Monk Chat

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Yesterday was very interesting. In the early evening I went to a wat where they had a gathering called "Monk Chat." Farangs(foreigners) have a chance to talk to monks in an informal manner. It is good for the farang because it gives you a chance to meet and talk to the monks. The monks get to practice their English. It's a win-win for everyone. I learned many things about Buddhist monks. First, they are not necessarily monks for life. They are always free to leave the wat and many do leave after getting their education. Poor families often send their sons to the wat because the wat will provide their education, including their college education. The monks I met yesterday all were attending the university. Two were studying English and the other was studying psychology. The wat I went to was near Chiang Mai University. Overall, a very pleasant experience.



In the late morning, I went on a river cruise. We stopped at a farm where they grew spices used in Thai cooking. Very interesting to see and smell the actual plants and herbs that I have been enjoying. They also gave us refreshments. I had two drinks, lemon grass and a ginger drink. Both were tasty. On the tour were people from Finland and Australia. Meeting different people add to the enjoyment.



For lunch, I went a vegetarian restaurant named Aum just inside the walls of the Old City. It is a bookstore on the main level and the outdoor restaurant is upstairs. You sit on cushions on the floor. The food was excellent. I had a Lanna dish called kaosoy, chai green tea to drink, and banana in coconut milk for dessert. Highly recommend it. This great lunch cost 80 baht, about $2. What a country!



This is my last full day in Chiang Mai. I think I will roam around the Old City today, find a nice restaurant near the river for lunch, and roam around Chiang Mai university this evening. It's a tough job but someone has to do it!



Tomorrow I catch an 8:30 am train to Bangkok. It is a 12 hour trip but I want to do it to see the countryside. On Saturday I leave for Pattaya, on the shore for New Year's Eve.



That's it for now.

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