Where to begin?! Chiang Rai was a jammed packed experience filled with history, culture, beautiful views, and unexpected company. We arrived at Chezmoi Homestay and were greeted by a very nice Buddhist vegan family. Their traditional teak home was delightful and the breakfast prepared by the maid every morning made our days easier. The best part about our time in Chiang Rai was an unexpected email from Ari letting us know that he was in town. He lives in Chiang Rai, but had planned to be in the central part of Thailand for the duration of our visit. Our first night he took us to a massive street market and to a flower festival. We listened to blaring music at Music in the Park, while grandmothers did their best to show the outside world a calm exposure even though their eardrums were being pounded. The street food was delicious and cheap, yet I decided to not partake in the plethora of insect snacks. Towards the end of the night Ari walked us over to a stage and courtyard where a hundred or so locals were participating in the weekly group exercise of choice, Thai Square Dancing. Tim and I were sucked in and a women spent several songs walking us through the steps. I wish things like this were popular back home. In all the countries in Asia I have visited, there have been group activities like this in parks. It is the thing to do! All the locals come out on certain days to do Tai Chi, Square Dancing, Pilates, even drumming. Not only is it a form of exercise, but a crucial opportunity to socialize. In many ways we have become too independent in the west. There are so many benefits to turning your focus from your own personal home to the well-being of your larger community. Just for the record I am not saying this never happens in the west. Just not as frequently as in Asia.
Again, we hit the road on scooters. We headed for a town called Mae Salong. Mae Salong is a very special place to us because of its Taiwanese ties. The town’s modern history was greatly molded by the arrival of the 93rd Division of the Nationalist Kuomintang Army of China (anti-communists) in 1961. While a majority of the KMT army joined their leader, Chiang Kai Shek, in Taiwan, the 12,000 soldiers fighting in Yunnan were forced to retreat into Burma in 1949. Some stayed in Burma, but many came to Thailand later on. They refused to let the communists win and organized Mae Salong as a military base of sorts to prepare for the day when they would retake their homeland. Unfortunately, their seven attempts to take back Yunnan horribly failed. Mao Tse-tung won after all.
In order to fund their military campaigns the KMT soldiers capitalized on the areas main product, opium. To deal with the renegades the Thai government offered them Thai citizenship if they a) helped the government fight the Thai Communist Party and b) stopped growing opium and replaced it with oolong tea. They took the governments deal and now Mae Salong is a tiny village perched atop the hills looking down on its tea plantations. The town has a uniquely Yunnan flare. We stopped and had spicy noodles at the Yunnan Noodles House. The family who runs the shop were speaking Chinese. I was even able to place my order in Mandarin. On the way out of town we stopped in a tea tasting room and a shrine in honor of one of the KMT’s leaders Mr. Duan. The whole experience hit me hard. Since being on the road for 150 days, I have been on the go constantly. I haven’t really had time to miss Taiwan. Sipping oolong tea while looking out over the hills made me long for Jiufen and the tea of Alishan. Taiwan was and is an important part of my life. When asked where I am from, I often find myself saying, “Taiwan. Well, I live in Taiwan…”.
Fortunately for us, Ari informed us of two bizarre pieces of art. The Baan Dam or Black House created by local artist, Thawan Duchanee, is believed to represent evil in contrast to Chalermchai Kositpipat’s White Temple believed to represent heaven. The Black House sits 10 km north of Chiang Rai while the White Temple is 13 km south of the city. Both are must-sees. We visited the White Temple first and couldn’t believe how bizarre the architecture was. The walk way leading up to the temple is surrounded by hands reaching up from the bowels of hell. Two hands are even ripping open the skull of a demon. As you cross the bridge you walk away from hell and towards a mirror covered depiction of heaven. Yet, it was the Black House that really wins the award for most bizarre site. It is built in the traditional Thai fashion of a temple, although once you step inside, it becomes very clear that you are not in a temple. On the contrary you are standing in an inspired, artistic, demented, house of death. The lofty interior is decorated with bones, peacock feathers, and animal skins. There are several long black banquet tables surrounded by throne like black wooden chairs dominated by large tusks shooting out from their backs. One table even has a full alligator skin with the skull and all. It truly felt like walking onto a movie set where you expected to see an evil queen decked out in black come swooping in to occupy one of the thrones of death.
I was incredibly surprised to find that the main building was only one of dozens on the property. Each structure unique in its own right. The oddest one was a pig-fish submarine looking building. A glance through the portholes shows sinister living quarters, again furnishings of animal skins and bones galore. Come take a walk on the dark side at the Black House!
Again, we hit the road on scooters. We headed for a town called Mae Salong. Mae Salong is a very special place to us because of its Taiwanese ties. The town’s modern history was greatly molded by the arrival of the 93rd Division of the Nationalist Kuomintang Army of China (anti-communists) in 1961. While a majority of the KMT army joined their leader, Chiang Kai Shek, in Taiwan, the 12,000 soldiers fighting in Yunnan were forced to retreat into Burma in 1949. Some stayed in Burma, but many came to Thailand later on. They refused to let the communists win and organized Mae Salong as a military base of sorts to prepare for the day when they would retake their homeland. Unfortunately, their seven attempts to take back Yunnan horribly failed. Mao Tse-tung won after all.
In order to fund their military campaigns the KMT soldiers capitalized on the areas main product, opium. To deal with the renegades the Thai government offered them Thai citizenship if they a) helped the government fight the Thai Communist Party and b) stopped growing opium and replaced it with oolong tea. They took the governments deal and now Mae Salong is a tiny village perched atop the hills looking down on its tea plantations. The town has a uniquely Yunnan flare. We stopped and had spicy noodles at the Yunnan Noodles House. The family who runs the shop were speaking Chinese. I was even able to place my order in Mandarin. On the way out of town we stopped in a tea tasting room and a shrine in honor of one of the KMT’s leaders Mr. Duan. The whole experience hit me hard. Since being on the road for 150 days, I have been on the go constantly. I haven’t really had time to miss Taiwan. Sipping oolong tea while looking out over the hills made me long for Jiufen and the tea of Alishan. Taiwan was and is an important part of my life. When asked where I am from, I often find myself saying, “Taiwan. Well, I live in Taiwan…”.
Fortunately for us, Ari informed us of two bizarre pieces of art. The Baan Dam or Black House created by local artist, Thawan Duchanee, is believed to represent evil in contrast to Chalermchai Kositpipat’s White Temple believed to represent heaven. The Black House sits 10 km north of Chiang Rai while the White Temple is 13 km south of the city. Both are must-sees. We visited the White Temple first and couldn’t believe how bizarre the architecture was. The walk way leading up to the temple is surrounded by hands reaching up from the bowels of hell. Two hands are even ripping open the skull of a demon. As you cross the bridge you walk away from hell and towards a mirror covered depiction of heaven. Yet, it was the Black House that really wins the award for most bizarre site. It is built in the traditional Thai fashion of a temple, although once you step inside, it becomes very clear that you are not in a temple. On the contrary you are standing in an inspired, artistic, demented, house of death. The lofty interior is decorated with bones, peacock feathers, and animal skins. There are several long black banquet tables surrounded by throne like black wooden chairs dominated by large tusks shooting out from their backs. One table even has a full alligator skin with the skull and all. It truly felt like walking onto a movie set where you expected to see an evil queen decked out in black come swooping in to occupy one of the thrones of death.
I was incredibly surprised to find that the main building was only one of dozens on the property. Each structure unique in its own right. The oddest one was a pig-fish submarine looking building. A glance through the portholes shows sinister living quarters, again furnishings of animal skins and bones galore. Come take a walk on the dark side at the Black House!
