from New York to Vancouver to Bangkok, tra la...

Vancouver was warm and rainy,  our friends Jane and Mike welcoming  us once again with open arms.  The Canada train from the airport into town continues to mystify with its fare system:  it costs twice as much to get into town as it does to leave???   Jane took us to the Museum of Anthropology on the UBC campus to see an exhibit of Man Ray's photos of African artifacts from the 1930's.  The building takes advantage of its location on the water with glass walls that frame the enormous totem poles and canoes.

Sitting at the Museum of Anthropology

Jane and Susan

On to Bangkok, with a 3 hour layover in Taipei, the coldest airport on the planet and no Starbucks!  The crumbling Atlanta on Sukhumvit soi 2 is still presided over by Ang in the restaurant and Roger in the lobby.


                                                                       

Crash landing at the Atlanta

Sky train

Nothing gets rid of jet lag better than gyoza and noodles at Ramentai and a visit to Khun Vey, my favorite hair guy in Nana...on the mezzanine of a shopping plaza, above the bars and sex.

Ramentai, best noodle reataurant in Bangkok

Khun Vee and Khun Susan

Me and the Sky Train

Chao Praya river and water hyacinths

The old and the new

Ralf Tooten, German photographer

 We took a water bus up the Chao Praya river to the National Gallery to see Bangkok Noir, an exhibition of photos by a German ex-pat.   The photos, of life on Bangkok streets after dark, were shown as large transparencies on monitors set on the floor in a dimly lit gallery.

There was also an inexplicable conceptual art installation in several large rooms consisting of written statements, kiddie plastic chairs in neon colors, ditto some umbrellas, and a 1960s Danish modern sofa.  Danish artist.

Student art work at National Gall

This painting of a cat reminded us of Joan's 2 little darlings!




 And of course we shopped;  for DVDs, project cameras, clothes, lenses, and on and on and on.  Bangkok has huge shopping buildings dedicated to electronics or cell phones, or shoes, or clothes.  We always go to Panthip Plaza (electronics, computers, software) and MBK (clothes, cell phones, DVDs, and bus ticket to Mae Sot)

Nothing like sushi after a hard day's shopping at MBK