Today we are off for our country-side respite – 2 nights at the Little Village – a quaint resort about 20 KM from Chiang Mai. We’ve signed up for a cycling and cooking tour with 2 nights accommodations at the Village. The owner, Hans, originally from Holland, has set up the entire trip (he also owns ChiangMai cycling – which will be our cycling guides for the bike tour). They are scheduled to pick us up at 8:30, and of course, like most tours, are late (was it because of the 2 Belgians they picked up first? Probably!). At any rate, we hop into the converted pick up truck (sort of Songthaew-ish), our Twin Peak guards ask us our room number (huh? Why? Are they cleaning out our room?) I tell them we are coming back, but who knows if they hear me!
Off we go for 1/2 an hour’s drive out of the city, past the airport and the Night Safari, finally turning down a little country lane to the Little Village. Hans greets us and takes our bags, introduces us to Frans, a Little Village resident who will be joining us on the bike tour, and we go to get fitted for our bikes. We’re on the road around 9:30ish with a lovely countryside tour guided by “Denny” and “Sneaky” (Don’t ask!). At any rate, it’s a great small group, all cycling at the same speed, as we wind our way through villages and little lanes through grazing fields and rice fields.
Along the way we get an education in the different trees and fruits growing in the region.
We even get to stop and blow bubbles through a leaf of some bizarre tree! This is me trying to recreate what Denny and Sneaky are experts at doing! You can sort of see the leaf in my hand there – I did manage a couple teeny tiny little bubbles out of this one – really!
Next stop is a Wat where we wander around and stretch our legs (and other parts of our bodies 
) for a while.
More cycling through rice fields gives way to a visit to a primary school – which is more of a kindergarten. The kids are precious and friendly and running all around – not the least bit shy. And all wrapped up in heavy pajamas and coats and hats like it is winter! Well, for them it is, but for us – it’s really funny how cold is perceived in different places.
Next up is a crematorium where they are preparing the caskets and the big papier mache based Temple looking structures. The caskets (all wood and only 8000b which is $240USD) are placed in the bottom of the temple structures (which cost up to 20,000b, or $600USD), then taken to the crematorium where the entire structure will be burned. The structures help the dead person’s soul to rise to heaven in the ashes. The artistry is fantastic, and fascinating to watch the construction of these temple pyres.
We’re off through the rice fields again, this time with a coffee stop at a wood carving studio. Now this is truly fascinating! All these woman sitting around on the floor carving beautifully detailed elephant statues, chairs and tables. The delicacy and the craftsmanship are just astonishing to us. We sip our coffee (Nescafe of course!) as we wander around watching the details come to life in front of our eyes.
A great stop – but such a tease for us Americans! We can’t take back any wood carvings, so no matter how well priced (and they were VERY well priced!) these beautiful little carvings are sadly not going to be gracing the shelves in Hilton Head or Asheville. We have conversation about that with Denny, our guide. He says that yes, the US is very particular about these things – he agrees you can’t bring back the carvings or seeds, or plants, or water, he says. Well, umm, yes, water, LOL.
More gorgeous scenes greet us as we wind our way through more villages and rice fields, stopping to walk out into a field and watch the farmers plant their rice. All by hand, all in a straight row, so quickly planting stalk after stalk.
As we are winding our way back to the Little Village, a truck with a loudspeaker passes by. We hear these all the time in the city and never know what they are saying – they often have huge billboards attached to the sides of the truck – so I’m curious as to what this guy is saying – is it political? It’s that time of year. Denny tells us that the truck driver is a plumber and a handy man, he is saying he can fix your plumbing, or if you have a leak in your roof or need a window replaced. Great mobile advertising! Just shout it out through the community! I’m thinking the trucks in the city aren’t repairmen though – probably more like clubs or boxing tournament ads.
It is actually fairly cool, the weather has been incredible, probably around 80, but no humidity, as we circle back through the fields and lanes, to arrive back at the Little Village in time for a late lunch of vermicelli and macaroni style noodle dishes (along with awesome fresh bananas picked from the trees around the resort!).
After getting the lay of the land (beverages are self serve – get it out of the cooler and write down what you’ve taken on an invoice pad), talking to Frans who is a wonderful story teller and has had such amazing experiences in his life, we have the afternoon at leisure to relax and rejuvenate. Our wooden Stilt House accommodation is at the back of the resort, spacious and well equipped with a fridge, nice bathroom and a fantastic front porch, where we spend a few moments settling in.
Then we head to the communal Palapa type deck where there are 4 sitting areas, with pillows, tables, outlets for computers and fans overhead. Here we spend the bulk of the afternoon reading, emailing and just relaxing.
Dinner is at 6:30, and included. Tonight we have a starter of Indian Papadum, then spring rolls. For the main course there is Green Chicken curry and Chicken with cashew nuts. All excellent and so filling!
The setting is wonderful as well. We spend quite some time enjoying the dining area, eating, relaxing and talking with our new friend Frans.
Finally, we take our leave and retire back to our porch for the rest of a very quiet and relaxing evening.
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