Chiang Mai
Aug. 14th, 2010 10:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maggies_lensAfter that epic train ride I think we all just wanted a quiet day, so that's what we had. Also, C and I got upset tummies yesterday morning so neither or us were in a mood to go explore terribly much. We walked up the street just out of our Soi to the pharmacy tio get supplies like Deet etc when my stomach cramped up violently. Dashed across traffic (ped crossings and obeying traffic lights seem to be optional extras in Thailand!) to the McD's and spoke to god for a bit. Felt FABULOUS after that :D M's legs started to swell up a bit tho so after C and I had checked out a little of the old wall that used to surround the city, we headed back. Stopped at a book shop and I got a copy of 'The Life of Pi' since EVERYONE is telling me to read it. Also did a little shopping, go some presents for a few ppl back at home and also got M her 'tacky-gift' gift. We're doing a thing here where we get each other something terribly tacky to take back :D I drew Marion, Craig got me, Marion got Craig. This should be exciting :D Spent a rather lovely afternoon just hanging out, chilling out. M got a txt saying she'd won an interview she was desperately wanting so we all cheered and went a little HAPPY for her :) She has to go to it the day we get back!!!! Thankfully we're back early morning and this will be at 6pm. I'm keeping EVERYTHING crossed for her.
I really like Chiang Mai so far. It's far more relaxed than BKK and more ppl smile at you. It's also cleaner and not anywhere near as hectic. Less food stalls but then again we HAVE found the most important thing you poss can in Thailand; THE BANANA GUY! They cook roti right there for you on like an inverted hot plate. Then they spread raw egg over the top, slice up a banana over that, then pour condensed milk over the whole thing. Then they flip another roti over THAT and cook it for about 1 min. HOLY SENSORY OVERLOAD, BATMAN! You have NEVER tasted anything like it! The bananas here are super sweet and just PERFECT! We loooove it. I think we're pigging out on it again tonight :D
Anyway, some photo's of the local area under the cut and, if I have time, some random shots from Craig :)
Craig trying to get a fix on us with his Tracker. We're down a soi off a soi. It's like a rabbit warren! If you didn't know where this place was, you'd NEVER find it :) We LOVE it. (Soi - like a laneway that runs off a main street. Some are quite big, others you would prob not be able to get the average family sedan down).
Where we are staying. See the balcony at the top? That's ours. Awesome place to sit and enjoy the views, sights, smells and sounds of this place.
From the back we can see into this garden. I am in love with the look of Thai gardens. I want to see what I can emukate back home. Will have to be very careful plant selection etc since obviously I don't live in wet tropics like here. But I think I can swing it :)
There is a Wat just around the cnr, oh heck there is a Wat around EVERY cnr here! I loooove them, the statues etc are AWESOME! (Wat - temple)
Birdfeeder at the Wat. EVERYTHING is gorgeous here :D
See?????
It is her majesty the queen's birthday here, or it was on Friday. The Thai ppl LOVE their monarchy, you do NOT slag them off here. At all. Just DON'T. She is by all appearances a very good woman, involved extremely heavily with welfare issues. Patron of many charities. Very well loved by her people. Here your birth day also has a colour. She was born on Blue day so everything has been decorated with blue :)
Tha Phae Gate and part of the original defending wall of the city of Chiang Mai
Fat stray pussy cat. Thai's looove their cats, they are everywhere. As are the feed bowls outside every single door!!! I think everyone just takes ownership. They do the catch-desex-vaccinate-release program here too.
Craig at the gate
part of the original moat, with pretty little elephants guarding it :)
You think they are tennis rackets, don't you? Well they aren't! They are electric fly swatters :)
Walking down the soi OUR soi runs off. :) Can you see why I love this place?
BAH! Can't get Flickr to work re lifting C's pics to show you guys, will steal them later and upload them to my acc etc. LATER! Need shower, NOW!
I really like Chiang Mai so far. It's far more relaxed than BKK and more ppl smile at you. It's also cleaner and not anywhere near as hectic. Less food stalls but then again we HAVE found the most important thing you poss can in Thailand; THE BANANA GUY! They cook roti right there for you on like an inverted hot plate. Then they spread raw egg over the top, slice up a banana over that, then pour condensed milk over the whole thing. Then they flip another roti over THAT and cook it for about 1 min. HOLY SENSORY OVERLOAD, BATMAN! You have NEVER tasted anything like it! The bananas here are super sweet and just PERFECT! We loooove it. I think we're pigging out on it again tonight :D
Anyway, some photo's of the local area under the cut and, if I have time, some random shots from Craig :)
Craig trying to get a fix on us with his Tracker. We're down a soi off a soi. It's like a rabbit warren! If you didn't know where this place was, you'd NEVER find it :) We LOVE it. (Soi - like a laneway that runs off a main street. Some are quite big, others you would prob not be able to get the average family sedan down).
Where we are staying. See the balcony at the top? That's ours. Awesome place to sit and enjoy the views, sights, smells and sounds of this place.
From the back we can see into this garden. I am in love with the look of Thai gardens. I want to see what I can emukate back home. Will have to be very careful plant selection etc since obviously I don't live in wet tropics like here. But I think I can swing it :)
There is a Wat just around the cnr, oh heck there is a Wat around EVERY cnr here! I loooove them, the statues etc are AWESOME! (Wat - temple)
Birdfeeder at the Wat. EVERYTHING is gorgeous here :D
See?????
It is her majesty the queen's birthday here, or it was on Friday. The Thai ppl LOVE their monarchy, you do NOT slag them off here. At all. Just DON'T. She is by all appearances a very good woman, involved extremely heavily with welfare issues. Patron of many charities. Very well loved by her people. Here your birth day also has a colour. She was born on Blue day so everything has been decorated with blue :)
Tha Phae Gate and part of the original defending wall of the city of Chiang Mai
Fat stray pussy cat. Thai's looove their cats, they are everywhere. As are the feed bowls outside every single door!!! I think everyone just takes ownership. They do the catch-desex-vaccinate-release program here too.
Craig at the gate
part of the original moat, with pretty little elephants guarding it :)
You think they are tennis rackets, don't you? Well they aren't! They are electric fly swatters :)
Walking down the soi OUR soi runs off. :) Can you see why I love this place?
BAH! Can't get Flickr to work re lifting C's pics to show you guys, will steal them later and upload them to my acc etc. LATER! Need shower, NOW!
