Hi Ma!!!  I am OK!..  I am currently in a hammock in this picture and I have decided that I really like them, and I will be getting one soon.  They are so relaxing and I have a bit of downtime coming up soon and laying in one of these bad boys is going to be just what I need for the rest of my trip, which keeps getting extended (more on that later).

This was a pretty iconic landmark in Pai.  This the a town that is about a 3hr minibus ride from Chiang Rai (which will get a couple blog posts coming up).  It’s a windy ride through a big mountain and man if you can get car sick, this is the place that it might happen.  It’s basically the “hippiest town in the world”.  There isn’t a sign that says this, but there should be.  I mean it doesn’t even feel like you are anywhere in the world, and certainly NOT Thailand.  The tourists actually outnumber the Thai people.  It’s an interesting thing to see and experience and I can only say that this place left a lasting impression on me.  I really enjoyed my time in Pai and I am happy I was able to experience life there for a little while.

Of course what would Pai be without a Big Buddha?  This Buddha was about 400 steps at a 30 degree incline to get to.   It was really rewarding to have the opportunity to see this.  At the top of a mountain (we did take scooters to the top of the mountain, but then did take the 400 steps up to the Buddha itself).  It was about 150 feet or so tall and this perspective doesn’t do it justice at all.  Maybe next time I will stand a bit closer to the tall statues so you can get a perspective.  The details in the sculpture are just incredible.  Everyone should see this up close and in person, it blows my mind the detail of the craftmanship here in Thailand.

After a nice little scooter ride up through the mountains we arrived at this really cool area.  Again, walking is involved but not too bad, definitely not like the Buddha.  At the top there is an incredible view of all of Pai.  I mean the flowers and the scene at the top are pretty incredible.  Below you will see a view of the entire city and some colorful flowers that I was able to capture.  I really enjoy capturing the simple things, flowers being one of them. They are so easy to appreciate.  I love a quote and there are a great number of people who say it’s from Buddha and then some others who discredit this as well.  Anyway I am not sure who came up with it, but it works really well.

“When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily.”

This is kind of how I feel when I see a really pretty flower.

I just loved these flowers and thought maybe you all would as well.   This view just so happens to overlook the city of Pai.   It’s all about the little moments in life.  You’re welcome.  🙂

I posted this because well.. I love strawberries.  We have a strawberry festival in Florida every year and I try and make it when possible. I mean we do have some great strawberries there.  Then I saw this and just knew I had to get back there and take a picture with this giant strawberry.  The whole place was filled with strawberry paraphernalia.  I just wish they were real.  I mean can you imagine a strawberry this big?  What would that cost?  What would it weight?  I dunno, but let me know if you find one… I am in for 1/2 the cost.

There were so many cool signs all around Pai.  I mean hippie love and all right?  Ok so as much as I like to poke fun, I really do love cool signs. This is literally just on the side of the road as you are driving.  I found it on a whim and had to stop before I left.  I have a picture without me, but who wants to see that?  Ok, FINE.. maybe I will post it another time.  For now the one with me in it will have to do.  🙂

As you all know.. I love sunsets.  Yeah.. They are my jam (not jelly mind you, jam only for this guy and yes there is a difference.  I mean it’s like when people say there is no difference between white and yellow american cheese.. Well..There is, OK!).

Ok back to the sunsets.  In Pai, I saw some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.  I keep seeing even more precious moments that involve the sun going down below the horizon.  Below are some of them.  These are all different locations technically, but they all are from PAI Canyon on different days.  This gives you an idea of how amazing the sunsets are at Pai.  I would LOVE to stay there for a year and just go back to the same place and take a sunset picture everyday and see what I would come away with.  I am pretty sure I might try this for a few weeks sometime in the future.  I mean this place is magical.

Here’s a cool panorama I thought you guys would love.  I love this pano.  I mean this was one of the first days I was in Pai and I was really surprised that the sunsets were this incredible.  This actually was the photo that made me decide to go back to the Pai Canyon 2 more days in a row.  This shot was taken from a very easy vantage point to get to.   So just imagine what the other vantage points would be like.  Well you don’t have to…. 🙂   I have included them below.   Also if you want to see a video of how to get to the other vantage points, check out this video of me getting to the other view points.

Yep!.. I KNOW right??!?!?!?  These sunsets are incredible.  You can see the trek above in the link, it wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t easy with my gear either.

This is the second best sunset I have ever seen.  It was simply magical.  The mini trek to get there.  The beauty of the surroundings.  The mountains in the background.  The people that were all just THERE in awe.  It was just amazing.  I really enjoyed this moment in time and was truly at peace when I clicked the shutter.

My friend Sean took this picture for me.  It was the moment after I took the photo above.  I was truly content, satisfied, mesmerized, astonished, and at peace. I wanted a picture to remember what it felt like and this is it.  I can’t tell you how happy I was.  More happy than I have been in a very long time.

This is almost the same shot as above but from a different angle.  Still in a really great place.   So I made a quote.  My very first one and it’s perfect for my situation in life right now.  A PATH which I will probably continue for quite some time.

As always.  Thanks so much for reading and I please let me know what you think.  Of course Like and Share it as well.

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Thanks

Ryan G