My days in Nan continued with more of the same mountain excursions, coffee tasting, friend making, jungle trekking, and temple exploring. I spent an evening in the mountains on the river in a yurt like tent covered by a palm grass shelter, and explored the village of Bo Kluea, known for its salt wells.
Two major springs are naturally occurring in Bo Kluea that bring highly concentrated salt water to the surface from two wells. Bamboo platforms are built around the wells with a simple pulley system bringing buckets of water up from the wells and into giant wok like bowls. This is where the water is boiled by a tended fire burning inside a clay kiln looking structure that the woks are set into and on top of. The water is boiled down ( and stirred continuously so as not to burn ) until mounds of clear white crystals are left behind. These mounds are scooped out into hanging baskets to drain and then transferred to a wooden box to further dry out. This process takes about 5 hours and happens around the clock. The two wells process about 130 pounds of salt a day.
The tourism and sales of bath salts, scrubs, soaps, sauces, and just plain table salt ( no iodine) are the mainstay of this village. From collecting and cutting wood for the fire to the end product, sales, and promotion this village works together. They have not changed the process of how they collect and process the salt for hundreds of years. There is a lot of pride in what they do and you can see it in the prosperity of their schools, homes, and temples. Even the dogs look well fed and fluffier here.
After an evening and day in Bo Kluea I am heading back to Nan on a road I discovered on google maps that follows a river and looks narrow. It may be dirt and rough but we will see; it looks like their are some small villages and temples on the way…. Winner!! This river valley is incredible; everything is so green and their are little farms tucked in the bamboo trees everywhere. They seem to be growing not just one crop but a bit of everything seemingly to provide for themselves and maybe a little extra to trade with? Cabbage, peppers, strawberries, coffee, corn, tomatoes, sugar cane, tea, tobacco, bananas, coconuts, papayas, and of course rice.
This road is magic road #1042. I have not seen another vehicle in an hour and fifteen minutes into this sweeping tarmac that turned into freshly laid smooth dark black beautiful asphalt with a bright yellow ribbon down the middle. It felt like I was on the yellow brick road headed to OZ. Like I was finding the answers. It had everything I loved. I kept pulling over and watching farmers and kids and animals and plants and butterflies, and water buffalo.
The water buffalo intrigue me, their are big male bulls that are the size of full grown buffalo with long ears that hang down to the ground and extra skin that creates folds and creases that look so velvety and soft. They have a large hump on their back that seems to often have a white egret taking refuge. I have been unsuccessful at entertaining the older buffalo and getting close to them to take a pic; but had a baby calf play with me for quite a while until mom scolded him and he reluctantly went back to his kin.
I think it is time for me to get back to some of my kin; my fellow travelers. So, this was my last day before I plan on leaving the next morning. It made me question my decision to leave a place I was really jiving with; yet I made the decision. Tomorrow I head to Sukhothai; it is going to be a long day and a place I have looked forward to going for its history and old ruins. Maybe I will see you again Nan. Thank you! I leave with great appreciation and respect.
