CHIANG MAI 2010 Day 5
SUNDAY 7th we had a plan but during breakfast Opas came to talk to us and during our conversation he mentioned a Sunday flea market about a block away and showed us the exact location on a map. Across the road was the ‘Lanna Centre’ and as it was the first weekend in the month there would be music and dancing if we wished to visit. It was in the opposite direction to our original plan which was to visit more Wats, but they will be there another day.
Need I say it was another beautiful morning and getting hotter every day. We followed Opas’ instructions and headed to the traffic lights, turned right to the next set of lights and then a left where the road would be closed for the flea market. We could see the row of sun umbrellas long before we reached this junction. The first stall had an amazing display of antiques that included a couple of telephones dating back to wood and dials and made by Seimens. Keith was more interested in an old mounted telescope presented to someone in 194l by an East Indian Company and was also made in 1941 by Howes of London. The other stalls were less interesting but about half way along we heard shouting and running and as we arrived at a stall a man was on the ground amid car parts and about to get a good hiding! We didn’t hang around but most people had stopped what they were doing to watch, including a rugby team practising on the adjoining college campus field. At the end of the road I spotted a DVD stall and found several I thought we would like but Keith dwindled them down to 3 as it was cheaper to buy 3.
We were not sure where the ‘Lanna Centre’ was as it wasn’t marked on our map but Opas had said it was across the road. If he had said it was behind the tennis courts we would have found it but we took a right and walked along till we came to the end of the road and what I thought was another Temple. This turned out to be a very ornate crematorium. So back we went encountering a couple staying at our place who said the Centre was behind the tennis courts and there were a few craft stalls but we should visit whilst we are here. The entrance was where we had already asked a man if this was the way but he had pointed us further along the road. Down the rough track we came to the entrance and sure enough there was a collection of stalls where lots of youngsters were busy making figures out of clay or tapping away creating nail pictures of pieces of silver plate onto which a picture of an animal had been stuck. They just followed the outline using a very large nail and a small hammer. Some results were not very good but it kept them amused. In the larger area we watched older people creating traditional Thai lamps made out of wood and coloured paper. As far as I could make out the ‘Lanna Centre’ is for education of all ages judging by the few posters on display. We were just about to leave when we heard the sound of drums and the band appeared carrying gongs on large frames and arranged them by an open air building where sat inside were several people including the fattest monk I have seen alive. The drums began again, including one being played by a very small boy who looked no older than 4, whilst his father encouraged him as he played a grown up version alongside. Gongs were banged and finger cymbals were clashed as men and women began to dance. Keith moved around the site and I was joined by a young 13 year old from the north of Thailand. A fellow 15 year old student joined him and they set about practising their English. We were joined by another student who held a very professional TV camera and I learnt about their school and ‘Child Voice’, a community supported scheme which produces Child Voice newspaper, Child Voice TV and Child Voice Radio. The 13 year old said that as it was a community school he was expected to work in the community when he finished his education but he hoped to go to University. By now Keith had rejoined me and he asked the cameramen, as another one had come into the group, if they did their own editing – yes they did. He was very impressed. The students left us to go and eat while we watched the end of the show that included a Thai version of the Chinese Lion Dog only this costume represented a shaggy horned sheep. The little drummer did not like it going near him but despite shrinking back to his family he continued to drum without missing a beat. I noticed that when there was a short break he had carried his drum to his mother and baby brother sitting on the steps close by and was teaching the baby to hit the drum - a really lovely family scene. Before we left I wanted to purchase a small pot pig as a souvenir but the stall holder had packed them all away.
It was well after 1pm so we returned to the riverside guest house for a light lunch before returning home to leave the DVDs and change into something cooler before commencing part 2 of Opas’ suggestions for the day. Today the ‘Walking Street’ would be closed late afternoon for a market and there would be plenty of food and we could also visit the Temples. The ‘Walking Street’ was already being set up with stalls when we arrived and in one of the Temple grounds stalls selling some delicious food were doing a good trade and we spent the time looking at these rather than the Temple. I regretted eating and would have loved to sample mushroom and beaten egg cooked in a banana leaf made into a container and placed on the barbeque to set like an omelette, but there is always next week.
We made it to the old Temple constructed of wood despite so many distractions including the remains of part of the old city wall and gate where another market was taking place under a canopy of bright pink, yellow, green and blue Thai lamps with tails fluttering in the breeze. There was some very nice things on sale here in an area set between part of the moat surrounding the old part of the city and where young children were having a great time feeding the fish and the pigeons.
We returned to the ‘Walking Street’ where even more stalls had been set up, some encroaching into the road. We stopped for a beer at a small bar advertising Theakstons but had to make do with Singha. This was opposite a large house and just after 4pm a smart 4x4 drove up forcing the stall holders either side of the gateway to move their rails to allow it through once a young Thai girl had opened the gates. As she attempted to close them again one of the ‘fierce’ dogs escaped and as she shouted at it it cowered and with its tail between its legs went back into the grounds. So much for the sign on the gate saying ‘Beware of fierce dog!’ We took our time people watching and with light traffic still going along the road we were surprised that an old lady had placed her blind husband in the middle of the road and then a man carrying a large amplifier followed by an attractive blind girl also left her sitting in the road. She ate her snack and as she began to sing, which we couldn’t hear due to the music in the bar, a coconut drink vendor made her one of his drinks and gave it to her before moving on further down the road, which we thought was nice. We were also touched by three young monks in their bright orange robes that stopped to put a little money in her container. I thought they had nothing and yet gave to someone worse off than themselves.
We decided to take a tuk tuk to the footbridge but was surprised just how much of the area was closed off to traffic. Eventually we reached the end of the closed section which was by a bronze memorial to three Thai Kings. This area was also decorated in many lanterns and Keith spoke to one of the organisers who informed us that it is a special year in Chiang Mai for the Lantern Festival and a ceremony would be televised tonight. Celebrations will go on for many days culminating in the ‘Loy Krathong’ on the 19-22nd of this month. Meantime there would be celebrations every day from now on. As we reached the tuk tuks we showed one of the drivers where we wanted to go. 100 baht – no way so negotiations began. A colleague said 29 and I quickly replied “done -we will go with you!” which caused a lot of laughter. In the end we settled on 70 and as we reached the bridge the sun was just beginning to set.
We had a late meal in the Brasserie sitting close to the entertainment as most tables by the river were already occupied. We had hoped to stay late but only two guitarists turned up, Took, the main man, having stood in for Gap for the first part of the evening until he arrived but had now disappeared – as did we. No Grand Prix on TV either so Keith was not a happy bunny!
Need I say it was another beautiful morning and getting hotter every day. We followed Opas’ instructions and headed to the traffic lights, turned right to the next set of lights and then a left where the road would be closed for the flea market. We could see the row of sun umbrellas long before we reached this junction. The first stall had an amazing display of antiques that included a couple of telephones dating back to wood and dials and made by Seimens. Keith was more interested in an old mounted telescope presented to someone in 194l by an East Indian Company and was also made in 1941 by Howes of London. The other stalls were less interesting but about half way along we heard shouting and running and as we arrived at a stall a man was on the ground amid car parts and about to get a good hiding! We didn’t hang around but most people had stopped what they were doing to watch, including a rugby team practising on the adjoining college campus field. At the end of the road I spotted a DVD stall and found several I thought we would like but Keith dwindled them down to 3 as it was cheaper to buy 3.
We were not sure where the ‘Lanna Centre’ was as it wasn’t marked on our map but Opas had said it was across the road. If he had said it was behind the tennis courts we would have found it but we took a right and walked along till we came to the end of the road and what I thought was another Temple. This turned out to be a very ornate crematorium. So back we went encountering a couple staying at our place who said the Centre was behind the tennis courts and there were a few craft stalls but we should visit whilst we are here. The entrance was where we had already asked a man if this was the way but he had pointed us further along the road. Down the rough track we came to the entrance and sure enough there was a collection of stalls where lots of youngsters were busy making figures out of clay or tapping away creating nail pictures of pieces of silver plate onto which a picture of an animal had been stuck. They just followed the outline using a very large nail and a small hammer. Some results were not very good but it kept them amused. In the larger area we watched older people creating traditional Thai lamps made out of wood and coloured paper. As far as I could make out the ‘Lanna Centre’ is for education of all ages judging by the few posters on display. We were just about to leave when we heard the sound of drums and the band appeared carrying gongs on large frames and arranged them by an open air building where sat inside were several people including the fattest monk I have seen alive. The drums began again, including one being played by a very small boy who looked no older than 4, whilst his father encouraged him as he played a grown up version alongside. Gongs were banged and finger cymbals were clashed as men and women began to dance. Keith moved around the site and I was joined by a young 13 year old from the north of Thailand. A fellow 15 year old student joined him and they set about practising their English. We were joined by another student who held a very professional TV camera and I learnt about their school and ‘Child Voice’, a community supported scheme which produces Child Voice newspaper, Child Voice TV and Child Voice Radio. The 13 year old said that as it was a community school he was expected to work in the community when he finished his education but he hoped to go to University. By now Keith had rejoined me and he asked the cameramen, as another one had come into the group, if they did their own editing – yes they did. He was very impressed. The students left us to go and eat while we watched the end of the show that included a Thai version of the Chinese Lion Dog only this costume represented a shaggy horned sheep. The little drummer did not like it going near him but despite shrinking back to his family he continued to drum without missing a beat. I noticed that when there was a short break he had carried his drum to his mother and baby brother sitting on the steps close by and was teaching the baby to hit the drum - a really lovely family scene. Before we left I wanted to purchase a small pot pig as a souvenir but the stall holder had packed them all away.
It was well after 1pm so we returned to the riverside guest house for a light lunch before returning home to leave the DVDs and change into something cooler before commencing part 2 of Opas’ suggestions for the day. Today the ‘Walking Street’ would be closed late afternoon for a market and there would be plenty of food and we could also visit the Temples. The ‘Walking Street’ was already being set up with stalls when we arrived and in one of the Temple grounds stalls selling some delicious food were doing a good trade and we spent the time looking at these rather than the Temple. I regretted eating and would have loved to sample mushroom and beaten egg cooked in a banana leaf made into a container and placed on the barbeque to set like an omelette, but there is always next week.
We made it to the old Temple constructed of wood despite so many distractions including the remains of part of the old city wall and gate where another market was taking place under a canopy of bright pink, yellow, green and blue Thai lamps with tails fluttering in the breeze. There was some very nice things on sale here in an area set between part of the moat surrounding the old part of the city and where young children were having a great time feeding the fish and the pigeons.
We returned to the ‘Walking Street’ where even more stalls had been set up, some encroaching into the road. We stopped for a beer at a small bar advertising Theakstons but had to make do with Singha. This was opposite a large house and just after 4pm a smart 4x4 drove up forcing the stall holders either side of the gateway to move their rails to allow it through once a young Thai girl had opened the gates. As she attempted to close them again one of the ‘fierce’ dogs escaped and as she shouted at it it cowered and with its tail between its legs went back into the grounds. So much for the sign on the gate saying ‘Beware of fierce dog!’ We took our time people watching and with light traffic still going along the road we were surprised that an old lady had placed her blind husband in the middle of the road and then a man carrying a large amplifier followed by an attractive blind girl also left her sitting in the road. She ate her snack and as she began to sing, which we couldn’t hear due to the music in the bar, a coconut drink vendor made her one of his drinks and gave it to her before moving on further down the road, which we thought was nice. We were also touched by three young monks in their bright orange robes that stopped to put a little money in her container. I thought they had nothing and yet gave to someone worse off than themselves.
We decided to take a tuk tuk to the footbridge but was surprised just how much of the area was closed off to traffic. Eventually we reached the end of the closed section which was by a bronze memorial to three Thai Kings. This area was also decorated in many lanterns and Keith spoke to one of the organisers who informed us that it is a special year in Chiang Mai for the Lantern Festival and a ceremony would be televised tonight. Celebrations will go on for many days culminating in the ‘Loy Krathong’ on the 19-22nd of this month. Meantime there would be celebrations every day from now on. As we reached the tuk tuks we showed one of the drivers where we wanted to go. 100 baht – no way so negotiations began. A colleague said 29 and I quickly replied “done -we will go with you!” which caused a lot of laughter. In the end we settled on 70 and as we reached the bridge the sun was just beginning to set.
We had a late meal in the Brasserie sitting close to the entertainment as most tables by the river were already occupied. We had hoped to stay late but only two guitarists turned up, Took, the main man, having stood in for Gap for the first part of the evening until he arrived but had now disappeared – as did we. No Grand Prix on TV either so Keith was not a happy bunny!
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