Chiang Rai

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Chiang Rai was only supposed to be a short stop for us and unless you're interested in touring the wats, you could easily leave after 1 or 2 days. However, we stayed 3 nights in total, the main hook being the night bazaar. After walking the stalls on the first night admiring the colourful wares we came across the food court. 44 booths in total lined two sides of a square, the market stalls were on one side and trailing off in all directions and at the front was a stage. Nothing happening on stage (it was a week night) but plenty of people eating at the table filling the square. The food on offer ranged from battered fried food to hot pots to crunchy insects. We opted for a selection of fried food - squid, fish spring rolls, beans, carrots, onion rings and washed it down with a beer. Later on a group of dancers in traditional dress did a small routine on the stage. We were a little bit more enthusiastic for our food selection on the second night after looking forward to it all day whilst out on the ped and ambitiously ordered a whole dressed talapia fish with spice. Presented beautifully and Delicious! There were some more dancers and singers (miming) whilst we ate and friday night was quite a bit more lively. This is obviously where the locals come to wind down in their evening and be entertained. We weren't going to stay much longer after eating but then the main act came on to stage. The quite attractive 'girl' sang a couple of songs accompanies by two guitarist and then warmed up into 'her' stand up comedy. We obviously couldn't understand word of what 'she' was saying but everyone else was roaring with laughter at every well timed punch line and 'her' gestures and general manner made us laugh too.

We were heading to the food court again on night 3 and had decided to try the hotpot which I had sussed out the previous night by watching the locals load it up and cook themselves at the table. However, on the way we came across the crazy Saturday night transformation of the day market. A lot of the same wares as the night bazzar were presented (perhaps they have just moved) but the scale of the market was insane. Stretching several street, we lots track of which road we were on despite knowing it well in the day time. Then... to on end another food mecca - temporary for Saturday night but we assume a weekly event. It seems the whole town brings their family here to set out a buffet of various foods and then after eating join in the kaylee type dancing. We had a real selection - customary spring rolls, sausage, pork sticks, selection of suchi, squid sticks, fish cakes & banana leaf wrapped coconut for dessert.

We left Chiang Rai on one of the local busses which was very different from our previous coach trip. (Excuse the local reference but this was the Minsterley motors to the previous longmynd travel). Beckoned by the driver from across the bus station we took the very last places on the bus... or so we thought. More locals got on later at various small stops and were organised by the conductor, the driver's wife. Also on the bus was their son who say they lay to sleep on the dashboard. Chiang Saen was our destination.

Being a small village, CS wasn't hard to get around. Just one main street joins the aptly named 'river road' with view across the very wide Mekong river just below the confluence with the Ruak. We had out first glimps of Laos across the river as we walked to find a guesthouse. Food is different here, perhaps influenced by Laos or maybe just the river, there is lots of fish on offer at the street vendors and people sit on mats along the river bank to eat at low tables. The English version of the menu at one stall was alarming and we assume some of the meaning has been lost in translation. Dishes included 'the shrimp cooks whore dust' and 'Hawk horse stomach frame egg'.

This whole region around the borders of Loas, Thailand, China and Myanmar is known as the golden triangle and is renowned for being a significant trading point in the history of opium trade. The more specific point of interest 10km from CS is now more of tourist vantage point now but we appreciated the significance more after learning about the worldwide impacts of the opium trade at the hill tribe museum in Chiang Rai.

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Comments

[sandra]

love the translations
sounds fantastic -- yet more food --- like the sound of shrimp cooks whore dust -- hah hah . when are you getting to a beach want to know what the swimming's like .