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In Topic: A A -meetings in Chiang Rai
2012-01-08 16:08:40
Limbo, on 2012-01-06 09:12:25, said:
ChiefMonkey, on 2012-01-04 16:58:03, said:
The quartier you are referring to is called Goh Sai. Every time I step foot in this area my little princess turns up, as if by magic! I think there must be a spy in the camp. Not that I frequent so often these days, what with the demise of my best drinking partner and, the next best being gay as a lord.
I might run the gauntlet and try a bicycle ride out to cr. There's a back road that goes south to Mae Chan. Is there a back road beyond that to cr?
AA not needed these days. I've managed to get consumption down to a reasonable level. It's a question of will power and dedication to preserve compos mentis.
I might run the gauntlet and try a bicycle ride out to cr. There's a back road that goes south to Mae Chan. Is there a back road beyond that to cr?
AA not needed these days. I've managed to get consumption down to a reasonable level. It's a question of will power and dedication to preserve compos mentis.
As far as I understand you could compare Goh Sai in Mae Sai with the area behind
Talad Pa Korn in Chiang Rai as far as the ethnicity of its inhabitants concerns: Shan.
Give 'the lord' my regards! Without him Mae Sai wouldn't be the same ;-)
Concerning the back road between Mae Chan and Chiang Rai: There isn't one!
Otherwise Flupke would have mentioned it already (he is training for the classical
Doi Inthanon 'conquering' in February).
There are other routes, yes, but considerably longer.
Talking about the backroad between Mae Sai and Mae Chan, do you mean the
one that roughly spoken would start somewhere behind the hospital and bring
you back to the 'super' at the level of the last village before Ban Pa Sang?
It's perfect bicycle weather now. Went into the mountains yesterday with your
former colleague in Bo's and we had the 'bad' luck to pass a Lahu village.
Two hundred meters further we decided to turn back and join the New Years
ceremonies and party. The odometer stopped finally at a meager 45 thus, but
it was a good start. Have to mobilize more 'compos mentis' though.
Limbo
1) The ride up Doi Inthanon is one of the toughest bicycle rides in this part of the world.
Known locally as “The roof of Thailand” this mountain is 2565 meter high. The name of this
arduous race in Thai is aptly “Conquer Inthanon”. It's a climb of 2300 meter over 48 km with
gradients of 15% to 18% in certain places. It takes place in February.
2) Also in February, more precisely the weekend of 4 and 5, the (in the mean time 13th version)
of the International MTB Challenge of Chiang Rai takes place. Everyday three stages, total
distance about 160 km, through the surroundings of Chiang Rai.
For information about bicycle events you can contact Khun Chompu of Fatfree.
3) Concerning the Lahu ('hunters', often also called Muser by Thai) NewYear celebrations:
They last about ten days, roughly five days oriented towards the male part of the population
and the rest of the time towards the female part (or vice versa...). The rituals are animistic,
performed in ancient ways and often under the guidance of a Shaman.
As far as I'm informed the Lahu is supposed to be the ethnic minority that has preserved its
traditions more than any other group here in the north.
It is in the mean time about twenty years ago, but I met once a National Geographic fotographer
in the Lahu village behind the Nam Tok Huay Maesai (now moved and combined with the Akha
village in front of the waterfall). He had been looking elsewehere but mades the pictures finally
here as the rituals were performed in their most authentic form.
Yesterday the celebrations were in a village with electricity, so the sound of singing, string
instruments and kaen got lost a little bit in the equipment.
I had the luck to sit next to an old man and listen to his songs. Remembered me a little bit
about the typical singing technique of the Same (Lapps) in northern Europe.
2. The Maechan back road I was referring to goes via the old Chiang Saen road out of Maesai about 10kms then turns south at a place called San Tannon. Very little traffic and a good road surface.
3. I am now in the land of Brutus of Troy and cycling down leafy lanes covered with cow shit. Second only to the rides over the Severn bridge in land of Uther Pendragon.
4. Beer consumption is now a daily fact but, rather than drinking 12/15 bottles every 2 or 3 days, I now drink 3 bottles EVERYDAY and leave it there. It's a lot easier now that the Limburger has gone.
