Christmas in Chiang Mai

Asia » Thailand » North-West Thailand » Chiang Mai
December 26th 2006

Published: December 30th 2006

Edit Blog Post

Ang and Pete

Mrs Masterchef

Steamed fish in banana leaf

Christmas in Chiang Mai

We spent 3 days in Bangkok doing some shopping, a little bit of sightseeing (the Grand Palace was absolutely beautiful) and lots of relaxing in a very plush hotel (thanks Emma and Ian!).

We then flew, very cheaply, north to Chiang Mai and checked into the Chiang Mai Thai House. This is a lovely hotel - slightly over budget at 7.50 pounds a night but it was Christmas and it does have a pool (and, again, free loo roll, clean sheets and fresh towels!). We met up with a couple (hi Emma and Mark) who we got to know in Kerala. It was lovely to hang out and celebrate with people we had met before.

In the 2 days before Christmas we went to a Thai cooking school, which really should be called cooking and eating school. It was great fun trying to copy the professionals on our super-speed gas rings, even better to have all the preparation of ingredients and the washing up done for us. We were both very proud of our creations and really, really enjoyed eating them - all 6 dishes each day!!! We would definitely recommend the Chiang Mai

Mr Masterchef

Such torture being force-fed all day long

Cookery School and can't wait to try out the recipes from the book when we get home.

Luckily, Chiang Mai has a great night market or two - still open late on Christmas eve. We did our last minute Christmas shopping, enjoyed the interesting street food and sampled some lychee wine. At 90p for half an hour, we couldn't pass a foot massage. Pete found it quite painful (he had quite a sadistic, strong momma for a masseuse), Ang couldn't stop giggling when the woman touched her feet. Our lower legs/feet definitely felt better for it though.

Santa arrived

We hung up our stockings (made from plastic bags) and decorated our room with tinsel in preparation for Santa's visit. He brought us many presents, quite a few of which made a tasty though unhealthy breakfast, just like any normal Christmas. We had booked a restaurant for our Christmas dinner, having first checked they did roast potatoes and brandy butter. There was no-one in the restaurant other than ourselves and Mark and Emma but we soon forgot about that after some wine and bubbly.

Following a great Christmas dinner we went back to the hotel and had

Lychee wine

Enjoying the night bazaar

a traditional Christmas swim in the pool and phoned family at home. The party didn't end there though...

The Thai House really came into its own on Christmas evening - they put on a free barbeque for everyone there. We had a few more drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere whilst playing "Pass the Pigs". We had bought some floating lanterns which we lit and set off into the night sky with our Christmas wishes.

A great, if not slightly different, Christmas 2006. We almost managed not to miss our friends and family!

Additional photos below

Photos: 12, Displayed: 12