Fauxlaroids-Botanicals

Lamlukka playground

The pink coloured Holy Family Church was our landmark on the way to the convent. It was a long drive. We knew that we were getting closer because the four lane road gave way to a two laned road. We were had to be on the look out for the pink colored church. By then we knew that we were just one klong away from our destination. You will find things in the same order, the pink colored church, the christian cemetery, the old people's hospice and the hospital. After that a bridge, a sign to a popular wat then on the left side is the dirt road to the convent.

On the way back we decided to drop by. We then found out that the church was built in 1910 and finished in 1911. This is quite unusual in Thailand where the way are dotted with wats and towns are named accordingly. What I noticed was the lonely playground in the church yard. It was right after noon and we were experiencing a very hot day. Yet I could not help notice the worn out toys in the playground. A relic perhaps of a bygone era before at a time when kids perhaps of my generation would prefer to run around and play in playgrounds like this one. How exciting to use your imagination and play with friends of your youth. But time has a way of dealing with all things. Everything changes. Decay is the only way for those who do not change with the times. That is how time deals with everything.

lamlukka flame tree blossom

On our way out of the convent we saw low hanging blossoms of the flame tree. It is not easy to find these so low and near that what separates me from the blossom was the barb wire fence surrounding the convent. It was a very hot day but the blossoms were in full bloom. I am glad we made this stop.

Bangkok Portraits

Taling Chan

Laguna Bay, August 2008







I had always been fascinated by the Laguna Bay. On a clear day if I am lucky enough to get a window seat on a flight home, I would always look out for the bay. That way, I know that it won't be long now before the plane touches down the airport. The bay is a huge place bounding the provinces of Laguna, Metro Manila and Rizal (what little is left of it). Often I would wonder if there are regular ferry boats that would ply people from various points but then as the plane flies lower, then the outlines of the fish ponds that dot the whole bay becomes clearer. Back in the early '80's, I bought a house in San Pedro Laguna. Everyday, on a bus ride to Ayala, I would get a glimpse of the bay as the bus makes its way towards the superhighway. On clear days, the sky would be blue and you can see the expanse of the bay. Very much like the view I would see on the plane on its descent when I started living in Thailand. After all these years I never found the time to get up close to the bay.

Last August, I finally found the time to figure out how to go there. Going to the town plaza of San Pedro, I asked one of the trycycle drivers to take me to the bay. There was an initial misunderstanding because at first she thought that I was asking to be taken to the water district ( which apparenly meant the office where you pay for your water bills). Then she took us to a place where you can see the bay. There are no clear access to the bay itself. You have to pass through a warren of a place. I then realize that relatively speaking, my house is in the newer part of San Pedro and this crowded place must be the old town of San Pedro judging from the very old houses that sit side by side to each other and how narrow the streets are. The lanes going towards the bay are even narrower that the only way to get there is on foot or using a tricycle. As we get closer to the bay, on sees several sari sari stores which is the social center of each of the community. Most other countries have their 7-11's where you do your business, pay your bill and then get out. No social interaction whatsoever happens.

Sari Sari stores are different in a way because in most cases this is where you get the latest town news courtesy of the neigborhood chismosos and chismosas. Our neighbor in Makati had a sari sari store when I was a little kid and all I can remember are the noise that the drunk teens would make once they already had too much to drink. Which made me wonder all the time because most of this guys were good friends when they are not drunk. As a kid, I often thought to myself that perhaps that was what going to university does to people for all of these teenagers were going to the university at that time. Much much later on, I went to university and went through the rites of growing up but thankfully did not go through the experience of drinking at the sari sari store and make a spectacle of myself in the process. I never had the opportunity to traumatize the young kids in the neigborhood where we lived because by then, we kept to ourselves. We were by then far away from our childhood friends. Most of the friends I made by then are school friends. But then I digress...

On the way to the Bay, there were indeed some men, perhaps fishermen who are resting and drinking a bottle of ginebra with their friends on that afternoon. Or perhaps they were just some of the menfolks that just happen to have a lot of free time and the best way to do this was to have a drink of ginebra in the afternoon. By the time we got to the bay, there was not enough light anymore so I just made an arrangement to go back the next day to look for a banquero that would take me around the bay. The trycycle driver told me that perhaps we should meet early the following morning when it will be much easier for us to find a banquero to take me to the bay.

waiting....waiting.....waiting.....

Dance Night!













I was conversing with my friend Bear who was telling me that it is now possible to go to dance salsa during every night of the week. While I am not entertaining the thought of doing this, it is quite fascinating that this is now possible. Probably I will note down his list the next time I see him. I got introduced to this latin dance almost ten years ago. However the class that I attended was more like a smorgasbord of latin dances because we did merengue one day then cha cha cha, salsa as well as cumbia. The sad part was that while we touched on the basics, we never got beyond that. Then there were the latin dance classes in California Fitness where again we never got past the basics and turns. But then not much progress there either. Last year, I met a friend who happens to be taking classes at Salsa Hacha near Silom and I got interested so I dropped by one time. While it was a basic class, I felt that they were doing very complicated steps that I better start the basic class from the very beginning. So over a period of a year, I learned the basics of salsa then went on to doing the more complicated steps and patterns. At first my lead was so rough. But I have since found a way of toning it down. But I manage to learn more and more throughout the year.

At first it was quite intimidating to go out dancing in the salsa clubs because most of the people dancing out there are very good. Now I am better but I still think I have a long way to go. In going to the clubs, I found out that there are many different styles of salsa. What I am learning is LA Salsa which is also called On 1 because guys take their first step with their left foot going forward on the count of 1. There is New York style which is also called On 2 because the guy sorts of steps in place on 1 with his left foot and then steps back on 2 with his right foot. At least that was how it was explained to me and someone I know who is trying to learn On 2 gave up trying after a while because it is as if you are trying to learn the dance all over again. Then there is Cuban style where you step on all 8 counts and dancers travel in a circular direction. One of the better dancers I know seem to be able to combine the something from each of these styles.

So on the night that I took the pictures above, students at another dance studio was presenting their show and they were doing it in the New York Style. For me I am content in learning more and more the LA style because there still are steps and patterns that befuddle me. Otherwise, learning this dance is something that I use to relax and to disconnect from everything else in this world. Because when I am able to ride with the music with a great partner, I am very happy!!!