[Travel tip: We initially tried the classic cheap airline Air Asia, but were not able to book successfully on their partially-functional systems. It turned out that Bangkok Airways was cheaper after adding up all the fees; that they flew out of the main international airport rather than the alternate (and more expensive to travel to) airport; that they provided free lounge access with free wifi, beverages and snacks before the flight; and that they provided a full cold meal on a 55 minute domestic flight! Sold.]
Chiang Mai's old town is a walled city surrounded by a moat, though the city has long since outgrown those walls. It is a place where tourists come to take elephant tours, get massages or take massage courses, learn meditation and yoga, take cooking classes, etc. Apart from tourists, it's also home to small but significant ex-pat population of old loner Caucasian men, often paired up (seemingly temporarily) with much younger Thai women.
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| Apologies for the amateur photo - despite appearances, the food was gooooood |
After some evening thundershowers, the crews were out early the next morning sweeping leaves from the streets and canal banks.
There are Buddhist temples everywhere. One monk told us that Chiang Mai province alone (a small province) has over 600. They're so peaceful and comfortable.
Someone hung this caged bird on a tree by the moat for a little fresh morning air.
Remnants of the old city walls by the moat.
Small shrines are everywhere - in store-fronts, on sidewalks, in people's yards, you name it. People leave offerings like incense and flowers, but also food - often fruit and pop or energy drinks. Like the Thai Red Bull in this cute little tree-based shrine.
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| Look, let's just agree you BOTH have nice asses and call it a day, OK? |
11:00 am and time for another inexpensive and scrumptious Thai meal where the locals eat. Notice the sweaty cheeks and watering eyes - this brunch had a real spice kick. A nice bit of curried chicken, some egg/cabbage/mushroom patty and rice, for about half the price of a small drip coffee in Vancouver.
Next up was a massage for Chad (Sarah still "isn't accepting" any massages). But with a twist - I was going to the women's prison for it! Seriously, the women's prison in town has a very popular and well-run pre-release program where they train inmates who are soon up for release to perform traditional Thai massage. The women work in the massage spa for several months and upon release are fully equipped for a career as a masseuse.
No, I didn't get shivved - it was a good massage in a very typical studio, and for a good cause. Plus there was a nice shady patio and cafe out front that served excellent smoothies.
Sarah has an honourary degree at this institution.
Quick snack food on the street outside of one of the schools in town. If it's deep-fried, you know it's safe!
Another of the many temples in town had some particularly good protective serpents.
Apparently it also had (somewhere out of sight) some protective dogs which, if my evaluation of this sign is correct, might have recently taken to biting...
Life gets even better with moat-side chatting over beer.
As the sun sets, the food vendors start setting up for another evening of tasty treats.
But I took pity on Sarah, and we went to a Mexican restaurant. It was actually pretty decent, if way too much food. It felt a bit weird to be in a Mexican restaurant in Thailand, with no Thai customers in sight, only other tourists. I think we usually do such a great job of eating local cuisine that we aren't used to "normal" tourist-aimed restaurants. As much as this meal kept Sarah from being malnourished, we prefer the vibe of the relaxed streetside food stands where the locals eat. [Sarah: For me, this was one of the weirdest experiences of our trip so far. Based on the decor, the food, and the other clientele, we could have been anywhere in Canada or the US. Which is not why we came to Thailand! As good as the food was, and as much as my body appreciated the protein and vitamins of my veggie bean burritos, I would rather have been hanging out in the food markets eating white rice!]
On the walk home, we passed by a big shopping centre. On the plaza in front of the mall was a big outdoor market. Clothes, housewares, trinkets, and right in front of the Sizzler and KFC was another incredible food market - everything from grilled squid to various Chinese and Thai specialties, deep-fried patties of various kinds, fresh-made teas, jellies and potato chips - it just looked incredible, and I vowed to eat there the following day. Plus, if you're uncomfortably stuffed from all that great outdoor food, a complete Thai foot and body massage area was set up just beside the food area (with about a dozen plush recliners for the foot massages and a dozen mattresses for the body massages). There's almost no reason to go inside the mall.
Thailand is awesome.
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