In search of wind chimes

Marriage. It’s not just whimpering with fear in a darkened room. There is also the shopping.

The recent whirlwind tour of our property by a Feng Shui charlatan expert resulted in a long hit-list of changes that were required to increase our good fortune. Some of them were straight forward, involving the re-positioning of mirrors; but we were also required to obtain a wind chime to be hung at a particular location on the front balcony.

Wind chimes have their place. You are in a verdant garden, the air heavy with the perfume from numerous flowers and burning incense sticks. From afar you hear the timeless chant of the monks, and close by there is the delicate tinkle of a wind chime as it moves in the soft breeze that cools the air. You linger for only a while, because then you have to go and take more drugs because no way does a place like this actually exist unless you are full of recreational substances.

On the other hand, a wind chime on a balcony next to the sea, particularly at a time of year when the north east monsoon wind is in the offing, is a very bad idea. The occasional tinkle is OK, the incessant bloody tinkling, twenty four hours a day, right outside the bedroom, is not. I fear any wind chime is going to have a limited life span before it is mysteriously kicked back to component parts (“it must have been the cats, dear”).

Anyway, we had to buy it first, and not just any wind chime. It had to have four hanging down bits and not be silver; which is the exact opposite of the specifications of most wind chimes on the market. So we went to the Floating Market in search of wind chime elusiveness. We took cameras, because she who must be obeyed needed some shots for her company website.

The Floating Market is very busy on weekends, but we found parking easily enough and, once in the market, the number of people did not seem excessive. In fact it was rather pleasant just wandering round the shops and taking a few snaps. Apart from the wind chime, it turned out we were also seeking out some crucial snacks and enough face cream to lather a baby elephant. After hunting for a while, we sat down for some inexpensive Thai food and the excellent, not to be missed coconut ice cream.

After some more searching we eventually found a four hanging down bit, blue coloured wind chime; which was good. It has yet to be hung on the balcony, which is even better.

Comments 🔗

2009-09-23 | Barry says

I like wind chimes, but like you I want to turn them off sometimes (often). So, I have a CD of wind chimes. Cool. I also have two or three monk chanting/singing CDS, one of which I actually bought at a Taiwanese temple (cooler still). So if I can find another CD player, I can play both together. Add a few assorted joss sticks and I have your paradise scenario. Except I’m in Bangkok and not by the sea. Oh well.

2009-09-23 | Billy says

Glad to hear of the (impending?) acquisition of baby elephant, they are a lot of fun but can be a little messy and require considerable care, particulary their skin which needs regular attention, so I was pleased to learn that you have laid in ample supplies of cream for the dear creature; and you might think of acquiring a large shovel also.

2009-09-25 | Spike says

Barry, but is it a CD of a four hanging down bit wind chime?

Billy, you know who I worked for for 32 years, I already have a shovel for such a purpose.