Sights in Chiang Rai Province

Last week I had the opportunity and privilege to travel with friends to Chiang Rai province, roughly a three-hour drive north of Chiang Mai. It was an excellent chance for all of us to spend time in community with one another and share in the change of scenery. Below are pictures of some of the highlights.

We stayed three nights at the YMCA in Chiang Rai. The song is right: it's fun to stay at the YMCA!

We made a stop at the Golden Triangle, the point where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet.

I wasn't able to cross into Myanmar this time because of my visa restrictions, but I still had a good time on the Maesai side of the border.

We inched our way up Doi Tung in the old truck and made it to the Mae Fah Luang Garden, site of one of the royal residences.

There are some really unique delicacies at the Night Bazaar in Chiang Rai, as the evidence shows from this sign. I chowed down on a few of the "The Moustache is Tiny Squid Roasts" and lived to tell about it. Who knows if my lot would have been the same had I tried "The Ark Shell Scalds/Burns" or "The Meatball Fries, Every the Wood"...

It was the first time for me to go to Wat Rong Khun. They're renovating the exterior but it was still pretty impressive to see.

On the way back to Chiang Mai we stopped off at the hot springs and dipped our legs in for a little bit.

It was a great, much-needed time away from the books and theories of second language teaching and learning -- just enough time away before it was back to work with studies, papers, and presentations. I'm thankful for the good mix of work and play!

Eric