World Travels

I have now completed my language course and message course, so it's time to move on.

But, before I do, I want to share some more photos with you guys. The album titled 'Chiang Mai' has a picture of me with my Thai teacher, Aom, and the gang at the Chiang Mai Cultural Center (where I took my language classes). The center also hosts a Sunday night jazz concert, held outside their building each week. Other photos include my guesthouse patio, my Thai mom, Pii Pong (in the kitchen), and Papa Lloyd (as he's known here), a wonderful English gentleman who works for Pii Pong at her restaurant, Lebernard Cafe. I've also included some Chiang Mai wildlife photos (somtimes they do become a bit violent, as I witnessed my first cock fight today. I didn't pay, really).

The album titled 'Doi Suthop & Hmong Village, was an afternoon trip taken last Sunday. The scenery is beautiful up on the mountain (the highest in Chiang Mai) and you get a bit of fresh air. The strong floral aroma was exstacy, as I've been breathing in tuck-tuck and motorcycle fumes for the past few weeks. And of course the Hmong village ( one of many hill tribes here in Thailand) was quite interesting. They thrive on tourism here, as the sidewalks are filled with street vendors selling jewlery, clothes, nick-nacks, etc. But the majority of it is handmade and quite beautiful.

 

Love and peace,

Katie 

 

 

First full day in Bangkok was great. Visited the Jim Thomson House, a collection of 6 original Thai houses restored in the 50's by a New York designer. Then I went to the Grand Palace 'The Buddist Temple' of Bangkok. Walked around an area known as Banglamphu, very touristy area, filled with backpackers and hippies. The last pic of is me in a tuck-tuck. (You can't see me, but only the drivrer.) Tuck-Tuck: Imagine a go-cart/golf-cart with attitute. Great day, but glad I will be getting out of the city tomorrw. Going to Ko Toa, an island in the Gulf of Thailand which has excellent diving...so I'm told.

 

Peace and love,

Katie

 

P.S. Had to get a new camera as my old one died. :(

May it rest in peace.

Wishing you all the very best in the new year. Christmas for me was pretty uneventful, a 12 hour flight to Bangkok wasn't so thrilling or festive. But, I'm glad to finally be in Thailand. As some of you may know it's been a long awaited trip and can't wait to get moving around this country. I've uploaded some pics of my last days in Spain, which included some some town visits outside the city. The Dali Theater Museum was amaizing. The pictures can't do his work justice, but I took the photos anyway. The man truely was a genius of his time. I hope to make it out to his private residence when I return to Barcelona in July.

 

Toledo and Segovia, just one/two hours outside of Madrid respectively were both very quait Spanish towns to visit. Toldeo is a medieval city, with beautiful architecture. I've been to walled cities in Croatia, but this city was different and you could really feel the 'Spanish' in it. I had paella (a very famous rice and seafood platter) while I was there and just enjoyed the scenery.

 

In Segovia the big attraction is the Roman acqueducts that welcome you into the city. Not as medieval as Toledo, as it has more of a  modern city feel, but still very charming.

 

If you can tell, I love taking pictures of people, especially the elderly who just chatt away with each other, or the old man who is just taking (what appears to be) a leasurely stroll. The older generations have stories to tell, a real past,and wisdom.  I can only capture the moment and imagine what they might have to say.

 

 

Love to all and Thailand pictures will be coming soon....

 

Katie

Hello all!

 

Well, you get to see my rat sized hole of a living space here in Barcelona. It´s probably about 10x10 I would say, enough for a desk, bed and wardrobe. No light, it´s like you´re in a basement, but actually, I´m on the 3rd floor. The window looks into an enclosed couryard (nothing good- no plants or furniture, just a laundry line) that doesn´t get direct light. This is where I study from 10pm to about 2am everyday, when I´m not at school, which is from 9am to 9pm. Needless to say, I don´t sleep much here.

 

The next set of pictures are of Guell Park, a magnificent, georgous park that was designed by Gaudi in the late 1800´s. The park sits atop a hill in the Northeast part of Barcelona.

 

 

Enjoy.

 

I just uploaded some pictures of my trip to Mt. Siani. I left at 11 in the evening and arrived at the base of the mountain at 1am. From one until 4.30am I trecked up this bloody mountain, in order to see the sun rise at 5.15. But I have to say, it was an amizing view. Dispite the long, long, LONG, walk up the mountain (including The Stairs of Repentance-and repent you did, all 3 and a half hours) and the bitter cold (probably around 30-degrees), it was well worth it. Once in a life-time experience, and I mean it. Not doing that again. Amaizing that there´s even any kind of vegitation up there, as weedy as it is. The last picture is of St. Katherine´s Church, as the base of the mountain. The story goes that she was a Christian maryter, and that they threw her down the mountain in a barral full of glass. Ouch!

More pics, same Barcelona picture file. Some are your typical Catalyn buildings, I have some shots of the Sangrada Familia Cathedral, and I even got a shot of an original Picasso painting that´s black and white.