I am a weird tourist.

My BLOG is not a travel blog but people have been asking questions about what I am doing, eating,and so forth. I feel like the little old ladies in English novels who went to a hotel in a nice place and stayed for the duration. There are several differences, however. The other people at my hotel mostly don't stay very long. This is a good thing and a bad thing for me. Several people who have come through I would have enjoyed spending more time with. With most a little bit was plenty. Most of the guests at the Come Chiang Mai Lanna Boutique Guest House are Asian. Couples mostly do couple things unless one person is an extrovert. Families spill over. I like that. Most often the mothers look tired and like to have someone admire their kids. I do that. Singles talk if the dining room is not crowded. These are my observations.

I found this place, CCMLBGH, on the interrnet on the AGODA website which has very good descriptions, deep discounts. I have left a bunch of times to take little trips and several times including tonite when I forgot to tell them I was staying and they booked full. When this has happened, they found me a good place, carried my bags over and came to be sure I was well settled in. Amazing , really.

I am happy with this place. It is small, clean, appealing to the eye, comfortable, great food, very nice people. Good walking neighborhood. So, I have done some real travel, but mostly I have plunked and made a good routine. I usually swim everyday. Here, not. I found pools that were nice, but the water tends to be a bit cold and the sun is very hot and the shade is quite cool. So, I end up moving and adjusting myself all the time, so I have given up on that. After all, I soon will be at the beach and then in Nicaragua so- nothing lost.

Food takes up a lot of my time. I like to eat small meals frequently. Actually don't have much choice after I was so sick last year. Thais also seem to be eating pretty much all the time and there is great GREAT food everywhere, all the time and very inexpensive (except for the small fortune I spend on cappuccinos). Sweet things are extremely sweet and hot is very hot and salty is very salty, so I am on a perpetual grazing party compelled by the experience that one extreme sets off a craving for the other. I have only once eaten an American thing and that was a grilled cheese sandwich which was quite remarkable but in no way resembled anything we might associate with said item.

I had shrimp with hot cooked basil in a chile sauce, rice and cold water for lunch. $1.30. Still starving, I went and had a carrot, apple and ginger juice thing. Now, I am plaotting where I will stop for my afternoon coffee and dessert. I have a pretty good idea.

I am taking yoga classes when I can get to them. This is pretty much an all day deal because after the class, I have to take a shower because the mats are really smelly and then I have to have lunch because I am starving and then I have to have an 1 1/2 hour massage because I ache and can't walk, then I go to my favorite temple and meditate and mostly give thanks for the beauty, the time, the health, the money, the spirit that guides me to be in a temple in Chiang Mai giving thanks. It is one big circle.

So, all in all I would say that my life is simple, easy, and pleasant. Once or twice I have felt lonesome, but that is why God gave us the gift of SKYPE. In my walking and boat rides and elephant rides, I have met (Invented) the character that will be in my novel if I write one. I just love her. We'll see where that goes.

And next week Gretchen and Eric come and we will do some hammering travel and meet up with dear friend Rhys. That is the story. You can perhaps see why I am not a travel writer. I assume that all of you have either been here or have a pretty good picture of the peaceable kingdom in Southeast Asia and, as I find everything lovely and meet kind generous people...not so much to report.

One thing does stand out and it is not in anyway unique to Asia. Everyone is always on their iphones. Everyone. Everywhere. Or taking pictures  (same thing). The human disconnect is staggering in its scope. Absolutely staggering.