Me and Mom: Chiang Mai and the Golden Triangleby Michelle Larson My mother gave birth to me when she was just 17 years old. So, really there is only a half -generation between us. It has been amazing growing up and being an adult with a young mother. I made her a grandmother when she was just 41 years old. I didn’t give it much thought at the time, but now that I am 43 and my oldest son is older than she was when she had me, it seems incredible that she was up for the huge task and did it with such love and intuitiveness. Now that we are both a little more free; me with my kids grown up and she just recently retired, we want to spread our wings together and see the world.
   
We started our adventure in Bangkok, what a wonderful experience, and now we’re headed north to Chiang Mai. We arranged for an English speaking guide named Phruet. He picked us up at the airport and will be available to us for the next four days. Phruet arranged for our hotel sight unseen. We were a little nervous about what we might end up with, but he did good. We are at a nice boutique hotel called Ayatana Hamlet and Spa. There are 26 rooms, the grounds are lush with a rambling Koi pond and an infinity pool surrounded by teak cabanas and lounge chairs. Our room is small, but nicely decorated in Thai style. We walked around the grounds and got ourselves settled in, then up the mountain to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, a temple built in the 16th century. The site for the temple was determined by an elephant who carried the remains of King Kuena on his back. The elephant climbed up the mountain, sat down and died. The monks determined this as a sign and made plans for the temple that still stands now. This temple felt different than the others we visited in Bangkok. It was very lavish and colorful, but almost gaudy and a bit too commercialized. There was a spectacular view of Chiang Mai from a lookout point. You could see for miles and miles. The weather was so nice when we arrived and as soon as we began walking down the 1,306 steps to the exit, a monsoon hit. We had never seen so much water come down at once. It was incredible. We waited it out in the market at the base of the temple. When the rain slowed down we quickly walked to the car, our feet two inches deep in water. We decided to head back to the hotel for some rest. We arranged for Phruet to pick us up at 6:30 to go into town for dinner at the Night Bazaar. We were pretty overwhelmed with the size of this market area. There was so much to see. We were pleasantly surprised to find some vendors with nicer wares. In Bangkok it seemed that after perusing a while, everything began to look alike. Here, there were definitely some redundancies, but also some really wonderful, unique items. We did bargain with the merchants and I think they expected us to. There were a few vendors with handicrafts from the hills tribe people. I bought a really great, handmade purse with wonderful details. We also picked up a few jewelry pieces, woodcarvings and some other fabulous little finds.  We decided go light for dinner and opted for noodle soup at the food square in the middle of the marketplace. We both had a big bowl of soup and a drink and it only cost us 60baht, which is the equivalent of less than $2. The meal was just right. They even had a traditional Thai dance show going on that we watched while we ate.
 On day two we headed out at 9am to see the northern mountainous scenery, including two of Thailand’s most beautiful waterfalls. The drive up took about two hours. There were lots of places we would have liked to stop along the way; the weekend market, antique stores and more, but Phruet kept us on track knowing that we had a full day ahead. We drove many switchbacks on a pretty rough road, passing vast green  rice fields and groves of Longan trees. Arriving at the base of the falls we walked past a small tarp-covered food stand with the bbq going and snacks and drinks for the visitors. We were the only visitors at the time and the people working the stand were very friendly and seemed happy to see us. We hiked about 15 minutes up a hill to Mae-Ya Waterfall, truly spectacular! It was surrounded by lush landscape of bamboo, orchids and many other exotic plant species. Very tropical. The mist was refreshing as the weather was the typical, hot and humid. We sat on a wooden platform overhanging the rushing water and just gazed.
 The next waterfall was about a half hour drive. Along the way we saw many people searching the ground between the trees for wild mushrooms that, Phruet explained, sprout from the soil after a heavy rain. The gatherer’s use their finds in noodle soup. We are discovering that there isn’t much the Thai’s don’t eat.
 The Vachiratharn Waterfall is incredibly strong in force. The mist coming off the vast amount of water was more like rain. We were soaked by the time we walked away. It did feel good though. This area of the country feels a lot like Hawaii. Lots of water and green, green, green. Being there was very tranquil and refreshing. We had to use the “happy room”, a term Phruet uses for bathroom, before heading down the mountain. Most of the public toilets we have come across are basically a porcelain hole in the floor with a place for your feet on either side. You have to have good balance and don’t forget to BYOTP. When your business is done there is a small bucket and a tub of water in the room. You pour a couple scoops down the hole and it’s ready for the next patron. I will forever appreciate the American commode.
  
We stopped in a village food market on the way back. Every village has its own and it is filled with over 100 vendors selling everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to cooked fish and baked sweets. There was not another tourist to be seen. This was a tour of Thai oddities. The things these people eat; fried crickets, bbq’d frogs, live geckos, chicken heads and feet. We saw tubs of live eels splashing around and worms crawling in baskets. Phruet bought a bag full of bugs for a tasty treat. He had to pull the wings off before he chewed them up...mmmm! Our last stop was a wood carving store. Thailand is famous for its wood craftsmen. The pieces are so intricate and detailed, truly remarkable. The store was ready to close, but they stayed open for us. We bought quite a few items that we were very excited about, although they are fairly large and heavy. We told Phruet that we must find a shipping center before leaving Chiang Mai.    
We had a 7:00 massage appointment back at the hotel spa. We were ready. Quick showers and into our robes we walked over to the spa for some much needed pampering. We have been on the move since we arrived in Thailand a week ago. The massage therapist’s greeted us with ginger, lemongrass and lime smoothies. Delicious! We booked a 90 minute session and both agreed it was the best treatment we have ever had. These girls were only about 4’6”, but they were strong and schooled in their craft. After an herbal hot tea, we stumbled back to the room groggy and incredibly relaxed. Awww, this is the life!  We started day three by visiting an Orchid Farm. Wow, we had never seen so many orchids in one place. They were gorgeous, hanging tightly together, row after row with the roots dangling and the flowers reaching up to the sun, so many species. We walked around the grounds and enjoyed all of the different blooms. We stayed there for about an hour and then off to a huge wood-carving factory. Truly amazing craftsmanship, the intricacy of these pieces of art is stunning. There was a shop attached. We browsed through and after the great finds from the day before, we found this place pretty pricey.
  
The umbrella factory was next. We went into a production area where we were able to view people working on each step of the process in making the paper and bamboo umbrellas. Most of the assembly is done by women as they sit on the floor, which looked terribly uncomfortable. The men did the painting on the finished piece. For all of the different steps, each one being done by hand, it’s hard to believe that they can sell a finished umbrella for between 100-300 baht (the equivalent of $3-$10). Phruet told us that most of these workers make around 200 baht a day, which is $6, sad. We bought four. They are really quite beautiful.   We ate some lunch, Chiang Mai soup, a spicy little number with pork and coconut milk, then, we went back to the hotel for a little R&R before going to the Sunday Night Market in town. Now this was shopping! We were so excited to find lots of local handicrafts with great design and style at unbelievable prices. The place was packed with people. It is actually a long street that they shut down to traffic and vendors line each side with their stands. Each stand was better than the one before. It didn’t take long for us to be bogged down with bags of cool, Thai stuff. It was hard enough to navigate through the crowds, now we were twice as wide and awkward.
 There were lots of street performers set up in the middle of the foot traffic; dancers, musicians, singers, even a girl who did acrobatics with a glass ball.
 The market closed at 10 and we were sweaty, tired and hungry. We thought we would grab a bite to eat from a food cart before heading back to the hotel. We had pad-thai noodles, 20 baht for both of us, that’s eighty cents. We took a tuk-tuk home, always an adventure. The backseat is barely big enough to hold two people, add in four giant bags of goodies and you got a really tight fit...we held on to everything though, we weren’t about to lose any of our treasures.
Our first destination on day four was the critical stop for shipping all of our purchases home. DHL opened earlier than UPS. It took us longer than we thought it would, about an hour, and it definitely cost more than we imagined. But, after spending additional fees to the airlines for extra weight, we knew we had to do it.  The adventure ahead of us was grueling, but in the end, worth it. Off to see three countries in ten hours, at what is called the “Golden Triangle”, where the Thailand, Burma and Laos borders meet. The countryside along the way was lush and green. We drove nearly four hours to the border of Thailand and Burma.
 Phruet had to take our passports to the Burmese military station to get authorization to cross over. Once that was accomplished we walked over a bridge, and voila, we were in another country. It did seem amazingly different. There were many people on the streets, selling goods, offering rides or simply begging for money. It seemed a bit chaotic and desperate. These people seem to have an edge about them. I got the “be careful” feeling in my gut. (I don’t recommend this venture without a guide).
 We hired two, three wheel tuk-tuk’s to take us to a village where the “long necks” live. These are actually Thai tribal people, but the Burmese government has provided them with a home in order to boost tourism. I found it quite exploitive. Entering the village we immediately saw an older woman weaving fabric on a loom. Her neck was covered in brass rings about 14” tall. This is an ancient ritual that begins with girls when they are only five years old.
 The younger girls that we saw didn’t appear to be enjoying the attention. They were very much on display and it felt uncomfortable. On one hand, this is how they make a living and they need the tourism to survive. On the other hand, the children didn’t seem to have a choice in the matter and would rather just be kids. The older women were smiling and realized the livelihood in the exercise. My impression was that these people are holding on to their ancient traditions by a thread. Unfortunately, I think their choice will be to modernize or die. It feels like a beautiful, endangered existence that is on the brink of coming to an end. I don’t know what lies ahead for these women and children, but it makes me sad. The women of America need to be so grateful for the endless opportunities that we have. {place Hills tribe woman photo here}
We spent a little time in the Burmese outdoor market. It was horrible. The goods being sold were cheap and of no interest to us. The people were incredibly aggressive and pushy, wanting us to buy cigarettes and asking for money. I gave some money to a woman with two children. Then for 15 minutes her little boy, who wasn’t more than 4 years old, followed us trying to convince us to give more. It wasn’t fun. We were happy to leave Burma. I’m sure there are many wonderful areas and sights to see, but this felt uncomfortable. Experiences like this give us more understanding and compassion for those with so little, without the basics, without freedom. Things really need to change for the people of Burma.   We then drove about 20 minutes to the Thailand/Laos border. Here we hired a boat and went down the river to a small island where the unique attraction is bottles of snakes, scorpions and giant spiders marinated in whiskey. I suppose if you drink enough you may be inclined to eat the creatures floating inside.
  This village actually hand some very nice carved stone pieces and handmade textiles. We each bought one to bring home. It was toward the end of the day and the villagers seemed to be winding down. The teenagers were playing a game in the dirt and the younger kids were pushing each other around in a big wooden cart, laughing.
 We were only two of a few tourists still on the island. It was nice to see them just doing their thing. The sun was getting low as we boarded the boat to head back to the car. We stopped at the fisherman camp for a few . At this point we were ready to begin the long journey back. We arrived at the hotel at about 10pm. It was long day, but very interesting, our last in the north of Thailand. We packed a lot into a few days.
Getting there:Take Nok Air out of Bangkok’s Donmugeang Airport to Chiang Mai. The flight is just one hour and will cost about 1,430THB (Thai Baht) or $45 USD per person, one way. Be careful with the weight of your luggage. Over 40lbs. of luggage will result in additional fees. For us, the fees varied, but we were able to negotiate the price down. These additional fees can cost more than the flight itself, so just be aware. Where to stay:Ayatana Hamlet & Spa is a 4star hotel located in a quiet quarter of Chiang Mai centre and within 15 minutes drive to most anything you want to see in the city. It is truly a retreat with just 26 rooms surrounding a lovely pool and garden area for relaxing. It is tucked away in a neighborhood setting and feels incredibly private. The staff is absolutely amazing. The nicest, most accommodating people I have had the opportunity to stay with. And the spa…you HAVE to book some time in the spa!!! In off-season, between May 1 – October 31 room rates are just $96 USD per night and includes breakfast of your choice, served wherever you want it. Must-See Chiang Mai and surrounding areas: Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep Orchid Farm Chiang Mai Night Bazaar Sunday Night Market Mae-Ya Waterfall Vachiratharn Waterfall Any Village Food Market “Just Go!” The more time you spend simply daydreaming about far off places, the less time you have to experience all of the many wonders of this incredible world. | 