Chiang Mai. The second month and writing progress

      I find that I am writing too much on the sequel to Grey Redemption to make the time to sit down and blog. But today the guilt got the best of me. The current MSS is 39000 words after third edit and I think a third of the way done. We all know I tend to get a little wordy! So while a local friend reads through my second edit printed draft, I get to write for you. Let’s all extend thanks to Chris.

     I am sitting in a garden at a Massage school listening the birds compete with the clack clack clack rhythm of the ancient massage technique called Tok Sen.  Inga is enrolled here as a student and I come along to keep her company every other day. She has been learning the basic forms of traditional Thai massage for the past couple of weeks and will finish in a couple more. I get to be a little more spoiled by this amazing woman. The school is called TTC School of Massage and we discovered it after doing a ton of research that involved talking with actual students. It is out of the central part of Chiang Mai and in a very tranquil and beautiful area. So  our day starts with an 820 Tuk Tuk ride to the school and we get to see the local commute. Many students stay at the school and we meet them for breakfast and a many nationality good morning.

This seems to me to be the style the school was fashioned to represent. An environment of supported self-discovery and learning along with dedicated instruction by very skilled masters. Many Japanese people travel to this school to just learn the Tok Sen technique. It came from this area, is centuries old and works on moving and stimulating energy flow and fixing blockages with a small hammer and stick. I know I didn’t really buy it either. But after seeing it done and having it done twice it is incredible and I can understand why various healthcare types travel to learn it here! Inga has had a toe issue that caused her pain if she wore shoes that put stress to the side of one of her toe joints. She has had it for years, and like many pains we’ve had for years she figured out workarounds for dealing with it. This failed in one of the stretching exercises that makes up Thai Massage and she was in considerable pain. Mark, an Australian gentleman of incredible insight and character put her on the table and did a Tok Sen massage. The pain was gone by the end of the session and the area that had been sensitive for years, fine. There is an energy in this place that even a nihilistic cynic like me has to admit. I can’t write any really violent or aggressive scenes while I am here with Buddha watching, me in the garden. The energy of this school is really that palatable.

   

To celebrate International Women’s Day, I wanted to do something special for Inga. I contacted a very nice tour agent here in Chiang Mai called Na and she suggested a private river trip down the Ping in a Scorpion boat. I left her to arrange all the details after explaining to her what this day meant to people of Russian culture. She knocked it out of the park and created the perfect day for us. Providing the perfect balance of couple alone time and doing the tour guide thing explaining history and the like. The Ping River was the main thoroughfare and transportation route in days gone by and still serves today in a much-diminished capacity. It is not a deep river, only a couple of meters in some places and rarely twice that. This changes a little in the rainy season but only for a few weeks.

 It is a broad river and its brown hued water flows past some of the most beautiful houses in Chiang Mai squished beside little fishing hovels.  It was a great relaxing couple of hours watching locals fish and children swim. Na had made reservations at a restaurant that showed the history of farming and that of the river. It was also the place used in the last Rambo installment when we meet Rambo and his riverboat. Past the Hollywood and the education elements, this restaurant grows or raises everything they cook. The meal the three of us shared was incredible. Herbs, rice, and spices added to the dishes, were grown meters away from where they grew. A new idea of fresh, or perhaps an old way of life perfectly transported to the new tourist world of Chiang Mai.

Vientiane and the Visa run to Laos

     

One can’t spend too much time in Thailand talking with expats or visitors of a longer duration without the topic of Visa runs being raised. Everyone has a tale, a story, or as my friend Riz would say; “porky pies." The difference between the stories being the storyteller’s motivation, to regale, brag or instill fear. A search of forums and the web have all sorts of advice on the cheapest, easiest, best way. The problem a researcher runs into is not just the inaccuracy of the story based on the above, but also the when. South East Asia is a quickly growing and changing place. What was “true” on Friday may be not so true on Monday morning? The original story may be slightly embellished, proving the writer's powers of negotiation, or entirely fabricated. Armed with this knowledge and understanding Inga and I set off to Laos on a Sunday afternoon in February.

            While cheap, easy, best, seem at the start to be definitive in nature they are not. What is cheap depends on your budget and what you place value in. I value time and safety over money so for me cheap was a Nok Air flight from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani near the Laos border. Mini Vans do make the same trip at about a third the cost, but I have heard “tales” of horror. Even if these horror stories are not as true as the telling the mere fact of being stuck in a van for eight hours at the mercy of the driver for bathroom breaks on challenging Thai roads made the decision an easy one.

            Once in Udon Thani the options for a ride to the Friendship Bridge and border are varied. Bus, minibus, or “go now limo” are the most convenient. Apparently a city bus style route exists but without a Thai interpreter that option died on arrival. We opted for the ‘go now limo’ and, for us, it was a good value. During the hour long ride thru the city and out to the border, I witnessed three Minibus incidents ranging from close to stupidly tight how did they not just crash.

            The border itself is run very well on both sides. You hand your filled out departure card and with two stamps and a smile your leave Thailand. You leave the building and then run into a modern day sheep herder. His job is to get you into one of the buses that drive across the bridge. I have read you can walk across, but I don’t know how one would do this as the chaos in this no-mans-land area between the two countries is intense. So he directed me back to immigration and Inga spotted the bus ticket seller just to the right of the immigration door. Tickets purchased we were herded onto a waiting bus for the trip. It isn’t a long trip but considering dusk had just fallen, and our mosquito spray was packed, forty Bhat was cheap and easy. On the other side of the bridge, one fills out the forms and the Immigration Officer conducts an on the spot interview in superb English and polite manner. You hand over your passports with the required cash amount for your country and in three minutes you have a cool looking visa allowing you a month in the Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos.

            We were approached during the process by a young man offering help and smiling I said that my English was pretty good and I could muddle through it. He smiled, understanding, and then offered a ride into town. A short negotiation of how much and what kind of transport and we had our ride into Vientiane. He hovered close and checked how we were doing and politely offered suggestions. The ride into the capital of Laos was comfortable in an air-conditioned minivan with us as the only passengers.

            Arriving at the Lao Golden Hotel had me questioning my decision to book it. I knew it was very close to the Consulate of Thailand and was a three-star hotel. The street appeal of the property is a little lacking. Inside however the staff were excellent and the night manager had enough English to make it all work.  The day personnel and the hotel manager speak perfect English and the three days we stayed were very pleasant. The breakfast included with the stay is good and well executed and the kitchen staff and manager very professional.

            Our helpful driver had told us that Monday would be busy and to arrive at the consulate early.  Inga and I went for a night time walk to find the consulate and enjoyed the cool jungle air. It was only about five minutes by foot and the neighborhood very quiet after Chiang Mai.  We arrived back at the hotel and got an early start on sleep, both of us tired from the travel and wondering how the easier, cheaper routes would have felt.

            The Consulate opened at 830 and we arrived at 7:45 to find a line about fifty meters long. The line stretched along the narrow sidewalk, already crammed with people selling services and food. We were approached by a couple of people politely offering to fill out the forms for us and we declined and then set to watching the spectacle. Many different nationalities surrounded us and most had come on minibusses doing the cheap, easy visa run. They looked tired and happy to be standing in line. We watched one of the service helpers diligently set up his stall. To say the man was detail  orientated would have been wronging thousands with illness. I knew we needed a photocopy of the front page of our visa and had intended to do it at the embassy on the top floor but the price was right and I knew this guy would do it correctly the first time. He offered to look at my paperwork and concluded that we needed photocopies of our Laos visa, and stamps, and I needed a new picture. He also gave us two applications and cut and glued our pictures on them. The price he charged was about 20 Bhat more than if I had done it inside. A great value for a while, you wait service.

            Inside the embassy grounds are beautiful and amazingly so given the enormous amount of human traffic that is seen on a daily basis. A small snack bar provides coffee and treats at a reasonable price and there is even a small smoking area. We stood in line until we reached a covered area to the rear of the compound and then received a number after our documents got a once over from junior staff. Inga and I found a spot and filled out the forms and waited for our number to be called. It is run very efficiently and the staff are very helpful and polite. We left after about two hours total time without passports to explore the city.

       

    Vientiane is very different than Chiang Mai and so are the people. Things are about the same price with the exception of street food being a little cheaper and Tuk Tuks being more expensive. The city itself is charming with the French and Soviet influence very apparent in the buildings and road designs. The people are a little shyer but still pleasant. English is spoken less frequently here and Bhat and Kip used as a single currency. In fact, the speed at which they can do the conversion is pretty impressive. We walked perhaps too far on this day. The weather was sweltering and the humidity very high yet we pushed ourselves to go see That Luang a huge temple complex northeast of the city center.  It was impressive and very different from Thai temples. The return journey found both the temperature and our blood pressure climbing. We relaxed the rest of the day and enjoyed an excellent meal at the hotel.

            The next morning found us again walking, yet this time in the rain. A cloud system had rolled in cutting off the direct sunlight. We enjoyed a long walk to the waterfront and found little shelter points along the way to dodge the greater deluges. This is jungle rain after all and when it comes down it comes down! To be honest both Inga and I remarked how we missed the rainstorms of Vancouver and we found a little café and enjoyed a drink both of us missing BC a little.

            The rain stopped and we took a route down to the Presidential Palace and the Chao Anouvong Park and Monument. We had the entire place to ourselves as everyone had the good sense to stay out of the rain. But to us the rain was warm and the cooler temperature allowed for a longer walk. The morning swept by and soon I had us walking in the direction of the Embassy to pick up our passports and hopefully our sixty-day tourist visas.

         

There wasn’t a lineup when we arrived at the Embassy and we each got a number and waited for them to open the doors to main building. This is the secure side of the Embassy and it is where you paid your fees the day before. The people waiting in the large room were most of the same individuals we had seen the day before. Some looking very worse than they had a short twenty-four hours ago. The system was again smooth and number driven and Inga and I both received the visas we requested.
That good news and stress gone from our day we had a small lunch and recharge before heading once again on foot to the waterfront steps to enjoy a cigar and sunset over the Mekong River before hitting the night market.
 

First week In Chiang Mai

    So one of the things that really inspired me to writing was the idea that I could show others the world as I see it. No guessing “What the writer is trying to say or his motivation for doing the story” like we were all asked in school. I think I have achieved that goal and I think many readers enjoy my view or “take” on the places I tell you about. Robert Dugoni is fond of telling a story where he is sitting poolside and the person he is with suggests he start writing. His response is that he is, plotting twists and turns in his latest book My Sisters Grave. I remembered that story as I came down to the pool this morning carrying my 13 MacBook Pro. It reminded me of a dream I once had; to be secure enough to be able to sit poolside as an author. To toss off the shackles of Starbucks and the leather padded tweed jacket and live the exotic lifestyle of a “paperback writer.”

Just as we need our dreams to drive us forward, we rely on self-sarcasm to keep us grounded and a creative memory as a guide book.

    Never the less today does in truth find me poolside in Chiang Mai Thailand. Living if not cheaply then inexpensively enough to be secure in my dream as an author. It also finds me struggling to balance play time, research time, travel time, husband time, social media time, and writing time! Mr. Dugoni is again motivational today as I think about our conversation last week in which he told me about his guy who takes care of his social web stuff. So now I have a new goal, thanks, Robert. I need to get to the point that responding to fan email and messages is once again a treat and not one of those things on the list of things struggling for attention. Without achieving that dream, I fear the next book is a long way off! This should not be construed in any way to say I don’t enjoy your letters, messages, comments, and critiques.

    So Chiang Mai. There is a ton of stuff written about this city in the North of Thailand. I have read critiques that people say too nice of things about the place. The inference here is that they are not entirely truthful. While it is true the country of Thailand is under Military Law and the Military has stated they are taking this situation and, as such, the interpretation of Military Law very seriously I don’t feel muzzled as a writer. As a foreign guest here and Russia before this I feel like I can comment on my observations. Just as in Russia I can say what it is like to me as a visitor to a new culture and country but to comment past that I think would be irresponsible. I am hardly an expert on either countries, history or culture.  I think one of the things in this world  that create problems are irresponsible “experts” interfering or commenting in other countries affairs.

    This is not to say I haven’t noticed the increased Military presence. But it is unobtrusive and life seems to go on as normal from everything I have seen. The other day Inga and I walked up to one of the big Universities as it looked like graduation was going on. We were right it was and we walked around past hundreds uniformed officers of various decorations. To a person, they all smiled at us and many nodded and I should point out we were the only white people walking about. We stopped to have a drink at one of the many street side cafes in the area and after a time noticed a lack of traffic. Then two uniformed officers very politely approached us and ask we move back off the street table as the Princess was about to go by in a motorcade. They made the request in English and very politely. While obvious they fully expected me to do as asked it was none the less done with Thai friendliness and good  manners. The Royal motorcade went by and the café’s owner and workers came out to see it and you could see the love and adoration they have for her and the entire Royal Family. Being Canadian I am not really a Monarchist but it was very cool to witness this here in Thailand.

I have been in Chiang Mai before so I am having fun being tour guide for Inga and we are doing the typical touristy things people do in this old city.  We have also been doing a ton of walking and all over the city and not just in the safer tourist areas. I have yet to feel even a little uncomfortable and we have traveled into every manner of street and market.

    The other night we decided to take in a Jazz concert held at the famous Ta Pae Gate, Chiang Mai. It was an outdoor event and was free. Jazz de LANNA it was called and we had seen signs advertising it all over Chiang Mai. It started very early at 5:30pm and continued all night long till about 11pm. The event had many sponsors along with the TAT, better known as the Thailand Authority of  Tourism, and it was a well put on show. The military was there, and again they were all very polite and vigilant. It actually made me feel very safe as I witnessed how they scanned the crowd and watched what was tossed into trash bins. They even watched me when I tossed in the remains of the dinner Inga and I had bought at the market/carnival style food venues. The very interesting old/new mix Thailand does so well was once again on display. Night Market food venues with pricing in reach of the locals and fancy hotel sponsored tents selling exotic food at slightly higher prices but still within a small splurge range for locals. The stage was very professionally done and the sound was truly world class. The event headlined Jazz sensations, Howard McCrary, Koh Saxman and Khun. Legendary Jazz Master Howard McCrary has worked with many famous names in the music scene in the US. The backup acts were talented as well and the range in style and delivery really appealed to the very multinational crowd. Plastic chairs allowed many to sit and a VIP section of leather couches must have had some very special guests as I watched an army officer walk up and take a picture of one of the VIPS saluting before and after. Inga and I enjoyed a large part of the show from the ground before retreating to a third-floor terrace patio that was part of a Starbucks to finish the evening. Even from across the street the sound was perfect and the music and message magical. Harry’s voice communicating great respect for the King of Thailand in an individual song and the love of peace in the entire set, finishing the evening with Imagine.

So while we continue to acclimatize ourselves to the warm winter in the Jungle I really have to say Chiang Mai is as nice as it is reported to be. Tuk Tuk drivers are quick to smile and relent when they try to overcharge you for a ride home by 50 Bhat, or about a buck US. The streets are a little dangerous to cross but most car drivers are vigilant, so you just have to watch the scooters. The people are warm and friendly and not just because you’re a “rich tourist”. Things move at a little slower pace but perhaps that is a cultural lesson we could all learn from.

On the topic of foreigners and scooters we met a Russian fellow by the pool the other day who on spotting my tattoo was very happy to talk in his native tongue to Inga and I. He related an experience he had while driving a larger, more powerful, scooter. He was going north to visit a high mountain temple and got hit. His injuries were pretty bad, damaging his left arm significantly. He doesn’t remember the actual event, just being passed by two cars on a corner and then waking up in the hospital. He said the healthcare system was superb and he was pleased with his progress healing. He told us how the driver stopped and two men he didn’t know got him help and to the hospital. Glad to see this Thai kindness extended to my adopted countries nationals as well.

  So to my friends, fans, and now famous Robert Dugoni, good afternoon from poolside in Chiang Mai. I am writing and please take the time to appreciate one another and the beautiful things we all have achieved. Don’t let those achievements rule your life as life is short and for the living. Specifically to my writer-types “this day we write!”

Back in Chiang Mai with Feeling and Contrast

   

   I am back in Chiang Mai and so an arrival blog is in order. Flying nine hours is like the tipping point for the definition of a long flight. I think what adds to that definition are transfers and contrast. We had to transfer in Bangkok, but what makes this trip long is the contrast between Russia and Thailand. The transition between the two cultures is something we haven’t yet got used to. We still catch ourselves saying, “Da” instead of “Yes” and comparing prices to the ruble. Luckily “Da” sounds like “Ka”, the Thai short form of “Yes”. The flight itself was pleasant and the seats on the 777 style aircraft were comfortable. Aeroflot service was typical, and by that I mean good. However, the two weeks in Moscow had my lower back pretty trashed. To be honest it was probably tweaked when I twisted my ankle in Anapa and then the cold weather, and slippery streets completed the job. Luckily massage is inexpensive in Chiang Mai.

The weather itself is a significant change. We left a ‘warm’ Moscow at –8 and landed in +30 metric. The language barrier I experienced in Russia, shifted to Inga. She speaks perfect English, but eight months in Russia has her syntax structure messed up speaking English and then there is her accent. We were looking for a market locals go to in order to buy fresh groceries and Inga asked a traffic cop where the market was once we got in the general area. He blinked and furrowed his brow as he attempted to understand what she had asked. I repeated the question and he smiled in understanding, relief relaxing his brow he nodded and pointed down a side street. What is odd is, to me, Inga’s question sounded exactly like my question sounded. But to the cop it was the difference between understanding and not.

Home in Chiang Mai is one of Richard Katze’s properties and one I have stayed in before. Richard is a real gentleman and an invaluable resource for anyone wishing for an easy transition to Chiang Mai. The condo was again stocked with water and snacks and Richard welcomed us personally after his lovely wife and son welcomed us at the airport. This level of service is beyond cost, when you arrive tired and sore, even in a place you know. A drink and toast on the balcony had me wishing for a cigar as we watched planes stack up in the dark night sky for their own final approach to the “Land of Smiles.”

The contrast between the ever busy Moscow and the chaotically busy Chiang Mai was funny. People made way and smiled at us on the sidewalk as the scooters, motorbikes, tuk tuks, and cars threatened us with death on the roadways. I am taking creative license a little bit here but truthfully only a little. Crossing streets is probably one of the most dangerous things one does in this city. The people are kind and helpful, and the feel of the city is one of safety. Basic strategy for roadways is insuring the driver sees you, made difficult with tinted windows and left and right-hand drive cars, and then trust that once seen they won't hit you. It is hard but like Moscow drivers that somehow have a collective understanding of what each is trying to do, it comes with time. I doubt Inga will ever get comfortable with a scooter passing inches from her side, but then she does tend to surprise me at times.

I spent the morning watching President Obama give his state of the Union address while Inga cooked some of the fresh delicacies she had found in the market. Contrast again came to the forefront of my mind as I watched. Russians really don’t like propaganda, as it dictated much of their old Soviet life  and are very sensitive to it now in the new Russia. Putin gives his year-end address as the year closes and Obama gives his as the New Year begins. If you have been following this blog you, will understand the cultural reasons for this. Each is saying how they see what has happened in the year past and what the outlook is for the future. Let’s extend to them the courtesy that each is telling the truth, honestly, as THEY see it. What I see as a dramatic difference is the American President talks to you and the Russian President answers to you. The contrast is incredible. Obama has the floor and a prepared speech that clearly outlines his vision both of past achievements and future directions. Putin has the floor and takes questions from the floor and talks on those points put forward. Now it is without a doubt that some of those asking questions are prepped and scripted but it is also without doubt that many are not. Obama’s address was an hour and Putin’s is usually over two hours. One has the feel of propaganda and the other does not.  After the address in America, the press asks pundits and Senators in various states what they thought and in Russia the press ask the people and Captains of Industry.  I think that there is a great deal to be learned from the Russian Bear in this regard. If a speech and campaign advertisement are going to be aired for an hour, then the party should pay for the airtime. I did not learn anything new in that hour long speech and so it wasn’t in the traditional sense NEWS. It was short on facts and long on promises without any roadmap of sorts to show how these great ideas were going to come to fruition! So it was to use the old CCCP term state sponsored propaganda. So why do Americans accept this? Russians certainly would not. Alas, Canadians probably wouldn’t notice. Apathy toward our government is at an all-time high, and this is  much worse than debating starry ideas and  political propaganda.

 

Just some of my thoughts and ideas sitting poolside in a country currently under military law and wondering at the rest of the world.

Moscow in the snow.

     So Inga and I had made the decision to stay in Moscow till the end of the holiday season and spend time with her sister Liana and Liana’s two teenage daughters. Moscow in the winter is like a bear, temperamental and unpredictable.  We arrived at the central Moscow Airport to minus 18 and blizzard like conditions. Coming from sunny Anapa, it was quite a shock as was our landing. It was the first time in my life, and hopefully my last, that I’ve been in a plane that fishtailed on landing. We aren’t just talking a wiggle in the junk either but a full on Dukes Of Hazzard fishtail on touchdown. I was certainly happy to have a Russian pilot on the controls that evening. Due to the storm our luggage took forever to reach the carousel and which exact carousel was in question as well. It changed several times with long blanks between changes. Finally, our stuff came down and we were on our way out of the now familiar airport.

    I often hear qualitative statements about cold. It’s a dry cold, or wet cold. I have never really understood those, so let me make up one of my own. It was a buddy ball liver cold, in that your balls recede up and snuggle with your liver. The scything gusts of the wind reminded you very quickly you need a toque on both your heads if your culture happens to follow the de-toguing practice. Yet the warmth of Apress’s Mercedes was just a quick jaunt across three lanes of traffic and so with anatomy returning to its usual place we made our way to Moscow.

The road has been updated and now you drive right by the mass of cooling towers for the nuclear power plant. Perhaps it is because I grew up with shows like The China Syndrome I find these silent energy sentinels a little foreboding. No one else seems to notice as the conversation is animated and in Russian mixed with Ossetian and I let my attention drift along with the falling snow marveling at the lack of cars in the ditch. Snow like this in the lower mainland all too frequently comes with the ditch decorated by various vehicles.  The trip out to what we would call the suburbs was much quicker on the new road and we arrived at my sister in laws house and to a much-needed meal.

   

Moscow is an incredible city both in size and culture. But perhaps what makes it most amazing is its History. The buildings contrast between Soviet-era block apartments and grand palaces and churches. The scale of some of these public spaces is hard to believe and the architecture breathtaking. The locals seem to pay them as much attention as they do the cooling towers I mentioned earlier. I guess you get used to what you have. The western influence on Moscow is easy to see in fashion and gadgets. More so in talking to locals about perceived value of some products. This kind of conversation has come around more frequently as a result of the economic sanctions imposed on the country and the connected falling Ruble.

    Russians just seem to believe Western products are better than Russian ones simply by virtue of being Western. A Dodge Colt is held above a Lada despite the Lada having definite build advantages and easy, cheap access to parts.  When I tell them I don’t see too many 1973 Colts driving around Vancouver yet I do see lots of Ladas from that time here, they see it oddly. They perceive I am saying we are rich hence no old cars and them as a people are not. It is only when I drag the conversations back to the original point of build quality and longevity of the product do they get my point. Yet despite this they still have a hard time with the concept. Advertising from the west, as well as marketing, is what I believe to be the difference. To say it is better or slicker is like comparing western ads from the sixties to those we will see at the next Super Bowl. Product marketing is not quite as bad but not up to the challenge either.  As an example, Aeroflot has a frequent flyer program that is better when compared with the ones in the west. However, their marketing of the product is so culturally locked and Russian language biased that they can’t hope to compete in the global market. Significant route changes and deals for award-point flights are sent to Russian speaking members, but not those that ticked the English box. Inga’s account gets significant communication in Russian, but my mailbox is empty. Even when they canceled the Toronto to Moscow direct flight in October they didn’t send out a notification to me. All, I see, are the save 2 percent on your next ticket purchase email that comes with my flight confirmation letter. Even this 2% that I've never used as it isn't mobile device friendly hits wrong with Western clients. Perceived value, loyalty recognition, and appreciation are very culturally biased and they have really missed the mark. Even their tier structure is based on a calendar year and not a year with them. So if you joined later in the year but flew 24 thousand miles, come January first you go back to zero with everyone else. The focus remaining large and general, rather than on the individual. Missing the point that discounts don’t attract Westerners to a frequent flyer programs individually focused service and commitment does. So despite having better service, much better food, and drinks, and the best route they had to cancel service from Toronto due to lack of passengers. No Aeroflot you lost the game out of the gate, culturally hamstrung like the Lada you can’t compete.

I don’t want these examples to look like I am bashing Aeroflot, Lada, or Russians! I am not saying they are bad, to be truthful they are better. I picked them to provide the example that while Russia may have a free market economy the global cultural differences are very vast. To compete in the world market, a company needs to get that.

    One Russian company that did get this is YotaPhone. They released an Android based phone designed by Russians, incorporating Russian thinking, and released it on a Global scale. The biggest selling point is it has two displays. As a westerner, I think ok pretty gimmicky, back and front displays make it hard to put in a case, easy to break, and why? So I checked out the website a very long time ago and then they rolled out the ad campaign, and I got it. I got it two ways actually, from a westerner living in Russia and knowing access to power can sometimes be a challenge and from a form and function design point of view. Then this company took the phone to the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas! The average Russian doesn’t know much about CES and the phone isn’t even for sale in the USA yet, and they really can’t hope to make inroads into that market share if it was for sale! BRAND RECOGNITION is why and they got more than recognition the YotaPhone2 Won!

So not every Russian company is locked into this old way of thinking but like in Canada the bigger giants are slow to change and adapt to global world economy than the new ones.  Perhaps even one-day Russian tourists will just stand in line at airport check in, luggage and passport in hand, and not a plastic protector carrying a sheaf of papers. “This is the modern digital age." If the Russian economy wants to be more immune from outside influence, it needs to boost its’ marketing. I bought a YotaPhone 2  because it works better for my needs than an iPhone 6. My sister in law’s kids really were at a loss to why until they saw the ads and I explained it. RUSSIA YOU MAKE GREAT STUFF, you always have made excellent products. The western companies just got better at propaganda and marketing than you ever were.

    So aside from buying expensive Russian phones and discussing Global economic structures and differences I went on a picnic in the snow. If you have been following this blog for a while you, will know that BBQ’s and social time is huge in Russian culture. So is discussing significant issues but I’ve already done all of that for this blog. The weather is so unpredictable that our plans had to be very fluid and luckily life in Moscow allows for that.

Inga and her Sister Liana set to putting stuff together one morning and before I knew what exactly was going on Apress was at the door and we were loading the car. It was warmer this morning about –12 metric and the snow had covered everything not walked or driven on in a gorgeous blanket of silk. We drove about ten minutes to a large park and unloaded. Apress had invited three of his friends to meet the Canadian and join in a winter BBQ celebrating the holiday season.  The three guests had arrived early and had a BBQ going and vodka chilling in the abundant snow. I was greeted in the warm fashion and with hands shook and names attempted we set to enjoying the day. Toasts were enjoyed and with the meat cooking, we discussed life, the universe, and our world. With a smattering of English, a dash of Russian and a splash of Vodka we all eventually understood each other and when it got past hand gestures Inga was there to translate.

The friends Apress invited were all great guys and really went out of their way to make me feel welcome. They all said hello in English first and this show of respect was not missed by me. I returned the respect by speaking as much Russian as I could whenever I could during the day.  What I find really cool is everyone knows what to do at a gathering like this. Each person picks a job and without any direction sets to making food, laying out tables, and getting everything ready. No one has to ask what to do. Back home this task sometimes takes on the feeling of a board meeting and can be as equally enjoyable.  In Russia, people are used to these types of social gatherings and just as they ignore the stuff I’ve pointed out earlier really miss this luxury as well. Society here is actually designed to spend time with friends in public places and engage with each other something the West could really learn from.

    A trip to Moscow in the winter would not be complete without a visit to Red Square. Russia really goes all out for this time of celebration and it actually comments on the culture and character of these people that despite the challenges the focus is fun and inclusive, focusing on what they do have and all things positive. A breath of relief and fresh air actually. The fireworks were measured in tons and no doubt so was the vodka. People on the street shook stranger's hands and wished them Happy New Year. The lights and decorations are something that should really be on everyone’s bucket list as is seeing the Kremlin itself. To be honest, I am not a big church and Icon kind of person. But the sheer size, age, and drama of the structures and design is incredible. So is the history these buildings hold, it confirms the things I’ve come to know about the Russian people. They are warm and generous, and proud to a fault with every right to be so!

    So with this Blog I close the chapter in Russia. I have done all the research I needed to do to make the next book rich with people, places, and culture. Thank you, Rodina for being exactly what you are and nothing like I expected. Thanks to all my friends in Anapa, Vladikavkaz,  and Moscow for your warm and honest hospitality. Finally thank you to my Russian family, without whom none of this would have been remotely possible!

Next stop Thailand and Chiang Mai…..

Russian Christmas and New Year!

    It’s tough to be away from friends and family, more so over the holidays. Long absences compound these feelings even more. I will have been away from Canada for almost a year. A great year it has been to be sure, but not without some heartache. Rarely do great adventures come without a little heartache sprinkled in. Facebook and Twitter make this a little easier, along with Skype, Facetime, and a few other tech apps. But they are a two-edged sword. The daily reminders a friendly connection but also a constant example of how artificial those “connections” really are. While Skype and Facetime are better, it is a pale replacement for a live conversation. This is the reason I have been a little remiss in setting up  ‘chat dates’. Technology is fine and while it is intelligent it is also artificial, and thankfully so. One day perhaps it may not be and that I think would be a shame. So put down the phones, and put away the computers, and interact with one another! Life is not a page or “like” count on your awesome Christmas selfie. I think it is far better to be “IN” the moment and not distracted by how you’re going to share the moment.


So Russians don’t really get into the Western Christmas thing. The reason for this is political correctness. Long before it became fashionable to be Politically Correct and regular people worried about appearing to be judgmental it was regulated in Russia by political policy. “Yes Ivan, there is no Santa Claus.” They didn’t celebrate the birth of Christ publicly as it was forbidden. Santa got tossed in with the Christian birth here too and was banned. Although they had a pretty good knockoff, Father Winter, and like most knockoff products it resembled the western version closely. Orthodox Russians celebrate Christ’s birth on the 7 of January and that is Christmas Day. No grand conspiracy they just use a different calendar than the West. It was illegal in the past under the Soviets but is legal now and gaining popularity. Vladimir Putin himself regularly attends Orthodox Mass. It is significantly more about Family, Friends, and Faith than Walmart, Best Buy, and Holiday.

So what is with the “Christmas trees and lights? Winter season! The time between the end of December and the middle of January is one of celebrations and gatherings. Russians actually enjoy two New Years, with Christmas tossed in the middle. How awesome is this? First they have New Years Eve very much like the West with the primary idea being how you bring in the New Year is how the following year will be. The next is Christmas on the 7th and then Old New Year or Старый Новый Год on the 14th. Another celebration focusing on the blessings received and the ones to come, shared with friends, family, and dancing.

In the spirit of research, I organized my month to fully take advantage of the season for you, my reader’s vicarious enjoyment.  New Years eve will be enjoyed in Anapa and Christmas, with Old New Years experienced in Moscow. Moscow goes all out with decorations and live concerts by some of the best Russia have to offer. The government has in the past declared a national holiday for this time, although with the drop in the Ruble no such announcement has been made this year.

I missed the traditional holiday and was feeling a little out of sorts this year. However, a few unusual events changed this. Despite it not being Christmas here I still said "Merry Christmas" to the shop owners, friends, and people I regularly interact with. This was met with confusion, past the language issue. Then most would smile and brighten with the realization that the “English speaking guy from Canada” celebrated today. They would say it back in Russian, or English, sharing the day with me. After having two New Years, two Christmases is a pretty easy leap. No one admonished me for getting the day wrong, nor did they say they were Jewish or Muslim. They took the time to enjoy the moment with me and left the political correctness in the past, with the Soviets. Russia is immense and has more ethnic diversity than any other country in the world today. It is home to Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Christian and many more groups and subgroups. I believe this is the reason that has forced them to get along. Focusing on the differences would be a negative approach while sharing in the joy of the others culture and practice focuses on the positive. When I spent time growing up in Santa Monica, I would say "Merry Christmas" and my Israeli friends, that practiced Judaism, and they responded with "Happy Hanukkah". No big issue, both shared the joy, in their own way, together. Now people debate signs and make a great bit of noise around things during a moment of time meant to bring our communities together. Not here in Russia.

Inga and I bumped into a couple that have become our friends and when they found out I was missing my Canadian Christmas they instantly made calls. Despite working all day and having to work in the morning, everyone came back to our place, grabbing fixings required along the way. Then together everyone pitched in to make dinner and set the evening up for Canadian Exile Christmas. We had an awesome time together sharing stories and watching videos of how Canadians shared Christmas. It made me feel good to have friends and a wife that cared so much, making an enormous effort to make me feel welcome with my tradition and not one they shared. A true one of a kind gift just for me and one everyone could afford despite currency fluctuations and sanctions.


Perhaps a gift for you as well. Kindness, understanding  and choosing to share in the joy of another cultures traditions is without price and priceless at the same time.

Russian Celebrations and Parties!

Hey Everyone, Ok it has been almost a month since I last wrote.  I have a bunch of good stuff to let you in on, or at least I think it is good stuff that you’ll enjoy reading. I have been posting a fair bit of things on my public Facebook account about trusting the news and stuff that some may construe as a conspiracy theory ideology. I really don’t think that it actually falls into that genre of writing, but I am comfortable with the moniker if people still look at it and make up their own ideas.

I try not to push any ideology or attempt to change minds on this forum. I do a great deal of research and as a result of this study find interesting tidbits of information. Sometimes I share this on Facebook and other times I just keep it for the book. Well, most correctly the current MSS that will one day be shaved down to be a sequel to Grey Redemption. Yes, I am writing! Ok, so to keep this tight I will try to avoid the rambling style of that last two blogs.

Most Russians really like America/Canada culture. They haven’t met too many Canadians and I am trying to maintain that polite reputation we have all over the world. What I find really odd about Russian views on our two countries is that they seem to easily separate our political ideology, and the things we do guided by that ideology, and the people. To be more correct they easily separate our personal culture from our ideological culture. It is quite a feat if you think about it and something we Western cultures fail to be able to do. We lump it all together and racially stereotype the whole by the actions of a few or by the few powerful. Russians don’t and while educated on the west more than we are educated about them, still have odd beliefs.

I will use Rostik, a magnificent friend of mine, as an example. He honestly believes his life would be better in Canada than it is here in Anapa. Anapa is, you know if you read my blog, a resort city on the Black Sea and is truly beautiful. Comprised mostly of Armenians and Russians it is by most Russian standards a very affluent city. There is some dissent among the ethnically different people, but on the whole they get along. If you read the blog, you know Rostik recently married and he and his new wife have a very lovely one bedroom apartment and are miles ahead of any couple I know living in Vancouver. If you add to the equation their jobs and then compare it to life in Vancouver or the surrounding valley, they would be renting for life. They would never be able to own something and raise a family as they are doing here. I am not suggesting they haven’t got good jobs or are in anyway lazy. Quite the contrary actually, they work very hard and save on par with my mother. But we all know if your household income is below a hundred grand a year Vancouver is out of the equation, if you intend on having a stay at home spouse.  Here that goal is easily reached and without the use of credit.

I have been in credit hell as has most North Americans. Some learn right away how to use credit and others, like me, take a little longer to internalize that lesson.  That isn’t something that people do here. Credit is hard to get and for the most part not culturally used.

I explained these things to him and how our taxation system works and he still has this view that Canada would be the place to live. Then I ask him why he thinks I came to Anapa. This is the only thing that causes him to have some doubts.

Don’t read into this that I dislike Canada or that I don’t love living in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I am not suggesting anything like this. I am just pointing out that Canada and life in Canada, is very expensive by any standard. While it is true that Moscow is one of the most expensive cities to live in the comparison isn’t really about house prices. The added costs of utilities and tax-like surcharges add up to severely deplete one's disposable income. The culture of buying new everything and owning a car for each member of the household furthers this personal drain.

Russia has a flat tax, no added sales taxes, and a culture of reduce, reuse, and recycle. It is not uncommon to see a Lada made in the CCCP days rolling down the road. Designer fashion is in, but hey Adidas tracksuits aren’t expensive.  Seriously, see I poke fun at Russians too, fashion is important and people do save to buy the "in" shoes or shirts but you don’t have too. So long as the stuff you are wearing is clean, and taken care of, the requirement to fit in is largely not fashion based. When guests come over they do so to see you, and they ALWAYS bring a sweet, bottle, or something to enjoy with you as they visit. They really are just friends and do not care what they sit on while they share your company.  It is a different way of life from the average Canadian one. I am not saying one is better than the other, which is for you to decide, but it is less expensive.

 December brings the start of the holiday season, running the gambit of religious and cultural observances. For me it also brings an anniversary and birthdays. As this was our first anniversary, we wanted to stay in Russia and celebrate the occasion with Inga’s family. Las Vegas is a long way away for them and so they couldn’t actually make the trip for the wedding so we wanted to have a big party here in Anapa. We also share three birthdays in December and so we decided to roll them all together and toss a huge party instead of heading for the warmth of South East Asia.

It is really very inexpensive to have this type of party in Anapa. Restaurants are used to large gatherings and have set menu pricing that allow you to bring your own drinks. Celebrations are a common thing and everyone gets caught up in the atmosphere of fun. We picked a date and I flew Inga’s sister out for the fun from Moscow after we received word Mom and Dad were on the train from Vladikavkaz.

So with 13 for dinner and toasts flowing, we shared a multimedia show of the wedding and the year from when we met till we arrived in Moscow. It was a blast and everyone had a great time. Another birthday party was going on as well and we all joined together dancing and celebrating. It was only after the party that I was told of a little racism issue.

Russia is vast and has many ethnic, religious, and cultural differences. So big that the USA, Spain, and France could fit in Siberia alone! Despite all coming from Russia, many people still describe themselves regionally. For example, my wife describes herself as Ossetian and chides me when I say she is Russian. But for me it is like saying you’re a BC person and not a Canadian. Canada is huge as well and we all just say we’re Canadians, rarely breaking it down to ethnic regions. Russia is a little different as there are ethnic traditions between the areas. This being said I was oblivious to any real racism, until that night.

The Kavkaz  region includes Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Russian areas include Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, and the autonomous republics of Adygea, Karachay–Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Three territories in the region claim independence but are not recognized by any independent states and these are Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia.

The owner of the restaurant had initially agreed that, as her live music person was in Moscow, the DJ would play anything we wanted. On
the night of the party she commented that she hated Kavkaz music and wanted to charge100 rubles a song. I only found out about this after the party but what is very odd is this owner grew up in Siberia and the restaurant is in Krasnodar Krai! What makes this more bizarre is the birthday party, which was going on at the same time, was attended by mostly young Chechen boys here to study at the technology college. They joined us on the dance floor and toasted us and ours.   Ossetians, Georgians, Chechens, Armenians, Russians, and Canadians dancing together having a great time despite the painful history some of them share. Then one person from a vast distance away, having no connection to the historical pain and recent immigrant into the Kavkaz area sows old hatred. Hatred and history many, if not most, have moved past for the greater good. Some things remain the same no matter which country you find yourself living in.

Mom, Dad and Liana Stayed with us and together we had a good time. Dad set himself busy fixing little, yet annoying, issues in the apartment and I helped as I could. Reminded me of my own father, never able to sit still and just enjoy a lazy day. Mom made all my favorite Ossetian dishes with Inga and Liana’s help and we enjoyed my birthday on the day, even though I thought we had done the combined thing. My birthday present from Inga was some new ink for my arm and a great wind breaker.

The lull between those celebrations and the upcoming exodus to Thailand seems like a long one, but that’s deceptive. Christmas will be a quiet one with just Inga and I relaxing with each other. Then we have the first New Years to enjoy with friends here on the 31st before traveling to the cold of Moscow to celebrate the Russian New Year in the heart of Russia.  Then it is off to Thailand for three months in the jungle, doing research and lots of writing! Stay tuned for more updates and perhaps a rant or two.

Merry Christmas to those that observe, Happy Holidays to the others, and Best Dead Turkey Day to the rest.