[Author's note: I'm a 19th century British Colonial Anthropologist. The facts are, well, facts and the interpretations are based on an entirely objective analysis of empirical observations gained via the use of the scientific method. Obviously.]
November 14 - Day 1 "A much anticipated meeting with the great Tribal Leader"
Our party set out for the distant village of Chiang Mai on the eve of November 13 in the hopes of making contact with a little heard of tribe dwelling on the fringes of said place. Our party had been fortunate enough to make initial contact with the Tribal Leader some weeks prior through a popular networking site,
http://www.couchsurfing.org . He seemed a most friendly and accommodating fellow and many members of our party who had experienced anxiety at the prospect of encountering a strange tribe for the first time felt much relief.
The Encounter
The majority population of Chiang Mai is comprised of a large tribe of brown skinned people. One of them was kind enough to offer our weary party transport to the house of the Tribal Leader of the small tribe it was our object to study. He did this in exchange for some trivial amount of currency, but perhaps a belt or bracelet could have been offered in its stead. Upon arrival, the Tribal Leader greeted our party with a most gruff and authoritarian tone so as to establish his dominance. Many members of our party fled in fear of his ferocity.
Here is photographic evidence of the great Tribal Leader at his most ferocious. Note how he bares his teeth, clearly a means by which to indicate his aggressive nature and desire for dominance.
Tribal Expressions of Sexuality
Upon arrival in his dwelling place, our party was at once struck by the noble Tribal Leader's desire to communicate his preoccupation with his virility with what appeared to be strategically placed condoms and pornographic material [Author's note: The Tribal Leader later explained that Maxim is a male interest magazine and not pornographic. Our party is amused by this distinction.] Several members of our party at this point fled in a state of intimidation and discomfort, b
ut those members of our party who remained fearless accompanied the Tribal Leader to his neighboring tribal apartment to meet with several of his closest associates where we were greeted by a strange and unexpected sight: three people in bed together in such a state of comfort so as to cause one to desire to join them in their lounging. Clearly this was a ploy to tempt members of our party into joining the tribe in their strange sexual practices. Our party repressed any urges to do so.
The great Tribal Leader left our party in the care of these new acquaintances while he pursued a means to support his need for sustenance; he went to teach English to members of neighboring tribes people. The tribal threesome, into whose care we were left, proved to be quite welcoming, allowing us to relay messages to our homeland via the use of a well traveled laptop.
Upon the return of the Tribal Leader, our party joined the tribes people in a quest for much needed nourishment. The Tribal Leader, through his mastery of the brown tribe's language, was most helpful in assisting our party in procuring quality food products. We were most thankful. Many members of our party began to feel quite at ease with the members of this small tribe, perhaps even the kindling of friendships emerged.
I later enjoyed sunset from the river
and a Thai night market that sold everything from used T-shirts to probably stolen electronics. I bought a used red velvet blazer which came in handy when I landed in Alaska!
The streets of Bangkok were decorated in honor of the King of Thailand's upcoming birthday.
One of my favorite things to do is explore a place on foot without any particular direction in mind. I essentially wander aimlessly through neighborhoods, city centers, parks, anywhere I feel the urge to traverse. This act is a variation on the Buddhist practice of walking mediation, but I admit that I was more influenced by the character Miss Eleanor Lavish in E. M. Forster's novel (ok fine, the movie is what really influenced me) A Room With A View who always encouraged travelers to throw away their guidebooks in the hopes of getting themselves lost in a place because, according to her, it's the only way to have a real adventure. I concur.
We also stumbled upon, and were able to join in on, a late afternoon session of Tai Chi offered in a park at the university.
I generally do listen to music while I walk, so I'll pick a playlist that suits my mood and take off in whatever direction feels the most appealing. If I come to an intersection, I again choose whatever direction feels like where I would like to be. The goal, if there must be one, is to be entirely open to the experience of walking in a place, paying attention to all that your senses pick up on. I sometimes don't listen to music if I really want to focus on the sounds of a place, but I like the way that listening to music helps me focus on the visual aspects of my wander since I often bring my camera with me (although I rarely remember to use the darn thing). Sure, I get lost sometimes. I come to dead ends. I find myself covering ground I've already covered. See things I've seen before. But more often then not, I am allowed access to scenes and evidence of life being lived that I would never have had an opportunity to observe and appreciate if I did not take the time to just explore and experience a place with no set direction in mind.
As I traveled north I came to realize rather quickly that the Thai infatuation with American Western culture was not in any way limited to the southern beach context. In fact, all things resembling an American Western are popular throughout Thailand, arguably even more so in the north where the landscape more closely resembles that of the Wild West. Thanks ever so kindly to my awesome Couch Surfing host (aka "the Great Tribal Leader"), I was afforded the opportunity to enjoy a night of drunken debauchery at a Thai country bar in Chiang Mai called Tawan Daeng, apparently a chain of bars originating in Bangkok. At least two bottles of whiskey were ordered and divided amongst our group. Bless the memories, the ever so blurry memories, of an excellent time.
Sorry, this is the stage where countless bands played to our coordinated or not so coordinated body movements.
Quiz: In order to party in a Thai country bar you need a) Bottle(s) of cheap Thai whiskey b) Mixers of choice c) A bucket of ice d) Your or someone else's mom e) All of the above
Here are some friends I met on my dancing exploratory wander.
This lady is possibly the best dance partner I've ever had. Ever.
According to my ever so loving mother I have William's syndrome because:
At a later point in time I dared to ingest a crispy and spiced member of the cricket family.
You never know what you're going to see at the Sunday market in Chiang Mai.
Another night our little group decided to head for Chiang Mai University to observe a much anticipated meteor shower. Alas, it was too cloudy to witness any major cosmic drama. Fortunately we were in such a thorough state of inebriation after a rather eventful meander that it was difficult to be too disappointed.
The night was lovely. Perhaps one of the more enjoyable nights of ma vie (yes, I'm pretentious). The morning inspired a burst of sociability and we joined a group of musically inclined Thai university students.
That's me on a cellphone. I'm so cosmopolitan it's painful. My Couch Surfing host belted out a tune or two while a friend of ours proved to be musically adept.
I saw some temples (places with Buddha statues, incense, and fancy roofs).
ut those members of our party who remained fearless accompanied the Tribal Leader to his neighboring tribal apartment to meet with several of his closest associates where we were greeted by a strange and unexpected sight: three people in bed together in such a state of comfort so as to cause one to desire to join them in their lounging. Clearly this was a ploy to tempt members of our party into joining the tribe in their strange sexual practices. Our party repressed any urges to do so.
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