Thailand - Chiang Mai

Wednesday, June 22'nd

The train is running slightly behind schedule so we enjoy the morning with fruit for breakfast while we roll through the landscape, a mix of vegetation and rice-fields, this is the essence of South-east Asia for me, probably spoiled again by too many Vietnamese war-movies.

At 11AM the train reach the end of the line, our destination CHIANG MAI. We leave the station and on the parkinglot several guesthouses offer transportation to their place. Suchera ask around and our pick will be the JAKAWAH GUESTHOUSE, situated at walking distance to some of the CHIANG MAI attractions.

Apart from the four of us, an other

couple go with us in the pick-up. It is a bumpy ride but we are there in no time. The guesthouse is huge, with a restaurant and they will arrange tours for you if you like. No need for that, Suchera know what to see thanks to Lonely Planet. We book a couple of rooms, drop our gear and set out for a walk to the sites in the area.

There are many temples, one with a special story. A large Budda-statue was discovered in recent time near the temple. It was concealed with clay by the monks to camouflage it for robbers, and so it must have been for many years, hidden away and no one paying any interest in the crude Budda-figure. But it was discovered and within was this massive statue made of solid gold.

On the way back we decide to have lunch at a small restaurant, only two tables but Suchera say it is okay, and it sure is. Spicy (we have gotten used to to it by now) and delicious. Afterwards we take another look in the Lonely Planet and make up a program for the afternoon. It involves getting some means of transportation. There are very few regular Taxi's in CHIANG MAI so we hail two Tuk-Tuk (onomatopoeia: the way they sound) to take us around.

First we go to the snake-farm to see the deadly reptiles in action. On the way we spot many choppers in the air, apparently there is a

Thai military airport in the area. It is from CHIANG MAI the drug battle into the Golden Triangle is launched, so expect to see a lot of 'huey's in the air. The snake-farm, apart from being a kind of Zoo, also produce antidote for use in the case of snake-bites, so they have every Thai specie to display. There is also a show that we must see, all the large boe constrictor are demonstrated, a wrestle between man and snake are performed and afterwards you can have your picture taken with the snake around the neck. Again Shehab and Sune volunteer but are not happy with the situation. I stay put in my seat and take the pictures.

Huge temple in Chiang Mai

We drive on to one of the many orchid-farms and enjoy the huge variety of flowers. The places also function as a aviary for butterflies and they are even more spectaculary. On the way back we make a stop at a humongus temple, possibly the largest in the world in terms of monks that can stay under one roof, it is estimated to hold 10.000 people, impressive. At every temple we give money as a donation to ensure our prosperous journey and to support the maintainence of the buildings.

Our last item on the agenda is to try find one of Sunes friends that work at the University, perhaps we can stay with him.

I would like to send a Email back home, the instant postcard and the University is the obvious place to look for a internet connection (this is back in '94). We ask around the campus without success so we return to JAKAWAH guesthouse.

I decide to stay in for the night while the others go for the famous night-market in CHIANG MAI. I have some postcard to write and I still feel weak from the stomach incident. We are in desperat need for playing cards, perhaps they can find a deck-of-cards at the market. It would be nice to be able to play some games on the long journeys. But no luck, we will try again later.

Thursday, June 23'rd

We get up early and get a solid breakfast. While leaving the guesthouse we meet a group of American girls, they are departing next morning to go on a trek and we get some tips on prices and what to expect. Shehab have a good eye to one of them and they flirt a little. At the reception we make arrangements with a car that will drive us for the day.

Outside the two Tuk-Tuk drivers from yesterday are waiting for us, hoping we will use them today as well. Apparently there is not much Tuk-Tuk business these days, they have been waiting all morning for us. We make them understand that

we do not need their service just now, so they drive off. One of the Tuk-Tuk can't start a we help by giving a push to get going. The Tuk-Tuk is a rebuild motor cycle, a cabin is put on top with extra wheels in the back. Often it is the fastest transport in the big cities, it can weave through the traffic, in and out between the cars stuck in cue.

The first site is the WAT DOI SUTHEP temple. It is located at the top of a nearby cliff, almost a mountain. One thing is sure, it is cold up there, the temple is completely shrouded in clouds that day, giving it a special atmosphere.


Wat Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai

A mountain railway take you up through the clouds but there is also a long staircase if you have the energy to walk. Suchera have bought a small bird in a cage that she let loose when we get to the top. At this temple some of Buddha's Relics is located, making WAT DOI SUTHEP a highly revered place for northerners.

Sune and Suchera lit a candle to be at good terms with the gods, for our continuing journey. I feel the good Karma spreading. We take the long walk down the dragon-staircase,

I try to count the steps but loose it halfway down. There must be almost a thousand. At the bottom our car await but we are surrounded by a group of girls that want to sell us some fine silk-prints. We are reluctant to buy any but they persuade us with a story that it will mean bad luck for them if the first potential customer of the day wont buy anything. They haggle themselves down to almost giving the prints away. I have later have my print framed and it is now on the wall it in my bedroom.

A candle is lit to ensure a prosperous journey

We drive on to a umbrella-workshop, the umbrellas are made from bamboo and paper. It is interesting to see the process. They also have a shop where you can buy their craft. Shehab have fallen in love with a Samurai-sword and I have my mind set on a huge fan, four feet wide when unfolded. It has picture a Thai-village at night time, in shades of blue. Very nice, I gave it to my sister when I returned, it have been on the wall in her living room ever since.

It has been a long day and we return to the guesthouse for a afternoon rest.

Outside are our two Tuk-Tuk driver waiting again. We arrange for them to pick us up at seven, then we will go to get some dinner.

We go with the Tuk-Tuk's to this fantastic restaurant situated on one of the banks of the river that run through CHIANG MAI. We have duck-in-curry and other delicious specialties. Afterward we go to a Western-club, our Tuk-Tuk have problems with starting and we push it going. On the way we have race, Shehab and I in one and Suchera and Sune in the other.


The Tuk-Tuk Chase in Chiang Mai

Even up here there are plenty of people out on a Thursday night in town. A band is playing and they are good, I am amazed with all the live music everywhere.

I remember thei'r version of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" to be fantastic. We stayed there till they closed for the night, we had to get up early in the morning, to go to MAI SAI.
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