Chiang Mai!

This is the town everyone loves. Actually it is a city, second in size to Bangkok. There are lots of Farangs (foreigners) wandering about, and many who've moved here. It has the old world charm of an ancient city, complete with gates and a moat. There is a new age healing vibe with lots of yoga and even plenty of vegetarian restaurants. I like it here but haven't found it astounding, as expected. Maybe it was a too-high expectation or maybe it is the effects of nearly 4 weeks of travelling, wearing the same clothes, and sensory overload. The sight of monks wandering the streets and markets, of fabulous Wats (temples), and interesting transportation (tuk-tuks) has become "normal" and lost some of its exoticism for me. Still, it is a wonderful place. And I guess I'm ready to return home. Which is a good thing since today is my last full day in Thailand :-). OR it is time to dig in and stay put in one place as a way to really learn it more deeply. Schlepping has its limits.

In the news: a policeman regularly parks his car at the station with his 6 year old daughter sleeping inside while he is at work. Last week, following the same routine, he left the car running with AC on for the gir's comfort -- but, someone stole the car. The thief had no idea a kid was inside. The police put out an alert with the license number and a taxi saw the car, relaying it to other taxis. Eventually 100 taxis rallied to the scene and surrounded the car, catching the thief. The child never woke up during this so is no wiser to her accidental abduction. What I found remarkable is that the people (taxis) jumped in to help another Thai in need. This is so typical of these wonderful people. Do you see this happening in the U.S. or other first world country?

Below are some pictures of another wonderful Wat.

Monk taking pictures of Buddha

Lotus flower in foreground - We leave it as offering to Buddha.

I think this one is groovy - the Buddha sat on a river bank after his enlightenment and it started raining. A cobra came along and coiled, fanning above Buddha's head to protect him from the rain. This image is all over Thailand.

Northern gate to the old Chiang Mai city.

My modern hotel room. I note that as I am in waning days of a long trip, the weariness justifies a top hotel :-). I ended up moving from the hotel I booked online because it was 20 minutes from town in a very nice secluded location - meaning, no taxis out the door. Also, no tuk-tuks or other transportation people knew where it was, so it took me 1 hour to return home at night due to getting lost - this after giving them a map in Thai provided by hotel. Part of the adventure of traveling! No problem - just move on...