Hands On

We arrived in Chiang Mai, expecting a sleepy northern city, nestled in the mist. We found another loud, bustling, Thai city: exhaust, sizzling meats, sewage, curry. I don't mean that as an entirely bad mixture. But yesterday unraveled with a certain blessed serendipity. And it all comes down to coffee.

I located a place to secure by morning caffine, and marched my small troop in that direction. While I sipped a delicious Americano, we decided that we might try to rent a car and drive out of town. But on the way to find the recommended car rental place, we found instead a tour shop recommended by Nora's friend (who lived in Chiang Mai for a couple years while teaching English). After chattling with the sweet girl who works there, we booked Thai cooking lessons for that afternoon and an afternoon at a spa. After wandering a bit looking for a place to stay, we found a beautiful guest house called Pha Thai, run by a kind and adorable family. It has a lovely overgrown garden, rich coffee, and, as it is set off the street a bit) lots of light and fresh air.

For about fifty dollars (1700 bhat), Nora and I enjoyed a nice chat in the steam, in rose petaled water, and then a massage. Nora opted for something soft, but I chose a traditional Thai massage. It was like yoga for those who have lost use of thier limbs. It was incredible -- like in movies, where the massusse stands on the bed and uses her whole body to push and simultaneously pull on you.

Our Thai cooking class as the highlight of the trip thus far. After chatting with him throughout the day, we learned that the owner of the cooking school is a young man (with two boys as chose in age as is humanely possible) from the Laos - Thai border. His family owned a farm and practiced sustainable agriculture. Mon Santo moved in with chemical fertilizers, engineered seeds for purchase, and ready-to-go loans for the farmers, entirely destroying his families ability to make a living wage. He said that the UN set up a hospital in his town and he admired the way the nurses and doctors were 'alert.' He said that he wanted to be like that.

So he left his village to live a a monk and gain a free education. After five years, he moved out of the temple and lived with an elderly man who had lost his viison. He took the man around town and acted as his eyes. Eventually, the man told him that he should open a cooking school (as he was working as a cook at the time) and offered him room in his house.

So, he started this beautiful school, and has since moved six of his family members out of the village, and into Chiang Mai, where they have received an education and training in English.

We were there for four hours and received instruction on how to cook 6 dishes. It was Nora, WIlliam and I as well as a 'Climate Change Scientist' from Oregon. And, I have to say the food was delicious.

Anyway, I'm being eaten by mosquitos...so I'll write about my day today (riding elephants) tomorrow!

My love to all!