Santikhiri (Mae Salong)

Up into the hills: next destination Santikhiri, formerly known as Mae Salong, and once the centre of the opium trade in northern Thailand. Anti-communist Chinese forces made their home in Santikhiri and later fought for Thailand. For this they were granted Thai citizenship and the town has since continued to keep its Chinese influences (merci Wikipedia).

Nowadays Santikhiri is a tourist attraction with its feel of China, and many Chinese products for sale.

Dried bamboo maggots for lunch, anybody?

Dried mushrooms...

...or fresh?

Tine caves in and buys a shoulder-bag!

Google disputes it, but the sign says 895 km from Bangkok

More caving in on Tine's part to these Acha girls and their hand-made woven bracelets...

Who could resist?

Just out of town we stopped to look at a tea plantation...

...the government encouraging farmers to cultivate tea, coffee and fruits to replace the opium poppy crops.