Thailand - Day 4, Chang Mai.

 Bangkok airport is huge and busy and the 14 of us dutifully followed Ammy, with her red hat and raised hand (sometimes holding her phone, sometimes a water bottle) through the check in, security and to the food court to have lunch. Periodically, during the course of the day she will do a quick head count. It must be very challenging with larger groups.

It was a short, just over an hour, flight on AirAsia, to Chang Mai and a smaller airport. We then drove directly to dinner in the home of a local family.

I had to add in this photo from the morning. I am not sure where Mark took it but I suspect it was the first temple, the one I missed.

We drove through the city of Chang Mai to the outskirts and went into a group of homes, occupied by different generations of the same family. They promote and continue the traditional way of life and share it with tourists.

We were greeted by Pat who described his family and their living situation. On our chairs was a piece of woven cloth and Pat taught us how to tie it around the waist and discussed its use in Thai culture.

Pha khao ma (ผ้าขาวม้า) or Thai checkered cloth is a traditional textile widely used all over Thailand. Wherever you venture in this country, it’s virtually impossible to miss the distinctive sight of pha khao ma. This rectangular woven cloth, measuring around 75 centimeters wide and 125 centimeters long, has a unique colorful checkered pattern that sets it apart from other traditional textiles. Each province also adds its own creative twist to pha khao ma, resulting in exclusive patterns and colors that reflect the unique  preferences of the local communities. In terms of the material, although dyed cotton is most widely used, some places also weave the cloth with unbleached cotton, polyester, acrylic yarns, or silk, depending on the style and purpose of the cloth.

 Sometimes called loincloth, pha khao ma, whose soft cotton texture is suitable for hot weather, is traditionally used to wrap around the waist as a sarong. Or if they already wear a sarong, Thai men often tie pha khao ma tightly around their waists as a belt, or just drape it across their shoulders when they are out for work in the field and put it to various uses such as wiping away sweat, shielding their heads from the scorching sun, creating a makeshift fan, warding off insects, or even acting as a bandage in case of injuries. Additionally, this versatile piece of fabric can be worn as pants by wrapping it around the waist, folding it up, tucking the tail under the legs, and securing it at the back. For women, pha khao ma can be folded and wrapped around their torso, transforming into a strapless top. It can be also be used to carry a baby or dry after a shower. From Thailand Foundation.Org

Then we all made a flower bouquet

 

to offer to the spirit of the house.

Next we were off to walk around the garden where they grew fruit and herbs.

Next we learned about their growing and drying of leaves for "Thai cigars" and Mark "took one for the team" and tried a puff.

At this point I bowed out and Ammy walked me to minivan where I slept for over an hour 

while the rest of the group had

the traditional Thai meal.

In order to save Amelia from my coughing all night and potential contagiousness I booked a separate room for the 3 nights in Chang Mai. It was a lovely hotel and I had a balcony overlooking water, a huge bed, a lovely deep bathtub and mature foliage all around.