There are roughly 74 differing languages among the people who come down from the mountain to sell their vegetables and fruit. The elevation of the mountains is not so high, only about 5,000 feet. Chiang Rai is situated between two mountain peaks, called the Daen Lao Range (located in Burma or Myanmar, as it is now known) & Phi Pan Nam Range, which means, “The spirits are distributing the waters.”  This is a river valley: the Mae Kok River flows out of the Mekong River through these parts, hence the name of the mountain range. The people from the foothills come down with their fruits and vegetables and sell them at the marketplace: scallions, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, mangoes, etc ...  My house sets outside the former gates to the city, which are no longer there, and beyond the moat, which still exists. I cross over daily to go to school, to church, and to the market place. On the corner is the tea shop where I will go to purchase teapots before I leave. They are exquisitely beautiful!

Today I wandered, along with a colleague, into a Buddhist temple. The monk graciously allowed me to take his picture and then refused payment. The Thai king was once a Buddhist monk. This is a standard rite-of-passage among males. It is an emotional aspect of family life, a part of the culture, and embedded deeply within the national psyche. Buddhism, capitalism and patriotism are basic tenets of life here. They commingle with ease, sharing the same terrain.

The king is deeply revered by the Thai people. Because this is so, every restaurant, bank and school hangs his picture and that of the queen. This tradition is also seen in Buddhist temples. He is a good king, looking after his subjects, taking care of their needs, and caring about them. He is considered something of a role model and a renaissance man: a musician, an inventor, and a photographer.

The king was born on a Monday and the color attached to that day is yellow. Thus, on Monday, many wear yellow. There is a color attached to each day of the week: Sunday is red, Tuesday is pink, Wednesday is green, Thursday is orange, Friday is blue, Saturday is purple. The Thai people value harmony and unity, while we in the West prefer individuality and independence. A little bit of each is helpful. Despite their respect for harmony, Thai people are colorful, vocal and present. They don't lack originality by any means.