Had another free day on Friday and used it to get a few things done. Going in to Chiang Mai around midday we first stopped for coffee at a relatively new coffee shop on the bottom moat road on the edge of the Old City.
Shame its not in a more pleasant position; the road was fairly busy while we were there; as the coffee was excellent. I was especially impressed with the coffee/chocolate ratio in my iced Mocha. Too often the coffee is drowned by too much chocolate but this one was spot on, and only 45 baht for a healthy sized serving.
After that we popped down to the Bangkok Bank, by Chiang Mai gate. I had opened an account for our Foundation with the Siam Bank, but discovered that I was unable to link it with PayPal so had to open a new one with the Bangkok Bank.
Banks are not usually institutions that I’d rave about but I would say that if you are looking for a Bank with good, friendly service, you might like to try the Chiang Mai gate branch of Bangkok Bank. And it transpired that right now, if you open a new account you get 1 years free personal accident insurance, bargain!
From there we paid a visit to DK books, on Moonmuang road. Boon was after more reading material and I decided to join him when I discovered the secondhand, English language, paperback sale upstairs.
A whole wall of a wide variety of titles, most priced at 99 baht.
Boon insisted on wearing his face mask, hit by local paranoia over swine flu.
The unpredictable rainy season weather hit whilst we were inside. There had been no sign of rain beforehand but during the hour we spent in the bookstore, a deluge hit Chiang Mai. Thankfully it had finished when we came out to find the huge puddles in the car park.
More coffee at Chiang Mai Coffee in DK car park, and then it was into the Old City so that Boon could have lunch by Wat Phra Singh. Not hungry myself I killed time in the Temple grounds.
There was alot of noise going on behind the Temple and I have since learned that there were major red shirt protests going on that day. Luckily we missed it all.
We then paid a visit to the print shop in Prapaklao rd where I ordered business cards for the Foundation and inquired about the cost of T-shirt printing.
That done it was off to Airport Plaza for a session at the gym. I’m quite happy with my progress. Keen on the idea that the walking will be the best way for me to shed the tyre around my waist, I’m stepping it up every time. Previously I had done 3km in 40 minutes. This time it was 4km in 42 minutes and then 20 mins on various weight machines. Still got a sizeable belly but the overhang is definitely receding from my sides.
It was then home for a relaxing night in.
Saturday was out on the road with Ally for me.
This morning I slept late and woke up with a hefty headache and wasn’t sure that I was up to doing much at all today. But in the end we headed in to Chiang Mai again.
On the way we stopped for Lunch at the Chiang Mai Kow Soi cafe on the highway from Saraphi to Hang Dong road.
The Kow Soi is great but now I’m rapidly developing an addiction to their pork Spring Rolls too.
Even nicer when dunked in the Kow Soi Sauce….aloi mak!!
This time I made sure I got good photos of the strange fruit out front of the cafe…..can anyone identify them?
From there we went into Airport Plaza again and this time I did 5km in 50 minutes. Not so long on the machines this time.
Boon spent the time reading down at Mags Coffee, on the floor below.
Outside the Gym there appeared to be some sort of break dance class going on, with many local youngsters practicing their skills.
On the way home we visited 2 markets. First was on the highway from Hang Dong Rd to Saraphi, turn left off Hang dong Rd at the Samoeng Intersection.
This extensive local market is open on Fridays and Sundays. So if you live local or maybe you’re on extensive backpacking travels and need to stock up on cheap t-shirts, try this one out.
We then stopped off at the big sunday Market in Saraphi. held at the local High School. It was about 7pm by then and it was just finishing, but looks like another one that would be well worth the visit if you are after functional goods rather than souvenirs.
For more photos from these days please visit our photobucket album here
When we arrived we saw that there had been some sort of event going on over the weekend, sponsored by Sponsor.
We decided to grab something from the food court in the lower level of the Plaza.
As they prepared to scrub the school down there was a slight distraction when a baby Cobra was spotted.
Sadly it would appear that this is part of the culture that may be slipping. Whilst being a little wary, the kids seemed intent on throwing things at the snake, which was doing its best to slip away, to the point where it got agitated enough to turn and head towards them, hood spread.
Expecting the nearby cafes to be open I headed down the old Lamphun/Chiang Mai road to Cafe Lut 89, the small coffee stall just before the intersection with the Super Highway.
Heading over towards San Kam Paeng on the Banthi road, I should have remembered from Saturdays ride out with Ally, the distinct lack of decent eating stops along this road.
On the way back we called up to Wat Pa Tung and I got a photo of one of the possible sites for our Foundation plans.
As apposed to the normal ‘splash about’, I actually did about half an hours serious swimming.
Our other lunchtime companions were the cafe cat, who happily ate our leftovers, and a beautiful yellow and black butterfly, possibly a cousin of that hairy caterpillar.
On the way home we called in at Chompoo where we fed the fish and I bought a new Moneybox.
We also saw these amazing looking toads.
oh, and watching Wispa playing with her latest buddy, Fleabag.
Not normally a visitor to such high class establishments, I actually felt quite intimidated and had no intention of going in until Ally was there to accompany me. She arrived just a few moments later, enough time for me to have a cigarette, and off we went, up the steps to the Lanna Restaurant, where it would appear that the hold a Buffet every Thursday evening between 6pm and 10pm.
Before heading home we popped into Black Canyon Coffee down the road where we waited for Boon to arrive and i enjoyed Iced Mexican Coffee in a glass boot.
Its been quite sometime since we visited this place and had to search around a bit for the new motorcy parking area.
The cine complex is, undoubtedly, furbished much better, very plush looking, with beautiful carpets and neon signs everywhere;
Saturday saw us back into Chiang Mai yet again, but this time, after collecting my stuff from the printers, it hadn’t been finished the day before, we took advantage of the nicer weather and rode out for an afternoon at Huay Tung Tao. We enjoyed a couple of hours there, taking in a late lunch and taking a dip in the lake. A nice relaxing day.
Taking the Saraphi route into Chiang Mai we had to make a coffee stop just short of the Superhighway when another downpour hit. This is a good opportunity to mention this pleasant coffee stall, l’ut 89, which does excellent fresh coffee at wonderful Thai prices. So if you are heading out to Lamphun on the old road, I highly recommend stopping here on the way. It is literally 2 or 3 minutes ride from the main intersection underneath the Superhighway, on the right as you head to Lamphun.
He duely arrived, around 6pm and we had a couple of hours catching up on each others recent lives.
Bonus for Wispa when we got home.
