Chiang Rai Flooding, Blue/White Temple, Wine Bar

The day started hopeful with cloudy weather but no rain. We went to the white temple which is a new temple made only in 1996 by a 41 year old architect. It was magnificent with hell depicted as reaching hands towards the sky. Inside there were pictures of our childhood images such as ben10, matrix, Star Wars, 9/11, back to the future, Pokémon, Vietnam war. These were designed with our children in mind. The architect wanted us to come with our kids and look at the images and reminisce and tell our kids of the amazing stories and sorrows do the paintings.

The rain came down heavy as we reached the blue temple. It was designed after the white temple as an attempt for a more famous temple in the area. Temples rely on donations and the more distinct the more famous and the more money is brought in each year to extend the temple.

Unfortunately the route to the long-neck village and the tea plantation was flooded so we visited the golden triangle. This area is where China, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand came together for the production and selling of opium.

The counties produce and sold the drug mainly during the 1900’s in exchange for gold hence the name golden triangle.

Some strange folk lores talk of opium. One story suggest that a woman won the hearts of seven men; she felt bad and slept with all seven and died in the process. Her grave produced an opioid plant that granted this who looked after her grave great wealth. Another tale is of a women who smelt so bad no one would go near her. She died alone and in her grave grew an opioid plant and people began to worship her. Believe what you will.

We had to cut the trip short due to flooding and so missed the tea plantation and the long neck village.

We got back. Spent our last baht in the night market and went to bed.

-M