Day 1 of Golden Triangle Trip

My friend and I spent a few days during April Break to visit the Golden Triangle, which is where Thailand, Burma, and Laos meet. You will have to get out a map of Southeast Asia and refresh your memory about the countries (I know I did before I came here)! We don't have a car, so we were all about public transportation after my roommate dropped us off at the end of the road!

The first songtaew on the way to the bus station- 30 minute ride...

The bus we were on for 5 hours...it was very nice and had AC!  The bus ticket cost about 6 dollars!

View from the dining area at our hotel... Mekong River divides Thailand from Laos (across the river)

There were signs everywhere that said "Golden Triangle" this was the 1st one we saw...

Laos is on your right and Burma is kind of straight behind me....

I liked this map but the tree made funny shadows...Burma (Myanmar) is yellow, Laos is pink, and Thailand is green.

Another cool sign

We went on a boat ride on the Mekong River ...

Burma (Myanmar) ...that is some resort in Burma.

Look straight ahead...if you look hard enough you can see China- 260 km  away...
at least that is what our guide said...he didn't say you could actually see China...but who knows...
maybe on a clear day?!?! hehe I touched the water so I think that probably means I touched China and Burma...it counts for being in another country right?!?!

Another boat on the river....

Woohoo we stopped at an island that belongs to Laos...now that really counts for being in another country!
No stamp on the passport...but we also didn't need to pay for a visa or re-enter stamp.
We did have to pay 20 baht and then got this paper that said we could be in Laos- so I have proof!

There were just a lot of shops for the tourist... 

and cool lamp posts...

On the way back...look at that green hotel in the background...:) that is where we stayed! Annalisa couldn't believe it was green because we had looked at pictures online...and none showed a green outside! It was a great place though...and I would high recommend it- even though it is green! 

Climbing up the steps to the temple...and then on to the over look...We weren't sure if we were allowed to take pictures from the overlook...but it was beautiful!!!

The hotel gave us these wonderful bathrobes...so of course we wore them and took funny pictures...this was the normal one! At our hotel we were given the choice of a river view for double the price or the street view! We choice the street view and enjoyed the river view at breakfast, etc!!! Don't need to be able to see the river while you sleep!

That was pretty much day 1...travel by songtaew, bus and boat. Oh and they were still celebrating Songkran, so we got some buckets of water dumped on us as we walked down the street:) It was ok though cause it was hot!

Songkran

On Saturday the 14th, my roommates, myself and a friend ventured out to the "old city" to take part in the Thai New Year celebration, Songkran. You can see my posts; Prayer Walk, The last day of School before April Break, and learn some more history about the moat and Songkran...someday I WILL learn how to tag my posts! 

Songkran started mainly as a way to bless your family, etc. You would pour water on their hands or back and bless them. People still go back to their homes to spend time with their families and bless them, but it also has turned into a countrywide water fight from April 13th-15th every year. Chiang Mai is known to be the best place to celebrate Songkran.

We decided to be smart and NOT bring our cameras (wish I had a water proof one) so we don't have any of our own pictures. I went on the internet and found some good pictures that show what it is like around the moat for 3+ days.

Water guns and buckets...and wet streets!

Bumper-to-bumper traffic.....and crowded sidewalks....

One of the many reasons we pray a lot for this festival...
buckets of water thrown at motorbikes driving down the road can very easily equal accidents....

buckets of water...

The back of pick-up trucks are full of people and garbage cans of COLD water

We were completely wet within minutes of getting to the moat.....

Big blocks of ice are sold on the side of the road to be put into the garbage cans...
Can you say "ICE COLD WATER"

This is how we and most other people got water....bring a bucket with a string on it...
throw it into the moat....pull up your full bucket of dirty moat water....
Since traffic is pretty much stopped...people in the trucks will get out and fill their garbage cans with moat water as well...
then they just add ICE!

It is the hottest time of year here in the 90s/100s all day long and well into the evenings, so the water actually feels quite nice! We spent about 2-3 hours walking around the moat during the hottest part of the day and actually got a little cold at times:) Most of the people are nice as they dump water on you and wish you a Happy New Year and you just smile, say thank you, and wish them a Happy New Year as well!

Sticky Waterfalls

Sticky Waterfalls is the nickname of a waterfall near Chiang Mai. It is a waterfall that flows over limestone thus making it easy to climb up and down. Twelve of us went to the waterfall for a day of fun! We raced up and down the falls and also just sat and relaxed in the water. 

Most of the group...I don't know why our shorter friends decided to stand behind Amy and I....

That is me...climbing up to where Amy was...

On our way down....

Taking a break!

It was just beautiful...

The group...

another shot...

I just couldn't decide which group picture to post...so you got them all!

Climbing down was harder then climbing up...

Oh another picture of us...

My roommate really liked this bug and I thought my nephews might too...

After climbing up and down the waterfall we ate lunch

Something about living in Asia...and doing things with your hands for photos...
I had food in my mouth...sticky rice and chicken! Yum!

The real name of the falls....

Sunrise Service

Tami and I went with our Thai teacher, Kruu Meow, to her church's Easter Sunrise Service. They (her parents, friend, and Kruu Meow) picked us up at 4:30am. We drove to one of the near by mountains and went about 1/3rd of the way up it to a small pavillion to have the service. It was all in Thai so Kruu Meow translated for us. There were about 20 people at the service. 

view from the service

Then we went to our international church where I taught my 2 year old class. After church my roommates and friend picked up some chicken and sticky rice to eat along with cold pizza for our Easter dinner:) We had a big thunderstorm in the afternoon so we enjoyed watching a movie and spending time together. For supper I went to my friend Gina's house (where I lived when I first got here) with another couple of families and we ate hamburgers that had been cooked on the grill, potato salad, chips, jello, beans, etc! It felt a little like the 4th of July, because of the food and the hot weather!

On Good Friday we had a little dinner and service at our house. There were about 12 of us here to eat, sing, and pray. It was a great time of reflection and encouragement. 

All in all I had a wonderful weekend celebrating Jesus' death and resurrection! 

Prayer Walk...

We did a prayer walk on Good Friday morning for the city of Chiang Mai before their Thai New Year celebration; Songkran. The downtown is surrounded by a moat. We were praying for protection for the city during the big water fight (Songkran pictures coming soon....).

People swim in the moat during the festival...this sign was put up to warn them of deep water...

Walking and praying for the city of Chiang Mai

Around the wall...

by the old gates and corners there are still parts of the wall that surrounded the city

my prayer walking friends...

The moat..

flowers and the moat....

I love the pictures of the wall and moat...my roommate Tami took most of those  pictures !

They were trying to have a "no alcohol" Songkran...unfortunately there was still a lot of alcohol...

Our prayer walking group...

Here is link that has some interesting information about the  "Old City" of Chiang Mai...if you are interested...

http://www.embracechiangmai.com/index.php?page=oldcity