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Chiang Mai

Up at 6am, to catch an early flight to Chiang Mai, north of Thailand. The drive that early in the morning was a striking contrast to my arrival, took about 30 minutes compared to over an hours on my way in a few days ago. I was kept nicely occupied in the taxi ride by trying to swap one mossie who had made its way in with me. Needless to day I didn't suceed.

I was early at airport, so strolled around: with over 40 restaurants and hundreds of shops, I could have arrived days early and not been bored. I nearly 'lost' my toothpaste at the security control, as container larger then regulated size, but a bit of negotiating (or my bad breath) allowed me to get away with it. On the plane, an old friend joined me: yes, the mossie from the cab, I'm pretty sure it was him, up North like me.

One hour later, I was in Chiang Mai, hopped out, grabbed a cab (same technic of little coupon first) and drove to the hotel, Baan Orapin. It's a beautiful traditional house, with additional lodging in the back amongst vegetation and a swimming pool. The town of Chiang Mai is about 10 minutes away from airport, so very easy to get in/out. The strange thing was that on the way to the hotel I had an immediate reaction of wanting to leave again. Nothing that I saw made me want to hang out here, not even the hotel however soothing it seemed. I had planned to stay here 5 nights/6 days, and forced myself not to call Bangkok Airways to change my flight. I had to gove the town a chance. So I dropped my gear, and headed out... the wrong way, and got lost. All seemed gloomy until I reached the moat, encircling the old city in a square shape. Crossed over, and found a motocycle rental. 5 minutes later I was zooming on my moped, alive again, and starting to see the possibilities of the town. It's actually small enought that you could bike it, at least the old city, but there are so many motobikes that it's actually safer to be on a moped yourself then on a bicycle. I drove up to Doi Suthep, a moutain temple, and one of Thailand's most revered places of pilgrimage. It's about 20 minutes through the mountain & national park, and with 300 somewhat steps leading to the temple once you arrive.

I'm not able to upload images right now, but will keep trying.

8 doctors & 23 nurses later...

... Or something like that. Had booked a cab to take me to hospital this morning for a comprehensive health check up, as much cheaper here then in US. Somehow in 24hrs I'd forgotten about the traffic here, but 40 minutes later I was there. The hospital xxx is incredibly modern, more like a deluxe hotel then a medical facility. And inside, on the 11th floor at Heath screenings, it's more like the UN. Name your nationality, they have it, patients from all over the world. The initial check up took about 3 1/2 hours, and I added a check up for the odd chest pains I've been having after the broken ribs. Turns out there is no relation, altough the mystery is not fully solved yet. I won't have full results until tomorrow, but 8 doctors and 23 nurses later I feel pretty good, and confident that if anything was wrong they would have found it by now.

I went to xx a park a few skytrain stops away, a nice change from the noise of the city. More mass otdoor aerobics, skaters, players of bagminton, joggers, and even a game of petanque. I watched, trying to muster the courage to ask if I could play. The moment passed, and then it was too late. The worse part was how I blamed myself for not asking, until I pretended Chantal told me it was ok, I'd ask next time. Next to the park is the night market, and I ventuted into the maze, until I found some unusal curtains for the house, light curtains, litterally:-). A decouvrir. I placed an order, and will pick them up on my way back in February. I'd spotted a restaurant with fab reviews on the other side of the river, but it was pretty far, so decided to give a try to the moped taxi. Oh boy! Imagine Bangkok at night, massive traffic, little observation of red lights or directions, mopeds zizaging between cars to get to front line, speeding up as soon as there is an open lane, and you have some idea. The best was at the end, when we neared the restaurant and theatre, and the moped driver couldn't find it. We got lost in small market alley ways, with food stalls on both sides. Moped speeding in between people, food stalls, cats, dogs, very James Bond like. Much better then the restaurant which I haven't tried yet was the thatre, with fringe festival that just started yesterday. The show had just begun, so I hopped in, open air dance performance. 3 shows: thai, indian and norvegian.

baby elephant
dinner Aurelie Matthieu

Monday 14th

Dropped my clothes at Laudramat, and went back to my favorite Dim Sum restaurant. Had a funny moment as I tried re-ordering the sesame balls I had the other day. I mistook what the table next to me was having for these, pointed, and got something enrely differnt from sesame balls. I declined, tried again, and again, got something else. After a few trails, a client took pity on me and interfered. I explain sesame, sweet, tried to draw them but looked just like every other dim sum balls. Finally it worked! And now I know what they are called: something like xxxx.
Voila, off to Cambodia in a few hours, time to head out.

A day by the beach

Rugaya called this morning as planned, we're off to her friend Nick's beach house on a nearby island. I get a few things at the delicatessen (a trendy supermarket really), watched as thousands of Philipino's gather around the square for a concert later this afternoon, and hop in a cab to meet Rugaya near her house. Another cab and we're at the ferry/slash wholesale fish market. It's misty today, so not much to see in journey, but relaxing and feels a bit more adventurous then anything I've done lately. Not knowing really where we're going contributes:-) We get off at first island stop, a few houses, amongst which, Nick's house. Basta and x greet us. Before I leave that evening I'll have grown quite fond of Basta, wish I could take him with me. We exchange stories, have coffee, chill, share more stories. Rugaya and Nick prepare the lunch/dinner, and while it's all roasting in oven, we go off for a walk around the island, passing banana groves (are they called that?), large ginger fields (blooms are over, but Nick finds a few flowers for me to whiff at, wonderful, like strong jasmin). En route, we pick up another dog, 2 actually. We end up on a small beach, secluded, right out of The Beach. By the time we are back, 2 hrs + later, dinner is ready, yummy! We are starving, and feel justifies with the walk to eat our full, including cheesecake from the very improbable restaurant next door. Improbable as they are about 15 houses along Nick's house, and that one big restaurant. It doesn't seem like a very eventful day, but it turned out to be the highlight of my stay so far, just cozy time spent with friends' friends, and a georgous walk in nature. The dogs remind me how much I miss Smelly. I'll always adore cats best, kind of was born with that love, but there is something about dogs, at leats big dogs that is so endearing, and a bond somehow stronger then with a cat.

It's funny the impression people can make. I hardly knew my maternal grandmother, Nanny, but she once told me (in the 4 or 5 times I saw her) to put paper on the toilet seat before sitting down. I was pretty young when she said this, but to this day when I travel I still do it, and think of her each time. As I always think of Cliff when I don't floss:-) He (and Paola my dentist) made a strong case for it, and altough I don't see him these days, he flashes through my mind each time. Not everything people say sticks (fortunately or unfortunately:-), but still, we never know the impact of our words.

After the Vietnamese Ambassy, had lunch in a little hole in the wall, with what seemed like reviews outside. Of course couldn't read, but went for it. Couldn't read the menu either, so just pointed to the next table, playing safe with wanton soup & steamed veggies. By observation I learned the way to clean the chopsticks and bowl. Dipped in hot tea! An Indian couple joined my table, and as chains go, he pointed to my dish to order.

I took the tram without a specific destination, and ended up at the mid-levels escalator. Up up & up it goes. I think it's the longest running escalators in the world. Goes on for about 30 meters, then you get off & go on to the next escalator, all the way up to what is called mid-levels in Hong Kong. The city is build vertically, imagine New York with all the skyscrapers, on hills like San Francisco, and multiply by 2. Needing some respite from crowds, I headed for the Zoological garden, turned out not to be much in terms of a zoo, but was a good place to chill. A guard there helped me find my way to the felines, with not a word exchanged between us. Wish I could have filmed that!