So, after a great birthday, we woke up for a relaxing day in the city with no real plans. We did some Wat touring, where we came across these monks in deep meditation on display. The first wat we visited had one off in a corner, and we couldn't really tell if it was a statue or a real person. They look very realistic for a statue, but they were completely motionless and their skin almost didn't look real: probably a result of whatever intense state they need to get their metabolism into.
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| These are real dudes, I think... |
The next wat had eight of them sitting in the main temple, and then one out back in a smaller structure who was locked in a glass box! I didn't feel comfortable taking his picture. I also learned that the fat Buddha image is not actually the Buddha, but a monk. He used to be so handsome that he was a distraction to other monks, so with Buddha's help he turned himself fat and ugly (or something like that: you can maybe read the description in the picture).
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| Fat monk |
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| Cool ruins behind the wat |
After another massage, we stayed up way too late talking.
Wednesday
Had to wake up way to early to take a tour of the Chiang Rai region. We started with a stop at the White Temple, an amazing work of art that some famous artist has been working on for years. Some of the coolest sculptures I've ever seen, and definitely a different kind of Wat from the traditional ones.
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| Totally metal temple! |
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| "The Hell Gate" |
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| Hands reaching up to get ya! |
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| This thing is completely made up of these little metal charms (see next pic from the bottom) |
After that, we went to a "longneck village", which was mostly just a craft market run by the displaced Karen tribe from Myanmar. These are the women who stretch their necks with brass hoops. I was pretty underwhelmed, but I was also too tired to enjoy much of this day. We continued to the Golden triangle, where you can see Myanmar and Laos across the river. We took a boat tour, where we were able to get close to a casino in Myanmar and actually got off in Laos for about 20 minutes.
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| The Buddha is in Thailand, and the golden dome is in Laos |
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| I went to Laos! Who knew? |
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| Border crossing to Myanmar |
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| Your intrepid traveler, at the end of the road in Thailand |
Then we traveled to the northernmost point in Thailand, and the legitimate border crossing for Myanmar (where a member of our group had to cross the border to renew her visa), then back in the van for a long, bumpy ride home. Packed it in because we were too tired to do anything that night.
Thursday
Last full day in Chiang Mai, more wats and a massage by a blind guy. Also, the stupidest insect "museum" ever. My favorite exhibit: a display box of old torn cloth:
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| I really hope you take the time to read the description of the old torn cloth (I paid money to go in this place!) |
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| The description of log fighting beetles is pretty hot (and very scientific, I'm sure) |
Went to a street market at night to do some souvenir shopping, but I wasn't really in the mood, and didn't see anything that struck my fancy.
Friday
We have to leave today, and the "vacation is over" blues are settling in. Did some walking and got the best massage of the trip. A few hours before we had to head to the airport, we rushed over to the airline office and tried to see if we could push our flight back a day, but it was a no-go. Tuk-tuk to the airport, back to Macau and ridiculous immigration, and a long car ride back to Dongguan.
Over the next two days before we went back to school I got disgustingly sick, so it's probably good that we left when we did. School is back in session, and I'm trying my best to keep on top of things and have a good attitude. Next stop: Philippines for Christmas!
Miss you all, write and send pictures.
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