Karon Beach, Phuket was our first destination. We decided to treat ourselves to a beachside resort for 10 days. This was a welcome oasis after more than 9 weeks on the go. Although the neighbouring district (Patong Beach) is a shop-til-you-drop destination, we chose to drop 
exclusively. We have been positioned in beach chairs (either poolside or at the ocean) since arrival. We've each read one novel per day, pampered ourselves with Thai oil body massages, dined on delicious, healthy and cheap(!) Thai food and fresh exotic fruit, and taken in the magnificent sunsets! The weather is spectacular: sunny, 30s C, picture perfect. Ann says "IT IS DAMN HOT". The poor girl is melting! The lotus, phlox and orchid flowers are so incredibly beautiful. It is difficult to imagine the cool Fall upon our family and friends back home in Canada. Oh, did we mention that Karon Beach has the biggest butterflies we've ever seen?!
exclusively. We have been positioned in beach chairs (either poolside or at the ocean) since arrival. We've each read one novel per day, pampered ourselves with Thai oil body massages, dined on delicious, healthy and cheap(!) Thai food and fresh exotic fruit, and taken in the magnificent sunsets! The weather is spectacular: sunny, 30s C, picture perfect. Ann says "IT IS DAMN HOT". The poor girl is melting! The lotus, phlox and orchid flowers are so incredibly beautiful. It is difficult to imagine the cool Fall upon our family and friends back home in Canada. Oh, did we mention that Karon Beach has the biggest butterflies we've ever seen?!
Debbie did a day trip to Phi Phi Island. She explored Maya bay, Khai Island and Monkey Beach (where she fed bananas to the monkeys). She snorkelled in Loh Samah Bay and Pi Leh Bay. The water in the Phuket area is teal green and so clear. It is breathtaking. She also visited the Viking Caves where there is harvesting of shallow birds' nests --- a Chinese delicacy.
Chiang Mai was our next stop. We flew in on Oct 10 and explored the neighbourhood near our hotel: Bossotel Inn. On Oct 11, we attended the first of two cooking classes "A Lot of 
Thai" (http://www.alotofthai.com/). Our hostess was Chef Yui! The day was incredible. We learned to make Pad Thai, green curry with chicken, hot and spicy soup, stir fried chicken with cashew nuts, spring rolls and a sticky rice / coconut milk dessert. We also toured a local market and tasted some of the delicious fresh ingredients that make Thai food so flavourful. Our fellow participants were fun and lively! Thanks to Joe and Hong (USA) and John and Caroline (UK). By the way, Canadian chef Michael Smith of the "Cooking at Home" series will be filming Yui in November as part of his "Chefs Abroad" series. We hope to be able to watch the show when it is eventually broadcasted.
Thai" (http://www.alotofthai.com/). Our hostess was Chef Yui! The day was incredible. We learned to make Pad Thai, green curry with chicken, hot and spicy soup, stir fried chicken with cashew nuts, spring rolls and a sticky rice / coconut milk dessert. We also toured a local market and tasted some of the delicious fresh ingredients that make Thai food so flavourful. Our fellow participants were fun and lively! Thanks to Joe and Hong (USA) and John and Caroline (UK). By the way, Canadian chef Michael Smith of the "Cooking at Home" series will be filming Yui in November as part of his "Chefs Abroad" series. We hope to be able to watch the show when it is eventually broadcasted. 
Oct 12 (Ann's birthday) was celebrated in fine fashion. We began the day with a tour of a hillside village called Hmong. The tribal people who live there originated in Burma and southern China. Essentially, they are nomads who have travelled and survived by growing and selling opium and marijuana crop. Because this type of farming destroys the hillside soil over time, the farmers need to continually move to new locations. Approximately 45 years ago, they settled near Chiang 
Mai and the King / Queen of Thailand have encouraged a "program" where the tribe can maintain their viability, instead of growing/selling opium, by way of creating crafts (embroidery, linen, etc). The village is open to the public and craft goods are sold to support the community. Next, we visited the Doi Suthep Temple. Again, we witnessed profound Buddhist traditions / customs. The devote offered up lotus flowers, walked 3X around the pegoda and burned incense. Monks were very much present and it was surprising to see them sporting body piercings, and tatoos, and using cellular phones! Later that evening, we explored the famous "Sunday" craft market in Chiang Mai proper. We shopped, dined on spring rolls, stir fried noodles and BBQ corn on the cob. We also sampled organic wine made at the University of Chiang Mai. Debbie enjoyed the strawberry wine. Ann indulged in the lichy vino. The tuk tuk ride back from the market was scary, scary, scary. There are some nutty drivers in this world!
Mai and the King / Queen of Thailand have encouraged a "program" where the tribe can maintain their viability, instead of growing/selling opium, by way of creating crafts (embroidery, linen, etc). The village is open to the public and craft goods are sold to support the community. Next, we visited the Doi Suthep Temple. Again, we witnessed profound Buddhist traditions / customs. The devote offered up lotus flowers, walked 3X around the pegoda and burned incense. Monks were very much present and it was surprising to see them sporting body piercings, and tatoos, and using cellular phones! Later that evening, we explored the famous "Sunday" craft market in Chiang Mai proper. We shopped, dined on spring rolls, stir fried noodles and BBQ corn on the cob. We also sampled organic wine made at the University of Chiang Mai. Debbie enjoyed the strawberry wine. Ann indulged in the lichy vino. The tuk tuk ride back from the market was scary, scary, scary. There are some nutty drivers in this world!
The next day, we visited an orchid and butterfly farm. The orchids are simply beautiful. Pictures
will never do them justice! We then went to the Maesa Elephant camp where we watched the elephants be bathed and perform a talent show (soccer, painting, dart throwing, hoola hoop swirling etc) show. We had the opportunity to ride on an elephant and it was an amazing experience! The mahout told us that our elephant was 40 years old. Next, we visited the Queen Sirikrit botanical gardens. Again, the sights were breathtaking. The weather was glorious: sunny, 30s. We lunched on fried noodles and fried chicken for $1 (CAN) each! 
After lunch we visited the Red Karen long-neck, Big-ears, and Lisu Hill tribes. This experience was an eye opener. These tribe people are considered to be "refugees"; they work the land, pay no taxes and as such are not entitled to any of the benefits that Thai nationals enjoy. Their houses are rudimentary (2 room huts made of bamboo, no windows, no furniture, no electricity, no water). The village people survive by farming the land and selling their crafts (woven scarves, jewellry, picture frames etc). There is a one room (Christian) Primary school for the children, and no Secondary school. Boys and girls begin to work at approximately 13 years of age. Boys tend the fields while girls create crafts. It was so difficult to reconcile that at age 5 years, girls MUST begin to wear the neck rings. The rings are made of copper and are extremely heavy and thick; our guide told us that the experience of the inital application (and of each addition of rings) is painful. The rings are taken off every 2 years to wash their necks and then more rings are added so that over time, the neck appears to elongate (it is actually that their shoulders droop from the constant pressure). This custom is important to the tribal people as they believe the long necks are a sign of beauty. Women must wear the cumbersome and heavy rings until death. It was difficult for us to reconcile that in our modern era, developing societies allow these customs and traditions to continue. Given that it limits mobility, is painful and by virtue of their refugee status and minimal education, tribal children have extremely limited opportunity for their future. The next day, we attended the Chiang Mai Thai Cooking School where we made yellow curry with chicken, chicken with cashew nuts, red curry fish steamed in banana leaves, spicy prawn salad, stir fried noodles with pork and bananas in coconut milk. There were approximately 25 people attending this course and we enjoyed speaking with folk from Belgium, Holland and Denmark. Again, the food is so incredibly delicious and spicy. Our last day trip was to Chiang Rai: hotsprings, ~650 year old temple, 2 more extremely poor tribal villages, slow boat cruise in the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle is the place where the Mekong River boasts banks in Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. We debarked in Laos and did some 'shopping' in their craft market.
In the evenings, Ann and I have enjoyed a couple of visits to the night market. We dine in local Thai restaurants in center town and then roam around 'people watching' and shopping.
The Thai people will hold a special place in our memories. They are gentle ... always bowing and greeting us with hands clasped at their hearts. The women are STUNNING. The hotel staff have been gracious and generous. On her birthday, the hotel arranged for Ann to receive bouquets, bouquets, bouquets, bouquets and bouquets of orchids, a dessert platter and a token gift. The room was an array of colours and smelled magnificently! Next, they arranged for someone to come and repair her suitcase. The repairman drove to the hotel, fixed the suitcase back at his shop and returned it at a cost of $3. Unbelievable.
Tomorrow, we will be leaving for Laos via a bus, and slowboat / ferry along the Mekong River. This trip will be an adventure and will take 3 days to accomplish. We will update you on our Laos trip as soon as possible.
Be well.
The Thai people will hold a special place in our memories. They are gentle ... always bowing and greeting us with hands clasped at their hearts. The women are STUNNING. The hotel staff have been gracious and generous. On her birthday, the hotel arranged for Ann to receive bouquets, bouquets, bouquets, bouquets and bouquets of orchids, a dessert platter and a token gift. The room was an array of colours and smelled magnificently! Next, they arranged for someone to come and repair her suitcase. The repairman drove to the hotel, fixed the suitcase back at his shop and returned it at a cost of $3. Unbelievable.
Tomorrow, we will be leaving for Laos via a bus, and slowboat / ferry along the Mekong River. This trip will be an adventure and will take 3 days to accomplish. We will update you on our Laos trip as soon as possible.
Be well.
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