The alarm rang so early that it was still dark outside! It was 5:15 am.
G- Whah!!! Why do we have to start so early?
P- I don't know. I don't like it either, but I know this is killing you. I'll go downstairs and get us some coffee.
We met Ron in the lobby at the appointed time. He was having breakfast and reading the news on his iPad. Phyl joined him in eating breakfast, and I had some orange juice. The boys arrived 10 minutes before our intended departure time and scarfed down some breakfast. The sun was just peaking over the horizon as we piled into the truck and drove away. Phyl asked Ron questions.................... she's the eager beaver in the morning. I sat in the back in my usual morning coma state and the boys fell back asleep.
Ron used the GPS on his iPad to guide us down the small roads that lead to the city of Mae Chan. We headed up the mountain, into the area of the golden triangle, to Archa Tong Forest Monastery, also called Wat Maa Tong (The Golden Horse Monastery). This monastery and orphanage was founded 11 years ago by Phra Kru Ba Neua Chai, a world champion muay thai boxer who later became a monk. After years of boxing, he went into the hills of Mai Sai to meditate. While meditating in a cave for 7 days, he experienced a vision that called him to go to the Golden Horse shrine. He has worked hard to fight the drug trade by taking the Dharma to the local villagers. It was during these outings that he found children in need of help, thus beginning the orphanage. He educates, feeds, houses and teaches the children muay thai boxing.
We walked around the monastery/orphanage looking at the boxing ring, living quarters, a few monks on horseback (Each new arrival to the orphanage is given a horse to teach responsibility, for the bonding experience, and, because the area is so vast, to travel between/among the hill tribes.) and the many Buddha statues. We learned that there is a particular Buddha statute, in a different position, representing each day of the week, with Wednesday having 2, one standing and one lying down.
P- Ron, why does that statue have a beard and a leopard sash? I've never seen that one.
Ron – He is a monk who has reached the highest level of enlightenment and has magical powers. Because he's reached such a high level, he is allowed to marry.
G- I guess every monk aspires to reach that level so they can stop being celibate?
Ron – (laughs) Well, not really. There are very few monks that reach this level because they have to have magical powers.
P- I can hear it now................”hey baby, want to see my magical powers in action?”
G- LMAO!!!
We stood at the entrance way to the monastery and put donations of food, which we had purchased further down the hill, into the offering bowls of the monks, as the procession of monk and horse road into the compound. The monks live off of the charity of others. We received a prayer and blessing from the monk in charge, Phra Khru Bah Neua Chai, was not normally there as he is usually visiting hill tribes. We were about to leave when a nun advised us that Phra Khru Bah Neua Chai was on his way. Ron was very excited as it is so difficult to catch him there. We were very excited to get to meet him.
He arrived on horseback and gave us a blessing, although we had no idea what he was saying because it was in Thai. He then autographed pictures and gave us wristbands to represent the blessing. There is something about wearing these wristbands of string that give us a good feeling whenever we look down at them. Everyone is wearing the wristbands.
Finally, we left the monastery and hiked up to the cave where Phra Khru Bah meditated and saw his vision. He goes there every year and meditates for 7 days. The hike was, of course, mostly uphill and took about 30 minutes. The view from the area around the cave was extremely beautiful and sitting in the cave, in which people have meditated for hundreds of years, was somewhat spiritual. In one of Phra Khru Bah's meditations, he was surrounded by a swarm of bees, which was a specific sign, and today, all of the monks who live at his monastery are tattooed with a bee so that if any are lost, he can meditate and locate them. We hiked back down the mountain and stopped at a bathroom on the way to the truck.
G- Damn! I didn't bring the backpack, so we have no toilet paper. I guess I'm going to resort to the sprayer.
P- Well, it sucks, but I guess we have no choice. We'd better pee here because we never know when we'll get to pee again.
G- AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Oh my gawd!!!!
P- (from the next “stall” which was really separated by a brick wall) What's wrong?
G- The water in the sprayer is ice cold. Holy Shit! My clitoris has retreated into my body. I think I feel it in my throat! What kind of sadist came up with spraying the nether region with ice cold water?
P- Some man who never has to spray his pecker with ice cold water. Thanks for doing that first. Maybe I'll just drip dry.
P- AHHHHHHHH! You're right! That water is cold!
We loaded back into the truck and headed higher into the mountains. We were beginning to get hungry and shared a treat from Ron: sticky rice, cooked in coconut milk, and packed into a bamboo stalk about a foot and a half long. It was quite tasty. We stopped at an overlook and could see Laos and the last mountains of the Himalayan mountain chain. We drove further, passing several check points, until we were driving along the Burma (aka Myanmar, although I refuse to use this name) Thailand border. We stopped at the Burma/Thailand border overlook and enjoyed the beautiful view. Ron pointed out areas that were previously opium/poppy fields which have since been razed. We continued on our path until we were in a fairly deserted area very near the border. We stopped, did an illegal crossing onto the Burmese side of the border, and took a few photos.
A few more miles along the border, we stopped at a very small community that use to grown and harvest opium/poppies. Today, they grow a coffee bean that is world renowned and highly sought after. The king of Thailand made it a point to crush opium growing and harvesting in his country and, instead of just telling the people they could not grow opium, taught them how to grow coffee beans. All beans are picked and dried by hand, which is why they are so highly valued, and today the villagers earn more money producing these coffee beans than they did opium poppies (not all poppies can make opium). The coffee also ensures more stability by giving them a legal way to earn a living and allowing them to free themselves from drug lords.
We then headed to the tourist's area of the golden triangle so that we could see where most tourists are taken when they think they have visited the golden triangle. What made our trip with Ron so special is that we saw the actual golden triangle, which is that area made up of a portion of Thailand, Burma, & Laos. It was given the name by a low level US State Department official due to the money earned selling the poppies/opium from that area. It was once the worlds #1 opium producing area. The tourist area was like a circus, but we did enjoy our lunch and seeing the location where the 3 countries meet at the Mekong River.
A few miles back up the road, we went to the Opium Museum, the pet project of the Queen, to teach people the history of Opium and discourage opium use. The museum was fantastic; very informative and advanced, with multimedia presentations. The entrance way was designed by the White Temple artist, whose work we now recognized, and clearly expressed how addiction tortures the souls of the addicted. We learned how opium was once promoted by the US and East India Trading Company, specifically within China, and led to the end of the Chinese Dynasties. We also learned that Morphine and heroin is made from opium. Because Morphine is such a necessary medication, opium must still be grown, and there are countries growing and selling it legally, for Morphine production.
After the museum we returned to the truck for the long drive back to Chiang Mai. The boys slept for much of the way, while Ron, Phyl & I discussed various topics. Ron is quite an interesting man and a humanitarian. It was a pleasure meeting him. The ride was a very long 4 hours. There was very little leg room, and my knees were killing me. As we neared Chiang Mai, Ron put Beyonce on the radio. There we were, 2 middle aged white, American women, a Dutchman now living in Thailand, and 2 early 20's Chinese boys all singing to Beyonce's songs. The ability of music to unify is truly amazing!!
This tour was so incredible that it turned our trip around. This is why we had come to Asia! It was educational and fulfilling in a way that cannot be adequately described. We felt very fortunate to have found Ron and been able to take this off the beaten path tour with him. Finally, we arrived at the guesthouse at 8:30 pm, bought some fried rice at a street vendor, showered, and were asleep by 10:00 pm.
