Reminiscing - back in Thailand

Looking through photos of our trip to Thailand a while back, I wanted to share (another) nice experience of our time there.

We were at the Ban Huack (Thai/Laos) Border Market and I saw this lady who I immediately wanted to photograph.
I held my camera up, pointed to it and smiled - this is what I always did before taking photos of people. Mostly everyone would agree to a photo, if not that was cool too. I liked to ask first though.

However, there were several other people with the same idea... and with no pleases or thankyous pushed in front of me and literally shoved their cameras in her face clicking away.
I felt ashamed to be near them and was sorry for her.  She certainly showed her displeasure too, lowered her head and wouldn't look at them.

As I walked off, I took a look back and to my joy saw that she'd turned away from them and gave me a most beautiful smile as you can see here.  It made my day.  I hope it makes yours!

Such a smile on her beautiful face - no words were needed. We understood each other.

Temple by a lake

Am resting up from being a bit over enthusiastic in the garden,  so thought I'd share some more of our Thailand memories.

Still in Northern Thailand, we were taken to a blissfully peaceful spot...  a Temple, by a lake at Wiang Mai, where we fed the fish and soaked up the calm and peaceful atmosphere.

~ Have a peaceful week ~

The Umbrella Making Centre (Part three)

One would think I've exhausted this subject - lol, not quite!  There's the papermaking, fans and the final putting together of the umbrellas I wish to natter about.

Paper used to cover some umbrella frames is handmade at the Centre from the bark of the Sa-Tree (Mulberry Tree) and is referred to as Sa Paper.

Mulberry tree grown in the Centre

The bark is soaked in clean water for about 24 hours.  Then it is boiled with several kinds of ashes for about 3-4 hours and rinsed cleaned with water.

Next,  the material is beaten with mallets until tender:

I helped with the beating ... a little bit!

... and then the fibres are put into a water-filled tank and stirred with a paddle until the fibres are suspended in the water.

The fibres are then sifted with a screen and dried in the sun for about 20 minutes.

Once dried, the sheets of paper are formed and can be peeled off the frame easily.

The water-filled tank with suspended fibres being sifted by a screen.
The lady in red was so keen to let me have a go at the sifting as well.
(You'll notice that my hat never leaves my head now!)

The Sa Paper is also fashioned into notebooks and various souvenirs for sale at the Centre.

~ o~o~o~

Back to the umbrellas.
A final touch to the umbrella frame before glueing on the silk covering:

Glueing completed and then a dry in the sun:

All dried... now for a trim - by an expert trimmer too:

Tassels added, and finally some beautiful artwork:

Silk and Sa Paper Fans are also made in the Centre....

... and lampshades as seen in the background

I had no hesitation in choosing a Koi decoration on my silk fan:

MD dearly wanted to buy this gorgeous umbrella for me also,  but I was (sadly) reluctant, worrying that, because it was partly wood, it may not get through Customs.

He insisted it was worth taking the chance, and I was so glad he did... Customs reject wood that clearly contains insects, so there were no problems with our excellent quality items from the Umbrella Making Centre!

Thank you MD... we have such good yin and yang :D) xx

Source: Megan Pritchard [click for link to her blogspot]

Thank you everyone for your comments in regard to these posts.

It has truly been a delight sharing the fine talents of the lovely people at the Umbrella Making Centre in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

Susan xx

The Umbrella Making Centre (Part two)

 Continuing along the assembly line of construction of the various umbrella parts:

Taking  people photos is my special interest.
This is a particular favourite of mine.  I can't really say why.
Perhaps it's the way she held her head while she worked.  Her utter focus and concentration.
Or, perhaps she's thinking of something else as she works.  
Something's on her mind, or, perhaps she's just plain tired out.
I don't know, I just know I felt drawn to her.
After I took the photo, she looked up and we exchanged a smile - that lovely universal connection.
Does anyone else have any thoughts about this photo?

A close-up of what has been the result of all those shavings in the previous pic:

Everyone plays their part.  I may have gotten the photos out of sequence.  I was just fascinated seeing each element being produced.


On to this fellow, who carved the spindles.

Then,  back to the ladies' work platforms for the final touches before going further down the line.

The umbrella shape is evident now

More later, in part three.

The Umbrella Making Centre (Part one)

Popping back over to Thailand again!

We were lucky enough to visit the Umbrella Making Centre in Chiang Mai.

Hand made bamboo umbrella making at Borsang Village has been performed for over two centuries.  Formerly, villagers made only paper umbrellas for the purpose of offering them to monasteries on ritual occasions.

A display in the grounds of the
Umbrella Making Centre
depicting a monk carrying a paper umbrella
for ceremonial purposes

Their umbrellas became so widely known that the villagers developed methods to improve the quality and the uniqueness of them.
Years ago, villagers made each part of the bamboo umbrellas at home, especially during the post-harvest season and  their children learned the trade by helping their parents, in a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
During the past 50 years, the local area was confronted with a serious decline.  Similar to what has been happening to our smaller country towns, young people gravitated to the cities and so the traditional ways were quickly being lost.
The Umbrella Making Centre was established in 1978 by a local resident in order to retain the traditional and unique skills of handmade bamboo umbrella making.

By way of a Welcome to the Centre, we were invited to have something hand-painted.  I chose my recently purchased hat as the subject and was totally delighted with the result.

Design chosen. This skilled lady starts on a blank canvas hat

Within minutes, she creates a beautiful picture

Bit of a pause so that her work can be dried

I loved that MD suggested that perhaps my name (in Thai) be also put on the hat.  This charming lady was only too delighted to oblige.  

That's it, in red, in the photo below.

Here's the finished hat - a real work of art too isn't it.

I guess I've digressed from the umbrella-making, but we enjoyed every aspect of this Centre, so I'm including everything!

Now to start with the assembly line of construction of the various parts that make up an umbrella.

I would like to add that all the ladies were only too happy for their photos to be taken and shared. I always like to ask permission before snapping away.  

Here's a close-up of the previous picture

Even though totally engrossed in their work, these ladies were still chatting and singing away to each other and would beckon us to take a closer look.  

Each step in the process was incredibly hands-on and they were, justifiably, proud of their skills.

More later :D)

A versatile mother hen

Time for some more of our trip photos I think.

We met a resourceful Thai lady who uses one of her hens to raise ducklings.

She is a diligent mother and her duckling 'chicks' are never out of her sight...

... except for when they decide to have a splash in the flooded rice paddy fields.  She gets a bit bemused and paces up and down while waiting for them to come out of the water.

We enjoyed seeing this happy little mixed family!

A little adventure

Have been busy working in the garden since coming back home, in between the bursts of rain.
Looking at the news each night, I'm very mindful of the flooding rains that a lot of Aussies are having to cope with - once again.  It must be horrendous to see your home go under water like that.
I hope our blogger-friends in the tornado areas overseas are all safe and sound too.

Have nearly had a catch-up with everyones' blogs... a few days offline and I'm amazed at how many posts have been published since I last went blog-visiting.  I can't keep up anymore so I guess I'll just have to be considered an occasional dropper-in!

In the post before Froggie decided to wreak havoc on my packet of green tea, I'd shown some pics of our visit to Mae Fah Luang Gardens in the hills of Doi Tung.  The following pics were taken in the afternoon of that same day.
Our intention was to drive across to Mae Sai and then home, however, we ended up taking the wrong turn and went a bit further North which took us, unknowingly for a while, along the Burma Border.

The scenery was great, but we kind of felt we weren't on the right road.

Yes, this stop confirmed it! We definitely hadn't intended to venture this far.

We decided to have a bit of a look around - but didn't want to linger.
There were a few well maintained military bunkers there...

... as well as this impressive collection of roosters - definitely
another photo opportunity.

I thought this picnic table setting had just the best view!

We knew we shouldn't linger at that outpost, so made tracks pretty quickly.

Our initial thoughts were proved correct a little further down the road.
I quickly snuk in a photo of this fully armed military guard as we approached the checkpoint.
Our car was searched, we were questioned and then were told in no uncertain terms to keep
driving and not to stop until we reached Mae Sai.
No arguments from us!

There are several military reasons we weren't allowed to stop along this road, one being that drugrunners  illegally cross the border from Burma and so the military keep a close eye on this road.  As can be seen, there's plenty of cover for such activities.
The other reason is possible border conflict, but that, apparently, was a lesser risk.
We obeyed our orders - no way would we stop the car.

Beautiful views on the Thai side of the border too.

On our way down to Mae Sai we passed  two hilltribe villages.  I'd missed taking photos but caught a glimpse of them on video.  We quite enjoyed our little adventure!