#icantspeakfrench

[joearf]

2021.02.11: (Selfie Bleu) - c'est moi avec un autre selfie #cestmoi #unautreselfie #selfiebleu #icantspeakfrench #butitry #selfie #shadowselfie (at Old Greenwich) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLYjtLFCqz/?igshid=uyddrvgkj9wb

[poutineandgreencurry]

Wat Pha Lat and the flower market

Today started on a wonderful note. We decided to go take a hike to a lesser known Wat (Pha Lat) up the hill towards the big attraction here, Wat Doi Suthep. It was originally a rest stop to the big temple and it grew into its own right. We took an Uber to the base of the hill and wandered around the local streets for a bit to find the entrance. We were already gassed before even getting onto the trail. The hike up was gorgeous. Orange bits of cloth from monk robes were tied around trees to mark the trail. It was so quiet that you could hear every rustle of leaves from the wildlife around you. It was also incredibly interesting to see the differences, part way through the hike, when we crossed an elevation that gave way to rainforest trees instead of what we have become familiar with in Thailand. Once we finished the hike, the forest opened up to Wat Pha Lat. It was so beautiful. The first thing you see is an open rock face with a stream running across it between the trail and the main section of the Wat. Incredible statues everywhere. Very different imagery from what we have seen elsewhere. The pictures give you some idea but you really should experience the serene nature of this place. Due to the more difficult entrance, there aren't many people here so it is a proper Wat experience. On our way back we took another Uber and were alerted to the fact that for some reason Uncle Kracker is still popular here. Give your head a shake, Thailand. The driver also had a chimpmunk looking tissue dispenser that looked like he was pulling this out of the poor dead creatures stomach. Shit was getting weird. We also happened upon another one of Thailand's incredibly unnecessary spectacles. There was a parade of scooters with a police escort. They were followed closely by four pickup trucks that had been decorated with various things and had people in the back. It took us a minute but soon we realized the scooters were pizza delivery scooters (flags and all) and there were beauty queen style pizza princesses in the back of each truck. We were watching a pizza parade. Shit was indeed getting weird. Maggie has been having another plant craving this week so afterward we decided to go check out a flower shop area north of town. Little did we know it was basically the size of a village and all of it was selling plants. It was gorgeous. Maggie's plant boner was out of control. Anything you could have wanted was there and just laying about the place. We found an incredibly helpful lady who sorted us out with a little pond and what she called "Thai lotus" in the water. It's basically tiny Lilly pads with what will eventually be yellow flowers. The plant and bowl cost us $10 CAD and the lady wouldn't take any more money for it when we tried. She was so damn helpful we felt she deserved more. Not a chance. She bagged up our purchase and we headed for home in an Uber. I called for it right away to avoid spending the next three days wandering this place trying to keep Maggie from buying it all. The driver was blissfully unaware that his trunk had a bowl of what was basically dirty water sloshing around his trunk in a bag while we went. Thankfully it all stayed in the bag somehow and we parted happily. That night, we were invited by our massage buddy to his house for drinks. Chai is a wonderful guy and this invite made us feel like we were finally making a home for ourselves here, making friends and the whole nine. We showed up and some of his French buddies were there already. Chai speaks excellent French from his time studying in Switzerland. We however, from the country that is supposed to speak French, we complete failures. Thankfully they spoke some English to us and we made it through in fine form. One of his friends was a former diamond guy from Geneva. Super interesting career and made us feel extra poor. Chai also gave me some advice about where I could learn the basics of Thai massage and offered to mentor me the rest of the way when I finished. The guy is an absolute champ. I'll hopefully start that when we get back from the Philippines in a few weeks. By the end of the night, we were tired and drunk. It was a great experience. Tomorrow, we go find some fish for the pond and spend some time with Maggie's parents before they head back to Hua Hin. Til then

[immersionindance-blog]

21.01.2017 - dance dance dance

I’m so exhausted. But still feeling very happy about dancing and practicing!

Bellydance is fine, our pussycat-coreography gets more complicated with each minute of it. But it’s so much fun! My shimmies improve and went best with “Egyptic” by Beats Antique.

Ballet on Thursday was also great. There is sooo so much to learn for me. Keeping knees together, point the feet, belly to the back, hold the head up proud, don’t get too relaxed in the mucles, and hey: now move with all that and keep smiling - AND don’t lose your balance! Haha! I’ll work on that.. Also my french isn’t really the best as I leard only English and Latin in school. Feeling a bit like Joey about it.

After Ballet I also had my first Jazzdanceclass and this also was amazing. I feel like I don’t know anything about it, so much armsarmsarms! Whoa! And where to put my center of gravity? Left leg? Right leg? Between? What, stop, I’m not that fast, what happens with my arms again? - also, so much to learn!

I’m clearly the most unskilled person in both classes, but I WILL DO IT! I’ll bite through it, because I know it will help me to become fitter, more flexible and a better bellydancer.

I’m just myself, and I’ll try to do my best.

[hereandmou]

Ceci n'est pas une bébé et moi en face de Magritte. #scangeliana #cecinestpasunepipe #icantspeakfrench (at LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art)

[paulicoexistence-blog]

I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking talking now oh! 🎶💕 #icantspeakfrench #girlsaloud

[berryabroad]

Wifi availability is spotty. Hothothot #icantspeakfrench #andy&mandydoeurope (en Musée De La Castre Cannes)