Gentler, friendlier Chiang Mai

Ahh, much better.

Chiang Mai is a welcome change to the crowds and traffic of Bangkok. Our guesthouse is in the exact middle of the old walled city. Upon touchdown, our blood pressure has dipped and the giggle quotient has risen. First thing we did was rent bikes and explore the many tranquil side lanes characteristic of this city. It is not unusual to pass monks on their way somewhere, our vendors pushing their carts of shaved ice or fresh fruit.

Discovering a fresh alternative to Cwofee Tawk, Mike and Val stumble upon Monk Chat in Wat Chedi Luang, a centuries old temple not far from the guest house. We wander over to strike up a conversation with the monks and found them to be extremely inquisitive, jovial and blessed with a healthy sense of humor. They learned a little about us and we, them. Though it was somewhat awkward to talk about our 6 month round the world trip after learning that they basically join the monkhood at an early age so that they can receive an education. They wake up at 4:30 every morning and chant for an hour before hitting the streets to collect food from the generous and pious Buddhist community. They eat breakfast and lunch but no food after that for the rest of the day. They study Buddhist teachings all day and a little English as well, handy if you're going to be participating in Monk Chat with people who ask silly foreigner questions like, "so, what do you wear under your robes?" Kidding. We didn't ask that. But we wanted to.

We love it here in northern Thailand and have decided to skip Laos so that we can spend more time exploring this region and also get to Hanoi a little earlier to meet up with our friends Jenna and Angelo who are 3 months ahead of us on their own 6 month trip.

(Drats. Lost half our photos while uploading them....oh well. The important ones were saved.)



View photos here.
Or copy and paste this link: http://flickr.com/photos/31967627@N00/238277079/

From the Observation Deck

Love you Long Time
Everywhere you turn in Bangkok, you will notice the ubiquitous White male with Thai "girlfriend." Sometimes the contrast between the two is so great, it's difficult not to stare: much older, frumpy, very large men with very tan, much younger Thai girls half their age who barely speak any English. Needless to say, this is quite awkward for Mike and Val. (Mike says: wait are you calling me old and frumpy...and large!?)

Noposh Nosh
Eat where the locals eat. At a fraction of the cost. Even backpacker type places can cost up to 4 times more. Average meal for both of us: like 2 bucks, that includes the mandatory watermelon glass of love.

Tummy-tied
Probably not a good idea to eat before a 2-hour massage. Certain back bends can make it difficult to control certain bodily functions that need controlling.

We're jus' sayin'.

Three Nights in Bangkok

We literally packed and cleaned and rearranged things in Michael's apartment right until the moment we had to leave for the airport. And so, not until we set foot in this bustling city did we truly feel like our adventure had begun. After our 20 hour journey (5 hour transit in Taipei), we arrived in the muggy, crowded, polluted and exciting "City of Angels," Bangkok. Our dear friend Frans met us at the airport and ushered us to our guest house in the Sukhomvit area of town. It was definitely comforting to see a familiar face. This year is the beloved Thai King's 60th birthday and everywhere you look there are thousands of yellow shirts (the royal color, we're guessing) for sale. Every shirt has "Long Live the King" embroidered into it. People actually are wearing them around town.

This is Val's 2nd time to Bangkok and Mike's first. There is a very stark juxtoposition of a shiny cosmopolis against a traditional third world with a myriad of interesting smells, not always pleasant. The humidity is soupy here and multiple showers a day are a must.

Our guest house, SUK 11, was such a delightful find. It is an oasis of calm in this crazy city. A narrow teak house covered in tropical plants on the outside, and on the inside, carefully lit wooden hallways lead to rooms that go all the way down the block, it feels like you're navigating your way through a romantic little village. We have found little reason to leave, and when we have, we look forward to returning to the solice of our temporary home.

Our daily massages have pretty much wreaked havoc on our budget. Today we upgraded from hour-long massages to two-hour long massages, for a mere $10 each.

Tomorrow is our last day here. Bangkok is a little hectic for us, we're escaping north to the quieter and cooler climate of Chiang Mai.

Mike's 2 Cents
When trying to avoid a typhoon-like downpour underneath a bridge, and you need something to take the edge off, opt for Chang Beer instead of Singha. It packs a stronger punch at a fraction of the cost. Go figure.