Two Years in Thailand: Shots of Mae Sot Part 2

Way back in April, when I had been in Mae Sot for about a week or so, I posted a blog entry entitled Shots of Mae Sot Part 1, with the intention that I would follow it up shortly afterwards with Part 2. However, other things took over and I never got around to taking any more pictures, so Part 2 never materialised - until now. The photographs are unashamedly "borrowed" from Antonella, who, seeing Mae Sot through a first-time visitor's eyes, focused in on some of the things that once seemed new and strange to me too, but have now become part of my familiar environment.

Home Sweet Home:

Spot the slippers!

One of the items VSO suggests to its volunteers to take with them is a map of where they come from, to help with answering the barrage of curious questions from local people. Well, no one has shown anything more than a fleeting interest in where I come from, but the map of the UK that I brought with me turned out to be exactly the right size to put over my curtain-less kitchen window to stop the neighbours peering in! Antonella and I are pointing out Faringdon and Monmouth respectively!

Here we are about to set off exploring Mae Sot by bicycle. Notice the little "spirit house". Many Thais believe very strongly in spirits that watch over them and their homes, and provide these little houses for them, together with regular offerings of food and drink. Back in November at the time of the Buddhist festival of light, some of my neighbours were offering whole roast chickens and a pig's head at this spirit house.

This photo was taken at the guest house where Alessandro and Antonella stayed. The only photo to date of me on my motorbike!

The Burmese Market:

This man is selling dried fish. Other stalls sell them live. Some weeks ago when I was there, a very large fish escaped from the bag the stall holder was trying to put it in and landed flapping on the floor about an inch from my foot. If that had happened when I was first here, I think I would have shrieked in panic. As it was I made a nifty sidestep and carried swiftly on!

Young Burmese women waiting for a haircut

This lady is wearing the face powder traditionally used by the Burmese, partly as sun protection and partly as make up.

These children found having their photo taken a cause for much hilarity

The narrow alleys of the market are very crowded, not only with pedestrians but with bicycles, motorbikes and delivery contraptions such as this one

When I was first here, the live animal section of the market was a good indicator of my stress levels. On a bad day, the smell and the sight of the wriggling creatures was almost enough to tip me over the edge into panic. I still don't like it (I have refrained from including the photo of the caged rats to spare my more sensitive readers!) but I have become acclimatised. Having said that, I did not hang around to watch one stall holder bashing to death some eel-like creatures with a large stick.This turtle was making a determined bid for freedom that ended with him on his back in the tub and unable to right himself again. After watching him struggle for a while I could bear it no longer and flipped him back over, only for him to start climbing again. I hurried on before he could fall again!

There is no public transport system in Mae Sot. One way to get around if you do not have your own wheels is by motorbike taxi. The drivers are easily identifiable by their coloured bibs. This one was enjoying a sleep between fares! It is quite common to see shop owners snoozing in their shops in the heat of the day.

Rim Moei Market and the Border
Right at the border with Burma is a large market selling a whole range of items, including many traditional products.

This is the face powder used by the Burmese. It is called Thanaka and is made by grinding the bark of a particular plant on a special stone.

Appearances can be deceptive...

What a pair of tourists!

It is common to see groups of young monks like these. There is a group of them that go past my house at around 6.45 each morning on their rounds begging for alms. So if my alarm does not go off and I have not already been woken by the next door dog or the washing machine across the road, their chanting will let me know it is time to get up!

The border post - this marks the entrance to the bridge that leads over the Moei river into Burma. Nearby is the immigration office where I go every three months to have my visa extended.