Sunshine

Hi,

Today, our traveling weather was hot.  Temps in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were both in the 90’s.  The nights are still cool and the air is still questionable but it’s home.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song only got one response.  I know you all were probably busy or figured it was too easy.  

“Although it’s always crowded, you still can find some room, for broken hearted lovers to cry there in their gloom.

They’ll be so lonely baby, they get so lonely.  They’re so lonely, they could die… just take a walk down Lonely Street to __ __.”  Clue:  It’s by a so-called king, about a very ‘sad’ place.  

I have come to the conclusion that the cold we caught in California has lengthened the duration of our Jet Lag.  We are still waking up at 3 or 4am every morning.  Not enough to get up and start the day, but enough to interrupt good sleep.  How long?

We started our day with the buffet breakfast at the Holiday Inn.  There was a large variety of choices from many cultures.  In a large hotel one can get an idea of the state of tourism by watching the dining room.  This place was jumping.  We’re coming up on Chinese New Year which begins on January 25 and lasts 15 days.  While there are many superstitions in this part of the world, there seems to be no fear of the number 13.  In the U.S., you won’t find a building with a 13th floor.  The Holiday Inn had a 13th floor.  Now I’m going to be checking other elevators in tall buildings.

Today’s photo was taken from our 16th floor room.  That’s the Ping River flowing through the city.  The building on the left is a condo where we stayed with friends last year.

Before we hit the rode we stopped at Rimping Market for a few travel snacks.  While sipping iced-coffee, I noticed a young Thai woman carrying a Trader Joe’s shopping bag.  We asked her about it and she told us she lived in San Diego for three years and loves the store and their bags.  It was a small world moment.

The ride back from Chiang Mai was a little different than the one going there yesterday.  There seemed to be an urgency in the traffic, gotta get there now.  We just took our time and let them pass.  People actually ride bicycles from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.  We also saw several small groups of monks, walking.  They were ‘Brown Robes’, who use no modern transportation.  I am grateful that I don’t have to walk the 180 kilometers (112 miles).

Have a Happy Tuesday.

                      Peace,

                                Danny

“A good laugh is sunshine

in the house.”

~William Makepeace Thackeray