OLD HOME
Soundtrack: A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
I had the amazing opportunity to visit the home of two lovely sisters from Phrae province in Thailand.
What you must understand is that these traditional teak wood homes are now a rarity as many are being torn down for the wood is highly sought after.
Many illegal trades are an on-going problem for conserving this small yet significant part of Thai heritage.
It was a big slice of humble pie for me, as a born and bred city girl. Not because of the seemingly difference in the social economic class but it made me re-evaluate all the things that I claim I 'need' in my life.
This is the cooking area where all the delicious meals are prepared. Obviously it does not look like your western standard kitchen but the way I see it is, well, what exactly do you need to make a meal? Fire and a container right?
In old Thai homes, before the influence of western traditions, bedrooms were simply a place where the whole family sleeps and outside on the open space that is known as the 'living room' is where the socializing and eating happens.
Here are the 2 lovely sisters who kindly let us in.
Many traditional houses are on stilts. The ground floor would be used for storage, for keeping animals and also from flood prevention.
I would love more than anything to have a home with hints of this kind of architecture.
Yes, it is the 21st century but there needs to be a middle ground for traditions and the modern world to exist and not collide.
Food of thought : )
Colour Box
DREAMING OF PARIS
Soundtrack: Cheek to cheek - Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald
Unless you've been locked up in an air-conditioned room, or simply not in Bangkok...
This heat is making me day dream of Paris in late Spring...
I do like to romanticize cities. Especially Paris. I'm sure people who live there have all sorts of bitter things to say about it but I'm going to keep my rose-tinted glasses on for now.
So let me paint you a picture....
Light cardigan and a scarf, soft breeze and the sky is clear blue.
You take advantage of the fact that you can walk to places and it is the best way to experience the city and its architecture by day.
You stop at Paris-Tokyo for a visit, have some lunch at their terrace café and be tempted to have a coffee and cigarette even if you don't smoke or drink coffee without caramel syrup and milk on ice.
The Paris-Tokyo book shop has a really good selection on art books and quirky souvenirs. So you pick something up for friends because you are cultured and are thinking of them as you are having such a lovely day.
I will even make you find charm in the Parisian metro... Just eat macaron and don't give a f**k. Oh and smile... that will definitely shock some people.
I think Thailand is one of a few cities that like tourists and are always willing to help.
Paris not so much... which is why you should just go into your own world and walk around the beautiful city and just enjoy what you see.
Life is way too short to not see beauty in everything.
I did say - that i'm day dreaming right?
Have a wonderful day
: )
Colour Box
