Trip to the Golden Triangle

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Hey All,

I was up rather early this AM, but gave me time to check emails and such. After breakfast was picked up for my day trip up to the Golden Triangle Area. On they way stopped at a temple, and went to this village area where some of the hilltribe people live. They were relocated here for public display which I was very uncomfortable with. The Karen "Long Necks" are from a very remote area of Myanmar, very difficult to find and visit. These people agreed to be relocated to Thailand where their children get an education, and they have jobs posing for the tourist in their new village. OK, I can see where they would want to come where their kids can get an education, and maybe its worth it to them. I just cant help but feel uncomfortable walking through their village taking pictures of them, even though I did it like everyone else. If I had my druthers, I would not go there. Just how I feel.

The village seemed half empty and a guide asked where everyone was at. Seems there has been a Baptist Missionary in the area for a couple of years and half of the village was at Church. I feel good about that,

From there we drove up to a Buddist Temple where there are tons of monkeys that run around, protected and fed by the tourist. Somehow I did not feel guilty taking the monkeys photo. The Temple was really cool, the monkeys were monkeys. I bought a basket of bananas and was giving them out trying to keep my distance. Once monkey kind of snuck up on me and reached up and grabbed a handful of crotch trying to get my attention..... well, he did. Thank goodness I had one banana left. Now please, leave the jokes out..its over with.

Then we made it to the border with Myanmar. There is another Temple at an overlook where you can see into Myanmar and the surrounding mountains, It was quite scenic. There is a large statue to a scorpion in the temple grounds and I guess years ago there were scorpions all over the place but they disappeared, so the monks built a large statue in their honor and call it Scorpion Mountain. You cannot just make this stuff up!!

Then on to the Golden Triangle at last. The Golden Triangle is where the border of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand all meet up at the intersection of the Mekong River and some other river meet up and merge. went to another overlook for that, then took a boat ride on the Mekong to the Laos side of the river to an island where you can shop for "crap" without getting your Passport stamped. I guess its like a duty free zone. The place was full of fake designer handbags and such form China. You could also buy Lao whiskey in the clear bottles with snakes and scorpions inside. I guess the mystery of where all the scorpions disappeared to is solved. They are all drunk.

Finished off with a trip to the Opium Museum. I guess Opium was the big crop here until the Royal Family of Thailand help put a stop to it and encouraged the farmers to grow something else. It was weird seeing all the opium pipes and containers and the story of how it was harvested and distributed. I guess one day there will be a Meth Museum somewhere.

It was pretty much all I hate and love about day trips like this. You can visit a few cool places, but they also drag you to some crap that you could care less about. This is why I rarely do these. Now don't get me wrong, there have been some good ones I have done, but for the most part they are really hit and miss. But, since you share the cost with 5 others, its an economical way of seeing things that are a bit out of the way. So, pick your poison.

Tomorrow I have some things to do on my "would this make a good place to retire" list. More to come on this.

Someone asked about the weather. Well, when I stepped off the plane in Bangkok and hit that jetway, the humidity slapped you in the face like a wet towel. It was so muggy and hot. The weather up in the north has been much better. Yesterday was in the 70's until after lunch and warmed up a bit, but still was not too bad. The humidity is much better here for sure.

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain outside, and it is the rainy season here, so you take that risk. But it stopped in time to leave and while cloudy most of the day, it was never an issue. It is raining again here as I am typing this, so will make for some good sleeping if you ask me.

Keep the questions coming, I don't mind them at all.

Happy Travels, Don

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