Exciting and Charming Chiang Mai

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It's been a decade since we last visited Chiang Mai, when we spent almost a month taking in all of the area's attractions, including the iconic Doi Sutep temple on the hillside overlooking Chiang Mai; the renowned Night, Saturday, and Sunday markets; a day long cooking course; and a week long Thai Massage course. Our son Tanner - who joined me here for one of my two visits to Chiang Mai in 2006, also took a Thai boxing course. The city captivated us back then, with its hustling tuk tuks, bustling energy, wonderful street food, beautiful canal moats surrounding the ancient walled city, and its river running through it. So much so, in fact, that I visited Chiang Mai University, a campus of about 40,000 students, and inquired out of curiousity about a teaching position. I was actually offered one teaching English literature to fourth year students, which could have been an amazing experience, even if the salary was very low, but at the time I was still under contract with my school board and could not pursue that vision.

Ten years later the city is still vibrant, exciting, and charming, and the extensive famous street markets still exist, but the tourist population has grown significantly. At least I don't recall being movedalong through them with a river of people when last here.

Our time in Chiang Mai this trip was considerably shorter, only three days, and unfortunately on one of those days the temperature was only 9 degrees Celcius, which I am told was the coldest day on record ever in Chiang Mai's history. Or, to put that in context, the temperature the preceding day had been a more normal 29 degrees. Given that accomodations in this tropical climate do not have indoor heating, the cold temperatures, accompanied with pouring rain, translated to mean wearing every article of clothing we owned when going out, or simply staying in under the covers.

Fortunately we were able to connect with an old friend with whom we had a much too short visit, so may return again before we head home in April to spend a little more time in this lovely northern city, but now we are about to return to one of our favorite Asian island destinations, Gillie Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia. Let the underwater adventures begin!

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Photos

The Night Market
Flowing along in this river of humanity gives the expression " go with the flow" a whole new dimension.