Markets and Street Joy

It was time for a visit with famous film director S. Sundar. He had some good ideas about the story we're trying to do. He showed me some of his editing equipment and let me see the film he's working on.

It's a pretty high-tech setup with 3 giant high-definition screens for video viewing and editing. We were meeting to finalize details on the shooting scipt and some last minute changes.

That's Mr. Sundar behind me. He's a very talented director, cinematographer and master camera-man who may help us with our little project.

We had a long and stormy story conference with lots of passion and black tea. Then it was time for the online radio talk.

After solving a number of world crises, I was just as tired as Milo the temple dog. It was time for a siesta.

Milo the temple dog.

In the afternoon, I felt like a little tourism. Sometimes I need to get out and see a bit of Thailand just to make sure I'm not still in Mexico. So we loaded up the hero wagon and went to the Sunday market for souvenirs. Last year we did the Hari nam Nagar street joy party here. Here's a few photos.

Here we are dancing and chanting in the streets, just like in the good old days in Los Angeles back in the 1970s before it all got too crazy.

Here we are celebrating our faith in downtown Chiang Mai at the Sunday Market. This is last December, before military law was declared.

Military law put an end to our weekly street-joy parade. People protested...

But in the end, might made right and the military won out.
Today, the street market is still colorful, and a great place for tourist bargains. One can find most anything, from hand-crafted brassware...

Brassware at the Sunday Street market

 To colorful fun to wear plastic sandals.

Cheap footware of all shapes and sizes

 Or fine, decorative tea-sets, cups, bowls, and plates.

Painted ceramics

 Or weird street food. I have no idea what this woman is preparing. It had a pungent, garlic smell, and seemed popular to the locals, but looked like a one-way ticket to the food-poisoning ward at the local hospital.

Weird street food

 Here's a dancer. Most of the dancers in the group were about 12 or 14 years old. I think the middle schools were competing. A judges booth was set up in front and took notes as they performed traditional Thai dances.

Dancer performing at street fair

 The dances celebrated the king and his overall wonderfullness.

Patriotic Street fair, honoring the King

 More street food, These are giant crepes, created on the spot by expert gastronomic masters and served to the hungry masses. This looks really good.

Making Thai Crepes

 In addition to street food, there's fine silver in all sizes and shapes, earrings, necklaces, chains, wrist bangles. Everything you need to shine.

Silver Jewelry

Postcards, old photos, lithographs, and other collectors items.

Postcards

You can find all the colorful bags you want...

And street musicians performing traditional Thai music.

Thai women in traditional costumes promoting tourism....But I was fascinated with the girls making crepes. How do they do it?

More Dancers

But without the Harinam street joy, the market seemed as empty as this Chinese Restaurant. I missed the happy days before martial law when we would fill the streets with joy and the sounds of the drum.