A very full two days

Once we were beaten stupid(er) by the Thai massage ladies we had a bit of down time. We had been waiting all week for the Sunday Night Walking Market which is huge and only a block from our guesthouse. So off we went once it got going. Holy smoke. So much stuff. I started shopping right away, Val is still being sensible. She claims she is holding out for Bangkok.



Apparently, I didn't take any gift market photos so here is another random food market picture

Anyway, I got some gifts for others but mostly I shopped for myself (I know, you are shocked). I got an amazing silver necklace with hand carved silver beads and a flower pendant. I found a fish mug, a requisite local painting etc. Val got a bit of jewellery (and now that we are packed to head back to Bangkok, she seems very wise). It was packed with people. The locals keep telling us tourist season is basically over and there aren't many people here but after the market, I have to disagree. We met up with three of the people from our cooking school by chance, Sophie and Fred - the French couple and Alyne - the Victorian girl. They have been hanging around ever since our day together. We wandered around with them for a bit but eventually we had to give in. It was too big and my feet are still a total liability. Plus, if we kept going, I would have just spent more money. How many gifts can I bring home, really?

The next morning we had a 6 am pick up for the 'Flight of the Gibbon'. This is a 2km zipline through the jungle. We arrived in the mountains around 8am and were given our little safety lecture. You gotta love these in foreign countries. 'Don't fall off", 'Don't jump off', 'Don't be an idiot'. Once we had a cup of coffee (very good mountain stuff - yes, I got you some, Nikki) we were ready to be hooked up. The putting on of the harness was only slightly less invasive as the Thai massage but our guide was considerably better looking (and male for that matter) so I can live with it.



Our guides, North and Mr. Bee



Val getting strapped in.

Then a quick ride to the start point. We were lucky, we were the first group of the day. Plus, we booked for an early spot because it was cheaper and we wanted to avoid the mid day heat. But being first meant that each platform we zipped to was empty and the jungle seemed pristine. Anyway, I was the first to be chucked off and sent flying to the first platform.



Val on the zipline, zipping through the jungle

Basically, each platforms is a tiny balcony around a huge tree that we all huddle around so as not to plummet to our deaths. It isn't as bad as I make it out of course. The platforms are barely big enough to fit all of us but we were always hooked onto something, either the line or the tree. I can't say it would be comfortable to fall off but at least we would be unlikely to die. The batteries to my camera died almost immediately but as chance would have it, our group was accompanied by a professional photographer who is doing a new broucher and an article for Thai Airline magazine. He said he would send us a link to see the pictures. If they ever actually arrive, they should be hilarious. Lots of bad angles, I'm sure. It is pretty much impossible to be graceful when you are hanging 120 feet above the ground held only by a single string.



A high above the ground walkway

At one point we heard gibbons but couldn't see them. Val thinks she may have had a glimpse but it is unconfirmed. Zip, Zip, occasional dead man drop to below and then two hours later it was over.



Our group before we left the jungle.

Perfect timing, it was just starting to get hot and very jungle humid. Then a quick buffet lunch and a drive to a waterfall, reminiscent of Africa - climb a million high stairs to get to the top of a waterfall.



Stairs and stairs and stairs



One of several waterfalls

Fortunately, there was an interesting bird half way up and I chose to ID that instead of continuing. Have I mentioned that the birding here sucks lemons. Considering that Thailand is home to a large portion of the world's bird species, I have seen few. Occasionally I see one I can ID to the family, eg, 'look a bee eater' or 'hey, that was an owl' but always from a car or train, so no time to speciate. Anyway. Back to the guesthouse where we spent the afternoon napping.

We have been getting up early but not 5 am early and we were pretty tired. Plus, we had big plans for the evening - Thai Boxing! Our tickets were for 9pm (very late for us old timers) but Lyn told us we could eat there so we headed over early, 8ish. The stadium is close to the guesthouse so we just walked. On our way, Val saw our three cooking school friends again, sitting in a restaurant having dinner. They had mentioned the last time we ran into them, that they were planning to go to the Boxing match too. We stopped to say hi and see if they were, in fact, coming. They were so we said we would see them there and we would save seats if possible. Well, when we arrived at 8:15 or so, the place was empty and we were told we would have to eat outside but we could save a table if we wanted. When we mentioned that there were 5 of us, we were allowed to save a table right at ringside, sweat spatter distance (I know this is an acurate measure because I was, in fact, splattered with sweat). So we put our names on the table and went back to eat with the group. When we arrived back at the stadium just before 9 it was still pretty empty but the fights started soon after. The first two fights were just little boys (100 lbs class) and it was pretty tame.



The boys class



Val, Aylin and Sophie (I don't think I have a single picture of Sophie where she doesn't look horrified)



The real spectators (not the gawky tourists)

The third fight was awesome. Hard to describe but lots of kicking, but it still didn't seem nearly as brutal as a North American boxing match.


Well, maybe this guy thought it was a bit brutal (knockout!)

After that, it was two matches with lady boxers, again not very violent. (despite the how the photo looks)



Lady Boxers

The night was to finish with two matches, one 'major fight' and one 'international fight' between Thailand and New Zealand. Well, the 'major fight' was over in less than two minutes with a knock out.



It was over fast, but I still managed to get shot of his cool tatooes.

Then they announced that the international fight was actually between Canada and Thailand. WooHoo. Unfortunately, Mr Canada was a bit too much for Mr Thailand and the ref ended the fight almost immediately. Canada rules! (but too quickly). Then we were all ushered out and Bob's your uncle. Home by midnight.




Mr Canada pummelling Mr Thailand.

Just as well as the next morning was another early pick up. We decided to spend our last full day in Chang Mai doing one of the day tours. Val wanted to see the long neck tribal village and I wanted to see the Golden Triangle, which is where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet. So we found a tour that didn't involve elephant riding (not easy to do) and booked it. Now so far, we have had great trips - elephants/awesome, zipline/great fun, boxing/very exciting etc etc, but I can say that this trip was the dud of the bunch. We were crammed 13 in van with questionable air conditioning. Once we had everyone we were advised it was an hour and a half to the hot spring. The hot spring consisted of a pipe in the middle of a parking lot spraying egg smelly hot water into the air. I didn't even take a picture. But don't worry, it was surrounded by shopping opportunities, stalls and stalls of the same same (a common term here for, well it is pretty self explanatory actually). We bought coffee and sesame snaps - yummy homemade ones.

Then back in the van for another 1 1/2 hours to the White Temple. I have to say, this was impressive. Again, pretty self explanatory name but like all things Thai - way over the top. I have to mention here, I may have already said this with the Grand Temple, that photography in this country is impossible. Everything is too much! It is so over the top with curly cues and decoration that there is no way on earth it will show up in a mere photo. Others mentioned this to us when they showed us their pictures but you have to see to believe. Anyway, I have inadequate pictures again.



The White Palace

Some things of note about the White Temple, well obviously it is pure white on the outside. There is a moat around it with silver koi that are so cool to watch as they school and dart - again, bad photos to follow.



White Koi



A bit of detail

There is also some waterless ponds filled with hands, reaching up to you like dead souls from below. Creepy. I am pretty sure the architect was insane.



Creepy

Once you pass all of that, you go inside where there are Buddhas in descending sizes ending with a real monk at the front. He didn't move so I had to ask Val if he was real. NO photos allowed inside so you will have to trust me that it was a cool visual. Then we turned around to leave and there is a huge wall size mural on the exit wall. It is covered in Thai and Buddha imagery with random Pop culture references hidden within, such as a high top shoe and some space ships. Disconcertingly, there was a GI Joe (70s version, not the little wimpy 90s one) sized picture of Keanu Reeves at eye level. Why? I just don't know. But I think he was watching us... (I took the blue pill). Then out we went for more shopping time - Val got an iced coffee, I got pineapple to ward off the Pad Thai induced scurvy that is soon to kill me. Back in the van for ANOTHER hour and a half. Then we arrived at the Golden Triangle. We learned that most of the rest of the group had already purchased tickets to take a boat over to the Laos side so we bought tickets too.



Our questionable boats tied to the questionable dock.




The not very exciting view of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.



Cool view of a giant Buddha that watched over the Golden Triangle. It is so hazy because it was rice feild burning season. The whole countryside was like this.

Into the boat, quick tour around. Myanmar, strangely enough, has a huge casino in the area that we could look at but not dock at. Then over to Laos where we had 1/2 hour to - you guessed it - shop.



Me and Val on the boat



Our visit at Laos.

I bought a postcard and sent it to work (see, I am thinking of you guys in Financial Aid) and had my passport stamped with a very suspicious looking Laos stamp. Do cartoon elephants sound official to anyone? I then bought a gift or two, Val bought herself a stone box.



The market in Laos

Neither of us bought the booze that came in a bottle with a snake and a huge bug of some sort. Again, how can a picture do that justice?


One of the guys on our boat tasted this and said it just tasted like vodka, not like dead snake and bug. I declined.



Some girls asking for some money.



Chinese boats

Back on the boat, back to Thailand, a quick trip to the grossest by far bathroom we have seen here and then back in the van to go to our buffet lunch. Lunch was good, they had chicken fingers. They had a dessert that consisted of sweetened coconut milk with tapioca balls, already good, but for some reason they added gelatin worms in red and green. Some of the worms were very realistic versions of these maggots we saw for sale in the market. Well, of course, I had to have some. The coconut tapioca in honour of the Curry Family and the worms just so that it is that much grosser when I tell Melissa about it. Photo - not up to snuff.



You can't really see the gelatin-grubs but here is the picture

WE stopped to look at the Myanmar border but we weren't allowed to cross. I personally would have paid the 500 baht ($20) for the stamp but it didn't seem to be an option.



Myanmar border crossing.

Things in the van were getting a bit tense. The four in the back had their knees up their chins and they wanted to switch up with the bunch in the front but the front bunch were having none of it. Val and I were off to the side so no one seemed to care what we wanted. Plus there were four (middle section) very loud Spanish girls who just wouldn't stop talking. My favourite part was when they asked for the radio to be turned off and then had a loud discussion about how silence is golden (I can guarantee that the irony was lost on them). Finally the guide asked them to be quiet so the driver could concentrate after which they had the gall to shush anyone else who talked. Anyway, last stop. We had been led to believe that we would stop at three villages to 'meet' three different groups of hill peoples. What actually happened was that we were driven (1 1/2 hours) to a row of shacks that had all of the hill people crammed together offering another shopping opportunity.



Row of 'Hill Tribe' shacks - a primitive strip mall.

I was not too excited about the original version by Val was keen. But the actual version was just icky. A human zoo.



A cute hill tribe baby



A nice lady (chewing beetlenut) who sold me some scarves



A Karen (long neck) woman.



Little Karen girls

I bought quite a bit out of white, North American middle class guilt for being there. The ladies, in all of their tribal garb, were very lovely and friendly but, well I will spare you the anthropological rant on 'the other' etc etc.



Scarves - I bought a lot of scarves.

Then, believe it or not, a THREE + hour ride back to Chang Mai to arrive after 9pm. By the last trip in the van, I was pretty much ready to fling myself in front of oncoming traffic. We were going so fast though, that it would have been hard to open the door with all of the centrifugal force on the curves, which were many. Now we are killing a few hours before the train leaves at 4:30. I want to buy some sinus medication for the flight and Val needs some painkillers for her shoulder (actually from hanging on in the van so she wouldn't fall out of her seat, it was that bad). Off to Boots pharmacy, the pharmacist arrives at 1 so it is time to go now (it is 12:53) then we want to buy Lyn some chocolate for a thank-you and then we are out of here. See you in Bangkok.