Only one letter separates them, but these two places in Thailand were distinct–especially since we had stayed in Chiang Mai the city and we were now going to be in Chiang Rai the rural province.

We said goodbye to the beautiful urban for a quieter, less developed environment. This meant fewer “nice” things like accommodations, but it also meant things were less touristy. Visiting a village in Chiang Rai province truly meant visiting a village.

But first we had to get there.

In between the cities, two cool sites:

Then we had the White Temple, which I don’t show because I know much about it. I show it because it looked amazing.

All I know is that some rich businessman built this structure in recent years. It is said to represent resisting temptation to reach heaven.

A modern creation, the influence of contemporary morality tales in present. And who is the biggest tale teller these days? Hollywood, of course. So busts (pure white, of course) of X-Men characters and The Predator hung from trees just outside the these grounds.

Also just outside was this wishing well.

The White Temple was located near Chiang Rai the city, which we spent little time in because we had to drive another hour away from the urban to the small town called Theong. (Pronounced “tung”, but real tight and with a forceful tone. The Thai language is tricky.)

We got to a modest motel in Theong. We filled all the rooms.

***

To break in our first day in Chiang Rai Province, we decided to hike to a famous lookout point from atop the highest peaks of the mountain chain along the Laos border. The point is callled Phu Chi Fa.

First thing: breakfast. Here we saw a glimpse of Hmong living in this part of Thailand.

My school, Community School of Excellence (CSE) had been here before. As such, they’ve built a relationship with a Hmong woman with a roadside eatery in a nearby village.

Our grey conversion van motorcade rolled out of Theong the next morning, May 5. Landscapes outside the town were flat and green with some equally green hills in the distance. As we escaped any sign of city, the land took its cue to start filling the void by beginning to get wavy. Up and down and mild winds, the narrow paved road lined through the countryside mixed with fields and forests.

We came to and through villages. Here zoomed by two ladies on their moped, a man on a rickety ladder leaning against his rooftop, a stray dog, palms and fruit trees, buildings with the red/white/blue striped Thai flag atop, an old truck rattling by with workers in the back, the occasional, ornate Buddhist temple–and all of this with shades of green beyond rising and falling with the hills in the distance.

Soon we stopped for one of these villages and enjoyed our breakfast.

Footage of our arrival:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqspFD5rpq8&w=560&h=315]
 
Nourished, it was time to ascend to Pu Chi Fa–first by car, then by foot.

The land began to get gorgeous.

A 45 degree-sloped cabbage patch motivated us to stop.

After several miles of dramatic scenery and roller-coaster riding, we met the sign for Pu Chi Fa.

We also saw new, large buildings and tourist infrastructure. So far from anything, I was surprised such development occurred this far off the beaten path. Getting so far away from any city, this was my first impression that Thailand isn’t Tanzania. Not all “developing” nations are the same.

We disembarked in a large, dirt parking lot and started to climb.

We weren’t alone.

There were a few other tourists, but the real splash (and a concurrent reminder that we were in Hmong country and that Thailand indeed is a poor country without a welfare system) were the locals, women and girls dressed in traditional gear. The women–presumably a mother or relative–sat in the background while the girls performed a song and dance for donations.

They were such sweethearts. I had soft spot in my heart for them. I donated. I wanted to do more. I’m not sure what. This is life. But I felt bad for them, which maybe was the wrong feeling to have. They seemed content. Though I wished they weren’t relegated to standing in the sun, hoping for the generosity of passing strangers–all for a meager income in a poor country–perhaps all that matters is that they were healthy and seemed happy in this moment.

I just wish such beautiful children could have brighter futures or at least be secure in the essentials of life.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0esHkEmlHG4&w=560&h=315]
 
Two kinds of beauty at Pu Chi Fa, the other being the obvious–the view. We just had to make it up to that rock, which one of our students dubbed, “Lion King Rock.”

We made it.

From up here, we could see Laos. And actually, according to one of our Hmong chaperons familiar with this area, we were in Laos due to a border technicality. Google Maps would agree.

This would be the first of two times we crossed the border without having to cross customs. But Laos, Thailand–we didn’t care. The point was that we were in an incredible part of the world, unseen by most, largely untouched except for the village spotted below.

Next week, we’ll visit such a village.