In a country popular for its beaches, I keep going to the hills
I’ve nothing to say, I’ve no defence, except that mountains make me dance with happiness. It is what it is and so, the 4-day Songkran (Thai New Year) weekend inevitably brought me to Chiang Mai/Rai. I could go on and on about how lovely my evening in Chiang Mai was — I was perhaps the only person out on the street without a water gun and needless to say, they drenched me in water and how. Well that and their eccentric Sunday night market, northern Thai food, jazz clubs! I would live here if I could.
What I can’t stop thinking about, though, is Chiang Rai — while I’m still here, waiting for my flight back to Bangkok. This town has the most stunning temples, gives the best massages, cooks the yummiest Khao Soi, sells the prettiest trinkets and has the kindest people, if that was even possible. I visited the slightly-controversial-but-quite-frequented longneck Karen tribe village today. The Karens, originally from China had migrated to Myanmar at some point, and off-late, in order to escape the Burmese atrocities against minorities, have scattered all over the area, including northern Thailand. Articles and travelogues calling the village ‘gimmick tourism’ had caught my eye, however I’m generally wary of herd opinion and wanted to experience it for myself. I’ve also long wanted a Karen doll and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get one (umm I ended up with a dozen, of course).
I had a heart-warming experience to say the least, and yes, the villagers pose for photographs on cue and make money off handicrafts and some such, and we could get into the right and the wrong and the politics of it, but I’ve an hour to my flight and I’d rather show you how gorgeous and unique the tribe is. Oh and I took my new new Fuji out for a spin! It did die on me 15 mins into the day, so here’s 15 mins of my beautiful camera and the lovely faces I photographed.
(The photographs could use some post-processing but I know me and that would take at least a few months — so here goes)
