Jump to the full
entry & travel map
Chiang Mai, ThailandWe took the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Second class on the way there. It was pretty comfortable overall, though the ventilation of the sleeping compartments hasn't been designed to cope with the effects of Thai curries.
Our first night we wandered down to the Sunday walking market. A huge popular event with all sorts of goodies, we had lots of fun until a swarm of moths descended over the entire town. Everyone around started choking on them. We went for a late Japanese dinner and maggots were still falling from J's trouser legs.
The next day, we take a cooking class with the sister of Mai Kaidee (a well known cooking personality in Bangkok). Was very informative and lots of fun. At the trip to the market we learnt plenty of interesting facts about chillis, eggplants, mushrooms, banana flowers, etc. In 2 hours we made 12 yummy dishes including curries, soups, spring rolls, etc. At the end they expect you to eat it all, so we gave it our best effort but admitted defeat and took the leftovers home. Unfortunately we couldn't face eating them and ended up throwing them out a day or so later and kept away from Thai food for a few days until we recovered. Sometimes you can have too much Thai food!
We spent an afternoon wandering around some of the many temples in the old city. Chiang Mai is very well known for its abundant supply of temples, especially in the old part of the town. All very impressive, but there does seem to be a lot of focus on who has the biggest, shiniest, most revered golden Buddha effigy, coupled with a subtle sense of wanting in the energy of the place. Doubt Gautama the Buddha would be impressed with all this idolisation is his name.
We try out a few of the local massage specialties. First up, J opts for a 1hr massage from the blind at a bargain rate of 150 Bhat. The lady pretty much just pressed five points on each foot repeatedly for an hour while talking very loudly with the other 6 blind masseuses in the room. There were no other clients. The next day we decide to make use of one of the rather dodgy sounding activities listed in the Lonely Planet. We both visit the Woman's prison for 1 hr traditional massage by inmates! It was the best massage yet and at a very good price.
Chiang Mai's night bazaar, would have to be the best, as well as the streets there are buildings with shops of home decor. Eager to add to our meagre package waiting to be shipped back home we buy a wooden decorative carving and some large lamps. It was going to be fun trying to take these back to Bangkok.
5th March is Louisa's birthday, so to celebrate we venture over the road for a nice breakfast then take a rickshaw into town to the markets. Bit of shopping then find a spa where we both get 2hr treatment including herbal steam, body scrub and aromatherapy massage.
For dinner we head to Riverside bar and restaurant for their river cruise. We make our way over the rickety pier, noting that they mustn't have OSH in Thailand. We were rushed to order food so they could cook it before we set sail. Then they deliver all three courses at once, including ice cream dessert! Manage to send that back... Sink a bottle of wine enjoying the sights along the river. When we arrive back at the pier, we depart and J attempts to take a photo of the boat of L from the wharf. Leaning against a bamboo balustrade it gives way. Somehow J manages to avoid tumbling into the river with the camera, impressing the patrons sitting outside who are witnessed the entire event.
Recapturing our breath we head inside and the restaurant / bar covers band started up with a superb rendition of a Joe Satriani number. We settle in with another bottle of wine purely to calm those nerves.
Louisa spots girls from the big night out on Koh San Road and they join our table. By request, the band plays happy birthday and another birthday girl is identified in the audience - 51 year old Sara, a teacher who lives in Chiang Mai, and her three daughters. Louisa breaks the ice, their table joins ours and the party really gets going.
Great music from the 2 covers bands including numerous Radiohead songs, the best version J's ever heard of "With or Without You" by U2 (even better than the original he reckons!).. and great rendition of " Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix. J almost in heaven. But they don't know Radiohead "Creep".
At Sara's suggestion, we head to "Bubble", a club a few blocks away. Dance a couple of hours away to trashy techno and neon strobes. It seemed the night would never end.
Finally a rickshaw home with the Khoa San Rd girls, who we discovered were staying opposite us. Louisa befriends a very cute but who-knows-where-its-been dog.
Slightly hungover we meet the girls for breakfast the next morning and spend the rest of the afternoon at the local cafe making use of their wifi before heading off to catch the train back to Bangkok.
Phew glad birthdays only happen once a year, it generally takes a year to get over the last one.
Thankfully we took first class on the way back - the extra room came in handy for all our extra purchases in Chiang Mai.
