back through the doors of hell. The symbolic crossing of the bridge from “hell” to “heaven” signi es the Buddhist path of enlightenment. Near the White Temple is the magni cent and indescribably beautiful blue temple. Blue is ac- tually the colour of the Buddha.
CAT ‘N’ A CUP CAT CAFÉ
This small space is home to several dozen cats, who live, sleep, play and hang out with guests of the café. They are well raised, sweet smelly and largely ignore you, even when you eat – except when you treat them to a kitty treat that you can order at the bar. One thing is for sure – no place like this exists anywhere else.
LONG NECKED LADIES
Women (around 4,000 of them) from the Myanmar village of Aka live and work in North- ernThailand, where they sell souvenirs and have their pictures taken with tourists.When their chil- dren grow up, they return to their country. What makes them speci c are gold rings that resemble shackles. The irst ring is xed around their necks at the age of ve, with the number increased every veyears.Theshacklesweighupto veki- los, and are worn on the legs as well as the neck. They sleep exclusively on their left side. Although many today have the option of removing them – they don’t want to do so. Beliefs vary as to why - from the idea that they otherwise won’t have o spring to the belief that they’ll be eaten by the evil spirit of the shape-shifting Tiger. If they do decide to remove the shackles, it take about ten years for their elongated necks to return to their normal size. Interestingly, the rings don’t lengthen the neck, as many believe, rather their weight lowers the shoulders.
gar koji menja oblike. Ako se odlu- če da skinu okove, dugačak vrat se vraća u normalu za desetak godina. Inače, okovi ne povećavaju vrat, ka- ko mnogi misle, već njihova težina spušta ramena. DOLINA MAJMUNA Pri ulasku u Dolinu majmuna dobijate štap, a na pitanje zbog če- ga, odgovor je jednostavan– za slu- čaj da vas napadnu. Ovi majmuni žive na planini, a spuštaju se među ljude zbog hrane. Slatki su, ali izda- leka. Savet – ne nosite hranu u rancu!
N orthern Thailand is an unexplored gem, especially for people from our region. First and foremost, enquire about excursions costing around thirty euros and giving you the opportunity to tour more than 10 sights per day. Here we’ve singled out the most interesting.
Ako vam ponude da jašete slona – nemojte. Ti slonovi su robovi! If you are offered the chance to ride an elephant – don’t! Those elephants are slaves!
VALLEY OF THE MONKEYS
Upon entering the valley of the monkeys, you receive a stick, and a simple answer to the question why – in case they attack you. These monkeys live on the mountain and descend among people for food. They are cute, but at a distance. Word of advice – don’t carry food in your backpack!
WAT RONG KHUN THE WHITE TEMPLE
UTOČIŠTE ZA SLONOVE
The beauty of this temple is breathtak- ing even when seen from afar, but as you ap- proach it you come to realise that, like in life, all is not as it seems. The conceptual structure of famous artist Chalermchai Kositpipat was con- ceived in such a way that you enter through hell and exit into heaven. Hell is conjured with skulls and skeletal hands that symbolise unre- strained desire, and upon entering the temple (where photography is prohibited) the wall of evil has two eyes – in one is Bin Laden, and in the other George Bush! The wall depicts all the temptations of this world – from Star Wars char- acters to mobile phones. Note: you never go
ELEPHANT SHELTER
Ako vam ponude da jašete slo- na – nemojte. Ti slonovi su robovi! Umesto toga, posetite rahabilitacioni centar za slonove, gde uče da budu slobodni. Osim satisfakcije da kupo- vinom karte uložite u njihovu bolju budućnost, imate priliku i da ih na- hranite. Takođe, ako duže ostajete na severu, možete i da volontirate i da malo bolje upoznate ta prediv- na bića. Inače, kada slon maše uši- ma, to znači da je srećan.
If you are o ered the chance to ride an el- ephant – don’t! Those elephants are slaves! In- stead, visit an elephant rehabilitation centre, where they learn to be free and wild. Apart the satisfaction of investing in a better future for them by purchasing a ticket, you will also have a chance to feed them. Furthermore, if you stay longer in the North, you can also volun- teer and get even better acquainted with these wonderful creatures. Interestingly, it’s a sign of happiness when an elephant waves its ears.
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