CHIANG MAI Day 9

THURSDAY 11th. Boy did we ache this morning especially across our shoulders and back where we had leant against the metal support bar on the elephant seat. So, we were going to do nothing energetic today apart from spend the morning by the pool. I got round to writing postcards that I promised to send to our Chinese friends so took a walk to the post office by the river. We then went in search of a snack for lunch but the few stalls in this area had nothing really appetising apart from barbeque chicken and we had had that last night. Finally we settled to try one of the small eating places nearer home.
We walked into one opposite ‘Baan Orapin’ which was more like walking into a family kitchen. There were very few tables each one covered in a plastic cloth, the largest being occupied by the family where grandma was sitting with her wet short grey hair curled and held in place with broad silver hair clips as she watched TV. A young girl gave us the menu, written in Thai and English, but she was the only member who spoke English. We duly ordered sweet and sour prawns with a coke for me and as they didn’t sell beer Keith had a glass of water! (Second day this week he has missed his lunchtime beer.) Having made sure we didn’t require anything else she said goodbye. The food delivered the sauce ran to one end of the plate as the floor was so uneven but it tasted good which was the main thing and so cheap too.
We returned to the pool where Keith went for a swim. By now the water was cold and he wished he had gone in this morning. I browsed through Nancy Chandler’s book researching for a new restaurant to try and then studying the map to see how far away it was. We decided a Northern Thai restaurant close to ‘Tha Phae Gate’ could be good. As we neared the gate the lanterns where now illuminated, along with a large white kneeling elephant which was part of the advertising for the forthcoming Lantern Festival. The restaurant was open air and large so we sat fairly well back from the road to avoid the fumes and noise. A good choice of food but plastic tables and plates and full of tourists was not a place we wanted to linger in. When we left wewalked a couple of yards down the road and came to a lovely restaurant and so wished we had gone there. It wasn’t long before we came to the seedier side of Chiang Mai with bars crowded with young Thai girls encouraging men to come and have a drink and on seeing me walking a few paces behind Keith, their faces and attitude changing. We couldn’t get out of the area quick enough but not so quick I didn’t have time to look at one or two stalls where local hill tribe women, dressed in traditional costume with headdresses embellished with silver coins, were selling their products. Eventually we left the colourful, noisy area until we reached the main road close to the river. As we walked by ‘The Guitarman’ Bar the music sounded really good so we stopped to have one drink. We got chatting to the musicians that had, and were to be playing tonight, discovering the owner was British from Carlisle but spoke with a strong Liverpool accent that he acquired whilst spending several years living in the area. He was also a singer and guitarist and when the band got together did they play some great music. So it was well after 1am when we set off for home. Music was still being played at the bars near ‘Baan Orapin’ but it was now 1.30am. Guess we’re last home again.