Chiang Mai's Sunday Night Market

The only food we didn't eat at the Night Market

A quick recap:

Tuesday mid-morning - We left SLC and then spent about 9 hours in LAX at the Crown Room.

Wednesday about 2:00 in the morning - flew Korean Air to Korea... go figure. Most of Wednesday was lost as a penalty tax for being capatalist crossing the international date line

Thursday - Overnight in Manila where we had our 1st Southeast Asia massage

Friday - Flew into Bangkok. Saw Grand Palace and took an overnight train to Chiang Mai. Foot massage @ train station

Saturday - PAINTED with an ELEPHANT. Checked into Green Tulip. Had 1st Thai massage.

Today is actually Wednesday so we have a few days to catch up on the news. Saturday evening we checked into the Green Tulip Guesthouse, which is inside the walls of the "Old City". It was close to just about everything: Sunday Night Market, several Wats (Temples) and most importantly the Prisoners Massage Spa.

This place was rated "Cleanest Hostel of 2008". It is bright and cheery with 17 rooms, some with a private bath and A/C and others where you share a bathroom and the rooms have ceiling fans. We splurged and went for the 1st class accomdations and it cost the three of us about $13.00 each, for a room with a queen bed and a twin mattress.

We found out that the LDS church as literally just 1/2 a block away, so Sunday morning we walked over to the little Chapel and attended their Sacrament Meeting. If it had been more than 1/2 a block away we may not have made it as we doubted anyone there would give us a massage and it really didn't fit into our theme.

Sunday afternoon we walked around the city visiting a local Temple and taking in the sites. We had a relaxing three hour lunch at a little hole in the wall. Which brings me to another sad confession: So far we have eaten Pad Thai or Chicken & Rice (We don't know the Thai name but somehow manage to get the point across and we think they are bringing us chicken; we hope it is chicken.)

See this is all we order because this is the only thing we know. It is very cowardly. And we are a little ashamed... I lied; I am ashamed. Suzi and Tammy have no shame. So if you are reading this blog for information on what to eat in Thailand, well that is a real dumb reason to read this blog and you deserve to be disappointed.

Sunday night we went to the "Chaing Mai Sunday Night Market". No they don't have an ad agency doing their marketing, that why it is called exactly what it is... no offense to ad agencies.

It really is amazing. It goes for blocks and blocks and blocks with street vendors all set up side by side by side. Old men, young girls, families all selling their wares, many of them hand made and one of a kind. There is food and drink, music and monks (Not that the Monks are dancing. I don't think they are allowed to dance.)

We walked for hours part of this amazing human parade and its cast of thousands. There were folks who had their own karoke machine and would just be singing in the middle of the street. Some were rather good and some sounded like me when I am alone in my car driving across the Nevada desert where I am sure no one can hear.

There were beautiful art pieces made by gifted silversmiths, handwoven scarves, silk ties & dresses, hand embrodiered table runners. Some aboslutley amazing stuff.

For those of you looking forward to some lovely Thai gifts from us here is a list of what we bought at the Chaing Mai Night Market:

3 - doughnut kind of things with chocolate in the middle

3 - pancakes filled with creme

3 - Ice Cream Cones

3 - Frozen Spritesickles

3 - Foot massages

Hope they make it through customs.

love

Tammy

Suzi &

Shawna