I'm Dreaming of a Thai Christmas...
~Happy New Year!!! [Sawatdee bpi mai kha!]~
It's been awhile since I've updated!
I blame it on Chiang Mai.
Then I blame it on Chiang Rai because that place was really cold... temperature-wise.
...I didn't know Thailand could do such dramatic temperatures... unless you were on a mountain, say... Phu Kradung, for example.
I write to you now with a lap cat cutting off circulation to my legs.
I'm sure this 17 year-old doesn't truly mind, as I'm playing the part of heater on a cool winter night. My hands are like ice right now, and I've already returned "home" to Udonthani.
On the 16th, I struck ill at night, and visited the doctor the following morning. I left for Chiang Mai/The Northern Tour with Rotary on the 17th, still ill, but feeling better. I believe it was a very bad case of the "24-hour flu," a.k.a. food poisoning. Progressing through the trip, I got better and better, and was able to eat more.
Anyway,
The trip took us to the Lampang Elephant Site, where we watched elephants paint on canvas, watched them all "jump" into the lake and take a bath, rode on them, and visited the elephant hospital.
Michelle and I took a carriage ride through a town, then asked a martial arts school where the nearest pizza joint was. We eneded up going to an internet cafe instead.
We all went cave exploring and found really weird things like a "hairy chicken," which I honestly can't explain.
We found Engrish, sang in the dark. Took pictures to light up our walkway.
We visited ruins that are older than our country, and a tree, too.
I beat a gong properly with a giant padded club.
Took a picture of a pony with an interesting hair-do.
Arrived in Chiang Mai.
We stayed at the Royal Lanna, more than 22 floors of awesomeness, and "access" to the roof.
It was located in the Night Bazaar, which oddly enough, closed before the stroke of midnight, and more active during the day. Should have been named the Bazaar, leaving out the whole "night" part.
When we checked into our rooms, I looked out our window and saw a window cleaner man on the other hotel, along with a wicked reflection of our own hotel.
We had a Starbucks nearby, along with a Burger King not far from here, and a Mc Donalds AND Subway!
The most-visited place by me would be Starbucks.
The group took a "tour" through a "Silverware Factory," where they make sterling silver artwork and jewelry. Then, because we were students, everything in the store was half off the regular price for us. I bought a ring with three theatrical-looking cats on it. It's pretty cool.
Right after, we went to the Parasol "Factory," where we watched people paint the big cotton and paper umbrellas with wooden parts. I believe that every student got SOMETHING of theirs painted. I got a white elephant painted onto my black short-pants, then bought something else for a gift. These people use a similar fashion in painting, and with such fashion, they can accomplish the task of painting a simple design about 4x4" in a matter of minutes, making it look very nice, or very cute. It was really cool to watch them at work.
Supper was at this huge garden-place. It was pretty... even the uh... "decorative cabbage."
We:
Rode a songtao to the top of Thailand's Tallest ... thing? Highest elevation point. I believe you can call it a mountain, I guess. Up on that .... mountain was the King and Queen's wat... wats... ...pagodas? Apparently I'd make a horrible tour guide.
We saw a waterfall on the way down farther, and took a few pictures. Met a couple older Islamic people on a tour. They seemed pretty cool.
Went to the Chiang Mai zoo, saw lots of felines and PANDAS! That's right, we saw pandas. They were being "rented from China," and were in a special dome-like thing with a different temperature and habitat than most of the rest of the animals in the zoo. They even has disinfectant welcome mats, and put electrical tape over the flash of your camera....... I'm just glad it didn't leave residue when I took it off.
They were active, yes, and quite cute. Both seemed immensely hungry in their seperate areas (in this time of year, the males and females don't interact yet), chowing down on an infinite supply of bamboo.
Later, we experienced a dinner-theater type meal, where we ate [I sat on the floor with about 7 others *we wanted to*] and watched Thai dance and music. It was pretty cool. Especially the giant... thing that came off the stage and danced around the people. Its big furry mass was rather cute.
A few friends and I went to the roof of our hotel and hung out, looking out over the city's massive, beautiful nightscape, took a few pictures, and talked. Later, Diana, Michelle and I walked towards the mall, finding all of two or three shops still open. The mall was, of course, closed [around midnight], but they had a snowman in front, so we took pictures. Then we went back to the hotel and slept.
We went to the Golden Triangle and Chiang Rai, where we met the "Ha Baht" kids and walked around in another country... Laos. We saw Burma/Malaysia, and rode a boat around in the Mekong River, where the supposed water-dragon lived and threw up fireballs during the full moon of October [Fireball Festival] by the Friendship Bridge.
Our group visited the Princess Mother's Summer Home, which was rather........... well, they had good coffee in the coffee house near the souvenir station. Their Macadamia Nut Pies were rather amazing, too.
Michelle and I tried on wigs in the Chiang Rai markets, and I bought a shirt and another bag to help port my stuff home [even when I came on the trip, my little carry-on was about to burst].
We visited the Hill Tribes and saw the Long-Necked females in one of the tribes.
We saw little fiesty puppies and Holly bought a very royal-looking pashmina... er, "Hill Tribe made scarf." [cough] I got a couple of cool Hill Tribe/Northern Thai Cultural bracelets.
We saw the White Temple [Wat Rong Khun], which was fantastically beautiful. Instead of the cheap gold paint and little fake jewels, this was a purely white structured temple with mirrors. I want to go back, and buy the mini-book before I do another walk-through. He designed it in a such an artistic, story-like way, and the murals and statues are marvelous to look at. It's not just a Thailand, thing, either. Chalermchai Kositpipat painted of many things involving the world. The Twin Towers, a gas pump and a few other things were part of the inside murals.
We celebrated Christmas in Phitsanulok, and exchanged our Secret Santas that was got in Phu Kradung. My friend Chase played as Santa. It was pretty awesome.
Unforunately though, that marked the end of our last day of freedom. The next day, we all went back to Korat, then took charters home.
It was the best of the so-far two trips that we have had. Though we've spent the nights in hotels, though, our real home was the double-decker charter bus, where we had karaoke parties and took pictures of each other sleeping.
I can't wait until the next trip, but that won't be for awhile, unfortunately.
Northern Tour photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/NorthernTour
http://picasaweb.google.com/gecko.on.the.wall/NorthernTourPt2
When I came out I found a package on my bed from my parents back home, along with a few cards on top of it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! The gingerbread cookies were AWESOME! My compliments to the chef [mother dearest] and the packager [same person], as they tasted barely even a day old as if you had cooked them at night on the previous day. I got another spork [cheers], a bracelet with cats on it [that I'm wearing right now], some of my favorite instant cappucino mix, Swedish Fish [fave junk food in America], toe socks [my current 'phase' in Thailand], and some confetti cake mix with a tube of frosting. Confetti cake is my all-time favorite cake type, by the way. THANK YOU!!!
My Grandma and Grandpa Schu sent me a singing card, something new. I've never had a singing/music card before. That was cute. :) Thankies.
My G&G Gray sent me some toe socks, tide wips and gummi worms. Awesome. Thank you.
I also got a card from my Uncle Roger and my cousins Brett and Kari. [WOO!]
...then my Grandma and Grandpa Schu wrote that something awaits for me at home. ...Mom, Dad... I'm actually kind of wanting to go to McDonald's when I come home, so don't steal my coupons!!! ...when do they expire? [shifty eyes]
I made pancakes yesterday with my friends, and opened my bottle of maple syrup that I brought from America! They were TASTEY!
I go back to school tomorrow with a different schedule [for this week only, I beleive].
I don't have art on Fridays anymore, due to some reasonable... reasons. Instead, I don't have school on Friday until I switch host families (around the 20th of this month), when I will talk to them about taking classes on Friday at the sports/phys. ed. college [where I take Muay Thai].
If anyone wants to send me something, please do not send anything to me from now until the... Wed. the 16th, and make sure you don't send the package/letter/card/whatever to my Kunawongkrit address. I have a new address, so if you want to mail me something, E-Mail me and I'll send you my address.
Holly and I discovered a new coffee place not far from where we live! It's absolutely delicious, and the set-up in the place is really lovely. They have a couple of English magazines, and the price is very cheap. We're definately returning soon. I believe we've found our new "hideout." We could honestly sit in that place for a couple hours, easy. You get free hot tea while you stay, too.
I'm sorry I haven't updated yet, but now I have.
For now, I guess... I'll see ya later!
Monica
