27 Sep 2011

Chiang Rai - The Art Route

Chiang Rai is much more than just The White Temple and The Black house..

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The municipality of Chiang Rai has come up with a great initiative. Finally there are some signs for places of artistic interest. Last year it was extremely difficult to find the way to The Black House, now just look for the purple signs along the road. These signs are in English and in Thai language and tell you the name of the artists living in a particular area. 

There is actually a map you can get in the hotels, or at the different artists house telling you about these spots around Chiang Rai province. It is really a mini adventure when you see a sign and finally get to the place. 
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We were really amazed by the great location and the design of Khun Teerayut and his wife Khun Orpins house. We thought we were lost but finally this little pearl appeared. It is recommended to call before you visit, something we didn't do but we were shown great hospitality wherever we went anyway.

We also dropped by to visit Khun Chaiwichit, admiring his more impressionistic work on the sakura blossoms of Chiang Rai.

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On the way back to Chiang Mai, we decided to check out the progress of the White Temple and we were lucky enough to meet the master Khun Chalermchai himself that day. 

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Another great roadtrip in the rainy season came to an end...

Please read our previous post about The White Temple and Black House here :

Text and photos: Per Sundberg

6 Sep 2011

Lanjia Lodge - great hideaway in Northern Thailand

"Over the hills and faraway.."

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Travelling in northern Thailand in the rainy season has some advantages. Less people, lower prices and greener nature. Last weekend me and my family went on tour yearly roadtrip up to Chiang Rai province. This time we followed a recommendation from a friend of mine to stay at Lanjia Lodge, not far from Chiang Khong and a great place to overnight if you are to continue to Luang Prabang by boat.

We started off from Chiang Mai as usual, and the journey up to Chiang Rai city was a pleasant one with our usual stop for coffee at Cabbage&Condoms. After arriving Chiang Rai, then we started the adventure. Were we to find Lanjia Lodge from the Google instructions we had? We also got a bit concerned since the road just got bumpier and bumpier. Almost a slight feel of Sri Lankan roads. But we assumed that this was the price we had to pay to get somewhere very special.

And special it was, when talking about less people I didn't quite expect that we would have a huge balcony just for ourselves overlooking a valley, the Mekong river and Laos. Actually we were the only guests at the lodge this weekend. The staff had been expecting us for some time and showed the best hospitality one can imagine. On the balcony we had our own very attentive hosts. Two persons from the Hmong hill tribe making sure everything was ok.  My son was busy trying to catch up with the Hmong village kids playing, climbing trees and hiding in the bush. Not an easy task considering the strength and stamina that these children developed running up and down the hills to get to school.But he certainly tried his best following them here and there up and down the slopes of the fruit yard. 

On arrival we mostly sat and enjoyed the view though, listening to the sounds of the valley. A distant truck, motorbike and nothing much more than that to be heard. In the evening we were served a tasty dinner with different curries and we were  entertained at the balcony. A very short music and dance performance but with a lot of genuine feel to it. (Compared to the exhausted tourist shows in Chiang Mai anyway)

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The next day we were guided around both the Lahu village and through the Hmong village. The hmong shaman explained some of the local beliefs or practices, or what we should call them. There is a mix of shamanism(animistic beliefs) Buddhism and Christianity in these villages. My son and wife also tried to make some Hmong batik and we took part in a tree planting project to help reforest this area. We also tasted the local organic tea. There is a actually a lot of activities one can participate in at the lodge. Of course they have trekking as well. Our guide told us that the normally do a one and a half hour trek to a waterfall. Well, we skipped that travelling with a four year old but I am sure it is a nice walk considering the nature in the area.

The best part was probably how evening turned to night. Suddenly the curtain was pulled down and we were left to the sounds of chic chac lizards, and cicadas. In the morning we could see how the sunrise over the Mekong lifted the misty veil covering the valley.

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Read more about the Lanjia lodge and the support of local hill tribes on the Asian Oasis website. 
Text and photos: Per Sundberg

 

23 May 2011

Life is Easy, don't you think?

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TEDx Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai 2011
A selected one hundred people was fortunate to get an invitation to the first ever TEDx event in Chiang Mai, TEDx Doi Suthep. Here are a few "in-my-seat" photos from the event. Here, over at Flickr you'll find the rest of the images!

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I really would like to extend my gratitude for everyone involved to make this event come through. Especially Sheila Pham and Katherine LeRoy who both did an excellent job bringing all the pieces together in a huge organizing effort. And yes, it was a success, even with some interference minor technical '(T)EDx glitches' - I feel 4 U Alex :)

A brilliant set of speakers gave us a true TEDx experience. You can read more about the individual speakers here

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I had the chance to exchange a few words with some of the speakers at the after party at MuMu Art, like the documentary photographer and Nikon Award winner Ryan Libre who are really setting a new standard for new upcoming photo journalists. I think i need to start making a separate blog post about him on my personal photo blog janfriman.com because of all the interesting projects that he is starting up from his base in Chiang Mai. 

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I also had a chance to speak to the founder of Pun Pun Organic Farm, Jo Jandai and found out that life might be a bit easier than you think, at least if you are fortunate to live on a fertile peace of land where you can live self sustainably all year around ;) We do have a plan to go and visit them soon. Maybe even attend one of their upcoming courses on sustainable living and Organic Farming? Jo also told me the great news that we will soon have a daily organic food market with products from many of a fast growing number of organic farmers around Chiang Mai. 

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© Copyright Creative Commons | TEDx - Photographer/Text: Jan Friman

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The Northern Rose consists of photographer Jan Friman and culture travel enthusiast Per Sundberg. Our aim is to awaken and grow the interest for Asian culture. On our blog we mainly publish stories about Northern Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. If you want us to do some travel writing for your website or magazine, please feel welcome to contact us. See about for more on our personal background, experience and knowledge profile.

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