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Saturday, July 21, 2018

Bangkok and Me: Composite (Altered Book Style) Travel Journal 1998-2008 PART 1

I spent a lot of time in Bangkok during the years 1998-2008. During those years I came to love the city: the noise, the smells, the people, the golden temples, the radiant palaces, the klongs (canals), the infinite amount of Soi's (streets) and the squalor. I loved every aspect of Bangkok which, in the end, revitalized my senses and even in the noise - brought me peace. 

During that time, I did not do a travel journal specifically for my time/s in Bangkok. Now I am retired I thought it was time to do something with all the paper memories, the photo's and all the bits 'n'pieces one collects from the road most traveled - a box full!

I was wondering what would be the 'avatar' - the vehicle for all of these memories? I could not decide which type of journal I would use...until  I walked into one of those 2nd hand bookstores and went through their 'Bargain Bin'...and there was a book entirely about Bangkok which I decided to use as my avatar. So in effect, this travel journal is in the form of an altered book. It contains tip-in's, ephemera, photo's washi tapes, rubber stamping, drawings, paintings, tickets and everything one can think of that has 'memory' attached mostly laid out in collage form (my favourite art style).

We all have places that stay within our hearts...this is mine.