Today was our last day in Chiang Mai. We've had a great few days and have definitely enjoyed being here more than we initially expected. There seems to be something for everyone here - whether you want a relaxing laid back holiday with massages and yoga or an up-all-night and sleep-all-day kind of thing, Chiang Mai seems to cater for every need.
On Thursday we said farewell to Mr Kem at Vanilla Place. As we loaded up our bikes, he said "I wish I could come with you, but only for the first 10km". Oh well, he would have been a fun travel companion to have with us. We made our way a few blocks over to another guest house in the old city. It was a lovely change - lots of natural light and plants, and more space. The owner gave us a warm welcome and we set about exploring our new area.
(Bye bye Mr Kem)
We had a great day wandering in the sunshine and found a couple of excellent vegetarian restaurants where we stocked up on lots of delicious fresh food. By the end of the day we felt as though we were in another city. This part of town feels much more chilled and a lot less touristy.
Yesterday morning we rode up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep; a temple on the side of Doi Suthep mountain. Almost everyone we had spoken to since arriving in Chiang Mai had asked if we'd been there so we knew it must be pretty special. It was about 17km from our accommodation to the base of the temple. It was a long, slow climb but the air was still cool and we were rewarded with a great view, and gorgeous bright morning colours. We were ready for a second breakfast by the time we were back in the city.
(Young monks coming down from the temple to collect their food from the locals)
(Admiring the view from the top)
(A hazy Chiang Mai)
(Temple bells)
(The temple on the mountainside in the far distance)
We spent the afternoon exploring another part of the city on our bikes and happened to get caught up in a parade along the way. It was loud and colourful and long and we wished we knew what it was all about. In the evening we had another great Thai meal and returned to the Night Bazaar for another look around.
(One section of the parade.
These poles must have been heavy as the guys kept having to stop to adjust their grip.)
This morning we decided to visit a couple of temples in the old city. Saturday appears to be the day when the whole community gathers at their nearest temple. There were lots of smartly dressed people and marquees set up outside the temples serving drinks and food. We walked through the grounds of one small temple and a Thai man came up to us and asked if we would write on one of the new roof tiles and then join them for some food. Before we could even reply, we had a pen in our hand and bowls of food in front of us. So kind!!
(The temple where our roof tile will be used)
(Our very own roof tile)
(Enjoying our food with the locals)
As we sat eating, we noticed people from all walks of life being welcomed by the group of organisers. Again we would have loved to have understood more about it all but it was great to see people who seemed to have very little being given a good meal and somewhere to rest for a bit.
This evening we had dinner with friends from the UK, Roma and Morton. Very well travelled, they are on their 23rd visit to Thailand and had lots of great stories to share about their time here, as well as time spent in Laos and Vietnam. It was a lovely evening - wonderful company and delicious food. Thank you again for taking the time to meet us R&M! Looking forward to seeing you soon again in England.
(Dinner with Roma and Morton)
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