| Chiang Mai, Thailand, November 2007 |
My friends Pat and Roger had to leave Malaysia for a couple of days, because their 3-months visa expired. They decided to visit Chiang Mai and I joined them.
I had visited Chiang Mai once before, long ago, in the seventies, when it still was a small town.Even then I found it quite touristy, but it was a quiet oasis compared with the present-day situation. With too many tourists of the wrong kind...:-(
So, I have a bit mixed feelings about Chiang Mai. Having said that, we enjoyed our stay. We were lucky to be there during the Loi Krathong festival.
Of course we visited many wats, the famous ones like Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chiang Man in the Old City (still very attractive and relatively quiet in spite of the many tourists), and many others. Our hotel was located next to the Night Bazaars, shopping fun galore, but we liked the Anusarn Market best.
Thai food is nice, we enjoyed the Khao Soy, the Pad Thai, the Spring Rolls, the Green Curry Chicken, and of course the cheap Chang beer.
We made several trips around Chiang Mai, but we decided to skip the hill tribes, expecting that they would be too commercialised to our taste.
The Doi Inthanon National Park was very interesting, with its spectacular waterfalls. Unfortunately it started to rain in the afternoon, when we reached the higest point of Thailand, so we had no view.
Our visit to Wat Phra Doi Suthep also started with fog and some rain, but when we reached the temple, the sun came through. It is difficult to stop taking pictures there..:-)
We also visited an Elephant Conservation Center, near Lampang. They organise mahout trainings there, that must be interesting, I would not mind spending some time there.
During the Loi Krathong festival, thousands of floats are launched on the Ping river. The festival is celebrated in many places in Thailand, special for Chiang Mai are the hot air balloons (called "Kome Loy"). You buy them for a few Ringgit, light a 'candle' fixed under the balloon, and wait until the air inside is so hot that you can release the balloon.
A nice holiday trip
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 Klang Delta *
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 Thailand!
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 Centara hotel room
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 Our first Thai lunch
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 Afternoon cruise on Ping river
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 The beer is cheap, cheers!
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 The Ping river
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 Horse-drawn carriage
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 Temple Ruins with Buddha
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 Wat Chang Kong
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 Detail Wat Chang Kong
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 Stupa
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 Monks
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 Wat Bupharam
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 Naga, Wat Bupharam
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 Detail
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 Buddha, Wat Bupharam
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 Wat Bupharam
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 Wat Chiang Man
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 Wat Chiang Man
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 Detail
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 Detail
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 Window
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 Refreshing fruits
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 Back to the hotel
1 comment |
 Interesting starter
2 comments |
 Just Khao Soy
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 Handmade Soap Flowers
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 The beautiful result
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 Entrance to Mae Ya Fall
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 Mae Ya Fall
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 Mae Klang Fall
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 Modern Temple near Mae Klang
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 Wachirathan fall
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 A Royal Project *
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 Beautiful flowers
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 Garden-fresh vegetables
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 Mr Pong serving lunch
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 Surprise: Trout in Thailand
2 comments |
 Almost like Cameron Highlands
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 Siriphum Fall
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 Close-up Siriphum
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 Phra Mahathat Chedi
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 Cold...!
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1 comment |
 HIghest Point of Thailand
1 comment |
 Chopsticks experts
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 Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
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 Naga
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 Burning a candle
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 Doi Suthep Chedi
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 Statues
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 Buddha Gallery
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 Serenity
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 Reclining Buddha, Wat Chedi Luang
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 Pagoda, Wat Chedi Luang *
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 Naga. Wat Chedi Luang
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 Wat Chedi Luang
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 Monks
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 Wat Phra Singh
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 Chedi, Wat Phra Singh
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 Night Bazaar
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 Beauty Queen Contest
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 And here are the contesting guys!
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 The Jury
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 The winners
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 Elephant Hospital
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 Feeding the elephants
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 So sad, maimed by a landmine
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 Elephant ride
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 Volunteer mahout training
1 comment |
 Flower Market
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 Loi Krathong floats
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 Dinner at Riverside restaurant
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 Loi Krathong Celebration
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 Arrival of hot-air balloons
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 Launching a balloon
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 We also launched one...
1 comment |
 .. and of course a float
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 Our friendly bartender
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 Happy hour
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 Loi Krathong cocktail
2 comments |
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wrote on Dec 5, 2007:
Sure you walked a lot and clicked a lot too. Telling more than a lot of people do. Going to be a seasoned story teller. Thanks a lot for sharing |
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wrote on Dec 5, 2007:
Jan, these are beautiful pictures that you have taken. Enjoyed them. Thanks for the sharing. |
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lightlingmk2 wrote on Dec 5, 2007:
Thanks Jan. MERRY X'MAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and readers. |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
Yet another interesting trip tucked under your belt. Your pictures are of your usual high standard. |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
Yeah, and the fish looks surprised too. /stephen |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
I like this. |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
No birds to show from this national park? /stephen |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
at least you know you are gonna get wet, unlike in our elephant camp in lanchang. /stephen |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
the elc's would just have recycled a giant/tesco/carrefour/jusco plastic bag. you know who they are ..... /stephen |
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wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
Ah, that's the stuff where you roll the leaf into a cone and put the whatnots in the bowls in? Hey, I could have that for the main course. I found it that good. /stephen |
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Kwai Loh wrote on Dec 6, 2007:
Yes, it was really delicious |
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wrote on Dec 8, 2007:
beautiful pictures, is there also a hospital for disabled elephants ?
Lambert |
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wrote on Dec 8, 2007:
Yes, there is the FAE hospital. It is located next to the Government Conservation Center.
And there seems to be a lot of animosity between the two..:-( |
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Liz wrote on Dec 9, 2007:
I was going to add this comment, then saw the Stephen beat me to it!!! |
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Liz wrote on Dec 9, 2007:
You look like you've had a few already :-) |
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wrote on Dec 9, 2007:
Hey, be nice to me, or I will block you....! |
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wrote on Dec 17, 2007:
Hi from BKK ! I like your limo. |
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