Day 14: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand
Today was on our own, no guide, no schedule, just a few ideas and we will see if they work out.
Note: This one got a big longer than expected, so here are the pictures first if you want to skip the text…
And our philosophy is that things to do tend to work out – in the end. Like we tried to set up a sound bathing meditation last night (yes, it is a real thing, check out Chiang Mai Holistic), but they were already booked, so we headed to the night market instead. Along the way we met up with an ex-pat from California that spends a few months a year in Thailand. We are finding that is a real thing here. He was off to a “bar with no girlies” that he can meet up with other ex- pats and “solve the world problems” before 9 pm because he needs his sleep. He also told us he was preparing for 41-day bicycle ride from North to South of Thailand. Makes our planned 8-day bike trip in December sound tame. Finally we come to our turn and we say our good-byes. It seemed there were so many stories to be told, but this is the fun of traveling and of life, the chance meeting of others and getting snippets of people’s lives.
We start the day with laundry. We had come prepared to do our own, but in these bigger cities it is cheap and easy (and your clothes do get a lot cleaner). We meet an Oregon Ducks fan who is also hanging out in Thailand for a few months to avoid the frustration from the election.
Zoos are our things. OK, to be fair, they are really Siri’s things and I think they are fun too. We know we have been long enough in a place if we make it their zoo.
It is an almost 4 mile hike out of the city along a very busy commercial corridor. Along the way, we pass CMU (Chaing Mai University) and see lots of students, motorcycles and red trucks (a key form of public transportation). Then see there is a green space and take a detour into the arboretum – which is really admin buildings amongst some trees, still a nice respite from the traffic. We notice people walking and running around what in the map shows is a reservoir, but we can’t seem to find a way into it across the tall cement wall – and we still have a zoo to get to.
We make it to what is a fairly large zoo, aquarium and even a snow (indoor) and water (outdoor) park. It is also hilly, so we splurge and rent a golf cart to give our feet a rest. We are like kids as we zoom around by ourselves (mostly) to check out the lions, leopards, elephants, and a full bird sanctuary of cranes, flamingoes, and storks. It is a bit like a 1950’s zoo, with small cement enclosures surrounded by chain link. A highlight are the three active hippos – didn’t realize such big teeth they have – then we realize they are opening their mouths expecting us to feed them. We choose not to support what we now now know is not the best zoo practice.
From the zoo we head to a nearby waterfall which is fairly nice being this close to the city. Only downside is the rows upon rows of souvenir shops lining the entrance to it.
After dipping our toes for a bit and cooling off, we head out to find a local textile shop we had heard about. So glad for Google maps because we started back on the side of the freeway for 1/4 mile (no sidewalk), took a detour through another temple and monastery, then onto the cement road, then the dirt road and … Are we really on the right path?
We do make it to Studio Naenna (look it up) and it is this wonderful story of a UK professor (now at CMU) spending her life helping support the female oriented textile and weaving industry in Laos and Thailand. We open the small bamboo gate and see the indigo workshop is in full swing (we almost took this 3-day class). They cultivated the green indigo plant yesterday, immersed it in water overnight in large garbage cans. Today they were taking out the plants and start mixing the water and with the additional oxygen you can see if change from green to deep blue – pretty amazing. They will dye something today and take it home tomorrow.
Siri checks out the local weavings for sale that are handmade from a cooperative of local women. After trying on a few (so hard to choose just one), she chooses a nice blue (indigo made here) and gray shawl that is silk and cotton.
We decide our feet need a rest and try out the local Uber app – Grab – and it works! They could find us out here in what feels like the countryside. We get shuttled back home for the 30 minute drive – for just $4. Still getting over how cheap it is. Like that massage we did yesterday, was on the expensive side, and it only cost us $35 for both of us.
Did I mention that a lot of people are vacationing here and some are figuring out how to live here?
We mark it up as a full day, time to shower and relax by the pool … oh wait, we forget the cultural center and it closes soon – quick, put back on your shoes and out we go…
Siri and David Adventures 