Northern Thailand 2008

Refugees from Myanmar (Burma) come over the mountains to this northwest corner of Thailand.

Though technically illegal immigrants, the Thai government allows them to remain in a circumscribed area where they construct their own wood-and-thatch houses and cultivate rice with this simple but efficient irrigation system.

Each tribal group maintains its own traditional dress, language and handcrafts. A woman shows John the embroidery technique her grandmother taught her.

Most fascinating to us were the so-called "Long-neck People" At first I was embarrassed to walk up to total strangers and take pictures (this and the six following). But they've accepted our strange tribal customs - and small tips are a source of hard-to-come-by cash.

We saw only women and children in the refugee settlement: during daylight hours men and older boys work in the mountains felling timber and building new rice terraces. Unlike their sisters, these boys will never have to put on the heavy brass neck coils.

In another two years this little girl will be fitted with her first small neck rings.

This woman's seven-year-old daughter is learning something new, reading. And something old, the adding as she grows of additional coils. Her little sister will tackle both arts soon.

This eight-year-old now wears ten rings.

Even though this semi-circle of neck coils barely touched my skin, and only in front, in the sticky heat I couldn't wait to take it off! When a woman is fitted with her final rings as an adult, they never afterward come off but go with her to the grave.

I took this picture because of the radio: it reminded me that though loyal to ancient ways, these are also women of the 21st century with all its advantages and challenges.

John with the driver we hired for a day. This was outside his small cinder-block home. No matter how poor the household, the family shrine receives daily offerings of flowers and fruit. We often saw Thais make this two-finger gesture when posing for a photograph: a good-luck sign that looked to us like "V" for "Victory".

Jade Buddha, one of the literally thousands of Buddha statues in 700-year-old Chiang Mai, chief city of Northwest Thailand.

Returning to retrieve my shoes (you enter temples barefoot) I passed these chanting monks. I turned off the flash on my camera, but they were so intent on their meditation I doubt even a lightning bolt would have disturbed them.

A traditional Chiang Mai meal, served on a "khantoke', a pedestal tray set on the floor. Guests "lounge at ease" on the floor, the English side of the menu stated, but shift and turn though we would, we never found a comfortable position. Must be another custom you have to start young!

TO COME NEXT: SINGAPORE AND JAPAN