Chiang Mai

    I arrived in the early evening, as darkness was setting in, the taxi drops me off at my hotel, and the clerk charges me 800 Bahts/night. I was under the impression it was less, nope, oh well, give me 2 nights and I'll find another, My room is no better than the rest of the establishment, with 2 singles that I'm told to 'just put together'.

    The following morning I go exploring the city, I'm not far from the inner or old city, which is surrounded by a moat. The moat was used as a defense over the years when wars for land with Myanmar and Laos were all the rage. I was in search of a guesthouse in the old city named Thaepae Gate Hotel. It took many hours, but it was well worth the search, a nice little spot for 500 Bahts/night.
With that out of the way, I explored the area and found many similar rooms for rent, as well as bars, restaurants, tattoo, and barber shops. The Soi, which is like an alley is called Moon Muang Soi 2. Moon Muang being the area and the Sois are just numbered.

Part of the moat with some of the wall used in the
past to protect the city from invaders

I walked around the moat to get some shots and a feel for the history...about half way around the moat, I find this beautiful, old white mansion type house and take a photo or two. Then I notice that it is not lived in, and, being the overly cautious person I am, I went in. Nothing spectacular inside...pretty much a dusty mess, with broken walls, windows and ceilings all around. The stairs were kinda neat, as there were two sets of them, mirroring each other to the top. The top of this place opened up to a large balcony with many statues intact and a spectacular view of the moat, the mountains as well as the neighborhood, it was amazing.

The mansion on the corner

Abandoned Cherubs

 A few days later I was telling a few guys I had met about it and they told me that there was a curse on that house and that no one is willing to buy it. The story is that there were severe battles at that corner of the moat and many needless deaths occurred there and no one has been able to maintain a healthy business at that address. "Great! I'm going down!" was my initial thought, then I realized how lucky I really am and that the curse of this building has fallen on at least one deaf ear (I am deaf in one ear...hahaha).

The moat corner, from the cursed rooftop

    Against my better judgement I took a bus tour to Chiang Rai, to see several sights in the far north of Thailand. Maybe it was the curse, I don't know, but we made several stops along the way, and, although there were some great things at all the stops, I was mostly interested in Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple. I was also brought to the Golden Triangle, which was great, if that's what you wanted, with an addition charge you could cross into Laos for 30 minutes. Also visited a hill tribe and a hot spring. I am not a complainer (yes I am), but I think I would have been better off to save my 1200 bahts and gone to see the Temple on my own and spend a more leisurely time exploring it.

This is by far, the most popular temple in Thailand

       A few days later, I got my nerve up to rent a motorcycle and go to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthrep. The temple is in the mountains and I had a friend with me to show me the way and explain some templey things to me. The road up the mountain was quite curvy, along with the 'rules of the road' here and the fact that I am from a right sided driving country, it was a bit of a white knuckler on the way up. King Nu Naone (1368) had ordered it built there as an omen from a white elephant had happened there. It has been expanded many time since and a large golden stupas can be seen from all of Chiang Mai.

My guide Lai and I chanted a mantra as we
walked around this Stupa 3 times for luck

   I spent over 10 days in Chiang Mai, not nearly enough, this is a city that I could live in, it has it's own mood, which combines a long history fused with a modern twist. The big city with a small town feel. A relaxed atmosphere at all stops and a people who welcomed me at every corner I turned. I don't think there was a moment where I was uncomfortable or greeted without a smile. I am not a worldly person, but I would rank Chiang Mai as one of the great cities of the world. 

Chiang Mai from the Temple on the mountain