So after a fun filled day on Wednesday we woke up in these wonderfully comfortable beds with A/C in the room! We were neither too hot nor too cold....and Annalisa who NEVER sleeps when in a hotel room...slept! Did I mention that we LOVED our GREEN hotel!!!
After a wonderful breakfast (for free...with the purchase of a room) the hotel van took us for free (with the purchase of a room) to the Hall of Opium. Since it was a museum and we couldn't take photos...I took a picture of ONE of the signs...this area loves signs:)
The area was named Golden Triangle partly because of the large opium growing operation. The King's mother created some royal projects to help the people be able to survive without growing poppies for opium. This is one thing I love about the Royal family: they don't just say "don't do that...." they come up with plans and ways to help the people. She came up with different things that they could grow, etc. I won't list the things she did...cause I can't remember them all.
Anyway one of her ideas was to have this museum to help people become aware of the history, etc of opium around the world. It was really a great history lesson and they did a wonderful job with the displays as well. There was a information about early trading with the East India Company, tea, Opium Wars, things opium was used for, affects of opium on people and countries, opium growing in Thailand, etc. It was very interesting and worth the 6 dollars (got 2 dollars off for showing our work permits:)
This photo is for my roommate, Tami, who had to make poppies for the Wizard of Oz. See the poppies on the sign? There are over a hundred (or maybe even more) different types of poppies and only one produces opium. I am sure it wasn't the type we made for the show...even though it did make them all fall asleep:)
Good-Bye Green Hotel....We will miss you!!! We are now waiting for a blue songtaew to take us to the border town....Oh wait, we see a blue songtaew but he won't stop....
We learn from the lady ironing clothes that we really need a LIGHT blue songtaew...oops:) Silly us!
Finally a LIGHT blue songtaew pulled up and we were on our way.
Our stop in the border town and we got onto a yellow and blue songtaew to continue our journey to Doi Tung. We wanted to see the King's mother's villa.
On the road again...
After the yellow/blue songtaew we had to get onto a purple songtaew, which was the most nervous I have ever been in Thailand! We weren't sure what the driver was talking about needed to go back to this town and we just wanted to get up to Doi Tung. Another man got in the back of the songtaew and he was talking to himself. Right before we pulled away another songtaew driver said he wanted to take us and there was a loud conversation between the two drivers. This made us nervous because Thais are usually very polite and everything is "don't worry/it's alright." After a minute of talking the songtaew driver pulled away and we were off....having NO idea what was said between the two men! We dropped the man who was talking to himself off at his house and then the driver stopped the songtaew and asked us AGAIN where we were going and tried to tell us we needed a round trip- we just wanted to get there! Once at the top we paid the main and headed to the information building...the trip that was suppose to take an hour had taken 2+!
We were told that there was no transportation to the town we wanted to go to an hour away and that there was NO transportation down the mountain...unless we called a motorbike taxi. Luckily the driver had decided to wait for whatever reason...and so we asked him to wait for about an hour and then take us to the bus stop.
We had to worry up to the Villa
Outside of the King's mother's Villa- Couldn't take pictures inside. We had headsets so we learned all about what she did for the people in the area and also about her life.
Then we "ran" to the gardens! They were beautiful, but we only had a half an hour...so we didn't see them all...
Pretending to row the boat full of flowers..
The road and were you could get your tickets etc.
Doi Tung is famous for their coffee...so Annalisa had to get some:)
At the bus stop with time to spare- so excited to be heading to the hotel....hoping for AC on the bus...
Looking carefully down the road...no idea what the bus looks like etc. It was the last bus of the day so we didn't want to miss it! It came and it was old and no AC, but it was an ok ride. We did get stopped at the police check point, but nothing exciting happened....
Dinner at the hotel...napkin on the head:)
This hotel also had bathrobes and a cool light that reminded me of the dentist....
Annalisa was wearing this shirt when we were up at Doi Tung...but she had to put on another shirt because you could see her shoulders:) You have to wear shirts with sleeves and long skirts or pants to go into temples and I guess also the villa that we visited. She really should dress more modestly:)
Next post will be about the 3rd and final day....stay tuned:)
