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On the Road to
Mandalay
by C. Schloemer
Shaped like a kite, trailing along the sea, Myanmar, the
largest country on the Southeast Asian mainland, covers an area about the
size of the American state of Texas. Ranking among the poorest nations of
the world, it is rich in natural resources, history and culture.
 Water festival in Myanmar is
celebrated much like it is in Thailand
The Burmans, the dominant ethnic group, inhabit the
Irrawaddy River Basin. Groups with their own states include the Karens,
Chins, Shans, Kayahs, Arakanese, Mons, and Kachins.
Annexed to British India in 1886, Burma, as it was then
named, gained separate status in the British Empire in 1937 and achieved
independence 11 years later. The present state of Myanmar’s politics
notwithstanding, a journey through this beautiful and diverse country brings
us face to face with 2,500 years of Buddhist devotion and a culture rich in
diversity.
Which of us can forget the last few lines of Rudyard
Kippling’s famous epic poem, Mandalay?
 Golden Buddha
“Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is
like the worst,
Where there aren’t no Ten Commandments an’ a man can raise a thirst;
For the temple-bells are calling, and it’s there that I would be__
By the old Moulmein Pagaoda, looking lazy at the sea;
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay,
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!
O the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin’-fishes play,
An’ the dawn comes up like thunder outer China ‘crost the Bay!”
With a group of Italian agronomists, and one lone
Canadian backpacker, I managed to secure a seat on a rickety bus, which
looked for all the world like we would be pushing it along the 365 mile trip
from Rangoon to Mandalay. I remember thinking that this was going to be
another rough trip, but one which I had dreamed about since I was a student
of English literature and too poor to afford anything except the dream.
Unescorted road travel through the country requires special permission from
the Ministry of Tourism.
 Young women whose faces were
decorated with patterned designs of powdered bark, bore heavy trays of limes on their heads in Mandalay.
It was the time of the Water festival, which, similar to
Thailand’s Songkran, is celebrated by merrily hurling water at each other
to wash away any misdeeds of old before the Buddhist New Year. Before
departure from the capital city, I gave a last glance at the Shwedagon
Pagoda which dominates the view in every direction. Rising like a second
sun, this masterpiece of devotion soars 326 feet amid a ring of similar
shrines. Begun more than 2,500 years ago to enshrine eight hairs from the
head of Lord Buddha, it is said to be sheathed in millions of dollars worth
of gold, and capped with a bud of over 4,000 diamonds and other precious
stones.
The road to Mandalay is an asphalt thread through a
tapestry of traditional village life. Gasoline is rationed in some areas,
but as with all other consumer goods, there is a thriving black market which
provides those in the know. At Pegu, the first important stop, there is a
centuries-old reclining Buddha known as Shwetgalyaung, who smiles in
monolithic bliss while pilgrims marvel at his 180 foot long body and
sparrows chirped on his 7 and 1/2 foot long nose.
 Life on the Irrawaddy River
My travelling companions were on their way to the Yezin
Agricultural Research Station. A side trip which I had not planned on turned
out to be the reason for the special permission passes we obtained for this
marathon commute. Information about Myanmar’s irrigation system is hard to
come by, but we could see what a year-round garden this country could be at
Kyaukse. There were signs of prosperity here, and we munched on roadside
snacks of yellow watermelon, peanuts spiced with chillies, and candy boiled
from palm juice. I also tried my first Burmese cheroot, a fuming tube of
corn husk which dribbled flaming fragments of tobacco, flaring sparks which
flew in all directions.
Britain had left its gardens, too, most notably at
Maymyo, a mountain town some 50 miles east of Mandalay. Once a hill station
for British officials to escape the heat of the plains, they founded a 432
acre arboretum that contains specimens of flora contained in the northern
forests. It is now a government research centre.
The white knuckled ride down the twisting mountain road
was scenic for those brave enough to keep from covering their eyes. Our
driver was skilful and fingered his amulets as he mumbled prayers. Some
Italians were crossing themselves, and I concluded this was the reason our
transport had not yet broken down. And suddenly, there it was. Mandalay. A
dusty sprawl of buildings, a beehive of markets, traffic, pony carts and
people, the place once called the Golden City.
A climb up an interminable flight of stone steps leads to
the top of Mandalay Hill and its commanding view. Meandering along the banks
of the Irrawaddy River, Mandalay still has the power to mesmerise. Graceful
sampans, piled high with meticulous arrangements of fruit and vegetables,
tables, urns and clay pots, float leisurely as they plied their merchandise.
Along the footpaths, young women whose faces were decorated with patterned
designs of powdered bark, bore heavy trays of limes on their heads. On the
river’s edge naked children splashed with glee while their mothers bathed
fully clothed, with infinitely graceful modesty.
I shielded my eyes from the glaring sun, and stared into
the middle distance of this legionary river. Out and beyond where the
currents flowed at a bend, I did indeed, see schools of fish break water,
and fly through the air for the briefest of moments, seeming to play with my
imagination.
The Eastern Edge
“We live in the middle of chaos,” says Chalermkiat
Suwanprinya, the 39-year-old Chulalongkorn architectural graduate and
owner of The Space, a new gallery in Bangkok showcasing local and
international artists. But he sees this renovated Chinese period building
as a refuge for artists. And in December, Canadian freelance photographer
Steve Sandford is upping the ante with a 20-photo solo exhibition titled,
“The Eastern Edge”, which confronts the sometimes volatile and
colorful aspects of South East Asia.
Sandford left behind the daily grind of newspaper work
in Edmonton, sold his house and re-located to Southeast Asia, entering the
topsy-turvy world of freelance photojournalism. Since then he hasn’t
looked back.
 One of Canadian freelance
photographer Steve Sandford’s works that will be on display in December at The Space, a new gallery in Bangkok.
“I came over here for a change of pace...and
hopefully to take a few pictures that might make a difference in the
world,” says Sandford who has documented the downfall of Suharto, the
plight of street kids in Thailand, the sex trade in Cambodia and is
currently working on Karen refugees in Burma.
But his work is not only designed to throw light on the
dark side, and he has included colorful portrayals of some of the unique
and exciting festivals enjoyed across the region such as the Phuket
Vegetarian and Phi ta Kon (ghost) festivals.
“The festivals are a great escape from the hardships
of reality and they’re a little more interesting then the Santa Claus
parade in Edmonton,” he says with a touch of sarcasm. But at the end of
the day, he’s proud of his prairie roots of Medicine Hat.
Sanford will donate a part of proceeds of sales from
Eastern Edge to the Agape AIDS baby home in Chiang Mai headed by Avis
Rideout and the Mercy Center, an inner-city refuge for street children set
up by Father Joe Meir. “The Agape story was tough on my emotions. I have
a daughter in Canada and the time that I spent at the orphanage drained
me,” says Sandford. “I’m happy that the story ran in Canada and
Australia and increased awareness of the difficulty and hardships that
these children face.”
Sandford also has much admiration for Father Joe. “I
admire the guy (Father Joe) for his perseverance and dedication in a
situation that could be best described as controlled chaos at times.”
Sandford’s photos have appeared in Time, Granta,
Bild, Stern, Asiaweek, The Australian, The South China Morning Post,
Equinox (Canada), National Post, East and Loaded.
Educational visit for
the girls from Fountain of Life
The Fountain of Life on Soi Bua Khao arranged a very
special visit to the Pattaya Mail offices to show the girls in their
care just what life and work would be like in the publishing industry.
 Fountain
of Life women and Pattaya Mail staff gather outside Pattaya Mail’s office
for a group photo for posterity
The Fountain of Life’s volunteer English teachers, who
felt that this would present an ideal “real life” example of work
outside of the entertainment industry, organized the visit.
While at the Pattaya Mail offices, the young girls
were addressed by the publisher, Peter Malhotra and the editor, Veerachai
Somchart. To complete the educational visit, the girls were taken down to
the Pattaya Mail’s printers, where they witnessed the final product
coming “hot off the press”.
The opportunity to visit the Pattaya Mail’s
enterprise was very much appreciated by the girls, and Peter Malhotra will
be offering job placements for some of the girls who show aptitude in this
area.
Fun, even in the rain
by Gary Hacker
We heard the screech of brakes outside and knew our van
to U-Tapao Airport had arrived. My friend Jum and I spent the morning
packing our bags in anticipation of a week on the sand at Koh Samui.
Little did we know that the Pattaya sun would be the last clear weather we
would see until our return.
 The
beautiful Poppies Resort on Chawang Beach
The short comfortable flight was Jum’s first time off
the ground and her first chance to visit Koh Samui. Our destination was
The Spa in Lamai, a beachside health resort that I have visited several
times over the last ten years. We settled into a cozy bungalow next to the
tide line with a grass roof and high ceiling fan. (Bungalow #1 B550/nt,
current exchange B43=$1). A wrap-around deck enables one to sit out and
enjoy the sea. The Spa is known for its fasting and colema program, but
the home cooking was too tempting and we opted to just enjoy ourselves. A
nightly massage in a sala on the beach and mountain bike rides in the
misty afternoon renewed our energy, but the constant rain dampened the
opportunity for more exercise. The Spa is owned and managed by an American
named Guy Hopkins and his Thai wife, Toi. It has become increasingly
popular over the years as a destination for budget and health oriented
people searching out a quiet retreat.
Why is it that Samui always has rain on my arrival? At
least it seems that way over the last few trips.
I had made reservations with Poppies Resort in Chawang
following our three nights at The Spa. It was time to feel extravagant and
try out their 3-day 2-night promotion for B11,900. The room rate initially
staggered me but I had been there for dinner and was intrigued with the
beautiful landscaping and fine food; it was time to splurge and give it a
try.
Jum was so taken with our casual Lamai beachside
bungalow that it was difficult for her to face the more formal atmosphere
at Poppies Resort. The welcome drinks and smiles reassured her that even
with the need to dress up a bit, she was destined for a good time. We were
led through the gorgeous landscaped “Alice in Wonderland” grounds over
a stream and across a tiny wooden bridge to a “tucked away” cottage up
a winding path. This spacious cottage was positioned to give complete
privacy and as the host slid open the wooden sliding doors we were
overwhelmed with the extravagant interior. Terrycloth robes were folded
carefully on the foot of the bed with orchids and a personalized letter
welcoming us to the world of Poppies. We were soon to discover that this
“world” included pampering and catering to our every need and whim.
Half the bathroom was open to the sky with a fine
screen mesh, shielding lush green plants climbing up the wall. The sunken
spa tub was constructed from hand formed tile and marble and Jum marveled
at the unique combination bidet.
A basket of fresh fruit in the sitting area was
constantly updated and little gifts with orchids were left on our
down-turned beds in the evening. A restaurant elevated over the soft sand
beach had a beachfront bar attached a level below. The swimming pool was
carved out of rock and an adjacent gazebo with table settings allowed us
to dine between the beach and the pool. Candlelight with the soft rainfall
created a romantic atmosphere not easily forgotten.
I can only describe the food as being sensational. The
Poppie promotion included a dinner for two and an afternoon in the rooftop
health center with relaxing massages. Jum shot three rolls of film in and
about the lush resort.
I had heard about the noted chef “Jeffrey Lord”
from California opening a new restaurant in Chawang. It is called “Betel
Nut” but the rain and flooded streets of Chawang prevented us from
paying him a visit.
In better weather, Koh Samui offers many other options.
A motorbike jaunt around the island provides the opportunity to visit
natural waterfalls and mountain picnic areas. A morning boat ride takes
you over to Koh Tao for snorkeling or scuba diving. The town of Nathan
offers good shopping and hideaway restaurants around the pier. Along the
beach near the airport, the large gold Buddha heralds a Wat featuring a
maze of small gift shops and comfortable paths to stroll along the
shoreline.
Bangkok Airways offers daily flights to Koh Samui for
B4,370 round trip. For a quick getaway from Pattaya, it can be a fun and
most memorable experience.
The Beaujolais Nouveau
is here!
by Miss Terry Diner
For wine buffs all over the world, the annual release
of the latest Beaujolais (known as the Beaujolais Nouveau) is an event to
be savoured. Held on the 3rd Thursday of November, it is looked forward to
by millions. But for the French it is almost equivalent to their National
Day and brings out fervent patriotism.
 This was certainly the case at the Au Bon Coin
Restaurant in Soi 5, where mine host Jose held a sampling party for the
new release. With Frenchmen Robert, Jean and Bernard, aided by England in
the guise of Roger and Sharon, and rounded out by the Pattaya Mail
Dining Out Team, the new crop was broached in style.
Accompanied by pate, ham, continental sausage and
cheese from the Auvergne region (one of which, Cantal, was “The best
cheese in the whole world” according to Jean) three styles of the
Nouveau were sampled. The first was the ordinary Beaujolais Nouveau - very
light with a beautiful colour and fruity in flavour and style.
This was then contrasted with the Beaujolais Nouveau
Village, wines that come from villages in the Beaujolais area and finally
a Beaujolais Nouveau from a specific village in the region. In each case
the wine became more full bodied and deeper in colour with just that
little more flavour and “nose”.
By the time the third style for tasting was on the
table, our passionate Frenchmen were in full sail, arms waving, and
expounding on the beauties of La Belle France. Jose remained his
imperturbable self, while settling down to sample the wines himself.
It was a wonderfully “ethnic” evening of French
wine and especially the Cantal cheese, which Miss Terry really enjoyed
too, and the Dining Out Team is already looking forward to the third
Thursday of November next year!
Lots of happy
“families” at Mikes this year
The YWCA held their annual Happy Family Day on the 5th
floor of Mikes Shopping Centre last week. Designed to allow sponsored
children to meet their sponsor “family”, it has become one of the
happiest days of the year for many disadvantaged children.
 Open wide and say
“Ahhhhhhhh...”
The President of the YWCA, Premrudee Jittivuthikan was
thrilled at the response this year, as were Peter Malhotra and Ron Herbert
from the Pattaya Sports Club, which also sponsors many of the children
through the memberships of the PSC.
The Bangkok Pattaya Hospital doctors, nurses and
dentists were also out in force giving free check-ups for the children
too, while family entertainment on the stage kept the rest of the children
occupied.
Premrudee reminded the people present that the need for
educational sponsorships for disadvantaged children is always there, and
that it is only through education that these children can realise their
full potential later in life. Interested people who would like to look
into this very practical form of charity should contact the YWCA on (038)
423 662.
The world’s longest
fingernails
At Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum
Pattaya
“Anything is possible, if you put your mind to it!”
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World of Entertainment in
Pattaya is inviting everyone to meet Mr. Shridhar M. Chillal, “the man
with the longest fingernails in the world”. This may be the last chance
you will have to see this unbelievable sight, as he will shortly announce
his intention to cut off his nails and sell them to the highest bidder.
 Forty-nine years ago, a 16-year-old boy from the small
town of Pune, 100 miles southeast of Mumbai, decided to grow his
fingernails on his left hand just for fun. Later this so-called “fun
idea” became his passion or obsession. As his fingernails grew longer,
he began to realize that execution was much harder than thought. Over the
years, decades actually, Mr. Chillal has taken great pains in nurturing
his growing fingernails and in 1980, his efforts paid off. The Guinness
Book of World Records recognized Mr. Chillal as being the man with longest
fingernails in the world. Since then, he has traveled the world showing
off his unique lifetime achievement.
Now at 61, he has been growing his nails for an
incredible 49 years during which they have reached a total combined length
of 6 meters. Believe It or Not!
Mr. Chillal, after careful thought, has decided to end
this unique endeavor and has chosen this occasion to announce his
intention to sell his pride and joy to the highest bidder. Anyone who’s
got a lot spare change and would like to own a one of a kind artifact can
send their bids (in US dollars) to the following email address:
[email protected]. Please be sure to include your name, address and
phone number or email address.
Come and meet him from Dec. 2 until 5 at Ripley’s
Theatre located in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, 3rd floor Royal
Garden Plaza, Pattaya. Don’t forget your camera.
We would like to thank Pringles, You & I
Corporation Co., Ltd. and Royal Garden Resort Pattaya for their generous
support toward this event.
Ripley Believe It or Not! Museum opens from 10 a.m.
‘til midnight, 365 days a year. If you wish to meet and interview Mr.
Chillal or just simply want to see his incredible fingernails, please call
to make an appointment with K. Vichai Lertlitrichai, PR manager at (038)
710-94-8, Ext. 334 or (01) 802-9019.
Pattaya residents donate
blood to the Thai Red Cross
Honouring His Majesty the King’s Birthday
Pattaya residents comprising of members of Thai, Sikh
and foreign communities turned up in force at the Sikh Temple in Soi 17 to
donate blood to the Thai Red Cross to celebrate and in commemoration of
His Majesty the King’s Birthday.
 Amrik Singh Kalra (left) and
members of the Thai Sikh community stand watch over one of the Sikh blood donors.
Amrik Singh Kalra, president of the Thai Sikh Community
in Pattaya was extremely pleased to see so many benevolent people of
Pattaya at the Sikh Temple. “I, as a Thai Sikh am so happy and proud
that we were able to bring together so many people of different
nationalities to make such great merit for our country,” said Amrik.
He went on to express his sincerest feelings by saying,
“As we all know, each and every one of us should be so thankful for His
Majesty the King’s kindness and mercy. He has not only allowed us to
live in this beautiful country, but has also given us all the
opportunities and rights to carry on with our lives with such tolerance
and freedom. We bow our heads in honour and reverence to our beloved
Monarch.”
Throughout the morning 60 people donated a total of 18
litres of blood. “This will be at least a saviour for some patients who
really need it,” sighed Amrik with a sense of relief. “Our next big
project is to collect clothing to send down to the flood victims in the
south,” resolved our hearty and kind-hearted leader of the community.
A new tradition opens on
Pattaya 3rd Road
 Fred and Kanika Wilson from the Poy Lung food outlet at
the Royal Garden Plaza opened their new Northern style restaurant,
Aungkam, on Pattaya 3 Road next to the Pattaya Driving Range.
Kanika with family and friends at
the opening
Done in traditional style and all wood-lined, the new
restaurant features a “Kan toke” stage, a function room as well as
standard dining and seating arrangements. A full review of the new
restaurant will be done in a few weeks.
Cristina’s swan song
When somebody wants to surprise somebody who really
knows him well, he’s got to think of something VERY different. Well,
that’s exactly what Laurent Betourne, general manager of the Mercure
Hotel in Chonburi did. He is definitely going to surprise his wife
Cristina.
The couple will soon be leaving Thailand for good, to
head to Warsaw, Poland, to work at the Mercure Grand Hotel. After thinking
about it, Laurent decided that he just could not let Cristina leave
without one last charity concert.
Almost exactly one year ago, Cristina held a charity
concert at the Moon River Pub in honor of His Majesty the King and nearly
made our hearts melt away. Yes, it’s the same Cristina with the angelic,
powerful voice, the one who can catch the attention of everyone.
Cristina’s last charity concert in Pattaya, organized
by the YWCA and the Lions Club Pratamnak in conjunction with the Green
Bottle Pub will be held at the Green Bottle Pub on Sunday, December 3.
The event starts with a buffet at 7 p.m., giving
Laurent enough time to prepare Cristina for that surprise of his. Oh, have
I not mentioned it yet? Cristina, who is right now in the Philippines,
does not know that she will be holding a concert on that very day.
“Well,” her husband said, “she is professional enough to cope with
that easily.” All Pattaya Mail issues will be hidden from her for the
last few days before the concert and we all cross our fingers and hope
this will stay a surprise for her until the evening of December 3.
Tickets for the price of only 300 baht, including
buffet dinner, are available at the Green Bottle, tel. 429675, 429870,
Pattaya Mail Office, tel. 411240-1 and with me, Elfi, tel. 367075,
01-8639014.
All friends and admirers of Cristina and everybody who
would like to do something for charity besides listening to the songs of
an outstanding woman, please come and join her for the last concert - at
least for a while - in Pattaya.
The king of Champagne,
Mr. Henrl Krug
by Ranjith Chandrasiri
In 1843, Johann Joseph Krug founded the House of Krug
and his dream was to produce a unique champagne. To achieve this he set
himself a few golden rules. He knew from his own experience that the most
important of these was an unswerving determination to never compromise
quality. He would be happy to see that today, six generations later, the
Krug family under the leadership of Mr. Henri Krug (the president of the
company) still follows his rules.
When I received an invitation to meet Henri Krug, and
to see the production of his Champagne, and taste the different verities
they produce, I was naturally very happy. I was even happier when Mr. Krug
extended the invitation to join him for dinner at his beautiful residence.
It was indeed a pleasure talking to him on various subjects including his
passion for fine food and champagne, which happened to be a topic about
which I am most passionate too.
During dinner his personal butler kept on refilling my
glass with Krug Grande Cuvee and Henri Krug likes to describe Krug Grande
Cuv้e as a symphony, a composition where all instruments play
together, complementing each other in total harmony. I have to totally
agree with his comments. Grande Cuvee’s bouquet is wonderfully creamy
leading to a magical combination of weight and balance on the palate. The
long, lingering finish is both nutty and toasty, always ending with a
flourish of freshness leaving one longing for more. That may be the reason
why my glass had to be refilled at frequent intervals. The flagship of the
Krug family, Krug Grande Cuv้e is naturally Krug par excellence.
At Krug the legend of champagne simply remains a
reality of everyday life. Whatever one knows about champagne, however much
one knows about wines and cellars, rituals and rules, it is still possible
to be surprised and enchanted by Krug.
Generated from the young wines just fermented in small
oak casks, the aroma, previously found everywhere in Champagne, is now an
unusual one. The casks, once the only means of producing champagne, have
now virtually disappeared from use. However, Krug insists that all their
champagnes are fermented in these casks. Their presence is more than a
signal of an unquestionable dedication to tradition. It is quite simply a
commitment to perfectionism. All around Krug there are other pieces of
evidence, which confirm this dedication and commitment. It is not by
chance that each bottle of Krug could be viewed as a masterpiece in its
own right. Krug insists on using time-honoured methods when producing
champagne to guarantee the highest possible quality.
Why does Krug still use wooden casks for all its
champagnes? Why take the time and go to the expense when it restricts
volumes and productivity? Each cask is hand made and therefore very
costly. It only holds 205 litres (the equivalent of 273 bottles) and needs
to be well looked after, maintained and repaired by expert coopers. Krug,
however, is not caught up in a blind devotion to tradition. Through more
than 150 years of experience and research they are convinced that using
small oak casks for the first fermentation - and not for aging which takes
place in bottles - is the most effective means of developing the full
spectrum of aromas, tastes and texture.
Together these form the unique personality and balance
that is Krug. A great champagne is not (with the rare exception of
champagnes such as Clos du Mesnil) a wine from a single vineyard. It is a
blend, a mosaic, a symphony. Fermenting single wines in small oak casks
allows the individual development of each one. Henri Krug feels that
“the richer the spectrum, the more complex the champagne will be”.
There is no doubt that all of this is demanding and costly, but it is part
of what makes up the unique style of Krug. For this reason Krug will
continue to stay with its small oak casks.
The blending ceremony is the most crucial part of the
production of a great champagne. For several weeks from mid-November to
the end of January, the Krug family is at work tasting each single “vin
clair” from both the new crop and previous crops’ reserve wines to
select the best. There are those, which do not meet Krug standards and
are, therefore, rejected. Some will be kept in reserve for future blends
and some will enter the blend immediately. The whole process is long and
slow. There is no recipe or formula. The family decides by taste and
memory through a succession of tasting and trial blends which are held to
find the best harmony between the different grape characters including the
Pinot Noir, a black grape which brings body, structure and the ability to
age beautifully, the Meunier, another black grape, which specially
selected, can provide wonderful little touches of fruit that act as a
catalyst to the other wines, and the Chardonnay, whose white grape adds
freshness, lightness and elegance.
Designed to produce the best possible expression of the
house style, blending at Krug is a strictly personal exercise which has
been passed on in the family through generations. At present it is Henri
Krug (5th generation) who decides on the composition of the cuv้e.
His brother R้mi Krug, his son Olivier and R้mi’s daughter
Caroline all work with him. In this way the 6th generation are training
their palates and skills for the Krug of the future. It is no wonder then
that Krug has remained so consistent for more than 150 years.
When I hinted to Mr. Krug that one has to be very rich
to drink Krug Champagne because Krug is known to be one of the most
expensive champagnes, he replied, “As you step into this courtyard at
Rue Coquebert you enter a world with a different concept of time. Here
time still costs money but the emphasis is on quality, which takes time to
achieve. You cannot hurry Krug.”
He continued, “Krug has not wavered in its search for
excellence, even in the face of time saving technology. We have no time
for rapid stock rotation or churning out as many bottles as possible. We
are totally committed to producing the perfect champagne.”
The figures speak for themselves. The total stocks of
the whole Champagne district represent around three years of sales. But
the stocks at Krug represent more than six years of sales with around
three million bottles sleeping undisturbed in the depths of the cellars.
Krug is for great moments, at any time, but it takes on an extra dimension
when married to food. Be adventurous. Try Krug Grande Cuv้e with dim
sum, Krug 1989 with braised lobster, Krug Ros้ with exotic food such
as Thai, Japanese, and Indian. Krug is majestic, yet democratic in its
ability to enhance food. It is awe-inspiring, yet adaptable. Henri Krug,
the present king of Champagne has never been to Thailand but I feel it
will not be long before he will make an appearance in Pattaya to talk to
Krug lovers and host a Krug Vintner’s dinner.
Secrets of the Hand
by Anchalee
The shape of the hand and fingers
The hand is the humble servant of the brain, and there
is an intimate connection between its centres and the hand. Our thoughts,
speech, actions and emotions originate in the brain. We must accept the
fact that the brain is the central control station receiving and directing
its messages, and controlling us as a living organism. Of all living
things on Earth, Man is the most complicated of all creatures. His limbs
and hands are extremely complex and hence the most useful. With his hands,
Man has been responsible for all the creative work known to civilisation
which has resulted in the rapid advances made today in the field of
architecture, art, and science. But for all of his skill, he cannot, even
with the advanced technology of our modern society, make a better pair of
hands than his own.
 The
shape of the hand and fingers are largely hereditary. Hands are broad,
short, large, small, soft, hard, flabby, wide and narrow, dainty and
coarse. The lines and signs on the palm are not transmitted through
parents, however. This is an important thing to remember. Each set of
lines, creases, mounts and depressions, shape and combination of shape, is
totally individual, and are never repeated through genetic inheritance.
The study of the hand is divided into two sections.
Cheirognomy, which deals with the shape of the hands and fingers and
cheiromancy, which is concerned with the lines on the palm. The first
reveals the breeding, racial, and general characteristics and the second
delineates the hidden qualities and destiny of each person. The world
Cheiromancy is derived from the Greek word Cheir which means hand.
Most palmists divide the shape of the hand and the
formation of the fingers into seven distinct types. This classification of
only a few types of hands is misleading and is only for general
categorisation. Few individuals will actually fit exactly the description
of seven types of hands.
Seven hand types: The square or useful hand, the
spatulate or active hand, the philosophic or knotty hand, the conic or
artistic hand, the psychic or idealistic hand, the mixed hand, and the
elementary or lowest hand.
The Square or Practical Hand
This type of hand is so called because it is distinctly
square in appearance from the wrist to the base of the finders, the tips
of the fingers being square in shape as well. It is the sort of hand found
amongst the practical and level headed people, generally business
executives. Such persons are conventional and very orderly in all they
have to do. They are not easily ruffled but can be very firm and resolute
in their actions. They are governed by logic and reason, and look with
suspicion on any new or novel idea. On such hands, only a few lines are
seen. Generally, these lines are the principal ones with the Head Line
straight and short.
Let us remember that in our modern society, people are
not only one single thing in their lives, but are multi- faceted. Often
times they are engaged in occupations or life situations to which they are
not suited or will eventually change. This is part of our human nature and
is often the reason why our search for the occult mysteries remains a
lasting quest through the centuries. The master palmist sees what is
written in our destiny and can often advise us, but in the end we must
make our own choices. Often there are conflicting lines which cross over
and interrupt or change our destinies. An individual’s milestones in
life are written in the lines of the palm. According to palmistry, there
are certain preordained events which will mark our journey though life and
will not be avoided, only predicted.
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