Thread: A Trip Around Chiang Rai Province.

After crossing over into chiang Rai we headed for the village of Mae Salong, also known as Santikiri. Some lovely countryside up in that part of the world. The weather was poor for most of the trip but when it was nice the landscape was green....

I've always wanted to see stepped rice paddies, didn't see many but this one was stunning



Lots of tea being grown in this part of the world, loots like rows of green cotton wool.



We arrived in Mae Salong on the Queens Birthday, where there was a street parade ongoing in her honour.

My 9 year old was fascinated..."Look" he shouted "Old clothes combined with modern technology....I think she wants to really be in the middle"

The view from our hotel.





We stayed at the Flower Hill Resort which has a hill....with flowers on it. 1200B a night reasonably nice rooms and good views. Food there is predominantly Chinese like everything is in Mae Salong. The town is inhabited by the descendants of 93rd KMT Regiment that was lead out of China by General Duan Chi-Wen in 1949. The Regiment then fought the Communists for the Thai Government which resulted in them and their families gaining Thai Citizenship.

excellent stuff
love that part of the world

On a hillside overlooking Mae Salong is the Phra Boromathat Chedi dedicated to the late Mother of the King.

Originally Posted by reinvented

love that part of the world

Me too. Good stuff Bc.

Me 3. Great photos!

Stunning pics, Bob. Nice work...thanks!

Lovely pics Bob. Come up round my way sometime, there are some lovely spots plus a bed and a beer.

The Tomb of General Duan





The Martyrs Memorial Hall

After Mae Salong we travelled to Doi Tung, the mountain palace where the kings mother spent her later years.



I've always wanted to visit here, mainly to photograph the gardens and insects but it was a shocking day and shortly after taking this shot the clouds rolled over the hill top making it difficult to take decent shots.





After that we drove along the border road up to Mae Sai a rather disinteresting border town. There's a temple that sits on the hill overlooking the border crossing with a giant scorpion statue.

I was reading an article recently regarding improvised filter ideas, things like smearing vaseline on a lens protector or filter to create interesting effects. I don't do vaseline but one problem with air conditioned rooms is forgetting to put the cameras outside over night. as soon as you take them out in the morning in the tropics that condensation is dripping off them, sometimes it can take 30 minutes to warm them up by which time the great light has gone.

Anyway, remembering this article and having the afore mentioned problem I took this picture at Sop Reuk, The Golden Triangle. Through the condensation this is the area where the rivers join and three countries are together.



On the water front at Sop Ruak is a large buddah image sitting on a sort of boat. There are also various shrines and religious paraphenalia....







There is also these large decorations dedicated to the King and Queen.

Really great photos and comments.
Chiang Rai is a unique experience for Thai folk and Pattaya'rised Falang.

Cheers

These pictures are gorgeous. You did a really nice job. Thanks for sharing!

Excellent pictures, thanks for posting.

quality pics, seems an eternity away, whilst we are sitting in ur gaff in bustery guernsey, I am trying to ban the word nao from my missus vocabulary

Gaudytastic, mate!

Next we travelled along the river to Chiang Saen to visit a temple so important I forgot it's name, probably Wat Mahathat like most important temples seem to be. Actually there was a Wat Mahathat just outside town on a hill that I went to photograph but after taking the landscape (last pic below) I got attacked by some bees / wasps / flying bastards and got stung several times on the shoulder so I threw a strop and got in the van refusing to photograph any temple with aggressive animals living in it.



Monks from China enjoying ice cream.



The main ubosot at this temple was quite interesting as it had no walls. The light was very difficult to balance so this is in fact a HDR, which is noticable by the wind movement on the banners down the left hand columns.



Laos before the bee attack.

Thanks for exceelent pix What camera etc set up as in low light and rain still very good

Canon 5D MK II

Everything else will be different for each shot.

Incredible photos! Wonderful area. Someday I have to go there for sure! :-)

YES,nice everything... /;=}

great shots