28th January 2011

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Early breakfast at 7.45am then we met our driver at 8.30am for a day out in Chiang Mai.

First was our visit to the Tiger Kingdom, this cost us twenty pounds to go in and the ticket includes fifteen minutes in the cage with the size of tiger of your choice. I chose a small one aged 9 months and Mark chose a big one aged 15 months. In the cage we could sit close to them and stroke their back and tickle their belly. The keeper took the photos for us and we gave him a tip as they are not really allowed to do this - there is an option of buying a DVD of photos of yourself taken by their own photographer for six pounds. It is quite an expensive activity as the visit only lasted about an hour. We were near a group of Frenchmen enjoying themselves very much and while one of them was right close up to the cage to take a photo the turned his backside to him and sprayed him! This was really funny, lucky for the man that he missed his face! People going to see the baby tigers had to wash their hands first, take off their shoes and not encourage the tigers to lick their faces or they would get sick from our germs.

Then we went to a village to the different hill tribes, again this cost us twenty pounds entry fee. The tribe was called the Karen tribe and an old man selling soaps etc invited us into his house to show us how he lives. The house was on stilts, it was one big room with a cooking area and a sleeping room walled off. His very old sister was out on the landing of the house, Mark took my picture with her and she didn't mind one bit. When we left them the man gave us a fat banana each. We took an hour to walk around the village, there was a Christian church, a school and some really lovely people. We chatted to the women of the Long Neck Tribe about their neckwear - it doesn't them (although it does at first), they have to sleep on their side as it is made of copper and is heavy, they have a ring added every birthday until are 25 years old and they only take it off to add another ring.

The temples were very attractive and colourful. They were built in the year 700 BE. Wat Pra Singh is the second best temple in Chiang Mai. The Buddhist Monk charity school is also on the same grounds as the temples. Then we treated our driver to lunch at a proper Thai restaurant at his recommendation, it was very good.

Had a sleep for an hour then out for happy hour and dinner. Happy hour was in three bars and dinner was spring rolls and onion rings. After dinner we had a walk around a food hall and woman said "Bamboo Worms Sir?", he replied in his best Terry Tibbs voice accent "Do I look like a bird?". Finished the night in a bar called Guitar Man with live music (man playing a guitar).

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Photos

Long Neck Tribe
Mother and daughters

Children of the Long Neck Tribe
aged 6 and 7 years

Comments

[Loro]

Wow
You look like you're having an amazing time. I think pan would love a new baby friend, but eho would raise it? We dont have the room. Missing you, but enjoying your blog x x x