Elephants, travel and Buddhism…three loves I discovered in Bangkok, Thailand where I was performing

in the Bamboo Bar of the legendary Oriental Hotel.

Bangkok was my first overseas trip. Wow!

What a great place to start, The Land Of Smiles!

Looking at the narrow city streets at night from the

taxi window on the way to the hotel, I knew I was on an adventure of a lifetime.

As a novice traveller it took a little time to

move past my ‘culture shock’. The gentle, unassuming manner of the Thai people was so different from the East Coast way to which I was accustomed.

But I soon came to love and appreciate the Thai way… a mysterious mix of humility, humor and generosity.

I sang in the Bamboo Bar for six months with a trio, piano, bass and clarinet. I soon became fast friends with Celio, the clarinetist. He showed me Bangkok from the inside.

One favorite was a Thai massage. Simply incredible! The female masseuse seemed to take my entire body apart and put it back together again. I still dream of how relaxed I felt.

We went to restaurants that only locals know. Delicious, unusual food with complex flavors and aromas.

Celio took me to many temples and revered places with stunning architecture, art work, wooden carvings and sculptures. A striking, 20 foot reclining wooden Buddha was unforgettable. Each temple had an aura of stillness and tranquility. People would come and go, bow, sit and meditate and offer their reverence. A true life lesson in humility, kindness and peace.