Anyone who has ever been to a bazaar knows just how chaotic it can be. However, Chiang-Mai's Night Bazaar deserves special mention for the advanced hevel of chaos, crazy traffic, insane stall-holders, small alleyways, great bargains, even greater rip-offs, fantastic food, cheap beer and... THE HMONG (pronounced Hmong). If you thought Queensland has a problem with Cane Toads, you have not been introduced to the Hmong - but more of that later. First, some location shots:
Thai dancers at the Kalare Night Bazaar (A hotel in the middle of the Night Bazaar)
Wandering through the Night Bazaar
Lidy is still 'shopping'. She might even buy something one day.
You can buy almost anything - Even 'genuine' Rolex watches
Uh oh, Lidy is accosted by a Hmong tribes womanThe Hmong are a Hill Tribe who live North of Chiang-Mai in the hills of Thailand. They seem to exist by manufacturing a unique range of Hill Tribe clothing, souvenirs and... bloody wooden frogs that they 'play' as they wander around the bazaar looking for westerners as targets to sell their bloody frogs to. Lidy tried to talk to a Hmong woman on the first day we went to the Night Bazaar and suddenly, she was surrounded by Hmong, all 'playing' their frogs and trying to sell her small sized clothes (the Hmong are small in stature). From that time, every time Lidy goes to the Night Bazaar, the Hmong target her.
Word gets around the Hmong quickly. Lidy is at the bazaar.Russell had had enough and decided to play the Hmong at their own game. He bought a Hmong hat and a bloody frog and followed the Hmong around the Night Bazaar playing his frog at them. You can see in the photo below that the strategy is working. The Hmong woman in the foreground can't wait to get away, while her friend joins Russell in a duet played on the bass and contralto frogs (CD out shortly.)
Russell gives the Hmong a taste of their own medicine and plays a duet
Russell freshens up with a Mai-Tai in Chiang-Mai at the Night Bazaar 
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