Paradise lost for whom?

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There is a place that I began to hear knowledgable Thais whispering about its unparralled beauty decades ago, and it remains on my must do before I die list.

(I think Hollywood made up the term ‘bucket list’ but whether or not that is true, I don’t like/ use it.)

This place is named Mae Hong Son and now it is widely known by the kool kidz who pass that knowledge down to the backpackers, euro-trash, and granola munchers. I was skimming through a travel guide and read that B&Bs are popping up like mushrooms in a town called Pia which appears to be the epicenter of the somewhat recently identified “Banana Pancake Trail.”

Some say that the once sleepy town of Pia is forever ruined. I hate when ‘first worlders’ say that some once sacred cesspool of malaria, dysentery, and prostitution is ‘lost’ simply because the locals have found ways to make money off of them that do not involve renting out their sexy little brown bodies for next to nothing.

Anybody* want to jump on the back of my motorcycle and complete the Mae Hong Son Loop with me?

*Prefer only female applicants because apparently the local talent is now beyond my budget.

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Published by ST

USMC Mustang 0302/0303

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28 thoughts on “Paradise lost for whom?”

  1. Your descriptions of the ugly First-Worlders are cringingly-accurate, as always; I’m sure you could assist any visitor with finding the real beauty of Mae Hong Son….The invitation is tempting, it must be said.

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    1. Maybe I should start a travel guide service for lonely hearts?
      Nevermind, my last experience with something like that was more than a complete and utter disaster. Sadly, I didn’t get paid one way or that other.

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      1. I wouldn’t let one untoward (to put it mildly, I assume) experience deter you – if you truly enjoy providing a different perspective on the world to those who haven’t experienced it as you have. You are gifted that way.

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      1. Of course not, just with respect to myself; nowhere near close to grandmotherly, I hope. (Though, nieces/nephews may disagree.) lol

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  5. I’m reminded of a wonderful multi-part post some time ago, elsewhere, about an older couple you met, with whom you shared some background and common interests, that made for an enjoyable couple days [USMC and birding, iirc.]. Maybe that’s an avenue?

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  6. Love the street food here. Had super spicy chicken feet soup last night. I asked her if it was chicken and she said yes. LOL, I had no idea it was feet until I got it home and poured it into a bowl. Having eaten it before, I was able to enjoy my meal.

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    1. First, for real, snow on the ground here; it might be a day to give spicy chicken feet soup (or some stuffed pepper soup out this way) a try. Glad you enjoyed a culinary adventure….Buenas!

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  7. Am at the PC, so I looked for some pics….Wow! I can see why folks would want to experience this: Intriguing and gorgeous. It’s too bad boorish visitors (Thai and/or farang [foreigners]) want to crowd it out of existence.

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      2. ST: The “edit” button for comments doesn’t always show up (even on one’s own posts, and requires Admin. approval to go “hot” for folks other than you. This keeps several of us from correcting typos, expressing complete thoughts, etc.

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      1. [PC = Desktop; when “settled in” later, I’m using an iPad – harder to surf sites, “cut-and-paste” for links, etc.]

        As to the comment itself: Let me try to clarify, amigo: It seems that – as you say – when traveling we exult the ‘unspoiled’ nature of malarial, mosquito-infested swamps – and ignore the efforts of people to sustain themselves, by refusing to compensate them fairly and/or overdeveloping beyond sustainable, mutually-beneficial levels.

        (My survival-tool tendency to synthesize ideas for myself, and offer that synthesized ‘shorthand’ to you and others, without the steps in-between, often gets in our way: I’m sorry.) I’ll try to share more of the *process” with the final product going forward, too, ‘k?

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  8. DeNanda feel free to write however you want. I think you know already how I feel concerning deciphering code to which I have not been given the TS* decoder ring.

    *Top Secret

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  11. Probably better than surrendering your unit to the enemy without putting up any fight whatsoever.
    P.S. Was that a serious question? If so and/ or not then no, one does not have to try.

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    1. A semi-serious question, yes: re: internal and/or everyday adversaries of body and spirit. The sharing of the esprit of the Marines, by my uncle, you, and others, has given me a new frame of reference and a new set of tools (or new training to use long-dormant ones). I love the encouragement I get – it couldn’t have come from anywhere else.

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