Oh boy, did we sleep well last night! Even though the beds were the typical hard Thai beds, once our heads hit the pillow, we were out like a light and didn’t wake up until the alarm at 8:15. Phew. We were 2 tired puppies!
After our coffee (here!), we headed out into the grand – and I mean grand – lobby of our hotel on our way to breakfast. Wow – we missed this last night, because A) we were bleary eyed, and B) we were running to catch up with the hotel guys who we sort of lost in the hallway! Anyhow it is gorgeous, if this hotel weren’t in a really GU area, it would be a great place to stay for a while. Outside we go, in search of the breakfast restaurant (last night the hotel guy pointed across the parking lot and said “over there”!), which we found pretty easily – even without all the helpful employees pointing us in the direction. Everyone is so sweet here – like Japan only more so, and with English. The included breakfast was over the top – 5 dishes from which to choose – all huge and more than I could ever eat – particularly at breakfast! Oh, plus fruit to start. Yikes. Well, won’t need lunch today, that is for certain.
Food finished, showered and re-packed, we are ready when our driver shows up early to take us into the old city and on to our home away from home, Micky’s house. No issues, no problems – 15 minutes later we are wheeling our cases into the house, thanking the girl who always meets us to let us in, and hauling our stuff up to the 2nd floor bedrooms where we dump our suitcases for organization when we return from the grocery store.
Off we head to Rimping, across the river near the night market, where we shopped all the time when we stayed on that side of the moat. It is a great walk through the whole town, and wow! In the 2 years since we were here last, so many more stores have opened! We can hardly wait to see what’s going on at the night market now – maybe our favorite little bar will be reopened. We can only hope!
We pass by the place we will probably move if Tuesday doesn’t go according to plan, then onto the bar area on Loh Kroi with a cutesy named bar – I’m Shy! Yeah, sure. The menu is all alcohol with a scantily clad woman at the bottom. I’m shy indeed –cute idea though.
We also stop by the old River Market restaurant, by the iron bridge, which burned down or something, the last time we were here. It has been rebuilt and one side is now called CNX Pheonix Pub and Restaurant (nice play on the situation!) and the other side is the pizza place that was here last time, plus something called Chef’s Together, a collaboration of 2 chefs. Hmmmm, could be interesting. Or not! We just glanced at a couple of menus pages, um, really? You come to Chiang Mai to order live Canadian lobster with spaghetti for 3500 baht (that’s about $100 USD)? I think not. The rest of the menu – the Thai selection that is – look like their old menu with decent prices for the setting – but it certainly isn’t as convenient for us as it once was, so we will probably skip it this visit. There are too many other options available closer to the house.
Across the iron bridge we go, onto Rimping where we stocked up for the week – jackfruit – of course! Beer, wine, etc. Called a Bolt taxi to take us home – not hauling a 6 pack of beer and 5 liters of wine 30 minutes back to the house! Then set about organizing and setting up our digs for the next week.
The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging out in front of the fan in the heat that is Chiang Mai. 91. Hoo boy. We aren’t normally here this time of year, and while we knew to expect it, ick. Only about a week and then, well…once we get down toward Antarctica we’ll probably be wishing for 91 degrees! In the meantime, let the sweat begin!
Later in the afternoon we head out to Nong Buak Haad park for our afternoon walk, slaloming through the cars, scooters and motorcycles all in line to pick up the children from the 2 schools near the house. Breaking free from the congestion, we easily find the park – the route is sort of imprinted on our brains now – and walk around the track to get our daily exercise. It is so strange here without the Flower festival, although vestiges of it remain – such as the butterfly girls – and a wall painted with flowers and the festival name.
Taking the longer way home along the moat, we drop into the pharmacy on the corner to buy nose spray which I managed to somehow lose on the flight from Seoul. No matter, they have the exact stuff we use and it’s only about $3 US. When you need it, you need it. Then perused the Lotus grocery store closest to the house, along with the 7-11 for the light beer Ed found at Rimping. Unfortunately, the beer section isn’t open yet – they are late opening it, it is well after 5, so that was a bust, but at least we walked and have a better idea of what we can stock up with from the Lotus as opposed to walking all the way over to Rimping.
Then it is drinks at the 3rd floor bar, overlooking the Wat, before heading to Baan Na Na for our first night dinner! Yay! Mamma is still there, but no Papa, and we aren’t going to ask, but the sweet waitress (I think daughter) is there and the food is just as good as we remember – Papaya Pad Thai for me, Pad See Ew for Ed. Perfectly done, perfect meal, and excellent end to our first day here in the city we adore!
Andiamo 