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TONY T's 4th THAILAND TRAVELS
CHIANG MAI
Page 9
Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents.
Thursday 30th March (cont'd):
Well I've travelled by air in a great many places from a great many airports in the world, but Air Asia's chaotic check-in system is a new one on me.&nbsa; Instead of strolling up to a check-in desk and the business is done simply, we were turned back to queue up at a check-in machine away from the desks for a touch-screen thing to spit out a piece of paper to take to the check-in desk. Moreover, we then were turned away to get a baggage ticket. By this time I lost it and told one of the Air Asia staff to do it.... absolutely crazy, unnecessary and bureaucratic system which no other airline I've ever come across ascribes to.
Anyway, the plane left ahead of time and 1hr 25mins later we landed in Chiang Mai.
A bit of hassle getting a taxi but once in one were quickly ushered in to The Rim Hotel; first impressions? Favourable!
After a swift change of clothes we ventured out and ended up walking miles. My aim was to walk to the river but the crap map the hotel gave us was next to useless and it took forever to walk to it... shouldn't have bothered as it's no great thing.
Getting a bit foot sore so we jumped a local taxi-bus (a bit like Pattaya Baht-buses) which got us part-way back, stopping for a swift beer.
At this early stage we're not entirely sure travelling all this way to visit Chiang Mai was worth the effort and expense, but time will tell.
Above are various photos of TheRim Hotel, pool and grounds.
Friday 31st:
We appear have problems with room air-con wherever we go. Firstly, the Omni Tower, where our original apartment was since 2011, which got so noisy we had to switch it off at night. Then one of the bedroom units at the villa in Koh Tao simply blew out hot air, now the unit in The Rim here in Chiang Mai isn't working properly.
However, a complaint to staff first thing in the morning brought swift results. By the time we returned from breakfast there was a guy fixing the air-con unit.
A bit of a lazy day really; I think we both felt less than 100% so we spent most of daylight hours in and out of the room.
In the evening, we hitched a ride on the hotel mini-bus to the market place. Wandered about for an hour, bought some Chiang Mai shirt & shorts sets for Jack and then dined in a small restaurant. Caught a tuk-tuk back to the hotel.
Saturday 1st April:
An interesting day. After yesterday's inactivity, we decided to hire a taxi for the day to take us up into the mountains behind Chiang Mai. For 2000Baht the driver will take us almost anywhere and stop anywhere for the whole day in air-conditioned comfort.
Up and up we went, one hairpin bend after another ending up over 2000 metres up into the high mountains to visit some of the hill villages and the different tribes that still live up there.
There are seven broad hill tribe groupings: Karen, Lahu, Hmong, Lisu, Akha, Mien, and Padaung. However, within these categories, there are sub-categories and clans that further divide the groups. Each hill tribe has its own customs, language, dress and spiritual beliefs and this is sometimes true even of the numerous sub-categories within one hill tribe..
First stop was the hill village of Hmong Village. This consisted of steep tracks and steps through what seemed to me an endless parade of shops selling stuff for tourists. But I guess this is now their main source of income.
Aom hired a local dress and, I have to say, she looked gorgeous in it.
We wandered about the village for an hour; it was noticeably cooler up here (23ºC) and I was aware of the altitude.
Down and down and down again to the plains area of Chiang Mai and a 10 mile trip before heading up into the mountains again. Not as high up this time but to a protected area where hill tribes are encouraged to maintain their tribal culture, dress and ways of life.
This was the village of Baan Tong Luang.
Baan Tong Luang was opened to the public in 2005. According to the signs, it was set up as an Eco Agricultural project to preserve the old traditional ways of Hill Tribe agriculture and to provide an income for the Hill Tribe people. For the visitor, Baan Tong Luang provides the opportunity to see and photograph the people from four Thai Hill Tribes in one place.
More Information on the hill tribes on this website.
It costs 500Baht per person to visit this site which goes some way to maintain the community. We spent a couple of hours here occasionally chatting to some of the inhabitants; all happy to have their photos taken.
One of the unusual highlights is the section which houses the Padaung tribe. These are the tribe whose female population wear the brass rings around their necks and knees; also known as the long-neck tribe.
Back at the hotel around 17:00
- FIRST & SECOND ROWS: General photos of the Baan Tong Luang Village
- THIRD & FOURTH: Some of the ladies at work.
- FIFTH LEFT: The old gent is puffing away on this big pipe.
- FIFTH RIGHT: Weaving away.
- CENTRE: One of the 'long-necked' women of the Padaung tribe.
- BOTTOM RIGHT: This young girl was only 10 or 11 years old and already resigned to wearing her brass neck rings.
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CHIANG MAI
Page 9
Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents.
Thursday 30th March (cont'd):
Well I've travelled by air in a great many places from a great many airports in the world, but Air Asia's chaotic check-in system is a new one on me.&nbsa; Instead of strolling up to a check-in desk and the business is done simply, we were turned back to queue up at a check-in machine away from the desks for a touch-screen thing to spit out a piece of paper to take to the check-in desk. Moreover, we then were turned away to get a baggage ticket. By this time I lost it and told one of the Air Asia staff to do it.... absolutely crazy, unnecessary and bureaucratic system which no other airline I've ever come across ascribes to.
Anyway, the plane left ahead of time and 1hr 25mins later we landed in Chiang Mai.
A bit of hassle getting a taxi but once in one were quickly ushered in to The Rim Hotel; first impressions? Favourable!
After a swift change of clothes we ventured out and ended up walking miles. My aim was to walk to the river but the crap map the hotel gave us was next to useless and it took forever to walk to it... shouldn't have bothered as it's no great thing.
Getting a bit foot sore so we jumped a local taxi-bus (a bit like Pattaya Baht-buses) which got us part-way back, stopping for a swift beer.
At this early stage we're not entirely sure travelling all this way to visit Chiang Mai was worth the effort and expense, but time will tell.
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Friday 31st:
We appear have problems with room air-con wherever we go. Firstly, the Omni Tower, where our original apartment was since 2011, which got so noisy we had to switch it off at night. Then one of the bedroom units at the villa in Koh Tao simply blew out hot air, now the unit in The Rim here in Chiang Mai isn't working properly.
However, a complaint to staff first thing in the morning brought swift results. By the time we returned from breakfast there was a guy fixing the air-con unit.
A bit of a lazy day really; I think we both felt less than 100% so we spent most of daylight hours in and out of the room.
In the evening, we hitched a ride on the hotel mini-bus to the market place. Wandered about for an hour, bought some Chiang Mai shirt & shorts sets for Jack and then dined in a small restaurant. Caught a tuk-tuk back to the hotel.
Saturday 1st April:
An interesting day. After yesterday's inactivity, we decided to hire a taxi for the day to take us up into the mountains behind Chiang Mai. For 2000Baht the driver will take us almost anywhere and stop anywhere for the whole day in air-conditioned comfort.
Up and up we went, one hairpin bend after another ending up over 2000 metres up into the high mountains to visit some of the hill villages and the different tribes that still live up there.
There are seven broad hill tribe groupings: Karen, Lahu, Hmong, Lisu, Akha, Mien, and Padaung. However, within these categories, there are sub-categories and clans that further divide the groups. Each hill tribe has its own customs, language, dress and spiritual beliefs and this is sometimes true even of the numerous sub-categories within one hill tribe..
First stop was the hill village of Hmong Village. This consisted of steep tracks and steps through what seemed to me an endless parade of shops selling stuff for tourists. But I guess this is now their main source of income.
Aom hired a local dress and, I have to say, she looked gorgeous in it.
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| |
|
| |
We wandered about the village for an hour; it was noticeably cooler up here (23ºC) and I was aware of the altitude.
Down and down and down again to the plains area of Chiang Mai and a 10 mile trip before heading up into the mountains again. Not as high up this time but to a protected area where hill tribes are encouraged to maintain their tribal culture, dress and ways of life.
This was the village of Baan Tong Luang.
Baan Tong Luang was opened to the public in 2005. According to the signs, it was set up as an Eco Agricultural project to preserve the old traditional ways of Hill Tribe agriculture and to provide an income for the Hill Tribe people. For the visitor, Baan Tong Luang provides the opportunity to see and photograph the people from four Thai Hill Tribes in one place.
More Information on the hill tribes on this website.
It costs 500Baht per person to visit this site which goes some way to maintain the community. We spent a couple of hours here occasionally chatting to some of the inhabitants; all happy to have their photos taken.
One of the unusual highlights is the section which houses the Padaung tribe. These are the tribe whose female population wear the brass rings around their necks and knees; also known as the long-neck tribe.
Back at the hotel around 17:00
Next or Go To Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 - 10 11 12 13