A Visit to Corsica — Part One

We used the Villa Ndio visit of my daughter Kristina and her husband Julian as a ready excuse to spend a few days, for the first time, in Corsica.  We planned a three-day trip to include sailing on a car ferry leaving Nice and arriving in Bastia at the northern end of the island, but returning from Ajaccio to the south, over to Toulon.  We stayed two nights at a bed and breakfast not far from Bastia. The third night was aboard the ferry to Toulon. Here is part one of a short description of our experience.  A gallery of photographs is included at the end. Continue reading “A Visit to Corsica — Part One”

Shopping for the Shack

I serve on the Board of Directors for the International School of Bangkok (ISB) Network Foundation, an organization comprised of members who are devoted to serving the International School of Bangkok, its alumni and students, and the Kingdom of Thailand. We are dedicated to bringing ISB alumni together to maintain and support the unique relationships and experiences that tie us together and keep us connected to our time at ISB and in the beautiful Kingdom of Thailand. Visit the ISB Network website here. I went to this school from 1965 to 1968, and graduated there in 1968.  On the network board  I currently have  two titles — President, and Director of Technology. For the latter, my main function is to maintain the ISB Network website.  For the former I preside over board meetings and assist other board members in outreach, communications, and administrative tasks. I also participate in a variety of activities related to the bi-annual all class reunion, and to raise funds for the Network’s charitable programs. Much of the revenue for those programs comes from sales by the ISB Network “Shack” store.  The name for the store comes from the small beverage shop at the far end of the lane that our school was on, that served as a hangout for ISB students before and after school.  The “shack” also served as a landing for “long-tail” outboard motor boats that plied the “khlongs” or canals, of Bangkok. I myself rode these long-tail boats to and from school, as my house was on the same khlong, about three kilometers away.  The ISB Network Shack Store sells clothing items and accessories and merchandise from Thailand. This brings me to the subject of this blog post.

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Rose Expo Grasse 2018

Image may contain: flower, plant and natureAfter marvelling at the roses blooming as if overnight in our own Villa Ndio garden we went to the much anticipated annual Rose Expo in Grasse, which occurs each year in mid-May. The event features beautiful flowers mostly roses of course, and lots of lovely people. Highlights included photo ops with the past and current Miss Grasse (the latter crowned a week before the Expo), and their entourage of Rose Expo princesses. We also met up with the mayor.

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