Accommodations: Amora Hotel Tapae

Morning: Fly to Chiang Mai

This morning after breakfast we flew to Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai is known for its ancient temples, vibrant markets, mountainous scenery, and relaxed atmosphere. The flight was only about 1 1/2 hours and then we boarded the bus to the hotel, passing by the beautiful scenery. Chiang Mai’s scenery is very different from the sky scrapers of Bangkok. There are only a very few moderately tall buildings and flowers were blooming everywhere. We passed the remains of the ancient city wall with the surrounding moat, that was the defense of the old city during the 13th century.

Since our rooms weren’t ready when we arrived at the hotel, we all went across the street to enjoy some Thai food for lunch. Our group is very nice and I’m sure we are going to have a great time together.

We met our guide Are at around 4 pm and he took us on an hour plus walk around the area – deftly crossing the traffic that zooms through the streets by raising an arm and plunging ahead when the coast was pretty clear. Raising a hand and looking like you mean it does cause the traffic to stop…but you still have to be careful of rogue motorbikes that just keep going.

Are pointed out currency exchange places where you could get a pretty good rate, the pharmacy, the convenience stores, etc in case we need them. Chiang Mai sidewalks are practically non existent. They are very narrow and you have to be careful of the potholes and loose cement. Trees are growing sometimes right in the middle so you have to navigate around them and telephone wires sometimes hang down from above so you have to duck when you approach. But tucked within this seemingly unnavigable atmosphere, are beautiful temples, fabulous eating places, and gentle people who smile and bow to you as you pass by. Bangkok was filled with venders selling their wares as you walked along, but the streets in Chiang Mai hardly have any. There are many stores lining the streets, but you conduct business inside.

Are told us it is very rude to raise a finger to point something out in the distance that you want your fellow companions to see. That was good to know since i believe most Americans are guilty of doing just that. (Even though I do remember my mother saying to me as a child, “Don’t point!”)

Are told us that he spent time as a monk and even though that journey was short lived, it taught him much about the ways of life which he still tries to practice: Meditation to develop concentration and insight. Mindfulness to pay attention to the present moment, and Compassion – by cultivating kindness and adhering to moral principals by not stealing, lying, or harming. I feel that Are definitely incorporates those values in his daily life, which is evident in his demeanor and the way he interacts with the group.

While we were walking in a plaza, where no cars were allowed, I noticed that a pickup truck was in the plaza and was backing up. Most of the group kept walking and following Are, but one of the ladies in our group (Sue), stopped to take a photo, not seeing the van behind her. I paused, thinking surely the van driver sees her in his rear view mirror. But no… he kept backing up. In a split second my instincts took over. I knew I couldn’t push her out of the way because then I’d be behind the van. Instead, I yelled and flew to the side of the van and pounded like a crazy woman on the metal! The van stopped literally inches from her. My adrenaline was in full force and my heart was beating out of my chest. Afterwards my hands were literally shaking. Sue thanked me profusely. The rest of the group didn’t realize what had happened since they had continued following Are. It was just lucky I had been in the back of the group at that moment and saw the scene unfold before it could have had a very different ending.

Irene Leslie – filling in for a few moments as Wonder Woman. Whew!!!!

Then a few minutes later as I was approaching an alleyway, a motorcycle literally flew out literally inches in front of me and if I hadn’t come to a sudden halt when I saw the wheel out of the corner of my eye, he would have run into me. Another Whew!!! This time, someone above was watching over ME!

We walked back to the hotel and since it was about 5:30, Allan and I decided to freshen up a bit and have a quick bite to eat. The entire group, Allan and I included, had a terrible night’s sleep last night once again, so we wanted to stay awake as long as possible and hope for a better outcome tonight.

Our hotel’s lobby is quite beautiful and it is still decorated for Christmas. Christmas carols play over the sound system and Are said it will be like this for another month at least.

Allan and I decided to eat in the hotel and we met another couple from our group, Ann and Allan (spelled the same as my Allan), who had the same idea, and so we dined together and got to know each other. We were all looking forward to a cocktail or a glass of wine, only to be told that no alcoholic beverages could be purchased due to the upcoming election. The ban is in effect from 6:00 p.m. January 10 to 6 pm on January 11. Anyone who violates the ban is subject to imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both.

While we were disappointed not to be able to enjoy a drink together, it was good to know we would be able to imbibe tomorrow night during the Welcome dinner. Still, even though sans wine, it was a great way to end the day – enjoying the company of new friends.

Tomorrow will be a busy day, so hoping to get a good night’s sleep. Melissa and John, who are in our group and who we had lunch with this afternoon, told us about the app TimeShifter which they said is very helpful to combat the effects of traveling to a different time zone. You begin to incorporate the recommendations a few days prior to embarking on your journey and they say it helps tremendously. Will check it out.

Phone in the airport. I bet most kids would have no clue how it works.

Chiang Mai. Flowers are blooming everywhere

The sites on our way to our hotel.

Part of the old wall that surrounded the city with the moat in front of it.

Queen Sirikit, the mother of Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn, died a few months ago at the age of 93. For more than six decades, Queen Sirikit was married to Thailand’s longest-reigning monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016. She is being honored all over Thailand. We saw black and white bunting on many buildings in Bangkok, but didn’t realize what they were for. Are explained this to us as we asked who was in the photo that was being honored in the hotel lobby.

In our hotel, Christmas is still being celebrated and will be probably for another month.

Finally … a delicious dark beer that we enjoyed with lunch.

One of the many temples in Chiang Mai. Our guide quipped that OAT, which of course stands for our tour company Overseas Adventure Travel, actually has a different meaning in Chiang Mai. It means
“Oh, Another Temple”. Too funny.

An artisan carving elephants out of teak wood.