| Chiang Mai Life |
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| Steve, Fatima, Tee, Ian, Rich, & Dekdee - at The Mask Bar, as usual |
| There's a monster in the house. His name is "Thip", which means either "supernatural" in Thai or "financial gratuity" in English). I found him by the roadside up north in early November, and until I find him a decent home he's terrorising mine. Anybody like to have a nice pocket-size furball? |
| The view out my peep-hole at The Blue House, Chiang Mai |
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| My new wheels - Yamaha Mio 115S presented by Tee in front of the Agape travel agency. |
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| Scene from this year's flooding. Not as bad as New Orleans, but quite a few homes were lost along the Ping River. Seen here it's just an excuse for some adverse fun. |
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| Crazy guy at the Chiang Saen Lake up near the Golden Triangle - funny seems I've seen this face before (it's my current "picture face" apparently) |
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| Tee connecting with a large seated Buddha image at Tha Thon, near Fang, far north |
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| Giant hilltop chedi under construction at Tha Thon |
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| Large group of Israeli tourists returning from a quick visit to a Laos village back to the Golden Triangle village in Thailand- Laos is on the opposite bank (right) and Myanmar is in the distance (left) with the big mafia casino in view. |
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| Newly constructed Buddha images at the Golden Triangle complex, which is now being injected with a whole new load of cash, construction, and promotion to bring in the tourists. It's actually quite attractive as tourist traps go. |
| One Buddha each for Thailand Myanmar, Laos, & China |
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| Ladyboy show at the Chiang Rai evening food market |
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| Clear view of the Chiang Dao Doi Luang mountain - 2nd highest point in Thailand, behind a big fat green-yellow rice field, ready for harvest. |
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| Images from one of my favourite mountain bike routes. Starting at the 1600 metre top of Doi Pui, just west of Chiang Mai. I pass a coffee plantation and then down steep paths through pine forests, lychee plantations and eventually to the lake at Huay Tung Tao. This time of year (Oct/Nov) it is particularly green and lush. |
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| Buddhas of the week at Wat Prathat Doi Suthep. The weekday of your birth is more important than the month or day. I'm a Tuesday baby so mine is the reclining (enlightened/lazy?) Buddha. |
| Thanksgiving week 2005 |
| My Brother visited me here during Thanksgiving week. It was an historical occassion =) We hung around Chiang Mai a few days, but also got up north for a few days around the Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, and the Chiang Dao cave. |
| With Tee's son Audi in front of the travel agency |
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| Me with Audi inside |
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| Me and my bro at the Chiang Mai airport |
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| Paul with Tee and Oy and Audi |
| goofing off again |
| Tee at the hilltribe museum in a local Hmong village |
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| My bro actually left the day before my Birthday (my 24th?) but thought you'd like to see the cake |
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| Got flowers! |
| you see this???? this is my serious face! |
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| Quick trip through the Chiang Dao cave |
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| the eency weency spider... |
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| my Brother is around here somewhere... |
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| Evening cultural show at the Chiang Rai night market no ladyboys this time : ( |
| Paul meeting the locals at Doi Suthep temple |
| Meeting of two Brothers at Doi Suthep |
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| Monks at Doi Suthep |
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| Hit the road Jack - Nong Thip ventures out with the gang |
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| Chinese tourists visiting a Laos village |
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| Pee Tee on the speedboat returning from Laos |
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| The new layout at the Golden Triangle includes a huge Buddha inside an ornate boat structure |
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| Me and my Bro at an Akha village - I never felt so tall! |
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| Young weaving girl at a Karen Long Neck village |
| Hey check out those ear rings! |
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| Nong Thip - still the king of the house... |
| November 2005 |