Here we are in the north of Thailand, and first thing we're off to add some countries to our visit. Tour guide Tim has connections and she can get those who want into Myanmar without a visa with just $40 under the table. Of course you have to give up your passport for the hour of two. Nancy and I decline. She for political reasons; me because I don't mess with borders and passports. (P.S. the Myanmar visitors have a great time, visit a traditional village, a temple and get home entact with their passports).
But there is always shopping, so while some of the group are off to Myanmar, the rest of us shop the border town, and take lots of pictures.
Then back on the bus to the Golden Triangle along the Mekong River where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. And look! If you look way upstream there is China in the distance.
After lunch we take a Mekong River cruise across to Laos where we disembark for a few minutes of shopping - lots of Chinese knockoff designer handbags in a dusty, poor street market in the middle of nowhere.
The Golden Triangle is notorious as a home for the opium trade, so our next stop is at the Hall of Opium, a state sponsored museum which is really excellent. The benevolent Thai monarchy has a "project" to educate not only the hill people but everyone else about the dangers of opium.
Now we are back on the bus for about an hour-and-half back to the Meridian Chiang Mai, and I'm hopeful that I'll make it to the pool this evening - maybe just me and the mosquitoes (not that I've seen any yet!)
After lunch we take a Mekong River cruise across to Laos where we disembark for a few minutes of shopping - lots of Chinese knockoff designer handbags in a dusty, poor street market in the middle of nowhere.
The Golden Triangle is notorious as a home for the opium trade, so our next stop is at the Hall of Opium, a state sponsored museum which is really excellent. The benevolent Thai monarchy has a "project" to educate not only the hill people but everyone else about the dangers of opium.
Now we are back on the bus for about an hour-and-half back to the Meridian Chiang Mai, and I'm hopeful that I'll make it to the pool this evening - maybe just me and the mosquitoes (not that I've seen any yet!)
3 comments:
I completely agree with you as to not messing with borders and passports. I think the most un-nerving experience i had in Colombia was during the not infrequent military checkpoints along the highway where everyone on the bus had to hand over their passport to guys with M-16s who take them off to be "checked" before returning them. The thought of being stranded in a foreign country is a little unsettling.
I, too, agree that giving up passports is way too risky. It seems like such a different world than the one Hannah and I live in Maine. Of course, it is. We'll never get to Thailand so thanks for taking us to the Southeast Asia we will never see.
Wish you could go to the mile-long weekend street market in Chaing Mai. It was fabulous! My most fun purchase were earrings made out of iridescent beetle wings and, yes, I do wear them! Glad that you aren't seeing any mosquitos. Erika and I never stayed in a place ritzy enough for a swimming pool but I bet it felt good! We didn't go to Chaing Rai so looking forward to your photos! Love, Susan
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