After over two months, I’ve managed to get away from Bangkok at last and see some more of Thailand. I’m spending the weekend in Chiang Mai, a city in the North which, like Northern cities the world over, is culturally advanced, sophisticated and offers excellent food. I haven’t yet actually tried the local food, as I had a Western room service meal tonight. I rarely stay in particularly nice places (but this one had amazing offers on the internet) and the menu was very enticing, so I had fish sautéed in thyme and butter with local vegetables from the King’s agriculture project. Thus I’m pleased to be supporting HM as well, which is always bonus.

Actually, I was out all day walking around the town. The soldiers here are wearing blue ribbons rather than yellow. Blue is the Queen’s colour, and many Thai people wear blue clothes on a Friday, the day she was born. I was pleased to see an armoured car defending Starbucks at the Tha Phae gate (Chiang Mai is a walled city, though I’m not yet sure exactly how old it is). And the men here have all started wearing combat clothes; the shops have started selling green combat pants and shirts also. Soldier chic has clearly arrived.  And about time too, IMHO.

I visited a number of temples and was blessed by a monk in one of them. For the first time, in Wat Dok Eung, I saw Buddhist nuns, who dress in all-white robes. Interestingly, the ceiling of this temple seemed to be decorated with (among other things) plates with the willow pattern. In the middle of this rambling journey, I found a place that did fresh, and mostly organic, juices and teas.

Then to the Warorot market, a place that was recommended to me, and to which few tourists make it. Actually, I was the only farang I saw there, and I bought some Thai sweets and snacks which I had with the room service meal. I’ll try to have the local food for breakfast…

Back to Bangkok tomorrow, and a (possibly final) session with Dr S. on Tuesday, though the possibility of doing another veneer has been mooted, depending on how my bleaching-at-home comes out. I may venture to post a photo of my mended tooth at some point, but I’ll give adequate warning.

Click on the pics to enlarge.