Back in CM

---

Carly, Kate, and I returned to Chiang Mai the day before last. Its funny to be back in such a crowded, big city, after spending time in the mountainous north... We stayed together on the top floor of the Same Same guest house (typical speech here: "same same, but different" can refer to anything-- items in the market, food in the stalls... its all the same, but slightly different). It was a fun atmosphere and very clean, always a nice touch. We wandered the night bazaar together, myself in search of a bigger backpack (no luck) and them for Christmas gifts to send home for family. So thoughtful! However, I will apologize now for anyone reading this: Sorry, but maybe we can hold off until next year? I do still love you dearly....!
After we tuckered ourselves out at the market we wandered back across the moat into CM old town, where we began a search for food and then back to the hostel. I held out for street food-- Burmese noodle soup, very spicy, then met them back at Same Same where they ended up ordering their food. Some sort of Chevy Chase video was playing in the background while we hung out and talked, our last evening as a trio. After dinner they ordered a bold dessert of brown sticky rice with mango and bananas; brown rice seems almost black and extra nutty compared to bleached white rice that is served in the local stalls. Fortunately for me, Carly was too stuffed to finish so she let me finish hers. 😊
They left on a Surin-bound bus the next afternoon, where they had volunteered for the previous month. Their 14-hour trip would take them back "home" for the annual elephant round-up, a national celebration. I wandered the streets of CM for awhile, and was supposed to meet my couchsurfing hostess, Tai, however somehow those plans got messed up. I waited at Same Same until closing time, hanging out downstairs in the open restaurant/ cafe area, and celebrated one of the staff's 30th birthday. The bar tender and I talked through the evening, and she pumped out really tasty shots of brightly colored cocktails-- greens, blues, reds... not sure what exactly they were, but I downed them for dinner, then followed up with a piece of "Frog's" (their names all seem to have weird English translations) panda head- shaped birthday cake. Finally around 10:30 as they were shutting down I got ahold of Tai, who was drunk at a party and could not come pick me up, and by then none of the guest houses had rooms available. Although I had a pretty good time, I was disappointed to be stuck without accommodation at almost 11 at night....
Luckily I found a place down the street with a terribly mosquito- filled room and no hot water. It didn't really matter though because I crashed down on the bed and cried myself to sleep, struck with loneliness and feeling lost. I can't wait for Chris to get here-- there is so much to go see and do, I feel now that I am waiting, waiting, and wasting time.
I felt better in the morning, up and out wandering the streets for interesting wats, markets, and a vegetarian restaurant mentioned in my Lonely Planet. I did find it, after walking completely out of the main city and down what appeared to be a mini highway. Despite the far-away location, I totally scored in the end: the Vegetarian Society has an all-veg cafeteria-style buffet, set underneath a giant open-air teak building. I guess the nuns run it, and it is dirt cheap! My favorite things were pumpkin and tofu filled summer rolls, and the dark glasses of sesame and soy milk. There were many pots of random tofu and veg entrees, though I have no clue what any of them were, mostly they were just tasty.
After lunch I wandered back to the city and rested in a beautiful park on the SW edge old city, just inside the moat. There were of course vendors selling roasted meats, fruit juices, and other snacks, as well as renting mats for lounging. The park has a large pond, I suppose fed from the nearby moat, and sculptures and gazebos. I read about the beaches in the south of Thailand from my Lonely Planet. My reading options have become very limited and I will have to beg Chris to find and pack some books with him!

For now, I have returned to collect my belongings from Tai's house. She can't host me tonight so I checked into a guest house near Same Same. Its very clean and the owner is very friendly. I think tomorrow I might catch a bus out of town toward Lamphun, to see some temples. I really need a bigger backpack, but hopefully can make do for now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Random oddities of Thailand:

• bamboo scaffolding: restoring wats and other buildings with Asia's stronghold
  
• noodles or rice?: every dish begins with these
  
• big, fat, white man + tiny, Asian woman: an odd combination, is it really love?
  
• meat on a stick, every 10 feet: how is there not rampant heart disease here?
  

I can't think of anything else just this second, but maybe more in future posts...

---

Comments

[Anne!]

Court!
I wish I could have been there to share a room with you that night. :( and maybe share a hug? Lol - Im glad you felt better in the morning and found what seems to be an awesome vegetarian place. was there tofu on a stick perhaps? lol Anyways I wanted to let you know that not many people ever do the things you have done and I am sure not many people ever will. Crying yourself to sleep sometimes can feel good and I hope you know how incredibly brave you are. Can you imagine me sleeping alone in a room in Thailand? I think not- But I hope I could do it! Love you-