ChiangMai

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Last entry this year from Thailand.

From Chiang Mai I'm flying into Bangkok. Even though at this time of year an overnight bus is cheaper than a hotel room, my main reason flying is that the red-shirt protesters could easily cause a delay on my way to the airport and cause me to miss my flight. I usually like to spend a day or so in Bangkok but I'm not going to risk it.
Instead, I've booked a flight, arranged pickup at the airport, booked a hotel and a return to the airport for the next morning to catch my flight to Toronto. All on the internet. My how back-packing days have changed.

It's nice to arrive at the airport hotel in the daytime so you can stroll the area and fill up on the delicious mangoes, rambutans and lychee nuts which are all in season during May.

Note for Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport:
There have been several allegations of a scam operating out of King Power shops at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. In what also became worldwide news reports, the shoppers, all tourists, were accused of shoplifting, then forced to ‘negotiate’ a settlement in order to catch their departing flights.
See more at: Airport Scam or just google: "Scam Suvarnabhumi Airport"

That's a long flight. I had to leave the hotel at 4 am. Flight leaves at 6:30 am and arrives at Narita 6 hours later. There's always a long line up to go
through security at Narita even if you're in transit. Theres a two hour wait for the Air Canada flight to Toronto and then the flight arrived in Toronto 24 hours after I left the hotel in Bangkok.
It used to take longer but the Boeing 777 doesn't have to refuel on the west coast so that saves a couple of hours.

In Toronto I rented accommodation for the month. I hope to see how being a resident downtown is. Even though I was born here, the city
has taken on a new character.




Re: Photos,
The Chiang Mai Foreign Cemetery was founded in 1898 when the land was donated by Royal Deed of Gift by King Chulalongkorn (son of Mongut (The King and I), dated 14th July 1898.
There were several conditions attached to the Royal Gift among which were:
1. The land may never be sold
2. Only foreigners may be buried here.

The Chiang Mai Foreign Cemetery is for the burial only of Foreigners and therefore it excludes the Thai spouses who may not be buried here( unless they have foreign nationality) , with their husband/wife. Foreigners buried here can be of any religious denomination.

Looking at the tombstones. Some deaths occurred over 100 years ago. Others occurred recently. Some were young when they died and some were old.
You look at the tombstone and wonder. Some were soldiers or soldiers wives. Some were missionaries .

At Airport:
The Churning of the Milk Ocean
The Naga, serpent, is curled around the mountain.
Vishnu, in his incarnation as the great turtle, supports the mountain on his back.
The demigods and demons pull on the serpent to churn the water to produce the nectar of immortality.

News Items:
ANA will introduce one woman-only toilet per aircraft.
Since 2006, a visit the toilet before boarding encouragement policy
in order to reduce CO2 emissions.
Also, they plan to install "washlets" ie. electric toilet seats with water
spraying capabilities for washing.

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR LARGER VERSION

Visit: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/nomad1979

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Photos

Welcome to Chai Land
This is cutesy talk for Chiang Mai, Thailand

doggie
This little doggie had to go to a psychiatrist because of a dream that he was walking around naked except for a collar.

Good Eating
Not a morsel left:
think Blue Eyes Restaurant

electric pole
Besides being a litte crooked, doesn't look too bad from far off. see next photo

Chieng Mai foreign cemetary
"So this is where we'll spend eternity?"

foreign cemetary
"This statue was erected for the memory of the Late Queen Victoria by her loyal subjects of Chieng Mai
residents of every race and creed." So the plaque states.

tombstone
Interesting to see gravestones of young 30 year-olds who had died in 1900 while in Chiang Mai. What were they doing here? What did they die of? Who missed them?

Foot Massage
It's sad that I'm getting my feet massaged for half and hour on the street and (see next photo) this lady's "mother" is begging for money across the road.

Beggar
This lady is begging. But a lot of the beggars make more money than say, a waitress. Some actually rent their space from the "Thai Mafia". It can be lucrative.

Pedestrian nightmare
The food stalls are in the curb parking area on the road while the tables are on the sidewalk. Pedestrians...out of luck... walk on the road.

Kings duty free at Airport
Careful when you touch anything here. See text .

Aquarium
The grouper is as big as the kid