June 16
Natalia, Sofia, Woland and I drove to Hua Hin on Monday and came back yesterday. This Sunday morning I’m traveling to Morocco via Paris and, at night, Sofia goes back to DC via Doha. Natalia travels to Latvia next Wednesday and Woland stays behind with a dog sitter.
In Hua Hin we rented a house not far from Sai Noi beach, a small cove also known as Sandy beach, and walking distance (15 minutes) from Eureka beach. We had a great time in a more tranquil part of Hua Hin. Every morning we would go for a walk along Eureka beach and back, one hour or so, and we rarely encountered other souls other than dogs, many soi dogs. They were not happy to see Woland’s, but he handles conflict and bulling very well. He is bigger than most soi dogs and has an imposing presence. Dogs bark but respect him and know better than launching an attack. He also avoids confrontation and seeks instead to develop friendships, though it almost never works. But at least we don’t have to worry about soi dogs anymore. When he was a puppy, we had to be constantly alert and even carry sticks to keep soi dogs away.
Tuesday 11th marked Natalia’s and my 9th year of marriage – 12 years living together. Despite the turbulence that sometimes surrounds romantic relationships, I can say we’re happily married. To celebrate, the four of us dined at LITTLE SPAIN, a Spanish restaurant. owned by a couple whose company we enjoy. She is from Spain and manages the financing side of the business as well as he wine collection, he is from Italy and manages the menu. Each time with go to Hua Hin we have dinner there at least once. They like and own dogs, and Woland is always welcome. If one day you are in Hua Hin do have dinner at the place, sit at the bar, and order a cocktail. Their Negroni is among the best.
Yesterday, while reading the Financial Times, I came up with an article about an architect and designer, Vincent Van Duysen. What got my attention is how he manages his fridge. Very few items, some berries, goat cheese, a few vegetables, everything in nice ceramic bowls. You open his fridge, and you could paint a “nature morte;” minimalism and order. I shared this with Natalia because part of the turbulence I was referring to relates to our different approaches in fridge/food management. I sometimes joke that vegetables and fruits at the supermarket, probably other staples as well, are terrified of her and want to hide when they see she is coming to buy groceries. Too many end up crammed in the fridge and perish there.
BEHEMOTH “new” engine is on board! It really looks new. It was rebuilt and repainted in light blue (see pics). It just needs to be coupled to the transmission and various hoses. It took a while, but hope the wait was worth it. Thus, after Morocco, I will be flying to Ecuador to visit the family and then to Cartagena to get BEHEMOTH back on the water and ready to sail. I plan to moved her to a marina and later in the year, after hurricane season, sail to Panama.
Sailing to the Pacific 