Set off this morning taking Mr. Teera's Taxi to visit Chiang Mai. I got him to drop me off at the night market as I wanted to walk the route between the there and the Old Town to try and get an idea of the layout of the place.
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| Wat, near to Night Market |
One of the hazards of looking so obviously like a tourist is getting asked every five steps along the road if you want taxi, song taos, or tuk-tuks, however, if you're looking out for one......
I soon picked up a freeby map and found a landmark that enabled me to get on the right road.
I replied to a well dressed man about my age who wished me "Sa-wut dee krup" (good morning) and after a good laugh about my lack of any other useful Thai words, went on to have a good chat about teaching; him being a primary school teacher in the town. He marked on my map 2 or 3 places to see and parted like old friends.
I wandered around the old walled city looking in on market stalls, music shops and various hardware shops. There was even a scientific glassware shop for when we need to set up the lab!?
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| Moat or canal around old town |
I was looking at guitars mostly though I have the use of one that belongs to the Juniper Tree during my visit. The prices varied from between 2,500 Bt up about 5,500 Bt for a Thai copy (the usual Fender/Gibson models) You get about 50 Baht to the Pound.
My only purchases were a bottle of water (18 Bt) and a capo for the guitar.
When it got too hot I grabbed a Tuk-tuk which took me back to the Juniper Tree for 150 Bt; the Taxi out was only 100Bt so I don't know how far I'd walked.
This evening we (Simon, Melanie, Elliot, Jemima and I) went out to celebrate my birthday. We had a lovely meal that was mainly paid for by a gift from guests who had stayed many weeks at the JT following the birth of their 3rd child to have been born there!
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| Wat Chedi Luang |
