Thailand - The North

Okay, So we traveled North in Thailand and I took cooking classes. Ha Ha, get your yucks now cause you won't be laughing when I whip up a mean Green Curry and all you bring to the table is Fishsticks and EXTRA ketcup.

The major upside to cooking class (besides the fire - See Ingrid's post) is that you get to eat all the food you make and succumb to food coma. Awesome!

And at the end of the day you get certified.

Course my parents have always told me I'm certifiable! "Thank you, I'll be here all week. Don't forget to try the Veal."

Cooking aside, another major draw to the North of Thailand is Chiang Mai Blah, Blah,Blah....We saw long neck ladies! So it's probably the worst violation of human rights and obvious forced disfigurement, but we went there and "fed the dog". You shell out the equivalent of a pack of gum and some shoe laces and get to parade around a little village while "getting your Nikon on".

The people seem happy (cause the money you give them to see 52% of the population goes to fund a rather lux villiage) but the women are obviously uncomfortable. But they know the deal and smile for the camera. After about 10 minutes, it's quite sad. Check out the legs here.

Not that the people are uncomfortable in that "I'm Hideous, don't look at me" Joker kinda way, more like the "what the hell were my ancestors thinking when they dreamed this up? Didn't they have to tie their shoes? And I know they weren't weaving in this!" Kinda way.

But like most Northern Thai people, they smile along, have fun with you, and try to sell you something.

I'm happy to report that Ingrid showed no Mercy and immediately began bargaining with the Longneck ladies. She ultimately purchase some items at 50% initial asking price - you go girl!

And the kids aren't immune.

This is the worst part. We expected to see a tribe of aged women enjoying their final days in extreme vertebral discomfort. Instead we found the village grooming the upcoming class of longneckedness to keep the tourist dollars rolling in.

Leaving the Vampire's dream behind, we pushed North to Mai Sae - the Northern Most Point in Thailand. No, seriously, they have a sign to prove it.

Here we rented a motor bike and explored the Northern Border with Myanmar and the "golden triangle" region - basically Compton and Long Beach 16th century Asian style.

It was the World's "War on Drugs" that allowed these producing countries to make a fortune exporting - oh, what was it???

And what does that look like??? (I loved this lady)

to the world.

We also scooted along the Thai - Myanmar militarized border.

We're gonna use militarized loosely here. You see this...

That's Myanmar, from the Thai side. (Note the Braveheart spear fence)

And this is from the Thai side looking into Burma. (Oh, don't call it Burma - They HATE that!)

And (although we felt it prudent not to photograph it) the Myanmar and Thai border guards exchange cigarettes and "Chit Chat".

We did however wander to the top of a hill for "a better view" where we came across a Tiger!

Wandered through the "Where's Waldo" of religious monuments

Seriously, there are like 517 religious icons in this photo.

And only 5 minutes after crossing a variety of barbed wire fence did it dawn on us that maybe we shouldn't be where we were...

Oh, well. Good Times.

We enjoyed the wealth of the Golden Triangle region where I met a giant elephant (not that there are that many "non-giant" elephants)

And got to pose like a King.