Mae Hong Son Loop - Part Three
So there are many things that give us pause while we are away. Should we participate, should we visit this attraction or not, should we buy water and drinks in plastic....the list is long, and frequently pondered. The whole fact that we are travelling here can be something to be debated. You can read, and ask questions, and read some more and discuss...but it is always tough to come up with an answer that can often be seen from several sides.
We did choose to visit a Karen Longneck Village on our journey. We were excited about the short journey in the motorized longboat down a fast moving river, surrounded by many shapes and shades of green.
The Longneck Tribes are refugees from Burma. The women (sometimes called "giraffe women") in these tribes wear heavy brass rings around their necks. These actually perform a visual illusion, rather than lengthening their necks. The rings push down the collar bone and upper ribs, to create an impression of a longer neck. Although there are differing views, we read that the effects are not permanent. The rings can come off and the body will readjust it itself.
The women at the village were very open to talking with us, and having their photos taken. They were all selling simple wares, which we purchased every time we took a photo. This woman's rings weighed about 5 kg. We picked them up and they were indeed quite heavy. It seemed to be a choice if they wore the rings. The dilemma is are we making this a circus show, or is it a choice to for them to share their culture and make a meagre living doing it.
This woman was truly delightful. She picked up her guitar to play a beautiful song for us. From what I have read, there are many villages where life goes on as normal, without the tourist visits. These villages have agreed to see visitors If that the truth, or what I want to hear? Not sure.
However, we did visit, we took photos, but we also talked with the woman which we would have missed if we had stayed away.
How do you not enjoy free range chickens grabbing lunch in the middle of the road?
I know I said there were fall colours. There were also magnificent pink blossoms on trees too.
Fields of green. The brilliant green is a field of carrots.
Not much happening in town where we stopped for lunch.
Jim pulled out his Muay Thai skipping rope, and entertained us all...including the locals passing by.
On our way to the toilet we passed through the house. On the top floor, to the left of the large spot of blue is..
a rooster of course! They are truly everywhere.
Thumbs up on the facilities. We have determined there is no rating scale. Reality is that when you need to pee...
you use whatever is readily available. For those of you unfamiliar with a squat toilet....our feet go on either side, you squat, do your business, and then wash it down with the bucket floating in the reservoir of water. This Canadian girl has never understood the concept...I think peeing in the bush is much easier.
A local Wat on the way out of town.
Inside the Wat.
Driving into another town.
Increasing our elevation.
To reach a waterfall.
It took the four of us to find the waterfall once we entered the park. All of the signs were in Thai:)
One of our sleeping options for the night.
We chose not to sleep in these cabins with the great floors hanging over the cliff. After all, we didn't have sleeping bags and it would have been chilly:)
Home for the night.
Beside the little cascading waterfall and running river.
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