Let sleeping packs of dogs lie

6am....the sky was slowly emerging from pink to blue. I tied my running shoes and decided to venture out around the beautiful quiet streets of Chiang Rai, surrounded by rice fields, overshadowed by bamboo trees. So peaceful........except for the dogs.

I had asked about running around the area where the base is at. No one seems to have as much of an enthusiasm for pounding out miles on foot as I do, so most people had no idea what it was like to run here. I was informed that the dogs will sound and look scary but are mostly harmless. Great. (did I mention I was bit by a dog as a teenager and still get a little nervous around them?).

I decided to "test the waters." I grabbed my iPod and a STICK. This is the first time I've ever run with a weapon in my hand and hoped I didn't trip and gouge out my own side or something. I ran through the little streets, past a little morning market getting geared up with curious Thai faces peeking at me as I jogged by, I ran past little houses (many with gates, take that doggies!) and then I rounded a corner.......

oh, dear God. I literally prayed. A huge pack of dogs just sleeping in the road. I walked. I breathed. I tightened my hand around my stick. Sure enough.....the eyes opened, the barking began. A massive GANG of dogs arose from their sleep, and came after me, towards my ankles. I breathed. I tensed. I breathed. "hey doggies.....I'm sure my tiny little stick doesn't scare you at all does it???"

Thankfully, the people at the base are right. The dogs barked, but did little more than come to me out of curiosity. I continued on my way, past the temple (where they keep dogs as well, I found out) and rounded a corner and came across the most breathtakingly beautiful scene. One of those moments you can't capture on camera (but I sure did wish I at least had one. no luck this time). In front of me lay vast rice fields, spotted with a straw-hatted worker here or there, a few Thai-style houses, and green lush mountains blanketed in misty fog over the tops of it in the background. There was chanting wafting through the air...not sure if it was from one of the many little golden temples I could see or from a radio. But it was eerily beautiful. So. Beautiful.

On the way back I ran by two monks in their saffron robes, receiving alms from a couple in front of their house. They had already had a table set out with rice and some other things. They handed them to the monks into their outstretched bowls. They then sat down in front of the monks as they chanted and blessed them.

The dogs still freaked me out, but I know I can brave a few more early morning runs the rest of this week--the scenery, the peaceful countryside and intriguing cultural moments are definitely worth it. I might take my camera (and a bigger stick) next time I go. But I'll leave a few photos just to at least give you a little glimpse into the beauty here.

Rice fields

The view from the base