Goodbye Burma, Hello Chiang Mai!

We're actually home now, but this was the update that we emailed to some family while we were beginning the last week of our vacation.  I'm putting all Brandon's narrating in separate posts and one of these days when I feel up to it I'll get a big LONG post of pictures from our trip on here (we took about 600, so there is a lot to go through!) So for now, here is the rest of Brandon's update . . . .

We're back in Yangon and missing the beach already. Mom and dad took us downtown fora night market right at the heart of the city. It was incredible to see the throngs of people crowding the side walks. stands popped up and  shops flowed into the street selling everything and anything you could imagine. Used electrical components for flat irons and microwaves, knock off apple products, fake designer everything, and food venders galore. We bought some spring rolls and really delicious deep fried potato chips. We weren't brave enough to try anything with meat but that's probably smart traveling 101. So we shopped around and walked until our feet ached and then headed back to the apartment for the night.

        The next morning our trusted driver Tun toured us around the city some more. We started at a video store the was overflowing with pirated copies of the latest in movies, tv series, the classics and more. We went nuts. At these prices you would too! We bought over ten Movies and a few tv seasons. The movies at this shop are just like normal ones, they arent thepirated copies where its someone taking their video  areram in the theater, basicallynjuat a burnt DVD. After that we got some ice cream, saw another beautiful pagoda and walked down by the river. One boat that caught my eye hade the words "swimming doctors" painted on the side. The boat cruises up and down the river and acts as a floating clinic, offering medical services to the small communities outside Yangon along the water. Tun said that for these small villages this is usually all the medical care they get. Other ships had rows of men unloading bags of rice, a perfect assembly line of workers. Fishing boats were parked in rows and commuter boats ferried passengers to the other side of the river. It was  a busy river bank.

         After a power nap back at the apartment we showered and got ready for dinner. Em borrowed a classic Myanmar dress from her moM and I proudly adorned my new longey. We fit right. It was in that elaborately sized and decorated boat in the park we visited earlier in our trip. At the restaurant entrance sat a couple dressed as the prince and at the ready for pictures. Guarding the entrance were two men wielding swords and dressed as ancient soldiers. Inside was a large buffet and stage. As we ate we were entertained with a live show. Each performance told a different story and represented the dress and customs of a different region of the country. The whole thing had me thinking about that scene in 'the king and I' where the servants perform their interpretation of 'uncle toms cabin' while the king and his guests dine. The whole dinner was a unique experience.

         The next morning was an early wake up as we readied our bags and went to the airport. It was sad to say goodbye to mom and dad b. it was amazing to see first hand the important work they've been busy with this last year. Lives will change for the better as a result of their efforts here. That's beyond the realm of wondering, it's a guaranteed thing. Even still, a small part of us remains selfish as we miss them and can't wait for them to finish and come home.

        On to Thailand! It was another long lay over in the Bangkok airport but finally we touched down in Chang Mai. With all this waiting around in airports and sitting on planes, I've finished two books and am moving on to the third. Our timing was perfect as every Sunday Chang Mai has a huge night bazaar. Lucky for us it was only a quick walk from our hostel. We were shocked at the size of the market and enormity of the selection! Beautifully carved teak and ebony statues, blown glass, woven Thai silk, tailored dresses and of course more food vendors. It was all there. Even at least a dozen little musical groups strumming guitars and banging drums for money in the street. We walked for over three hours and never found the end of the market. With  our backpack full of our latest purchases we headed back to our little room for some sleep.

        We've become spoiled with the barnards nice apartment in Yangon and the amazing resort on the beach, because when we opened the door to our little room here it was a surprise to say the least. The small room is decently clean, which is enough for me, but it's no deluxe suite that's for sure. Our bed mattress is like a bag of sand, the shower is a joke and the door has the handle lock and then two dead bolts and a chain. Yikes! The location is great though and the price is right. Free breakfast every morning doesn't hurt either.

           Almost immediately upon our arrival we sat down with the concierge and planned a couple half and whole day trips. The next morning we were up early, scarfed down an omelet and French toast and then piled into a large van to join another group and see the famous wat phrathat doi suthep temple. This tour would also take us high up into the mountains to the meo hill tribe in doi pui.

The drive was amazing, full of steep inclines and sharp switch backs. The narrow ribbon of black tarmac dark with shadows from the jungle overhead. Higher and higher we climbed until we were 2000 ft. Above Chang Mai. We quickly made friends with a fourth year med. student from New York who'd taken a seat next to us. Together the three of us wandered around the small hill tribe village snapping pictures of the incredible views, admiring the terraced gardens and narrow mountain trails that led in all directions. Stands were set up and filled with pieces of jewelry, clothing and countless other items, but we controlled ourselves and only bought a banana wrapped in a fresh waffle and drizzled in honey, all on a stick. Yum!!!

       The temple we next visited was bright yellow gold and shone brilliantly in the sun. The surrounding grounds were amazing and pictures galore were taken. We had to climb precisely 306 stone steps to reach the temple from the bustling street below. The steps were framed on both sides with two giant green carved serpents that snaked all the way up to the temples entrance. The inside of the sacred grounds were full of gold buddha statues and beautifully painted  murals depicting the many deeds Of the Buddha. We laughed as our new friend Megan struggled to keep her head below the level of the many Buddha statues as this is an important sign of respect that should be observed. Megan's at least 6'2" so it wasn't easy for her.

        Afterwards we returned to our little hostel, grabbed some lunch at a local spot close by and then got picked up by a cab for three hours of massages and other Thai style pampering. Thai massages can be more painful than pleasurable but there's no arguing with results; afterwards we both felt great!

     The next morning it was another early start. Our truck picked us up and our tour guide named Dang greeted us in awkward, booming English. We climbed into the back of the pickup that had been fitted with benches  and a big cover in the back. With a few metal bars to cling to and a bag full of water bottles at our feet we set off into the mountains. The other guests on the tour were three college girls from California, Nebraska and Colorado state doing a study abroad semester in china. There was also a young couple from spain. The guy didn't speak any English and appeared relieved when I gave him some conversation in Spanish.


      We first rumbled out of the city and stopped at an orchid farm where they were growing bright, beautiful orchids of all sizes and colors to be sold in town. From there we climbed higher into the hills and visited a few mountain tribes in the area. The names were too complicated to pronounce let alone remember a day later but our tour guide jokingly referred to one tribe as the 'big ear' tribe. They had huge gauges stretching their ear lobes to impossible sizes. Another tribe I was most anxious and excited to see were the 'long necks'. Again, our tour guides name for them. I'd seen this tribe many times  on the discovery channel and now here they were, wearing up to 40 lbs of golden metal coils wrapped around their necks in order to, over a lifetime, stretch their necks to extraordinary lengths.

        Like the 'big ear' tribe this is done because its considered to be very beautiful. They were nice to let us take pictures. There was even a small catholic church in the tribes village from when missionaries had come through teaching Christianity to the people years ago. It was all really amazing to watch as the men busied themselves putting a roof on a newly constructed hut and the women cooked, spun fabric and tended to the youngest children.

         Back to the truck. We drove deeper into the jungle along a narrow road of red clay and suddenly we were in the elephant camp surrounded by elephants. We bought sugar cane and bananas to feed them and after lots of interaction and pictures of course we hoped up onto a tall wooden platform and climbed inside the small metal box perched on top of the elephants back. With our guide sitting on its head, we trekked off into the jungle. Our little bench didn't have a lap bar, so we clung tight to the sides of our seats as the elephant stomped down a steep hill towards the river below to keep ourselves from falling out.

       After splashing in the river for a minute, the guide coaxed our elephant back on the trail and our ride continued. It was amazing to see the power and grace of these massive animals, and feel the movement of their ropey muscles under your feet as they walked. All in all we spent close to an hour riding and then returned for a lunch of rice, pineapple and leechie fruit. Next we hiked an amazing trail through the green, dense jungle that ran along a tumbling river. Our guide turned out to be quite the botanist, and regaled us with information about all the local flora and fauna along the trail. What's good to eat raw, what can you cook with, make tea with, treat sore muscles with or be killed by, Dang knew it all. His enthusiasm and choppy English was fantastic!  After an hour of walking we arrived, drenched with sweat and panting to a beautiful waterfall. Thankful, we stripped down to our swim suits and jumped in to cool off. It was heaven.

        When we returned to the truck our guide drove a little further down river to some inflatable rafts for some river rafting. We were given some instruction on how to safely maneuver down the river. I helped interpret for our Spanish couple, and we set off. The river was fun, full of rocks we kept getting hung up on, but still a good time. At every section of rapids local Thai people had gathered on the river banks to laugh, snap pictures and cheer us on. At one section where the river runs slow and calm, the banks were lined with little huts and the water was full of the local people eating lunch at tables and chairs set up in the shallow water and other groups playing and swimming. As we passed the kids would rush over to splash us and squeal in delight as we splashed back. This went on for maybe a mile as hundreds of kids attacked us with all they had. It was hilarious and great fun!

        At a certain point in the river we switched to traditional bamboo rafts just to experience it for a half mile or so, and then it was time to go home.  Back at our place em and I fought to get into the hot shower first, she won, and then got out the  iPad to look for a nearby restaurant for dinner. We found a great Italian place, which hit the spot after all the Thai food we've been eating. After dinner we hit the hay and slept like the dead. What a day!


        The next day we enjoyed sleeping in here in Chang Mai. After breakfast we decided to follow up on the many recommendations we'd received from other tourists about tiger kingdom. We hired a driver and tut tut, which is little more than a motorcycle attached to a metal box with two wheels and a small bench on the back. We payed $8 American to have him for half the day. Not bad right!
      Tiger kingdom was as amazing as it was unique. We payed to get up close and personal with both adult tigers and babies. With a trainer close at hand we first cuddled up, literally, to the babies. A three and four month old wrestled and played in our laps, nipping at the camera strap and pouncing at our hands as we tapped the ground inviting the young tigers playful side to come out. They were adorable, and we took lots of pictures. After 20 minutes or so we moved on to the adults. We were both a little more cautious as we approached these massive, powerful cats. They were calm and completely tolerant of us, so we took pictures, stroked their orange stripped coats and stayed away from the side with teeth as best we could. we have pictures of us lying on the big tigers with their tail wrapped around our necks, it was fun!

      We stayed and ate lunch at the parks own restaurant. Our table overlooked the young tigers den so we watched as tigers, around the size of large dogs, chased each other and splashed in their fabricated pond. To my dismay, at around this same moment I discovered that I hadn't formatted the newly purchased SD card I'd stuck in the camera before our tiger pictures. After a full morning of snapping away, suddenly I can't access the images, even though I know they're on the card, just in the wrong format. UGHHHH, now to find some cheap software to recover the pictures. There's only about a hundred and they're all of us playing with tigers, so.......they're worth the effort for sure!

        We sped back into the city, packed our bags and were back on a plane headed for Bangkok. Again. I've seen the airport three times now and am excited to finally get into the city. Chang Mai was a fantastic few days. A place worth revisiting in the future.