Cement This!

I would be writing more often, but the internet over here is not the high speed DSL line y'all are used to! The cafe I frequent is run by two young women who are very sweet and more importantly, own their own barista. That's right, I've found coffee. And coffee with real milk and not creammate or Nescafe! And let me tell you, although those 4:PM Starbucks runs are great (thanks to Damian), there is nothing like the taste of this coffee after you've been mixing hot water with brown flakes from a plastic package! So, between the choice of a faster internet connection and the world's greatest coffee, I'm choosing the coffee. Chaing Rai was absolutely beautiful and I finally feel like I got a sense of the country. There are lush mountains and little townships with glittering temples along the roadside. Ten of us crammed into a minivan for what we were told was a three hour ride - more six by the time we climbed the mountain and arrived at the Thai military retreat that was offered to us. It seems that the team's leader's wife, Boots, is friends with a General in the army here and he was generous enought to put us up for the night. The cabins were really nice, but definately infested with bugs. Nobody slept well, but we woke up the the most spectacular views. The retreat is used when the Royal family is in residence at their summer home. The Queen mum, who passed away in 1995, had worked her entire life for the welfare of the Thai people and one of her missions was the gardens up in Chaing Rai. In the early nineties I think, the growing of opium became illegal and she became concerened about the dwindling hill tribes who had used this production for their living. She build the summer palace and spendid gardens surrounding them of which the care and maitence is members of three of the various hill tribes.

Apologies for the spelling errors and the unfinished draft. We finished our 100th house yesterday, had two house dedications and a party last night. It was great fun and very emotional for all. We are off for the R&R portion of our trip, which is to the elephant conservation center here in Lampang. More to come ...
Kat