Chiang Mai, February 4

We met a couple from Pennsylvania who are staying in the same hotel as we are.

Deb and George our touring friends. 

The four of us decided to rent a car and driver to take us on a tour of the mountain area around Chiang Mai.

First stop, an orchid farm. 

There were many varieties and colors of orchids at the farm.

Next stop was a visit to four hill tribes. 

I had only a half of a section around my neck and it was really heavy.

The Long Necks are the group of people who stretch the length of their necks by adding brass to their necks every few years. The rings are only removed when it is time to add more length of brass. The rings are one continuous length of brass.

In some of the tribes, the women wear huge metal tubes through her ear lobes.

The women all weave different types of scarfs or table runners.

Everyone had a little shop where they sold items to the tourists. A few families lived there but the villages of these people were in different areas of Thailand.

For lunch we went further up the mountain to the very top where there was a restaurant.

The restaurant on top of the mountain.

The view from the table area where we had lunch.

The lady making our lunch.

Som Tom for lunch.

After lunch we stopped at Queen Sirikit Botanic Gardens. There were different green houses that each housed plants from the different enviornments found in Thailand.

Tropical rain forest.

Desert environment

Forest environment

Charlie and George checking out the plants.

Water environment. 

Orchid environment

Grounds and fountains that you pass when entering the gardens and green houses.

It was a long day and we made it home around 6:00. Our taxi driver was great. He seemed to take a nap every time he let us off at a site while he waited for us to return to the car.