Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand and a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna (1296-1768). It sits on the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Praya that runs through Bangkok, located in the rolling, lush foothills of the Himalayas. Here's just a reminder of my journey - from Singapore I flew to Bangkok, then up north to Chiang Mai, then down to Phuket.

 

 

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, I was picked up from the airport by the most beautiful tiny Thai girl - except for her very dark mustache and her bright blue contacts. (I am a firm believer that those colored contacts are ridiculous - hello, it's not like we all don't know, people!) I immediately thought, why wouldn't she just wax? Followed swiftly by another thought - why should she have to? She is gorgeous in every other way and I am just imposing my silly, vain, western beliefs on her. She informed me in the nicest possible cute voice "I have bad news, your hotel is flooded so we have to wade through water to get there." Apparently the hotel itself was not underwater but the road to get there was. The Ping had overflowed with some of the worst flooding in years (you may have heard in the news about the following floods in Bangkok). I was dubious about our future journey but wanted to withhold judgement until I saw the damage for myself.

 

The driver took Nana (my guide) and me as far as the car could go and dropped us off on a corner with my suitcase. I turned around and saw the flood waters before me. People were wading through waist deep water, with children on their shoulders and holding their shoes. There were big tank looking things carrying Thai workers to and fro. There were sand bags everywhere. I looked at my suitcase, which I was apparently expected to carry above my head, and said, "I think I should try another hotel, don't you?" She looked relieved to not have to drag herself through the flood either, and helped me find a new hotel. 

  

The flooding preventing me from getting to my hotel -
it got much deeper farther in!

While we waited for the driver to come back around, I asked her the obvious - is she is wearing contacts? She replies yes, they all want eyes like westerners because we have blue, gold, green; all the pretty colors, while they are stuck with brown. She also has a slight curl in her hair and straightens it everyday to be straight like mine. I was thinking, but didn't say, that western women probably all want her clear skin and 12 year old body, since that's what men seem to want these days. Instead, I said something like "I think we all just want what we don't have" which she thought was very wise. But it brings me back to my first question - if she is willing to fry her hair straight and shove blue plastic in her eyeballs everyday, why wouldn't she take the time to wax her lip once a month? Maybe she doesn't know just how much hair removal us "westerners" actually do.

Chiang Mai was really more of a place to relax, walk around, shop, and appreciate nature and the beauty of the place. It was quieter in general and the people were extremely polite and quiet. It is a "walled city" with a moat surrounding the old city, which was very charming. The city itself is only approx 160,000 people, but the metro area sprawls to about a million - although I would have never known that given how quiet and relaxed the old city was (where I spent most of my time).  

  

Buddhist Monk at a temple

Chiang Mai was most memorable as the place that I spent a day with elephants and tigers.  Nana and our driver picked me up and took me around for the day. I went on an elephant ride and saw the elephant "show", where they play soccer, paint, shoot baskets, etc. It's one of those things that I feel a little strange about - the elephants thrive on having "jobs" since they don't really move stuff anymore, however you wonder exactly how they are treated or trained. It all seems nice in front of the tourists.

  

Riding my elephant and taking in the luscious view

 

Bath time is the most fun!

The Tiger Kingdom was a strange experience. I really, really wanted to pet/kiss/hug/manhandle/generally be around a tiger on this trip. But being in the pens and up close and personal with the tigers is a little disconcerting. I wasn't afraid at all (I'm not sure if I have that gene)....but that was the strangest part. How can you be in with a tiger and not be a little scared. These huge, strong, fierce animals were just sleeping and laying around. I asked Nana if the tigers are drugged -- VERY faux pas -- of course she said no. The tigers are nocturnal and sleepy during the day....they are fed very well in the morning so visitors don't tempt them.....they are raised with humans so used to the interactions....all sorts of replies but I still couldn't shake the guilty feeling. With both the elephants and the tigers, it's like I know I was contributing to a problem, but still didn't have a choice because there was NO way I wasn't going to take advantage of the opportunity. Know what I mean? I think even my sister, the vet, would have gone to both these places.

That's my hand!!

So amazing

Sleepy guy, with huge teeth

Other notable things about Chiang Mai:

• One of the best parts was the cheap Thai massage places. I love the Thai massage technique. (This trip was my first experience). I'm one of those people that thinks a massage should kind of hurt though, if it's done right. I like it rough (haha). It's probably not for everyone. But here you could get 90 minute Thai massage - at a really nice spa, not a weird hole in the wall - for like 150 baht (about $6). Bangkok was also affordable, but Phuket and Phi were both expensive. Chiang Mai was definitely the place to get a massage (or any other spa treatment).
• Tuk tuks are everywhere (3 wheeled motorised vehicles for transport). However, the songthaeow is definitely the most popular way to get around cheaply. It's basically an (old, loud) pick-up truck with the bed converted into benches for passengers, with a cover built on. 
• Chiang Mai has a substantial ex-pat population. I met a few "investors" at dinner one night, one american and one australian, who are living here like gods with their young Thai brides. Not making overall judgements, but these 2 guys really creeped me out. It just all seemed really suspect to me. They both were "investors" in local clubs and hotels.
• Just a note, if you are a caucasian man with an asian younger (or younger-looking) partner, you will probably get some looks in Thailand (from locals as well as tourists) as assumptions are made. It may not be fair, but that is the way it is, so just be prepared. (Asian men with caucasian women doesn't seem to raise an eyebrow though).
• Nana wore around her neck, in a plastic encasing, a US $1 bill folded so that the pyramid on the back was shown. I asked her about it. She said that Thais consider the triangle as a symbol for wisdom, and the break in the pyramid (it has no top) means "always keep searching for wisdom." These were a Thai's words about our US dollar. I had never really carefully looked at a dollar before or pondered the meaning of all the symbols. Maybe it's because I haven't seen any US money in so long, but this made me sad. So of course, I had to do some research. I highly recommend doing the same, as it was pretty interesting!

As Nana and our driver took me to the airport to fly to Phuket, I saw a huge netting thing and asked Nana what it was. The driver, who had been with me for several days and never uttered a word, piped up and said "Mosquito Farm....we send them all to your country." The bugger spoke english the whole time!!!!