Limited travel

So having become one of the employed again - there will unfortunately be few travel opportunities for a while - so until the next adventure the blog is in hibernation.

Tacoma - okay it's travel of a sort...

I had occasion to be in lovely Tacoma - actually it really isnt a bad place at all despite its reputation - people in Seattle just need somewhere to look down on to make themselves feel superior. Having said that I encountered the most amazing situation I have experienced in a very long time. I needed a visit to the bathroom - I was driving around killing time before an appointment and had had one too many coffees. I remembered the Tacoma Public Library which is a few blocks west of downtowm - I knew they had plentiful free parking - so I headed up there to pee. As you approach the bathrooms there is a sign informing you that due to drug dealing activity and other unlawful activities, the bathrooms are limited to one occupant at a time - at the doorway there is a table with a security guard - this poor guy has the job of allowing one person in at a time and ensuring that they have no bags (I got the impression he was ready to frisk people too) - after someone emerges from the bathroom he puts a barrier across the doorway and goes into the bathroom to ensure that the previous person has not left drugs in there for someone else and/or I guess used drugs. Inside there are 3 stalls, there are no garbage cans, presumably to remove hiding places. So this guy has the job of checking the bathroom after people have done their business - now presumably to detect the use of crack he has to go in there and do the sniff test - public bathroom, sniff test - do the math. He then emerges - removes the barrier and checks out the next candidate. What a job - what a situation - presumably the rest of the library is well covered with CCTV but they cant do that in there for obvious reasons. Now unemployment rates are high but who would take that job?

Pounding Peppers

Da making a pepper and garlic dressing - delicious. The stoneware mortar and wood pestle cost me a grand total of fifty cents. Also showing off her blue contacts - she was so proud of those.

My condo

This was the day I was moving in - there was construction going on down the hallway hence the noise. Bare bones - as yet not containing the essentials. Lame attempt to demonstrate such things as light switches and the extractor fan. For better video quality go to my YouTube channel as detailed below.

Pictures

Pictures of my most recent trip to Thailand - the new condo and Da's visit are at http://picasaweb.google.com/dpgraves666

Videos

I continue to be unaware of how video quality can be improved on this blog - it seems to crop the videos.  For a much better video viewing go directly to YouTube and to my channel http://www.youtube.com/user/davidpgraves

Park Lane Jomtien pool

A video of the pool at my new condo in Jomtien Thailand- okay it goes on rather long but that is reflective of the fact that I could spend the rest of my life in the pool and be quite happy. You will notice the gym which is not yet in use - awaiting more equipment - and the restaurant/bar area which is similarly not yet in use - 2 of the 4 buildings are still in construction phases and all will be completed by end of 2010. My unit is on the top floor of one of the completed buildings but on the other side with city and beach view rather than pool view. Other video will show view from the condo.