Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Mae Hong Son Loop - Mae Hong Son

The first "clockwise" bus out of Mae Sariang, our first stop on the Mae Hong Son Loop, is at 12:30 pm so we have a whole morning to kill. When the bus eventually arrives at 1:00 pm Sun-Ling springs into action and snags us a couple of good seats while I stow our big packs under the bus. She says she "sprang" when she saw some local ladies get a "very focused look on their faces" when the bus pulled in.

This was perhaps the hottest bus ride ever with my thermometer never going below 95 F and often at 99. Maybe I should just leave the thermometer at home. ;-) Even a blast of 100 degree air is not cooling. But after almost 5 hours on the bus Sun-Ling led us right to a hotel with a pool. Woohoo.

Enough about bus rides. We liked Mae Hong Son. Although there was no 100% vegetarian restaurant in town, we ate well at noodle stands and restos. There was a view point, two lively morning markets, a night market next to our hotel, and we had a view of the lake during breakfast (which we enjoyed so completely that I did not get a photo of SL + coffee + lake). BTW, the free coffee at Piya Guest House is the best in SE Asia so far.

There were a dozen young monks on the packed 12:30 bus.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

And there were wood floorboards.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Not so typical view out the bus window; usually there was no view to speak of. It's the dry season and the hills are brown.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Night Market along the lake in Mae Hong Song with a temple at back.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

From the noodle stalls: fresh wide noodles with pickled vegetables and a salted egg.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Sunrise over the lake = morning coffee view.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Morning alms giving. The man had exactly 12 packages on his tray, one for each of the 12 monks. How did he know that 12 monks would come by, not 1 or 5?
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Mae Hong Son, Thailand

The Morning Market gets going early and there's loads of veggies and snacks.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Stopping in to one of the local Buddhist temples, we happened on a funeral. The casket is on the cart at right with the flowers and elaborate roof.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Looks like the deceased was the family matriarch.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

The roof on this temple reminded us of the Orthodox Christian churches in Romania.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Done with morning markets, we headed up to Wat Phai Doi for the view, er non-view, too hazy. But you can make out the lake.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Bananas for sale near the bus station.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

More veggie noodle soup for lunch.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Did I mention the hotel had a pool? ;-)
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Sunset.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Most restaurants and food stalls in this part of Thailand have self-service free water - ice in the cooler and tin cups up top.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Mae Hong Son, Thailand

The lake at night.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Desert from a food stall.
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Ford Anglia seen on the street - nice!
Mae Hong Son, Thailand

6 comments:

Kathy said...

Ford Anglia! Wow, that takes me back. Now, if you could find a Triumph Vitesse...

I love Asia but 95F? 100F? Scandinavia this summer is looking better and better. (Bought my outbound tickets this morning.)

john said...

Kathy, Good to hear you'll be on the road this summer! It's hot here in northern Thailand but the evenings, nights and mornings are pleasant, unlike Indonesia and Malaysia where I would invariably start sweating somewhere between the hotel room door and the lift. haha. Actually put on my fleece jacket for 30 mins or so yesterday on the early songthaew from Tha Ton to Mae Salong.

WQZ said...

Inspiring morning coffee view! We took your advice and brought with us a mug an electric water heater and instant coffee on the trip. Saved us a lot of time in the morning. Thanks! Back in raleigh now, and already thinking going back:)

Sun-Ling said...

@WQ, so glad to hear that you love Mexico as much as we do, if not more! Here in Asia we hardly have to use our water heater. There always seems to be coffee and/or water heater in the room. Maybe we are staying at better places in our old age, haha.

Liz said...

The casket was very interesting.

john said...

Liz - Once or twice each trip we come across a funeral and its always interesting. Usually I do not take photos but this particular time it did not seem intrusive or disrespectful.

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