Indonesian Batik patterns
The main figures of Ramayana Dance.
Djanger Dance is such interesting that some of the tourists returned with a group Djanger dancers to perform in their country.
This Balinese bridesmaid was photographed shortly after her sister was married during a ceremony held in Tahanan on Bali’s West coast.
The Balinese Barong is a mythological symbol of the forces of good in the universe.
Emperor Humayan’s tomb, Delhi.
Aerial View of New Delhi. Containing President’s House, Central Secretariates and Parliament House
Elephant Ride, Amber Palace, Jaipur
Kin-na-ri (mythological half-man half-bird) in front of Thebdidon royal pantheon.
Thai Royal State Barge, Bankgok
Wat Arun Temple of Dawn, Bangkok, Thailand
The image of the Emerald Buddha under Summer season attire inside Wat Phra Keo at the Royal Place grounds, Bangkok.
1982
The Emerald Buddha Temple at night during the time of Bangkok Bicentennial
The Prasart-pradiep-bidorn in the Emerald Buddha Temple, Bangkok, Thailand
A giant standing on the ground of the Emerald Buddha Temple, Bangkok, Thailand.
The Throne with four posts and supporting a roof with spire on the grounds of the Emerald Buddha Temple, Bangkok, Thailand
February 1985
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Do these dancers look kind of familiar to you? We saw a dancing show yesterday – many of same steps you learned. Bill took lots of pictures! It is to be 96 degrees here today. We joined the worshipers a the Temple of the Emerald Buddha yesterday – very impressive.
Tomorrow (Bill’s birthday) we leave for Singapore for 2 days. Have a good weekend!
Love and Kisses, Mom
“Finger Nail Dance” one of the most beautiful Thai Classical Dances
October 198?
The trip over was long as usual. Got in about 11:00 pm. Just bit late. I am just lying by the pool and resting.
This hotel is very nice about like the Mandarin in Jakarta in many ways but with a larger pool!
All OK so far. Will write regularly.
Love, Bill
The Regent Bangkok, Thailand
August 1989
Good to visit old friends – not enough time. Came for the 30th anniversary of AIT – many ceremonies, graduation, even lunch and inner with the Princess. On to Hong Kong for a few days then home. Am afraid La Jolla will be too dull for words after all this excitement.
Love Bob and Gunta
February 1982
We visited here yesterday and it is all being refinished but still magnificent. We were met by Bob and Gunta on arrival and spent the day with them. They send you greetings.
Today we will shop, rest, sun and tonight travel to Karachi. It is HOT here.
Love, Bill and Va
The Emerald Buddha Temple, Bangkok
April 1988
This is such a fun place. We are mesmerized by the river traffic in front of our hotel. My new suit is heavy black silk for winter, but not for your wedding! Wish you were here.
Love, Va
The Royal Barge Procession for the Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun, Bangkok. Thailand’s fabulous royal barges will form a stately procession to transport His Majesty the King to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) where His Majesty will present saffron robes to the monastic community.
January 1967
Hi
Arrived Bangkok on schedule in AM. Just checking in hotel. All still looks interesting.
Love, Bill
February, 1989
Dear
Greetings from lovely warm Bangkok. I hope all continues to go well in Moscow.
We go to Chiang Mai tomorrow, where I have never been before, and then back here Sunday Evening. I hope you are all warm and cozy.
Love
July 1987
Dear
The original part of the hotel still looks like this but they have a modern, lovely hotel around it. It is still one of my favorite places in the world. The flight over was long! 24 hours! With stops in S.F and Tokyo. Saw three movies – The Tin Men, Hoosiers and Burglars on the plane. Burglars was good.
Take care
July 1988
This should reach you by the time of your birthday! Happy Birthday! Our hotel is lovely! Looks quite different now than in this photo but this is more or less as it was when we first stayed here in the 50’s. Hope all is well and your trip to Boston is fine. I am having a new silk suit made.
Love
February 1990
Hi
We all met as planned at airport about midnite last nite (24 hour trip – tired). This hotel (the new version) is just gorgeous and comfortable – we are impressed. We had big slabs of papaya for breakfast in the sun along the river. Wish you were here.
Love
The Oriental, Bangkok, Circa 1876
From its earliest origin as a rest house for western adventurers, The Oriental has stood for quality of life that made it an oasis midst the hub-bub that prevails all about. As it was over 100 year ago, so it is today.
February, 1970
Dear
Greetings to you on my birthday. We are at airport waiting for plane to Singapore. I have found Bangkok and the people to be great as I expected. See you next month.
Love
Enjoy a trip around the world.
I’m always interested in expat stories, expat memoirs, and third culture kid stories. I usually pick them up, get a few chapters in and set them aside. I don’t know what it is about them but they just don’t grab me. Maybe it’s the writing, maybe it’s the focus. Although I usually finish them at some point even if I just scan through them. Here are a few I read recently and liked.
The Sullivan Saga, Memoires of an Overseas Childhood by M.H. Sullivan, was an interesting story about a girl growing up in a Foreign Service family in Asia and Africa. In the TCK stories I can usually find some personal connection that keeps me going. The thing that grabbed me about this book was she started out talking about returning to the US for college and wondering if she was “American” enough. Her family was very different from mine but there were some similarities in the experiences she had. I could totally identify with the story about her father having to go into the bushes and take his pants off because he was being attached by army ants in Africa.
Lenin Lives Next Door, Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow by Jennifer Eremeeva is about a woman married to a Russian and her experiences living in Moscow for twenty years. She fell in love with Russia at 13 when she read “Nicholas and Alexandra” by Robert Massie. She studied Russian history and language and eventually ended up in Moscow running tours and hosting trade show delegations. A fellow tour guide introduced her to her future husband and she has been there ever since. Her book is all about the characters she meets along the way and the challenges of living in Moscow. It is very funny and some things are hard to believe since truth really is stranger than fiction. I could identify with a lot of what she talks about having lived in Moscow for nine years myself. And funnily enough I actually knew Jennifer when I lived there. I recommend it – it’s fun and fast paced.
Yesterday I picked up Perking the Pansies by Jack Scott. Yes, you can read it in a day. It is fast paced and light reading. Two married gay men from Britain decide to chuck everything, quit their jobs, sell their property and all their belongings and move to Turkey. Most people thought they were nuts. It is something many people dream of doing but would never actually do. They did it. The book covers their first year in Turkey. They were not completely prepared for what they were getting into and it seems they should have done some more research on the weather but they manage to keep a positive attitude and stick with it. After making some adjustments, and meeting some unpleasant expats, they eventually find their way and their own group of friends. It is a fun read.