tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105968712011-11-21T20:24:11.165+08:00straycatnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-11973530073245810982011-11-21T20:23:00.001+08:002011-11-21T20:24:11.202+08:00

16 Dec - SIN > BKK (Pratunam, Siam) 17 Dec - BKK (Rattanakosin) > Chiangrai 18 Dec - Chiangrai > Ban Apa 19 Dec - Ban Apa > Chiangrai (Rai Mae Fah Luang, Wat Dam) > Ban Apa 20 Dec - Ban Apa > Chiangrai > Chiangmai 21 Dec - Chiangmai > Phrae 22 Dec - Phrae 23 Dec - Phrae 24 Dec - Phrae > Chiangmai 25 Dec - Chiangmai (Wualai walking street) 26 Dec - Chiangmai (Ratchadamnoen walking street

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-25031023423712340102011-11-21T20:13:00.001+08:002011-11-21T20:13:56.930+08:00

04 Jul - SIN > NRT > CTS > Sapporo 05 Jul - Sapporo (Odori Park, Maruyama Park, Hokudai, Sapporo TV Tower) > Wakkanai 06 Jul - Wakkanai > Rebun-to (Kafuka, Shiretoko, Motochi, Momoiwa, Funadomari) 07 Jul - Rebun-to (Sukoton-misaki, Gorota-misaki, Tetsupu, Nishi-uedomari, Sukai-misaki, Hamanaka, Kushu-ko, Funadomari) 08 Jul - Funadomari > Kafuka > Rishiri-to (Kutsugata, Oniwaki,

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-16443536159143517962011-11-21T19:46:00.001+08:002011-11-21T19:48:31.756+08:00

27 Nov - SIN > KUL 28 Nov - KUL > VTE (Talat Khua Din, Wat Hay Sok) 29 Nov - VTE 30 Nov - VTE 01 Dec - VTE 02 Dec - VTE  03 Dec - VTE > Bor Nam Oun 04 Dec - Bor Nam Oun > Luang Prabang 05 Dec - Luang Prabang 06 Dec - Luang Prabang 07 Dec - Luang Prabang 08 Dec - Luang Prabang > Oudomxay 09 Dec - Oudomxay > Boun Neua 10 Dec - Boun Neua > Ou Tai 11 Dec - Ou Tai > Ou Neua > Ou Tai 12 Dec - Ou

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-76953683919805963112011-09-18T22:14:00.001+08:002011-09-18T22:16:02.190+08:00

Once upon a time, the cat played with kites made from plastic bags, garbage bags & newspapers too :)

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-65050885941943223162011-09-18T22:11:00.000+08:002011-09-18T22:12:53.612+08:00

All photos in this post by K-san  King Setthathilath, the guy who built That Luang: In the shadow of the King: Who are these blue shirts? Blue shirts buying offerings of marigolds from blue shirts - interesting how the boy at right is wearing a cross:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-35802112736693219582011-09-18T16:57:00.001+08:002011-09-18T16:58:31.116+08:00

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-66215522153437461922011-09-18T16:55:00.002+08:002011-09-18T16:56:39.201+08:00

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-70231143465138437872011-09-18T16:53:00.002+08:002011-09-18T16:55:10.423+08:00

Naga diet - sticky rice...& chocolate wafers garnished with marigold flowers...& banana leaves, jasmine flower buds & plain water (they do drink from cups):Phansa candles:BIG FAT candle meets tiny thin counterparts:Hanging mobile made by tying coloured thread on an asterisk-shaped bamboo frame - they are usually diamond-shaped & this is the first hexagon-shaped piece the cat has ever seen:Still

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-39203455670725602332011-09-18T16:52:00.000+08:002011-09-18T16:52:25.867+08:00

Photos from 300707:At the back/eastern side of the stupa:A little stupa:Think it is the That Si Thamma Hay Sok:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-52851687860101630962011-09-10T22:08:00.000+08:002011-09-10T22:08:40.808+08:00

There are 30 of these 'spires' surrounding the actual stupa: Each one represents a parami (บารมี barami - Thai, 波罗蜜 bo1 luo2 mi4 - Chinese), the perfection of a virtue that is part of the path to enlightenment: 10 parami - dana (ทาน taan 布施, generosity - from which the practice of giving alms stems), sila (ศีล siin 持戒, virtue - observing the precepts), nekkhamma (เนกขัมมะ renunciation)

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-57765997809755415082011-09-07T21:49:00.003+08:002011-09-07T21:49:55.202+08:00

A lot more of That Luang - photos from 280707, 300707 & 010807: Does look a bit like Vientiane's secret stash of nuclear warheads :P

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-44790977179857496372011-09-07T21:46:00.002+08:002011-09-07T21:47:26.772+08:00

Google map satellite view of Pha That Luang - Laos is where lines are not always perfectly straight, pillars & stupas not always perfectly vertical, doorways & arches not always perfectly symmetrical, & squares not always perfectly square: Main/front door at left (west) faces the back of King Setthathilath's statue, shadow of stupa points towards Wat That Luang Neua, & the red roof at

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-46544079647954864302011-09-04T20:24:00.000+08:002011-09-04T20:24:59.551+08:00

The symbol of Laos in what might be the cleanest outdoor public space in Laos: If only the rest of Laos was just as litter-free :P Where's the Lonely Planet logo at the upper left of the real thing? :P (Warning: if that is how you use guidebooks to find the right place, the cover of the 6th edition is going to lead you to nowhere & the 7th edition to Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang.)

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-84248473612729460452011-09-04T01:35:00.000+08:002011-09-04T16:37:15.478+08:00

Across the road from Wat Nong Bone:   Photo by K-san Arrived after closing time: So that's all for today - nice doors! What stands behind... ...has to wait for another day:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-90113948576539307042011-08-21T16:53:00.000+08:002011-08-21T16:54:58.647+08:00

The place where cremations were held, as mentioned here: Photo by K-san The coconuts must be good, for 'rungs' to be nailed on the trunk for easy access? A peaceful respite in central Vientiane - this section has the feel of a 'wat pa' (forest temple): Remains of a stupa? Perimeter wall:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-48412878087197327082011-08-21T16:51:00.000+08:002011-08-21T16:52:39.135+08:00

Paintings on two of the buildings at the back of the temple compound: Green monkey flanked by two mermaids: In front of the other stairs: With discus & trident in hand, against a backdrop of what looks like the top half of the Singapore flag, albeit missing one star: Lao meow in Lao wat:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-31943312847136497932011-08-21T15:49:00.000+08:002011-08-21T15:51:27.132+08:00

Not sure if this is a new building or the complete makeover of an old one. For some reason it faces the perimeter wall (towards Pha That Luang) - away from all other buildings in the temple - & with just a few metres between its front entrance & the wall. In July 2007 it was all bare concrete, in December 2009 some progress had been made: Emaciated Buddha on the rear gable: At one point

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-53340920488963479872011-08-21T15:47:00.000+08:002011-08-21T15:49:20.593+08:00

Pavilion: Monks' quarters: Temples in Vientiane & Huay Xai have huge multi-storey drum towers, unlike the small little single-storey ones in the temples of Luang Prabang: Photo by K-san It was 4:00PM: Photo by K-san While hunting for the sim (main chapel) we found these bits & pieces lying around & signs of construction work in progress:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-4832533185332453582011-07-07T21:28:00.002+08:002011-08-10T22:47:54.016+08:00

Located roughly west of Pha That Luang, across the road from That Luang 'square'. Unlike most temples in Luang Prabang, those in Vientiane & northeast Thailand tend to have rather large & elaborate arches at the entrance(s) to their compounds. Looking out of the main entrance from within the compound - July 2007: A tiny 3-headed white elephant (Erawan aka. Airavata) that was the symbol of

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-35221916527966232562011-04-10T22:46:00.000+08:002011-04-10T22:47:03.625+08:00

All photos in this post by K-san.Title of this post comes from this.Struck by the silence & emptiness of the southern end of Lane Xang Ave, a major road within the city centre, & the widest road the cat had seen in Laos...we could stand in the middle of the lanes to take photos.Presidential Palace:Patuxay in the distance:Can't imagine the stretch of Orchard Road outside the Istana in Singapore or

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-81780523689278280892011-04-10T22:42:00.000+08:002011-04-10T22:43:53.333+08:00

Compared to elsewhere in Laos + Thailand, Vientiane isn't replete with good clean accommodation options within the cat's budget. Stayed here more for the convenience - central but relatively quiet location + space for meeting with Lao friends + familiarity with staff + used to be one of the few (if not only) cheap places that could be booked online. Reviews on Travelfish here.July 2007:October

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-58536579270190194942011-03-27T21:51:00.000+08:002011-03-27T21:53:28.845+08:00

Some photos from 030807 included in this post.Conical hats = heavily laden vendors making their endless rounds of waiting passengers:Can be hard to come across anything infrastructure-related in Laos that wasn't donated by some foreign government/NGO:Photos by K-sanTyre reincarnated as garbage receptacle:Photo by K-sanTagging cargo for the Lao-Thai international bus:There were quite a few red

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-37619742539359806522011-03-27T20:21:00.001+08:002011-03-27T20:24:24.273+08:00

Interruption to normal programming over. Back to the Vientiane 2007 trip.Instead of animals like the lion (Singapore, Netherlands, UK, etc), tiger (Singapore & Malaysia), unicorn (UK), pelican (Barbados), leopard (Somalia), swordfish (Seychelles), parrot (St Lucia), antelope (Namibia), flamingo (Bahamas), elephant (Swaziland) & kangaroo & emu (Australia) as supporters on the national coat of arms

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-70126116058910762011-01-16T22:16:00.001+08:002011-01-16T22:18:30.498+08:00

An interruption to normal programming - a 'special feature' series of posts on Wat Had Siaw in Chomphet district of Luang Prabang. Please see part 1 of this series for background info on this place & the reason for this 'special feature'.Facing the viharn is the long narrow building for the practice of walking meditation:Apparently only 4 temples in Luang Prabang have such a structure, & 3 of

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-54483018833340752992011-01-16T22:02:00.001+08:002011-01-16T22:05:17.127+08:00

An interruption to normal programming - a 'special feature' series of posts on Wat Had Siaw in Chomphet district of Luang Prabang. Please see part 1 of this series for background info on this place & the reason for this 'special feature'.Apologise for poor quality of images - they are all cropped from the photos shown in the previous post i.e. not close-up shots. Hopefully someone with a better

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-30550138069073808772011-01-16T20:52:00.001+08:002011-01-16T20:53:48.984+08:00

An interruption to normal programming - a 'special feature' series of posts on Wat Had Siaw in Chomphet district of Luang Prabang. Please see part 1 of this series for background info on this place & the reason for this 'special feature'.Despite their poor condition, the mural paintings within the viharn of Wat Had Siaw were a pleasant surprise :)The altar - the largest of the cracks on the walls

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-20281944530651424972011-01-16T20:36:00.001+08:002011-01-16T20:38:44.075+08:00

An interruption to normal programming - a 'special feature' series of posts on Wat Had Siaw in Chomphet district of Luang Prabang. Please see part 1 of this series for background info on this place & the reason for this 'special feature'.Above main entrance door of viharn - scenes from Buddha's life story:The Earth Mother/Goddess deity แม่ธรณี Mae Thoranii wrings water from her hair (left half)

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-10169530842289786082011-01-16T20:32:00.001+08:002011-01-16T20:34:15.680+08:00

An interruption to normal programming - a 'special feature' series of posts on Wat Had Siaw in Chomphet district of Luang Prabang. Please see part 1 of this series for background info on this place & the reason for this 'special feature'.The humble little viharn of Wat Had Siaw:Just as the cat arrived, novice monks were scurrying around to locate their stock of fuel for the boat & to get dressed

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-55472190097093340042011-01-16T17:00:00.003+08:002011-04-15T19:56:08.469+08:00

An interruption to normal programming - a 'special feature' series of posts on Wat Had Siaw in Chomphet district of Luang Prabang.This little temple is hidden on the forested banks of the Mekong. Within the viharn (main building housing the altar + main Buddha image) are some beautiful mural paintings, depicting some story(ies) that the cat has not come across before in the many other temples it

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-23127136105976746362011-01-09T22:02:00.002+08:002011-01-10T05:50:52.622+08:00

'Airing the butt' of a ชัยภูมิ Chaiyaphum-หนองคาย Nong Khai bus to cool its insides - common sight in bus stations across Thailand:Long overdue gratuitous public transport vehicle photo for the author of the Thai Mass Transport blog who has been a help to the cat :)All the cat knows about Chaiyaphum is that the guy who runs Thai Noodle House along Coronation Rd in Singapore comes from that

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-16703788082311992132011-01-09T21:40:00.001+08:002011-03-27T19:00:59.703+08:00

First time in Changi's Budget Terminal:Photo by K-sanLet's just say the cat thinks it a wise move by AirAsia to stick to Terminal 1. & the cat shall stick to AirAsia.First time to Udon Thani by Tiger Airway's short-lived SIN-UTH route:Photos by K-sanUTH became an international airport while this route lasted:Photo by K-sanFellow passengers were overwhelmingly male - many Isaan guys working in

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-16634748276974958122011-01-09T12:17:00.000+08:002011-01-09T12:18:58.537+08:00

Chiangmai Airport souvenir shop:The face of Thailand - Lomi Akha, many of whom still do not have Thai citizenship.Doi Suthep from CNX terminal building: The last time the cat stayed in Chiangmai, it was still in primary school...now it was in graduate school. The changes it had seen during this brief stopover made its mind whirl. & in the past 21 days it had seen enough in Laos + Chiangrai to

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-76233061258209195042011-01-09T12:15:00.000+08:002011-01-09T12:17:30.161+08:00

Mae Khajan in Mae Chedi subdistrict - the midpoint stop for buses between Chiangmai & Chiangrai:There is a hilltop chedi somewhere behind the Mae Khajan bus station:Photos from December 2010Wonder how the view across the surrounding ricefields against the mountain backdrop is like from the top...for those interested in exploring with their own wheels, it is at +19°12'26.25"N, +99°29'28.78"E (

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-70005888859755656522011-01-08T21:27:00.001+08:002011-01-08T21:27:45.518+08:00

Ban Mae Ter alumni & Ban Apa alumni meet up back in Chiangrai town...Swensen's treat for Lee...why do Singaporeans like to eat at Swensen's in Thailand??...because Swensen's in Thailand is far less overpriced than it is in Singapore...only 2 seats left on the earlier bus to Chiangmai...the cat to go first to secure the guesthouse booking for everyone (made under its name)...Aki volunteers to join

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-49066750983430740062011-01-05T22:21:00.000+08:002011-01-05T22:22:10.069+08:00

Akha language has no word for goodbye. & they live on mountains, so when you leave the village you tell people that you are 'going down the hill' instead of saying a literal 'goodbye'.From Aki's camera:From the cat's camera:Who is she busy SMS-ing...?Trying to prevent the other cat from leaving:Much more cheerful & much less tearful than in 2004:Gift for Aki from Big Mama:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-21913165826845952322011-01-05T22:05:00.000+08:002011-01-05T22:06:11.422+08:00

The happy Apa :)The cat couldn't recognise this girl who kept coming over to the house to be with it...Thanchanok fell over laughing when the cat asked her who this girl was...how she has grown...& is now able to walk without falling over:In YK's arms just a year ago:Photo from December 2005The other HY & his host family:She recognised him - the AWE team had probably used the services of every

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-56949692984670148492011-01-04T23:06:00.000+08:002011-01-04T23:07:31.979+08:00

In the women's half of the house, all the colourful dangly components of the family's Akha wardrobe are taken out from storage...Youngest daughter seizes the chance to play dress up with her mum's accessories & her own oversized child's cap:Some things are just the same across cultures & everywhere around the world :)More posing outside the house:Second youngest daughter all dressed up:Her jacket

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-10723866685443919872011-01-04T22:13:00.000+08:002011-01-04T22:14:04.242+08:00

For comparison - info centre v.2005YK's plants all gone, replaced by 2 benches:No idea why this sign was hanging here - someone wants to buy old/secondhand items...?45 for a soup pot, 120 for a fridge?

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-77392512345095095962011-01-03T00:34:00.001+08:002011-01-05T23:39:34.140+08:00

Another cat observing Ban Apa:Sunrise from the swing:He was responsible for the little black patch in the middle of the above photo:Photo by someone else in the AWE team, taken on 18 December 2004Stationed at that strategic spot where the only road within the village + the only road out of the village + the path linking the two halves of the village intersect, he would be aware of all comings &

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-30135575579268901362011-01-02T23:11:00.000+08:002011-01-02T23:13:12.627+08:00

Back into the house...with the youngest running after the cat wherever it goes...Singaporean toddlers her age are way behind in terms of ability to scramble up wooden ladders & dirt slopes barefooted.At the hearth in the men's half of the house - they always do the cooking together :)Traditionally Akha women cooked only the rice & vegetables, while Akha men took care of everything to do with meat

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-4823623227225379372011-01-02T17:17:00.002+08:002011-01-04T21:55:07.724+08:00

Kids playing with the large wooden mortar & pestle outside the house:It is usually used for mashing slices of banana tree trunks with leftover food to make slops for feeding pigs. This mortar was made by carving out a hole in a tree trunk:More 'modern' versions of the mortar are made by covering the inside of a plastic bucket with a thick layer of cement. Here are the cat's hosts using one such

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-32849341017548478392010-12-12T20:30:00.000+08:002011-01-02T17:16:51.826+08:00

ABOUT...Akha Ama Coffee is a little organic coffee enterprise started by a young Akha friend (Lee), to support the farmers in his village & neighbouring communities in the Mae Suai area of Chiangrai province. It aims to foster & support sustainable farming practices & help the farmers gain access to both local & international markets for their crop. It is also seeking to obtain fairtrade

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-75907143634333953092010-09-11T20:59:00.000+08:002010-09-11T21:00:11.845+08:00

Staying with this family usually means sleeping together with Mrs Barber & the 3 youngest kids (& YK & Aya if they're around) on the women's half of the house. On this visit the cat was puzzled to find itself having the entire house to itself come the family's ~21:00 bedtime every night. It'd leave the light on for them while wondering where on earth the entire family (save for the Master Basket

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-73158280572050339132010-09-11T20:56:00.000+08:002010-09-11T20:57:14.016+08:00

Getting a ride out to the highway - because he specifically asked for big fat photos of himself:Giving him directions to Ban Apa, with Mr T slowly pushing the vehicle backwards:Photo by the other HYThe driver brought us to another section of Mae Yao subdistrict where the tambon administrative offices were - along the way we noticed that we appeared to be travelling along the road to Ban Ruammit

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-78633742386410358002010-09-11T20:55:00.000+08:002010-09-11T20:56:18.207+08:00

Cute flower buds that look like fat little yellow satin pincushions:School group - not sure if checking out the cultural exhibits or just seeking shade to hide in:On the way to lunch:Photo by the other HYMr Coffee had to change into full university uniform complete with tie & formal shoes. The National University of Singapore (NUS) alumni were all dressed in the T-shirt/bermudas/jeans/flip flops/

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-19459637759281460782010-09-11T00:30:00.000+08:002010-09-11T00:32:21.153+08:00

What's with the hexagon & little sword?Troubles drifting away?Looks just like the square base offering 'tray' made from banana leaf 'stalks' that Tai Lue people make:Photo by the other cat

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-59328316677931656772010-09-11T00:29:00.000+08:002010-09-11T00:30:08.815+08:00

The Tai Yai 'booth' at the performance ground:Triangular arrangement of branches with small banana plants & bundles of twigs tied to them looks exactly like what Tai Lue make as temple offerings:First 'transparent' banner ever seen:First blue banner ever seen:Made from lace!

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-61085221260621597522010-09-11T00:19:00.000+08:002010-09-11T00:20:45.854+08:00

The other T showing us how the Akha herbal sauna that he & Dr T built works:Aki & the other cat tested it out:Herb trading:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-77885254796005039242010-09-11T00:18:00.000+08:002010-09-11T00:19:16.052+08:00

Blinding amount of cross-stitch:Wonder if the 'waist piece' is similar & tied on the same way as the Hmong equivalent?

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-91631092624608239512010-09-11T00:16:00.000+08:002010-09-11T00:17:46.190+08:00

The 4-man 3-piece band - 1 guy each for drum & cymbals + 2 guys for gongs:'toe' dance - with 'toe' being described as a lion, deer, antelope, or sheep:What many tour brochures, tour guides & tourists refer to as the 'peacock dance', when the female dancer is supposed to be a half human half bird kinnari (kyingare; kinnara or kyingalar for the male role):Unlike the Tai Lue who wrap a white cloth

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-34712134180863623632010-09-11T00:15:00.000+08:002010-09-11T00:16:33.174+08:00

He who drove us here:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-31325360726224453662010-09-11T00:13:00.001+08:002010-09-11T00:15:23.172+08:00

Performance ground surrounded by huts built to showcase the culture of various ethnic groups, with an Akha swing & a spirit gate at the entrance:On the horizontal beam of the gate (above), there is a little carving of a bird (able to see & warn of danger approaching) & an aeroplane:On some gates the cat has seen carvings of helicopters & AK47s - presumably to make it clear to whatever spirits

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-63848979665042619342010-09-10T17:44:00.000+08:002010-09-10T17:45:03.461+08:00

Before this the cat had only seen bright red 'yehji yehseh' (long tassels of dyed & fluffed up chicken feathers), today it saw black & maroon ones:There will always be a fresh flower or leaves tucked in somewhere:4 hearts + 4 arrows:Hours of cross-stitch + chain stitch:First time the cat sees the 'triangle' pattern running diagonally instead of horizontally:Older men tie a length of plain red

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-63098137769632208432010-08-29T22:39:00.001+08:002010-08-29T22:39:39.604+08:00

The cat goes on holiday only to end up at a biomedical conference - just no way to escape from any reminder of work...!Mekong regional ethnomedicine conference at the School of Traditional & Alternative Medicine, Chiangrai Rajabhat University:Showcase of plants used for traditional medicine:Once we arrived at the conference venue the Ban Apa herbalist & pals made a beeline for the plant display:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-56769299267633496222010-08-29T22:09:00.000+08:002010-08-29T22:10:18.467+08:00

On one of the beams above the cat's head:ผู้ phu เผย phoei แผ่ phae (evangelist) ศาสนา saatsanaa คริสต์ khrit (Christian)ชาว chao จีน jin (Chinese) ไต้หวัน dtaiwan (Taiwan) และ lae (and) อเมริกัน amerikan (American)คือ kheu (be) ผู้ phu ทำ tham ลาย laai (destructor) วัฒนธรรม wattanatham (culture) เก่า gao แก่ gae (ancient) ของ khong (of) อาข่า Akhaขอ khor (implore) เพียง phiang (enough of?) เรา

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-38978684222780820462010-08-29T17:01:00.002+08:002010-09-12T11:39:11.263+08:00

When travelling in a group, the cat usually has no idea where it is headed. The truck turned right off the Mae Fa Luang Rd & ended up somewhere in the Rimkok area instead of continuing straight to the bridge over the Kok river into Chiangrai town.Because Dr. AFECT had to stop by his office:Across from the office:Bamboo version of the swing:Video about the Swing Festival filmed in Ban Apa (in Thai

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-3312475130643454212010-08-22T15:23:00.001+08:002010-08-22T15:23:45.330+08:00

Leaving for town - the dzoema & a few other village elders + the girls in the back of the AFECT truck, & the other HY with Lee:Laughing at the other HY:Kindergarten at neighbouring Ban Huay Mae Sai:Hilltribe United youth squad - Lahu + Akha midfield:Yao goalkeeper + defence:The road out to Thung Luang junction:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-85187037927492613702010-08-22T14:56:00.001+08:002010-08-22T15:03:01.212+08:00

Aki & the other cat at 'their' house: Photo by the other HYIn 2004, AS making the same type of bamboo cups seen in the above photo:Photo by Big Black CatHe had truncated the slanted rim, making it even easier to drink from. AS & wife were among the 26 in the 2005 accident, & his wife one of the more seriously injured. She was excited to see man-maid & the cat in 2010 & started explaining to a

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-2520257265074246712010-08-15T19:29:00.000+08:002010-08-15T19:30:00.499+08:00

Over at the house of the village herbalist + Big Mama, a cat investigates the visiting cat:Cat sitting on cat sitting on women's half of the house:Catwalk on cat:Cat-sitting:Dogs & chickens get chased out whenever they try to enter Akha houses, but cats are allowed to come & go as they like :)

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-52709923918912878052010-08-15T19:28:00.000+08:002010-08-15T19:29:07.049+08:00

Impossible to take photos without her jumping in front of the camera:She'd just learnt to walk not long before the first time we came to stay in 2004, but she can remember the cat. Of the 3 kids who still live in the village, she's the only one who isn't away for a good part of the day at school, & is thus the closest to her parents.They were pasting the stickers they'd peeled off the fruits we

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-19120282450003262302010-08-15T12:43:00.001+08:002010-09-11T17:53:31.220+08:00

Because his dad is an expert at weaving baskets & ขันโตก khantoke tables from bamboo. Yet-to-be-sold work stashed above the fireplace:Smoke from the fire gets rids of all the bugs (& larvae that hatch from any eggs that they might lay) in the bamboo & also the thatched roof of the house, so that they don't hang around to chomp everything into pieces. Just like how the fire in the 囲炉裏 irori of 合掌造

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-62399327797341724232010-08-15T12:36:00.001+08:002010-09-11T18:04:19.087+08:00

First 6 photos = view of house from the women's side, in clockwise sequence.New fridge - from the younger sister who has graduated from college in Singburi & started working somewhere 'near Bangkok':Blue/white checked canvas bag at bottom left is one of 2 that the cat brought over in 2004 - people here like to use such bags as 'portable cupboards':Friends will recognise the 'towel that never

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-24532920917667740762010-08-15T11:58:00.000+08:002010-09-11T18:24:47.644+08:00

All photos from December 2004 visit.Entering the house - the front half takes up most of this photo:Drinking water is stored in the white bottles (with brand names like Castrol, Caltex & Shell) at bottom right (above). Back half of the house is partitioned by the only internal wall into the men's & women's sleeping areas. Men's sleeping area (at left of above photo), with the partition on the

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-59694629664565768692010-08-15T11:57:00.004+08:002010-09-11T18:23:32.957+08:00

Where the cat stays in Ban Apa. Photos from first visit in December 2004 & third visit in 2007.Every household has a bamboo fence around the compound. The gate is opened & closed by sliding the horizontal bamboo poles through holes in the 3 vertical poles (2 on left of gate, 1 on right):The only times the cat has ever seen anyone close their gates was the night all of us hid in our homes when a

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-62064023167970486862010-08-14T19:11:00.000+08:002010-08-14T19:21:30.197+08:00

Back at the house the cat found this in the dustbin:This is the home of the village barber, but this hair/fur wasn't of human origin & it had been singed, not trimmed off.Free range organic หนูป่า nuu bpaa (lit. forest rat) - to be minced to make something like ลาบ laab for tonight's dinner:Bamboo stems for making ข้าวหลาม khao lam:Filled with sticky rice + water & left to soak overnight - to be

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-17382160000559885092010-08-14T17:04:00.002+08:002010-08-15T00:21:05.487+08:00

View of older half from the newer half - January 2007:Same view in December 2004:Back to 2007:The shop, info centre, Acha's house + parking shelter, Agong's house + outhouse & the buseh's not-so-new balcony-less house:By the cat's next trip back here at the end of 2009, many more would have made the switch to concrete houses with metal roofing - in 2005 Atee had already mentioned the problem of

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-6380076771972720152010-06-20T21:03:00.001+08:002010-06-20T21:03:19.079+08:00

The Akha chef in the 'combination kitchen' - wood-fired stove on packed earth hearth on floor + raised gas stove:By special request of the other HY, who wanted proof that he does do the dishes:A feature of the traditional Akha house - the open multi-purpose 'balcony' platform - in concrete form:Breakfast - porridge with more roots :PFarewell to our hosts for the Ban Apa alumni heading to where

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-19306397526570213962010-06-20T20:49:00.000+08:002010-06-20T20:50:36.210+08:00

Photo by the other catThe older one:The one with cute paws:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-67245239818251771112010-06-20T20:43:00.000+08:002010-06-20T20:46:30.424+08:00

View from the back of our host's house:Click here for larger versionTwo cats soaking up the sunshine:Photo by the other HYJoined by a cat-wannabe - the other HY:Photo by the other HYA reminder that we are not in Singapore:Used to be part of the dowry for Chinese in Singapore (maybe for the wealthier families?) - almost 15 years since the cat struggled to use one, cos at home it grew up doing all

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-44908235192787728262010-06-20T11:40:00.001+08:002010-06-20T15:16:24.254+08:00

Staying with YK's field studies project host in the grandest Akha home the cat has ever stepped into...Just nice for 4 girls:Guys banished to the living area:Portraits of Chakri kings on front door:The late Princess Mother at upper right:Thai Akha calendar:The three Akha subgroups in Thailand - [L-R] Lomi, Ulo & Phamee:Easiest to distinguish by the design of the adult women's headdress - large

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-72150733641961716182010-06-06T19:46:00.001+08:002010-06-06T22:37:07.769+08:00

A 'crash post' whipped up for the benefit of those who intend to spend time in Muang Ngeun, & also those who do not intend to but get stuck there after missing transport connections while crossing the border :PMuang Ngeun (romanised as Muang Ngoen in Thailand) is a series of mostly Tai Lue villages spread out along 2 perpendicular roads:Click here for full size mapPlace names in Lao script (&

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-65231445657932873212010-05-02T23:37:00.000+08:002010-05-02T23:38:30.327+08:00

Spying on Lee:Cats don't need pillows:The favourite:Studio Ghibli effect:Lousy sense of smell:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-63820202305149147922010-05-02T23:35:00.000+08:002010-05-02T23:37:16.945+08:00

Ban Apa alumni:What the cat is named after:We were a pretty big group:On the whole the houses look far bigger & the village seems wealthier than those in the Huay Mae Sai area:Two types of stairs - foreground = the type for traditional Akha & Lahu houses:Cat like blue roof:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-4054500228704674832010-05-02T23:34:00.000+08:002010-05-02T23:35:53.062+08:00

A village school in the mountains of rural Thailand:Miles away - both literally & figuratively - from the government schools in Bangkok that the 'cousins' went to, & even further removed from the swish private schools that their kids now go to.Today = Wednesday = scouts day, when all school kids across the kingdom are required to turn up for school in their boy or girl scouts uniform (a few

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-64176800045326977822010-05-01T10:54:00.000+08:002010-05-01T10:55:26.530+08:00

01. house construction:Don't need a floor to stand on the 2nd floor:02. roof repairs - using imperata grass:03. making brooms:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-5866944458867154332010-05-01T10:52:00.000+08:002010-05-01T10:53:41.332+08:00

Akha laundry:Turned inside-out, revealing the amount of stitches required to attach all the beads, Job's tears seeds, cowrie shells, buttons & bits of silver:Woven bamboo platform with the same style of construction as the floor of the sleeping area of Agong's house - more durable than the usual style used for balconies, & very comfortable (at least to this cat) & cooling (during hot season) to

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-57396654732649494272010-05-01T10:50:00.002+08:002010-06-20T15:11:13.665+08:00

Breakfast part 1:豆浆油条 dou jiang you tiao at Mae Salong morning market (see here for interesting bit about how the Thai/Lao name for it - 'pathongko' - is a misnomer). Steered everyone to the stall that the other YK & the cat ate at during the 2005 trip. Only one sister at the stall - the other had already left for school. Passed her uncropped versions of their photos from 2005 - all siblings are

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-21880197359130236522010-04-18T16:16:00.001+08:002010-06-20T14:59:47.633+08:00

Not as spectacular as Phongsaly or Phu Langka, but nevertheless still beautiful:Tripod-hugger:Photo by the other catPhotos by the other cat:Because he specfically instructed this cat to post BIG FAT photos of him :PCat radar at work again:Down the 700+ steps we climbed this morning - at night, the best parts are the unlit sections where the cat spotted many glow worms on its way up:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-29065436726257090102010-04-18T16:15:00.000+08:002010-04-18T16:16:22.642+08:00

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-88671343699329298302010-04-18T16:14:00.000+08:002010-04-18T16:15:16.980+08:00

Just like its hungry counterpart in Wat Mai (Luang Prabang).

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-12980631463116244132010-04-18T16:08:00.001+08:002010-04-18T16:14:03.195+08:00

Buddha posture for Sunday - ปางถวายเนตร bpang thawai net, standing with right hand crossed over left:Buddha posture for Friday - ปางรำพึง bpang ramphoeng, standing with hands folded over chest:The design of the robes makes the Buddhas look as if they're the caped crusaders of Wat Gotham :P

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-86607803104704768082010-04-18T16:07:00.000+08:002010-04-18T16:08:24.781+08:00

As the sun gets stronger the ground beneath melts & the chedi starts to sink:Carpark in foreground slopes down to the right, skewing the perspective :P

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-54800240803287620762010-04-18T16:06:00.000+08:002010-04-18T16:07:26.242+08:00

For the other YK, who climbed up to this chedi with the cat in 2005:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-29165088303327156432010-04-18T16:05:00.001+08:002010-04-20T15:36:16.218+08:00

Sorry for poor images - cat no have tripod.YK's idea - a reprise of what he'd done during his field studies trip to Mae Salong - 4:00am climb up 700+ steps to the hilltop Phra Borommathat chedi. Only source of light up there - a freaking bright full moon:Ethereal - the moonlit chedi glowed beneath a swirl of stars + thin wisps of clouds threaded through the nightsky, which had the cat thinking of

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-4145234104443730882010-04-18T16:02:00.000+08:002010-04-18T16:04:38.407+08:00

2 January 2550 - final day of the Mae Salong tea festival:Hilltribe music performances + singing competition tonight:Plan was to wait for him to be done with the competition before heading to his village for the night. Cat ears & the super power sound systems with giant speakers that are de rigueur at all celebrations & temple fairs in Thailand don't get along too well, so while the rest joined

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-32152879660601473662010-04-12T01:40:00.000+08:002010-04-12T01:41:44.670+08:00

Cropped from various photos taken from afar with a 3.2 mpix 3X optical zoom camera - please excuse the (lack of) quality. Happy spotting the original photos in previous entries :)

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-6971445817443531032010-04-12T01:37:00.002+08:002010-06-20T14:52:54.974+08:00

She was all dressed up...& so was he, for tonight's singing contest...Wedding photographer instinct in YH & YK kicked in...The afternoon dragged on...to-ing & fro-ing to collect our bags...a visit to the Chinese Martyrs Memorial Museum...seems like we wouldn't be making it to their village tonight:Photo by the other catTwo cats in hand...waiting for the rest while they visited the museum:Back at

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-73758226910391376512010-04-11T21:57:00.000+08:002010-04-11T21:58:03.970+08:00

Akha ferris wheel (left foreground) vs. Western ferris wheel (right background):Made from wood + bamboo + 4 strips of cloth ('straps' for the seats) + a few nails:Close up of structure - no idea what the mineral water bottle is for:YT, Aki, YH & JL on board:YK runs over to take YT's place:A rather short Akha swing:The swing (la cheu) & ferris wheel (kam la la cheu) are built for the annual Akha

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-23083094880614411132010-04-11T21:55:00.001+08:002010-04-11T21:56:44.394+08:00

On the grounds of the government school - booths showcasing the cultures of various ethnic groups in the area, complete with traditional-style houses:ลั๊วะ Lua or Lawa:Yao/Mien:Chinese, who fled from China through Burma & Laos:Lisu:What the cat bought (white arrow):Not what the cat bought - factory mass-produced pseudo-hilltribe stuff:Mr Mae Salong, whom the cat first saw in 2005:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-47208895767100891352010-04-11T21:53:00.000+08:002010-04-11T21:54:57.357+08:00

Akha handicraft stall:They spent what seemed like hours here - the landslide had been cleared away:The cat was bored:Yunnan-style dumplings at another YT recommendation - a restaurant to the immediate left of this sign:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-13674857572621294722010-04-11T21:52:00.000+08:002010-04-11T21:53:13.810+08:00

By chartered songthaew:Photo by AkiPhoto by The Other HYCat's second time to Mae Salong, first time by the Kiew Satai route - just as steep & dramatic as the Mae Chan-Ban Pasang route:Photo by AkiHand cranked petrol pump:Not sure why we stopped here along the way, but who cares :PPhoto by The Other HYBecause he specifically instructed the cat to post BIG FAT photos of him :PPhoto from The Other

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-89100550987240420132010-04-10T15:00:00.001+08:002010-04-10T15:06:13.839+08:00

All photos in this post by The Other HY unless otherwise indicatedHow many times has the cat started its morning in Chiangrai by walking north along Thanon Jet Yot past Wang Come Hotel, Khao Soi Phor Jai, & the empty bars......to the familiar municipal market:To the stretch of Thanon Uttarakit along the northern wall of Wat Mung Muang next to the municipal market - because they wanted to buy

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-87441207322333857032010-04-04T23:43:00.001+08:002010-04-04T23:43:59.918+08:00

Outside Wat Phra Singh - what we thought was graffiti......turned out to be ห้าม haam (forbid) จอด jot (park) รถ rot (vehicle) ขวาง khuang (obstruct) ประตู pra-dtuu (gate). This is how the cheapskate cat seeks out FREE Thai lessons - deciphering toilet signs, road signs, food stall signs, drink bottle labels, bus station timetables, temple names, red shirt/Pheua Thai party campaign stickers & '

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-9191777112776143762010-04-04T13:05:00.000+08:002010-04-04T13:09:07.628+08:00

Along Suksathit Rd on the way to Wat Phra Singh - this road on the eastern edge of the municipal market is a good place to buy dinner in the late afternoon/early evening:Photo by The Other HYWith time to spare before meeting up with the Chiangrai friends, the cat decided to try & see if it could hunt down Monk X, the village mate & cousin of a bunch of its new Lao friends. All his village mates

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-85930513471069310032010-03-28T02:37:00.001+08:002010-04-22T00:18:15.299+08:00

Despite another bomb incident in Chiangmai this morning, the plan for those coming from Singapore via Chiangmai & from Laos via Chiang Khong to meet at Baan Bua Guesthouse went without a hitch. YT brought us to the 'Thaksin beef noodle' place she'd eaten at during her field studies trip to Chiangrai - photos are from the cat's return visit 3 years later in 2010:Photo by man-maidApart from beef

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-1316500937246302932010-03-21T22:45:00.000+08:002010-03-21T22:47:06.641+08:00

Hopelessly lost cat finally found its way back to Thaveesinh Hotel at ~10AM, long after its companions from the Pak Beng-Huay Xai boat had checked out & left for Chiang Khong.Based on reports from other travellers it was expecting to have to pay an 'overtime fee' for crossing the border on a public holiday, but the two Lao immigration officers on duty just waved the cat through after collecting

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-29180939008884136042010-03-07T23:06:00.000+08:002010-03-07T23:07:48.263+08:00

Also at Wat Chom Khao to welcome first sunrise of 2007 - Mr Japanese Businessman...Mr Japanese Businessman: ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ (rattles off excitedly in Japanese)Big fat question mark balloons above clueless cat's head...Mr Japanese Businessman: ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓Cat rummages through memory archives - where da hell is dat magic incantation when i need it??Mr Japanese Businessman: ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓ ▓

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-44685477794415596632010-02-28T20:18:00.000+08:002010-02-28T20:19:30.743+08:00

Singha on guard duty at the top of the stairs:Before:After:They never knew what hit them.One could literally roll all the way down the stairs from Wat Chom Khao & the slope past the Lao immigration & splash into the Mekong:Thai immigration at Chiang Khong across the Mekong:Yellow + red shelter marks the cross-river boat waiting point, vehicle ferry to the left. Watching boatloads of backpackers

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-86252213024468032902010-02-28T20:17:00.000+08:002010-02-28T20:21:06.237+08:00

To heaven & beyond - banner offering for deceased:Education for monks - Buddha & his first 5 disciples:Education for monks 2500++ years later - secondary school:Office:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10596871.post-14666224499046650962010-02-28T19:46:00.001+08:002010-02-28T19:46:58.957+08:00

That (stupa):3 years later in Muang Ngeun the cat learnt that laymen pay in the range of ~300 baht per 'angel' statue to raise funds for the temple - white writing on blue base of each is the name of the donor:2-in-1 bell + drum tower - unlike Chinese & Japanese temples that usually have the bell & drum in separate towers:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0