same train. Notice the snow suits. This is as cold as it gets in India. Aw thinks 20 degrees Celsius is cold enough but this ain't Thailand. Children always gravitate to Aw where ever we go. And she blends right in. People assume she is Indian. We wait for the train on this cold platform for 3 hours before we finally give up. The deal is that after three hours you can get a full refund on your tickets, so we do. We get on a bus to Jaipur instead. This is one bumpy ride though. The roads in this part of India are full of potholes. But at least we are on our way again.

Remember Now

2007-07-19T21:58:00.000-04:00

The lesson I keep reminding myself of is: we are all Travelers all the time. I have traveled so much in the last three years that I don't see things as a 'Canadian' anymore. I try to keep my eyes open and get out of the way of the experience.Melbah and I are out looking at a construction project here in Waterloo. We happen to drive by this park and without talking, she pulls the car over and we go for a walk. This view is as beautiful as the Mountain regions of Chiang Mai Thailand, or the Islands of Halong Bay, Vietnam. And it's right here, right now. But then we hear the sudden blast, like a fire extinguisher and realize there are three hot-air balloons being inflated right across the street. One of my dreams is to take a flight in a balloon one day. We stand in a crowd and watch as this balloon begins to rise up. We all give a collective cheer as it lifts off the ground and disappears into the sky.
Life is so magical. 'Remember' I keep saying to myself, like a mantram; 'Be Here Now'.

The Irony Of The Taj Mahal

2007-07-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

We follow the throngs of people pouring through the entrance to the huge courtyard to the Taj. Aw and I look at each other like two kids heading into a candy store. We are grinning with anticipation. We walk through the entrance and there it is. It is the most magnificent structure I have ever seen. It rises up like a dream castle in the distance. The Taj is so big that it is deceptive to look at. It seems far away and very close at the same time. You can see Aw waving to the camera here as we approach the mausoleum. It's hard to convey just how gigantic this structure really is. And it's all solid marble. the Taj is a wonderful love story. The Ruler of this part of India; Shah Jahan, loved his favorite wife so much that when she died (after bearing him about fourteen children...ouch... missed her so much that he hired two thousand craftsmen to design and build this monument to his Queen. It took twenty-two years to complete it . When they were done, he ordered their thumbs to be cut off so that they could never repeat this work. It is said that some of the building techniques here, have never been duplicated anywhere else . It is said that these construction secrets have been lost in antiquity. You always see the Taj from the gate behind Aw. this shows you what it looks like when you look back from the other direction. The curved archway behind her is the entrance to this whole courtyard. When Shah Jahan completed the Taj Mahal for his wife, he started to build a second Taj to be used for his own mausoleum. His plan was to create an exact duplicate of the white Taj, but in black. You can see the foundation here across the river. This is where Aw and I were standing earlier today when we looked across to the main Taj. You can see the foundation of this structure across the river from the White Taj. The Shah's son declared him insane and had his father imprisoned in the foundation of it. Our driver; Mannie, says that the son was outraged that his father was taking so much of the riches to build something so frivolous. Other locals disagree. Our hotel clerk thinks the son was just greedy and wanted to stop his father from spending his future inheritance.

This is the entrance to the mausoleum behind me. You see that man just entering? That should give you some idea just how immense it is. Do you see the inscription and detail work on the wall behind me? Those are jewels and semi-precious stones that have been set into the marble.. I sit here for a few minutes just to take in the history of this moment. It's not every day we have a chance to be a part of one of the most famous places on Earth. After a little while Aw and I walk into the inner sanctum where a large marble tomb sits over the body of the Shah's wife (depicted in this painting). We are told not to take photos but people keep taking them anyway. Over and over again, tourists push their way into the grating that surrounds the tomb and they snap flash photos while the guard keeps telling them to stop but to no avail. The one thing that really stands out to me here; there is a second tomb beside the large one in the center. It is the tomb of the Shaw. But what makes it so strange here is that in this magnificent structure where everything is perfectly symmetrical, his tomb is the only thing that is off-center. The great irony of the Taj is that the resting place of the creator of one of the most carefully planned and executed architectural structures of all times, was in the end, an afterthought.

Taj Security

2007-07-14T12:16:00.000-04:00

We were warned by Joanmarie not to go to the Taj Mahal. She told us it was too dangerous. Saddam Hussein has just been hanged and there was a riot 2 days ago right here in front of the Taj. The Muslim community is already furious with the bigoted approach the Bush administration has taken with their community as a whole but the way the trial and execution was carried out has put a lot of Muslims over the edge. We have checked the local reports and decided to take the chance of going there anyway.Mannie, our auto rickshaw driver, lets us off in a congested roadway and points us in the direction of the Taj. I share a moment with a cow eating garbage on my way down the lane. Aw and I relax and enjoy this walk, knowing this is a once in a lifetime experience.
I always pictured the Taj being on a hilltop so that it could be viewed like a palace from miles around, but it's not. It's inside a giant compound. This is the entrance. We buy two tickets for 750 rupees each ($50 CAD total), which, in India is a huge sum of money. We take our tickets and stand in line. I should have taken photos of all the military around us. This place is heavily fortified right now and we sense the tension from the riot that just took place. We are waiting to go through this archway to a metal detector. There are two lines; one for women and one for men, as is the custom for Muslims. As we're waiting, a local Indian man comes up to me and says: "This line takes two hours. I know a shortcut. Come with me." I reply: "How much will this 'shortcut' cost me?" "Very little, sahib. Only 200 rupees. No waiting." I turn and look him in the eye and ask: "What would Mahatma Gandhi do? I think he would stand in line like the rest of his countrymen, don't you think? If it's good enough for Mahatmaji, it's good enough for me." The man shakes his head in disgust and makes a bee-line for the next foreigner. Ten minutes later we are inside the gate. My only problem is that I have a fifty cent calculator in my pack. The soldier tells me I have to go across the street and leave it there. It could be a detonator for a bomb according to their regulations I have to leave it behind. Aw is watching as this exchange goes on for about three minutes. I'm trying to tell him to just keep it but he doesn't want me to have to lose it and he doesn't quite understand what I'm saying to him so the whole line behind me is stuck waiting. I finally smile and just start walking past him. He picks up the calculator and warns me: "It won't be here when you get back" I give him a dismissive wave and a smile and wish him 'Namaste'.So finally we make it past securety. This huge archway behind Aw is the gateway to the grounds that enclose the Taj Mahal.

Teasing Us In Agra

2007-07-12T22:46:00.000-04:00

Mannie, Our auto rickshaw driver takes us to the Agra Fort which was built by the same builders as the Delhi Fort; Shah Jahan , four hundred years ago. It would cost us 400 rupees to go inside ($12 CAD) so we grab a couple of snapshots and move on. We have one day to do this town and then we are off on the train, so we have to keep moving.

The driver takes us to the 'Baby Taj' It is made with the same skills and materials as the regular Taj but is much smaller. We feel like we're being teased all day because we know what we really want to see. I have to admit I am more interested in all the monkeys running around the grounds.

Manni drives to a site across the river from the Taj. It's a dream world in the distance that we glimpse everywhere we go. Shah Jahan began construction of an identical Taj next to where Aw is standing. It was to be done in black marble, but he was never allowed to finish it. I'm glad we have this driver to show us places like this. We wouldn't have been able to find our way here on our own. Mannie takes us to one more vista to see the Taj in the distance. These rocks were built into a modern estate but the City of Agra overruled the development here and ordered the buildings to be destroyed. It seems the City officials were able to see beyond the immediate profits of this settlement, in order to preserve the ancient sense of this mystical place. Our driver wants to take us to some more locations but we tell him to stop. It's time to see the Taj Mahal.

Agra-Vation

2007-07-10T23:43:00.000-04:00

We take the five hour train from Delhi, south to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. The train is dirty and the weather is cold as we arrive but now it's starting to warm up. This place feels like a city that time has forgotten. The people walk around in filth, going about their day-to-day routine, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. We booked out Guest house from Delhi, yesterday. When I called to check the rates, the clerk told me it was twelve hundred and fifty rupees a night ($45 CAD). "Lonely Planet says it's only 450" I said. Without missing a beat he replied: "yes, all right. We can give you a room for that amount." Everything is negotiable in this country. When we arrive at our Guest house, our driver insists on being our guide for the day. "What should we pay you?" I ask. "As you wish" he replies. "You are my guest." This becomes an ongoing saying in India. When Aw and I hear this, we instinctively lock eyes and give each other a grimace. It's not a good idea in India to leave the negotiations to the end of the Journey. These people were a civilized race when my ancestors were still living in trees and I don't like the odds of me succeeding in the negotiation we will be having at the end of this day.

This thousand year-old city is a noisy, smelly place with garbage in the streets and rusted out vehicles and wagons carrying supplies along the potholed roads. We see pigs eating garbage on the side of the road and emaciated water buffalo with their ribs showing, and carts that look like they have been around since the 1940s. The ancient fortress walls are covered in faded posters from events gone by. We see many poor people here but there are also many who are well dressed, like this man with the red sweater and while slacks. Agra is an eerie place to be in and I'm glad we have our train already booked to leave here tomorrow. But as we barrel along these bumpy broken down roads we keep getting a glimpse of something magnificent in the horizon.

Cold Train To Agra

2007-07-09T23:12:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 11, 2007
This story is from my recent Journey in India
I'm really not as tired as I look...well okay I am this tired. We drag ourselves out of our Delhi Guest house at 4am this morning to catch the 5:30 train to Agra; the home of one of the most famous structures in the world; the Taj Mahal. In fact it's so famous I consider skipping it all together. It just seems so cliche' to see it. We are giving ourselves one day to do the Taj and then move on. We booked a second class train for this five hour trip. The other choice was '3A.C.' (3rd Class Air Conditioned) but we are so cold here in Delhi that 'air conditioned' just seems wrong. Besides, how cold can it really be inside the train? VERY COLD! The windows are very leaky so when the train is moving, we get a constant rush of frigid air. It's about five degrees at best and it feels colder. There just isn't anywhere to go to get warm on this train. I am so glad I brought this hoodie to India. Without it I would be one frozen mackerel. My poor sweetie pie has never experience cold like this before. In Bangkok Thailand, where she lives, a cold day is when it drops to twenty degrees Celsius. But this is why we travel together; to see how we get along when the going gets rough. Aw's relatives asked her many times: 'Why are you going to India?' At this moment, I'm sure she's wondering the same question.

Honk Your Horn In Delhi

2007-07-06T19:01:00.000-04:00

Just in case you haven't heard enough honking horns in Delhi, here's a video to make it clear to you. Imagine driving every day in traffic where horns are used every minute of every day. They never stop. There are no rules. You just find a way to survive it. I have such incredible respect for those of you who live in this city and keep your sanity.

Bicycle Bliss

2007-07-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

Squiddy, Melbah and Mikee got me a bike for my birthday. It's great. Finally I have a way to start exploring Waterloo on my own. It's about time I stopped living in denial and face the fact that I'm really here in Ontario. Melbah, Lamb and I take an inaugural trip to Lamb's school to ride around and play a little tennis. Then we head off into the woods to see some of the forest paths. Construction is good exercise but I love the aerobics I get from traveling the open road. Next I have to find a bicycle club to join for some weekend rides. If there's anyone in the area who some ideas for Sunday rides, just send me an email. Now back to the open road.

Driving In Delhi

2007-07-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 9, 2007
This is the insanity we call Delhi traffic. If it's a 4 lane road that means there are five or six cars all competing for the lanes. To get ahead, you aim for a hole and go for it. The scariest part is when you realize that Arun is constantly on his cell phone while he drives us through this madness that is Delhi traffic. (see movie) there are always honking horns all the time. It's how people communicate on the road, like Vietnam. You cannot drive a vehicle in Delhi if you don't honk your horn. It's not anger. It's how you communicate your intentions. You can see in this video the way cars just look for a hole and go for it. And right in the middle of it all, some guy decides to back up. It's incredible and it's the way of life every day.

Delhi Rickshaw Ride

2007-06-28T20:58:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 7, 2007

This story is from my recent Journey in India.
Aw and I are six kilometers from the Tibetan Settlement where we're staying here in Delhi. A skinny man in a woolen cap indicates that he will give us a ride in his rickshaw. Aw gives me a dubious look. "Too far Stevie. Cannot." He doesn't speak any English but he is smiling and insists that we sit in his rig. "How much?" I ask. He indicates with his fingers 'fifteen rupees'. Oh my God, he's telling us he will take us on that fifteen minute ride for the equivalent of fifty cents Canadian. Aw is still doubtful. "Both?" she asks, pointing back and forth between herself and me. The man nods his head vigorously and indicates that we need to sit in his rickshaw. So off we go. It's chilly out today and as we ride we can feel the cold wind on us. I would never have thought Delhi would be this cold. It's around zero today and we don't have the proper clothes to really stay warm so we hunker down and hang on for the ride. As we pass this mother with her children we give them a wave and a smile and the children are happy to see us and wave back enthusiastically. What a sweet family.

Saying Good Bye To Ayako

2007-06-26T09:09:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 10, 2007
Ayako is such a sweet woman. She's always cheerful; even when she's going through stomach sickness in Delhi. Today she must head home from her vacation. She flies from Delhi to Sri Lanka, to Bangkok and then to Tokyo. After that she takes a three hour train trip to her home town in Japan. I have seen you so many places in the World Ayako san and you are like a daughter to me. I wish you much happiness and adventure, until we meet again.

Happy Birthday To Us

2007-06-24T09:03:00.000-04:00

Waterloo Ontario, June 24, 2007
My brother Pete is visiting from White Rock BC and since three of us have our birthdays so close together, Mom decided to have a birthday party for all three of us here in Waterloo. I'm holding the black forest cake with Mike at my right and Pete on my left. (Is that a balloon growing out of my head?) There are a total of 14 family members here, including all the kids. Mom put together a wonderful spread including ham and potato salad and Mike's wife, Lorrie made sushi. Melbah Toasty made her famous chick pea Indian Currie. Since I just got back from India this dish made me feel nostalgic. I even taught my family to do the head 'wobble' that you use when speaking about Indian food. It's great to be part of a family who genuinely like being together and sharing, without feeling any kind of competition; although there is the one bone of contention with the others. They all know (but don't really want to admit) that I am Mom's favorite. Happy birthday to Us!

Why Did the Tourist Cross The Road

2007-06-21T20:59:00.000-04:00

This is a story from my recent Journey In India
Delhi India, January 9, 2007
Aw and I go for a walk in Delhi. We come to an intersection. We need to get across the street. There are road signs but no one really follows them. It's every man (or cow) for himself. This is a movie of our adventure crossing the road. You can hear Aw coaching: "go-go-go-go-go...go..." all the way across. There are cars and auto rickshaws coming at us from every direction and our only hope for survival is to keep moving.

Red Fort Firing Squad

2007-06-20T19:05:00.000-04:00

This is a story from my recent Journey in India
Delhi India, January 9, 2007

This is the 'Red Fort'. It was built by the same man who had the Taj Mahal built. As Ayako, Aw and I approach the fort, a smiling Hindu woman grabs hold of me and pins a small Indian flag on my shirt. "Welcome" she says. "We represent the schools of Delhi..." but before she can finish her spiel, I smile back and thank her for the greeting and walk own. She starts yelling: "we want donation..." but I just wave and keep walking. This is the way here in India. Everyone seems to have an agenda. Everything costs money. Even a smile. I am learning to command my own space and not be pushed around by the constant demands on me from so many people looking for a handout. The three of us laugh as we ignore the woman who still tries to get my attention. We pay 200 rupees each ($6 CAD) and approach the entrance only to find there is a soldier pointing a rifle at us. We feel like the guests of honor at a firing squad. We walk through a gauntlet of souvenir stalls with merchants calling to us: "come inside. Looking is free..." We pass through to an inner courtyard but we find it is virtually deserted. There are some buildings and an inner museum of photos and some paintings but not much else. Aw gives me a side way glance and says: "Warning. Fort is beek tourist trap."

Delhi Sikh Temple

2007-06-18T19:04:00.000-04:00

This is a story from my recent Journey in India

Delhi India, January 9, 2007

Poor Ayako san. She spent yesterday in bed, sick as a dog from remnants of her food poisoning in Varanasi. But she was determined to join us for a day of sight-seeing. The temperature today is about five degrees so she's bundled up and trying to stay warm.
This is the Delhi Sikh Temple. It's the same design as the Golden Temple in Amritsar. it's just smaller. We pick up these head scarves at the entrance. Everyone must cover their head before entering the courtyard.The water in the reflecting pool has been shipped in from Amritsar as well. We see many Sikh men walk into the frigid water in a way similar to a baptism. I admire their stamina. This is a nice place to visit and I like the marble walkway and the design of the temple but I find myself wondering how I will feel when I see the original Temple in the Punjab. As we are leaving, one we put our our hands and have the sacred waters poured over them.

Hiding Out In Little Tibet

2007-06-17T12:55:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 7, 2007

This is a story from my recent Journey in India Aw and I are very thankful to Joanmarie for suggesting we begin our exploration of Delhi in 'Manjuka Tilla' or 'Tibet New Colony'. When the Chinese murdered the Tibetan people and began systematically destroying their Temples, many Tibetans were forced to flee across the border to India. Many of them came here to Delhi and were given refuge in settlements like this one. I was warned that there is very little peace in Delhi if you're looking for cheap accommodation. As we drive from the airport, we see the streets and markets packed with people and cars and cows. The city looks like a madhouse. I wanted to find a place to start this trip where Aw and I could get our bearings for a couple of days and become acclimatized to the Indian culture. If you're looking for somewhere to 'hide out', Manjuka Tilla is the place to come. This settlement is very basic and doesn't have any fancy amenities but to me it's wonderful. I have always felt a strong affinity with the Tibetan people and we enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the sense of family in this quiet community. There are a few women holding up their babies and begging. And we pass a couple of men showing their deformed limbs for sympathy, but I already expect this in India, so I don't find it particularly disturbing. We walk along the narrow main-street of this tiny village and we buy some steaming fried potatoes from a street vendor. He puts some chilies on it and we eat our piping hot treat on this cold January day, as we walk along looking in the the shops and watching the people around us.

Birthday With Dignity

2007-06-16T17:41:00.000-04:00

Last year my family had fun at my expense when they portrayed me as 'coming out of the closet' in my birthday video. The movie was degrading. The movie was embarrassing. The movie was...okay it was funny.
Fortunately, my sister, Melbah Toasty, showed a little more sensitivity for my feelings this year. Don't you wish your family would publish videos like this for your special occasions? Ahhh, yeah...

How To Stay Warm In Delhi

2007-06-16T15:16:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 6,2007

This is a story from my recent Journey in India
It's great to have a place to stay here in the Tibetan Settlement. Lonely Planet says wongdhen house is one of the best for the price; 450 rupees ($13 CAD) per night. The only problem is that the temperature here in Delhi is around freezing at night and there are no heaters in this hotel. I'm from Canada so I figure that doesn't matter cause I'm used to the cold right? The difference is that where I'm from, it's only cold outside. If you're cold in my country, you just go inside and warm up. Here in Delhi if you're cold, you just try not to think about it. You don't really appreciate heat until you try living without it. We realize we have to just suck it up and deal with the situation, so Joan Marie, our Buddhist Nun friend, gives us a pomegranate as a welcome gift and we settle into our room. This guesthouse was probably built around 1900 and the plumbing is pretty basic but at least the water in the shower is hot. We have TV. We have a remote control, and we do have a few warm clothes. If it wasn't for the little sleeping bag I got at the last minute before leaving Canada (thanks mom) we would be having a much rougher night tonight. So we put on all our clothes and we huddle under the blankets. Aw sends me a conspiratorial glance and asks the question: "Stevie, how come you never check weather in Day-lee before come?"
Now let me tell you something in my defence, about the video you're about to see; I am very cold at this moment, and there is an Indian program on TV that has dance music on it with a very catchy rhythm. Think of this as an instructional video on how to stay warm in Delhi.

Ayako Comes To Delhi

2007-06-14T18:37:00.000-04:00

Delhi, India, January 7, 2007

This story is from my recent Journey in India

We're walking down the narrow street of the Tibetan settlement when we suddenly spot a young Japanese woman, huddled in a blanket, looking from side to side at the store windows around her. I shout "Ayako san!". Her head comes up and we see a beaming smile on her face. Finally we meet again. Some people really know how to get around. I first met Ayako san in Thailand. Then she visited me in Canada. So when I told Ayako I was coming to India she said 'okay Stevie, I go too'. She was in Bangkok and met Aw. Then she flew to Sri Lanka, on to Delhi, up to Nepal and back here to meet with us. Ayako looks pretty good for a woman who has just spent the last seventy-two hours sick as a dog from food poisoning in Varanasi. We go to a Tibetan restaurant and order a celebration dinner. It's a surreal experience for me to have two of my favorite people in the World, from two different countries (Thailand and Japan) in the same place at the same time. I think of Ayako as a daughter and since Aw is my girlfriend, we all laugh as we discussed whether Ayako should call her 'mom'. It's all I can do to keep up with the accents of the two languages. We have a great meal and even meet up with Joanmarie. Now as we eat our feast, we make a plan to fulfill our common dream to see the Taj Mahal.

Our First Delhi Meal

2007-06-12T19:07:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 6, 2007

This story is from our recent Journey in India
This has been a big day for Aw and me. Our driver and guide, Arun, has taken us to Raj Ghat, where Gandhi was cremated. Then we visited the famous tower; Qutub Minar. Now it's time for lunch. We tell Arun we want to eat where the locals eat, so he takes us to a rough looking little restaurant that serves Punjabi food. We are the only foreigners in this place and we get a lot of looks. But everyone is friendly and smiling as they look over to see these strange people in their midst. This one minute video is our first authentic Delhi meal since arriving in India. Aw asks Arun to give us some suggestions as to what we should eat. You can see a sink across from our table. We all take turns washing our hands before and after the meal. It is the custom to eat Indian food with your right hand. You never want to use your left hand to eat or shake another person's hand. We all really enjoy the food. We have chicken curry with rice and japatti bread. Aw is very bold and loves to try new things. And she's great with the language. The only word she keeps having trouble with is 'japatti', which she pronounces 'pah-jah-pee'. I don't like to correct her on it though. I think it's cute the way she says it. The green chutney sets off the flavors of the whole meal very well. We're so glad Arun brought us here.

Tower Envy

2007-06-11T18:57:00.000-04:00

Delhi India, January 6, 2007

This story is from my recent Journey in India
The seven hundred year-old Qutub Minar is the tallest free standing brick structure in India. It reminds me of the leaning tower of Pizza. It is all hand carved and is deliberately tilted so that if it should ever fall, it will fall away from people. Our driver and guide; Arun says the tower has been struck by lightening several times. One time the lightning actually blew the top off it. If you look closely you can see that the top two sections are different than the rest from being rebuilt after one of the lightning strikes. The Minar has been used through history by Muslims to call the faithful to prayer. It has a circular stairway inside leading to the five balconies. There is a gate at ground-level and it's locked. People kept climbing up and throwing themselves off the top. Arun says there were six suicides in a row and so the Delhi Authorities finally stopped letting people go up. There are several beautiful structures here at this site including an amazing hand-carved stone mosque.

I'm leaning against the Mosque's Gate. This is a very special place and has been photographed for it's intricate carvings. There is a tremendous feeling of power here. I believe there are nodal points or power points, on the planet that attract civilizations to build on them. There have been many different artisans called to this location. I also think there's a strong sense of competition that shows itself here. Across from the original Minar is a second structure. Over the Centuries many Sultans have competed with their predecessors to create a greater Tower. This huge brick base was a sultan's attempt to out-do the first tower. He built a huge base but never got it completed. This rivalry sounds Freudian to me; Tower Envy?

Mystical Bird Returns

2007-06-07T15:09:00.000-04:00

Waterloo, Ontario, June 8 2007

My dear friend, Judy, lost her son on June 9th, 2005. Just before he died, my mom noticed a strange thing. A red-winged blackbird kept slamming himself against her kitchen window for a couple of weeks before Chris's death. I wrote about it in the post: Nature Spirits on June 7th. Day after day this bird would pelt himself against that window. At first, Mom thought it was some kind of reflection problem that was drawing this bird. She closed the blinds and made sure there were no mirrors or reflecting objects to draw the bird to that window, but nothing worked. This went on every day for two weeks. Then On June 9th, it stopped. The next day, Judy phoned to tell me her son had been found in Stanley Park. This is a photo of Chris and his mom. I flew to Vancouver a couple of weeks later and Judy and I had a Mystic Experience with the animals. Last year at exactly the same time, the bird suddenly appeared again, but this time Mom remarked that he just flew around cheerfully until a day before the anniversary of Chris's death; and then he disappeared again. He's here now; flying around in Mom's yard and feeding at the bird feeder with the other birds. Welcome back.