Expat Breakfast, Temple and Oods

What a busy, busy day.

Expat Club Breakfast

Helen in Line at the Expat Breakfast Meeting

We went to the expat Friday breakfast meeting at the Riverside Market Restaurant on the west bank of the Ping River near the Iron Bridge.

This Chiang Mai Expat Club sponsored breakfast meets on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, 9:30 am – 11:30 am. 

We arrived around 9:00 am and found quite a number of people milling about.

We received a nametag (everyone gets a name tag) and since we were newcomers a green dot was added to ours, identifying us as newbies. 

We paid the non-member price of 300 baht each ($8.50. total $17.00).  Members pay 250 baht for the full breakfast buffet. 

The club has newcomer representatives and newcomer tables so people could ask questions and learn about club activities and life in Chiang Mai. All is very well organized to make visitors feel welcomed.

The food and coffee was excellent and plentiful.  The conversation was even better.  

If you are in Chiang Mai on the days that this breakfast is held, it's an event that must be on your calendar.

Wat Chedi Luang

After the Expat breakfast we walked to the Old City to see Wat Chedi Luang.  Officially known as Wat Chedi Luang Wora Viharn, the construction of this ancient Buddhist temple, per the signage on the temple grounds, is clouded in legend.

Some say the temple was constructed by individuals who came from India or by local Lanna kings.   

Whatever the linage of the construction, in the early 1990's a controversial reconstruction effort was

undertaken which may explain the odd shape of the dominating stupa in the center of the complex. Still visible, however, are elephant statuary that encircles the upper tier of the stupa's base.

Also located on the temple grounds is the "city pillar." We never quite understood the significance of this "pillar."  The "pillar," is housed in the shrine/building that Jay visited (men only). To be honest, there are many Thai customs and aspects of the Buddhist religion that we just don't understand.

Despite the confusing history, this temple is impressive and worth a visit.

Oods

Oods Seen from the Alley

Based on a recommendation from our fellow US expats Tom and Shawn, we Uber'd to Oods, also known as the Issara Guest House on Google Maps.

We were joined by other expats that have made a Friday evening at Oods standard late night venue.

The restaurant’s main feature was a singing guitar duo. One is the owner (below average in skill level) and an excellent player with a wide range of songs from the Beatles, James Taylor, the Bee Gees, Peter, Paul & Mary and many others. He played non-stop just for our group for about 2½ hours. We sang along and had a lot of fun!

Watch this short video showing just a small snippet of the evening's entertainment.

Afterwards we Uber'd back to our apartment.