A Northern Village . . .or two

Last minute unexpected trip up north to Chiang Mai revealed two villages. One is where I stayed, a little place called Tamarind Village - charming, very serene and extremely peaceful. Simply delightful.

view from my room

Another was a village in Mae Rim, en route to the village for a visit with P'Joei. I thought I had been transported back in time to a Thailand which was the stuff of photos and history, what my parents would talk about, a Thailand of the past. . .I suppose to an extent it is the Thailand of Apichatpong. Then again, it is a hub, as Chiangmai is also home to P'Navin, P'Rirkrit, P'Jakkai and Araya. P'Joei does not live in Chiang Mai town though, he lives in Mae Rim. P'Joei invited me up there to interview him for Purple Magazine, it is a rather extensive piece so we needed some time to actually talk and I needed to see the place he calls home. To be exposed to, to see, and to touch his oasis shed a little bit of light on to the man and his work. It is what one would imagine, holistic, natural, simple with the details that make it as myterious and charming as can be. To me it is a Thailand that is exotic, though at once I felt comfortable and very familiar in it.

Upon entering the driveway I was greeted by the most well mannered dogs ever, Godzilla and King Kong . . .Godzilla likes to play with various objects and offer them to you as gifts, King Kong (the lady) knows exactly how to get your attention and is so cuddly! So there I was, in the middle of jungle in a house on the pond nibbling on delicious banoffee pie, under the watchful eye of the dogs as we talked. P'Joei then fed his fish, I was obsessed, there were so many of them and then gave me a little tour. The little cottage on the other side was a perfect little getaway. It was idyllic and so still, you can hear everything that nature sounds like and to me is a reminder that palme d'or's, airplanes and awards aside, everyone has there own personal paradise.

the extraordinarily cute King Kong (Godzilla was hiding)

the cottage on the other side

Then back to Chiang Mai town as the sun came down, I love the walking street. . .so much energy, so random, so alive.

Alas, after 24 hours in the Northern Kingdom, I jumped on a plane and found myself back in Bkk, refreshed, revived and asking myself when I will get to go back there again and perhaps get myself a little cottage in the middle of nowhere (but still connected with WIFI as P'Joei puts it) and just be. My conclusion is that there will never be enough northern exposure until one day I have my own little house on a pond, with a little boat and a big library. Well, then again, one can only dream. I guess I have to thank P'Joei for planting that seed and sharing with me his little paradise.