Relax..relax...

Well deserved break!!

Wa...finally my long waited and well deserved break..after weeks of hardwork, finally I got to take a break. We decided to go to Mae Salong, a small hill village located 4 hrs from ChiangMai..So a long slow drive to the hills..a very 'pusing-pusing' one...must remember to take some medication for the car sickness!!! Hmm....perhaps a flight was a better option coz by the time I reached there, my back was killing me..

But the hill and the mountain showed themselves...Ahh...the pure beauty of nature just took my breath away...as well as my pain :) Kian Leong mentioned that just beyond the mountains lied Burma...Hmm...so near and yet so far...He also mentioned that lotsa drug and human trafficking too..hope I won't meet any of them.. but as we ascended upwards, my worries drifted away..I felt so relaxed..perhaps it was the vacation, perhaps it was a peaceful mind or perhaps it was just the fresh air..whatever it was I felt free...free from the worries of the world, free from work, free from thinking..just pure freedom...

  

 

    

As we were about to reach the town...we saw vegetations...corn fields, orange orchards, tea plantation....then we saw Mae Salong...did you see those tiny huts above..ah...those would be our home for the next few days....

The people seemed relaxed...everything seemed to be in slow motion in this town.Even the cow seemed to move a knot slower..very well, I wasn't complaining, I wanted to be here to escape the hushy bushy of town...and would appreciate some silence for awhile...The people seemed oblivious to the outside world..they were in their own small world...

    

I learned that Mae Salong ancestors were from Yunnan, China. They migrated southward during the uprising of Guo Ming Dang. So a lot of them are Mosleem. There are mosques in the village. They even have a small museum to remind the villagers about how it was started. There were also Akha tribe...their language was different..even my friend who was fluent in Thai language couldn't communicate with them..

The hotel was very special..the rooms faced the hills and it was surrounded by trees with flowers that looked like bells...the scenery was amazing...do you know these flowers gave a very sweet fragrant in the evening..it was really a place to be...the only downside was it is NOT handicapped friendly...lotsa staircases and the roads were uneven..but well thanks to dWongs, I moved about with helps...Opps..almost forgot to mention that the water heater for the shower use gas...you know our cooking gas?? It scared the hell out of me when I first use it..thought I would blew myself to pieces!!!

    

    

We went to a halal restaurant...Salema Restaurant...and the food was great...perhaps it was the hunger or the cold...we walloped everything in less than 1/2 hour!!

          

OK on the top left is beef curry with man tao (pau)..then it's their special noodle, tom yam (yummy) soup,chicken with cashew nut, fried mushroom and tea salad ( a bit bitter but taste great)...no..no..it's not all in 1 meal....but we went back to the restaurant day after day :)

Do you know how refreshing it was to wake up in the valley? To watch the misty forest..then enjoyed a morning air, to watch ladies picking tea leaves....basically to enjoy the stillness..

   

What did we do there...eh...basically nothing..lotsa reading and reflection...I learned to be still and seeked God..learned lots about myself in those few days...never knew some quietness could be so enchanting...of course, that was  before we started to play 'dice'...Ha..it was a game using dices and we had so much of laughter and fun that we almost cried!! Actually we did!! So it's all about enjoying ones company with God and friends...

           

Few days of rest was enough to recharge us...we left with a heavy hearts..alas we need to return to reality..back to work...back to mission...back to ChiangMai..but then again, that was what life all about...work, fun, friends, family, God, ...all in one!!!!     

     

Now let's talk about FOOD!!!

Many many choices leh...

OK...since I come here, been eating great food. Because I am with the locals ..ok half locals since they are Malaysian who decided to stay among Thai to do God's work..I have the privilage to try nice nice and yummy yummy food ...

the first one is the sweet rice...the black stuffs stuck in it is NOT bugs or worms..it's sesame seed !!! It's really nice and sweet

Then we have to dried longan..ok guys cannot eat too much..'pang sai' very hard...very heaty

 

Of course the famous sea food...the fish is steam with plum sauce and lotsa coriander leafs as topping, the green fried thing is called morning dew ( I think??) and we have the salad and the white tom yam...cannot see tom yam because most in our stomah oredi..people hungry what!!

Then I'll introduce you to a special northen Thai food calle 'Naan Ngiw'..The special ingredient is a flower found in one of the hospital. It bloom once a year..the colour of the petal is red. So when it fall of the trees, locals here gather them up and bring it home. The remove the petal and cook the stem along with meat, tomato , spice etc etc...we eat with noodles and raw veg ( like ulam) and lotsa taugeh, fried onion and garlic!!! YUMMY!!

 

Here is what everyone is talking about...pork rice..it's marinated pork rice ..very nice..delicious, juicy..hmmm....use your imagination la....

my friend ate pork keow teow...he said it's really yummy as well...

Those are local store food...here are some pasar malam food stalls...just check out the varieties OK..you dun know where to start eating and when to end ...just food, food and food...Surprisingly didn't see any deep fried worms or scorpions or bugs!!! I think northern people dun fancy those authentic food :)

After trying out the local delicacies...my friends took me to the happening place...The Central Airport Plaze to have buffet..the salad bar costs only RM15 but additional 'meat' or 'fish' probably come up to RM22 ( including the salad bar)..the salad bar selection is goooddd.....

But since everyone miss Malaysian food soo much..I decided to cook them a good meal..hehe..ABC soup, Manchurian chicken ( Kong Po chicken la), mixed friend veg and ikan goreng...see I bring Malaysia with me ma..the last time I check, everyone seems to be OK :)

Well....more food to come...once I rasa them..i will let you...Sawadeeka....