A most impressive grip

Preia has started to learn how to scramble up the moulding on the vertical part of the bathroom door frame, in the manner of a rock-climber using small crevices as handholds. Today Branwen was chasing her, and Preia scrambled halfway up the door frame - four feet I'd say! - and then was able to hold on and stay there for several seconds before she slid back down. Will have to post a photo of that sometime.

The Legend of Suriyothai

On Tuesday, emmett_the_sane and I saw the movie "The Legend of Suriyothai," with our dear friends Jonathan (sfthewanderer) and Patty, at the Aquarius theatre in Palo Alto.

This isn't the type of movie that I typically go for... there's rather a lot of bloodshed and gore, and the dialogue is stilted in places. But I really did enjoy it. It takes place in the 1500s, and it is about Queen Suriyothai, a woman who is very savvy about how political infighting will leave Thailand vulnerable to being taken over by its neighbors, the Burmese. The scenery is lovely and ornate; there is plenty of eye candy within the cast; it gives an excellent view of the history and customs of that time. The story is also based at least somewhat in fact; it is mostly agreed that there was a Thai queen named Suriyothai who risked her life to help her husband in the war between Thailand and Burma.

Other notable features of the film: Womens' roles are pretty broad in this movie - women are warriors, palace guards, assassins, political advisors and political leaders, as well as having some of the more "traditional" roles. And also, not all of the action in the film is focused on Suriyothai; other characters get decent air time as well.

A couple of links related to the movie:

http://www.suriyothaithemovie.com/suriyo/suriyo.htm
http://www.sonyclassics.com/legend/core/hasFlash.html
http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2003/07/1812.cfm