Stage-fright

Wat after wat, chedi after chedi, and buddha after buddha. Ben and I have discovered our secret Angor Wat of Thailand. We've walked among crumbled and ancient ruins for three days now. We could sense the holiness and voices of people in the past. The power was at its height with the almost full moon tinkling down through a lacey canopy of tree, casting shadows over an ancient river that has been sustaining life for eons. For New Years, Ben made friends with a gang of local youngsters, we got invited to a village party, where dish after dish and shot after shot of Thai whiskey were offered. As the party heightened Ben got called up on stage to play the harmonica and dance, greeted by big grins and applause. I learned some Thai dance movements from a group of school girls, a mom, and a little 3 yr. old girl. A perma grin was pasted on my face the whole evening, as our main form of communication was smiles, laugher, and pantomime. Our first morning of 2007 was greeted by the red rising sun over the ancient river, people fishing the waters, and the sound of monks chanting.