Moving on

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Summer Retrospective

Random happy memories from the summer: Forgot just how tall the motor- home is! The ferry crew started getting a bit excitable when it looked like I might decapitate the van on their nice deck! The stop sign was touching my bonnet by the time I woke up to what they were telling me....
Jet lag, everything can be blamed on jet lag.
After meeting up with all three children we scurried across the Channel for a few days of peace and quiet.

 After a lovely time of "doing very little, slowly" (to quote our favourite sit-com), we headed back to the UK to join the Rawlinson's for Georgina's wedding. The rain stopped for the photos and the whole service was beautiful. Cambridge is a wonderful City and the Church looked great. As the Groom's father was the Rector, he pulled out all the stops and did them proud.
It was great to catch up with so many friends that day, even if we couldn't stay for the reception, we needed to press on to the next event!
Many from Haslingden Baptist Church were there and also from Haslingden High School so lots of news to share in both directions!
Jennifer read the classic 1 Corinthians 13 passage on love with meaning and faultlessly, (as we would expect) and the singing was 

everything you would expect from Northern, non-conformists!
As you can see from the pictures, it was a very happy day for the couple, their family and friends. The new Mr & Mrs Warwick were therefore the first of the 3 happily married  couples whose weddings we were able to attend over our few weeks home.
This very "English" wedding had all the things you'd expect even if the brides mother

 did decide that the photos would be enhanced by her sticking her tongue out at everyone! (thought you'd got away with that did you?)
We were sad to leave, but we wanted to try to call on an old friend of Joan's Auntie Dora. This friend very kindly helps to support Joan and I, in our work at the Juniper Tree in Thailand, and it would have been nice to call in whilst we were so near. Sadly it wasn't to be, we missed her, so

we will have to try to get back to  East Anglia some other time!
Perhaps it's time we went to Stratford-upon-Avon again, we still haven't tried the new theatre, and we both miss live theatre more than we imagined.
The second wedding could not have been more different! Richard and Andrea would not have wanted it any other way, would they?
We travelled down from Normandy in the intrepid motor-home, stopping in Belgium 

and in Hanover. These two camp sites had been researched for us by Pat and Bob and proved to be excellent choices, very different from each other but with one thing in common, very welcoming and friendly.
Once we arrived in Joachimstal, we met various friends and family and this cousin of Andrea's wanted very much to show us the house he is building, it was brilliant and I was particularly interested in the dormer rooms as we have future plans for the roof space in France!  

 The German hospitality involves a good lager, even if you are climbing around an unfinished building!
We had a lovely evening at Andrea's Mum's house. Dirk cooked and we enjoyed our first experience of East German home cooking-it was fabulous!
Dirk is the Mayor of the town where the wedding was taking place and so he wanted very much to show us the sights of the town and we enjoyed a number of outings around the home. We did not realize how 


near to Poland Berlin is! We could see the border from the top of a house that has been made in an old water tower.
Joanne, Emma and friends arrived on the train and the party atmosphere developed further as the day arrived.
We gathered at Andrea's mums again and Dirk had made soup, which went down well with those who had travelled on the day.
Andrea changed into her wedding dress and joined the party.
When the time was eventually right we all left the house and walked in a crocodile down to the Town Hall, for the wedding ceremony. Because Dirk is  Mayor, the lady doing the ceremony is one of his staff, so the poor thing was really under the spot-light. It was a wonderful, informal/formal blend of a very happy, celebratory yet dignified process. 
Andrea's sister did a grand job giving an English translation throughout the proceedings. Then it was time for photos and then we walked to the nearby Bee Garden. Here we had drinks and snacks, whilst Richard and Andrea were made to saw a log in half! Apparently a local custom to enable the newly weds to start married life working in unison!

The journey across France and Belgium to reach Berlin was beautiful in many ways but these fields of Sun flowers will remain in my memory as much as anything else.
The sun shone and we found hospitable, friendly people everywhere we stopped.

Joanne and Emma flew to Berlin ahead of us.

 No not the wedding car, but a relic of the old East Germany, now acquired the "Retro Look", (a Trabant)
That's the beauty of walking to the wedding service, you never know what you'll see!

Here, Richard and Andrea are leaving the "Rathaus" and they head on foot for the Bee Garden just round the corner. Here you will notice that Toby joins in the fun and games, it's difficult to find a photo of the happy couple without him after this!
In a brand new red collar and after a serious grooming he looks very smart, and no sign of the "tail-ectomy" causing him any distress!

 Tony's Machine showing their support for Andrea....
I was a bit disappointed that the band didn't get to play at the reception, but the DJ was great.
Andrea's Dad and I were drafted in to cook the barbecue and the food and drink flowed on into the early hours!

 As a continuation of the wedding festivities, Richard and Andrea hosted an "Open House" the following weekend in Farncombe, here they are with my brother and sister, brother in law and cousin Anne; it's rare we all get together in one place these days.






Again with Joan's sister and brother plus in laws!
The 100 year old neighbour had let us use her garden too, so we managed to squeeze a good crowd into the party and enjoyed a grand old reunion as well as a celebration of the wedding!





This happy band of pilgrims is the congregation at Sabden Baptist Church on the Sunday we made it home!
Centre Right, sitting with his wife is Pastor Peter, the new minister. We were so pleased to get to meet nearly all of our old friends from Sabden and some new faces too, what a joy to see all the progress and to hear about all that's planned! We are so chuffed that the wind of change is blowing in the right direction.
Talking of friends, below are some of the HIgham/Whalley mates, gathered to do what we do best, celebrate!
Caroline hosted a splendid dinner party and along with Derrick and Annette who seem to have avoided the pictures, we tried our best to make up for lost time.......

These pictures are out of chronological order, but I got fed up of doing battle with the blogger software and it's getting long enough ago to count as recent history, rather than recent news!
This view of an overnight stop was on the way across Europe for Richard and Andrea's wedding, I think but then it could be a site near the ferry on the way to the UK or back?
Either way, this was our home for many a night over the summer on sites of all standards and even the odd lay-by!

This sunset was looking from the back door of our little place in France. We had the most amazing weather while we were in France and came back far more tanned than we get in Thailand....
The beauty of long, slow sun-sets, late into the night is one thing we don't get in Chiang Mai.
We lived on French bread, cheese and, of course, the occasional visit to the Pizzeria in Passais.
During one week, this summer, we enjoyed the company of my

 sister and brother-in law, when we managed to have a lovely day out in Bayeux, of tapestry fame, taking in the sights including this lovely water wheel.
We had a great time exploring the patisseries of the area, playing Canasta and jawing late into the night.
We managed to do some jobs, including trimming the huge hedge, picking (and eating) vast quantities of cherries and some general maintenance like painting and gutter replacement.
The motor-home doubled as a Cherry-Picker, I was racing the birds, but to be fair, no one could have wanted any more cherries, for ever!
I spent a happy hour gumming up the roof lights on the motor-home with silicon sealer and was gratified when it rained hard a day or so after and the persistent leak we have always experienced was cured!

Having pressed the van into service for gardening purposes, The table found an alternative use too! We now have a hedge looking a bit like a Mohican! (It ended up a bit more level than in this pic!)
One of our neighbours has promised to cut the top with her tractor and hedge cutter, next time, so my arms won't need to shake like a jelly next time!
It's amazing what a few aperitifs and nibbles will provide!
The next trip was to drive down France to Bordeaux, to see David Pearson tie the knot. 

This wedding was in stark contrast to both the English and German weddings thus far.
We had booked to join the visit to a "St Emilion" vineyard, included in the wedding package.
It was amazing, The young guide was a real enthusiast with plenty of interesting information without getting too much of a "wine snob"!
We saw both the Oak vats and Stainless Steel vats used to produce either the classic French versions or the more "New World" styles of these wines.
We even brought home a couple of vines to plant in our garden in France (A cidre area, though).
We had an enjoyable tasting, but the prices at the cave were too high to tempt us that day!
The view below is looking out over the town of St. Emilion, an atmospheric, ancient town of great simplicity and beauty.
We scrambled down an extremely winding and steep cobbled path, once used by school children to get to class in the monastery.  

We stopped to renew our acquaintance with a classic french omelet and local red wine, Who says eggs and wine don't go together?
The wedding took place in a wonderful yellow stone church, high over rolling vineyards, the sun shone (mostly) and the bride and groom  were looking relaxed and happy as the service progressed and finally they emerged into the glorious Bordeaux countryside.
The Vicar (it was an Anglican Service) was awesome, he spoke simply and with sincerity about marriage and gave the couple a beautiful bible as a gift from the church.
The pictures don't do the surroundings justice, the stone work glowed and the vines shimmered in the heat haze, the flowers, trees and sky were radiant....

I can't pass a classic car without at least a look at the interior, to see if the same standard has been achieved as the bodywork, it had!
Jack and Eileen enjoyed a wonderful day and there was still a party at the Chateau to look forward to!

Here we leap ahead in time to the "Red Brick Hogwarts" of Royal Holloway College, University of London.
Not for nostalgic purposes this time, but to attend Emma Peagam BA's graduation ceremony!
As President elect of the Student's Union, it wasn't goodbye on this occasion for Emma, but just Au Revoir.
The ceremony was as fabulous as you'd expect, Trumpeters from the guards to sound the fanfares, organ recitals and singing from the world class choir and all the pomp and circumstance you could want. 
Joan and I enjoyed the day with a mingled sense of relief and celebration that all Emma's hard work had paid off and that she was now going on into a good job; that all three of the children have made their mark and set-off on their unique pathways, all very different and all very wonderful.
It was then time for thoughts to be turning towards heading back Eastwards and to see what the next year will hold!

Heading for Home, 3 weddings & a Graduation

Update!

Just for this time, no photo's; I've been trying to finish this post for weeks and couldn't get Internet that would do the business! It's a bit out of date already, as the army have stepped in; not a full scale coup, as such, but they are now running things. For the folks in Chiang Mai, everything goes on as usual except for a nightly curfew (10.00 p.m.- 5.00 a.m.) and there are serious limitations on the use of the Internet (switched off during curfew).

We have spent a few days around in the UK and France, heading North from tomorrow!

Chiang Mai 2014

We are watching the sun go down over the river Ping; the old Iron Bridge is lit up downstream and the snaking path of the water is dotted with patches of shimmering light from the gently glowing paper lanterns that sway in the soft, warm breeze. Scorpion tail boats silently skim along the river and bats are swooping. The sky fades from a deep bronze glow through to pale straw, with masses of inky blue trees, silhouettes massed along the rivers banks. By day these trees vibrate with the scorching yellow or blazing orange of their blooms, but now they form a dense backdrop to the awaking night life of the river.

We love riversides. For me, as a Londoner, a view of the Thames at twilight is high on my list of evocative settings for an evening to remember; however, Chiang Mai is no London.  It has charms, many of them, but right now, for the first time in the two years we have been here, there is an unsettled feeling in the air.

Since last week the ousted Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluk Shinawatra, came to stay in Chiang Mai. She is well supported here; the Northern, more rural areas where a strong hold for her Government’s supporters. Whilst accompanied by senior Police as she “went shopping” and the people begged to be photographed beside this famous sister of former Prime Minister Taksin Shinawatra, who was supposed to be the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes during her regime’s years in office.

We have come out tonight just to get away from our work for a while. We tend to frequent places most tourist avoid; tonight we are the only westerner’s in, we don’t mind either way, but we find the gentle spirited, locals polite friendliness, restful after a day spent “on call”.

Mr. Ed, yes, that really is his name, is as welcoming as ever; scurrying off to see that we get “same same” he always sends a glass of ice too, because we once asked him to! Elvis, no, that’s not his real name, is not here yet. A young lad is playing acoustic guitar, a mixture of traditional Thai folk and contemporary songs; he’s very talented but his playing goes unnoticed on the whole. When Elvis starts up later with his Western songs, everything from Frank Sinatra to the Bee Gees, the diners will barely notice the difference.

A few weeks ago it was the Song Kran festival and the City was alive with people; locals and tourists alike, joining in a vast City wide water fight; throwing iced water over each other, firing high powered water pistols, coating each other in scented, talc and celebrating with the joyful exuberance that is characteristic of these remarkable people.

In ancient times, Chiang Mai was the capital of the Lana Kingdom and the main City is still surrounded by the ruined walls and a moat built to defend the City from invaders such as the Burmese and the vast Mongol Empire. Today it is visited by up to 5 million people each year perhaps 2 million of which are farangs (foreigners); they still flock here, in spite of the political tensions.

But these tensions, obvious in Bangkok, are not totally absent here; though they are not overt: no road blocks, no chanting crowds or blockades around Government Offices; but none the less, there is still a scent of impending change in the air.

Only last week, like some Old Testament portent, an earthquake shook Chiang Mai, and whilst no one was hurt, the resulting fright and worry was another turn of the screw. The ousting of the Prime Minister and most of her cabinet by the Courts is not viewed in the North of Thailand in the same way as in the South.

Chiang Mai is to Bangkok, in some ways, as Manchester is to London. Chiang Mai might even have more Man. United fans living here! English Premiership football is followed, easily as avidly here in Thailand as in England. The North/ South divide, too, is essentially about economic prosperity and educational advantage, or lack of them!

We have been made welcome here; not just here at the Antique House, a riverside restaurant bar, we frequent, but in almost every place go. Here and now, however, I am sensing that there are things developing that we have no comprehension of and what’s more, no likelihood of grasping any-time soon.

We are due to fly out of Thailand on Friday for two months. Who knows what we might be returning to in August?

More protests on the streets, more bombs and tear gas? Perhaps even Civil War or Military Coup; it wouldn't be the first time in Thailand’s recent history. By the time we return there should have been another election, but what are the chances of this one being any more decisive than the last, even if it does go ahead?

We are leaving this beautiful Kingdom wondering, will things be the same when we return? Will the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the longest reigning monarch alive today, have decided on a more direct intervention in the situation, because whilst it’s never vocalized, what happens next as far as the King is concerned is far more important in the hearts of his subjects than even the complexities of the machinations of the politicians?  Just who will be in control in Thailand, by the time the rains come this year?

Thailand is getting hot!

This post......
Was supposed to be April's but I got a bit busy and before we know it- It's May!

Even our friends who have been here long-term are commenting on the heat, I told Joan I felt like I needed arm bands to stay afloat in bed the other night!
I thought you'd like another cow! 

This group of friends is our "small groups" committee, from Church, we have been working together for a year or so, but this is the first time we all made the same meeting! We got together to hear the Pastor tell us all about the new "Vision Statement" for the Church; it is all quite exciting as the leadership team had clearly spent a good deal of time, fine tuning a statement that will enable some very strategic developments to follow.

Below are some pictures of the Song Kran Festival, we had our Emma here with us, which was great. They are taken from the safety of the car!
Further down are pictures of the biggest outdoor barbecue you've ever seen, seats over 1000 people! Also a few pictures of Emma's visit.

Umbrellas are not for the rain at Song Kran!

Special Song Kran Shirts are essential

Motorbike's are targeted like anyone else!

1 Thai Baht per fill!

Even a cup full is enough!

Fun for all the family!

Bangkok Air Staff know how to party!

You'd behave on his plane!

At 40 degrees you soon dry off

Love the hat!

Tourists and Thai's-it doesn't matter

Really? No chance!

Dressed for the job!

The water here is dredged up from the moat......

As, you can see!

Add caption

Tuk-Tuks take off the roof to make sure you get full immersed!

Street food is really good here

At the waterfalls

Joan uncharacteristically restrained 

You knew it wouldn't last!

Kitchen/Laundry Staff gave Emma a dress fro Song Kran and Joan a top!

A Chinese Barbecue

Lilly's family at her 40th Birthday-look at those prawns!

Khamsi's family were at the same place, it took us ages
to see them-it does seat a thousand!

He carries trays of flaming coals around to each table

Rows of food to choose from, you pay
 a "fine" for what you take but don't eat!

Lilly is our Office Assistant at JT

We celebrated Emma's visit Thai style

These two keep fighting their reflections on our windows!