Chiang Mai March Hares

Spring may be with you in the UK but here the hot season is really getting going. Every thing is growing like mad and even the new trees are putting on good growth. This is a flower on one of the trees we bought and planted last month!
I've already forgotten which tree it is, the debate over which ones to get was so convoluted, and I missed a lot of the nuances of the discussions(in Thai) as Lilly who was translating, was more concerned about what the fruits taste like than what they look like or are called!
But March has brought with it all kinds of new developments; one of the best of which is Emma Carolyn Peagam's success in the elections for the post of President of the Student's Union: Education and Campaigns! Not only will this bring her a wealth of brilliant experiences and challenges, but she will also be settled in Egham for a further 12 months.
If you didn't see any of her campaign on youtube you really need to have a look! We are so proud of her and we are looking forward to watching how the year goes in this new venture.
Joanne cerebrated her birthday with Emma by going to watch Matilda the musical and from the pictures it looks like they both had a ball.



We had a day off! For a while we have been plotting to go to Doi Intanon, and all the more so since Pat & Bob did a birding trip there recently, when they visited.
This mountain is the highest in Thailand and has areas that are more like the mountains of Himalaya in China than any thing else, everything from mixed deciduous forest, (I haven't written those words for at least 3 years) to proper tropical cloud forest at the summit.



 




This view shows the foothills of the mountain range from about 1/2 way up.
Joan was delighted to see these azaleas growing wild over much of the higher reaches of the mountainside. They are scented, but not quite the same as the deciduous azaleas that we used to grow in Lancashire. 
We enjoyed some barbecued chicken at the roadside  and headed on up.
There is an amazingly good visitors centre at the summit with some excellent information displays about the flora and fauna of the area. A Canadian man had made it his life's work to record and display as much as possible and the authorities have continued to develop the work. 
We saw some beautiful epiphytic orchids high in the tree (too misty and far off to photograph) and a fabulous sun bird was perching right under our noses as we were looking at some mosses growing on the branches of a shrub.
As we are having a very busy March at JT time out is at a premium, so a walk of an evening up to Chiang Mai is a must. The lights on the Iron Bridge change colour slowly and it looks very atmospheric.

The destination varies, but "The Boy Blues" bar is an open air venue for mostly, guitar bands who do covers of Jimmie Hendrix, Cream and the Stones etc. The playing is superb, the singing is good, musically; but some artists clearly learn the words rote from recordings and the meaning get a bit weird; but then some of the songs are weird in English anyway! One thing is certain, they all speak English way better than I speak Thai!
Watching the sun set behind a live band is a fine way to wind down.

Shopping in Chiang Mai's new malls is an experience not to miss; not least because of the street art, that has popped up, there are many shops but sadly you don't seem to see too many people buying much.

This beast is just one of a few that are browsing with you as you explore the Promenada Mall, personally I prefer the water features and trees that also share the space with the shoppers!

 Due to a misheard comment I thought we were going to Houghton Tower; the person said: Huay Teung Thao, which looks nothing like Houghton Tower but sounds like it! It's in the Doi Suthep National Park and has featured previously in this blog when we saw King Fishers, but today it was swimming and fish that attracted us out there on a Friday afternoon! Lorna, a friend from Church, offered to "baby-sit"  the Juniper Tree for us and so we grabbed the chance.

Talking of Church, we had a Burma Day last week and this is one of a couple of choirs who sang. These are Karen people, they come from the far North of Myanmar, beside the Chinese border; below is a Wa choir both wear their distinct tribal costume.  Burma is gradually opening up to outsiders, however, there is still much to be feared by the ordinary people.
They still know how to sing, and that's a miracle in it self.



There is an organization who work to record and observe  all that is happening in this country and try to keep the eyes of the world on a people who desperately need to know people care. They are present, trying to remain invisible, even when the soldiers are fighting, when the drug Barons are at work in the opium growing areas and whenever the human rights of the Burmese people are being abused.
Sorry, mustn't go off on one.....


And now for something completely different......
I was just taking a picture of a pan that the cooks wanted to replace, so that I didn't buy the wrong thing ((again), (you try getting the right soy sauce when there is a 50 yard section in the shop, all devoted to different brands of the stuff)).
Janice and Joan thought they would help!
When we eventually got to Makro, they hadn't got any like that anyway.....


This little thing crash landed into the Office window, Joan rescued it before the JT cat got in there, and one of our guests, a Doctor/ Vet good all round person fed it on sugar water until it flew off to join it's friends about 1/2 an hour later.
These little birds make the most amazing hanging nests and are so quick in flight, that they often go unseen.
Below are a few pics of my "Nano" marine aquarium which has been causing me angst because the green mushroom looked like it was dying but not it just seems to be dividing it's self (anyone know why?)
It is now in two or three pieces, which all look OK.
The Black Nemo had to come to live here as the orange ones in the big tank were trying to kill him!
The Bengal Angel came to keep him company, but they seem to ignore each other.
The red coral has the most amazing fronds that open in low light when it feeds.
I am having trouble keeping the algae levels down, now that the temperature is going up!

As we are on wildlife pics here's another........

This chap, with the missing tail, has taken up residence in the bathroom and seems happy there.
Now that the insects are more numerous we are seeing lots more geckos, lizards and frogs.
The other night we left a light on and the bathroom was full of termites; as they all shed their wings, we have been cleaning up for days!
At least they can't eat a concrete house.
And so to houses,





We thought a traditional English Cream Tea would be a good house warming party. As our Local staff have worked so hard during the building project we had them all round to sample scones, home made strawberry jam and cream.
It all went down very well!
 These pics show most of the staff and a couple of our friends who help at the Juniper Tree, being thoroughly British.