Abah had been wanting to visit the Walled City ever since he couldn’t join the trip that Mummy and I went on last year so in June 2008, I bought tickets for us to go there. I didn’t mind visiting the city again and Mummy, well, she didn’t need to be asked twice.
Saturday, 31 January 2009
An early morning for us. We left in the morning drizzle for the airport. Not as many people at the airport this morning as it was just a week earlier when I went to Solo. Alas, our flight out was delayed by about half an hour but we arrived just ten minutes later than scheduled at the northern city of the country with the youngest Prime Minister in ASEAN (if not Asia) at its helm and, dare I say it, one of the most good-looking Premiers around too.
Having signed for a half-day ‘Home Industries’ tour at the airport, we took a taxi to our hotel but the driver was oh so slow and unlike most taxi drivers proud of their city, he took the ‘unscenic route’ - back alleys and narrow lanes passing unimpressive sights.
Our driver for the tour, Tong, was already waiting at the lobby when we came down. We crossed the Ping River leaving the city of Chiang Mai behind (Tong told us that the Ping River runs all the 1,500 km way down to Bangkok) to where the home industries were located, about 8 km away from the city.
We stopped at the Sa Paper & Umbrella Handicraft Centre; a silver workshop and showroom (where we were greeted by a bored-looking manager); Gems Gallery (one of the four in Thailand besides Phuket, Bangkok and Pattaya. We spent considerable time here); a lacquerware shop; Jolie Femme silk workshop and showroom; and finally a leather showroom.
We reached the hotel at 4.30 pm and rested. After evening prayers, we went out to the nearby Anusarn Market for dinner at Roummit Restaurant (the very resto that Mummy and I frequented every night on our last visit) which serves halal Chinese Thai food. Then feeling energised, we explored the stalls at Anusarn Market (stall prices at Anusarn Market were quite good) and the stalls along Chang Khlan Road before going to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar complex (which I found sells things much cheaper than at the stalls lining the road). The bazaar complex is next to the spanking brand new Le Meridien (which was still under construction last year).
Sunday, 1 February 2009
This was not a trip to be spent hiking or trekking or cooped up in a van travelling with more than a dozen other strangers as we did last year (on our trips to Chiang Rai/Golden Triangle and to Maetaman Rafting & Elephant Camp) as Abah may feel tired on such trips. So this morning, we walked along Chang Khlan Road. It felt like a dead part of town: almost all stores were closed (most stores here only open from 6 in the evening and so most tourists would go for trips out in the day). I had sighted The Plaza (next to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar complex) on our way back from the half-day tour the day before so we went there and waited for it to open at 11.
While waiting, we visited Masjid Ban Ho at Charoenprathet Road Soi 1 just across the street from the Plaza. The mosque is quite huge and there was a Sunday school in session at the building to the right of the mosque as we could see from the many Muslim pupils in attendance. Along this road, you can find a number of halal eateries and some Muslim-owned businesses. By the road was a stone sign with faded description of the Ban Ho Community. This is what I deciphered from the sign: ‘The Ho people are Chinese from Yunnan. They were in contact with Lan Na since days of old, especially as caravan traders in the time of King Inthawichayanon (1870-1897). A group of Ho Chinese settled here and built a mosque Hidayatun in 1887 as the centre of their community.’
Alas, The Plaza is still a work-in-progress and so we left after a while. We walked on to Ton Lamyai Market (a fresh food market) and Waroros Market opposite it. Waroros Market is the largest market in Chiang Mai and is where the local come to shop for herbs and spices, and clothes and fabrics. We didn’t spend long here though. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at Khao-Soi Islam, one of the halal stalls at Charoenprathet Road Soi 1 for lunch.
After dinner, we took a three-wheeled tuk-tuk (you even need to bargain before taking a tuk-tuk) to the Sunday Market at Tha Phae Gate. The market sprawled to the other side of the wall all along Ratchadamnoen Road which was blocked off from traffic. I thought the Sunday Market was better than all the street stalls put together, honestly.
Monday, 2 February 2009
This morning, we took a songthaew (a two-benched van) to the Central Plaza Chiangmai Airport Shopping Centre (I notice that the city name is spelt as one word by the locals). The Central Plaza is a big, huge sprawling mall with Robinson as its major tenant. We spent a few hours here before returning to the city (I really should consider leaving my credit card behind). Lunch was again had at the same stall we patronised yesterday and this time, I had seafood khao soi (unique to northern Thailand) - essentially yellow wheat noodles in curry. It wasn’t hot and I liked it. As I was feeling unwell, I quickly ate my lunch and returned to the hotel ahead of Mummy and Abah.
No prizes for guessing where we had dinner. We headed for the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar complex again after dinner for some last-minute shopping.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
We checked out of the hotel just before 9 am and took a cab to the airport. As the fare to the airport was not fixed as it was from the airport to the city, we had to bargain for the fare. It was a long queue at the check-in counter – there were many holidaymakers returning back to KL today.
Fortunately Mummy and Abah could board the plane together with those with express boarding tickets as they are both over 65 (I always think that a family needn’t have purchased express boarding for everyone – why not just buy purchase express boarding for one or two members and have them book your seats for you). As for the rest of us hoi polloi, well, everyone was pushing and shoving each other and the poor airline representative had to speak out loudly for order. A shouting fight almost started among some passengers too. Sigh. Still on foreign soil and all the ugly behaviours had come out for the world to observe.
Our bags were late in making their appearance; some bags had appeared some 20 minutes before ours did. When our luggage came out, they were wet. Ahh, that explained it. It must have been raining heavily outside delaying the baggage reload and transfer. As we had to wait a while for our bags, we could only take the 1545 bus out to KL Sentral.
When we arrived in KL, it had started to rain cats and dogs. Such heavy torrential rain that no cabbie wanted to take my parents home. So I had to bring them up to the arrival hall for ERL passengers where the taxi counter was less choosy (I always dislike the taxi counter downstairs, unscrupulous people). Alas, my bus had left by then and I was made to wait and wait for the next (not at all) Rapid bus.
Similar to last week where my clothes were drenched by the can of isotonic drink that burst somewhere along the journey, this time, my clothes were drenched from the rain. And some idiot also took the liberty of opening my outer baggage compartments (and I’m pretty sure it’s someone at this airport rather than at Chiang Mai’s).
Similar to the Solo/Jogja trip, I didn’t manage to go to a spa or get a massage. Hmm, this warrants another trip somewhere surely.
~~~~~~~~
Thanks again to SK who texted me Saturday’s footie result (no ESPN over there OK). Grrr, I was just so mad when I heard it was another draw. Get well soon and come back quickly my Captain Fantastic por favor!
Saturday, 31 January 2009
An early morning for us. We left in the morning drizzle for the airport. Not as many people at the airport this morning as it was just a week earlier when I went to Solo. Alas, our flight out was delayed by about half an hour but we arrived just ten minutes later than scheduled at the northern city of the country with the youngest Prime Minister in ASEAN (if not Asia) at its helm and, dare I say it, one of the most good-looking Premiers around too.
Having signed for a half-day ‘Home Industries’ tour at the airport, we took a taxi to our hotel but the driver was oh so slow and unlike most taxi drivers proud of their city, he took the ‘unscenic route’ - back alleys and narrow lanes passing unimpressive sights.
Our driver for the tour, Tong, was already waiting at the lobby when we came down. We crossed the Ping River leaving the city of Chiang Mai behind (Tong told us that the Ping River runs all the 1,500 km way down to Bangkok) to where the home industries were located, about 8 km away from the city.
We stopped at the Sa Paper & Umbrella Handicraft Centre; a silver workshop and showroom (where we were greeted by a bored-looking manager); Gems Gallery (one of the four in Thailand besides Phuket, Bangkok and Pattaya. We spent considerable time here); a lacquerware shop; Jolie Femme silk workshop and showroom; and finally a leather showroom.
We reached the hotel at 4.30 pm and rested. After evening prayers, we went out to the nearby Anusarn Market for dinner at Roummit Restaurant (the very resto that Mummy and I frequented every night on our last visit) which serves halal Chinese Thai food. Then feeling energised, we explored the stalls at Anusarn Market (stall prices at Anusarn Market were quite good) and the stalls along Chang Khlan Road before going to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar complex (which I found sells things much cheaper than at the stalls lining the road). The bazaar complex is next to the spanking brand new Le Meridien (which was still under construction last year).
Sunday, 1 February 2009
This was not a trip to be spent hiking or trekking or cooped up in a van travelling with more than a dozen other strangers as we did last year (on our trips to Chiang Rai/Golden Triangle and to Maetaman Rafting & Elephant Camp) as Abah may feel tired on such trips. So this morning, we walked along Chang Khlan Road. It felt like a dead part of town: almost all stores were closed (most stores here only open from 6 in the evening and so most tourists would go for trips out in the day). I had sighted The Plaza (next to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar complex) on our way back from the half-day tour the day before so we went there and waited for it to open at 11.
While waiting, we visited Masjid Ban Ho at Charoenprathet Road Soi 1 just across the street from the Plaza. The mosque is quite huge and there was a Sunday school in session at the building to the right of the mosque as we could see from the many Muslim pupils in attendance. Along this road, you can find a number of halal eateries and some Muslim-owned businesses. By the road was a stone sign with faded description of the Ban Ho Community. This is what I deciphered from the sign: ‘The Ho people are Chinese from Yunnan. They were in contact with Lan Na since days of old, especially as caravan traders in the time of King Inthawichayanon (1870-1897). A group of Ho Chinese settled here and built a mosque Hidayatun in 1887 as the centre of their community.’
Alas, The Plaza is still a work-in-progress and so we left after a while. We walked on to Ton Lamyai Market (a fresh food market) and Waroros Market opposite it. Waroros Market is the largest market in Chiang Mai and is where the local come to shop for herbs and spices, and clothes and fabrics. We didn’t spend long here though. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at Khao-Soi Islam, one of the halal stalls at Charoenprathet Road Soi 1 for lunch.
After dinner, we took a three-wheeled tuk-tuk (you even need to bargain before taking a tuk-tuk) to the Sunday Market at Tha Phae Gate. The market sprawled to the other side of the wall all along Ratchadamnoen Road which was blocked off from traffic. I thought the Sunday Market was better than all the street stalls put together, honestly.
Monday, 2 February 2009
This morning, we took a songthaew (a two-benched van) to the Central Plaza Chiangmai Airport Shopping Centre (I notice that the city name is spelt as one word by the locals). The Central Plaza is a big, huge sprawling mall with Robinson as its major tenant. We spent a few hours here before returning to the city (I really should consider leaving my credit card behind). Lunch was again had at the same stall we patronised yesterday and this time, I had seafood khao soi (unique to northern Thailand) - essentially yellow wheat noodles in curry. It wasn’t hot and I liked it. As I was feeling unwell, I quickly ate my lunch and returned to the hotel ahead of Mummy and Abah.
No prizes for guessing where we had dinner. We headed for the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar complex again after dinner for some last-minute shopping.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
We checked out of the hotel just before 9 am and took a cab to the airport. As the fare to the airport was not fixed as it was from the airport to the city, we had to bargain for the fare. It was a long queue at the check-in counter – there were many holidaymakers returning back to KL today.
Fortunately Mummy and Abah could board the plane together with those with express boarding tickets as they are both over 65 (I always think that a family needn’t have purchased express boarding for everyone – why not just buy purchase express boarding for one or two members and have them book your seats for you). As for the rest of us hoi polloi, well, everyone was pushing and shoving each other and the poor airline representative had to speak out loudly for order. A shouting fight almost started among some passengers too. Sigh. Still on foreign soil and all the ugly behaviours had come out for the world to observe.
Our bags were late in making their appearance; some bags had appeared some 20 minutes before ours did. When our luggage came out, they were wet. Ahh, that explained it. It must have been raining heavily outside delaying the baggage reload and transfer. As we had to wait a while for our bags, we could only take the 1545 bus out to KL Sentral.
When we arrived in KL, it had started to rain cats and dogs. Such heavy torrential rain that no cabbie wanted to take my parents home. So I had to bring them up to the arrival hall for ERL passengers where the taxi counter was less choosy (I always dislike the taxi counter downstairs, unscrupulous people). Alas, my bus had left by then and I was made to wait and wait for the next (not at all) Rapid bus.
Similar to last week where my clothes were drenched by the can of isotonic drink that burst somewhere along the journey, this time, my clothes were drenched from the rain. And some idiot also took the liberty of opening my outer baggage compartments (and I’m pretty sure it’s someone at this airport rather than at Chiang Mai’s).
Similar to the Solo/Jogja trip, I didn’t manage to go to a spa or get a massage. Hmm, this warrants another trip somewhere surely.
~~~~~~~~
Thanks again to SK who texted me Saturday’s footie result (no ESPN over there OK). Grrr, I was just so mad when I heard it was another draw. Get well soon and come back quickly my Captain Fantastic por favor!
But at least, Arshavin has joined Arsenal at long last at the end of the transfer day deadline. This was what he said on BBC Sport: ‘I’m a Gunner. I’m happy to be at Arsenal,’ Arshavin said. ‘I like Arsenal’s style. I like Arsene Wenger as a coach. I like some of the players from this team.’ Awww, Shava, I like you too ever since I saw you at Euro 2008. Go here for a hilarious account of the day (and of the weather!). Oh and Kop flop Keane is back with the Spuds. Good riddance Poo. Once a Spud, forever a Spud!
And oh look at the winter wrath hitting London and England overall prompting a prolonged transfer window and a postponement of the FA match. This is one time when I don’t miss England. I don’t miss the cold and I don’t miss the snow. To me, it’s just a novelty that wears off as quickly as the snow melts into dirty sludge of ice water.
|