Back from Chiang Dao

Sorry for the lapse. We really were up in the middle of nowhere, (and loving it). We were wisked up to our Chiang Dao Nest resort in a fancy air conditoned mini van, but the scenary left us exchanging increasingly worried glances. It just got uglier and uglier. It really is dry season here. Not enough greenery to go around and lots of burned places, whether controlled burn or wildfire we couldn't tell. And it all seemed torn up with lots and lots of rubble. I guess a huge highway project is going on or something. The air was thick with smokey haze. You could see there were mountains up there but just barely.
Then all of a sudden we passed elephants. About 15 of them walking about this big property. I think they were working elephants, but there didn't seem to be any people about. The kids sat up for that!
By the time we got to the tiny town of Chiang Dao things were looking a little better, then woosh we drove past the Cave Temple complex and were turning down a driveway and viola, we'd arrived. It was our Enchanted April moment. ( my favorite travel movie).
What can I say? It was stunning. There was a beautiful outdoor cafe area with handmade wooden tables, orchids and beautiful plants everywhere. A truly beautiful Thai woman came to greet us, Pom, and we all of us instantly fell in love with her sweetness and her smile. We had a delightful lunch whilst waiting for out rooms to be made ready. One of the reasons we came to this place is Wiccha, one of the owners. She is an astounding gourmet chef who studied in Europe (where I suppose she met Stuart, her husband, the other owner). The food was perfect. And so cheap!
Anyhow, our bungalows were made of bamboo, with big french windows and cool smooth concrete floors. Simple, but elegant and beautiful, with little lotus ponds out front. I think there were only 6 of them. All down little gravel paths bounded by exotic flower bushes.
It was hot, but noticeably cooler than in Chiang Mai, and indeed for most of our stay the weather was perfect, and actually quite cool a few evenings.
While the kids and Joyce were settling in Krista and I stole away to explore. We ended up walking down the driveway and up the road, sort of in a dreamy haze. We passed a ripe banana tree and huge bamboo, as big as thigh, in sky high clusters. There was some exotic tree with a smooth straight trunk that soared way way up, no branches until the top canopy, which was raining down lovely pink and white flowers, spiral stars with the feel of orchids. Not in Kansas anymore.
Then we got to the end of the road and it was a big open gate. We'd seen another Nest guest go through so we hesitantly followed and came upon the most amazing white and gold temple glowing in the dusk. Our sense of being in a dream became delightfully intense. It was something straight out of Journey to the Wild Divine, if you know what that is. There was no one at all about. Just us. We followed the path and came to stairs, guarded by the now familiar, but very impressive, Thai Nagas--serpents or dragons. The stairs went up and up and up, winding out of sight.
The next day we went up them with Joyce and Eden. My god what a climb! We didn't follow them to their end, but could see it: A small golden temple high up on the mountain side. It truly took our breath away (even more than the hundreds of stairs). By this time Thai and Burmese monks were passing up, in their saffron robes. One or two actually greeted us! Mostly they aren't supposed to acknowledge women, (and seem indifferent to ridiculous farang men).
Okay, I'd better condense things a bit...
The next day we did the almost obligatory Elephant Ride/Bamboo Rafting/Visit to a Hill Tribe. What can I say? It was a bit disappointing, but I'm glad we did it. For me the best part was visiting the dirt poor Palong tribe and supporting them by buying lovely handicrafts. I got to go inside one of their homes, which are all up on stilts. It was quite simple I thought, then looking out the window hole (shutters, no glass) I saw a brand new solar panel mounted on a pole!! Turning around I suddenly noticed the old TV set in the corner! Whoa! Under the floor, I could see through gaps in the boards, were chickens and piglets scurrying about. It was a trip. Going down the river (which was often more like a broad shallow drainage canal) we saw lots of Thai kids playing and Thai men and women fishing or working in the fields above us. At one point a bunch of kids, who were loudly climbing up an overhanging tree and jumping in the water, swam over and boarded our rafts!!! They wanted a free ride down the little 'rapids'. Lots of people were friendly and waved to us, or back at us, calling 'sawadeeka', the main Thai greeting.
Our driver 'Mann' was very charming and very funny. He spoke some english and taught us a few words, but mainly made us laugh and laugh. We all adored him, except Eden, who he teased and teased (very theraputic for her I'm certain).
The next day we visited the Chiang Dao Cave, which is quite an elaborate temple complex. It was my fave. It was clearly a place more visited by Thais than farang. There was a whole ring of permanent markets and 'resturaunt' stalls. The markets mainly sold herbal preparations and raw or dried herbs. It was astounding to see the variety. Very exotic! I bought some 'pills' from a very old woman with an unintentionally comical label. They look like pepper corns and will make my hair black again (?), strenghten the sexual and prevent beriberi!
Inside the cave was a VERY impressive temple chocked full of buddhas and nagas and other statues. It was illuminated by daylight coming through a gap in the ceiling. Wow. I won't say much more except that we ended up following a Thai guide, carrying a stinky gas lantern, who spoke almost no english and suddenly we were expected to crawl on our hands and knees through a rather small hole (one of several it turned out). A rather wet and slippery hole too. It was all too harrowing for Eden, who bumped her head, twice. Clearly Krista and Joyce were glad for an excuse to take quick exit. India and I continued on to the bitter end, which turned out to be a very deep chasm! If we understood our guide correctly. And this is after slipping any number of times. Then we turned about and ended up going down the same way Eden was escorted--an incredibly steep slippery 'staircase'. Ack. I loved it. And yes, there were bats, though not so many. One flew by India's face once, inches away.
I could go on. The food was worthy of many paragraphs, but will get none here, except to say that one dark night I walked with the girls down to the resort's Thai resturaunt, down near the cave temple. We had a truly excellant meal, maybe the best Thai food I've had (made by Wiccha's sister). But Eden was very tired and did not like walking in the dark. In fact I had carried her about halfway down the hill. Suddenly Wiccha's sister appeared and told us that one of the staff (a very handsome fellow) had offered to drive us back up on a motorcycle! What could we say? Eden and I went first (no helmets!). I was terrified. It was very dark, very windy and there were dogs in the road. But we made it back in just a few rushing minutes and were greeted enthusiastically by Krista and Joyce who had just finished eating, and by Wiccha and a few other guests. Then up comes India, vrroooom. I was worried she'd be freaked out, holding onto some stranger, first time on a bike. She was elated! "We should get one of these things!!". Fun.
Today, instead of the expensive aircon mini bus we took a songtheauw down to Chiang Dao and boarded a real Thai bus. This saved us 1000 bhat and gave us a new and very uncomfortable experience (the bus was too full and only Joyce really had a seat). Still it was great.
I need to wrap it up here before midnight. Suffice it to say we found a guesthouse after a long search and walked down to the famous night market. We had a wonderful time. It really is fantastic. Krista and Joyce are in shopper's heaven and plan to go back tomorrow.
We will probably stay at least one more night in Chaing Mai and then take the train down to Pitsonulok (sp?) and bus over to Sukhothai.
love
rob