music, media & other random musings

Bangkok

After 2 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia, arriving back in Bangkok felt like coming home to familiar territory. The funny part is that upon our first arrival here, before our trip east, Bangkok felt unfamilliar and foreign - especially to my mother who had just landed in Asia for the first time. But after coming back from Siem Reap, what became quite obvious was that Bangkok IS a major metropolis, much more in line with that modern city life we're accustomed to. And the return felt especially comforting as our new friend and guide, Pat, was there to meet us at the airport. 

Our two 'pre-travel' Bangkok days were spent eating, walking, sightseeing and shopping. We shopped along Silom Road and at Siam Paragon, one of the many malls in the Siam Center. We saw the Grand Palace and took a ride along the canals. And the eating was plentiful. And when we got back here, we continued in the same vain. 

Immediately, upon arrival, I lost all desire for the Western food I had craved so badly while in Cambodia. Thai food is absolutely fabulous and my favorite of all the 'flavors' I've had here in SouthEast Asia. Couldn't have been happier trying out new dishes and getting the last tastes of my faves before departing. 

As for the sightseeing, almost all of it included food. The Floating Markets in Damnoen Saduak may be a "tourist trap" and given a bad rap by many - in fact I almost pushed us into not going at all because of those reviews - but we had a great time. Pat loves food as much as we do and he stopped to pick up a variety of tastes as we meandered through the crowds - dumplings, fried bananas, cocount cakes (don't know the name) and of course a bowl of noodle soup at 10am. Absolutely delish!!  A walk around Chinatown afterwards, of course, also included good eats. From the street vendors, Pat picked up pork dumplings and porks buns - and would have picked up more - bbq ribs and roast chicken - but we were still full from our "meal" only a few hours before. (Truth is.. I could have eaten more, but my mom was done & I was too embarrassed to admit what a never-ending pit my stomach was.)

Our shopping wasn't all that extensive - we could have done more - but we did indulge in one of the famed Bangkok activities - the tailor. We'd actually already done the tailor thing in Hoi An (which wasquite the experience, especially as it was about 95 degrees and we were trying on wool pants), but neither the tailors nor the materials are the caliber of what we found here in Bangkok, not really surprising. Pat brought us to a shop called James Tailor - no shit!  The amusement factor alone won our support. If we hadn't already gone through the process in Vietnam, we probably would have indulged more, but the novelty had worn off a little, which is too bad as James Tailor (i just like saying it!) couldn't have been more professional, more accomodating... they definitely know their business. 

Only a few tourist activities on this round. One was going to Wat Pho to see the reclining Buddha. At 138 ft. long, truly impressive. I was sorry that it wasn't housed in a building to truly appreciate the enormity and splendor from a wider angle, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the first who has felt that way. And the other, a visit to the Jim Thompson house. Small, quick tour - just the way I like 'em. But really, was pretty cool to see the modern intepreation of the Thai culture - archicture, furniture, art.  (It was all actually from the 50's-60's, but considering most of what you see here is anywhere from 2-10 centuries old, it's pretty current.) 

Although not mentioned much - drinks are, of course, part of the food experience - for us, anyway. Thankfully my mom likes a good stiff vodka at the end of the day (too.)  Last night we enjoyed our drinks with Greg Swimelar. He recently wrote a book called Suitcases on the Roof. He saw that I'd read it and reviewed it on this blog, and contacted me. As it turns out he lives here in Bangkok, so we were lucky enough to join him for cocktails at the Moon Bar on top of the Banyan Tree Hotel (59th floor) for a spectactular view of the city. Gotta love the internet. While some still think the computer screen alienates us from human encounters, this just proves the opposite. I found Greg's book through the recommend engine on Amazon - and he found me through his Google Reader feed, updating him on articles/blogs on his book. And then, real life contact, drinks, conversation. What's not to like...

As much as I was happy to come back here to Bangkok, I'm still on the fence about my feelings about this city. I'd come up with a theory a while back called the 3-day rule - that I had to give a city at least 3 days before I could truly judge it. (I spent only 2 in Singapore and 2 in KL...)  But for a big city like this, I think that 7 - or even 10 days - might be more appropriate. It is huge and sprawling and not easy to connect the dots. Supposedly people who live here don't even have it all figured out. That I don't believe. But I do contend that it would take a hell of a lot of time to truly "get it" and more than that, appreciate it. But I do sense that given that time, this place could grow on me.

Classic!

I pride myself on my organizational abilities.. but this one I majorly fucked up. Although almost buying a bag of weed in Laos was pretty damn stupid, this ranks right up there... 

Back in April, while I was in the midst of planning my solo travel, wrapping up some work stuff, setting up my apartment for sublet, etc.. I was also doing my best to pay attention (and not pay attention - simultaneously) to the travel plans with my mom. She had an agency handle all the travel reservations - including her visa. But, as my mother so clearly pointed out this morning, "you have to do everything yourself, Susan" (this cleary wasn't a compliment), I got my Vietnam visa on my own and somehow fucked up the dates. Thinking back, I'm really not sure how that happened. All I know is that when I got the visa in the mail, I put it in a folder and didn't look at it again this morning. And even then, apparently not very closely. Here we are at 5am, after having gotten up at 3:30am (you KNOW I didn't plan this leg of the trip!) and the Air Asia agent is telling me I can't get on the flight because today is July 29th and the visa starts on August 1st. A MAJOR OOPS!  

Because we had an agency, we also had our guide named Pat with us, who didn't want to leave us until we were on the plane. (Picture of Pat & my mom at the Grand Palace.) THANK GOD he didn't leave when we told him he were fine.... After 20 minutes or so of trying to call New York (which was closed) and Hanoi (which we couldn't reach), it was clear I wasn't getting on the plane. And as we didn't know how long it would take me to figure it out, I made my mom get on the plane. I've already have a big trip, this was hers. No reason for her to miss Hanoi because I screwed it up... So she went to board the flight and Pat & I made our way to the Vietnam embassy.... If he wasn't with me, I'm sure I would have gotten there myself via cab - but absolutely MUCH easier having him guide me there.

We were one of the first in line at 8:30 and now I sit here waiting to get my Visa, which will be ready at 11am. Pat is out picking up a new ticket for me to catch a flight at 1pm. Thankfully, cheap as hell. New ticket, Air France, only costs about $140.. so I'll be in Hanoi in time for a nice late afternoon meal. 

The worst part... Hanoi was one of top 3 places I wanted to see, and I'm missing one of my days there. Best part, got it solved pretty damn fast and my mom only had to spend one day alone. This will no doubt be one of those family lore stories that will live on... I'm certain about that. 

Greens!

I don't think I'd ever been more happy to eat a salad. At home, I pretty much eat salad with chicken, in some variation, 6 times a week. And for 2 months, not a one. (Okay, in some side salad incarnation while in Turkey, but not the real deal.) It's true, you never never really do know how much you miss something until it's not there - even lettuce...   

I was aimlessly wandering around last night looking for dins, hankering for something on the non-Asian tip... but somehow I knew that a hot dog, burger or burrito (even though the place was called Diablo..) just wouldn't be the real deal. Then I saw a sign for Mediterranean and a girl eating a falafel - the place was packed, I didn't even hesitate or look at the menu, just walked right in. I must admit the kebabs were tempting, but had to go for the salad. So good, I came back again today for another. Not sure when I'll find one again. Asia for another 4 weeks... 

Oh, and I'm on my way to Luang Prabang in Laos. Pretty psyched about that too...!! 

Tourism or Voyeurism?

I opted to do a "tourist" activity and took a tour up to Doi Suthep to see Wat Phrathat today. It's located at the top of Suthep mountain which supposedly offers a great view of Chiang Mai. Also, as part of this half day schlep, included is a visit to the Meo Hilltribe village at Doi Pui - where people live in their primitive way of life. Because I didn't ask and didn't read the fine print... I came back nauseus, bothered and irritated. If I hadn't met Priya, a cool girl from London, the afternoon would have been a total bust.

Yes, this temple is high atop a mountain, so if I'd thought for a moment, it might have occured to me - very steep winding roads - and knowing that, I'd have bagged it right then. Quite frankly, it might have also been nice if someone at the hotel had mentioned this little fact...  I have an incredibly strong stomach for food of any kind - but not so much for motion. The only saving grace was I was up front in the mini-van, there was decent a/c and Priya kept me entertained. But it took some concentration to stay composed. So, already feeling slightly annoyed about the lack of information, and that this tour guide's English was almost unrecognizable, we made our first stop at the Hilltribe village. Here's when my irritation became full blown - both with myself that I would allow myself to be part of this and that this kind of tourism actually exists.

Essentially this "tour" takes you to an incredibly poor village of people who live in the mountains. Mini-vans full of tourists (not tons, but a few) get out to snap their pictures and say "look at how quaint these poor, unmodernized people live." And then you're given the opportunity to walk through their little village and buy the stuff they're selling. I realize that this is how they sustain their way of life - which is why I bought something - but I find this kind of tourism just thinly veiled (or more appropriately, thickly veiled) voyeurism. I was so incredibly sorry and embarrased to be a part of it. It is one thing to come to a country to see the sights, eat their food, breathe in their culture, even get to know their people - and another to ogle at it. Is this kind of tour about understanding the culture of a people or about seeing poverty face to face? Is it something concocted purely to generate tourism dollars (and put money in the village)? Or is it just downright unethical and exploitive? My opinion is pretty clear here. If people/tourists have the need to witness first hand the 'poor existence' that others lead, I say get involved - go to a community like this and take part, participate in helpful ways that are dictated and desired by that culture and its people. Do something useful instead of looking, staring, snapping pictures. Even if you help in some way by buying their wares - I find the whole thing unconscionable. I refused to take a picture. 

As one of the reasons I actually went on this tour was to see the Wat (along with getting out of town and seeing the views), I will at least mention it by saying this - the view of the mountains were quite stunning (picture in post), the view of the city was pretty poor as the smog/pollution and hazy made it somewhat nonexistent, and the temple itself - to me just another cultural landmark run amonk by tourism.  

Chiang Mai

As far as I can tell, the 5 big things to do in Chiang Mai: 

1) Eat - As in much of Asia and specifically Thailand, lots of food options - from the cheap street carts to the markets all the way up to the high end restaurants. And even on the super high end, by our standards, this town is incredibly inexpensive. I believe there is great food to be had here, but as of yet, I personally haven't had anything really outstanding to speak of. (Although, so far, only hit the street fare, markets and more relaxed-type places.) Although yesterday, in the walled city I did find a little "mini mall" with a place whose blackboard menu was written only in Thai. When I asked what they served, the woman said "noodle soup  with beef." Only one thing - but they did it damn well. 40 BHT, about $1.15, including a bowl of rice and a bottle of water. Not outstanding, but super good. 

2) Shop - Personally, I don't find this kind of shopping - the browsing, exploring type - very much fun on my own. Especially since in Chiang Mai the shoping is all over the place - small little areas in different parts of the city, with some amount of effort required to move from one to the other. So I look forward to doing some good Asian shopping together with my mom - the professional shopper - when she arrives in a few weeks. (She still can't seem to work out the time diference between us, or which way is north or south on a map necessarily, but she can always find her way back to a store she visited only once. A rare gift!) If you're into textiles, fabrics, pottery, porcelain, antiques, jewelery, homeware, asian-style clothes - you'll be very happy shopping here. Although I wasn't completely motivated to really look hard, I did mosey through some stores and found myself drawn to a little 'arts and craftsy' bag/purse. I'm fairly certain when I get it back to New York I'll be wondering what I was thinking... as the thought already occured to me. Oh well, cheap.. as everything is here. Chalk it up to one of those purchases. 

3) Get Massages - Adding to the list of things I didn't know.. a traditional Thai massage is done with your clothes on (or the Thai equivalent of hospital scrubs.)  You can get a massage pretty much on every street and every corner. They're all cheap as hell - neck massage, thai massage, oil massage, feet massage. For a culture that believes feet are symbolically the lowest part of the body, they are very well catered to. I chose to follow the Luxe Guide and went to the one they listed as "simple." (In general, I find the Luxe Guide a bit obnoxious and their directions less than stellar - it almost feels they do this on purpose, as their picks are so happenin' that only those who are truly cool can find it - but admittedly most of their descriptions are pretty spot on.) I went for the basic, one hour Thai massage, but after 20 minutes or so couldn't take it. The opposite of the relaxing massage I had in mind. Aside from the clothes on thing, it was hard, uncomfortable and downright unpleasant. The place - Oasis Spa - couldn't have been nicer and more accomodating. (As everyone is here in Thailand.)  Switched me over to the hot oil massage and I was a happy, gumby-like camper when I walked out an hour later. (Still not as good as the massage I had at the Ritz Carlton in Istanbul... but all in all, not too shabby.)

4) Walk/Ride - It some ways it is a fairly small city and if you can get across the street, you can walk to a lot of the areas you want to get to. The trick is crossing the street - not for the faint of heart. I'm a natural born jay walker and practiced honing my craft for years in New York and weeks in Istanbul, but this is a different ballgame. (I hear I'm only warming up for Bangkok and Hanoi.) The cars here don't seem to acknowledge the pedestrians even slightly. It's all cross at your own risk. So when you're done with trying, too hot or too tired, there's always someone or something to give you a ride. No metro, but plenty of options. 

Whereas in Istanbul, most people leave you alone - except in the tourist area of Sultanahmet, where if you pause and look at your map for a minute you'll be approached, asked where you are from and told all about their family's carpet business - here, if you walk even remotely slow, turn your head ever so slightly or worst case, actually stop and tie your shoe, a tuktuk (motor taxis) or songthaews (shared "red buses") will slow down and honk at you, essentially asking if you want a ride. It's almost as if they can't imagine anyone would ever choose to walk. A litle bizarre at first, feels like someone is following you, but you get used to it. And when you happen to actually want one, not a bad thing at all.  

5) Visit Wats - They're everywhere. It's interesting to see the juxtoposition between the old and the new, the modern and the ancient, but admittedly, they freak me out a bit. Not their existence, but going inside them. I feel the same way about the wats as I did the mosques. Although tourists are actually allowed in, with their shoes off, it just feels like a bit of a circus show. I'm not a big temple goer myself, but if a bunch of curious gawkers holding cameras and wearing fanny packs and cargo shots were staring at me while I was praying, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be ok with it. Having said that, I'm also not a Buddhist, so maybe they are...  But I find something about it all completely disrespectful and distasteful. As is the commercialization of the Buddhist iconography. Generally, I find the architecture of all of the wats fairly similar - even if they may have been built in different centuries (who knows?) and I don't find them all that interesting aesthetically either... Admittedly though, per usual, I haven't been studying up on the nitty gritty of dates and details. But I have been reading quite a bit about Buddhism (which is quite fascinating) to not only better educate myself, but to better appreciate the culture and religion here. To me, it seems more integral to understanding this city and this country than watching tourists, watching monks pray. 

In general, interesting city. Find myself doing exactly what I complained KL and Singapore didn't inspire me to do - wander, explore and get lost. In the last day and 1/2 I've walked the walled city, shopped on Thae Pae Rd and Nimmanhaemin Rd, checked out the Night Market and Anusarn Market, walked along the Maenam Ping river, ate at the Riverside Bar & Restaurant looking at the river, walked over the river on the Naowarat Bridge, drove through the Flower district, checked out the shish hotels The Chedi (beautiful) and the D2 (groovy) for drinks - both dead empty, had Wawee coffee (awesome!), had a massage, saw many wats, got many whiffs of the stinky sewer system (i'm pretty sure that's what the smell is..), rode the songthaews, walked down the many sois, got lost - and found. And tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I'll do some more. 

 

Bo Phut

You gotta love the power of social media.

Rob Newman and I crossed paths at some point in the '90's music video production days. Neither of us remembers how or what we worked on together (maybe nothing?), but nonetheless, we're now FB friends. And when I posted I was going to Thailand, Rob offered up his condo in Bo Phut.(BEYOND generous.) Initially I turned it down as I wanted to be in a more social environment, but when I tired of the Jungle Club, I wrote back and the next day I was here - that was a few days ago.

His place is in Fisherman's Village, a small little walking strip in, yes, a fishing village. It reminds me of a much smaller version of Venice Beach circa 20 years ago - with an Asian flare. I actually prefer the scene where I was before. Loved the jungle views from up top at the Jungle Club and the beach at Chaweng is far prettier. But having a modern, air conditioned place with new, clean bathrooms, hot water and sweet beds with nice sheets isn't all bad for a few nights. And the view from the apartment, looking out onto the bay isn't too shabby either.. Although the Jungle Club had its own built-in social scene with the bar being at the center of all the "hotel" guests. (Jungle Club felt more like a camp retreat than a hotel somehow), Rob very kindly told me where to go in town, here in Bo Phut, and I spent a night here with his local buddies - owners of bars/restaurants and the folks on the other side of the bar too -  which was fun. (From what I can tell, the local scene is comprised primarily of 50-60 year old white men - Americans & Brits - that have dropped out, moved here and now have Thai girlfriends 20-30 years their junior...)

As has happened in many of the places I've hit, I met a few people that have put a mark on my time here. My first night, as I was checking out a hotel in town, The Library, I met a couple from Adelaide in the lobby. (Terrible picture, but it's all I got). We had dinner & many drinks that night and have done the same a few times since. Tonight will be our last - as we are all leaving tomorrow. They're super smart, fun, sarcastic, interesting. They sort of remind me of an Australian version of the couple I met in Ephesus from San Miguel, Mexico. Same age - early 60's, same generation. Sort of interesting... 

Admittedly, I thought I might ease into the island life for a litle longer and last another week. But the truth is, I'm just not cut out for it. (Somehow I keep having to remind myself that beach towns aren't my thing.) Only so much reading and writing one can do. There are "tourist" activities - water sports, tours to waterfalls, etc. but they just don't have a pull for me solo, more for a group thing. But Koh Samui has given me exactly what I needed - rest and the recharge to motivate. Now I'm ready to move on. Ready for more planes, trains & automobiles, ready to haul my bag & check into new hotels. Ready for new sites and sights, ready to be challenged by a new city. Ready for a new map. 

Change of Heart

Although my exact plans in Asia had never been clearly defined, my general plan had always been to spend time in Malaysia and Thailand before meeting my mom in Bangkok for our Vietnam and Cambodia trip together. As I ended up spending more time in Turkey, the timing all shifted a bit, but the idea was always the same. Then Laos started coming up in conversation with a variety of people I'd met - especially Luang Prabang. Univerally, everyone seemed to absolutely love it there, the excitement on their face far more geniune than when talking of Chaing Mai or Chaing Rai in Thailand. And based on my own very professional poll, Chaing Mai wasn't for everyone - some liked, some didn't, only one loved. And she was taking a course there, so was geniuinely attached to the daily life. So a slight shift of thought, Laos was now in the head too... 

As I sat here looking out at the Gulf of Thailand for the last few days, contemplating how I would execute on my intended plans, plotting out how I would get from Bangkok to Chaing Mai to Pai (small artsy town north of Chain Mai) to Luang Prabang through Laos and back to Bangkok, I shut down. Reading through some of the books, sitting in front of this screen trying to book the flights and trains and then scanning over hotel options felt all too exhausting. I didn't have the same psych I had a month earlier to be hopping from one place to the next every few days. And now I only had a few weeks to get it all in, time had become a factor and the room for options were fewer.   

With 2 1/2 weeks of time before I met my mom, the question was how did I want to spend it. As much as I would love to take in Thailand (Koh Samui is one tiny experience & quite frankly, more "anywhere beach town" with a bit of Thai food & culture mixed in than a "true Thai experience'), and Laos too, if I chose - it would mean 2 -3 days in each place. And each place being on the "tourist hit list," not anywhere off the beaten path. What I had really envisioned doing in Thailand was taking the train and stopping throughout - central, north, northeast. But that takes time - which I just don't have anymore. At least not before I need to be in Bangkok.... 

I was speaking with a woman last night - the one who loved Chaing Mai. She's been traveling for a bit longer than I have and we both admitted having experienced a certain amount of "guilt" about trying to get to places we'd had on our lists. Even though we were both similar in our "loose approach," enjoying that our plans and path continually shifted (exactly as we had "planned" it would work!) , we both found it was hard to let go some of those "ideas" we had in our head. We come from a regimented existence that is hard to free ourselves from. And two months of being "free" hasn't been enough to erase that thought process. The reality is, three months just isn't all that much time and there is a certain amount of logistical producing & planning that needs to be taken into account for flights, hotels, etc. especially when done somewhat last minute. But the guilt about where to actually go is another factor all together. In all fairness to myself, generally, I haven't let it get to me. I've added destinations and subtracted others along the way and been more than okay with my decisions. But there have been moments. And this was one of them. Much of which stems, I believe, from the fact that I'm heading into the home stretch, and feel the weight of this all ending - which I'm not all that thrilled about. 

And then yesterday afternoon I finally had the epiphany I needed. I realized that for two days I had this incredible opportunity to relax, to breathe, to take in these incredible views, but I didn't, I saw none of it, saw right past the blue water and green jungle, as I was too in my own head. I'd spent so much time thinking about where I was going next, how I was going to get there and mostly struggling with this nagging guilt about not seeing everything I had intended, and accepting that there was absolutely no part of me - physically, mentally, emotionally - that was ready or interested in a 2-week schlep of planes, trains & automobiles. But I finally let myself off the hook and decided, another time. Not this trip, perhaps, but someday, I'll get there - wherever that is.

Today, right now, at this moment, I'm thinking I'll be here in Koh Samui for another week or so, then go to Laos for a week. But maybe tomorrow I'll feel differently. And I'm ok with that. Today, anyway. 

Koh Samui

Slept like a baby last night, even without A/C. Then, of course, Ambien works like a charm...

Today, after a quick visit to my friends at The Library (and a solid confirmation that staying up on the hill, as opposed to on the beach was so the right move!), I wandered into the more local area of Chaweng for a few hours. Shops, markets, food stalls... Along the way picked up a bag of grapes, a mango (they're in season - and incredible!), a piece of chicken, a portion of fried bananas and sweet potatos - total cost, less than $3.

Good vibe here in Thailand, Koh Samui - incredibly comfortable, friendly, accomodating people - without being cloying, hot - but not too hot, gorgeous views, excellent food & drink. And in the rain (a huge, thunderous, beautiful storm late this afternoon), the bungalows/cabins remind me of camp (in the best possible way!) What's not to like, really?!

The Jungle Club

One of those immediate loves. And it is far from a city. The airport looked like it was right off a movie set. So cute, it's silly. (see pic.)

On the accomodations front, I've stayed in some less than stellar places the last few weeks. I was really in need of a more luxe place, at least more comfortable. I found a place called The Jungle Club online, sounded perfect. Beautiful view, farther removed from the 'beach' thing, mellow staff, a bit rustic, but clean, comfortable - and cheap as shit. Or what i could tell from their website. (I've been both pleasantly surprised and thoroughly disappointed.) They didn't have a room for me on my first night and recommended a place down the hill from them. I got there... it was god awful. So I started having doubts about the Jungle Club, if this is what they were recommending...

The main area of Chaweng is a long strip of what at first looks like just a bunch of crap shops selling  tourist junk. But it's actually a mix - included with the crap shops, are a combination of shack bars & restaurants as well as the high end side of bars & restaurants. On the drive in from the airport I eyed The Library, a boutique hotel. So once I saw my awful digs, I went down there to check it out, just in case... Very mod, white, clean, somewhat stark, macs in all the rooms - definitely would fit the bill. While waiting in the lobby for them to show me a room, I met a couple in their early 60's from Adelaide. Very cool, smart people. Ended up having drinks and dinner with them there at the hotel restaurant. Good food, great company, many drinks. We closed down the place. The decision about whether my new friends would be my neighbords would wait til I saw the Jungle Club. 

No taxi can get up there. It's located on top of the hill, they have to pick you up in their 4-wheeler. When we drove up, all I thought was camp. Of course, my camp didn't have palm trees or a killer view. There are these little bungalows on this area of grass which range from cheap to cheaper. Simple, clean, basic. Their site and all the reviews were right on - staff are totally cool, mellow guys. The whole scene is totally mellow - the guests were a total mix is of backpackers, a couple with a baby, some couples, older, younger. Food is great, bar right in the hang area. It's so small and "family-like" you don't even sign for anything. Just ask, they bring and put it on your tab. If you want to get down to the beach, 8 minute ride, they'll take you & pick you up 24/7. 

I got up here at 2pm and it's now past midnight.. haven't left this space. Spent the day/evening talking to a guy from Australia, a chef - traveling for 3 months, two young guys from Amsterdam on a 2 week holiday, and a couple from Bern - a photograher & barista - traveling for 9 months, with incredible stories of Tibet and China. Lunch, dinner, many cocktails, a late nite video in one of the cozy lounge areas with the Amsterdam guys..  Gorgeous view, good eats & drinks, excellent conversation - no real reason to leave, only to swtich chairs once in a while. The only question now surrounds actual sleep. No A/C. Rustic.. If I can deal with that, I may not leave here for a long while...