| Lost in Chiang Mai |
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1/12/2009
Today I'm in Chiang Mai, a beautiful little city in Northern Thailand, where the air is clean, the local people are very friendly and the food is great. This is a charming little town that gets better every time I visit. I've made a few local friends here over the years and they all go out of their way to say hello when they see me. They could have just looked the other way like some other people I've known. This is a nice place to be. Right now it's a perfect day out there - about 78 degrees without a cloud in the perfect blue sky - absolutely gorgeous! Can't think of any place I'd rather be right now. Been here for 2 days and all I've done is walk around taking pictures. This is a small town full of little backstreets and lanes where you can just wander about forever. There are over 300 temples in this town, so every time you turn around, there's another one. I'm still running across temples I haven't seen yet! Leaving Bangkok was pretty painless, although I think the travel agents and the airport concession stands are all in cahoots to get all of your money. They tell you to be there 2 hours early for a domestic flight and then you just hang out with nothing to do but shop or eat in the food court where everything costs 3 times as much as it does on the outside. Had a croissant, a yogurt and a small bottle of water - cost about $4!!! Out on the street that would have cost me aout $1.50. Friggin' theives!!! Good think I didn't have a meal or any alcoholic beverages - that would've cost a small fortune!! So - I hunkered down in a corner with my stuff, got out my laptop and watched Harold and Kumar go to White Castle - one of those absolutely, incredibly stupid movies that just makes you laugh out loud. So - here I am in the food court in Bangkok Airport in a corner by myself giggling away, while people are looking at me like I'm a crazy man. Now there was a surreal moment if there ever was one....... Today I rented a motorbike for $4 and just went riding. Ended up at a waterfall that was pretty spectacular. I've been there before but the water wasn't running then like it was today - it was pretty amazing, although it did involve a lot of walking, some hill climbing and lots of steps. Did a lot of huffing and puffing but I did OK, and I walked away injury free! GOD, I HATE STEPS...... Actually I thought this was a different waterfall that was much nicer and about 200 meters from the parking lot with no hills or steps. Didn't realize till after I paid the entrance fee and went inside the park. Oh well..... I'll get to that waterfall tomorrow........ Some pictures - Chiang Mai - Part 1 Chiang Mai - Part 2 - The Sunday night Walking Market |