Lanna Ethnic Cultural Festival

We had our normal slow morning with breakfast of coffee, tea and fruit.  Pineapple is so much better when it picked fresh vs. picked green and shipped.

Reservations to Visit Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai
Click to Enlarge

After some searching and review checking we selected a one-day Chiang Rai tour from Bon Voyage.

We selected the "White Temple, Long Neck Karen and Golden Triangle" tour. There were other tours, but a visit to the village with Long Neck Karen women was the deciding factor.

We booked the tour online. It included being picked up and dropped off at our apartment, an air conditioned van, English guide, buffet lunch, and a trip to the northern city of Mae Sai on the Myanmar - Thai border.

We also selected an optional boat ride on the Mekong River to Laos.

The main tour was 2,700 baht ($79.40) for both of us. The optional boat trip was an additional 660 baht ($19.40) for both of us. We paid cash to the tour guide for this optional tour.

A Bit of Chiang Rai History

Chiang Rai was founded in 1262 as the capitol city of the ruling dynasty.  Over the centuries the city changed hands, first going to the Burmese and much later becoming a vassal of Chiang Mai.

The area is also home to various indigenous people or tribes such as Akha, Lisu, Mien, Karen and Hmong.

We have found Thai history in the northern area is filled with dynasties coming and going as well as earthquakes leveling towns.

What differentiates Thailand from the other Asian countries is that Thailand was never occupied by a European power.

With the British pushing eastward from India and Burma (now Myanmar) and the French pushing west from Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia), Thailand was a convenient buffer between the two European powers.

We did a little Google searching to understand that the Lanna Kingdom covered most of northern Thailand as well as neighboring parts of Myanmar, China and Laos in the 13th century. Chiang Mai was the kingdom's capitol city. Chiang Rai was also a capitol city at one time.

Lanna Ethnic Cultural Festival

We had seen an advertisement for the festival while walking about the city and decided that we should add this festival to our cultural immersion experience.

The Festival was held on the large area just outside the eastern gate of the Old City, Tha Phae Gate.  

The festival was a collection of booths of local food and goods, displays (in Thai) explaining local tribal dress and customs, as well as some live entertainment.

At around 4:00pm a local band took the stage and played for more than 75 minutes. 

We wanted to see the dancers because we saw them get out of a van and wander around the stalls, but we were disappointed that they did not perform before we gave up and left.  

We grabbed a songtaew and headed home.

Travel Tip

• Bon Voyage online payment offers only a Paypal option.  Paypal allows a separate credit card to be used in addition to the one registered with them. We recommend you update your Paypal account before leaving the States.  
• Confirm if your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee. We have a Marriott Credit Card from Chase that does not charge foreign transactions fees. Most other cards charge from 0.5% to 1.5%. 

Visit to Hang Dong

This was the day we had arranged to visit Sheila at her home in Hang Dong (Nam Phrae).  Shelia is a long time friend we made while we all lived in India.

Transportation out of Town

Uber operates only to the airport and within the city limits.  

To get a ride out of town,  Jay installed the Grab Taxi application on his phone.  This app is Uber-like but “hails” the yellow and blue taxis that ply Chiang Mai’s city streets.

In a nod to “nothing really moves in a straight line in Asia” we could not find the address Sheila provided to us in the Grab Taxi app.  

Fortunately, Sheila told us that she lived just a short distance from Wat Sala.  We found Wat Sala on Google Maps and then used Google’s street images to literally walk down the road past the temple and over the bridge to Sheila’s house. Just amazing! We were ready to travel.

Baansaunhimdo Restaurant side entrance

With the Grab Taxi app, we got a taxi with a driver who spoke pretty good English. The Grab Taxi app said the fare would be150 baht, but the driver noted that since we were leaving the meter zone, that a rate card applied. The fare was 400 baht ($11.70).

The drive to Hang Dong took about 30 minutes (15 km), giving us an opportunity to see a bit more of the area south of Chiang Mai.

Upon arrival at Sheila’s house we used the taxi to drive to a nearby restaurant, Baansaunhimdo Guest House and Restaurant.  We had a delightful lunch and conversation with Sheila.  

Helen and Shelia

Afterwards we walked back to her house on a dirt road that is in the early stages of becoming another paved lane for the highway. We also walked past a very upscale gated community (Master Piece – Scenery Hill).  

We have found in our Asian travels that areas of money appear in the most unlikely places.

Helen and Shelia in Front of Wat Sala

We visited Wat Sala on our walk to Sheila’s house.  Sheila noted that this neighborhood had “money” and the temple with its ornate doors and well-maintained gold domes was evidence of this local wealth.

We took a tour of Sheila’s modest one bedroom home (she pays 4,000 baht a month). 

There were some sloping floors and the landlord had cobbled together some bits and pieces (e.g., department store changing room door for her bedroom door). However, it worked well for Sheila, a tough Brit in her mid-seventies, and her two dogs and one tortoise shell cat with half a tail (which is common for Thai cats). 

Back of Shelia's home in Hang Dong

Sheila has lived alone in Thailand as she did in India. These animals will be shipped back to England to continue their loving relationship with her.

Sheila arranged for a sŏng tăew (red truck) to drive us back to the city (250 baht).

Travel Tip

• Install and use the Grab Taxi app to book trips out of town. You can also bargain with a songteaw driver to take you to a desired out of town location, but the Grab Taxi app will bring a driver, an air conditioned car and a set rate card for the trip.

A Normal Day

As we settle into a Chiang Mai routine, the exotic is giving way to the normal.

Temples, golden Buddhas, streets filled with motorbikes and other traffic, Thai language signage that instills in us a sense of illiteracy. Just another day in paradise.

Money Exchange

Click to Enlarge

We headed to the Maya Shopping center to exchange US currency.  At the Exchange booth we made an unexpected discovery: the size of the US denomination being exchanged impacts the exchange rate.

We found (see USD exchange rates in image at left) that $1 and $2.00 bills net an exchange rate of 33.69 baht.  Bills over $50 net the highest exchange rate of 34.52.

Who knew?  Another travel tip to share.

Acrobaleno Italian Restaurant

In the evening we had dinner with Shawn, Tom and Wyatt at an Italian Restaurant called Acrobaleno on the east side of the Ping River. Unlike typical Thai service where plates of food are served at different times, all the dishes came out at once, but some were a hotter than others. The food was lovely.

We Uber’d to and from the restaurant.

Travel Tip

• The size of US denomination currency impacts the exchange rate.  Bills over $50 have a better exchange rate than smaller bills. 

Temple and Church

Wat Phra Singh

We visited Wat Phra Singh, the biggest temple in Chiang Mai.

Wat Phra Singh Wihan

We left our apartment and walked west on Huaykaew Road, turned south on Siri Mangkalajarn and then left (east) on Suthep Road to the Old City.

We arrived about 45 minutes later at the temple. We paid the foreigners's fee of 20 Baht (about $.60) for entrance to the main wihan (sanctuary). Admission for Thais is free.

Golden Structure on Wat Phra Singh
grounds

Even though construction on this complex dates back to the 1300's, the temple still attracts contemporary devotees.

We maintained a respectful distance as individuals prayed and mediated before the array of golden Buddhas in this holy place.  Monks were in the wihan providing blessings to those that made an offering to the temple or the monks who support the temple.

The grounds of this complex are dominated by striking gold-gilded structures. We also watched a young woman who successfully made a hanging large metal gong hum. There were many others who attempted but failed to achieve the serene humming of the gong.

One can only imagine how this humming gong was integrated into centuries of monk chatting.

Watch this short video of the humming gong.


                                                 Singing Gong

After our visit to this ancient temple we walked north out of the Old City to an electronics plaza composed of several small stores selling all sorts of gadgets.  Our mission was to purchase a Bluetooth enabled speaker to amplify the sound from our computer.

After a little searching, we purchased a Charge2+ speaker for 690 baht (a bit less than $20.00).  We did a quick Google review on the speaker and found excellent reviews and a retail price of $99.00.

These electronic shops are where local Thais purchase their gadgets. We found the same Charge2+ speaker on sale by a vendor at the Night Bazaar near Le Meridien for 2,000 baht.  Hm mm.....beware of "foreigner prices."

Sunday Church Service

Service at CMCC

After a rest at the apartment, we hailed an Uber and we headed to the Chiang Mai Community Church (CMCC).  For Uber purposes, the church is known as the First Church of Chiang Mai.

At the service there was lots of singing and praising of Jesus. Our Unitarian Universalist principles compel us to continue a free and responsible search of truth and meaning. Teachings from all religions are respected.

Just as we held with respect the outward devotion of Thais at the temple earlier today, we were honored to participate in this Christian ceremony on a cool Sunday evening.

The sermon with its stress on doing good and encouraging people spoke to our UU hearts.

After the service we attended the meal (100 baht/ person), which allows people the opportunity to socialize. We sat at different tables to meet and talk with new people.

Le Meridien

Le Meridien

After the meal at the church, we walked to the Le Méridien, a lovely, upscale hotel with a bar and restaurant, and discovered it was “happy hour,” (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm everyday) and took advantage of a two-for-one deal.

The total bill was 250 baht (about $7.00).

We Uber’d home for less than $2.

Travel Tips

• If you are interested in electronics, shop at stores frequented by local Thais (see store just north of the Old City. We are sure there a many more in the city)
• The Chiang Mai Community Church is a most welcoming church.  If you are seeking a religious experience and wish to make new friends this church should be on your Chiang Mai punch list.

Closer to Home

Today was a walk about our neighborhood day.

Our Neighborhood

Click to Enlarge

There is not much to our neighborhood on Plubphueng Soi Alley.

At the top of the alley is the Dome hotel that offers daily and longer term rates.

Right next to us is another newly constructed condo similar to the Pansook Urban Condo called the Luxury Huay Kaew.

Across the street from the Luxury Huay Kaew, is PJ's place.  This is a guest house that appears to be the most serene of all the accommodations in the neighborhood.  Peter, the owner, speaks excellent English.

A bit down the street is the Sakulchai Place. This appears to be a very nice, long term stay accommodation, but we think they have only studio or one-bedroom apartments.

Continuing down the alley and around the bend there is the Pingnakorn Hotel.  This is an upscale hotel that offers only daily rates.

There is another upscale hotel, right next to the Pingnakorn, under construction (as of Feb 2017).

There is also a small store called Morning Laundry that offers laundry services.

Overall, if you are making your first visit to Chiang Mai, these accommodations are well situated in the city proper.

All accommodations are a short walk from the upscale Maya shopping center or the more local Thai shopping center of Kad Suan Kaew. There are plenty of food courts at both of these shopping centers as well as more upscale restaurants.

Most importantly, since all the accommodations are on an alley, one is spared the traffic noise from the busy main road of Huay Kaew.

Travel Tips

• There are a wide variety of accommodations on Plubphueng Soi Alley that are conveniently located to shopping and restaurants.   Click to enlarge any of the photos below.

The Dome, closest restaurant and hotel to Huay Kaew Rd.

Luxury Huay Kaew (left) - Pansook Urban Condo (right)

Pingnakorn Hotel (left) - Under construction (right)

Pj's Guest House

Sakulchai Place

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.

Lunch and Art

Expat Ladies Lunch Group

By surfing the Chiang Mai Expat Club website we discovered that the Expat Ladies' Lunch Group gathers the first and third Thursday of the month. The lunch on the first Thursday is at a different restaurant each month.  Lunch on the third Thursday is at the Grandview Hotel.  This hotel is located on the super highway near the Maya shopping center.

You can watch this short video by the group regarding the luncheons.

About 50 ladies gathered at the Grandview Hotel for today's lunch buffet which cost 200 baht ($5.90).

Everyone receives a nametag to help with socializing and identification of those who are with the group.

The women at the lunch were extremely friendly.  Helen met several ladies including Janet, a retired nurse who came here on a mission trip 48 years ago to help in a leprosy facility. She invited us to attend church with her on Sunday afternoon at the Chiang Mai Community Church.

Many women discussed how they will be departing Chiang Mai shortly to avoid the heat and the air pollution of the burning season. 

Art in Paradise

Jay teamed up with other US expats in our condo complex (Tom, Shawn and their ten-year old son Wyatt) and headed to the Art in Paradise display.

Art in Paradise is a permanent, three-dimensional illusion art museum.   The museum contains six zones (e.g., Underwater, wildlife, classic, ancient Egypt, etc.) and 130 paintings. 

Although the paintings are restricted to the two-dimensions of the walls and floors there is an illusion that you are in a three-dimensional world.  Many of the paintings "invite" you to participate in the illusion.

Before                                God Pouring Wine                          After
Click to Enlarge

The adult admission price of 400 baht ($11.76) is based on an individual's height, not age.  If you have children or you simply want to be a "child" for two-hours, this museum is worth the admission price.

Jay is Actually Just Sitting on the Floor
Click to Enlarge

Living Accommodations

After a wonderful visit to the museum, Jay walked the short distance to the Riverside 

Click to Enlarge

Condo to continue acquiring information on living options in Chiang Mai.

This condo is located to the southeast of the Old City and across the Ping River.   Its location outside the Nimman / Huay Kaew districts favored by expats offers better value for the money on apartment rentals.

Jay looked at two-bedroom apartments with floor plans of 79 sq meters.  The apartments had nice views of the river.  The furnished apartment included two nice bedrooms with their own air conditioners, a comfortable seating/living area, small kitchen with a double burner, full sized refrigerator, air conditioner in the seating area and wi-fi.

This building is 20 - 25 years old, but some of the privately owned apartments have been upgraded.

Generally, the apartments were reasonably priced (un-negotiated rate 15,000 baht) and offered more spacious living than we have seen in 35 - 40 sq meter apartments closer into the city.

Since the apartments are privately owned, you may find different apartments offered at different prices. Rent payment is strictly cash.  Electric and water for monthly rentals are not included in the rental price.

Click to Enlarge

Adequate food shopping was nearby.  Red taxis (song taews), tuk tuks and Uber service the area.

To the left is a picture of the kitchen / dining area typical of the older ungraded apartments.

Travel Tips

• Apartments outside the heavily favored expat areas ( Nimman / Huay Kaew) offer better value for your money. You will need to consider transportation options in your decision making, but you can take a lot of song taew or Uber rides for 10-15,000 baht.