Hi,
We had a gorgeous day on our trip to Chiang Mai. Traffic was not very heavy on the highway and we made good time. Oh yes, and there was pie.
Only two people know the ‘Zany Day’ song, so far. Maybe the second verse will help you figure it out. Hmm.
"I support the left, though I'm leaning to the right. I support the left, though I’m leaning, leaning to the right. But I’m just not there when it's coming to a fight.” Hint: It’s by a Power Trio from across the pond who know something about sunshine and love. One word title was the subject of recent elections. Now you should get it, even if you don’t know the song (555).
This morning, sitting in the local traffic in Chiang Rai, I spotted a truck. At first I thought it was piled high with junk metal. Then I realized that it was full of newly assembled bicycles. Was it coming from Santa’s workshop? You decide as you ponder today’s photo.
We arrived in Chiang Mai at mid-day. Driving on fairly familiar streets gave me a bit of confidence that we could find our hotel. Driving past the street while on a one-way street, meant we had to make a huge circle to get back to where we wanted to be. We found the 'Raming Lodge Hotel & Resort’ (pronounced rah-Ming) in the middle of a small Soi (street) that’s filled with bars, restaurants and small shops. It’s a big, six-story brick building that looks out of place. Once inside, it didn’t matter what the street was like. It was like an oasis. We had lunch at the ‘Rock Me’ cafe and bar. There was a clever motif throughout the place, with round, black menus resembling records, posters of Jimi Hendricks, Cream, The Stones, and Miles Davis, and a focus on decadent western things like double beef bacon burgers. Hmm. We ate sensibly and enjoyed the meal. Our rooms are very comfortable, though the beds are hard. It’s the first time we’ve been in a hotel where all the treats in the room are free. What?
Chiang Mai is a big city. It is big in size and population. We decided to have dinner at Promenada, one of the newer malls in the city. Our mode of transportation was Tuk-Tuk. On one hand, it was faster than a car in rush-hour traffic. On the other hand, it was noisier and stinkier than a taxi. Luckily, our driver wasn’t one of the ‘cowboys’ that takes risks by darting and weaving. We got to see neighborhoods and side streets as well as sit in the traffic on the small highways. It was an adventure, being in the open with motorbikes whizzing by on both sides and feeling every bump in the road. When we got to Promenada, Blue told the driver he did a good job and he laughed.
It’s very strange to walk into a shopping mall and find it virtually empty. That was our experience this evening. The restaurant where we ate was busy, and so was the grocery store, but the rest of the place was deserted. We figured it might have been the time of day, and the remote location. Anyway, we had a great dinner and got some hard to find items at Rimping Market.
When we returned to our hotel, by taxi, the street was alive with the nightlife. It’s been a long day and the street is not my cup of tea. Tomorrow we’ll explore a bit and return to Chiang Rai.
Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
“If life knocks you down,
roll over and look at the stars.”
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
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