Can I find Pie...in Pai?!

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!

I am now in little town in the mountains of Northern Thailand called Pai (sounds like Pie), and I am hoping that they have some confections of the pumpkin or apple variety around here somewhere.

Also, sorry for the brief hiatus in my blog. After getting to Chiang Mai from Laos, I had a bit of a stomach issue that kept me pretty uncomfortable for a while (basically it seemed like a knife thrower had taken up residence in my gut). Things are much better now, though, the first thing that I am VERY thankful for on this Thanksgiving!

So, where to begin?
Chiang Mai is Thailand's 2nd largest city after Bangkok, and it definitely has more "hustle and bustle" than Arati and I had anticipated. We pictured a little bit more of a Northern hill, lush green, brisk, mountain town, but, alas, it was pretty hot with lots and lots or motorbikes. However, the old city is walled off and separated a little bit from the chaos and hubbub by a moat. Yes, a moat.

We found a hostel inside the old city and, after my stomach acquiesced, I was able to let the city slowly grow on me as I discovered some of its small windy side streets and lots of unique and beautiful temples. The Lanna people of Burma and Northern Thailand influenced much of the architecture in Chiang Mai, making many of the temples look very distinct from the others we saw in and around Bangkok.

My favorite temple, called Wat Phantao, is crafted out of dark brown wood and has really intricate carvings and wood and gold detailing all over it. Also, it had a pagoda in the back made out of bamboo - really cool! Also, there were tons of paper lanterns all around the area, and the feeling was just very friendly and almost like a big group of children had decorated the grounds for a celebration. Very festive, cheerful and inviting.

Other than visiting the temples and wandering along the windy streets, here are some other Chiang Mai highlights:
1. I visited the malaria center (not because I was sick, just because I'm a big nerd and wanted to see it!)
2. Arati and I went to a tribal museum that taught us about the various hill tribes of Northern Thailand
3. We shopped in the HUGE Night Bazaar with everything from fake Birkenstocks to authentic blankets from the hills that could keep ANYONE warm!
4. I went to mass in Thai at the Sacred Heart Cathedral...the really nice girls next to me kept trying to share their hymn books with me...um, yeah, I can't read Thai...
5. We took some walks along the Ping River (as well as around the moat!)
6. We went for a ride in one of the easy to spot "red truck taxis" (basically converted pickups with sideways benches and roofs) up to a really gorgeous temple, Doi Suthep, which is at the top of a big hill overlooking the city. When we got up there, it started to mist, and the effect was really stunning (albeit a little chilly! There was definitely an added mystical aura from the fog and clouds.

Sundays in Chiang Mai are also a big treat, as some of the main streets in the center are closed off and a huge Sunday Market is laid out along the cobblestone streets. Food stalls cluster around the temples, and street performers do everything from sing to dance to play interesting instruments you've never seen before. I ate an awesome banana waffle (they had pumpkin and red bean flavors too, but I thought that might wreck havoc on my tender tummy), and tried to breathe in all the good energy on the streets. Lots of fun.

After our Sunday night in Pai, Arati and I boarded a minibus to drive the 3-4 hours up to the town of Pai. The ride was very windy, but we survived, and I'm so glad we did!

Pai is a self-proclaimed "hippie" town, and there are happy people and "hippies" of every age and ethnicity. There is definitely a very laid back vibe here, and there are coffee shops on every corner (and many in between). Some places you'll see if you come to Pai: the Flour Power Bakery, several bars with live music and some with campfires to sit around, bamboo tattoo shops(that's what the needle is made of - Dad, what tattoo should I get? kidding...), bamboo bungalows, pita and falafel shops, knit caps, guitars, dreadlocks, Volkswagen buses. You know, the usual "hippie" stuff, but you're in Thailand, so that makes it even more rad...right?!

It is really relaxing here, and it's been really nice to breathe the fresh mountain air and escape from the city again. We have seen some really nice waterfalls, and gone on some great walks and exploring adventures. Also, yesterday, I got up around 5am to join a group trip up to Mae Hong Son, which is a town right on the Burmese border. The trip made several stops along the way at some great attractions, including some awesome camping spots and villages where I got to see how so many different people live and work.

One of the most interesting and notable hill tribes, the Karen, are also called the Longnecks because the women wear big gold rings to elongate their necks. They also wear the rings on their legs and many wear large earrings that stretch out their lobes. Also called the Padaung, they are refugees from Burma who have been settling in Thailand for over 12 years due to political unrest in their own country. They can't work legally in Thailand, so they must rely on donations and the money that they get from selling their crafts to tourists and other residents.

At first, I was worried that visiting the Karen women would feel like exploitation (just lots of white people snapping pictures in their faces), but it really wasn't like that for the most part, and seeing the weaving and other crafts that these women produce was really interesting and motivating. They all seemed very peaceful, productive, and content, and, while I didn't get to speak to any of them personally about their thoughts due to language barriers, I didn't get the feeling that they felt exploited. However, I do think that these women need a lot more than people taking their pictures and buying their scarves...it got me thinking, that's for sure.

Well, I think that's a big dose of blogging for now, but I will write some more on Pai later (hopefully after some Thanksgiving grub!). We are heading back to Chiang Mai tomorrow morning before I have to say my tearful good bye to Arati, who is heading south toward Phuket without me, while I debate about where I will go next.

In closing, please know that I am so thankful for all of this adventuring, exploring and learning, and I am also so thankful for all the wonderful people in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009!