Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is located in northern Thailand.  It is a province, and the capital city of that province.  The city of Chiang Mai reflects the country's diverse cultural heritage and modern aspirations.  Its heart is its Old City, an area surrounded by vestiges of walls and moats originally constructed for defense.  Vendors dressed in hill-tribe costumes sell souvenirs in the busy market next to fast food outlets.  Narrow streets lined with ornately carved teak houses lie in the shadows of contemporary skyscrapers.  Wats, which are buddist temples, line and dot the inner makings of Chiang Mai.  Many monks are seen scurrying about in the the early hours of daybreak.  Their saffron robes are easily seen throughout the streets of Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai has been a welcome relief from the busy streets of Bangkok, Pattaya, and Jomtiem.  It is laid back, relaxed, and nobody is hassling you for a massage, t-shirt, taxi, food, drink, trinket, or anything else a person can think of to buy or sell!!  We have quite enjoyed our stay.  Prices are extremely reasonable!!  Hoss and I had supper the other night and the bill was $3.00.  Our hotel is accommodating, relaxing, and the pool is fabulous!!


                                         Pictures are taken within the Old City.

                                          This is elephant territory!!  Even topiaries are shaped
                                           into elephant forms.
                                    

                                         Everyone eats rice in Thailand!  Including dogs and birds.
                                          This man is feeding cooked rice to the pigeons.

                                         We had a couple of beers with these blokes.  One is
                                         from Sweden, the other Australian.

                                          Traditional Thai dancer.

                                          Pierre, the Swede, bought me the Jasmine necklaces.
                                          It's a beautiful smelling flower, and by the look of
                                          Pierre, I think he has  had one too many brewskies!!

                                        
                                          One of the many, many wats that can be found in Chiang
                                          Mai.

                                          An Elephant statue greeting visitors of the above wat.

                                          Food stalls and motorbikes.

                                          A lit up wat!!  Quite nice!!