Surin province in Thailand. Rural, relaxed, simple and attractive.

Last week we went out for a few days in our own province. It's just great fun to explore and get to know your own environment a little bit better.
 
Many people have an opinion about it. And yes, something for everyone of course and… luckily tastes differ. “Hot”, “nothing to do”, “far from everything”, “end of the world”, and more of those mostly negative stories. And it is not because we are now building here, but my experiences of the past days were completely different.
 
We left the small provincial capital of the same name, with many influences from student life, for what it is. Surin actually offers a wide range of possibilities and I don't really understand why tourism lingers in the famous Elephant Roundup, the ruined temple Prasat Sikhoraphum, the monument of Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang and the handicraft village.
 
Surin is rural and that translates into the appearance of agriculture and animal farming. Mainly in the cultivation of rice, sugar cane and rubber. Also in cows, water buffalos and elephants. And mainly in the south, near the border with Cambodia, some forestry on the hills.
 
No burning / smoke season. I was surprised to see how sugar cane was harvested by hand and with machines. Rice fields are barely burned. It gives the cattle something to eat.
Fantastic Isaan food wherever you want along the streets, and prices more than reasonable.
 
If you want to experience the real rural life of Thailand, this is the place certainly attractive to experience. And as a Dutchman, from the cycling country par excellence, I think this largely flat area is fantastically attractive to discover by bicycle, scooter and motorbike. Especially in the cool dry season at the end and beginning of every year.
And if it is too hot… then you stop at one of the beautiful reservoirs or small waterfalls to relax or cool off in the water.
 
I think there will never be mass tourism to get to Surin. How wonderful isn’t that actually. Just face to face contact with interested locals enjoying a simple lifestyle, and rural nature.
 
Surin, not such a crazy idea to discover.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Building blog:
https://pyramidhousethailand.blogspot.com 

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

Conscious Being

Last week, in the early evening in our village and with dog Kadhow on the scooter, I came across this image. I stopped for a moment and took this picture.

It brought me to the thought of Conscious Being. In the rat-race many people live it seems that there is only one thing left in the world and in the news (which actually is always old) that is being talked about.
This moment was once again enjoyable just by stopping and watching.
 
To be aware of how beautiful the world is and how happy I am. The beating of my heart, my breathing in and out, the coming and going of my thoughts, the movements of my mind.
 
Fantastic to be able and allowed to live and enjoy things that, at least in my opinion, really matter.
 
Maybe some different and especially positive news in the present world.

 

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Building blog:
https://pyramidhousethailand.blogspot.com 

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

On the way to ten years in Thailand

The road is clear to make it to my tenth consecutive year in Thailand.
 
Always on my late father's birthday. As a kind of present;). I go for extension of my visa. Yesterday it happened again. He would have turned 106.
So, I again for the grant of my annual visa went to the immigration bureau. This time for the first time in Surin. A cozy office, smaller than in Chiang Mai, and super friendly and helpful staff.
 
First as a third visitor early yesterday morning I had to visit the bank to get a bank letter and a bank statement and after that to the immigration department.
Fortunately for me, it was not busy. Very fresh at a little after nine when we got there. A few staff members tried to warm themselves up outside in the sun. A warm welcome when I arrived with Phatsamon. We were helped right away. Fill out all paperwork and have it checked, checked and checked again by the staff, take a photo and wait ...
 
After about two hours of waiting, I got my passport back with visa extension until the end of February 2022/2565.
 
Nice to be able to move forward another year. On the way to ten years in Thailand by 2022.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Building blog:
https://pyramidhousethailand.blogspot.com 

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

The beauty of (sometimes) not standing out.

A few days ago, my friend called me when she was working in the garden. She asked me to look at a branch of a bush. I tried to do my best but (at first glance) didn't see anything special.

I had to look deeper and then, all of a sudden, I saw the beauty of a moth that was not noticeable on that branch at all. The photo gives you the impression.
In the culture in which I now live, not being outstanding is the standard. It is the group, the family, the team in which the value resides. And to be honest, it does have something.

On the other hand, from Western culture, attention is paid to the uniqueness of the individual. Something in which I myself still believe.
It is wonderful not to be noticed. Just do normal, you'll be crazy enough. It doesn't work for me and I have also conveyed that to my kids.

With the unique set of talents, you have a mission to fulfill in your life. One of my slogans. And that is why you should not try to pursue talents that you see in others, but rather live your own talents and thereby contribute in a group to achieve the best result, together and individually.

And sometimes "hiding" is a good option at a time when you cannot share your talents. No problem, because the time on your life path that you need them again will come.

And that camouflage, that temporary survival strategy in situations in which you are sometimes not or less wanted, can be beautifully discovered in nature (and also in this photo).

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Building blog:
https://pyramidhousethailand.blogspot.com 

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.

How do your body and mind get energy again with these continuous negative influences?

I still remember very well how my daughter Carlien regularly became ecstatic during her internship with us in Thailand after our weekly campfire on top of the hill of the health resort where I worked. Dog Kadhow, and often owl Otus, were also present. Deep conversations, beautiful music, silence (only the crackling wood fire and the nature sounds of the night), sometimes even dance and also the large wish balloons that took to the skies every week. A ceremony regularly enclosed with emotions.
 

Carlien's ecstasy came later. Sometimes alone, sometimes with guests, she lay on a mat in the grass next to the fire that faded out slowly. Do nothing, just only looking at the clear sky filled with planets and stars. A heaven that brought her into that ecstasy, yes, a superlative degree of wondering. A sky that seemed to be filled with more and more stars, sometimes the moon, and that became increasingly visible.
 
Doing nothing and becoming ecstatic. It ensures that you feel bliss and that you will see things in life in a different (not so heavy and rational) order. And that happiness does not lasts only the evening and night, but also the following day you feel more energetic.
And as for that ratio ... What are you actually proposing? Even less than a pinprick in that gigantic universe. What the hell are you all bothered and worried about, you wonder at those moments. During such a moment of ecstasy you realize that you are alive, what a fantastic experience, and that you are part of that immense universe.
 
Every day, if you are open to it and want to keep following everything from the world around you, nowadays you are overloaded with almost only negative energy, fear and guilt feelings. More and more people are feeling down and exhausted. Do you think it's crazy? Isn’t there anything else than talking about that "negative vitamin" "C" and his or her mutations.
 
Ecstasy, music & singing, as well as more laughing and fun are proven things that energize your body and mind. You might think not that difficult. Maybe kicking in an open door, but are you really doing it or is your focus solely on all that negative?
 
You have a choice. Maybe it is time to give your own world a big clean-up, to create space and to organize it in a more positive way. A way in which you care less about everything that is poured over you from outside.
 
Good luck with it in this new year.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Building blog:
https://pyramidhousethailand.blogspot.com 

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.