Traveling Southeast Asia: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai

And so we arrived at the Land of Smiles

The land of massages and glittering tiles

Itinerant food stands and coconut juice

Tom yung guk soup and fresh citrusy fruits.

The town's a square - it's easy to get 'round

It's surrounded by a wall and moat that's renowned

It's packed full of color and so much to buy

From the tuk tuk, you'll watch Buddhas and teak wood whiz by!

Here it's every mom's dream that her son will become

A monk - 'cause that's where family status comes from.

But one difference I noticed was the orange vs. gray

The monks here in Thailand are more playful, I'd say.

They walk in their robes the color of sun

Some are hardly fifteen so they play and have fun.

Now those were some notes, my first Chiang Mai impressions

But let's get to the good stuff - enough with digressions!

Well...Day 1, the girl who's scared of squirrels and kittens

Found herself face to face with...well...kinda some bigg'ns

To an elephant reserve an hour from town

I sucked up my fear and was totally wowed.

That day I got goosed more than once by a trunk...

And had elephant poop thrown on me - (no, not by a monk!)

 But just know elephant tourism's not always good

That some don't treat the animals as they should.

But I think this place where I went seemed alright

'Cept they chained them all up when it turned into night

They do this to protect the people who live near

But living like that seems a tadbit austere.

They did, though, make sure to keep the families together

And spray 'em with cold water 'cause it's hot, that Thai weather.

As we bathed in the river with 'em, scrubbing their skin

I thought I saw Baby share with Momma a grin.

  

After it all, I'm not sure how I feel

It was awesome and humbling, the excitement was real

But I guess I'll never know what they really feel inside

Because all I've got to go off of are the words of our guide.

Then floating from village to village upon

Smooth glassy waters near Chiang Mai we'd gone

The locals together picnicked down by the stream

Watch us float by and wave, so familiar they seemed.

The day after rafting and elephant fun

I decided there was something still left to be done

I embarked on a day of just strolling around

The grounds of that small, quaint, old picturesque town.

But walking 'round temples, I got a funny feeling
A question so basic and shamefully revealing

Of my ignorance of what I should already know

About basic world religion but sadly dunno.

What, may I ask, is the difference between

Buddhism 'n Hinduism? So similar they seem.

I had them all tangled, my own mixed creation

Both have temples, monks, and even reincarnation!

They've got mudras and swastikas, nirvana, and karma

They've got mantras and yoga and uphold their dharma.

Overcome with confusion, feeling out of the know

I took to the books, which began to show

They do have beliefs that are parallel today

Because both have their origins in the Ganges, they say.

Buddhists believe in the Eightfold Path course

While Hindus take heed in the more yogic force

The Hindus place emphasis on Brahman, their maker

But Buddhists don't worship one sole Creator.

Also, Buddhists believes that life is pure suffering

And to overcome that, one must desire noffing.
('nothing' in a British accent)

But rather than detachment, Hinduism suggests

That one focus on her duties and forget about the rest.

Hinduism supports a fixed caste system

But Buddha is open to all who are with'm!

(Well, the story is different for Korea - the South

Since Confucius left a caste-like taste in its mouth)

And in terms of non-duality, both will agree
It exists and it's good. But differently, they see.

A Hindu must die to reach liberation

While Buddhists attain it with hard-core meditation.

Yikes! It seems I've gone off on a religious quest

So I'll stop myself now, and I'll let you all rest.

Now, read on 'bout the town that will forever be

The quieter and cuter Bangkok mini-me!

More on my Adventure Day!

This was a really unforgettable day. From playing with the elphants, bathing with them in the river, bamboo rafting, and visiting a traditional Karen village, it had it all.

It simply doesn't get more phallic that that.

Mom, I'm okay. #Wasn'tEaten

 Some people can opt for the back chair when sitting atop the elephant. But I read that that provides discomfort for them. Our group did bare-back, but who knows if that is really humane either. I am still so conflicted on this issue. Horses have been trained and ridden for centuries. In Asia, so have elephants. They used to be frontrunners during wartime. But now there is this big backlash against the maltreatment of the elephants for tourism purposes. I found it hard to decide if riding them was okay or if it hurt them. Also, are treated well when tourists are not around? They say they keep the families together, but do they really? A lot of questions were left unanswered, and I'm sure the industry depends on that.

I got to feed her bananas, which was really cool because I never got to get so close to an elephant's trunk. They're so strong, long, graceful, and meticulous. I wonder how much more efficient I would be if I had a trunk...#TheThingsThatKeepMeUpAtNight. But imagine just how different your day to day life would be!

What a pretty day

#FirstElphantSelfie!

I went on this excursion alone, but it sure didn't feel that way. I ended up with a wonderful group of British girls. Here we are sharing the experience of a lifetime. Every once in a while, when I feel like I'm doing something I never thought I'd get to do, I like to think about The Wizard of Oz. And how the Wicked Witch can see Dorothy by just looking into the crystal ball. I pretend I'm my Mom or Dad, wondering what Emily is up to right now. Or I wonder what I would feel like if I just woke up from a dream to the present moment. In my case this time, I opened my eyes only to look down and see that my hands were placed gently and confidently on two big stones. Only they were hairy. And they weren't stones, but the top of an elephant's head. And I was feet off the ground, actually riding an elephant. That moment was special for me and it definitely caught me by surprise. 

Scrub a dub dub

 This just goes to prove that babies are universally adorable, regardless of the species.

Or so I thought until I stumbled across

this picture of a baby Aye-Aye. But this has

nothing to do with my blog.

Our respite at a waterfall

This stop along the way was great for the waterfall and its scenery. But at 5pm, the water was way too chilly for me to even think about getting in. But most of my new girlfriends were brave enough. I really got lucky that day. These girls made wonderful company. #Instant정

 Chiang, sometimes spelled Chang, means "elephant." So that's how we get Chiang Mai and Chang Beer.

 This is a Karen village. And no, not my mom's village. Originally a Burmese, or Mayanma, tribe many have now been in Thailand for over two generations. We were a group of tourists dropped into this small village of no more than 7 families for no more than 25 minutes with the only purpose of observing these staged textile workshops for a slightly awkward, third-party cultural experience. And to hopefully buy something while there. 

I later found it interesting to see postcard pictures of this tribe in tourist shops all over Chiang Mai. The noticeable focus of such pictures were the people's blackened teeth. I was told that they chew on a certain kind of weed that intentionally coats their enamel with a dark protective layer to reduce the build up of bacteria. I am always interested in seeing how the indigenous or ethnic minority groups in a given place live. But this time and place felt pretty unauthentic.

 

 Tasty looking street food.

 Bath time has never been so much fun.

Leading the pack.

Pushed without warning! Our guide was a trickster. 

Again with this angle...getting progressively more uncomfortable.

 If this were a video, you would be able to hear my new British friends as they called out, "But Emily, your trousers!"

 Bamboo rafting through backwater canals

Challenge accepted.

Practicing the verbal commands, which are in Karen language and specific to each elephant)

Our traditional Thai cooking class!

Best $20 spent all year. First, our guide/chef took us to a local market to buy and teach us about the ingredients. Then our tourist group of about 14 people headed to a rural farm just outside of the city. There we cooked and ate until night enveloped us like a warm blanket of lemongrass.

The man and woman to my right are on their honeymoon. They're from Spain - she's Pepi and he's Txus. We actually had so much fun together that we ended up meeting up with them for dinner and drinks the following day. One of the best parts of traveling is who you meet along the way.

Our sweet Chinese middle-school age friends. They were so outgoing and excited to speak English with us. In fact, when I asked them to give me a Chinese name, they gave me the equivalent of "War goddess." Not sure if that is a compliment or a comment on the World Police reputation of the U.S...but whatever, right?

Banana spring roles with dulce de leche (or something similar to it). The easiest and perhaps tastiest thing we made.

I was the only one to make a successful Pad Thai omelette. Culinary success doesn't come back all too often for me, so this deserved photo documentation.

Fast facts:

Capital = Bangkok

 Size =  Slightly smaller than Texas. Random, but have you ever noticed it’s shaped like the head of an elephant?

 Currency = Baht

o   1 USD = ~32 B

o   So, 326 Baht = $10

o   Paper denominations of 20, 50,100, 500, 1,000.

 Language

o   Thai

 Population

o   67.5 million

o   75% of citizens are ethnic Thais

o   Divided by geography (North, Central, South, Northeast)

o   North = dense mountain jungles

o   Central = plains

o   Southern = Tropical rainforesets

o   Each has its own dialect and customs

o   Central Thai is the politically and economically dominant group

o   Those of Chinese ancestry = 14%

o   Others include Malays, Khmers, Lao, hill tribes living in the northern mtns.

 Lifestyle

o   Thai philosophy of life = sanuk (fun)

o   Social dynamics and culture = based on Buddhist principles (gratitude, humility, filial piety, social rank like in Korea…etc.)

o   "Saving face" is a big thing = it’s called naa.

o   The country wakes up early

o   Thai people are generally nonconfrontational

Religion

o   Theraveda Buddhism (as opposed to the Mahayana schools found in East Asia and the Himalaya) = 95%

o   Muslim minority in southern Thailand

o   Every Thai male is expected to become a monk for a short period in his life, since a family earns great merit when a son ‘takes robe and bowl.’

Food

o  Common ingredients

§   lemongrass, basil, coriander, mint, chilli peppers

o  You can and should eat the street food.

o  Nam Blah

§  Fish sauce generally made from anchovies, adds salty sea flavor

o  Gooay deeo

§   A noodle soup with chicken or pork and vegetables, breakfast or snack

o  Pat Gaprow Gai

§  Fiery stir-fry of chopped chicken, chillies, garlic, and fresh basic.

o  Kow Pat

§  Fried rice to be garnished with ground red chilli, sugar, fish sauce, and vinegar or lime

o  Two types of noodles

§  Thin (sen lek) or wide & flat (sen yai)

o  Meals are eaten communally, family style.

o   When you’re finished, put your fork on your spoon in your bowl.

o   No food vendors on Mondays (street cleaning)

Interesting information from the U.S. Embassy

Violence in Southern Thailand - Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla: The deep south of Thailand has experienced almost daily incidents of criminally and politically motivated violence for many years, including acts attributed to armed local separatist groups, resulting in more than 6,000 deaths since 2004.

The Department of State recommends that you exercise caution when traveling in remote or rural areas of Thailand adjacent to the Burma border.

SCAM: If someone claiming to be a police officer demands fine payments from you, request to pay at the police station. Police may impose fines up to 1,000 baht per violation at the police station and should provide receipts for any fines. The Thai Criminal Code does not provide police authority to impose a fine over 1,000 baht. Only a court can impose a larger fine.

Arbitration: Incidents involving traffic accidents, minor property damage, and petty crimes are often settled through informal arbitration, or “compromise.” This process usually takes place at a police station, with the police as arbiters and sometimes as participants. It may seem irregular and look like an attempt to fleece the foreigner, but it is a traditional way of settling a dispute that many Thais prefer because it avoids legal formalities and is relatively quick. However, it can be opaque and bewildering to foreigners. In places with a large number of tourists, English-speaking Tourist Police or police volunteers might be able to explain what is going on. In any case, you should not sign anything unless you have read it and understood it. If you are not comfortable with this process, you can decline to participate. The police then will write a report and handle the matter through the formal judicial process. If this happens, you should consult with a local attorney for guidance.

What's that? You want to go back to Chiang Mai with me for Round 2?

Oh, and one last thing. 

I can't forget a shout-out to all 

my masseuses in Chiang Mai.

Me before every massage session.

Me after ever massage session.

Stay tuned for the next installment. Bangkok here we come!