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	---> MORE Destinations: _________________________________ New Perspective of Chiang Rai at Latitude 19 VISITING A BORDER TOWN: Mae Sot – then and now The Poy Sang Long Festival in Mae Hong Son The Samoeng Strawberry Festival Far Out and Cool in Fang District PICTURE PERFECT Mon Jaem Chiang Mai Reflections and a Night Safari Adventure Wat Palad: The Temple below the Temple The Bua Tong Waterfall Park The Cave and Hot Springs of the Mae On Area A DAY TRIP TO DOI INTHANON Two wheels good four wheels…er… The Sino-Thai Dragon Temple of Wat Tha Ton Doi Inthanon - Thailand’s Highest Mountain Kad Mua - an all-you-need market Chiang Dao High! Chiang Mai’s Red Cross and Winter Fair Loy Krathong at Tak A RETREAT TO... Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Hall Living with nature: Galyani Vadhana District Treasures of Myanmar A Journey to Shangri-La Pha Wing Choo – A Lover's Cliff Wiangtakan – The Past Remains Rural Life and Natural Mystery in Chaiprakarn Taking Aim at Chiang Mai's Shooting Gallery Chiang Mai - Maerim - Samoeng Route Hot Springs (and eggs) Ratchaphruek Festival 2009 The 5th Lanna - Japan Festival 2009 Make a Day of it at the New Look Night Safari Mae Sa Snake Farm Marine Lives in a Mountainous Zoo X-Centre Mae Hong Son, Pang Oong and much more along the way... Mae Kampong Village Tiger Kingdom Pai: The Hub of Joy Flower Festival Annual Bo Sang Umbrella Festival at Bo Sang Village Wiang Kum Kam: The Underground Ancient City Loy Kratong: The Town's Joyful Festival Monkey Centre Maerim, Chiang Mai Baankwai Thai Maerim Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden THE ROYAL PALACE ON DOI SUTHEP The Night Safari Ban Saonak Chae Son National Park Lamphun's Wat Chamathevi Doi Tao Lake Mae Sai Bai the Beautiful Wieng Kum Kam Mae Klang Luang Village Doi Pui - Hmong Tribal Village Nan Province Wat Suan Dok Chiang Saen: a city in myth and reality One Night in Chiang Rai and a day across the border A trip full of tour guides Two Days and a Night in the Country The Sumptuous Angkhang Gourmet Tour AWAY FROM IT ALL IN NEARBY MAE WANG Children's Day at the Westernmost Point of Thailand To Lamphun Along the Road of Histories ESCAPING TO PAI A WINTER TRIP ON THE PING RIVER To the Back of Beyond, right on your doorstep Visiting the Shrine of the Elephant-Headed God Visiting Samui Back to Nature at Opkhan National Park Lost in the Chiang Mai Zoo Three Days through the Northern Countryside DOING A NINE-TEMPLE KARMA TRIP - Right Here in Chiang Mai An Early Summer Trip to the Thi Lo Su Falls Nan: Forest, Temples and the Salt of the Earth TREKKING AND TUCKING IN: Wawee Coffee Plantation Mai Long Yee - Lovely Whatever Else You Call It Magnificent Creatures at Wat Changkham Off to See Some Mural Paintings in Lampang The Salawin and the People of Tha Tafang A Hike in the Forest A Journey back in time A Long Night of Luxury in the Chiang Dao Valley Ice-cold in Omkoy A Quick Visit to a Karen Wedding Strawberry Fields Forever A quick ride to Jaesorn National Park A Journey to Wawee A Birding Trip for Newbies Nam Bor Phi Cave A Breath of Sea Air Shopping With a Difference: Kad Luang Airport ELEPHANTS AND ORCHIDS AND THE SNACKS IN BETWEEN Monsoon Miscellany MAE RIM LAGOON AN IMPRESSIVE TRIP - to the Sukantara Resort Visiting Luang Prabang, the Pearl on the Mekong River Phrae: refreshing trip, auspicious visits Up on the Mountain (again) at Khun Wang UP THE MOUNTAIN TO THUNG LUANG SINGAPORE - City of Parks A Short Sight-Seeing Trip to the Monkey Centre GIVE PAI A TRY! You won’t regret it A BUSY DAY’S VISIT TO SANKAMPAENG A Rainy Day Outing to Phrao Monsoon Miscellany TRIPPING AND TASTING ALONG THE HANDICRAFT HIGHWAYS

Phrae

Last month - still the cool season, so a good time for tio-ing (travelling and having fun) - I jumped on a bus with my friend Loo and went out to visit her parents in Pua, Nan Province...off to the north-east of Chiang Mai and over lots of hills.

Nice little trip but poor Loo had to work and I still had a spare day so next morning I nipped onto another bus and went over to neighbouring Phrae. This is a small town located to the south of Chiang Mai. Its former names are Muang Plae and Wiang Kosai, which means the city of silk.

I arrived at Phrae Bus Station around noon. This was a trip without planning, which made me not so much a native - more sort of a back-packer tourist, and that suits me ‘cause I like adventures. Luckily there was a tourist information counter at the Phrae bus station so I got a map and brochure and followed the advice given there.

My first destination was Ban Pratabjai - which means the Impressive House, pretty wierd name - but since it was off the bus route, I got really adventurous and did it on the back of motorbike-taxi, driven by a thin, dried up but skilful old man - about 60 - called Lung (uncle) Jai. And an adventure it turned out to be, since Uncle Jai liked talking (in the special kam muang of Phrae locality, which differs a bit from what we speak in the Northern capital) - that’s to say he liked talking and driving at top speed at the same time. My contribution to the conversation was, “Slow down, Lung, I’m not in a hurry.” But though I said it many times, maybe uncle didn’t understand my Chiang Mai speech patterns. Still we survived, and eventually, in one piece, reached Ban Pratabjai.

And it was pretty impressive - situated on Phrae’s Om Muang road (by-pass), it’s a great teak palace standing on 130 pillars,about 300 years old. I paid the B.30 entrance fee and was amazed by the size and spaciousness of the interior and its beautiful decorative wood-carvings, especially one particular door on the second floor - a masterpiece of the craft. For us tourists there’s a souvenir shop on the ground floor. I had a look at the wood carvings, but didn’t buy anything since wood-working’s done at least as well here in Chiang Mai, if not better - and instead treated myself - or maybe a lucky friend or relative: I haven’t made up my mind yet - to a leather bag, and with the wooden key-ring that comes gratis with the entry fee, got on my way again with Lung Jai.

Like the wind. “Slow down, Uncle Jai.” But my words didn’t get properly out of my mouth, we were going so fast.

In case you don’t know, I should mention that modern Phrae is famous for its textile products, such as pha mor hom, the dark blue cotton dyed with hom, a liquid extracted from a local tree, and pha sin teen jok, the traditional tube skirt with beautiful weaving on the hem.

Now though we were heading for the famous ancient temple of Wat Phrathat Chorhae, some 9 kilometres away. Lung Jai covered that distance in no time flat. I should explain that when I drive my motorbike in Chiang Mai, my friends always say, ‘ If we were walking, we’d be able to overtake you’. I tried explaining this to my chauffeur, but he didn’t seem to take it in.

Legend claims this temple was built in 800 years ago by our predecessors in this region, specifically one Khun Lua Ai Kom. Lua is another way of saying ‘Lawa’, and there are still a few villages in and around Chiang Mai and Lamphun that have Lawa speakers. The story is that they built the jedi to enshrine the kesathat, or hair of the Lord Buddha. After paying respects at the phrathat, I went to the souvenir shops in the temple compound, looking for something suitable for my parents and friends, and came away with dried mafaijeen, a kind of sweet fruit with a tingly peel like an orange, and a morhorm shirt for myself - just the thing for next month’s Songkran festival.

It was about 5 p.m. by this time but I’m a good Thai and I wasn’t through with temples yet. There’s a temple called Wat Chomsawan, located on Yantrakitkosol Road. Built from teakwood in Burmese style, it caught my eye coming into the town, and it proved well worth the visit. There’s a famous Buddha image there called Luang Por Sarn, made from woven bamboo and covered with gold leaf, kept in a glass showcase. There are also other ancient artefacts - a marble Buddha image, an elephant tusk with Burmese language inscriptions and some bric-a-brac. But it was the jedi that took my attention. It’s said to be extremely old, and a man sweeping the compound told me that he’d seen a miraculous light coming from it during festivities, and on important Buddhist holidays. Naturally, I didn’t neglect to give the images a particularly intense wai, and wieng-tiened the jedi, feeling pretty sure I could look forward to some good luck during the rest of the year. I can always use extra good luck.

I was pretty hungry by this time, so when Lung Jai - who charged me B.200 for the entire afternoon: not bad for a tourist, I reckon - had deposited me at the bus station, I headed for the restaurant, and before the ride back had one of my all-time favourite dishes. I have a number of favourite dishes, but this one is right up there with the best - kanom jean nam ngeow, Phrae style noodles with curry. I followed that with a glass of O-liang, Chinese style black ice coffee. Then, with a full and satisfied stomach I got into the bus and slept all the way home, leaving Phrae at 7 p.m..and reaching Arcade Bus Station at 11 p.m.

In closing I should mention that on this trip to Pua, Nan city and Phrae I visited nine temples in all, and was very happy with that. Nine in Thai - gow - also means ‘progress’, and going to nine temples is reckoned to be very auspicious indeed. So not only did the trip refresh me body and mind, it’s also done good things for my spirit too. A suitable way to finish the cool season and anticipate all the fun of the New Year - Songkran - to come.

Mim Saisin