Chiang Dao

1000 year old chedi across from the caves.

Sacred fish outside the caves.

Chiang Dao is famous for it's caves. We did do a little spelunking ourselves. For a few dollars we hired this little woman to take us deep into the caves with a propane lantern. She would point at things on the wall and smile up at me and say things like "ma" and wait for me to repeat it and then say "kaa, horse".
The surrounding beauty of Chiang Dao was the real attraction along with a sweet stay at a homey place called the Nest. If you ever come to visit we're taking you there because the food was fantastic!

The view from the Nest

We walked along a dirt path from the Nest to this monastery which is set into the mountain, in fact part of it is a cave. You have to climb 500 steps to get to the chedi at the top and all along the way there are motivational signs tacked to trees reminding you to stay present and be content with where you are at.

We have been on the hunt for hot springs and the Nest had given us a little hand drawn map with a spot indicating hot springs. Our first attempt to find them we got sidetracked in some farmer's fields.
Really hot we could only put our feet in. Next time we will come in the evening and fill the tub and let it cool down.

Rice Fields around Chiang Dao

On the road to Chiang Dao

Cheery fellows at the market in Samoeng.

Heroes Day

I caught this hero on the playground this morning from our balcony.

Our home off the mountain in Chiang Mai

This is where we have been staying every weekend. The 3 Sis Guesthouse. We've spent many hours lounging in this courtyard. There is a wat across the street and sometimes you can hear the monks chanting.

The trusty bike that gets me around town.

Sunday Picnic

fabric market

A rainy Saturday at the fabric market. I was looking for upholstery fabric but instead mostly bought some fabrics to have a dress made. I seem to end up here every Saturday for hours combing the thousands of bolts of fabric. I got a bright red, green and florescent pink chinese fabric that I had in my mind as the perfect fabric for chair cushions- Im not so sure now that I got it home. I'll post a picture later.

Around Chiang Mai

Our new neighbor

She moved in yesterday. She is the size of a grapefruit. I am not kidding.

one more elephant

mama elephant.

More things Im excited about

A sunny afternoon

These bunnies I got at the Saturday night walking market

My new skirt

Things Im excited about

1. 

Some of you may have heard that we have had some darker moments over here in Thailand. Despite the lush green of our surroundings culture shock has had it's way with us. We were warned but somehow warnings don't fully prepare you. Things I'm excited about....

1. I got a coffee maker!
2. The sun is out this morning.
3. We have a new mattress arriving tomorrow- local natural latex- resists mold!
4. I went to a yoga class I loved on Friday with a bunch of women from school.
5. We are starting to make friends.
6. I found the most beautiful iridescent beetle.
   
7. We had a delicious burrito after class-OMG.
8. I got a cheer up package from my mom. Yay mail!
9. The look of real discovery on the faces of some of my students.
   
10. We have a break in three weeks- should we...

• Go to Halong Bay and Hanoi, Vietnam
  
• Go south on a train to the land of shadow puppets and local beaches
• Go to Krabi for beautiful limestone karst jutting out of the sea and tourist beaches
  
• Do a road trip in the Northeast of Thailand and go to a festival of flaming boats

Comments are requested

Around Chiang Mai

Sunday Hike

We heard a rumor that elephants go to the waterfall right past the nearest village around 1pm on the weekends so we went to explore for ourselves.

Our school sits in this valley

Banana Plants

ice cream

Daniel claims that he didn't have "Skippy" growing up - he had the Good Humour man. Who screams "The Good Humour Man is coming!" when ice cream is involved? This is our local Skippy.

Around Chiang Mai

I Want this hat

Daniel takes a dive

Wai Khru Ceremony

The Wai Khru ceremony is done to pay respect to teachers at the beginning of the school year. All of the students present cones they have made from bannana leaves and filled with flowers to the teachers with a kneel and a wai.
To wai you place your hands together in prayer position and hold your hands so that your thumb or fingertips depending on the type of wai are at the level of your nose and you bow your head.
In Thai culture there is an elaborate system of different wais depending on your status. In the case of the Wai Khru ceremony the deepest respect wai is used. In Thailand, ajarns- or teachers hold a very high place in terms of respect, just below monks. Even someone of a very high position would still wai their elementary teacher with utmost respect if they were to see them. I'm seated here with my new friend Cate. We had to dress in traditional Thai garb. In the morning I had a Thai top on too- but luckily I spilt tea down the front and had to change - I felt a little too much like I worked at Epcot center.