One of my most favourite outings to date has been our 5 hour bicycle tour through the countryside of southern Chiang Mai.
We left early morning and seeing the morning mist with sun over the Ping River was the first sight that transported me to a quieter place inside and out.
The locals working in their garden or along the road were so friendly. Waves, greetings of swatee ka or an attempt at hello/good morning were there for us.
The scenery went from lush to barren, from stunning homes to poor shacks.
The roads at times busy and then deserted and narrow.
A small group of us and Jasmine from England.
A highlight was an old leper colony with the McKean rehabilitation centre started by the American Presbyterian Church and still operating as a centre for those who have been affected by leprosy.
Not all homes are occupied anymore and the larger building was the original funeral home in the colony.
We stopped at a local bakery (home business). Clean but definitely no WCB standards here.
A highlight was stopping at a small elementary school of mostly hill tribe children.
If you can't afford school the Thai government will pay.
The little boys kept climbing and jumping all over Brad. This one especially would not let go.
Off to lunch at an orphanage for the Hmong tribe children whose parents are too poor, dead or in prison. The children have to be 3 years old and were all at school when we were there.
A simply delightful morning and now that the temperatures are climbing to 35 degrees, we are off to a pool.
No comments:
Post a Comment