SOME SERIOUS SHOPPING

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Wow..the lonely planet isn't kidding when they say Chiang Mai is a shoppers paradise. The night market here is great...the prices are awesome. They're just not prepared to let you go so you barter till everyone (esp. u) is happy. So this is how i've been getting my exercise (wink wink)...shopping every nite...and around every corner is another surprise. I just wish i could take more luggage on the plane. I've already had to buy a suitcase...the amazing thing is that i really haven't spent much $$$$. I think Becca is sick of shopping...i just don't understand how that's possible. Ok maybe it is a little ridiculous..but then..maybe not. I decided to take a day trip to the Golden Triangle...Becca went on a 2 day jungle trek..not for the faint of heart. I was pretty sure i'd hate it so decided she should go by herself and meet some young people...and i figured the trip i was going on would be senior citizens!!!! Not..apparently there are lots of people who would rather sit in an a/c van and be driven around. It's so hot and humid here that i just can't imagine hiking up a mountain and sleeping in a hut. So..the trip was very interesting. First we visited a hot spring..ha..hot spring my ass. It was a hole in the ground surrounded by a fence..not sure what that was all about. Then off to see the oldest temple in the area. Hey..first temple i've been in since my arrival. Good enough. The trees around it were amazing...later i'll have pics so you all can take a look. The trees are believed to host spirits so they are protected. Saw some monks...very cool. Women are not allowed to touch them...imagine...enough said about that subject. Then we went to a village whose name i don't know...anyway it's way up in the mountains...what an incredible view...breathtaking. Makes the Rockies look ..well...small and insignificant. After that we went on a long boat to the Golden Triangle...which for those of you who don't know about it (i didn't so it's ok to admit that u didn't either) the golden triangle is the meeting of Thailand, Burma , and Laos. Alos learned that the reason it's called the Golden Triangle is because it being the opium route, a long time ago people use to pay with a gold brick. In order to know if the brick was real gold it was cut at an angle, forming a triangle....thus the name Golden triangle...just a little tidbit of history. We went into a village in Laos...and i couldn't believe my eyes when I saw bottles of snake whiskey...yes...is spelled that right. The bottles contain a green snake and a scorpion..and they drink and sell it. In fact they were giving free samples..just like at costco. I declined deciding that a long boat and bus ride back home just wouldn't be a good idea. Who drinks that...i'm sure it was poisonous. The village was very poor..i guess Laos is a poor country..unlike what i've seen in thailand. I'm sure there are poor villages here to..just haven't visited them. Next was a visit to the Long Neck/ Asa/ and Long Ear tribes. You know those pics you've seen in National geographic...well..they're real. These tribes are illegal immigrants in Thailand and can't work anywhere...so they live way up in the mountains and survive on corn, soybeans, and sticky rice which by the way is the kind of rice grown in the north of thailand...jasmine is grown in the south..another interesting tidbit. The story about why they wear those rings around their necks is too long to go into...but basically they continue to do it to preserve their culture. Only the girls wear them and the start with the first one @ 5 yrs old. The old ladies chew betel nut and their teeth and lips are bright red...almost as if they're bleeding. They also depend on tourist buying their crafts...it's their only source of income...so i felt generous because really...i'm just a rich tourist in their contry. The little kids are adorable and i got my picture taken with several of them. So..that was the end of the trip....back in the van and round the corner, down the long mountain rd, around another corner, and another....just breathtaking...literally. In Thailand the driver is on the right side, you drive on the left hand side of the road...if nobody is coming you drive wherever you want. I havent'seen an accident yet...it's hilariously frightening....makes us Canadians look like weenies!!!!! Hey...everyone rides scooters here...and it's a commom thing to see 3 on a scooter. And helmets???? what are those anyway. So u see mom, baby and dad driving all over the road without a helmet. What are we trying to do with our helmet and seat belt laws. I guess we don't pray enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday we went to the snake farm...Becca talked me into it. I HATE SNAKES AND SPIDERS...and there were cobras, jumping snakes and snakes i never even heard of. Ugh...i sat at the back...but did manage to get some pics. Today i went with the owner and his two sons to see a flower festival of some sort but it got postponed so never did get to see it. Well...i leave in 2 days and have saved tomorrow for my real shopping day . There is a Sunday market here that seems to be popular mostly with the locals...and it is really something. Real handicrafts here and very cheap. It's amazing because everything you buy is being made by hand...you know it didn't come from Taiwan or somewhere else. So i will finish up the last of my shopping. Then i get ready for my return to reality. Will keep you posted about the last of my adventures here. Chow for now.

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