KW Mecca

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

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".

Aw's Desert Travel

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!

Meeting Salim In Jaipur

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

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.

Cold Train To Agra

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.

Delhi Rickshaw Ride

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.

Red Fort Firing Squad

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

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

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.

Ayako Comes To Delhi

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

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.

Gandhi: Prayers In The Garden

Delhi, India, January 6, 2007
This is a story from my recent Journey in India.

This our first day exploring Delhi; in fact it's our first day exploring India. Our Buddhist Nun Friend, Joanmarie got us a Taxi driver to show us around. There are a lot of unscrupulous people here so when you find a driver you can trust, you've found gold. As you can see, Arun knows how to make us feel at home, with his 'Canada' jacket. When he arrives at our 'Guest house I say: "Arun, we don't know which way is up. Just show us around". He decides that a tour of Delhi should start with one of the most sacred landmarks in India. He takes us to an enormous park in the north of the city and one of the most sacred locations in this whole country; 'Raj Ghat'. This is the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated on January 31st, 1948 after he was assassinated while preparing to lead prayers in the Biria House Garden. Gandhi is a hero of mine and it's my first chance to get close the the Spirit of this man. We take the stairs to a walkway that looks down into the memorial site. Millions of people come here from all over the World, like Pilgrims, to pay respect to this man who changed India. We go back down to the entrance and take our shoes off to walk barefoot with the others. This Black Marble memorial is where Gandhi's cremation took place. A continuous line of people walk in a right-handed circle around the Eternal flame on the marble slab. Walking clock-wise is very important in to Hindu culture. It's considered bad etiquette to walk the other way. As we stand here at this sacred Site, I find myself wondering what Gandhi would think of this Monument. There must have been such a temptation to build something exotic to express the respect and love the Indian people feel for the Father of their Country. But I keep wondering what his reaction would be to us giving so much attention to a man who lived with such humility. After some quiet reflection, Arun takes us to a magnificent Temple I never would have expected to find in India.

Amazing Delhi Warzone

Delhi, India, January 5, 2007

This is a story from my recent trip to India

Delhi is the capital of India. This is where we start our trip. I was warned that we would be overwhelmed by the City but I don't really feel that way. Yes, there are many beggars, pushing at us and showing their mutilated body parts like strange puppet shows, to extract money. And urine and feces can be smelled in many parts of the city. And we have to stay constantly alert to thieves, Cons and Schemes. It's a War zone for sure. But then there are the most amazing people and sights all around too. As long as you remember there's a War on; everything is Okay. This is Stephanie. She was sitting on the plane next to us as we flew from Bangkok to Delhi. Stephanie's from Germany but has been traveling in India for several years. She gave us some great tips on how to start our explorations; markets to shop at and some good places to stay in Delhi. She is on her way back to Dharamsala; where the Dalai Lama is living. The woman smiling with the Fed-Ex package is Joanmarie. She's a Buddhist Nun and good friend of my Doll maker friend; Emily, from British Columbia Canada. Emily helped me contact her before leaving Canada and Joanmarie was gracious enough to get us connected in Delhi as we started our travels. She had her debit card stolen and just received her replacement this minute as I take this photo. She's been waiting a tense two weeks for it to arrive. Now with her help, we are getting sorted out so we can get on with the adventure of our first day in India.

Struggle Ends For 'Netty'

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, May 29, 2007

This is a difficult time for my extended family in Bangkok. My girlfriend, Aw just told me that her 'younger brother' Netty' has died. He was battling brain cancer for the past two years. Aw is crying just now on the phone but she says they she is happy for Natty because the pain is finally over. Two days ago he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital where he remained in Intensive care until his death. This is the last photo I took of Natty. We were celebrating Songkran; the water festival, and he had a great time; shooting squirt-guns at his family while being smeared with white powder. Aw and I took Natty to the movies a couple of days later and sat on either side of him as we watched one of the most powerful and violent movies I have ever seen; 'The 300'; a movie about the Spartan warriors of ancient Greece. Natty kept turning to me during the movie, smiling and enjoying the action as he munched popcorn. He loved video games and movies and had a wonderful sense of humor.
The Buddhist tradition calls for the family to visit the Temple for the next three days. Then Natty's body will be cremated in a Buddhist Celebration and his ashes will be returned to the waters of Bangkok.
This is a doubly hard time for the family because Aw's Uncle just died a couple of weeks ago. I mentioned 'Poung' in my recent post; 'Songkran Family'. Poung died of a stroke. I wish I could be with Aw and her family right now but it gives me a lot of comfort to know that they are such a close family and really know how to take care of each other in hard times. It also reminds me how much I appreciate my own family and how much I cherish this time here with them. I lived a lot of years away in Alberta but I felt a strong need to be back here to reconnect with them; especially with my Mom. Life is fleeting but my family here and my family in Bangkok help me to appreciate every moment.

Songkran Family [Part 3]

Bangkok, Thailand, April 15, 2007
See [Songkran Family Part 1], [Songkran Family Part 2]
I'm so impressed by this family. They have fun together but they have a stronger bond that comes through at difficult times.
A'taw is being a great sport today. She joins in with gusto but her heart is elsewhere.
Her husband, Poung, is in hospital right now. He just suffered a stroke a couple of days ago. Our warmest thoughts are with you khun Poung. Fortunately they have this wonderful family to watch out for them both.
I sneaked this photo from another event but these are A'tui and Mao who have been so kind as to let me stay in their home for the last month. A'tui was with us on Khao San road yesterday She owns a chain of restaurants in Thailand. Khun Mao runs a Country Club in Bangkok. They are wise and humble people (and above average Karaoke singers). The Celebration today is at their home.

View (pronounced 'Wiew') is one of the daughters of Wat and Pooky (are you confused yet? I am). She is a great sport and is always willing to pose and smile for a photo. And I think her T-shirt sums up the attitude of this beautiful family; 'Life is what you make it. It's my honor to share this special occasion with this amazing group of people. Khopt khun krup, everyone.

Songkran Family [Part 2]

Bangkok, Thailand, April 15, 2007

See [Songkran Family Part 1], [Songkran Family Part 3]

Everyone is getting drenched at our family Songkran celebration. I'm honored to be a part of it.

Nat, his girl friend; Aui . She has the most luminous eyes. Next to her is Nat's sister; Nampeth. Nat just got back from his training as a monk. Many men in Thailand take this training before starting their careers. I just love these faces. So many of the Thais have such a radiance to their faces.

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'Aui' at the moment of impact. Fortunately, the water tends to be warm (except when some people I will not mention ((((Aw))) put ice cubes in the mix.

Aw and Pooky do a lot of work behind the scenes at these family events. Pooky is the unofficial photographer for the clan.

These are the ring-leaders of the water fights; Wat and Natty. Natty has a great spirit. He's in the midst of a round of chemotherapy for a brain tumor and yet he joins in with the best of them.

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Of all the people we doused with water, Wat is my favorite. He really knows how to have a good time.

Aw, Waaw, Wat, and Wow. Can you pronounce 'Waaw' different from 'Waw'? Neither can I. It's like the old 'Get Smart' TV show with the arch-villain who kept insisting: "not 'Craw'...'Kraw!!!'.

And look at that 'cool kat' with the women here; my buddy 'Wat', who I have nick-named 'Jackie Chan'.

It's a great pleasure getting to know 'Wow'. She's the top student in her high school and was just awarded a scholarship to the number one University in Thailand. She is also a wonderful pianist (I hear you from upstairs sometimes, Wow.) The only trouble is that one of my favorite expressions is 'Wow!' and she must always feel like I'm calling for her.

Songkran Family [Part 1]

Bangkok, Thailand, April 15, 2007

See the whole series: [Songkran Family Part 2], [Songkran Family Part 3]

Hold onto your potatoes everyone because it's day three of SONGKRAN!!!
Tenom is the Matriarch of the family.

The Songkran festival is the renewing of life through water. Each member of the family pours water into the hands of the elders and receives their blessings for the New Year.










Lek is Aw's mom and Tenom's neice. I think white is her color. Lek is so quiet and shy so it's fun to see her so slathered up.

Waew with her auntie A'tim.

They act like mother and daughter; or like co-conspirators. Look at that glint in both their eyes; trouble just looking for a place to happen.

Waew is a fashion model and was featured in Image Magazine this month in a swim-suit spread. She is also a well known VJ on MTV Thailand. [See Her MTV Website]

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