Raw salmon in the rain

---

We've been in Chiang Mai for about a month now, and for some reason I've found it really hard to keep my blog. We've been staying in Liz’s beautiful house in the middle of loads of bamboo greenery, looking after her bonkers dog Molly. So it's been a lot like settling in for a while. Taking the dog for walks has weirdly made us feel like we are properly living here as the neighbours smile and wave, or pat Molly on the head. I've also become rather good on the old moped while Bob's been working on his project and we've done lots of nice touristy things like go to Doi Suthep, the Buddhist temple on the hill. We decided to go there by sangtheaw (a red van with 2 sets of seats in the back which you flag down to take you wherever you fancy) rather than moped, and I'm glad we did, the roads are very windy and extremely hilly, it being on a hill. But, because we rather like staying places until most people have gone home, we found ourselves still there as the sunset, and then, when we finally left, there was NO way to get home. It's 14km or something, down really big hills, and bob's knee wont support walking downhill at all so we were a little stuck. We wandered around the market for a while and finally managed to score a lift with a woman who was happy to help us out for a small fee - thank the lord as if we hadn’t got home, molly would have gone without her tea!

We also went to the butterfly farm, which I drove to feeling all proud in the many lanes of traffic. However when we got there, there was only one butterfly. In all fairness, the name has changed to only include 'orchid farm' now, but still, I thought there would be some effort made to sew up the holes in the net which is where the butterflies clearly left from.

And we have discovered the best Japanese restaurant in the world where we spend many evenings eating raw salmon by the chef's preparation block. It pains me to spend so much time there when we could be eating Thai green curry, but we do try to balance it out. Besides, I never knew that raw fish could be so divine. Bob reckons its the best he's ever had and we would never get to eat stuff this good back in the UK so guilty pleasures are allowed for now.

What I have mainly noticed about Thailand compared to India is how bloomin' easy it is to be here. It's so refreshing, we don’t seem to stand out at all really, except for the lack of Thai language skills, that makes us feel a bit rubbish. I was going to do a language course but there's something about knowing we have a base for a while which takes away any urgency you normally feel to do things while you're on the road, so I haven’t got round to it, and now it looks like we're off again unexpectedly early...
Anyway, I have a few photos to show you so here they are...

---

Photos

Spirit Houses
Spirit Houses in the woodland behind the house

Little beasties
In the pond at the back of our house

Little beasties
In the pond at the back of our house

Little beasties
In the pond at the back of our house

Sunken boat
In the pond at the back of our house

Green Mask
Guardian at the Gate of Doi Suthep

Kangaroo
Emily, look, I found it again!

Yes deer
These fake animals exist all over the temple

Boy and Bells
There's signs all over these bells saying you shouldnt ring them but everyone does all the same

Bells
Hanging from the fence around the main part of the temple of Doi Suthep

Bell
Hanging from the fence around the main part of the temple of Doi Suthep

Orchids in the Rain
Orchids being watered at the orchid farm

Fish face
Fish at the orchid farm

Pink Flower
Pink flower at the orchid farm

Red Flower
Red flower at the orchid farm

Random Car
From a collection of old cars at the orchid farm