Entry 30:
As we approached the half way point of our journey, we had grown tired of hoisting up our backpacks every few days. We thought it would be nice to "chill out" for a little while and heard many nice stories about Chiang Mai, our next destination. That being said, upon our arrival in Chiang Mai, we immediately booked ourselves on a two-day trek into the mountains and through some ethnic villages. We departed the next morning.
Our trek began with a quick stop at an orchid/butterfly farm where we saw how orchids are harvested for sale in the local markets. The orchid is the unofficial national flower of Thailand and can be purchased for almost nothing.
After lunch, we began trekking through the mountains and made stops at a large cave and a local village. We were treated with tea served in bamboo cups. We liked the concept so much that we purchased a couple of those cups as souvenirs. We continued trekking for a few more hours before reaching our camp for the evening and celebrating with a cold shower. Everyone gathered around the campfire to stay warm and tell travel stories before going to bed.
That night may have been the coldest one we have ever endured. We slept in a wooden house on stilts. The room contained thin mattresses, each with its own mosquito next. We were given thin dirty blankets to cover up with, but they did not sustain the heat we needed. When you have a chance, make sure to ask Sharon about the kitty cat that decided to snuggled up with her. In the end, we were glad we'd signed up for only a one-night trek, while the majority of our fellow travellers signed up for two nights.
The next morning, we arrived at an elephant camp where each couple climbed up onto an elephant for a one-hour ride through the forest. The highlight of this particular walk was seeing the baby elephant, no more than six months old, follow alongside his parent's side. Our afternoon adventures were not over yet. We got to ride in a bamboo raft (see below) and then had a small taste of whitewater rafting (very fun!).
Our next stop was at the village of the Long Neck Karen. This is probably the most photographed hilltribe in all of Thailand and for good reason. Some of the women wear brass rings around their neck. There is a tale that explains the origin of this tradition. During the Golden Age, the Paduang tribal people were attacked by tigers. They were bitten at the neck and killed. The tribal leader was a sorceress who made sacrifices to wild spirits and declared that from then on, tribal girls and unmarried women must wear neck rings to avoid back luck. The rings consist of two sets. The first set sits on the wearer's shoulders. The second set is then set on top of the first set, but a pillow is inserted underneath it as a cushion under the chin. The two sets are then bolted together, although they can be separated for cleaning.
Traditionally, girls begin wearing the neck rings at age 5. Every three years, another three rings are added until the girl either turns 25 or gets married. The record for neck rings is 25 loops weighing just under 18 pounds. Today, neck rings are worn as a sign of beauty. More recently, wrist and leg rings have also become popular. Despite the rings worn and the name they've been given, the Paduan tribal people do not really have longer necks than other people. In fact, the rings' heavy weight pushes down on their chest making the neck look elongated.
While at this village, we also saw a woman with a big ear lobe. To obtain this effect, women place big loops inside the ear lobe in the hope they will have a long life.
Our final stop on the trip was at a nearby river where we hiked upstream for about 10 minutes until we arrived at a small pool with a waterfall. Although the water was cold, we jumped in anyways to refresh ourselves from a long couple of days of adventure.
After all the fun we had, we were back in town and ready to explore. From the very start, we knew we wanted to learn Thai cooking. We found a nice cooking school and signed up for the following day. We arrived first thing in the morning, were taken to the local market and instructed there about the ingredients we would later use. At the school, we were given a choice of seven dishes to make. Each person could select different dishes, but you could taste from everybody's dish afterwards.
The first step was to chop up everything. We then walked over the the cooking station where each of us was given a wok, some condiments, and our chopped ingredients, and before you knew it - viola - we had made papaya salad, tom yum soup, pad thai, sweet and sour tofu and vegetables, red and green curry, and sticky rice with mango. It was fun not only to make the food, but we then got to hang out and eat it all. We recommend this experience to those of you going to Thailand!
Chiang Mai is also well-known for its massage schools. Many foreigners come here to learn how to administer Thai massage. After shopping around for a reputable school, we decided on a five-day course at Nerve-Touch Massage School. Each day, we'd wake up early, arrive at our class with our book in hand, and learn about twenty new steps of the school's techniques. After breaking for lunch, we'd spend the rest of the day practicing on each other.
On the fourth day, we learned how to prepare an herbal compress, which can be used to enhance the effects of the massage by applying heat and herbal properties to the body's most problematic areas. We're now ready for business!
This is our teacher's demonstration:
Many people love Chiang Mai because it is a spiritual city filled with dozens of temples. At several of the temples, there are monks who encourage people to stop by to speak to them about all matters. One day, we spent a good two hours at the Chedi Luang temple speaking with two monks to learn more about their lifestyle and responsibilities. They were equally intrigued by us.
Despite its population of more than one million people, Chiang Mai is actually quite an interesting place for tourists. There are dozens of international restaurants, guest houses, and interesting shops of all kinds. Each evening there is a night market which caters to tourists. Every weekend there are special markets that tend to attract mostly locals. In addition, Chiang Mai is relatively inexpensive compared to the rest of Thailand. It was a memorable visit.
For more photos, please go to: grossmintblog.shutterfly.com
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