Back in the good old motherland! We arrived in Chiang Mai with about 10 days to fill including April 13-15 which we would spend celebrating the Thai New Year. The entire city comes out with water guns, buckets, and complete water pipe systems leaving not a trace of the city dry. It is ironic because originally the festival was created to evoke rainfall in the area and bless the Buddhas. Now it has turned into a Spring Break water fight with music, food, and thousands of people out to have a good time. We stayed with Judy and Richie, two food connoisseurs who did their fair share of taking us around and helping us to celebrate Songkran (new year) appropriately.
Prior to Songkran, we spent a couple days back at Ryan's adobe building house putting the finishing touches on. The roof is finished and the first coat of paint is now complete. It felt satisfying to be back in Thailand living the markets and language again.
We spent our last couple of days in Chiang Rai visiting a few Hilltribes and hiking in the north. Holly arrived on the 16th for which we enjoyed a wonderful 3 day bike ride in the mountains and hills of northern Chiang Rai. Stopping at temples, handwoven shops, and destination Burma borders, we really got a great look at this part of the country by bicycle. Finally we rode to the Laos border before departing for our 2 day trip (14 hours total) down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Laos. The most beautiful rolling mountains, villages, people panning for gold, pink water buffalo, teak trees, and fishermen were the most sought after views on this ride. Happily in Luang Prabang, the old French colonial style town, we prepare for our journey north tomorrow where we might get the chance to do a homestay!
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