Chiang Mai

A tad out of sequence here but this is a Lisu woman I had been watching for days in Mae Hong Son, finally the morning I was leaving I went to buy something from her, just to interact with her more than at a distance. The Lisu eat beetle seed of some sort for dental hygiene, since they do not use toothpaste. It turns their mouth completely red/brown. We exchanged some and laughed some, I just wanted to look at her teeth!!! I almost asked if I could take her picture, but I didn't want to invade.


Me and Puff the Magic Dragon in Chiang Mai............Dragons are very common here in Northern Thailand........lots of Chinese and Burmese influences

This guy was so cool cause we went to this Wat at night and could not really see much, until I took a flash picture and then...........there he was looking so sweet and friendly............again in Chiang Mai

This is the view from the plane flying out of Mae Hong Son

one of the many creative uses of bamboo. Today we passed a 'lumber yard' and it was basically various sizes of bamboo stacked in various bins.

Mady and I walked all over Chiang Mai yesterday............and while walking, I tripped on a board on the street and fell FLAT ON MY FACE. I was worried that I had broken my nose, but it is just bruised and I got a fat lip and was extremely embarrassed..........the woman who were busy preparing lots of food were sure to get me ice.......Mady was great at telling me it probably felt worse than it looks and my nose was not crooked!! We continued to walk, with my holding ice on my face. We went to the Women's Correctional Institute, where they actually do massage and have a shop and a bakery.........teaching trades to the women in prison. We opted not to get massages at the moment, cause I felt too vulnerable already!!!! And Mady had fallen with the scooter the day before so was not really wanting to get rubbed either. What a pair.

We spent a lovely day exploring Chiang Mai and enjoying MANY MANY Wats, there are a ton of them here. Our guest house is quite pleasant but it does not have wireless like my hut!!! So I am stopping in here to just do a quick update.

Today, we took a bus to Chiang Dao to meet with some folks who are doing community political theatre with the hilltribes near Chiang Dao. They have an amazing compound. I did take pictures but have not downloaded them yet, so they will be on another entry. We learned a lot. It is an amazing project called Mathamsom Theater (I think- I have to ask Mady again about the name). They have been in the area for 3 years now and are just slowly............very slowly building connections in the community and are becoming more and more trusted. It is fantastic. Mady talked about how in the states we do 'community projects' for 3 to 6 months............again, our different sense of time.

So my dears, I am aware that there are so many pictures I have not take, can not send you, but are so full in my mind. The people carrying piles of leaves on scooter for making a roof. The garden shops that sell alters in every color. The pictures, billboards, shrines to the King everywhere you look. The many uses of bikes and scooters and trucks and vans to get anything anywhere. And as it is said again and again...........the smiles. People are very smiley........always.

I meet up with Jami tomorrow and begin the next chapter. Mady will go with me but leave on Friday for Bangkok and then back to the states. I will keep posting as I can.

Karen