Black or White

Surprisingly we managed more things in Chiang Rai in a day and a half than we did in five days of Chiang Mai. We did some shopping for medicines, shampoo, toilet paper and such before going to Laos, we stocked up on postcards and stamps, we got our picture taken for the Lao visa since D finally cut his hair... Yes, HE CUT HIS HAIR SHORT, but he does not let me put any picture up, sorry!
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Chiang Rai is not famous for being too pretty but it has some interesting sights. We visited the small Hilltribe Museum that explains more about the different tribes living in the area of northern Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China, and it also gives many details about the history and use of opium here in the so-called Golden Triangle.

The other two places we went to have very few in common, except for being both created by local artists and veeeery far from the city.

The White Temple, Wat Rong Khun, was designed by Chalormchai Khositphiphat and its construction started in 1998 and should be finished in about 60 years. The main hall is strangely decorated with a huge painting of Buddha who has a portrait of Osama Bin Laden in one eye and of George Bush in the other. It has drawings of Spiderman, Predator, Kung Fu Panda, Michael Jackson, or Zidane headbutting Materazzi! On the outside it is completely white with pieces of mirrors making it glamorously beautiful (or kitsch, you choose).

Wat Rong Khun

Some disturbing decorations

And some more

The Black House on the other hand is far from glamorous but that doesn't make it less amazing. It was created by Thailand national artist Thawan Duchanee and consists of many black houses of various sizes, decorated with wood carvings, animal bones and skulls with bones, snake skins, old Thai music instruments and tools and much more. Very particular place!

The main black hall

Not suitable for animal lovers

These might be cousins ...

... of this little guy

The bus ride from Chiang Rai to the frontier town of Chiang Khong through green hills, pastures and rice fields was beautiful and it made us think that we would miss northern Thailand and its ever-smiling people. But something is telling us that maybe Laos might be special too, as this morning we woke up to this:

Morning over the Mekong River. That's Laos right there

Lets cross the border!