Boon, Nicky, and Dang, our Karen Burmese Hill Tribe guides (from "Travel Hub, Chiang Mai") on our trek to the Karen Burmese Hill Tribe Villages and Homestay. Nicky would like it noted, that he is not Karen but actually a former Thai soldier who is also a Thai kickboxer. They got our family over a relentless series of Thai mountains, often helping to carry Boom and our completely unnecessary extra gear on their backs and fronts. At the same time, they entertained our kids, playing soccer, sword-fighting, and feeding us over the mountain passes.
Dang, poking a tarantula hole, captivating Boom with his story of grabbing a tarantula when he was 4 years old, getting bitten, and recovery.
Dang is holding Boom's sword. Boom is holding Dang's slingshot he uses to kill monkeys, birds, and rabbits. It's a moment of cross cultural, mutual understanding that Fulbright often espouses.
Walking sticks in hand, sweat bands donned, rice paddies behind us. And, in front of us.
Griffin's moment of soccer glory in a dry rice paddy.
Nicky down, just from trying to kick our soccer ball. Note that it's Griffin's overstuffed backpack that threw him off balance.
See Abraham run. See him run for another 2 to 3 hours of hiking, just trying to chase the ball. Dang and company were brilliant, using the ball to lure him over the mountain, rather than us all having to carry him.
BFF - Nicky and Grif
Muay Thai Training (aka Thai Boxing)
Backweaving Karen textiles. Grandma takes care of the babies while Mom works in fields.
We finally made it to the Karen Hill Tribe village! Boom was offered a motorbike ride by a village elder who was immediately charmed by Boom. Dang looks ambivalent about letting Boom ride the motorbike. Then exhausted, plump Nicky got on behind Boom, supposedly to protect him because Boom was scared by himself. The motorbike barely went up the hill with all 3 on it.
Rice paddy view from the Karen village.
Village name. Don't ask us what it means.
Livestock is kept below the house we stayed in, as is true of most Karen homes. Some say the livestock attracts the mosquitos, distracting them from our tempting bodies.
Back-weaving Grandma of the homestay home we stayed in overnight. She competed with another villager for me to buy her weavings.
Sold!
Oh, my, Burmese dinner was so good!
Us at the overnite homestay with Nick, one of our guides
Dang, our head guide, who was also a Karen hill tribe villager, like the villagers and homestay he took us to. He got Ken drunk with the homestay Mom and Dad and fellow guides, throwing back rice wine. Questions were asked to Ken by the hill tribe parents like, "Do people in America ever walk or do they only drive in their cars?"
Bed time reading. Sleeping on hard wood floor with a light roll underneath. Cool mountain air and incredible view and stars out window.
Sleeping in Karen hill tribe homestay
They cook all their and our food over a fire
Hot cocoa. Happy kids!
Boom and our guide Nick were inseparable.
Famous "Karen bags" woven by Karen Burmese scattered all over Asia.
Mom of the house, reluctant to be photographed.
Local kids, who it eventually became clear, had been gathered by our guides to come and take a photo with us. They were very confused when I dodged the staid photo op and made them take us on a tour of their village and homes. Once they figured out we wanted them to be our guides, they were shyly proud of each of their homes, on the tour.
Daughter of the house, on the left, who was even more camera shy than her Mom. Grandma and grandchild in back.
Rice-prep
Equally famous bright red "Karen teeth" inside her mouth -- from betel nut chewing that she's doing in this picture.
This girl was proud to quietly show us her home, along our kid-led tour
Gorgeous, confident son of our homestay family. Note Karen shirt.
Our tour, led by the son of our homestay family.March 15, 2011
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