In Thailand, it is the year 2554. They began counting their years when the Buddha died, 2554 years ago. Thailand is unique in Asia because it has never been colonized, so they have maintained this system of counting the current year. They often use the year 2011 when transacting business.
Wat Phra That in Doi Suthep National Park is Northern Thailand's most revered temple. The location for this temple was selected by a white elephant. The people of Chiang Mai believe white elephants are very holy and decided to allow a white elephant to select where they would build their temple. Instead of selecting an area near the town, the elephant walked up this large mountain to its peak. The people then built the temple there-- quite a task to do with no paved roads through the jungle.
The entrance to the temple.
We befriended a local girl from the Hmong village on our way to the temple. She was the cutest and sweetest little girl.
Wat Phra That.
We rang the temple bell for good luck (everything seems to bring good luck--fine by us).
Three bangs on the gong. One for the Buddha, one for the monk, and one for learning. The signs say "for hit only" and "softly please."
View of Chiang Mai from the city. It was a steamy morning, which is typical for this time of year.
Anna paying her respects to the Buddha.
After our stop at the temple we headed north, towards Chiang Rai and Myanmar.
Our first stop was a local market in Mae Taeng. I can't get enough of the markets. There is always something new to discover.
A few water buffalo testicles to munch on. Water buffalo meat is more expensive than beef or pork.
Water buffalo intestines.
A wasps' nest providing tasty delights. They cook the nest and use the worms in the nest to put on salads. A Thai crouton, I suppose.
Water buffalo placenta. Not a morsel goes to waste.
Chicken blood boiled into patties.
Some interesting mushrooms on the right.
I could have taken a hundred pictures, but I restrained myself.
Off to the Chiang Dow Cave.
The caves house a temple inside (it seems you can't go more than a mile without finding a temple) and are located near the border between Thailand and Myanmar. The caves served as a place for traders to sleep and pay their respect to the Buddha.
Good thing we had our guide, Bammei, with us.
In we go...
The cave was formed by water eroding the sandstone. It still floods during the rainy season.
The original entrance is above Anna's head and to the left. To enter the cave, you previously had to repel down.
Pretty interesting stalagmites.
A mighty delicious lunch with out guide, Bammei.
We clearly dine in five star establishments.
Anna had to take a picture of me eating every last scrap. I was sweating bullets from the spice, but still had to keep going because it was so good. For dessert, the chef sliced up some of the fruit we bought at the local market.
Before we visited some local villages, we stopped at a local candy store to buy treats for the kids.
En route to No Man's Land. They call it this because it is a land area shared by Myanmar and Thailand. These countries fought over the land for years and finally decided to share the land. Of course, this creates unique political issues.
We visited the Lahu tribal people who live in No Man's Land. Lahu means "great hunter." Aid groups regularly visit the village to distribute clothing. The Lahu are Burmese people who lost their struggle to maintain independence in Burma. The Lahu who still remain in Myanmar are still fighting to remain independent. The Lahu sustain themselves on agriculture and work with the other tribal leaders in the area to resolve political issues.
A view of the Lahu village from the hillside.
This friendly Lahu man was all smiles.
A typical home in the village. They are animists (believe in spirits) so they don't have windows in their homes because they believe the windows let the evil spirits inside.
These men were making lead bullets to use for hunting wild boar.
He broke his wrist climbing a tree to get wood to make a house.
The kids saw us coming with candy and quickly formed a line.
Thankfully we brought enough candy for everyone. The gummy candy was the crowd favorite.
These boys were are favorite.
There were many pigs wondering the village. This one was napping.
We also stopped in a Karen Village in Tha Ton to see the long neck people from the Paduang tribe.
The girls can choose whether to wear the rings around their neck. If they decide to wear them, they must keep them on all the time until they die. The support from the rings cause their neck muscles to atrophy, making them too weak to support their head.
We bought some bronze rings from her. Her son has been sick, but his fever has started to subside. She is also pregnant.
The center of the village.
"Long neck" is really a misnomer because the gold rings (now mostly made from bronze) that they wear around their neck actually pushes down on their clavicle and chest, making their neck look long but not actually elongating it.
Initially, only girls born on full moon Wednesdays wore the rings. These girls were thought to be weak and needed the rings to protect them from tigers. They also believe the rings bring them good luck. Now, most females wear them. Every 3-4 years, the rings are replaced.
This girl was very outgoing and loved the candy.
Tribal life has not been easy for the Paduang. Many have been displaced from Myanmar, where they still struggle for an independent state.
Wat Tha Ton, a temple in Tha Ton. It sits on the River Kok across the border from Myanmar.
You can see Myanmar in the background.
A Buddha from India inside the temple. The Buddha has long ears to remind people not to listen to what other people say. It also has many bumps on its head, to represent the struggles one must overcome in life. They believe the more knowledgeable you are, the easier it is to overcome problems.
People often go to the temple to get advice about their life struggles from the monks. Even though many monks have not experienced the same issues that people seeking their guidance are experiencing (because the monks live a simple life in the temple) "all problems come from the same place--your mind." They therefore have the wisdom to guide people.
Goddesses of Mercy in the temple--similar to saints in Catholicism.
We spent the night in Mai Sai, a stones throw away from Myanmar (Burma). Another great Thai meal, some roti, then bed.
Kik Kok restaurant.
Dinner with Bammei.
A street vendor making our roti. We had them with condensed milk drizzled on top.
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Location:Chiang Mai and Mai Sai, Thailand
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