Hazel Ceej

Quick info Business hours : 10 AM to 8 PM, Sunday to Saturday Majority of merchandise :  antiques, (specializing in Thai art and culture) Feature : monthly auction (every first Saturday) in the 4th floor auditorium Event going on : Nude & Erotic Painting Exhibition, 23 April - 31 May 2012 @ The Art Zone, 2nd floor Location : 23 Si Phaya Pier, Soi Trok Rongnamkaeng, Yota Road, Sampantawong Fastest way to get there: take the Silom Line BTS skytrain to Saphan Taksin Station . There's a free shuttle boatto the River City Shopping Complex. *** Some fascination for antiques motivated this adventure.  With very limited Thai I took a shot of the address and asked a sky train station guard to write it in Thai. This is the Saphan Taksin pier where I waited for the boat to RCSC - Capacity of this boat must be between forty or fifty passengers but there were only three of us on this trip: a European couple and myself  Some of the sights during the boat ride are temple spires, facade of in

Medieval justice was a quaint thing ~ Frederick Pollard I have yet to read what is that about, but the line appeals strongly to the history lover in me. Quaint has become one of my favorite words since I searched the net for info and pictures of England in preparation for a trip there in 2006. There are several definitions of quaint. These are what I like the most: having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm; oddly picturesque strange, peculiar or unusual in an interesting, pleasing or amusing way skillfully or cleverly made If you clicked images for quaint on Google, you will find mostly European cottages and churches in the countryside. As for quaint places in Asia, I'm sharing one that has been hibernating in my archives since I took it two years ago - part of Angkor Wat in Cambodia Shakespeare's wife's cottage has to be quaint too. ABC Wednesday

[caption id="attachment_10694" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Prang Sam Yot, Lopburi[/caption] Prang, in architecture, is a tower-like spire, usually richly carved. It's a common Hindu and Buddhist shrine element from the Khmer Empire. In Thailand prangs appear only with important Buddhist temples. They were adapted by Buddhist builders around 1350 - 1767 in the Ayutthya Kingdom and 1782 - 1932 in the Rattanakosin Kingdom. ~ Source It's the annual monkey party in the Thai countryside of Lopburi.  Prang Sam Yot is famous for being the party venue every year. Those prangs teemed with monkeys when I arrived. I stood opposite while deciding which entrance to approach. Check out more of what's happening around the world - ABC Wednesday   *  Our World    

It was a quiet Khmer morning. Friends and I were traveling to Siem Reap . The van we were riding in slowed down by a procession. Curiosity managed to snap a shot of what looked like a miniature house carried by a truck. As it disappeared into gathering speed I saw a coffin inside it. The deceased apparently had something thousands of his countrymen we visited at the Killing Fields the day before never had - an obsequies.

According to the Phrontistery, nesiote is an obscure word. But defined, nesiote sounds as modern as can be.  It means living on an island. My family trooped to an island for a reunion last year. This is part of the Fisherman's Village on Elephant Island in Thailand. Nesiote probably applies best to fishermen who live here - Albert Einstein wishes that "somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will." Laurie Anderson claims: "as a New Yorker, I'm someone who lives on an island and looks across to America." George Gordon Byron in a letter to Thomas Moore mentions "the greenest island of my imagination." This was rather a grey morning but my reverie was full of bright colors as I maneuvered these rocks. A world-class violinist washes up on shore.  Ladies in Lavender fades to a fact: I just love island - living during holidays. ABC Wednesday

Are you a mabsoot?  The world will most probably light up if you are. What makes you a mabsoot? This blue sky holiday on a sunflower field made me go, "and I think to myself what a wonderful world!"  I was quite a mabsoot. The Dalai Lama says "happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." I thought I would make a little experiment; see what would an action mean to me so off I shopped in Chatuchak, a huge weekend market known to bring seasoned shoppers to their knees.  I came home with sore feet, but thinking the Dalai Lama was right. What really made me a mabsoot after shopping like a madwoman was my vintage loot.  It makes my heart dance as merrily as it did when I browsed the graveyard at St. Mary's church in the shadow of Scarborough Castle and found this - “People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” That's Abraham Lincoln. And I tend to agree with him. Making up your mind to be happy is easy, and not as costly

Certainly, there was some deep meaning in it, most worthy of interpretation, and which, as it were, streamed forth from the mystic symbol, subtly communicating itself to my sensibilities, but evading the analysis of my mind. --Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (1850) Put simply, kinesics refers to body position and motion including those of the face.   It is a form of nonverbal communication people use to establish relationships, and express personal identity and cultural values. Does Hitler's Nazi salute come to mind, for example? Right here in my part of the world kinesics are abundant in cultural communications. Thailand is a society where fewer words are spoken. The wai is used to convey many meanings.  In my early days in Bangkok I saw two cars sideswipe each other. When drivers came out of their vehicles to sort out the accident, the first thing I saw they did was not an exchange of words but a wai. The same kind of accident may warrant kinesics in other countries but

Dove wings, rustling greens deeds penetrate the heavens a whiff of cool blue Now comes the quiet clear blue remnants of Khmer may souls rest in peace Question: what's the deal between green and violet? True color matters Blue Monday ,  Haiku my Heart , Haiku Heights

Julie Andrews allegedly sang a parody of the Sound of Music tune My Favorite Things at an AARP benefit to commemorate her 69th birthday. I thought it was fun and interesting, even though there was no confirmation that Julie Andrews did sing it. Thus, 'allegedly' as About.com-Urban Legends put it. I was thirty-five then, and getting conscious of the fact that in five years my life would begin. I like believing in "life begins at forty." To mark my 40th birthday last year I did my own lyrics revision. And came up with this:  If you are not familiar with my blog: CJ is my son, Mozart is my fur kid (picture on sidebar), my mother is a soprano, and I am usually her piano accompanist. My father's second wife, RIP Father , was the chess; and my mother beat him in scrabble mercilessly. I grew up watching an uncle's ballroom dances and staring in wonder at his trophies. My pet peeve is internet/computer inaccessibility. I hate a runny nose with fervor and although

It seems everyone has something to say about shoes. I do. Two years ago I wore the same pair of shoes while exploring Macau and Hong Kong, playing golf, traipsing the largest temple on earth and to the funeral of my Education chief, while dreaming of Cinderella's shoes. Mine must have self- transformation power to have been worn at entirely different occasions, and still got away ticktock gorgeous. Here's what others say - 1. I f the shoe doesn't fit, must we change the foot? - Gloria Steinem                                  A day after Mother's Day; went shopping in Siam Paragon 2. "Why are 'Messiahs' always represented as wearing sandals..? If you think about it, as a society we seem to use open toed sandals to convey the presence of an open mind. Why?: I have no idea, but the trend is definitely there to be seen. " / Nowhere near any temple; this is about to get inside Hard Rock 3. The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches. - Irish proverb / Pin

Let me begin with an observation on the latter.  Developmental pediatricians in the Philippines are a rare breed. Or that's what I noticed. From society and organization websites, to forums, to word-of-mouth, to my own experience, they seem to be outnumbered by people who need their expertise. A parent of a child with developmental delays has to wait weeks or months to see one developmental pediatrician. Only thirty are listed on the Philippine Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Twenty-five in one Filipino autism blog, and that is not purely DevPeds. A child psychologist, child psychiatrist, and pediatric neurologist are mixed in the list, although they certainly are a big help too. At my son's speech therapy and psychology center I hear the same account from other parents - securing a time slot with a DevPed is hard. They are all fully booked throughout what could turn into a year. You may be lucky if someone withdraws but that rarely happens. I'm playing

Friday's Fave Five is a meme wherein participants list five best things from their week. Now not every week is great for everyone, and that's where the challenge to come up with blessings lies. Do you hear gratitude ? Or optimism ? A few days before this just-concluded Christmas, I had to try finding what's good in a week that involved a seriously lacerated forehead on top of having to work on Christmas day . ***** Too much multi-tasking amidst anemic symptoms sent me bleeding to the ER. Two surgeons hovered over me. "Fifty-two," said one to the other. And the stitching began. I gleaned my week's best through sutures, anesthesia and an anti-tetanus shot.     i. It was fifty-two, not fifty-three stitches or more . I'd take that and be thankful.   ii. The presence of a friend . So much for independence and pride in doing things single-handedly. I mean going through all that alone was possible, but someone to whom you can say ouch without worrying how you

It would be four hours before I was to board another jet to London.  Emirates was changing air crafts in the UAE. I was in Dubai learning things by the minute.  The officer who confirmed my flight number and arrival time in the UK, was good-looking, as many of them in that part of world are or so I like to think. Space from the sofa I sat on extended to the surface of the glass table on my right. The PA System was echoing "O-whayyy..." now and then. An arab guy, X, sat next to me on the left. Another arab, Z, came by, chatted with X and soon Z sat on the table on my right. I didn't mind the seating arrangement at first. Their conversation was animated and I quietly enjoyed the foreign audio. Their wide faces inched closer to each other. The proximity was making me uncomfortable. Two large yakking males sandwiching a 38-kilogram, Asian female. Such sight must have looked strange in that part of the airport lounge. And then these men made it clear that they didn'

One night long ago, I was approaching an unlit room in an uncle's big house when, typical of Pinoy culture, my older cousins scared me, "there's a ghost in there, watch out!" My mother didn't think it was right, and asked them to stop immediately. [caption id="attachment_8480" align="alignright" width="300"] CJ in the dark[/caption] So far I haven't noticed signs in my son being afraid of the dark.  We try to behave in it the same way we would in bright daylight. If someone scares him though, chances are high he will react accordingly.  For the record I am strongly against teasing children into being unnecessarily scared of anything. The trick I see reminds me of that nursing professor back in college, "you know class, it depends upon the orientation." What was your experience with the dark while growing up? Any similarities with or differences from the way your kids now act toward it? Chris hosts Mommy Moments

There are more than thirty films shot in Thailand. The earliest on a Wikipedia list is a silent docudrama called Chang , shot in 1927.  I've never seen #1-6 but have been to all filming locations like James Bond Island, Sirocco and the floating market. Oh,  except perhaps 'Bangkok Hilton' where Bridget Jones traded her wonder bra for a cigarette.  Seen any of these films? 1.    Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) directed by Michael Todd 2.    The Killing Fields (1984) Spalding Gray                                                                                  3.    The Ugly American (1963) Marlo Brando                                                                             4.    The Deer Hunter (1978) Robert De Niro 5.    Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) Robin Williams 6.    Alexander (2004) Collin Farrel 7.    Rambo, First Blood Part II (1985) Sylvester Stallone 8.    The Beach (2000) Leonardo DiCaprio                                                                  

The Yellow Bus Line operated the only land transport in South Cotabato about twenty years ago. YBL buses ply the Koronadal - Gensan - Davao route.  For long distances many South Cotabatenos preferred taking the yellow bus over those jeepneys called strikers . A trip to Davao from Gensan would usually take 2.5 -3 hours. As a kid I remember happily observing the passing scenery or munching snacks while riding this bus with my family. If I didn't fall asleep, I was impatient, "are we there yet?" The dust swirling around our nostrils and vision was normal. Arduous. But that was then. Now you may want to carry your tech thingies if you are on board one of their premiere buses as wifi has been enabled. What are your buses called in your province? Rose hosts Nostalgia .