Chiang Mai

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Chiang Mai

posted Jan 4, 2008
This is a more familiar and homey atmosphere than Bangkok for myself. It's the second largest city in Thailand located 700 km noth of Bangkok. Also unlike Bangkok in the evening it cools off here.

The overnight bus arrived on the outskirts of Chiang Mai at sunrise and from there we were transported by pickup to a guest house in the city. I walked to another nearby Guest House that I had used before. After sleeping a few hours, I wandered over to Central Plaza Mall and at the food court I bumped into a fellow I knew from a couple of winters ago from a health club. That evening while eating at a local street restaurant I bumped into another guy I knew from an apartment complex that I rented a couple of winters ago. He's been here for 4 years. In Toronto I haven't bumped into anyone I know in years, and I was born and grew up there.

They've complicated the visa process after the military coup. Perhaps due to the high profile child molesters, like the Canadian last summer who hid his face with a spiralling circle and bragged how easy it was to stay in the country. Or the fellow who claimed to have done away with JonBenet Ramsey and was found in Thailand. These cases were an embarrassment for the Thais, and the military government made it a little more difficult to stay in the country. Now you can enter only a total of 90 days each 6 months using the 30 day non-visa arrival, otherwise you must procure a visa before entering.

Every Sunday late afternoon is the street market with loads of stalls selling artisania and food. It's very popular and more worthwhile than the daily Night Market for which Chiang Mai is noted.

The cost of a all-you-can-eat buffet in a first class hotel is about the same as a Big Mac Combo in Thailand, although if you go to a hotel used by the NGO's or airline personnel you'll pay ten times that price.

The election took place just before Christmas and the party of the prime minister who was ousted by the military won. He threatens to return from exile on the Thai newyear (in April). So far there's been no violence.

New Years celebrations offered less entertainment than previous years. Probably because of the bombing threats or maybe a decreased spending budget. Although in the Bangkok Post newspaper the photos from Bangkok's Khao San Road made it look like you couldn't squeeze one more backpacker onto the street.

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Photos

Sunday Market
Many souvenirs are available along with local foods.

Tired Feet?
Never mind that vibrating foot massager in the malls at home. For $2 you get a personal foot massage for half an hour.

Cooking School
Cooking courses are popular and the morning introduction includes going to the local market and familarizing yourself with the ingredients.

Buffet
At a first class hotel all-you-can-eat buffet there was more staff than customers. For a little more money you could get a peppermint moca coffee at Starbucks across the steet, although you'd have trouble finding a seat with all the foreigners.

Hotel Staff
"Christmas was one of the peculiar American preoccupations-such as handguns, lawncare and psychoanalysis- about which the Thai maintained a minimum of curiosity." T.Robbins
THEY'RE BUDDHIST!

My Chiang Mai guest house
This guest house had the stigma of a British girl's rape-murder 7 years ago.

Doggy Apparel
Little dogs and their fashions are popular on the streets of Chiang Mai.

New Years celebration
Khom fai, floating lanterns, are popular. They're fueled by a roll of T.P. soaked in paraffin. It's amazing in this land of wooden houses that there aren't more fires.

Tha Phae Gate
Lanna-style hot-air lanterns (khom fai) are launched into the air. These are believed to help rid the locals of troubles.

Hundreds fill the night sky
The lanterns are known in Thai as khom loy (lantern float) or khom fai (lantern fire)

Night Bazzar
After New Years the crowds thin out in Chiang Mai.

Night Bazzar
Some pretty controversial T-shirts are for sale.